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rupert shellgame
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 109
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 Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:07 am Post subject: Ten Things You Hate about Taiwan |
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| Again, I will hang on to mine. I am very interested in what other people will say. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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1. Lack of pension fund.
2. Difficulty of getting a loan to buy a car. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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Umm, don't worry, I'll also post 10 positive things on the other thread, but these are the biggies for me:
1. The limited amount of time to change jobs in-country (on the surface, it appears to be seven days, some people maintain you can stretch this out by filing a complaint with the CLA, but that is risky in itself)
2. The phrase "you are so lucky" constantly bandied about (yes, I'm lucky -- I have been fired once, then worked for the boss from hell, and am on my third buxiban in one year, having saved absolutely nothing)
3. Dishonest buxiban practices (deceiving parents, screwing around with teachers)
4. No airfare, free apartment, or even guaranteed stable salary
5. 18% tax no matter how little you're earning, and you can't get a portion of it back for almost two years (at which point you've probably either moved or declared bankruptcy)
6. Extremely competitive, hard-to-break-into EFL market (buxibans have tons of applicants, PS requires a home country teacher's license)
7. Summers are too hot
8. Fewer amenities than Korea or Japan (in nine months, I have not found a single coin laundry on my island, the Internet cafe closes at 12:00, and you can't drink the tap water)
9. Sixth and seventh grade girls lack any form of originality or confidence and need to be coaxed for five minutes to produce a whispered, one-word answer
10. Third and fourth grade boys are behavior problems, especially if the school has a crap support system (though I'm holding out hope for my new school)
However, this is not to say that I dislike Taiwan. You asked me to list ten things I hate about Taiwan, and those are the big ten. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 12:37 am Post subject: |
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| 8. Fewer amenities than Korea or Japan (in nine months, I have not found a single coin laundry on my island, the Internet cafe closes at 12:00, and you can't drink the tap water) |
You should not compare Kaoshiung living to living in Seoul. Internet cafes in Taipei are open 24 hours a day. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| 10. Third and fourth grade boys are behavior problems, especially if the school has a crap support system (though I'm holding out hope for my new school) |
I will add to this. The idea that many buxibans want an English only environment but the reality is that it is difficult to control students using only English. Students do not understand that you are scolding them when you speak to them in English.
Last edited by JZer on Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:36 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mr. Kalgukshi
Mod Team
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 6613
Location: Need to know basis only.
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:15 am Post subject: |
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If you don't want to participate in this discussion, that's fine.
If you participate only to post off-topic or other inappropriate comments, that's not.
I just deleted such a posting and future ones will earn members posting them unpaid long, long vacations from this board.
If this message doesn't apply to you, not to worry.
If it does, worry about it. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 8:09 am Post subject: |
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| JZer wrote: |
| Quote: |
| 10. Third and fourth grade boys are behavior problems, especially if the school has a crap support system (though I'm holding out hope for my new school) |
I will add to this. The idea that many buxibans want an English only environment but the reality is that it is difficult to control students using only English. Students do not understand that you are scolding them when you speak to them in English. |
That's true.
I've started using a points system with dollars that I designed myself and photocopy, and cool prizes (even an old handheld color TV and Game Boy Advance as teaser prizes) and I think my class is behaving better already. I know that they don't understand my English all the time, but at least this way, they can understand the international language: money! Skinner's token economies, folks!
However, in CE10, little Kevin thought that he could get the Game Boy Advance after just one class of hard work (in reality, it's $250, which would take a student about a year or two to earn, because it's the grand prize). Upon learning that he would not get the Game Boy Advance, he threw down his $3 reward, started crying, and stormed out of the room!
Man, it must be great to be a second grader and still have awesome delusions like that. Yeah, you know, because us teachers are rich and can afford to give out a GBA as a prize every class. Maybe I should tell Kevin that I manufacture them in my home! 
This is the same kid who has hit by a ricocheted ball pit ball and threw himself out of his chair and started crying, and who starts crying whenever the other boy gets a point... |
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steve_c
Joined: 25 Nov 2006
Posts: 96
Location: Luzhu (or Lujhu or Luchu or...sigh)
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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I don't really hate much at all, whether in Taiwan or elsewhere. However, I'll start a list:
1. The traffic/insane driving habits.
2. Megaphones that blast, on a continuous recorded loop, vendors hawking their wares. I NEVER stop foot into a store that has one of these loud, obnoxious things blaring.
3. Blue trucks (see #1)
4. Taxis (see #1)...except when I'M in the taxi and I'm late  |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I've started using a points system with dollars that I designed myself and photocopy, and cool prizes (even an old handheld color TV and Game Boy Advance as teaser prizes) and I think my class is behaving better already. I know that they don't understand my English all the time, but at least this way, they can understand the international language: money! Skinner's token economies, folks! |
I used to work at Happy Marian. They gave prizes. The prizes enticed the first grade students to behave but the fifth grade students did not give a hoot. If I would have stayed at that school longer I would have offered pizza if the class earned a certain amount of points. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:15 am Post subject: |
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| JZer wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I've started using a points system with dollars that I designed myself and photocopy, and cool prizes (even an old handheld color TV and Game Boy Advance as teaser prizes) and I think my class is behaving better already. I know that they don't understand my English all the time, but at least this way, they can understand the international language: money! Skinner's token economies, folks! |
I used to work at Happy Marian. They gave prizes. The prizes enticed the first grade students to behave but the fifth grade students did not give a hoot. If I would have stayed at that school longer I would have offered pizza if the class earned a certain amount of points. |
True, but my prizes are cooler.
I know what you mean -- a display case filled with knockoff barbies and pencils and little stamps. Useless sh-- that kids have no interest in after the age of seven.
My prizes include a handheld color TV, a Game Boy advance, VCD movies, and other things that kids might actually want. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:07 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like you are doing a good job. Before, I thought about doing an alternative certification program in the US. I thought about offering US students gift certificates to buy their own video games or magazines. I don't believe that bringing games and giving them out in the US would work. Some parents would complain that they do not want their kids to have certain games. Thus I believe that gift certificates to a video game store would be better.
Anyways, I think I will go back and get a degree in Health Care instead. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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| JZer wrote: |
Sounds like you are doing a good job. Before, I thought about doing an alternative certification program in the US. I thought about offering US students gift certificates to buy their own video games or magazines. I don't believe that bringing games and giving them out in the US would work. Some parents would complain that they do not want their kids to have certain games. Thus I believe that gift certificates to a video game store would be better.
Anyways, I think I will go back and get a degree in Health Care instead. |
Hahaha, JZer, I totally know what you mean.
Another thing I love about Taiwan (that didn't make the list) is that parents don't go apesh** over religious/pop culture things that would get you fired or at least disciplined in America.
For example, at Amigo School, we did a Christmas play. The parents didn't complain or sue me. It was great.
Offering cool prizes like video games is no big deal here. In America, I'd definitely get angry e-mails.
Although the parents can be anal about some things (Korean parents complaining over the slightest use of Korean in the classroom comes to mind), at least they aren't so over-protective like certain US parents that I remember from when I was in school (no PG-13 movies until you're 13, etc.). |
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heidihcb
Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 10
Location: CA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:01 am Post subject: |
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I posted in the positive section too. :)
1. Cold winters and riding your scooter in them. Brr....
2. Lack of good food options.... Dumplings get old fast.
3. Inability to buy women's clothing bigger than a size 2. I'm not a big girl but I couldn't find clothes my size to save my life.
4. Thinking that I'm going to die on my scooter daily.
5. Being stared at...
6. That nasty bread that they sell that is always sweet. WHY?
7. Smelling stinky tofu on the street.
8. The utter lack of trashcans in public places.
9. Taiwan days.
10. Making up holidays on Saturdays... It was a HOLIDAY. |
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yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 5:20 am Post subject: |
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| heidihcb wrote: |
et.
10. Making up holidays on Saturdays... It was a HOLIDAY. |
Yeah, isn't that retarded?
"Hey we're going to give you a holiday!! Yippee!! But next week you have to work an extra day..." 
My contribution:
10: Working for my 'boss'
9: Horrendously incompetent drivers who wouldn't be let behind the wheel of a child's pedal car at home.
8: Parking in lanes and on corners
7: Cop cars that drive around at 5 mph with lights flashing
6: The assumption that everyone who is white is American
5: People who pick their nose in public with no shame
4: Giggly 7-11 girls who laugh whenever you attempt to communicate in Chinese - Hey, at least I'm trying.
3: Nobody is ever on time and everything is always last minute
2: Interfering parents who think their child is more deserving of my time than any other.
1: Working for my boss - did I already say that?? |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:23 am Post subject: |
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| heidihcb wrote: |
| 8. The utter lack of trashcans in public places. |
All right, somebody else besides me noticed this!
Yes, I have also had days in which I haul a water bottle or empty biandang box around for an hour, only to stuff it in a hole in the concrete where other people have already decided to do the same thing. |
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