What are the most important but the most difficult things for new teachers coming to Taiwan?
A Taiwanese friend of mine is thinking of starting a small company that will help new teachers coming to Taiwan, and is researching the things that are the most common needed things amongst foreign teachers in their first 3months to 1 year being in Taiwan. So far she has only a ruff idea what she wants and is trying to land an idea for the company. So any positive suggestions and good ideas will really be helpful to her.
She is hoping the job will help the Taiwanese society, and she picked working with foreigners because she can use her English abilities in the job as well.
The ideas that we have developed so far are:[color=#0040BF]
- English maps of local area with key location marked out.
- Phrases to use in ordering food.
- Rental search assistance.
- Recommendations and assistance for bookstores, furniture, transportation (ie buses, trains, MRT), etc.
- Explanations of visa requirements, an assistance acquiring them.
ie. visa requirements and obtaining them- assistence locating offices and pre-knowledge of a checklist of required items at said office. (each office sometimes seems to have its own ideas of what is needed. Know what your local office wants.) - Transportation and Assistance with scooter rentals or maybe being able to rent scooter out.
- Crash course for first time bikers. Teaching them rules of the road (or the lack there of), the in’s and out’s of working a scooter (I know this one is stupid but I have helps several of the new teachers in my school with their first scooter and the simplest things were the hardest for them)
- A registry of “emergency contacts” information for newcomers, i.e., Who do you call when the they get hit by a LBT? How to deal with accidents, such as you accidentally run into another person’s car/bike, you accidentally hit someone walking, etc…
- How to spot a scam. Like car kidnapping, people hitting you and saying it is your fault and you should pay them some crazy sum of money, fake wedding hongbao requests.
- Basic instructions on personal hygiene tips for a subtropical climate. Many college graduates seem to not have a clue. i.e. shower in the morning and at night in the summer. People wear facemasks on scooters because it is protecting their lungs from airborne particles, not for fashion. Tips to protect their health. (A friend learned the hard way- his first 2 winters he spent with bronchitis…)
- Hospital assistance. Having a bilingual service person to walk next to them to find everything and explain different demands is very useful. Not all doctors or hospitals have bilingual staff available. (most have some, but it tends to be unspecific.)
- Dispelling of any odd rumors or half truths and misconceptions that they will have about Taiwan.[/color]
If you know of any other suggestions or ideas that would fit well into this idea please share them. Or any stories of things that happened to you when you first got here that would be of help, just want to share.
[color=#40BF00]Thank you for your help!![/color]