A Few Facts For Teachers

Taiwan is a small, out of the way country, but for English teachers it can be a great place to work. There are lots of great opportunities for those who want to teach English in Taiwan. And, there is no sign that the demand will be decreasing any time soon. But, what is it really like to live and work in Taiwan?

Living In Taiwan

Of all Asian countries, Taiwan is one of the most cosmopolitan. This means that you can find foreign things (including food!) relatively easily and cheaply. It also means that the population of Taiwan, especially in the capital city Taipei, is more diverse than those of Korea, Japan or China. The Taiwanese are known to be friendly to foreign people. Teachers who have lived in Taiwan have often remarked on how it feels like a community. Unlike Japan, Korea or China, foreigners feel like they can fit in.

Taiwan is a small country. You can actually drive from one end to the other in about the time it would take some people to drive to work. This gives you the sense that it’s a small, tightly knit world.

You also don’t need to bring any winter clothes if you plan to live in Taiwan. It stays warm and sunny all year around.

Making Money

Taiwan offers some of the best pay for English teachers in Asia. The pay is good, but unlike Japan, it’s not terribly expensive to live there. On the other hand, living in Taiwan is a little costlier than in Korea, but many English teachers find Taiwan to be a nicer place to live. In any case, you can definitely teach in Taiwan, have a good time, and come home with a good chunk of money saved.

With an entry level teaching position at a big chain English school, you can expect to make around $20 an hour. You can make much more if you teach in a pre-school or do private lessons. Rent in Taipei can be as low as $300 for a centrally located apartment, and eating out you can expect to pay under $5 a person. Now, go and compare that with Japan!

Working In Taiwan As An English Teacher

The actual work that you will do teaching in Taiwan may be a bit more rigorous than in Korea or Japan. In Korea or Japan, English teachers can get by doing a minimum of hard work, but Taiwanese schools (and parents) expect a bit more from their teachers. This also means that Taiwan can be a more stimulating place for a real English teacher to work. In Japan and Korea, where the big language schools often hand you standard course materials and expect you to basically entertain the students, many of those who want to be real teachers feel stifled and frustrated.

The good news for teachers is that, in Taiwan, you are mostly left to your own devices. Schools usually allow teachers lots of flexibility.

If you are thinking about going overseas to teach English, you should put Taiwan on your list. Check it out yourself and do some research online about teaching English in Taiwan.