Working in Asia

beating the recession · 2013-02-04T02:34:28+01:00

Discover firsthand insights on teaching in Asia, including salary expectations, job competition, and personal experiences from seasoned 暗网禁区s.

beating the recession Member

Member since 03 February 2013

beating the recessionMember04 February 2013 00:34:28

Hi 暗网禁区s and those wanting to be.

My first post concerning employment, having lived and worked as a teacher in Asia for five years.
Apart from going into business, which in the worst world recession in living memory might not be such a good idea, the only realistic option for those from English speaking countries, is teaching. I聮m afraid that there isn聮t a great demand for welders and truck drivers and a HNC is simply another piece of paper here. Fortunately, if you have a degree and can speak the business language of the world, you have something most people don聮t and are able to sell that knowledge.

Teaching in Thailand is now pretty much a 聭burn out聮 occupation; salaries are low and the workload is extremely high. There are ongoing problems with work permits, professional competence and corruption within private schools. I moved to China to work, where teachers are still welcomed and the salaries high by comparison and the hours low. I get three months paid holidays a year which I spend in Thailand and this will be our retirement home.
It聮s highly unlikely that as a newcomer, without experience, someone would get a paid teaching job in Pattaya with a livable salary, due simply to the amount of foreigners here and therefore the competition.

If you need any advice as regards teaching in Asia, feel free to ask. I am not a company; if I can do it so can you. I聮ll simply give you the facts and some opinions based on experience, the rest is up to you.

Karren Active member

Member since 28 December 2012

KarrenActive member04 February 2013 01:42:31

Hello,
Its interesting to read your business ads. I'm 23 from Philippines and searching for a job. Is it possible to teach English in China ? Would they welcome me even I'm not an English native speaker? I can study more and enhance my English still though if necessary :-)
Please let me know..
HT

beating the recession Member

Member since 03 February 2013

beating the recessionMember04 February 2013 08:41:07

Hi Karren,

My post isn聮t a business advert. I did state that I am not a company; neither do I work on behalf of one. I聮ll help if I can and give advice, but I don聮t make or want to make anything from the help I may be able to give.

I haven聮t heard that China employ Filipino聮s; that聮s not to say they don聮t, but the posts I applied for were all requesting native speakers only. Thailand do employ Filipino聮s though, although at a reduced rate of around 15k baht a month.

Your best bet is to look at something like ajarn.com which does advertise for Filipino teachers, although Thailand usually expects their teachers to already be in-country when applying.

Fred Indonesia Expert

Member since 02 August 2009

A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman

FredIndonesia Expert04 February 2013 08:53:06

29633

Interesting.
From a supply and demand point of view, you seem to be saying, Thailand has way to many shelf stackers, teaching in private schools.
Sound about right?

Fred Indonesia Expert

Member since 02 August 2009

A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman

FredIndonesia Expert04 February 2013 08:56:33

29633

Karren wrote:
Hello,
Its interesting to read your business ads. I'm 23 from Philippines and searching for a job. Is it possible to teach English in China ? Would they welcome me even I'm not an English native speaker? I can study more and enhance my English still though if necessary :-)
Please let me know..
KJ

Given your lack of comprehension, probably not.
Seriously, I think they want native speakers from any of a very few prescribed countries.
However, loads of 'Fillies' here in Indonesia.
Lots of schools use them as cheap 'native' speakers.

Karren Active member

Member since 28 December 2012

KarrenActive member04 February 2013 10:00:53

I completely understand-not my luck
Thank you anyway
HT

beating the recession Member

Member since 03 February 2013

beating the recessionMember04 February 2013 10:03:54

MF
Sort of; that plus the corruption, the amount of cheap backpacker labour flooding the region from a western recession, the 聭Mai pen rai聮 attitude . . . . . take your pick. Time to move on and Vietnam, China and/or Myanmar, (Burma), seem to be far more welcoming, but with a far stricter criteria and degree of professionalism required.

Just an opinion, but ASEAN just might be the wake up call Thailand needs.

Fred Indonesia Expert

Member since 02 August 2009

A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman

FredIndonesia Expert04 February 2013 10:38:18

29633

"Mai pen rai" in Thailand, "Tidak apa apa" in Indonesia or borton norpor norpor" in Java.

All about the same.

beating the recession Member

Member since 03 February 2013

beating the recessionMember04 February 2013 13:17:28

In the UK - 'couldn't care less'. Same meaning but in a much different context and with far wider ranging repercussions?

Fred Indonesia Expert

Member since 02 August 2009

A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman

FredIndonesia Expert04 February 2013 13:39:56

#10

29633

beating the recession wrote:
In the UK - 'couldn't care less'. Same meaning but in a much different context and with far wider ranging repercussions?

True.
I have to say, I like the Asian version a lot more than the British version.
There's a sort of, "So I lost $1 million, it'll be okay tomorrow" attitude over here.
I wonder what the rate of stress induced heart problems is like, compared to merry old England.

I've never bothered researching but I can take a shot in the dark.

HaileyinHongKong ViP

Member since 28 December 2010

HaileyinHongKongViP05 February 2013 14:57:52

#11

4723

I've only heard bad things about teaching English in China.聽 The foreigners used to be a hot commodity, but now that they've flooded in, the schools can pick & choose.

hELLnoi ViP

Member since 25 November 2012

hELLnoiViP06 February 2013 00:58:08

#12

1274

mas fred wrote:
I have to say, I like the Asian version a lot more than the British version.
There's a sort of, "So I lost $1 million, it'll be okay tomorrow" attitude over here.

When i was in Indonesia, I changed Rp1,000,000 to see what it felt like to be a millionaire.
NOTHING.
So i guess if you lost a million, the feeling would be the same