Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sumfunu]

Hi.
I am currently in Canada, but have worked in Korea for eight years, (two years at a hogwan and six years at a university), and am tossing around the idea of heading back to Asia to teach again. I know that the Won has taken a beating of late, but I would like to hear from some folks who have boots on the ground experience in both Korea and Taiwan to get the low down. Money is a consideration, but not the over-riding one.
I have a Bachelor's with a CELTA and the aforementioned experience and although I do have fond memories of The Land of the Morning Calm, a friend has been mentioning Taiwan as a place to consider.
With 2,000,000Won worth about $1,700CAD and change these days, I wonder if Taiwan is worth the effort. What is a "typical" salary in Taiwan? Do they offer housing? How would you rate the cost of living in Korea versus Taiwan? Any and all constructive replies appreciated. Tahnk-you in advance.

[afsjesse]

Hey Sumfunu, I've been looking into going to Taiwan also and have been studying up on the same things. I'm in Korea BTW.

It appears that the average salary is between 60-70,000 NT. At the moment this is about 2000-2200 USD. Most job ads that I've seen don't provide housing so you have to take that into consideration. I've heard that Taipei is more expensive than other cities in Taiwan so I would say it's probably comparable to Korea in a general sense.

I gross 2000 USD per month here with housing. So if I make a little more in Taiwan without housing, I'd say I'm making about the same amount of money after expenses. But privates in Taiwan are more tolerated I've heard and I think (not quie sure) that you own your visa.

Hope this helped, perhaps more experienced people can clarify the above information for both of us!

Suerte,
Jesse

[iiicalypso]

I have worked in both Korea and Taiwan, and I can provide you with some completely unhelpful advice. In Taiwan as in Korea, it completely depends on the situation.

Now that I have that no-brainer out of the way, I can give you some particulars about my experience.

1. Cost of living. I know that I am comparing apples to oranges, but I found that the cost of living in Taiwan was much, much lower than Korea. Granted, I lived in rural Taiwan, and in Korea I have lived in Kyunggi, but I found that it was much easier to live comfortably with less money in Taiwan. Just about everywhere I went there were cheap restaurants, and food in general, including western staples, cost a lot less.

2. Housing. It is true that housing in Taipei is expensive, comparable to any large city. However, there are lots of cheap options available. Outside of the cities housing is very inexpensive. I worked for two public schools and had a housing allowance of 10000 NT$ (if memory serves), and I was able to find an apartment (two bedrooms, large, in a high rise) for just 11000 NT$ a month. Even without the housing allowance the cost was reasonable, and when you factor in lower utilities (no heating and gas provided by canisters), it generally comes out about even. Right now I am living in Korea in a small officetel, and my "free" housing ends up costing me about 130,000 won a month in utilities and housing fees.

3. Work conditions. Luck of the draw. I worked in two rural elementary schools. One was heaven, one was horrid. HOWEVER...

4. Government policies. Taiwan is much more flexible about visa transfers and job changes, and overall has a much better attitude towards foreign teachers. They have a rational policy that allows for part time jobs and unilateral transfer of visas, so if you find yourself in a crappy situation, you are not trapped there, the same way that you are in Korea. That alone is worth noting.

5. Climate. For some people this is a non issue, but I personally don't like hot weather. Taiwan can be hot. Personally, I was very uncomfortable, especially when teaching in an un-airconditioned room (turned off for economic reasons). Conversely, in the winter (which basically lasts from mid-November to the end of February) it can get cool. Most buildings have no heaters, so when it is 8 degrees outside, it is 8 degrees inside. Just something to think about.

6. People. Again, this is entirely anecdotal, but I found Taiwanese people to be generally more accepting and open than Koreans. Even though I worked in two small villages, I experienced a lot less of the uncomfortable staring and pointing than I ever did in Korea. Taiwanese generally seemed much less self-conscious than Koreans, and were more willing to help.

7. Recreation. I am not really an outdoorsy person, but from all accounts if you are, Taiwan offers a great array of activities. Mountains, oceans, rivers. Personally, I would rather spend a day at Starbucks than on a mountain, but my more active friends praised the opportunities in Taiwan, and they too had lived in both countries.

8. Money. Taiwan's currency seems to be a lot like the Taiwanese character-- much more stable than the Korean. It seems pretty well locked in the 31-34 NT$ to the US$ range. If you are a nervous person, that sort of stability makes financial planning much simpler.

All that said, it really comes down to what you are looking for. If you haven't seen it already, I highly suggest you check out www.tealit.com . It is really the hub of the Taiwan expat community, and it can give you a better sense of what life there is like.

Hope this helps.

[Xuanzang]

Humidity in Taiwan really bothered me when I was there for a visit. I'd recommend living in Kaohsiung for reasonable living expenses and accessibility to foreign restaurants and goods.

[CP]

I have also lived in Taiwan and Korea.

In my opinion there are only minor differences in work/money matters. For me it would come down to the following if I were in your position.

You seem to have flexibility. You have never lived in Taiwan or been there. Give it a shot. If you don't like it you can hop right back to Korea to get a job - it's a short flight away.