BD
- 2005-07-22
Unfortunately you're not far off BB! It's amazing what our (my) body has become used to as "normal."
Rheno747
- 2005-07-22
BD, it's EASY to find a job in Thailand if you don't get your hopes up or aren't too serious about teaching. I worked in Thailand for a year, and it was a pain, at least to ME. Thai students love to cheat, sleep, horseplay, and simply make a mockery of their own educations. It's pretty 'ghetto', in other words. I have high standards and demand better, so I've chosen to look elsewhere. And the pay here is absolutely miserable, especially considering what Thai students will put you through. I didn't get paid well, my students acted like they were straight out of Compton (without the guns and knives, however), and now I have to buy my own plane ticket back to the states. I could have gotten that free if I'd worked in SK the last year instead. AND I'd have made more money to boot. Would I have saved more? Who knows.
Maybe you're not like me, BD. Maybe you can put up with Thailand. If you don't need to make money and you can tolerate the miscreants and filthy bathrooms here, I think you'd be fine in the land of Thai.
BB
- 2005-07-21
BD
- 2005-07-21
Rheno,
Is it really that tough to find work teaching in Asia at the moment, or is it tough to find an honest director/principal? I see endless jobs listed, but it sounds like many of them are borderline scams. Honestly, Ill believe what I read here from teachers before Ill drift off into fantasyland reading one of these job postings.
Oh well, I guess I should head back to Latin America. Where is the Pepto-Bismol?
Rheno747
- 2005-07-21
William, I have a few minutes left in the cafe, so I thought I'd write one more reply to your post.
South Korea wasn't a nightmare for me. My true nightmare is the fact I came to Thailand to take my TESOL training and then got a job HERE. You see, when you come here, you don't get reimbursed for your flight to get here or go back home. Schools in SK WILL either provide your ticket or reimburse you for it later. My school in SK provided my ticket and even was contracted to provide me with a RETURN flight when I finished up.
This is unheard of in Thailand.
So....now I'm back here in Thailand waiting for a job to materialize somewhere in the likes of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore or some other place. Unfortunately, I'm not finding any jobs that teach high-school-age learners or older. This means I'm probably going to have to go back to my home
country--the USA.
Being as I taught a year in Thailand, I won't get a return ticket back home like I would if I'd taught the last year in SK instead. That's right--I must buy the ticket myself using the meager savings I managed to accumulate here.
That's the nightmare, if you want to call it that. I already have a good job back in the capitalist (yuck!) USA, though. It's not all bad.
Rheno747
- 2005-07-21
Hey, William. I appreciate your post. In all honesty, I have to say my situation in South Korea wasn't really a nightmare.
I researched my school beforehand. I got feedback from two current teachers and one former teacher. I asked the director all the questions I thought I needed to (albeit I shoulda asked more). According to the director, it was a great school and I'd be teaching high school kids.
What happened? He lied about the ages of his learners. His plan for me really was to put me in front of his youngest students. Should he be held accountable? Yes, but not entirely.
Part of the blame rests on MY shoulders. Yes, MINE. You see, when one goes to ANY new job, he should be prepared for whatever is thrown his way. Being prepared in this case meant being able to bend my own values.
Sure, I don't teach young learners, but that is my own choice. When my director pulled a 'fast one' on me, I could have just accepted the situation. But I have my values. If I'm lied to, I'm out.
My reaction was really my own choice. The school IS awesome, but I won't work for a liar. And I don't teach brats.
Thanks again,
R747
william
- 2005-07-20
quit complaining about your job.enough to have jobs.good luck.
william
- 2005-07-20
i do not mind our differing views.good luck.
JinChaFa
- 2005-07-20
Hi Rheno,
Couldn't quite figure that one out either. I think though that he's the same guy that stated here in this forum that declining wages for EFL teachers in China is not necessarily a bad thing. Still scratching my head over that one.
BD
- 2005-07-20
Geez... What the Hell does this message say? William, are you an ESL teacher? Can you please re-write this message and translate it into legible English using complete sentences?
hi.sorry to hear about your living nightmare in korea.i read that you came from thailand,so you have exp. in the region.rheno,i don't know your age.a job starts when you start looking for one.you did not research well before coming to korea.now is the fall of everybody,the young esl teachers lying at the school,the director,the students,the unaffordable place,more and more.no offense,wish you well.william,korea