Lost and Losing Interest

I expect my thank you is coming any minute now

Thank you DrewCutz, you are right, it is not that bad, I just let negative thoughts take over. :slight_smile:

Hahaha, definitely. Thank you GodsGift. Your advice was helpful. And I really liked the Shia video

Hi Finely, thank you for your advice. I think you are right, I think it was depression. I think it just build up over time until this.

You are right, I have friends I train with that have other skills too, like graphic design and etc. I think I will learn another skill on my free time will I am working. Thank you

That is very helpful. I’ll check it out :slight_smile:

Its is true. Thank you for your help Ranlee

Thank you Jo. That is nice of you to say. And also, thank you for relating your situation

I know what you mean about bad first days. Mine at Hess was not good. They gave me know training and threw me to the wolves. I had no idea what I was doing. It made me feel like I was a failure. It was a not good day.

That is good advice, thank you. I am going to see it as a last resort.

Life in Taiwan can be grueling and tough. Don’t be too hard on yourself but take your job seriously and they will see your commitment. Culture shock is very real. I didn’t get accustomed to Taiwan until my second year. Get on OKcupid and let a native girl show you around the city. Find a job and stick with it.

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Since the OP has time on his hands just now, I would go to the nearest university and make an English friend. Yeah, it might not be a “real” friend, but he will be able to find someone who wants to practice English and probably teach him a bit of Mandarin just for fun. Male or female, makes no difference (whichever is not a possible sexual partner might be better at this point, since the OP is in kind of a low state right now emotionally).

At least that way, he will have some human contact and feel like he’s accomplishing something and matters to someone in Taiwan.

I’ve been in Taiwan in the I-have-no-job situation and walking longingly past tea shops I couldn’t afford to sit down in. It sucks. It’s really hard to get past. But keep looking for that job, take the sucky one at first, and something else WILL come up over time.

But make some “English” friends first who could lead to or become real friends. Cheap, entertaining and quick.

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that’s exactly how I felt after my last class. I’m getting paid to teach, so when the kids get unruly and I have to spend time trying to get the class back on track it feels like I’m getting paid for jack shit. They gave me more kids than I originally saw, and no assistant. I have a basic idea of what I’m doing, but really wasn’t set up for success at all. And that’s one of the better cram schools here.

If given the option I’d rather stick to something I’m comfortable with. Personal training, mountain guide, top level security, acting, music, etc. They’re just pretty hard to find here.

At any rate, good luck with the job hunt. I’ll just say you’re really not missing anything in the cram school teaching realm.

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One wonders why the hell people come here to teach English from prosperous countries…

Eh. My Uni pays crap, but it’s a rewarding teaching environment and I make my own curriculum. No way I could ever go back and grind it out at a cram school again ( I’d probably go back home if I ever got bounced from my current job). It’s tough if you’re FOB and don’t have much experience, qualifications or connections.

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It’s not like there are a lot of great options for TEFL.

I know after you land up here options are limited .
But to move to Taiwan to teach English,without any special interest or qualifications … Well it’s just not the right place to go for people down on their luck.
Go somewhere else to make some quick cash. China should be the first choice if want to escape and teach English otherwise stay in home country do some construction or something and make some decent cash.

I can’t speak for anyone else, I moved here foremost for my wife, to learn a about new culture and language, travel, and try new things. In that order. Someday I want kids of my own and I enjoy teaching people. Nothing about a quick buck, I would’ve stayed in my home country if that was the case.

Again, can’t speak for anyone else but I’m planning on changing my current occupation after a year or so using other relevant experience. As @Gain said, there’s just not that many options. Even outside the TEFL realm, just as an English speaker.

_Edit_ing to clarify a contradiction. I have experience teaching adults. Teaching kids is something new for me. Although I hate the cram school experience I do love teaching.

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I meant there aren’t many great destinations for TEFL. Nowadays people only go to like China and Korea as China is cheaper (also there’s a lot more opportunities to land on a better post that pays more) and Korea gives you free housing. At least AFAIK. Doing TEFL in Europe or Japan sounds like such a bad idea as the money would barely make ends meet.

Hey bud. If you ever need someone to talk to, pm me and we can grab lunch or something. I know how hard it is to be in a new place. Also no shame in making a tinder. I used to help them promote and get into taiwan. A lot of users now.

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I talked to a teacher who taught in Europe. You are right, the money is crap. Barely enough to cover expenses. Except in the old Eastern Bloc. I guess some places pay on par with TW, except housing is super pricey in places like Beograd and Budapest.