Job Discussion Forums

Madman · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:43 am Post subject: Best country in Asia?

I am currently working in the Middle East but am looking ahead for my next posting. I am not an ESL teacher but I do work in education administration. Can anyone recommend which countries in Asia are worth considering in terms of quality of life, salary, accommodation packages and health care.

Splenda · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 19

If I may tag onto this thread instead of creating another one, I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on the easiest country for a brand new ESL teacher to find work. I am most interested in Taiwan, but I am a little concerned with what appears to be lack of jobs and/or teaching hours available there.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Splenda, What are your qualifications? Goals? Timeline?

Sadebugo · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 524

To the first poster,

Most people agree that, for the package, Korea is the best because they pay well compared to the cost of living and almost always provide free accomodation. For quality of life, Japan in North Asia and almost any country in SE Asia would be acceptable. IMHO, Korea has a terrible quality of life

To the second poster,

Hands down, Korea is the easiest market to break into. For your first instititute job, you can get hired with a BA in anything.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

Splenda · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 19

Thanks for the info, Sadebugo. With a B.S. and no previous teaching experience, I'll probably end up in Korea. Hearing how miserable so many people seem to be teaching there makes me a little apprehensive, however. From what I read, getting a good public school position is basically the luck of the draw.

Taiwan also has more appeal to me because learning Mandarin is more desirable to me than Korean, but at least Korea pays well.

People like to make the case for places like China, Vietnam, Laos, etc., but the standard of living seems harsher, the pay less, and the jobs harder to find. Japan would probably be nice were it not so expensive.

Nabby Adams · Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 215

Japan is less expensive these days.

Tell me what you think things cost and I will tell you how much they actually do.

Sadebugo · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 524

khmerhit · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:12 am Post subject:

LIVE IT UP LARGE
MEET INTERESTING PEEPS
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TELL NO ONE

c a m b o d i a
TRY IT AND SEE Cool

Green Acres · Joined: 06 May 2009 Posts: 260

its all relevant to what you want and need....anyplace can be paradise and anyplace can be hell.

gajackson1 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 210

Well, hmmm. The actual Korea boards may be better for this (esp. if you watch out for/listen to the long-time vets), but my perspective?

I 'lived' in Korea for a little more than 10 years. The first 4 were in a large town (Ch'ang-won is considered a city, but i certainly didn't see it that way)(although it is moving in that direction). I would say I had a very good overall quality of life there, and traveled close to 3 months out of each year.

Upon moving to Seoul, things were really a tradeoff - there were more stores, a lot more nightlife. more dating opportunities - although I was in a relationship for most of that time. More access to foodstuffs & restaurants, IMAX theatre, etc. 1st 2 apartments were a lot smaller, but putting 20 mil into key money got us a beautiful place for the last few years. Beach was NOT as close/accessible, but we were in the southern suburb (An-yang) area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quality of life is verrrrrrryyyy subjective. Really, a lot of it is environmental, if QoL is your MAIN/primary goal. Green Acres was/is right about that - South Korea worked for me, no doubt about it. But I do actively try to maximize potentials wherever I go.

Right now, I am in Brunei, which a lot of people would find 'hellish' - but that is definitely NOT my take on it; I love it here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Madman, sorry it seems your original thread got hijacked somewhat. If you are in edu admin, and leaving the ME, it is a little odd . . . most people work towards that direction, hoping to get on with one of the 'good' jobs for the mad money.

Do you not want to work as a teacher? Or do you not currently, but would be willing to???

Finding admin positions without teaching experience, or else a 2nd language in that particular country (for example, edu admin + Japanese), can be pretty difficult/frustrating - true admin is generally handled by the locals, govt., business English service provider, etc.

Elsewhere here, there have been a couple of threads related to teaching-job websites that focus more on the upper-ends of teaching; I'll see if I can dig one or 2 of those up for you.

Regards,

Glen

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Splenda,

In Guangdong and other large cities you can make just as much as Taiwan. In Taiwan your will get around 60,000 NT. In Guangdong you can get around 12,000 to 14,000 at a language center plus housing. It works out about the same.

If I don't get accepted to an alternative certification program in the US I will move to China in 2011.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Splenda · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 19

Nexus11 · Joined: 18 Nov 2009 Posts: 38

People are way too hard on Korea. If you live in Seoul, they have the world's fastest and most accessible high speed internet in the world, a great public transportation system, access to just about any kind of food you want, and you can get by with almost no Korean language skills.

Most of the bad experiences that people have are at work and those risks can definitely be minimized by properly researching. I absolutely love Seoul and would much rather live there than my home city of Toronto. I've spent two years there and will probably return for more. The only problem is the exchange rate on the won sucks right now.