Job Discussion Forums

[ICAtlantis]

Hello,

Ok, it doesn't look like many people will respond to my previous post, so maybe I will just ask specific questions.

I have a BA degree and no TEFL Cert. coming from one yr in Korea.

1. Would I be fine if I didn't get a scooter, getting around in Taipei (i.e. public transportation)? It seems everyone gets one, I'm not psyched about the idea.

2. I ideally would like to teach elementary students, do most schools have the prep prepared for you and you just teach, or do you mostly do your own prep? Or is just every school different?

3. What is typical pay, rent, vacation/benefits and hours for teaching? Or what is the min. amount I should accept?

4. Do Taiwanese schools typically provide one yrs severance pay at the end and/or pension?

5. What is the dress code in most schools? Where I work now, it's casual.

6. Lastly, in Korea I can find a good school on my own, not using a recruiter. Usually the recruiters give you all the big name schools that are just OK. For Taiwan, is it better just to go through Reach to Teach, or can I do better with more research on my own??

Thanks for any help!!

[123Loto]

Here are some numbers for the OP:

65k - 20% tax equals 52k in the hand.

Rent would be $10,000/m in Taipei county, bills at $3000, and $27000/m to live on. That will be enough to live comfortably in Taipei County: eating out once a week, drinking at a bar, DVDs, movies, books. You could save more if you tone down the lifestyle.

On this budget and with an income of 65k a month you'll save 12k a month, but more like 17k if you are sharing accomodation. If you arrive before July in the calendar year you will get a significant tax refund in the following year. Your second year will be better because of no start up costs, the tax rate dropping to 6% in the second half and you learning how to operate in Taiwan. (No more accidently telling the cab driver YangMinShan when you wanted to say HsiMen!)

Rent is cheaper down south.

Start up costs will depend on how lucky you get.

Rent start up will be $10000 first month's rent plus 2 month's rent bond equals $30000. (If you share it will be less or if you live in south Taiwan).

Second hand AC will be $4000, second hand fridge $4000, new mattress will be $2000 - possible to get a new frame for another $3000. Sofa set will be $10000 at IKEA. Desk will be $5000 at IKEA. Scooter will be $20000. Large new flat screen TV = $20,000 .

So total could be about $98000 (78000 if you don't need the TV). However, if you get into shared accommodation a lot of these costs can disappear. You don't necessarily need a scooter in Taipei County (you do down South I hear).

So as I said, the costs will depend on luck to a certain degree.

Good luck!

[ESL Hobo]

1)Public transport is good in Taipei. Driving a scooter or even a car is dangerous, frustrating and could be very costly if you get into an accident. That aside some people do like to buy a cheap scooter for nearby weekend excursions but they are not really necessary.

2)With your credentials teaching in an elementary school is not possible. Although, the cram schools are filled to the brim with elementary school age kids in the afternoon and evenings.

3)Pay (low average) NT60,000 per month minus 20% tax.
I would recommend renting a fully furnished apartment so you won't need to spend money on all the little things- in the end it will equal more savings or personal spending money. Take a look at tealit.com see what they have to offer for furnished rentals, average NT12,000 and up. Typical vacations are paid 10 days of national holidays + one week unpaid vacation.
Visa and medical care, All that for a (M-F) 20 hour work week.

4) Never heard of anyone getting one year severance pay here, thats a Korean thing.

5)Casual but don't come to worked pierced.

6)I would not use a recruiter in Taiwan. I did it once during the past 8 years I've been here and very much regretted it. Recruiters here typically work for cram schools that don't have the savvy to get their own teachers, thus also not having enough business savvy to treat their western teachers in a manner they would be accustomed to.

[IrishTony]

Just to reiterate what has already been said about transportation:

The transportation in Taipei is very good. The MRT (underground train system in Taipei) is very good and cheap.

Also if you could get used to recognizing some Chinese characters, the buses around the city are very frequent, cheap and useful.

Driving in Taipei city is very very dangerous. There is a lot of aggression, chaos and plain stupidity on the streets and roads here, and lots of accidents as a result. So stick to the public transportation if you can.