# Skin Colour

**URL:** <https://tw.forumosa.com/t/skin-colour/53341>\
**Category:** Teaching English in Taiwan\
**Created:** [September 2, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/skin-colour/53341 "2009-09-02T03:35:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![tempogain](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/tempogain/32/264650_2.png) [@tempogain](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/tempogain)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/skin-colour/53341/2 "2009-09-02T03:43:15Z")

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Hi HL,

The short answer is yes it will be harder, but not impossible. Here are some relevant threads:

[viewtopic.php?f=35&t=84618](http://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=84618)

> [@Being An Asian English Teacher](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/being-an-asian-english-teacher/53137/1):
>
> Is anyone here an Asian person teaching English? I was born and educated in the U.S, this is my first time in Asia and I’ve been told by a recruiter that it will be very difficult for me to find employment as an English teacher due to people’s prejudice. Can anyone tell me if this is true? I’d appreciate any advice. Thanks!

> [@A few questions from a hopeful black teacher](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/a-few-questions-from-a-hopeful-black-teacher/46559/1):
>
> Ok so Ive scoured this board on and off for a few months now, lurking in the backround using variations of the words: black,teacher, hire in the search box but have yet to see a thread with these specific questions.I plan on going to Taiwan next June right after I graduate with a BA. Im an american and I´ve had and will have had experience tutoring inner city kids in pubilc elementary schools, if that helps with answering any. Here goes: Is is better for a potential black teacher to aquire …

> [@I am half-white and half-Chinese](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/i-am-half-white-and-half-chinese/29336/1):
>
> and I pretty much look like it. I could pass for Caucasian, but my skin is a little darker than most whites and my face might look a bit Asian. (My dad is American white and my mom is from Hong Kong.) Will my physical appearance keep me from finding a job? I am graduating from college this year and otherwise I think my background is similar to that of other first-time teachers. I will have a political science degree from a large state university. I am from Wisconsin and have lived in the U…

> [@Here we go again - A black teacher's journey to employment](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/here-we-go-again-a-black-teachers-journey-to-employment/26340/1):
>
> How difficult was your job search? [poll](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/here-we-go-again-a-black-teachers-journey-to-employment/26340/1) Well, back in 2001, I began posting on [orienteguemosa.org.com.tw.com](http://orienteguemosa.org.com.tw.com) because I had heard all sorts of rumors about jobs being hard for black teachers and wanted to hear someone say something different (and also to find a place to live and a job). I was coming straight out of college with only two semesters’ of teaching experience, largely with adults, and a TESOL cert from my university. More than the average FOB, but I knew as a black person, I’d need …

> [@Do I need to look really "white" to teach English?](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/do-i-need-to-look-really-white-to-teach-english/24137/1):
>
> Hello all, first time posting, long time lurker. I’m here in Taipei on vacation with my mom, and we stopped at a buxiban (Uncle Sam’s) after seeing an ad online that they were looking for English teachers. We walked into the place and were greeted by some lady who looked confused. I wasn’t prepared with my resume or anything, I just stopped by to maybe talk about what it’s like to be a buxiban teacher. After enquiring about teaching English to her (in English), the woman looked at me and sai…

> [@So, I'm not a white teacher!](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/so-im-not-a-white-teacher/18038/1):
>
> I think my school is trying to cut down on my exposure in our public events. Comparing to all of the other foriegn teachers I work with, I have never been asked to host our shows or contests (where we parade our frightened english learners on stage for their parents), nor have I seen my picture in the reception area more than once (the others have had many), and I was the only FT who failed to appear in our bi-annual magazine! Coincedence? On top of that, I have kindly been told that I no longer…

> [@Are Asian-Americans at a disadvantage?](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/are-asian-americans-at-a-disadvantage/17665/1):
>
> I am contemplating going to Taiwan to teach English but I’ve heard that schools are less likely to hire someone if s/he is not Caucasian? Now, I do consider English my native language as I was born, raised, and educated in America my whole life. I have so-so qualifications as I hold a college degree and I have some experience teaching to kids but are my chances of employment hurt because I don’t necessarily look like the typical English speaker that they may be looking for? Also, is it worth …

> [@Discrimination against non-white (eg S Asian orgn) teachers?](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/discrimination-against-non-white-eg-s-asian-orgn-teachers/10431/1):
>
> My girlfriend and I are planning to come to Taiwan to teach English. We’re both Canadians, and she is of South Asian (Indian) origin. I’ve heard anecdotally about racism against Black teachers, and of a general bias toward white teachers over Chinese-origin ones. Can anyone comment on the level of workplace discrimination there might be against South Asian-origin teachers? If there are any brown English teachers in Taiwan out there, we would love to talk to you directly at: simongoback at re…

> [@To Asian teachers teaching English in Taiwan](http://tw.forumosa.com/t/to-asian-teachers-teaching-english-in-taiwan/1644/1):
>
> To all the Asian-English teachers here: Hello. I just want to know how you guys or girls got your teaching jobs in Taiwan. I’m Chinese and I’m planning to teach in Taiwan. However, I know that Taiwanese schools are looking for mainly native speakers and I am technically, not one. Even though I am not a native speaker, I am just as fluent as any native speaker since I did grow up in Canada. What schools in Taiwan would hire a guy like me? Can you people tell me? Also, what’s it like for…

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