Job Discussion Forums

[Chancellor]

Does anyone know about this school?

http://www.esljobs.com/indonesia/english-teaching-tefl-jobs-indonesi/

[malu]

Got to be EF Makassar going it alone. EF Padang ceased to be EF in February, quite possible that Makassar didn't renew their franchise either.

Can't say I'd fancy Makassar whoever the employer is. Locals are the rudest I've come across in SE Asia.

[geoboz]

Hi,
This school, formerly English First in Makassar, is now independently owned with a new Director of Studies, which, from others' reports, is a vast improvement over the last DOS. In the past month, the new DOS has been not only friendly and welcoming; she has also been very patient and thorough in answering my many questions about the program there, living in Makassar, issues of housing and medical insurance, the best (cheapest) way to get there from North America, etc. In response to her welcoming and thorough interactions, I have decided to join the team there, due to leave next week. The pay is low, but living costs are also low. Regarding rude locals, well, most sane people respond to our energy in like manner. I cannot imagine Indonesians being rude even to an extremely rude foreigner, having lived there already for 3 years and traveling throughout the island nation. In most cases, Indonesians just leave rude people alone, exercising the Truth that what someone says about someone else reveals a whole lot more about their own heart than it does the character of the person under fire. I'm looking forward to giving this place a good shake. Cheers!

[travelNteach]

your report seems a little naive. the DOS answered a few questions so she is fantastic? that is her job. what reports are u referring to? its great that u are enthusiatic about your new job, but perhaps u should work there a while before u write such a glowing post. i guess maybe u have gotten your meds sorted out.

when were u here in indonesia? indonesians are wonderful people, but every country has rude people in it. i have often witnessed indonesians being rude to each other and to foreigners as well as foreigners being rude to each other and indonesians. i think malu was referring to the fact that the locals seem more aggressive and abrupt when compared to other indonesians, such as the javanese. i personally find the batak people living in batam to be very agressive and rude. my indonesian friends do as well. it is interesting to ask indonesians which groups of indonesians they consider to be rude. they have very strong opinions on this.

funny that they didnt change the contract.............. is says visa to be paid for by EF. lol

[geoboz]

Interesting that my clearly indicated prearrival post is, in your opinion, naive. perhaps the snippy tone of your report is what the "rude" indonesians reacted to. you get back what you invest. a simple rule of the universe. you want rude? then be rude!

[aku_tonpa]

[quote= simple rule of the universe. you want rude? then be rude![/quote]


Some one was very rude to me the other day. I didn't want rude and I didn't act rude. The universe has screwed me once again.

[travelNteach]

u are right. my tone was a little snippy as i was rushing to class and was going to edit when i got back or delete it and write a new one. unfortunately it has already been read and commented on, so i will leave it as it is and take my lumps.

the OP was asking for info about the school. perhaps it would have been better if u had posted links to these reports u have read. reading your post it seemed a little like a cheerleading session. the dos answering a few questions is certainly no cause for such a glowing post. the fact is that neither you nor i have any personal experience with the old dos, the new dos, knowledge of co-workers, students or the local people. your sunny post is in stark contrast the the majority of other posts where u had problems with china, algeria, and mexico. it will be interesting to read a post after u have been there for 6 months to a year.

i think your reply was a little terse as well. if u read carefully, i never said indos were rude to me. i reported what i observed and what indonesians had relayed to me. if u had been here for 3 years, u would know that different groups of indonesians act differently based on their ethnic culture and other groups find it rude and or agressive when they judge it against their own cultural norms. seriously, u cannot imagine rude indonesians? u cannot imagine them being rude to a foreigner? reality check please. it is a normal part of life. it is impossible to imagine that in a country of over 250 million people that none of them are ever rude. if u are going to be this sensitive and easily offended by my post, then u are probably going to have a miserable time as u did in your other jobs.

[geoboz]

thanks for the clarification. i think it's always best to welcome fortune in the midst of disaster, challenges next to opportunity, light amid the darkness, and consciousness through unconsciousness. here's wishing you all of that and more.

[malu]

[malu]

Well, what a strange thing...

Geoboz is so keen to 'give this place a good shake' that within a week of arrival he has started sending out applications for other jobs in Indonesia. I know, because I saw a copy of a rather imaginative and creative resume he sent to a friend of mine.

Shame on you.

[geoboz]

it seems that all of the lurkers stick their necks out from under rocks on this forum. shielding their underbellies from the light of day. it also shows that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. if you have a question to a without ask, then just ask it without innuendo. this forum has been jaded by a few onlookers who really don't have many good things to say, a lot like a middle school locker room. and yet they cannot seem to understand why people react rudely or shortly? now, in my humble opinion, that's the real shame here.

[malu]

So does the school and Makassar live up to your expectations?

[geoboz]

the school is recruiting now. you can check it out for yourself if you want to.

[Jon Sheridan-Jones]

Hi

I am a newly qualified CELTA teacher and am looking at a position at the Flou Institute. It would be good to hear Geoboz thoughts now that he has been there a while. I am pretty chill about the place, have done some research re Makassar, read the posts on the forum here, but far harder to get an idea of the school.
I spent ten year travelling and working the world as a dive instructor, so have lived with �rude locals� no power, no water, cowboy operators and am not easily scared, as long as the basics are there: i.e. there are students to teach, books to teach with, staff are friendly and supportive, you get paid and the accommodation exists, I am pretty happy. There is local diving and a chance to get away, even if it�s after a year work.

Thanks, any comments would be gratefully received

Jon

[geoboz]

hi jon. first, i have only worked at flou institute for a month, so my comments are those of a "newbie." the school caters to primary and secondary school aged children whose parents are wealthy enough to send them to a private school to burnish their english with native speakers. much of what we actually do in the classroom has more to do with discipline issues with the burgeoning teen populations here than with actual teaching. some of the students are quite vocal about resenting being dropped off (neglected?) by their parents or caregivers. the younger children, however, are simply delightful (perhaps not yet cognizant of the issues prompting the teen outcry). so, as you can see, we do considerable babysitting here for children whose interest in attending varies considerably.
one of the problems here is financial. there seems to be a diminished ability to actually support this laudable effort. makassar has a very small population of people who can actually afford to send their children to this school, so the owner of the school has a way of shuffling classes around to make room for new tuitions. the present DoS is very likable, professional, and dedicated to her work, unlike previous ones (by others' reports, that is), and the current teachers are also well-targeted in their planning and delivery of their lessons. one main issue is the distance between where we all live and the school. there are two ways to get back and forth: taxi (can take a chomp out of the salary) and a motor scooter (my preferred way to get around for a fraction of the cost of taxis). the DoS has tried to get the owner to provide communal transport to and from work, but he resists this. in addition, makassar in general is on par with costs of living in other mid-sized asian cities, so the salary has a way of jumping out of one's pockets at a rate that is unexpected.
all told, though, fluo institute is a laid back place to work with low academic expectations and high customer service output. so far, pay has been on time, visas renewed, housing is meager but doable, most absolute necessities are available (most "fluff" is not). the upside is the relaxed atmosphere. the downside is the low pay and somewhat high expense in living here and navigating the community.
i hope this has helped.