China or Taiwan anyone?

cvmurrieta · April 27th, 2009, 14:11

I got a Skype interview with Reach To Teach next Monday at 9:30am. That is how I will spend part of my Golden Week.

woscarin · April 30th, 2009, 04:53

For JETs in Japan who want to go on a short trip to China, how do you go about that? Is it possible to apply for a visa in Japan to go to China?

Anyone gone to China during JET?

mteacher80 · April 30th, 2009, 07:17

there are a few ways to go about it/ if you book your tickets through a travel agent they will usually processes your visa for you/ just send them your passport/

or if you only plan on visiting southern china i know you can fly into hong kong and then at the boarder you can get 1,3 or week long visas at the boarder/ then getting to0 shenzhen and guangzhou is really easy.

dombay · April 30th, 2009, 08:38

Many times.

Like Mark says but I'd like to add that you'll find it cheaper to go through a visa agency (unless you live in a city with a Chinese consulate). The travel agents will do it but they charge an exorbitant fee.

China's a great travel option from Japan though. Even regional airports often have scheduled flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian and stuff.

Phoenix · November 17th, 2009, 00:42

Just wanted to stop by and say Hi! I've been teaching in Taiwan for the past 3 months and love it here.

cielya · November 17th, 2009, 06:29

I had looked into Hess International in Taiwan.

English Teachers | HESS EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION

It's pretty competetive because after a year of teaching and attending infrequent seminars, you end up with a TEFL certificate which would help you get better employment later.

word · November 17th, 2009, 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by cielya

I had looked into Hess International in Taiwan.

English Teachers | HESS EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION

It's pretty competetive because after a year of teaching and attending infrequent seminars, you end up with a TEFL certificate which would help you get better employment later.

Eh... a TEFL is kinda "meh." You can get one for a couple of hundred bucks and a little correspondence on the internet. Probably for less money and effort that that, actually. You DON'T get a TEFL cert from JET, but I guarantee most JETs will know quite a bit more about teaching English than your average TEFL cert holder.

mrfahrenheit · November 18th, 2009, 06:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by cielya

I had looked into Hess International in Taiwan.

English Teachers | HESS EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION

It's pretty competetive because after a year of teaching and attending infrequent seminars, you end up with a TEFL certificate which would help you get better employment later.

My hope is to apply to Hess as plan B for JET. I have a professor that claims they're the only "real reputable English school" in Taiwan and that a lot of companies just screw you over. (<-- Pretty sure he had a bad experience himself.)

There aren't as many resources for teaching English in Taiwan as there are for Japan, but it really seems like a perfect alternative...

Plan C involves China. English Teaching Program in Shenzhen, China: CTLC <-- This is a program a friend of mine is doing, and he loves it. But you have to pay a few thousand dollars to the company to enroll/get your visa/whatever? And paying money in order to get a job seems really sketch to me when you're not going through a recruiter or something. So... I don't know. :\

cielya · November 18th, 2009, 06:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfahrenheit

Plan C involves China. English Teaching Program in Shenzhen, China: CTLC <-- This is a program a friend of mine is doing, and he loves it. But you have to pay a few thousand dollars to the company to enroll/get your visa/whatever? And paying money in order to get a job seems really sketch to me when you're not going through a recruiter or something. So... I don't know. :\

Sketch indeed. That should send up all kinds of red flags. Not even recruiters charge you for placements (the school should be the one paying the recruiter to find you, not the other way around). There's lots of other options that don't requrie scamming you, they just take a little extra looking sometimes.

The best advice a friend gave to me was - take your time; these schools need and want you and you have the ability to choose your school, program, whatever (even though some recruiters, websites, etc, might make it seem otherwise). You definitely don't want to get roped into a bad situation, but hey, if your friend is happy, maybe it cost something for a reason! Who knows?

Best of luck to you!

whispechoes · November 22nd, 2009, 10:26

HESS- the teaching in Taiwan program- is kind of a plan C or D for me right now. I read up on the place, and you seem to be able to make an okay amount of money for the area... and even lets you pay off student loans, assuming you don't have a ton of them.

China is more like plan D/E. I wouldn't mind going and teaching there for a year, but only after I've taken care of the majority of my loans... if I'm not tired of teaching by then, anyway.

mrfahrenheit · November 22nd, 2009, 10:54

Mind me asking what plan B is? Another program in Japan?

whispechoes · November 23rd, 2009, 12:12

I'll either apply to another teaching program in Japan, or apply to EPIK over in S. Korea. Or both. We'll see what happens, though.

Victorius~ · November 25th, 2009, 13:00

I'm in South Korea right now and I was planning on traveling to China or Taiwan sometime in the spring. Do they have the same policies as Japan and Korea as far as visas go, or would I actrually hve to do something before I can go over there?

mteacher80 · November 26th, 2009, 19:54

china for sure needs a visa!

Victorius~ · November 27th, 2009, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by markteacher80

china for sure needs a visa!

Thanks for the heads up~

theNogitsune · November 28th, 2009, 13:19

Why is everyone ignoring one key thing about teaching in Taiwan?

Foreigners are not allowed to teach kindergarten. It is illegal there and risk deportation for something really stupid.

We can teach any age above that. If you are with Hess, they have a way around it. They still may have you leave through the back door if there is a raid.

To avoid that all together you can choose contract A, in which you do not teach kindergarten at all.

That is what put me off to teaching in Taiwan. I like teaching kids, it is fun. It would spoil all the fun if I have to worry about being deported for doing my job.

DN

whispechoes · November 30th, 2009, 01:27

I've heard that you can pick up as many jobs as you'd like in Taiwan, though of course only one can give you the visa you need to work there. If I ever do need to work for Hess or another similar program, I'd bypass the teaching kindergarten deal, work contract A, and find some privates or something for extra income. I don't feel like playing tag with Taiwan officials. Something tells me that I'd lose.

bigcheeks · February 11th, 2010, 17:01

I'm also thinking about Taiwan after JET.
I know they prefer Caucasian but what's the ratio like? Is it as easy for Asians to get English teaching jobs?

Djordje · March 4th, 2010, 12:33

Thaiwan...they're less communist.

SirSimon · March 10th, 2010, 12:41

Just a quick word of caution about Taiwan...the job market there is shit right now, especially if you want to work in Taipei. Many reputable language schools will ask you to do a free lesson for them as part of your interview to see how well you interact with the students and the material (with close to zero prep time). There are a lot who won't hire you without a demo lesson so applying from outside the country for jobs is a pain in the ass.

If you have certifications and lots of experience you might be totally fine, but I've been talking to a few friends there (since I'm considering my options as well) and they all say it's hard times finding steady work to pay the bills.

One guy is moving back to the States later this month because after pounding the pavement for four months he has let to land a single full time teaching job.

So just sure you know what you're getting in to before you pack up your life and fly there.

April 27th, 2009, 14:11	#21 (permalink)
cvmurrieta Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: In a Life After People Posts: 1,294	I got a Skype interview with Reach To Teach next Monday at 9:30am. That is how I will spend part of my Golden Week. __________________ I miss Reagan.

April 30th, 2009, 07:17	#23 (permalink)
mteacher80 OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE Join Date: May 2006 Location: JAPAN Posts: 5,206	there are a few ways to go about it/ if you book your tickets through a travel agent they will usually processes your visa for you/ just send them your passport/ or if you only plan on visiting southern china i know you can fly into hong kong and then at the boarder you can get 1,3 or week long visas at the boarder/ then getting to0 shenzhen and guangzhou is really easy. __________________ ☆★If it's not an American Flag, then it's probably a bomb★☆

April 30th, 2009, 08:38	#24 (permalink)
dombay Daimyo ***** Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: mountain of peaches and fruit Posts: 9,859	Many times. Like Mark says but I'd like to add that you'll find it cheaper to go through a visa agency (unless you live in a city with a Chinese consulate). The travel agents will do it but they charge an exorbitant fee. China's a great travel option from Japan though. Even regional airports often have scheduled flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian and stuff. __________________ Melanie: back! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdDxFsopVs 'Oh it's so wonderful to be an older woman. All this old stuff to do'

November 17th, 2009, 00:42	#25 (permalink)
Phoenix Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Near Candy Mountain past the Banana King's castle Posts: 186	Just wanted to stop by and say Hi! I've been teaching in Taiwan for the past 3 months and love it here. __________________ 我爱台北

November 17th, 2009, 06:29	#26 (permalink)
cielya Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 508	I had looked into Hess International in Taiwan. English Teachers \| HESS EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION It's pretty competetive because after a year of teaching and attending infrequent seminars, you end up with a TEFL certificate which would help you get better employment later. __________________ shortlisted!

April 30th, 2009, 04:53	#22 (permalink)
woscarin Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Posts: 65	For JETs in Japan who want to go on a short trip to China, how do you go about that? Is it possible to apply for a visa in Japan to go to China? Anyone gone to China during JET?

November 22nd, 2009, 10:26	#30 (permalink)
whispechoes Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 23	HESS- the teaching in Taiwan program- is kind of a plan C or D for me right now. I read up on the place, and you seem to be able to make an okay amount of money for the area... and even lets you pay off student loans, assuming you don't have a ton of them. China is more like plan D/E. I wouldn't mind going and teaching there for a year, but only after I've taken care of the majority of my loans... if I'm not tired of teaching by then, anyway.

November 22nd, 2009, 10:54	#31 (permalink)
mrfahrenheit writes letters to Edwin Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: japan Posts: 492	Mind me asking what plan B is? Another program in Japan?

November 23rd, 2009, 12:12	#32 (permalink)
whispechoes Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 23	I'll either apply to another teaching program in Japan, or apply to EPIK over in S. Korea. Or both. We'll see what happens, though.

November 25th, 2009, 13:00	#33 (permalink)
Victorius~ Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ansan, South Korea Posts: 83	I'm in South Korea right now and I was planning on traveling to China or Taiwan sometime in the spring. Do they have the same policies as Japan and Korea as far as visas go, or would I actrually hve to do something before I can go over there? __________________ "Judging the mistakes of strangers is an easy thing to do - and it feels pretty good." - the thoughts of K in Sputnik Sweetheart

November 26th, 2009, 19:54	#34 (permalink)
mteacher80 OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE Join Date: May 2006 Location: JAPAN Posts: 5,206	china for sure needs a visa! __________________ ☆★If it's not an American Flag, then it's probably a bomb★☆

November 28th, 2009, 13:19	#36 (permalink)
theNogitsune Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 40	Why is everyone ignoring one key thing about teaching in Taiwan? Foreigners are not allowed to teach kindergarten. It is illegal there and risk deportation for something really stupid. We can teach any age above that. If you are with Hess, they have a way around it. They still may have you leave through the back door if there is a raid. To avoid that all together you can choose contract A, in which you do not teach kindergarten at all. That is what put me off to teaching in Taiwan. I like teaching kids, it is fun. It would spoil all the fun if I have to worry about being deported for doing my job. DN

November 30th, 2009, 01:27	#37 (permalink)
whispechoes Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 23	I've heard that you can pick up as many jobs as you'd like in Taiwan, though of course only one can give you the visa you need to work there. If I ever do need to work for Hess or another similar program, I'd bypass the teaching kindergarten deal, work contract A, and find some privates or something for extra income. I don't feel like playing tag with Taiwan officials. Something tells me that I'd lose.

February 11th, 2010, 17:01	#38 (permalink)
bigcheeks Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Smackbang middle o' K-fu Posts: 49	I'm also thinking about Taiwan after JET. I know they prefer Caucasian but what's the ratio like? Is it as easy for Asians to get English teaching jobs?

March 4th, 2010, 12:33	#39 (permalink)
Djordje Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 1,163	Thaiwan...they're less communist.

March 10th, 2010, 12:41	#40 (permalink)
SirSimon Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 77	Just a quick word of caution about Taiwan...the job market there is shit right now, especially if you want to work in Taipei. Many reputable language schools will ask you to do a free lesson for them as part of your interview to see how well you interact with the students and the material (with close to zero prep time). There are a lot who won't hire you without a demo lesson so applying from outside the country for jobs is a pain in the ass. If you have certifications and lots of experience you might be totally fine, but I've been talking to a few friends there (since I'm considering my options as well) and they all say it's hard times finding steady work to pay the bills. One guy is moving back to the States later this month because after pounding the pavement for four months he has let to land a single full time teaching job. So just sure you know what you're getting in to before you pack up your life and fly there.

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