Teaching English and saving money

if you are single, you should be learning something (a language, another degree etc…) or saving money. if you aren’t doing either, why the f*ck are you here, there are better places to party and better places to chase ass.

an older friend told me this when I first moved here and it is a pretty good ideal to go by.

Like where?

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]if you are single, you should be learning something (a language, another degree etc…) or saving money. if you aren’t doing either, why the f*ck are you here, there are better places to party and better places to chase ass.

an older friend told me this when I first moved here and it is a pretty go ideal to go by.[/quote]

Deuce, you’ve obviously been watching too much HBO. Not all of us fine fellows are interested in “ass.”

But I agree with your point about learnin’. Given that ESL is a bit of a career dead end (not to mention mind-numbingly dull) it’s doubly important to do something interesting or useful outside of class.
And the great thing about teaching is the free time it gives people to pursue interests.

[quote=“almas john”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”]if you are single, you should be learning something (a language, another degree etc…) or saving money. if you aren’t doing either, why the f*ck are you here, there are better places to party and better places to chase ass.

an older friend told me this when I first moved here and it is a pretty go ideal to go by.[/quote]

Deuce, you’ve obviously been watching too much HBO. Not all of us fine fellows are interested in “ass.”

But I agree with your point about learnin’. Given that ESL is a bit of a career dead end (not to mention mind-numbingly dull) it’s doubly important to do something interesting or useful outside of class.
And the great thing about teaching is the free time it gives people to pursue interests.[/quote]

LOL

love the multi-thread allusions…ass=coitus…SmellyBumLove is my other account, which I keep on the down low. :wink:

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]if you are single, you should be learning something (a language, another degree etc…) or saving money. if you aren’t doing either, why the f*ck are you here, there are better places to party and better places to chase ass.

an older friend told me this when I first moved here and it is a pretty go ideal to go by.[/quote]

I can agree with this, that’s why I was so shocked to see people here who accomplished nothing besides surviving. Teaching here get’s pretty old especially if your in a major chain school. Why not invest some time into your quality of life and not end up a jaded, dry, and disliking the country that you chose to get stuck in. I just think after the 1st year if you haven’t figured to move on either with education, a family, or cut and run after saving some money.

The chances of getting away become extremely difficult.

Survival is an accomplishment, don’t belittle it. It is a fallacy that you have to have sth. to show for your life, if you live abroad. Life is a big show in itself, abroad or in the home country. What you manage to learn, earn and undo is all a part of the process and you can’t put it in a time frame.

Survival is an accomplishment, don’t belittle it. It is a fallacy that you have to have sth. to show for your life, if you live abroad. Life is a big show in itself, abroad or in the home country. What you manage to learn, earn and undo is all a part of the process and you can’t put it in a time frame.[/quote]

I wasn’t belittling survival, like I said some people choose to stay because they lay a foundation and start building a family. I was more talking about the people who are jaded at their situation but instead of taking steps to change it choose to blame their problems on the society and not their own short comings. No relationship, not doing business, not interested in learning the culture (language), what’s keeping them around?

My first month here I was taken to most of the foreigner friendly spots and I saw a range of people from newbs like myself to the self medicating alcoholic. It just struck me as odd. During that first month I got to know a few of these people and it just seemed their problems stemmed from their own lifestyle choices and not all the other things they would tell me about in their stories. They are old enough to be considered adults but their problems seemed so trivial, compared to everything else going on in Taiwan.

For example the problem that I came across the most.

  1. I have been in Taiwan “x” years (“x”>3) and they cannot speak any Mandarin or Taiwanese. They just raise their voices when talking to locals. . . !?
    (this is not a straw man thing, two people that I know personally have been here for almost 10 years and cannot speak anything besides English)
    why stay?

Lots of people pay off debts and save money. I save a certain amount of money each month, and then send it back to my home country. Once it is gone I consider in “untouchable”

[quote]I wasn’t belittling survival, like I said some people choose to stay because they lay a foundation and start building a family. I was more talking about the people who are jaded at their situation but instead of taking steps to change it choose to blame their problems on the society and not their own short comings. No relationship, not doing business, not interested in learning the culture (language), what’s keeping them around?

My first month here I was taken to most of the foreigner friendly spots and I saw a range of people from newbs like myself to the self medicating alcoholic. It just struck me as odd. During that first month I got to know a few of these people and it just seemed their problems stemmed from their own lifestyle choices and not all the other things they would tell me about in their stories. They are old enough to be considered adults but their problems seemed so trivial, compared to everything else going on in Taiwan.

For example the problem that I came across the most.

  1. I have been in Taiwan “x” years (“x”>3) and they cannot speak any Mandarin or Taiwanese. They just raise their voices when talking to locals. . . !?
    (this is not a straw man thing, two people that I know personally have been here for almost 10 years and cannot speak anything besides English)
    why stay?
    [/quote]

I never got to use the NEWBIE smiley…Why stay?Why not? You think, people who blame their surroundings should go back. Why?? They choose to stay and blame these surroundings, their choice. People don’t stop being people just because they live in another country.

You know what??? Some folks learn Mandarin and think only speakers are supposed to live here, look around, learn the culture yourself. These folks are dying to learn English. There is nothing wrong with being here for 10 years and not speak anything besides English. The locals don’t mind it at all.

[quote=“almas john”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”]But I agree with your point about learnin’. Given that ESL is a bit of a career dead end (not to mention mind-numbingly dull) it’s doubly important to do something interesting or useful outside of class.

And the great thing about teaching is the free time it gives people to pursue interests.[/quote][/quote]

I found this thread very interesting and informative. Keeps me something to think about in choosing different lifestyles were I to come to Taiwan to teach ESL.

Don’t flame me, or brand me stupid, but I was not sure if the last sentence I quoted (and italicized) was said in sincerity or sarcasm. I guess I ask this is because people I know who teach in the USA always bring their work home and don’t have a lot of free time, at least the first year of teahing or if they are given a new subject to teach that they’ve never taught before. But then both these cases were not ESL.

:ponder: So, I guess I am to take it that the italicized statement was sincere and not satirical/sarcastic?

And even though I’ve started to learn some basic Mandarin here in the States, I agree with the comment that one doesn’t necessarily need to learn Chineses even if they stay in Taiwan a for several years… at least from what I have read. One blog even said there are advantages to not learning Chinese, or at in situations to pretend that you can’t speak it…

Alan

It wasn’t sarcastic.

[quote=“ailun”][quote=“almas john”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”]But I agree with your point about learnin’. Given that ESL is a bit of a career dead end (not to mention mind-numbingly dull) it’s doubly important to do something interesting or useful outside of class.

And the great thing about teaching is the free time it gives people to pursue interests.[/quote][/quote]

I found this thread very interesting and informative. Keeps me something to think about in choosing different lifestyles were I to come to Taiwan to teach ESL.

Don’t flame me, or brand me stupid, but I was not sure if the last sentence I quoted (and italicized) was said in sincerity or sarcasm. I guess I ask this is because people I know who teach in the USA always bring their work home and don’t have a lot of free time, at least the first year of teahing or if they are given a new subject to teach that they’ve never taught before. But then both these cases were not ESL.

:ponder: So, I guess I am to take it that the italicized statement was sincere and not satirical/sarcastic?[/quote]
Indeed. In this industry you would typically work 20 - 25 hours a week between 2pm to 9pm leaving your mornings free. Mornings can be used for Chinese classes, pursuing sport (I knew one guy who studied Kung Fu from a local master one on one), music, art or whatever gets you juices flowing. Lets say you work 25 hour/week at five hours a day from 3pm to 8pm. That gives you a great deal of the first part of the day (mornings and early afternoons and the evenings to do what you want.

[quote=“ailun”]And even though I’ve started to learn some basic Mandarin here in the States, I agree with the comment that one doesn’t necessarily need to learn Chineses even if they stay in Taiwan a for several years… at least from what I have read. One blog even said there are advantages to not learning Chinese, or at in situations to pretend that you can’t speak it…

Alan[/quote]
I know many people who have been here more than five years who speak no Mandarin (你好 and 謝謝 don’t count…) and they seem to do just fine. As one friend (married to a Taiwanese) who has been here nine years and speaks no Mandarin once told me when I asked him how he gets things done, “That’s what I have my wife for…”
Personally, I couldn’t rely so much on other people for things like paying bills, talking to shopkeepers etc.
One example from personal experience. When we moved to our new house I was home alone and heard the garbage truck come (they have a jingle). I grabbed our trash and ran outside and followed my neighbours. Once there I struck up a conversation with an old lady next to me ( who speaks no English, along with all the other old ladies there that day) and asked about the garbage truck time and day schedule. I also found out that I needn’t drop off my recyclable trash, as she will pick it up daily if I leave it outside the house.
As I’m responsible for garbage duty (my wife can’t speak on the phone at work and her schedule almost always conflicts with the times the garbage trucks come by), how would I have found out all this info without Chinese? Sure, I could have waited at home everyday for a week to figure out the schedule, but it was much easier asking the neighbours.

:idunno: Different strokes, I guess.

[quote=“daddyphatsaks”]
My question is do you know anyone who came here to work and save money, who have actually accomplished that goal?[/quote]
I did it. So did several of my friends. It’s not hard really.

[quote=“bismarck”][quote=“ailun”][quote=“almas john”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”]But I agree with your point about learnin’. Given that ESL is a bit of a career dead end (not to mention mind-numbingly dull) it’s doubly important to do something interesting or useful outside of class.

And the great thing about teaching is the free time it gives people to pursue interests.[/quote][/quote]

I found this thread very interesting and informative. Keeps me something to think about in choosing different lifestyles were I to come to Taiwan to teach ESL.

Don’t flame me, or brand me stupid, but I was not sure if the last sentence I quoted (and italicized) was said in sincerity or sarcasm. I guess I ask this is because people I know who teach in the USA always bring their work home and don’t have a lot of free time, at least the first year of teahing or if they are given a new subject to teach that they’ve never taught before. But then both these cases were not ESL.

:ponder: So, I guess I am to take it that the italicized statement was sincere and not satirical/sarcastic?[/quote]
Indeed. In this industry you would typically work 20 - 25 hours a week between 2pm to 9pm leaving your mornings free. Mornings can be used for Chinese classes, pursuing sport (I knew one guy who studied Kung Fu from a local master one on one), music, art or whatever gets you juices flowing. Lets say you work 25 hour/week at five hours a day from 3pm to 8pm. That gives you a great deal of the first part of the day (mornings and early afternoons and the evenings to do what you want.

[quote=“ailun”]And even though I’ve started to learn some basic Mandarin here in the States, I agree with the comment that one doesn’t necessarily need to learn Chineses even if they stay in Taiwan a for several years… at least from what I have read. One blog even said there are advantages to not learning Chinese, or at in situations to pretend that you can’t speak it…

Alan[/quote]
I know many people who have been here more than five years who speak no Mandarin (你好 and 謝謝 don’t count…) and they seem to do just fine. As one friend (married to a Taiwanese) who has been here nine years and speaks no Mandarin once told me when I asked him how he gets things done, “That’s what I have my wife for…”
Personally, I couldn’t rely so much on other people for things like paying bills, talking to shopkeepers etc.
One example from personal experience. When we moved to our new house I was home alone and heard the garbage truck come (they have a jingle). I grabbed our trash and ran outside and followed my neighbours. Once there I struck up a conversation with an old lady next to me ( who speaks no English, along with all the other old ladies there that day) and asked about the garbage truck time and day schedule. I also found out that I needn’t drop off my recyclable trash, as she will pick it up daily if I leave it outside the house.
As I’m responsible for garbage duty (my wife can’t speak on the phone at work and her schedule almost always conflicts with the times the garbage trucks come by), how would I have found out all this info without Chinese? Sure, I could have waited at home everyday for a week to figure out the schedule, but it was much easier asking the neighbours.

:idunno: Different strokes, I guess.[/quote]

bismarck I think we have similar outlook on our situations. I have no idea how you can rely so heavily on someone to take care of basic things for you. Like you example, I like the fact that any time you feel like you can go out and just strike up a random conversation about anything.

In the USA there’s always a slice of people who have their own foreign communities where they speak their own language and do not mingle with others much and then there are those people who are upset because those people don’t want to conform. I personally don’t care how you live your life as long as YOU are happy with your lifestyle and it doesn’t cause undue hardship on other people.

My issue comes from the people who complain about it, while not doing anything to make it better. If you choose to complain choose to do something about it or just keep it to yourself. I’m sure everyone one on this board knows someone like that. They tend to complain but won’t lift a finger to change their situation.

[quote=“daddyphatsaks”]bismarck I think we have similar outlook on our situations. I have no idea how you can rely so heavily on someone to take care of basic things for you. Like you example, I like the fact that any time you feel like you can go out and just strike up a random conversation about anything.

In the USA there’s always a slice of people who have their own foreign communities where they speak their own language and do not mingle with others much and then there are those people who are upset because those people don’t want to conform. I personally don’t care how you live your life as long as YOU are happy with your lifestyle and it doesn’t cause undue hardship on other people.

My issue comes from the people who complain about it, while not doing anything to make it better. If you choose to complain choose to do something about it or just keep it to yourself. I’m sure everyone one on this board knows someone like that. They tend to complain but won’t lift a finger to change their situation.[/quote]
Well, I come from a multi-lingual country and can speak a few of the local languages other than English. So growing up and living there I was used to usually knowing what people were saying, being able to join any conversation etc. When I first came to Taiwan I felt very frustrated that I was in a situation where I was basically a deaf, mute illiterate.
Even now I still feel frustrated sometimes when I’m in a situation my Chinese can’t handle sufficiently (when I feel like an adult who speaks like a six year old), or when Taiwanese is primarily used.
Baby steps. I’ll get there eventually.

As to how this affected my savings. It cuts both ways. Money spent on classes (NCKU or private one-on-one teacher), and money lost where I could’ve been teaching. But as someone who wants to make my life here, with Taiwanese family, I don’t really see that as a waste. Besides, for what I have planned for the future, Chinese will be a must, not an option.

Saving money requires a lot of discipline. Most who come here for working holidays and fun lack it.

[quote=“ailun”][quote=“almas john”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”]But I agree with your point about learnin’. Given that ESL is a bit of a career dead end (not to mention mind-numbingly dull) it’s doubly important to do something interesting or useful outside of class.

And the great thing about teaching is the free time it gives people to pursue interests.[/quote][/quote]

I found this thread very interesting and informative. Keeps me something to think about in choosing different lifestyles were I to come to Taiwan to teach ESL.

Don’t flame me, or brand me stupid, but I was not sure if the last sentence I quoted (and italicized) was said in sincerity or sarcasm. I guess I ask this is because people I know who teach in the USA always bring their work home and don’t have a lot of free time, at least the first year of teahing or if they are given a new subject to teach that they’ve never taught before. But then both these cases were not ESL.

:ponder: So, I guess I am to take it that the italicized statement was sincere and not satirical/sarcastic?

And even though I’ve started to learn some basic Mandarin here in the States, I agree with the comment that one doesn’t necessarily need to learn Chineses even if they stay in Taiwan a for several years… at least from what I have read. One blog even said there are advantages to not learning Chinese, or at in situations to pretend that you can’t speak it…

Alan[/quote]

You’ll have to ask Almas John. the italicized part wasn’t my comment, it was John’s but you somehow incorporated it into my quote. Nonetheless he brings up a good point.