Hi
I’m a newbie!
I arrive in Taiwan on Feb 9th, got a job with HESS. I’ve taught in S.Korea for the past 3 years. Is there anyone who has made the transition from Korea to Taiwan who can share some info with me, please? A comparison of some similarities and differences? You can PM me (if that’s allowed)
Cheers 
In Korea, your boss is also your landlord, as most Korean contracts come with accommodation that the hagwon or public school provides. That’s not the case in Taiwan.
The visa acquirement and so forth is much more self-directed here than it is in Korea, where one already has the visa upon arrival.
If you took a job at HESS with three years of work experience, word on the street is that you’ve been suckered into an illegal position when you could get a lot more with a landing visa and a subsequent string of interviews.
true and not true.
You can definitely get a better job than HESS but it’s not nearly as easy as you make it seem. Experience (esp outside of Taiwan) is not highly valued at a lot of buxibans imo. In fact I’ve talked to a couple foreign managers that said they would never hire another teacher coming from Korea. It’s a very different system and there was way too much handholding needed. And it’s more likely that the OP would spend 1-2 months looking for a job that provided 20+ hours. the good news is that he has a job when he arrives in Taiwan. the bad news is that it’s a pretty mediocre job but that describes most of the ESL positions.
what to expect? You’re going to pretty much be on your own getting setup in Taiwan. They’ll (maybe) help you as far as getting your visa and ARC but everything else you’ll be responsible for on your own time. Don’t expect any of the perks (like bonuses or vacation days) like Korea. One good thing about Hess is that you have relatively guaranteed hours. Most of the jobs only guarantee 14 hrs/wk and sometimes shit happens and a class closes and there isn’t another class for you to teach.
It should be noted that teaching kindy is illegal and Hess does have some/most of their teachers teach kindy classes. It’s likely that you won’t get busted but the consequences are pretty severe.
Why is everyone upper-casing Hess? It’s not an acronym for, say, Helping English Students Study; it’s someone’s last name.
Thanks for your responses ^^
A couple quick specific questions, if you don’t mind:
What is the main type of wall plug socket used in Taiwan? (The type you might expect to find in one’s apartment / hotel) ? Is it the 2 flat prong style plug?
What is winter in Northern Taiwan like and how long does it last? Are coats and down jackets neccessary? Do people commonly wear them? or is it more like just sweater weather?
How much does it rain in N.Taiwan in winter? and are rain boots useful/common in winter?
Is it easy to find a good place to go for a run?
If you’ve lived in Korea before, how do you find the people are different or similar?
thanks
[quote=“clickety_clack”]Thanks for your responses ^^
A couple quick specific questions, if you don’t mind:
What is the main type of wall plug socket used in Taiwan? (The type you might expect to find in one’s apartment / hotel) ? Is it the 2 flat prong style plug?[/quote]
Yes.
Wet. Dec-March. Temps can be in the mid-20s but also down to 9 degrees which is very cold when it’s humid. Lots of rain.
But sunny skies are just a train or bus ride away. The climate in Taichung is completely different. Sunny and dry in winter.
Definitely need coat and sweaters. A gortex jacket is also useful.
Rains a lot. Rainboots not common but useful in some situations. If you ride the MRT no need. Also the city streets are arcade style so you are rarely directly out in the road except when crossing the road.
In Taipei and New Taipei City, yes. Bike and walking paths along all the major rivers extend for literally hundreds of km. Look at a map. You can walk/bike/run from the end of the MRT line at Xindian to the other end at Danshui along the rivers. Also down to Shimen Reservoir and across to Muzha Zoo.
Thanks for your helpful answers, Mucha Man! ^^
Some Korea vs. Taiwan questions:
In Korea, the main online shopping site is G-market, what’s the equivalent in Taiwan?
In Korea, when I got a pre-paid smartphone, I was disappointed to find out that prepaid customers cannot have access to the 3G network. If I bring a phone that takes a simcard to Taiwan, can I get 3G access on a prepaid plan, or do I have to take a contract, and can they hook it up to my own phone?
Many thanks
[quote=“clickety_clack”]Thanks for your helpful answers, Muzha Man! ^^
Some Korea vs. Taiwan questions:
In Korea, the main online shopping site is G-market, what’s the equivalent in Taiwan?
In Korea, when I got a pre-paid smartphone, I was disappointed to find out that prepaid customers cannot have access to the 3G network. If I bring a phone that takes a simcard to Taiwan, can I get 3G access on a prepaid plan, or do I have to take a contract, and can they hook it up to my own phone?
Many thanks [/quote]
I can only answer the smartphone one
You can get 3G access on prepaid in Taiwan. You can sign up on month to month as well or a contract if you wish.