Hmmm, you may be right. It may actually be more economically feasible to take an extended tour of mainland China for your summer vacation, factoring in the cost of living over there.
I got a job 5 days after arriving, which is pretty fast. It still took me nearly 3 months to break even, after the costs of the flight, accommodation etc were taken into consideration. Maybe you should stay in the US and work for BUNAC this summer.
Or you could work for a summer camp in the US. Your room and board are covered and you get paid on top of that. Camp counselor jobs are made for college students. It’s definitely more cost-effective than finding a short-term job in Taiwan and unlike Taiwan, doesn’t require much more start-up costs other than getting a plane ticket (if you don’t happen to live in a state that has camps) within the US or Canada. Not to discourage you, but with the things you yourself know will make it harder for you, why would you want to take the risk for so little outcome?
If you want the experience of living abroad, there are lots of international camps in China, Europe, and other places. They advertise on eslcafe.com and other websites. Best of luck to you.
Private tutoring might be a good way to go too! But it will take some time to pick up some leads.
Ironlady is exactly right. There’s no money in it just for the summer. School doesn’t get out until the end of June, first week of July in many cases, and then you have to go back in late august, although the kids are on vacation until early september. The real window is just six weeks, too short for a summer program. To pay for the cost of living and plane tickets you’d need to generate around US$2500. I just don’t believe that is a realistic figure for the first six weeks, hot off the plane, with no degree. I think Taiwantaiwan is best staying where he is and planning a real vacation, without work.
Vorkosigan
agreed.
Once you factor in everything for money’s sake, it wouldn’t really be worth it!
However, for the experience and the ‘resume’ factor (foreign travel/work experience), it might be worthwhile.
Kenneth
If you don’t plan on saving much money, then I would say go for it. I came here and taught and partied during my summer breaks while in college. It is an interesting way to spend the summer and sure beats spending your summer washing dishes in some restaurant in the U.S. You’ll be able to find something to do.
Absolutely!
Taiwantaiwan, don’t take any notice of those old farts who only think in terms of $$s. If you want to come here for the experience, and try to make it affordable by doing some work, then Flicka is right on the button.
I did a summer camp last year with 500 kids. That translates as 25 foreign teachers each working 6 hrs a day, 10 days, at NT$700/hr - cash money. That same company is running 13 summer camps this year and is going to need teachers. They hired several FOBs last year, and being an ABC would possibly be an advantage for you.
It’s very feasible to make enough to cover your costs, have a great experience, etc etc. PM me for contact details.
I’ve seen ads at tealit and dave’s esl board for summer camp programs that fly you here and provide accomodation, pocket money etc., in exchange for work. That would be an easier way to go, but my advice is to be self-reliant.
taiwantaiwan,
I did the same thing during my freshman and junior year in college. It’s easy. And it’s fun.
Once you get off the plane just a buy a phone card and a newspapers. Look though the want ads and call to set up appointments.
Oh your going to have to tell a few white lies.
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You’re planning to stay in Taiwan for a 1-2 years is the first thing you say during the interview.
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Yes tell them you have some teaching experience in American. Like Tutoring little kids stuff for honors programs.
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Speak a little broken Chinese. Depends what you mean by fluent. If you have a HK or shanghai accent but sing KTV and hang out with FOB chinese kids, you might be too fluent to convince the employer your an ABC twinkie bananna. You want to give them an impression your USA foriegn. Not Indonesia or Maylasian foriegn.
Other than that good luck and remember girls that get kidnapped by taxi drivers is a Taipei urban legend.
Us old farts who can actually read English had probably noticed the OP’s comment:
[ul]I intend to teach English or whatever that will take me in order to pay for my expenses there.[/ul]
and responded accordingly. 
Vorkosigan
touche! (How do you get acute accents on this bloody keyboard?)
Ok, so I didn’t read the post properly, but she didn’t ask how to make back the cost of an airfare, just the expenses while in Taiwan. I may not have realised it at the time, but I was bloody well right all along. It’s OK, you don’t have to admit it.
[quote=“stragbasher”][quote]
Ok, so I didn’t read the post properly, but she didn’t ask how to make back the cost of an airfare, just the expenses while in Taiwan. I may not have realised it at the time, but I was bloody well right all along. It’s OK, you don’t have to admit it.
:p[/quote][/quote]
Oh, you were right. I just wanted to get my cut in before I had to admit your post was much more useful than mine. 
Actually, I could use information like you said you had about summer camps for my website. Can you post it here or PM it to me?
Vorkosigan