Footprints Recruiting

Taiwan is a land of contrasts, boasting both rugged mountains and pristine coastline as well as several of Asia's most cosmopolitan metropolises. A country rich in culture, Taiwan's atmosphere and energy are unparalleled.

The teaching opportunities Footprints represents in Taiwan are among the best. Whether you're an experienced TESL professional or fresh out of university with nothing more than a degree and a backpack, we have something for everyone.

Overview of Minimum Required Qualifications to Teach English in Taiwan

• You must have a bachelor's degree
• You must be a native English speaker
• You must have a passport from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the USA.
  • Note that teaching jobs in Public Schools in Taiwan have more required qualifications

Great news! If you're a licensed certified teacher the Ministry of Education wants you to teach in a public school in Taiwan AND they are happy to fly your spouse or a dependent to join you! Housing is also set up so that you and your family can be comfortable. At present this is the only opportunity we have were benefits are extended to family members.

If you are bringing kids to teach with you in Taiwan there are several important considerations:

• Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung are really the only major centers set up to host foreign kids. This is not suggesting that you need everything Western to be happy but rather that education, English speaking doctors, play groups, sports teams and other Western friends will be easier to find and meet in one of those metropolitan centers.
• Where is your child going to be educated?
  • Montessori is a great option for young ones
• Innoculations?
• Government exams back home?
• Keeping up with education back home?
• Adjusting to language and cultural differences in Taiwan?
• Friends and family back home? 

How can you allay an employers concerns about your commitment to teaching in Taiwan when you are bringing children with you?  The primary concern an employer is going to have is about your family's ability to stay for the duration of your contract.  It's quite an effort to replace a teacher mid-semester and really not very fair to the students... give it some thought, a you ready to commit to a year?

Pets in Taiwan - to bring or not to bring

The choice to bring a pet with you is up to you. There are some hoops to jump through and the decision to bring a pet with you has many implications, but it if you need your pet with you, it is possible.

Some things to consider:

• your mobility will be limited
• there are few or no kennels or boarding facilities
• there are very few veterinarians
• when you take holidays so will most of your colleague… babysitters are hard to find
• pet supplies are often difficult to find
• going there and coming home are difficult and can be taxing on your pet  

Taiwan offers boundless entertainment and activities for all sorts of people. From the traditional opera performances to extreme mountain biking or caving or surfing or even just relaxing in a mountain hot spring, there literally is something for everyone here.

The countryside outside the dynamic capital city is filled with an amazing variety of the most beautiful and dramatic scenery in Asia. In a short period of time you can go from tropical beaches and spectacular sea-skirting cliff roads to awe-inspiring mist-shrouded peaks, warm hot springs and tranquil deep blue lakes.

Did you know that the name given to Taiwan by the Portuguese explorers in the 16th century was “Formosa”… any idea what that means? Formosa means beautiful.

Culture in Taiwan is amazing. From the celebrated aborgines tribes to the esteemed Chinese heritage and the valued treasures that the original migrants brought with them, Taiwan has amazing culture and history.

People from many different places and backgrounds have all played a role in Taiwan's development. The Dutch colonized Taiwan, so did the Portugeuse, the Spanish, the Japanese and most recently, the Chinese.

While gradually developing a new culture indigenous to Taiwan, the people of Taiwan have held on to their respective customs and traditions; as a result, you will be able to sample indigenous, Taiwanese, and Chinese cultures and even find traces left by the Dutch and the Japanese when traveling in Taiwan.

Students in Taiwan, for the most part, are very respectful. The underlying principles of culture are rooted in the foundations of Confucianism where teachers and education are to be respected. In grade school, at the end of class, students are expected to stand and say in unison, "Thank You Teacher".

Times have changed in Taiwan just like any other country and students are motivated more out of respect and interest rather than through discipline or fear.

To connect with your students you need to be a good teacher. This takes time and energy.

Students in Taiwan excel in maths and sciences and traditionally have prescribed to wrote memorization techniques in learning. English has not been a priority in public education until recently and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan is working to create an effective English program in public schools around the nation.

Like many other countries, Taiwan's educational system begins with one to two years of preschool education, and then students attend elementary, junior high (middle school) and high school programs.

• Elementary - grade 1 -6
• Junior High School - grade 7-9
• High School - grade 10-12

English does not become a compulsory subject until grade 3 in Taiwan.

After finishing compulsory education, students take national exams in order to receive senior secondary education, which includes three years of senior high school, three years of vocational high school, or five years of junior college.

To be accepted to post-secondary education, students have to take the Joint College Entrance Examination or other national exams. These tests are highly competitive. After graduation, if students choose to continue their education, they can take the exams required to enter graduate school.

Taiwan has some amazing mouthwatering cuisine. It is also home to some of the strangest foods I have seen and I have traveled a fair bit... Hundred years eggs and stinky tofu are two names that jump to mind but beyond that there is snake blood soup and some other strange dishes that aren't for the faint of stomach.

You don't have to have no sense of smell or the courage of a paratrooper to eat in Taiwan. In fact, they pretty much have everything and the food is REALLY good.

A Taiwanese person wrote, "Taiwan is in sole possession of the local food, are all the rage the whole world, once after your experience the taste, will certainly the eternal life to be unforgettable."... Remember, you are going there to teach English. I had to include that quote. Although it says nothing intelligible about the food, you can tell that the person is quite passionate about what they are saying... maybe it means more in another language...

In short, food in Taiwan is great. You don't have to eat the strange things and there are lots of yummy easily identified food readily available.

Eating in Taiwan is a bit of a regional affair. Each county has its own specialty and eating out is the standard. It's actually often cheaper to eat out than to prepare something on your own.

The Taiwanese use the Chinese Lunar Calendar which means some important traditional holidays change each year. However, the majority of holidays are based on a set date. It is also important to note that in Taiwan they will actually change many of the holidays to coincide with a Saturday, this is called "adjusts to work" and is done to ensure the greatest productivity is achieved and that holidays don't mess up work schedules. This is problematic with language schools. Note that your school has to follow the government requirements.

Be sure to check with your school to see what days are holidays and if you are planning on travel make sure you make reservations WELL in advance and be prepared to deal with crowds. National holidays in Taiwan are huge events.

Apartments in Taiwan are generally spacious and relatively CHEAP! If you've taught English in Korea or Japan you'll be amazed. If you're a first timer, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

In many cases schools in Taiwan don't provide housing with your teaching job but they do provide assistance for you to find housing. This assistance is extremely helpful when trying to negotiate leases and find a location you're comfy with.

Apartment hunting in Taiwan can be a mind-boggling challenge BUT with a little luck and a lot of patience, you may hit the jackpot and your housing is going to be your oasis, your respite, your place to escape to noise, the smells, the sensory overload; you get the point.

Living standards in Taiwan are not quite the same as in the West but rest-assured it can be pretty comfy. Find a nice place. Get comfortable and you'll get more out of your teaching experience in Taiwan.

The cost of an apartment in Taiwan varies from city to city. In all cases, apartments in Taiwan are much cheaper than one might expect. As a note a cheap hostel will cost about NT$6,000/month.

Taiwan and Korea rival one another in Asia with respect to the amount of time spent on-line. Almost all new apartments in Taiwan come hardwired with broadband making keeping in touch with friends and family at home, planning trips, researching culture and lesson planning SUPER FAST and ultra convenient.

The average cost of a broadband connection with unlimited access time in Taiwan is USD $15 ~ 28 per month. Nowadays, there are lots of free ISP connections. In Taiwan we haven't heard of dial up! :)

If you don't get hooked up at your apartment, you will always have internet at your school and internet cafes are ubiquitous (read PLENTIFUL) on the streets of Taiwan, and time is dirt cheap: most charge only NT$15~30 ($0.50 USD) per hour.

Requirements to Get Internet Hooked Up

• passport with an ARC
• you may still even need a Taiwanese guarantor

The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese (Guoyu), but because many Taiwanese are of southern Fujianese descent, Min-nan (the Southern Min dialect, or Holo) is also widely spoken.

The smaller groups of Hakka people and indigenous people have also preserved their own languages. Many elderly people can also speak some Japanese, as they were subjected to Japanese education before Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule in 1945 after the Japanese occupation which lasted for half a century.

The most popular foreign language in Taiwan is English (lucky for us English teachers), which is part of the regular school curriculum. Although most people speak some level of English, it is advised that you have instructions to get to your school and to your home written in Chinese so you can show a local or a taxi driver.

Living and teaching in Taiwan is an amazing life changing experience. Whether you're a season ESL teacher with overseas teaching experience or if you're fresh out of college with a passport and a plane ticket, Taiwan represents an amazing teaching opportunity and a cultural experience second to none. The most important thing to remember when teaching and traveling abroad is that every day represents something special. Life is amazing when you're teaching abroad. Soak up every moment. Smile and laugh easily and you'll be presented with experiences that will simply leave you mesmerized.

One really never knows what to expect when teaching and living abroad. Taiwan is a country that will truly amaze you. Many experienced teachers who lived and taught ESL in Korea and China have come to Taiwan and said they were glad they left Taiwan to the end. These teachers go on to say that if they had taught English in Taiwan first, they wouldn't have made it through China or Korea. Taiwan is easy. The Taiwanese people are fun and relaxed. And the climate in Taiwan is just about perfect. What more could you ask for?

If this is a medical emergency dial 1-1-9 to reach the ambulance and emergency services in Taiwan. OR call one of the medical centers listed in the Hospital and Medical Centers article and they may have the ability to dispatch one of their own emergency vehicles to come and get you. All else failing and if communication is proving difficult get a taxi.

When teaching in Taiwan you automatically qualify for the national medical coverage BUT and this is a HUGE BUT - BUT this does NOT start immediately. In order for this to begin you have to have your Alien Residence Card. The process to get this status is identified in Taiwan Teaching Visas. This can take upwards of 3 months to get established. Be sure to get emergency medical coverage before you go or if you're already there, get it now.

The currency in Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar, abbreviated to "NT$".

The coins come in $1, $5, $10, $20 and $50 (2 varieties) and the notes $100, $500, $1000, $2000.

Taiwan is an inexpensive country to live in, however in major cities like Taipei, the cost of living is higher. Many foreigner English teachers make as much as doctors and lawyers do in Taiwan.

To open a back account you are required to provide your passport and ARC card. All banks have some English speaking staff. Most banks are closed on Saturdays, but are open later on weekdays.

ATM - Cash Machines

ATMs are very common ad most have an English option and support most major western banking card systems. You can pay all your bills and transfer money through ATMs. Many international banks (ex: HSBC, Citi Bank, RBC) have branches in Taipei and in other major cities. Taiwan is a cashed based society and you are able to withdraw up to NT$20,000 per transaction until either you or the machine is out of money.

Credit Cards

Bring’em if you got’em. All major credit cards are accepted in Taiwan. It is possible of applying for a credit card in Taiwan, but I wouldn’t hold your breath on actually being issued one.

In choosing to teach English abroad for a year, you are making a choice to live in a foreign country. You should not try to re-create every aspect of your daily life in your home country - not only is it impossible, but even if you succeeded what would be the point in moving to a foreign country?

The most important thing to bring with you is a positive attitude and a willingness to adapt your lifestyle to a new and foreign environment. Don’t be one of those sad saps who sits in a foreign bar crying in your beer and lamenting the lack of Doritos in Taiwan- remember it is you who is making the choice to live in a country where squid tentacles, not Doritos is the snack food of choice.

We do not suggest you bring everything in the suggested lists or you'll exceeded your baggage limitation however you may want to choose some items that will remind you of home and make the transition to life in Taiwan easier. No matter how much you like Taiwan you will experience moments of homesickness and have “I hate Taiwan” days, and for those special occasions it is nice to have your favorite book and a can of chicken noodle soup on hand. However even if you brought nothing from this list with you will be fine- Taiwanese lived for thousands of years without deodorant and peanut butter.

Bring around USD $500-800 to get you through your first month.

First question Footprints teachers often asked in regard to phones in Taiwan is, "Can I bring my cell phone to Taiwan?".

Simple answer, maybe.

The mobile network operates on GSM 900MHz / 1800MHz – Check the GSM on your phone before bringing it with you. Phone in Taiwan are pretty cheap and are awesome! Often cell phones in Taiwan are much better than the phones you can get back home as they are cutting edge in Taiwan - heck, this is where they are made and tested before they hit market back home.

More often than not, the easiest way to obtain a cell phone is to purchase a GSM phone in Taiwan or to bring one with you from your home country (ensuring ofcourse that you have the proper MHz capabilities). Once you have the phone, you now have to decide which company you want to go with, you can go to any convenience store and for as little as NT$ 600, you can buy a cell phone number. You'll have to fill out a simple form and they'll give you a SIM card. This SIM card provides a phone number and voice mail. Your SIM card will be activated within 24 hours.

Learn more about the phone system providers at the bottom of this page.

When you've used up the initial phone credit (usually NT$600), people will still be able to call you, but you won't be able to call out or listen to your voice mail messages. All you have to do then is go on back to the local 7-11 and buy some more time.

The 7-11 clerk will give you a card that looks like a calling card, that has a scratch-off serial number. You can use your cell to call the 24 hour help line to activate your calling credit.

If you want to run with traditional means of communicating, there is always a public phone around every corner.

Getting around in Taiwan is pretty easy if you have time... in cities other than Taipei, the actual infrastructure is pretty minimal though the bus system is excellent, you just have to figure it out. Take the time to do this and your life will become MUCH easier.

If you're like me and you can't sit around and wait for the bus, taxis are generally abundant and they are pretty cheap. A standard 10 minute cab ride will generally cost you about 400-600 NT.

Many teachers elect to buy a car or get a scooter. ***NOTE***

1. you need a license
2. scooter theft is rampant - don't buy a stolen one and be careful with yours
   

Tropical bliss! Most of Taiwan has beautiful warm climate year round. You can leave your winter coat behind when you go to Taiwan to teach but it is advised to bring an umbrella.

The weather here is amazing (for those of you who like subtropical heat and humidity). Because Taiwan is a relatively small island, the ocean breezes have an cooling effect on much of the country so it never really feels TOO hot. It should also be noted that because this is a tropical country, it is subject to more rain than in most other areas but for those of you who live in areas like Seattle or Vancouver, showers are shortlived and blue skies prevail on most days.

The annual average temperature is a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius with lowest temperatures ranging from 12 to 17 degrees Celsius (54-63 Fahrenheit).

The average amount of rainfall is about 2,500 mm per year, most of which comes in the form of a typhoon. At least three to four typhoons hit Taiwan every year, providing much of the Island's water supply, but also causing damage, flooding, and landslides. When the typhoons come through schools will close and there is genuine fear around the country as really strong winds and very heavy rain can have devastating effects.

Please note, there are areas in Taiwan that do get cold. These are the high alpine areas like in Alishan. Most of taiwan fits into the average temperatures listed previously.

Here is the part where you NEED to pay attention. Stop, sit up, read carefully. This will save you headaches, money and frustration.

Americans, Australians, British, Canadians, Irish and New Zealanders can enter Taiwan without getting a visa before hand.  South Africans cannot get a visa on entry.

Visas given at the Taiwan airport on entry are called "Visa Exempt Entry".

Here is the important part, if you enter just by rocking up at the airport in Taiwan, the visa they will give you will only be good for 30 days, it is not extendable AND your visa CANNOT be converted to a visitor or resident visa. If this is the case, you have to LEAVE Taiwan and re-enter. Expensive. Time-consuming. Frustrating.

Teachers entering Taiwan to teach in public schools follow the official format for getting visas. These teachers will apply for a Visitor Visa for Employment Purpose.

Teachers entering Taiwan to teach in private language schools (buxibans), private schools, or international schools, will most often enter on Visitor Visas for Tourism or Visiting Purposes and they will change the status of their visas once they are in Taiwan. 

All applications for Residency Visas (also known as work visas or ARC Alien Residence Cards) are made once you are in Taiwan. This is generally why private language schools and private schools choose to bring you in on a Visitor Visa for Tourism purposes. It saves them having to do more paperwork and jump through more hoops.