|
HappyHelmet posted:
Which is what I'm getting just starting out. Please remember that is pre-tax. After taxes I'm only getting around 42,000 a month, which is around the bottom end of the pay spectrum. What is missing from the OP is a list of where goons are around the island. I know some people have moved around since the original.
|
#
¿
Mar 5, 2012 05:47
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 12:11 |
|
|
HappyHelmet posted:It's like this largish bubble of foreign white-guys who are desperately trying to bang as many Asian girls at possible. Except they never go anywhere except the same 1-2 bars. So they only meet the girls who go to those places. And the only girls that go to them (that don't already have boyfriends) are often slightly dysfunctional girls who are so convinced a white boyfriend is the solution to all of life's problems they end up sleeping with every other new face who walks through the door hoping that he isn't the fat alcoholic white rear end in a top hat he appears to be. Only to find that of course he is. And round and round they all go in some horribly depressing incestuous circle. Yep. I've yet to have an enjoyable experience in 18TC. It just sucks my soul out of me.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 7, 2012 13:37
|
|
|
OrangeGuy posted:Alright, is there an alternative to Amazon, then? Reading through these posts, it sounds like she didn't understand how much "unpaid" work any teacher does. They came into a job expecting it to be a vacation that just happens to have teaching. No, I'm not saying that every branch will be great, but I don't think I could have a better group of people that I'm working with right now. HESS has been nothing but awesome for me. Even if I did have two different kids cry in my classes today.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 8, 2012 16:06
|
|
|
quadrophrenic posted:Oh man I have an interview with Hess on Friday. I'm expecting questions about teaching experience (have none), classroom control (dunno), preferred hours (any time, work me to the bone) and poo poo, am I missing anything important? If you want any extra prep, someone posted a bunch of questions that HESS asks you during the phone interview in the old thread. I used them for my interview six months ago, and I doubt they've changed it.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 22, 2012 06:21
|
|
|
One of the biggest things I have noticed from people complaining about HESS is the "They don't pay me for lesson prep/grading homework" posts. That's when you can tell they don't have a background in education.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 24, 2012 13:28
|
|
|
Ravendas posted:
I can get (almost) the same thing in a box for 60NT. 
|
|
#
¿
Apr 19, 2012 05:46
|
|
|
dtb posted:Does anyone have any experience with taking evening classes to learn Mandarin in Taipei? I'm at TLI right now. Generally I think it is pretty good. I'm learning something at least. It is pretty expensive (I've got 3 classes a week) but I would recommend them. I dunno if the one in Taipei are going to be difference though.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 25, 2012 16:23
|
|
|
quadrophrenic posted:Well, my contract starts August 8th, so IDK. They probably won't tell you until the few first days of training are done.
|
|
#
¿
May 4, 2012 14:16
|
|
|
USDA Choice posted:As HappyHelmet noted, it is definitely up to you. Personally, I think split shifts absolutely suck donkey balls and I'd rather work straight through than have 3-4 hours of dead time in the middle of the day. I had a friend who started a 25 year split contract and when he first got to his branch he was working 40 teaching hours for the first 2 weeks. So yeah, it all depends on your branch. I'm only over the 20 hour limit if there is an emergency sub situation.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 5, 2012 15:12
|
|
|
TetsuoTW posted:Anyone in here living over on the east coast? That was a pretty good shake here in Taipei, can't imagine what it was like over there.... I was in Taipei last night with 3 other people and we all slept through it. Didn't know there was one until I checked FB this morning.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 10, 2012 10:24
|
|
|
I have yet to get a call as well. I'm just gonna assume I will teach 3 students out of 18 today. EDIT: Got the text! Yay GoutPatrol fucked around with this message at 03:01 on Jun 20, 2012 |
|
#
¿
Jun 20, 2012 02:52
|
|
|
quadrophrenic posted:Oh I'm going to be all about this. That is the epitome of 
|
|
#
¿
Jun 23, 2012 07:28
|
|
|
HappyHelmet posted:I honestly think the best way to beat the heat is to never use A/C. Get a size-able fan and use that instead. That way as the year goes from Spring to Summer you build up a tolerance for the heat. It also helps keep the mosquitoes off you because undoubtedly you will have the fan sitting a few feet away blasting air on you all the time. Plus it saves you a chunk cash every month on your electricity bill. I should probably start doing this. My somehow added another 0 to my electricity bill last month.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 4, 2012 01:35
|
|
|
mad carl posted:Yes. If their pipes can handle the paper it's fine, and if they can't then you must punish them for it. My toliet survived a spoon going down. I don't know how it went down, but I couldn't get it out of there.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 13, 2012 08:13
|
|
|
url posted:This requires an explain. I was trying to de-yolk an egg. Not wanting to drop it down the kitchen sink, and having no trash bags, I went to the nearest thing I could think of at the time. Then my hand slipped. This was one of those small soup spoons so it just zipped away in the hole. EDIT: This should probably go in the PYF bachelor thread.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 14, 2012 01:59
|
|
|
HappyHelmet posted:Not to turn discussion away from dongs and condom sizes, but... There was a notice at my apartment building for all the scooters to park overnight in the actual (pretty small) area they have in front of the building instead of taking over the corner. Its actually pretty annoying because I always get blocked in.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 31, 2012 19:33
|
|
. Got out of at least two tickets by pulling the "I'm a retarded foreigner what did I do wrong?" routine, but may have a size-able ticket coming on the other one.
|
Haraksha posted:
I don't know, that one place where the staff all wear school uniforms seems on the up-and-up!
|
|
#
¿
Aug 4, 2012 19:05
|
|
|
TetsuoTW posted:Or for doing at customers walking through the mall you work at as it's about to close. Also if you're the first person in the morning.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 19, 2012 00:42
|
|
|
HappyHelmet posted:Aside from the wind picking up a little the weather is fine here in Taichung. No chance we get today off, and I'd say tomorrow will probably be the same. Its probably been the most beautiful day in the past two weeks.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 23, 2012 07:05
|
|
|
There is a place called Fingaz in Taichung that is as close to an western deli. I don't usually go there, but it is the only place I have seen Dr. Pepper.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 10, 2012 13:53
|
|
|
duckfarts posted:Fountain? No. That is the dream though. I haven't seen it anywhere else.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 10, 2012 14:15
|
|
|
I'm gonna be taking a bus up to the airport in 2 weeks myself. I believe there will be buses running every (half?) hour. At least, that is what I was told. I need to get down there and get tickets soon.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 4, 2012 15:40
|
|
|
Moon Slayer posted:Thanks to everyone who got back to me about getting to the airport. I asked around the office, and it turns out that taking an airport taxi from DaJia to Taoyuan airport is only 2000 NT. Certainly more expensive than bus or train, but I think it's worth it since they will pick me up from my apartment building and drive me straight to the terminal. I know that my friend in Chunghua was able to hire a bus service that literally came with the bus to pick him up at his house. I really should of asked him how he got that, but I know his school just set it up for him somehow.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 8, 2012 05:48
|
|
|
nubdestoryer posted:Nub question here. I've been doing ELT in S.America for a few years. Fun but terrible pay. I'm now trying to come work in Asia, and I've been looking at all kinds of countries, Korea, HK, Japan, etc. Trying to find where offers the best balance of pay/lifestyle/work. To put saving money into perspective, I've been here a year and I'm still in the hole. And I have been trying to save money. Its a great place to live, but yeah, its hard to save up any substantial amount.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 11, 2012 15:27
|
|
|
nubdestoryer posted:Where do you live? I've heard theres a big difference in cost of living between Taipei and the rest of the island? For savings im not aiming big, just enough to visit the uk a couple of times if I want to. I'm hoping to go to Tainan or Kaosiung since I have friends there already. I more or less decided I will come to Taiwan early next year, it seems at least a good place to start out, even if I move to Hong Kong later. I live in Taichung, which is alot cheaper than Taipei, but after living in a 1 room apartment for 9 months, I moved into a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom place by myself, which is a bit of a drain on my finances right now (waiting for a friend to move in in February.) And then a few other unexpected expenses (student broke my back, scooter troubles) and I'm only taking home 55K at most a month (working for HESS doesn't exactly pay well.) Even then, I don't think I'm in the minority in terms of saving, most of the people I know just blow right through their pay.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 12, 2012 01:26
|
|
|
thegoat posted:Wait what? A student broke your back? About 6 months ago I had a fat student try to jump up behind me onto my back (kind of like a horse collar tackle.) I was fighting to stay upright and I hurt my lower back really bad. I thought it would be get better after a week but it continued to really hurt so I went to the doctor. Took x-rays, nothing, so I just continued working and going to the gym. After another month I went back to the doctor and he said I have a L5 Pars Fracture and I needed to wear a back brace for at least 3 months (15000 NT for that out of pocket, and asking for any kind of reimbursement from HESS got me blank stares.) After 3 months of that and trying to get back to the gym, I re-injured myself trying to do squats. So I'm at a point where I have more good days than bad days, but whenever I need to do alot of bending over in the course of the day I'll feel it the next. Worst part is the kid who did this to me got off scot free because he's an ADHD twit and I didn't get a confirmation of my diagnosis until 2 months after it happened. Thank god I don't have to teach him anymore.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 12, 2012 03:16
|
|
|
Yeah, you can thank your lucky stars if you're starting out with no Saturday class. If you have a good class it can be fun. But when you need to do make-ups at 5 PM...
|
|
#
¿
Dec 18, 2012 00:43
|
|
|
quadrophrenic posted:Step Ahead 14, aka "shootin' the poo poo with teens". My Saturday class feels like a vacation. My awesome class graduated last month and now I'm back with the young crazies.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 18, 2012 01:42
|
|
|
Ravendas posted:Classes graduate? I mean the class finished 16 and my school hasn't started the next level class yet. Because it has been 2 months, some of the kids have moved to other schools. Out of that class of 14, I think only 3 are coming back once that starts, and I may not be teaching it because they can't decide when they want to have the class in the first place. Kinda sucks. At least the ones that are staying were some of the best. I have one class that at its biggest had 21 kids, then once a new CT came on, half the class left, and (hopefully) next level when it is down to 6 kids they will end it. The real problem kids should be gone by the time I come back from the US. I know that staying at HESS for a long time can be considered a bad move, but if I can just get rid of that class, I wouldn't have any complaints.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 18, 2012 07:16
|
|
|
Haraksha posted:I can't say I'm a huge fan of 10C weather. I'm not sure what Taipei is like, but it's cold enough now that I'm wearing layers and socks at home. The tile floors really don't help and I typically keep my windows open for airflow. You need to invest in a good duvet. I never need to use any of those crappy space heaters again.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 24, 2012 12:51
|
|
|
duckfarts posted:PRO GHETTO TAIWAN WINTER TIP, BITCHES This seems as sensible as smoking in bed to stay warm. But then I'm back in New Jersey until January and I'm freezing my rear end off, even with indoor heating.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 24, 2012 18:54
|
|
|
HappyHelmet posted:
I concur with La Bodega. Super nice place and one of the better places to watch soccer if you're interested in that.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 18, 2013 15:25
|
|
|
When I first took classes, we spent the first two weeks (about 10 hours of class time total) just going over the pinyin alphabet and how each part sounds, and going over how to say each sound in every tone. We didn't learn how to read or write any characters until lesson 6 (about 2 months in.) But this is primarily a conversation-based curriculum. I mean, I can kind of read around 100 characters now, but I've been really sloppy on writing them.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 22, 2013 15:15
|
|
|
I want to have your children. Edit: duckfarts babies only
|
|
#
¿
Jan 23, 2013 14:01
|
|
|
Its always nice to see the masons hired to fix your bathroom and use heavy equipment inside your domicile are already a few tallboys deep before 10 in the morning. What a country.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 8, 2013 05:08
|
|
|
Ravendas posted:The raises being predetermined and the numbers being filled in to fit the end number is exactly right. It's mostly a popularity contest (with the boss), and how high your return rates are. Or it will be 20 NT, no matter what, because.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 10, 2013 15:06
|
|
|
lokk posted:Well I have my Skype interview with HESS tomorrow, so I guess it made it past the preliminary rounds of people who couldn't spell correctly on the application form or filled in the questionnaire with bad answers. They said it will be from 90-120 minutes and gave me some things they want me to demo If you have archives, go looking at the old thread about the hess interview. There is a list of questions that the interviewer (probably Ben or Christina) will ask.
|
|
#
¿
May 12, 2013 10:42
|
|
|
Atlas Hugged posted:
And if you ever go into certain bars/clubs and the gangsters want to hang out with you, they will think its the loving bee's knees if you speak some Taiwanese at them. They love that. trust me, the gangsters in taichung think foreigners knowing chinese is pretty blasé
|
|
#
¿
May 13, 2013 12:41
|
|
|
POCKET CHOMP posted:
Mine didn't even need the passport or receipts. It felt like it was too easy.
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2013 14:56
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 12:11 |
|
|
The biggest problem here is that so many people come here looking for a working vacation and an excuse to abuse their white privilege. No one wants to work with a douchebag who treats their job as a joke.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2013 02:48
|
|