Hi Sarah, I'll be heading there too this winter!
I had the same doubts, but feel confident having read the other reviews etc.

R

Hello,

I've been offered a 'contract' to teach at ALV for the winter/spring camp. It's 2 weeks (10 days working) for USD$750. I'm fully aware that I will be working illegally for this time, I don't want to get into that now but to be honest, I don't really care. Worst case scenario, I get deported.

My questions here, are:

1. Will I actually get paid? Working illegally means at the end of it they could just say "What money? What contract?" and I have no foot to stand on.

2. From what I've been told, there will be 10 camps across the country, I don't know yet where I will be placed, but supposedly they are just day camps and us teachers return to the hotel at the end of each day and then I guess we're free to do whatever. Does this sound about right to anyone who has worked there before?

3. I'm a professional, qualified English teacher and whilst I've worked with children before, I'm not usually this "American camp" style teacher - I guess if I just prepare some songs and dances and act hyperactive for 10 days, that's kinda what they're looking for? (Plus maybe some actual teaching)

For me, I'm thinking it's only 2 weeks so if it all goes pear shape, it isn't that long and I can just forget about it. Or it turns into an awesome experience and I can return there in the summer.

Any thoughts or experience from anyone who's actually worked there will be great! I couldn't find much on the internet other than this thread.

I posted early in this thread and have just found it again.
I've worked for ALV twice, several years apart and would do so again.
it is fun and easy, and very 'American' (lots of cheering, game, songs, etc) and with materials that you can use to teach well if you are skilled.
The staff have always given me what was in the contract, but a the minimal level. However, from a business in Taiwan I do not expect luxury.
It is a nice little injection of cash to help pass part of the summer/winter vacation time.

(oh, and 'coming from Hong Kong', as someone mentioned they do below, does NOT automatically mean you are Chinese)

Hi Joan

My name is Jack Stein and I am from Hong Kong and I am British.. I worked at ALV years ago back in 2012... and from time to time... for summer and winter camps.. Sorry for the confusion...

I agree with you Pete that ALV CAMPS in Taiwan the environment is not clean and most of the owners of the camp do things illegally to make a profit at the expense of teachers working in Taiwan Illegally.. I think that the authorities in Taiwan need to investigate the practices that ALV is doing for their camps in Taiwan because working in taiwan it is Illegal if a teacher will work under a tourist visa... I got a horrible experience myself with them. The kids were out of control and the classrooms were very dirty and not cleaned at all and teachers got sick at the same time as I did too...

I wish you luck

thank you

Hello Genna

Mostly, there are bad comments about ALV taiwan,

Bad thing-

1. First of all when you arrive in taiwan you would be put in a hotel in Taoyaun which its not that good and its a 3 star but run down its a business hotel

2. Area you will be put at sometimes the environment is not that good at all and not clean as always

3. You are mostly playing games with the students and babysitting them for the whole day all you would be teaching is 2 ESL classes for children that are age 8 years and older but most of the taiwaneese Children don't Understand

4. Teachers have to perform at the end of the ceremony which its a problem for most teachers

5. Favoritism is a terrible thing at this camp because most camp directors have favoritism with some of the local native teachers over others

6. The materials for the books are copies from other ESL companies

7. Meals are not good at this camp.. for breakfast you would only get a coffee and a sandwich and for lunch its mostly a take out meal and its paid for by ALV but your dinner is not

8. You will not know what classes you would be teaching until the last minute and handling the students will be a challenge

9. Its Illegal to work in Taiwan under a tourist visa for other citizens that comes from other countries, usually at this camp the camp owner wants to keep most of this hush hush because its all about the owner making the money at the expense of others.. If you get caught working on a tourist visa there is jail time and a huge fine and its already happend at our last camp in 2016 after the camp ended immigration found out and he was deported and he can never come back to taiwan

Good thing-

1. They give you an advance but only $120NTD per day for your meals and laundry
2. You will get paid your salary at the end but remember what you see in the add you donot get all of that separate you get that all together and take that and divide by how many weeks is your contract

There is more but ill tell u next time

Yeah, I don't think I'll ever get that desperate.