Age related questions

How old were you when you came to Taiwan?

  • 0 - 18
  • 19 - 24
  • 25 - 30
  • 30 - 40
  • 50 +

0 voters

I am thinking about going to Taiwan to teach English after I graduate college. My gf is Taiwanese so I’d allready be lucky enough to have someone to show me around and keep me out of trouble. I’ve done a decent amount of research but I did have some other questions.

How old were most of you when you first went to Taiwan to teach english?
How old are you now?
What is you favorite age level to teach?

I’ll be 23 or 24 depending on how long it takes me to save up some cash. Thanks a lot!

30

41.5

serious adults, especially professors (usu. age 45-60); but students of any age are a pleasure to teach if they’re interested and motivated.

I came to Taiwan when I was 22 years, 4 days old. I am now 26.5 years old and I love teaching elementary school students although I am still deciding if I like early elementary or late elementary. I also love teaching little ones (under 4 years old). And I like teaching adults. Hell, let’s face it. I just love teaching. Period.

I went to Taiwan when I was 33. I was there for 2 years. I am now in Korea and I’m 36. The best age to teach is elementary as far as I’m concerned. Serious adults are also good, but good luck finding that. Kindergarten can be easy, but not really for a newcomer. But a newcomer should teach that. Given your age, you should be able to get a good amount of work. The salaries suck now. Do some research and find out what jobs you can get. The more hours, the better. Especially when you sign a contract. Beware though. You could sign for 30 hours and they could reduce it to sweet fark all and reduce your salary. That’s if you sign a contract and don’t go over the details. Many people think that everything is all and fine and sign, but they take advantage of this. You gotta make clauses. If you do this, however, they might not hire you. It’s weird.

All in all, if you just want to go to Taiwan and earn enough and maybe save a bit then do it. You could have a good time.

[quote=“j99l88e77”]I went to Taiwan when I was 33. I was there for 2 years. I am now in Korea and I’m 36. The best age to teach is elementary as far as I’m concerned. Serious adults are also good, but good luck finding that. Kindergarten can be easy, but not really for a newcomer. But a newcomer should teach that. Given your age, you should be able to get a good amount of work. The salaries suck now. Do some research and find out what jobs you can get. The more hours, the better. Especially when you sign a contract. Beware though. You could sign for 30 hours and they could reduce it to sweet fark all and reduce your salary. That’s if you sign a contract and don’t go over the details. Many people think that everything is all and fine and sign, but they take advantage of this. You gotta make clauses. If you do this, however, they might not hire you. It’s weird.

All in all, if you just want to go to Taiwan and earn enough and maybe save a bit then do it. You could have a good time.[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

I have done enough research to see that Taiwan is sort of like the wild-west, some things are fair, others aren’t, and most things aren’t what they appear to be. Its common for people to get ripped off or put in bad situations unknowingly. I am hoping that after hearing all these stories that I will be able to dodge at least a few of them. Also having someone to live with who is fluent in Taiwanese, Chinese, and English is a big help.

I was hoping that if I learn some chinese I might even be able to get some Graphic Design work along with my gf. I’m sure they could use somebody in the field who can actually make coherant Enlgish sentences.

And that’s just the traffic! :wink:

Start studying your nuts off now. You won’t regret it.

What’s ‘Enlgish’? And for that matter, what’s ‘coherant’ mean? :wink:

Seriously though, good luck!

Grade 1 thru 6. Before they get corrupted by their mass media, peer pressure, and the incredible numbness of being that must kick in when they start attending junior high. They get overworked, with sparse leisure time and no connection with Mother Earth.
I digress. Good luck! :sunglasses:

Post Scriptum: Taiwan is China’s Final Frontier. Kind of like the Original Star Trek meets The Chinese Version of Texas. :smiling_imp:

Grrrr… I figured that I’d mess up somewhere and be made fun of…

But seriously, I probably need to re-learn my English grammar and things because I went through a really bad school system in Maryland. I really am interested in teaching though. I was originally an Art Education major, now I am going to graduate as Graphic Design. I think I’ll make a good teacher, just as long as I can figure out what to teach, haha!

39, or if you’re a local make that 40 due to the 9 thing.
Everything but kindy, unless you count my kid.

My Mom tells me I’m 35, but I’m not sure because I stopped counting when I was 25… :unamused:

24

almost 31.

No favs. Only I don’t like teaching Jnr High and Snr High students.

Leaving next month. 1 month short of 7 years on Taiwan.

May I ask why you’re leaving?

… 7 years in Tibet… maybe you can make a movie called 7 years in Taiwan! You’ll be rich! Haha!

[quote=“Bassman”]

Leaving next month. 1 month short of 7 years on Taiwan.[/quote]

Not to change the subject, but why do people say “on Taiwan”?

22

43

Ooooops. Sorry… I only taught English for the first year I was here. I enjoyed it mostly… considered teaching as a profession… Went back to the States for a time before returning.

Haven’t taught English.

[quote=“irishstu”][quote=“Bassman”]

Leaving next month. 1 month short of 7 years on Taiwan.[/quote]

Not to change the subject, but why do people say “on Taiwan”?[/quote]

Because it’s an island. “Here on Gilligan’s Isle”

I say “in” though. Don’t know which is the more correct way. “in” for a country is my rule. “on” for an island. Country overrides island, so I say “in”. ???

Bassman, say it isn’t so! Care to share why you’re leaving?

I’d venture to say “Life’s too short”.

Shouldn’t you be counting all the truckloads of Korean money you’re always letting us know about? :slight_smile:

Back to the ageist topic, I guess if one ever gets in this condition it might be time to think about a career change.

Three teachers ages 92, 94 and 96 lived together in a house in Taipei. One night the 96 year old drew a bath. She put her foot in and paused. She yelled to the other teachers, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?” The 94 year old yelled back, “I don’t know. I’ll come up and see.” She started up the stairs and paused “Was I going up the stairs or down?” The 92 year old was sitting at the kitchen table doing her lesson plans for the next day and listening to her sisters. She shook her head and said, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful, knock on wood.” She then yelled, “I’ll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who’s at the door.”