Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dev]

Has anybody here taught in Taiwan? How much better or worse is it compared to teaching in Korea?

I've heard that the Taiwanese people are friendlier to foreigners and less of that annoying staring.

Salaries are slightly lower, but if the sacrifice means a happier life, then it's worth it.

I'm sure the food tastes better.

[djsmnc]

Go there, find out, and then let us know! Your opinion is as good as anyone else's

[Ya-ta Boy]

As this question has been discussed on this site approximately once a month for the last bazillion years, try a search.

[Dev]

[Octavius Hite]

I have not taught there but I travel there often to party and have many friends there, so I can give my impressions.

There is pushing and horking and lip smacking and general Korean style craziness.

But...

It is a much smaller country and city (Taipei). It is much less crowded so the craziness is much more manageable. But the subway is smaller and thus less convenient and Chinese is hard, very hard.

That said the weather is warm and tropical but it is also friggin hot and gross during the summer.

The pay is less and you have to find your own place (I have seen great places and I've seen some sh1tholes).

As for the school system, its the same as korea, PS all day and the hogwons at night. Same BS, less pay.

One more plus though is the party seen is bumping, great DJ's great clubs, fun times. Korea and partying (beyond getting tanked in Itaewon or the sh1tpit that is Hongdae) just dont go together.

And it is much cheaper to live, in fact if you are in the market for a new laptop its better to wait and fly to taipei, the savings will pay for the plane ticket.

[tigerbluekitty]

I don't much about Taiwan but if the cost of living is lower there, then the savings could be about the same.

A lady from my TESOL class back in LA told me that I should've gone to Taiwan to teach instead of SK. She says it's so much better there, the warmer weather, the tastier variety of food. The people are friendlier. Much more fun. She had taught in Korea for three months prior to that and said it was soo not for her. She lacked places to go, didn't like the food, and was all around bored.

Suppose I should take her advice, but then I think about the higher salary here.. kinda hard to leave having large loans to pay, not sure if I should take the risk.

[Rock]

Yeah Dev, you can live a happier life here. I know, I'm here right now.

You'll feel more accepted in Taiwan. There's not the rudeness you have in Korea either.

But, and I say but, you won't like the jobs here, and the pay. The food's okay, but not as good as Korea's. And it's much, much more difficult living here because you don't have an apartment given to you.

[Yaya]

I went to Taipei in August and talked with an American who taught there. He said he was getting more than most teachers, US$2,300 a month, but NO roundtrip airfare or housing. But he seemed happy there, and that's the main thing.

Taiwanese are better behaved and mannered than Koreans, but well, in Korea, you're much more likely to have a stranger buy you dinner and drinks.

The thing is, you can try both countries and see what you like, though I'm sure Taiwanese places put a higher premium on qualifications than Korean ones. And I hear ethnic Asians will find it MUCH tougher to find work teaching in Taiwan than in Korea.

[twg]

[Tiger Beer]

[kimchi_pizza]

[Tiger Beer]

[kimchi_pizza]

[chaz47]

Damn!

[just4u]

Meh. I did both and was given the best job on the island on Taiwan, but I think I would still rather go to Korea or Japan even if it means working harder....in Taiwan there can be a lack of ethics.

I don't dislike the people there and made a lot of friends there...and yes they do party a lot...I would stick to Taipei, too hard to get around otherwise...I know people can get screwed in Korea but it's just more ethical, if I had to do it over again I wouldn't have gone to Taiwan. (I'm not being a party pooper but if you like to party go to Miami or somewhere in the US, but TAIWAN? MEH....)

I said I liked it but I lied. I am just not bad-arse enough