Job Discussion Forums

[reality]

Your application has been submitted, and you have been accepted to work in a school, somewhere in Jakarta. The school have made Jakarta sound like a Tropical paradise, thats affordable to live in and offers a lot to any budding expatriate Teacher. All you have to do is to accept the job, and book a flight.

Think very carefully............

Good Schools in Indonesia, do not need to advertise Internationally. they usually recruit locally and are known in the Jakarta Teaching community. Usually desperate schools advertise for Teachers, because no one locally will work for them.

Jakarta is one of South east Asias biggest Cities. Its big, noisy, heavily polluted and very " Westernized." It is also home for many of the regions wealthiest and poorest people. Money talks in Indonesia, as much as it does in Europe and the USA, and their is plenty to spend it on in Jakarta.

A City without a Mass transit system that spreads for over 50 kms, is not an easy and cheap place to around around in, on a basic teachers salary offered Internationally. Many jobs are in the more "remote" and "inaccessible" areas of Jakarta.

These are often Suburban areas, were Residents all own a Car, were there is little Entertainment apart from an Air con Mall in many areas,often with products that cost more and are more limited in variety than in central Jakarta.

Living in these areas, means that you spend more, rather than less than any teacher living close to the center of Jakarta.

Many of these areas resemble, Middle income suburbs in the USA or Europe. Residents often earn more than you do, and impose "Religious" values on anyone living in the area.

This is very true in conservative Moslem and Christian areas of Jakarta. Bad behaviour can be seen as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, wearing skimpy clothes (women), playing loud music, and even not going to a Mosque or Church. Both religious communities can be as bad as each other imposing rules.

Entertainment spots are in Jakarta, but with the ever decling expatriate community, they are often only located in Kota (West Jakarta), Blok M (South Jakarta) and Jl Jaksa (Central Jakarta). If you are not on the busway route, these areas can cost a lot to get too, and it is often cheaper to sleep in a cheap hotel in these areas, then pay for a cab back home.

Offering Teachers serviced accomodation sounds really good, especially wiuth a maid service. But many people do not realise, school bosses like to keep an eye on you. The helpful maid, often doubles up as the bosses spy.

There is a Teacher shortage in Jakarta, one reason many schools are paranoid that you will leave. If you have arrived, and met other expatriates outside the school. You may sudden;ly realise you are working more hours than them, and earning around 60% less than other Teachers.

Many Schools recruit solely from the internet, because they can cut hiringf costs, increase profits and exploit expatriate teachers for a time.

Another reason is that their is so much part-time work out there, many schools fear you will work outside the School, and eventually leave. Check the penalty for leaving on your contract, it will tell you a lot about the school you are working for.

Jakarta is not an easy place to live in, if you like wide spaces, greenery, clean air and ethnic cultures. It is big, dirty, crowded, heavily polluted and rough. If you night clubbing, Jakarta is great, but remember clubbing in Jakarta can cost more than in Europe and the USA.

Expatriate bars in Blok M and half decent Clubs charge plus western prices for drinks, and entrance fees. An average teacher in Jakarta, cannot afford to go Clubbing, never mind stay in a half decent Guest house outside Jakarta (minimal cost 150.000rp to 400.00 rp in some popular areas).

Teaching for anything less than 10 million a month in Jakarta, is a joke, most teachers here well over this figure. If you are offered less than this, but want to work in Jakarta. Book a ticket to SE Asia, check out Indonesia and stay and find a better job, if you like the place......[/b]

[laughing_magpie06]

Very good post. Aptly sums up Jakarta in a nutshell. I came here for a personal reason but have a plan to leave next year as I can no longer see myself living here without going insane and the reasons I have stayed for have been done. I would NEVER consider coming here for just wanting to teach as there are far nicer, more exotic places even not far away in Asia.
On another note, I would be interested to hear how people who were here for a while got on when returing home.

[philbags]

I've been working the summer school circuit in the Uk far the last couple of years. If you can get a residential position its possible to save a nice bit of money and see the country as well. every time i go back to the uk I like it a little less but I still wouldnt choose to settle in Indonesia; much less Jakarta. Do you know the phrase 'going troppo'? Bandungs a good place to do that. I think there's a real danger of staying out there so long you can't readjust. Somerset maugham would have had a field day on the EFl scene.

[wailing_imam]

Jakarta also has plenty of teachers who, like Reality, have the strange habit of peppering their writing with unnecessary capital letters.

I did some time in Jakarta. I was young and didn't give a funk. I just wanted to party, meet nice girls and dance all night. I also had a deep interest Indonesia. Jakarta was perfect for me. Then I went back and did another short stint after being away for a year and it didn't suit me any more.

Jakarta, like all cities in the world, is what you make of it. You have to take what you want out of a city. Ctites change as we change. If it's crap, leave. The only one keeping you anywhere is you.

[reality]

Wailing Iman, you are not in Jakarta now. Cities change, and Jakarta changed a lot. Also job opportunities change too.

I returned back to Jakarta this year, according my past experience. Jakarta now rates pretty poorly as a party place. Most of the Clubs we probably knew have closed down, and you need real money nowadays to party in Jakarta.

Jakarta in 2007, is a much more conservative place, and a much more limited place if you are a party animal. Unless you consider living in an EF house, a party!.

[wailing_imam]

I bet Jakarta's still one million times more fun than KL!

EF house? Been there, done that. It's a bit like living in a tropical Withnail and I at times.

[TEAM_PAPUA]

I agree that any qualified and experienced teacher should be working for a lot more than 10jt. There are many schools that pay more than this to experienced and qualified teachers.

However, if someone has neither experience nor qualifications, should he expect the same salaries and benefits?

The crappy language mills provide opportunities for people who would normally not have the opportunity to work abroad.

Supply and demand - it really is that simple. Your average EFL 'teacher' has absolutely NO scarcity value - a relatively worthless commodity with no bargaining power.

It is the same in all areas of business.

Yes - Jakarta is a hole.

[beefer]