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Etiam rhoncus. Maecenas tempus, tellus eget condimentum rhoncus, sem quam semper libero, sit amet adipiscing sem neque sed ipsum. Nam quam nunc, blandit vel, luctus pulvinar, hendrerit id, lorem. Maecenas nec odio et ante tincidunt tempus. Donec vitae sapien ut libero venenatis faucibus. Nullam quis ante. Etiam sit amet orci eget eros faucibus tincidunt. Duis leo. Sed fringilla mauris sit amet nibh. Donec sodales sagittis magna. Sed consequat, leo eget bibendum sodales, augue velit cursus nunc, quis gravida magna mi a libero. Fusce vulputate eleifend sapien. Vestibulum purus quam, scelerisque ut, mollis sed, nonummy id, metus. Nullam accumsan lorem in dui. Cras ultricies mi eu turpis hendrerit fringilla. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; In ac dui quis mi consectetuer lacinia. Nam pretium turpis et arcu. Duis arcu tortor, suscipit eget, imperdiet nec, imperdiet iaculis, ipsum.

The post A wonderful serenity has taken possession first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Written by Foresight I.E.C.
Published: 28 June 2022

What are some of the best parts of being an expat in Taiwan? What about some of the real challenges? FIEC alumni Daniel Glizer and Lian Lister connected over Zoom to have a conversation about some of their different experiences during their time living in Taiwan. Framed by a game of “Have you ever,” the two shared some of their most unique and memorable experiences.

About Daniel: With a background in psychology and cognition as well as language learning, Daniel found his passion in the field of ESL. He initially went to Taiwan to work as a teacher with FIEC, planning to stay for a year and explore the island. The friendly culture, amazing nature, and delicious food proved impossible to leave so soon, and so he spent 2 additional years in Taiwan. He is currently working as a consultant for FIEC.

About Lian: Originally from rural Alberta, Lian has spent a number of years teaching in different parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. During her four years in Taiwan, she hiked many of Taiwan’s beautiful high mountains, made friends with locals, and became conversational in Mandarin Chinese. She currently works as FIEC’s Social Media Coordinator.

The post Adventures in Taiwan: Highlights and Challenges first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Published: 11 January 2022

Job fair dates for 2022 are now live!

Attend a fair to learn more about our Ontario-based ESL program, meet with program principals, and ask your questions about teaching abroad in Taiwan or Shanghai. We have full-time positions for both elementary and secondary teachers. This year, most fairs will take place virtually.

2022 Teacher Career Fairs

Check back for updates or follow us on Facebook for the latest job fair news.

The post 2022 Teacher Career Fairs first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Published: 07 October 2021

ESL classroom essentials cover

Do you have some essential classroom items that you can’t imagine teaching without? We sure do! For our Ontario-based ESL program, we aim to recreate a classroom environment for students that would be similar to what they would experience in schools in Canada. While teachers have the freedom to make their classrooms their own to reflect their individual teaching style, there are some key elements that you’ll consistently find in each of our ESL classrooms across the program. Walk into an ESL classroom at any of our partner schools, and here are 10 essential elements that you are sure to spot.

1. Smartboard or Projector

In conjunction with the whiteboard or blackboard, the screen is often the hub of direct instruction with the whole class. While this is now becoming standard in any classroom regardless of subject, when working with language learners in particular, slideshows, videos, visual timers, and other visual aids are critical in supporting students’ understanding. What other uses can you think of?

2. Table Groupings

Sometimes students are seated in traditional rows, but in our program, it’s more often that you’ll see desks arranged in table groupings, which are more conducive to collaborative learning or centre work. Classroom seating is dynamic and teachers change it up regularly to best suit the current learning goals and different needs of the students.

3. Classroom Library

When students ask about how to improve their English, we say that one of the best ways is to read English books often. We ensure that students have access to a wide variety of high interest, level and age appropriate books, including a number of graphic novels, non-fiction books, and adapted literary texts. Teachers can freely rotate books in and out of their classroom library throughout the year to suit their current unit theme and students’ interests.

4. Word Wall

Classroom word walls are built organically over time, with words being added as they are taught in context. They can be organized in different ways, such as alphabetically, thematically, or by part of speech. Word walls also empower students to become more independent in their learning. When they want to check the meaning or how to spell a word they’ve learned before, students can refer to the word wall, instead of asking their teacher first.

5. Mini Whiteboards

There’s so much you can do in the classroom with these simple tools! Especially when first learning English, young learners can practise writing their words without reduced pressure about making spelling mistakes, while older students can use whiteboards during team games or collaborative activities. Step into any of our elementary classrooms and you’re sure to see these.

6. Designated Notebooks

In our ESL program, we don’t use textbooks. Instead, to keep track of their learning and stay organized, students have different notebooks designated for their in-class work, homework, and other “subjects.” In some grades, for example, students may also have separate notebooks for their reading journal or electives subjects. All students also have a folder to collect and organize any assignments or handouts.

7. iPads

We believe digital literacy is critical for students’ success in today’s world and embrace technology in the classroom. That’s why every classroom is equipped with iPads for each student. Students use various apps for research, recording their speaking, creating presentations, playing English games in centres, reading, and more. iPads give students access to thousands of English books (through Raz-Kids, Epic) for independent and guided reading. Teachers can also use online learning platforms with their students, including Google classroom, to assign class work, differentiate assignments, and stay organized.

8. Student Cubbies

We are all for encouraging students to stay organized and be responsible for their own classroom materials! In fact, responsibility and organization are the earliest learning skills we focus on with our students. That’s why each student has a designated place somewhere in the classroom, whether it’s a cubby or a drawer, to keep their notebooks, folders, and other classroom materials organized.

9. Co-Created Anchor Charts

Walk into any of our classrooms and you will get a pretty clear picture of what the students are currently learning. The class works together with the guidance of the teacher to create anchor charts to represent and reinforce what they’re learning, serving as reference points for future learning and instruction. Being a part of the creative process gives students ownership and deeper understanding of key vocabulary and concepts.

10. Student Work Displayed

We’re proud of what our students produce, and want them to be too! We intend that our classrooms should be reflective of our students; we celebrate their progress and individuality by proudly displaying their work around the classroom and in the hallways. After some time, student work goes home or into portfolios, making new space and ensuring the classroom walls don’t become distractingly busy.

These are just a few of the many key elements that we use to facilitate and support language learning in our ESL classrooms. Is there anything that you would add? What are some classroom elements that you would consider essential for teaching ESL?

The post What’s in My Classroom? 10 ESL Classroom Essentials first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Written by Sophia Wang
Published: 05 July 2021

Bittersweet (adj.): both pleasant and painful or regretful.

Saying goodbye to students is a bittersweet experience. The sweetness stems from seeing them successfully reach the end of a year-long journey, one filled with personal and academic growth. The bitterness bleeds from carving the word “former” in front of “students”. These six letters represent the sobering realization that future reunions, no matter how joyful, won’t replicate bygone days: the ordinary yet precious experience of seeing this particular cohort of bright-eyed students gathered together in our classroom for a regular day of class. That time has passed, run out, expired – preserved only in imperfect memories and paper trails.

This year, the aftertaste of goodbye is more bitter than sweet. The culprit, of course, is a global pandemic by the name of COVID-19. As I am writing this at the beginning of July on a hot day in Taiwan, I think back to the final moments of my last grade 11 ESL class this morning. Instead of going through the sentimental routine of waving farewell in our sunny classroom, we all stared at each other through the artificial light of our screens – tiny, pixelated faces that poorly represent the dynamic people behind them. We took a screenshot of ourselves on Google Meet, lined up neatly in rows of rectangular cells. I gave my closing remarks, said 再見 (zài jiàn), and then watched as my students unmuted themselves to respond along with a flurry of waves and bright smiles. One by one, they disappeared from the screen until I was left staring at my reflection in the isolated silence of my living room.

Let’s rewind seven weeks, to Monday May 10th. It was the last week of term five, which meant that students were gearing up for the eight back-to-back sectional exams that would be taking place on Thursday and Friday – a routine event that closes the end of each term at our school in New Taipei City. My grade 12 students, with the colossal GSAT (Taiwan’s General Scholastic Ability Test required for post-secondary admission) behind them and university acceptances obtained, appeared at ease with a strong serving of senioritis. Understandable. My grade 11 students, on the other hand, trickled into our classroom looking worn out. A couple of them turned their arms and jackets into makeshift pillows on their desks, attempting to sneak in a quick nap before the 10-after bell signaled the start of class. Recalling their fatigue tugs at my heartstrings. Even after nearly two full years of being here, I am still coming to terms with the massive scale of exam culture in the Taiwanese education system and the sheer will it takes to survive it.

That Monday, despite being tired, my grade 11 students did what they always did – they pulled themselves up and forged ahead anyway. They spent that class listening to their peers’ podcast episodes, which they had completed the week prior for their end of term culminating task. Even when sleep-deprived, they still smiled and bantered as they gave each other feedback. As I circulated between groups, I faintly noted how nice the atmosphere was – there was a sense of familiarity and contentment that came with simply being there altogether in a shared space. This particular group of students had always gotten along well with each other, and it was evident that everyone’s collective fatigue, mine included, was made more bearable through the strength of their camaraderie. When the bell rang, we exchanged our usual chorus of goodbyes as we parted ways for lunchtime.

Everything that happened that Monday was blissfully normal. There was no imminent sense of danger, even though mask wearing had been made mandatory due to a slight single-digit uptick in daily local COVID-19 cases. During Wednesday’s class, I didn’t know that it would be the last time seeing my students gathered in our classroom. This possibility only crossed my mind later that afternoon when the report of daily local cases rose into the double digits. Thursday and Friday passed by in a blur of marking and report card preparation, during which I saw a few of my students as I invigilated a series of exams in their homerooms. While scanning over a room of forty something students, I suddenly started to feel worried about how many of us were crammed, albeit masked, in an enclosed space. Surely, having less than thirty cases reported daily in the entirety of Taiwan wouldn’t mean we were at a huge risk, right? It may sound paranoid, but when you’ve been living in a bubble free of local cases for months on end, a handful of cases is enough to spark concern. Just before I left the school that Friday, I chatted with a colleague about the rise in cases as we coordinated schedules for some reading benchmark tests for next week. “Sounds good,” I said in jest, “assuming that we’ll be here on Monday!”

We did not return on Monday.
That weekend, after local cases jumped from 29 on Friday to 180 on Saturday, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) raised the COVID-19 alert level for Taipei City and New Taipei City to Level 3. The 72 hours following this Saturday announcement could aptly be described as “quite a time.” School closures had not yet been announced, but several of us suspected that it was imminent. Sure enough, as I was getting ready to sleep on Sunday night, I received a message from our administrative team that our school had made the decision to suspend in-person classes and start online learning on Wednesday May 19th. On Monday, the Ministry of Education officially announced that schools would close for two weeks and be substituted with online classes. I can only imagine the chaos that school administrative teams around the nation were going through as they attempted to keep up with the rapidly evolving situation.
Plans changed again that evening. I recall making a pack of cheese 불닭볶음면 ramen (you know, the infamously hot “fire chicken” noodles) for dinner when our ESL department LINE group chat blew up with a slew of messages, which notified us that we were to start teaching on Tuesday May 18th – a day earlier than expected. The first class was barely 13 hours away for some teachers. I gathered my bearings in between bites of tear-inducing spicy ramen. Two hours and an empty jug of orange juice later, our ESL department admin team held an emergency online meeting with teachers to discuss logistics and help us prepare for our first lesson one sleep away. The cherry on top came in the form of a sudden power outage across parts of Taiwan, with rolling blackouts scheduled conveniently during said emergency meeting. In between moving everything online, lesson planning for a new term, and random power outages, it’s safe to say that everyone was working overtime and in overdrive.

In a somewhat ironic turn of events, these developments thrust Taiwan’s education system into the same situation that just about every other education system in the world was forced to adapt to just over a year ago. It was in the throes of this ordeal that I came to appreciate the silver linings of our particular situation. For example, students and teachers in the ESL program had existing Google Classrooms fully set-up and substantial prior experience navigating the system, which is the exception rather than the norm at our school where most other courses follow a textbook-based curriculum. Although using Google Meet was relatively new to them, our students were familiar with things like collaborating on shared documents and slides, accessing digital resources, and completing assignments online. These skills may seem extremely basic, but they are all new to everyone at some point in their lives. Case in point, I remember teaching grade 7 students to use Google Classroom for the first time last year. I never knew could feel so defeated explaining for the nth time how to “turn in” an assignment. The experience left me bewildered, though it’s humorous to look back on now. Amidst the chaos of transitioning to online learning, having a head start on critical skills and infrastructure was a saving grace.

Thanks to these advantages and the fact that I taught classes with both older and fewer students than the rest of my colleagues, my first and subsequent days of online teaching passed by without much of a hitch. Almost all of my students regularly showed up on time. Screen sharing worked fine, and my students followed instructions and completed activities with very few issues. They all respected and followed our new class/break/class/break schedule, which was implemented by the school to allow students time away from their screens within our standard two hour ESL classes. Everyone was quiet – well, they had to be considering they were required to be on mute – which was an eerie experience in contrast with the chatter that normally fills our classroom. Now that I could only see them silently smile (grimace?) at my attempts to crack a joke, I dearly missed hearing their laughter and candid responses in-person. The absence of real, three-dimensional people as I spoke to the void of my living room was visceral.

Everyone’s cameras were also all turned on consistently, as required by the school. This rule, along with the fact that we were required to record all of our online classes, came up as an intriguing discussion point when I caught up with some friends in Canada a few weeks later over a video call. As educators in various settings themselves, they noted the contrast between my online teaching experience in Taiwan and that of our mutual friends and teacher colleagues in Canada, where the situation is often flipped – attendance is inconsistent, cameras are frequently turned off, and recording classes would bring up a plethora of privacy issues. With this statement, I am not implying that one of the two systems is better or worse – rather, our conversation raised some interesting questions and reflections on these differences, which I’ve filed away to unpack at a later time when I can look at this situation from a distance.

I had been worried that there might be a dip in student engagement as the weeks wore on and the screen time wore us out. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised that I actually got more consistent work from my students compared to our days in-person. Most notably, they stayed awake during class. School hours in Taiwan are long and demanding, so it’s not unusual to see students fall asleep or nod off. Although we were all sad to be unable to see each other in-person, my students did tell me that they appreciated the convenience of not having to commute a long time to school and the increased flexibility of their schedules. It seems like this meant they were also getting more much-needed sleep – a relief to see.

There were other silver linings, too. By the time Taiwan entered the realm of remote learning, online conferencing tools like Google Meet and Zoom have improved significantly from their earlier versions at the start of the pandemic. Educators around the world have shared countless tips, digital resources, and pieces of advice over the internet. Even the fact that the start of online learning coincidentally matched with the first day of our last term at our school made for a cleaner transition to online learning compared to pivoting midway through a term. Some humorous news stories also came out, such as one about a Taiwanese professor teaching an economics class on Twitch allegedly to avoid streaming issues on another platform. Expecting to teach a class for 66 students, he ended up attracting over 16,000 viewers. All of these factors helped lighten what was otherwise a somber time as local cases climbed for the first two weeks of online learning, peaking at approximately 700 in a day.

The most significant pillar of strength that kept us afloat was undeniably the teamwork and mutual support shared amongst everyone in our ESL department. I have no doubt that we were all stressed, tired from staring at our screens, and worn out from the five terms we had already completed behind us. Yet, all of the teachers, administrators, and support staff on our team showed incredible positivity, resilience, and flexibility as we gradually adapted to our new normal. This endured even as the government extended school closures (originally scheduled to end May 28th) until June 14th and eventually to the end of the school year on July 2nd. Our admin meetings on Tuesdays continued to be regularly filled with shoutouts and positive messages for each other, serving as a source of energy and hope as we clicked and typed our way to the end of the term from disparate places.

In the grand scheme of things, we are very lucky and fortunate. I am safe, my students are safe, and my friends and colleagues are safe. As COVID-19 continues to uproot and take lives across the globe, those of us in Taiwan have escaped the worst of it, at least for now. Last year, I wrote a blog post about the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020 and how it impacted Taiwan – which is to say, very little. We even had the world’s longest COVID-free streak of 253 days. During that time, it felt unreal to complete the school year with my students in-person while the rest of the world was behind screens. This year, it became our turn to brave the storm.

Here I am again in my living room, staring at my blinking cursor as I attempt to parse out my thoughts. My mind drifts back to my students and our class this morning as I mull over the events of the last several weeks. Lately, cases have simmered down into the double digits, so I keep my fingers crossed in hopes that cases continue to fall and vaccinations continue to rise. If this trend continues, perhaps my students will be able to resume the cancelled summer plans they told me about today… or, maybe they would rather not, as several of their plans involved attending cram school. Maybe, schools will be able to start the next academic year in-person when September arrives. For a moment, I imagine how my students might greet each other after so long. My mental image includes a lot of bright smiles, until I realize that they would almost all certainly be wearing masks. Smiling eyes, then.

I would be remiss if I did not mention my students once more. Throughout the trials and tribulations of this time, they have greatly impressed and inspired me with how quickly they adapted to online learning, kept pace with challenging content, and stayed engaged throughout every single class. Moving to online learning for the final term of the year is plenty of cause for concern, but these students rose to the occasion and exceeded my expectations. I’m extremely proud of the challenges they’ve overcome and the progress they’ve made, and I hope they look back on this year fondly. If you are reading this and you are my student, please know that I am cheering you on.

Finding a sense of closure for a disrupted school year at times felt like a doomed pursuit, especially when our hopes were dashed for an in-person school reunion. Writing this reflection was partly an attempt to carve out a little space in this corner of the internet to mourn this loss. Especially as I will be returning to Canada this summer for the foreseeable future, it’s hard not to think of this time as the last chance I will ever see my students, colleagues, and friends in Taiwan. Saying farewell to them online does not feel quite right when it was originally intended to be a moment of parting in a shared physical space. This “ending” feels temporary and liminal. Yet, with this thought comes a revelation that I perhaps unconsciously recognized this morning at the end of class. It doesn’t have to be an ending. I feel a little more at peace when I recall what I told my students: like the word 再見 (zài jiàn) in Chinese, let’s consider this a “see you again” rather than “goodbye.”

*Sophia Wang is a high school teacher from Toronto, Canada with a background in music and English. Over the past two years in Taiwan with the Foresight ESL program, she has taught grades 7, 11, and 12 at Kuang Jen High School. When she’s not working, she enjoys playing the flute, learning languages, swing dancing, and exercising her graphic design skills.

The post Zài Jiàn (再見) – See you again: A Reflection on Ending the School Year Online first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Written by Lian Lister
Published: 28 May 2021

Going to see a doctor or dentist can be a nerve-wracking experience under any circumstances. Move to a new country, where you’re unfamiliar with the environment and the local language, and anxieties are amplified. Personally, hospital visits of any kind have always made my stomach churn and, when I first moved overseas, it was something I earnestly prayed that, as a relatively fit and healthy young person, I would be able to avoid as much as possible.

However, live anywhere long enough, and you’re sure to have medical or dental needs come up that best not go unaddressed for too long. Although I’ve managed to avoid serious illnesses or injuries during the years I’ve lived in Taiwan, I’ve still had my fair share of healthcare needs. With each encounter, my fears and anxieties about receiving medical treatment abroad have diminished and I’ve become more and more appreciative of the excellent quality, accessibility, and cost of medical services available to me here. In fact, I no longer fear visiting clinics or hospitals, but instead have peace of mind knowing that I can count on Taiwan’s outstanding healthcare system when I need it.

In this article, I’m sharing what I appreciate most about the Taiwanese healthcare system – accessibility, cost, and quality of care. This is, by no means, meant to be a comprehensive explanation of how Taiwan’s system works, but rather sharing my own first-hand experience with it in hopes that it’ll ease the fears of those who, like me, may initially have anxieties about healthcare while living abroad, particularly in Taiwan.

National Health Insurance (NHI)

Taiwan has a compulsory universal public health care system that has gained an international reputation for its high quality and relatively low cost for citizens. Foreigners living and working in Taiwan with an ARC have access to the same National Health Insurance (NHI) benefits as Taiwanese citizens. Typically, you receive your NHI card (an electronic card carrying the health information and records of the bearer) within a week or two of applying for it, and the monthly premium is deducted from your salary by your employer. The NHI card is used across healthcare services in Taiwan.

While NHI doesn’t cover everything, it covers most preventative medical services, most dental services, and most prescription drugs.

It should be noted that while nearly everyone in Taiwan is covered by NHI, there are some exceptions. For example, if you come to Taiwan on a visitor or working holiday visa (or YMP), you aren’t eligible to enroll in the National Health Insurance, and you are required to have your own health insurance coverage from your home country. International students become eligible for NHI after four months in Taiwan.

That being said, when I did not have NHI, I paid for medical services out of pocket when I needed them and found them to be very affordable even without insurance coverage – more on costs below.

Accessibility

Taipei is renowned for being one of the most convenient cities to live in, and access to health care is no exception. In such a dense city, it’s quite easy to find a hospital, health clinic, dentist, or pharmacy that I can conveniently get to from my work or home.

For general, non-emergency needs, clinics are the place to go. Clinics are fast, cheap, and can provide the professional care needed for the most common cases. No appointment is necessary – simply take a number and wait your turn to see the doctor. In my experience, the wait time hasn’t been that long (maybe up to thirty minutes at most), though it may vary at different times of the day.

How can I find a reputable clinic, or other medical service provider, near me? Typically, what I do when I have any kind of medical need – whether it’s a dentist, a pharmacy, or a medical specialist – is do a quick Google maps search in my area and, since there are often many options, I look for the most highly-reviewed places. Google business listings include contact information, business hours, photos, and reviews. Personally, I always look at the photos and reviews and see what others have had to say about their experience before deciding where I would like to go. The Foresight HR team is also readily available to help our teachers with this! Colleagues and friends can also be great sources of recommendations.

As for making an appointment, large hospitals usually have an online booking system that is easy to use and is often available in English. You can browse doctors by department, view their availability, and make an appointment at a time that is convenient for you. Could it be any easier?

For other clinics like dental or optometry, because I’m not overly confident in speaking Chinese on the phone, I often check to see if they have a LINE account or a Facebook page so I can send a message to ask questions and inquire about making an appointment. I also always check if they take NHI, if it’s not clear on their website (look for the green and blue NHI logo). Usually there is someone who can respond in English, or I can use my basic Chinese, supplemented with some translation help, to communicate. Again, if you’re at all unsure, the Foresight HR team can help our teachers with this.

In my experience, I’ve almost always been able to make an appointment for the following week, if not sooner. Some clinics have even been able to see me on the same day.

What I especially appreciate is that I can make an appointment with a specialist (for example, a dermatologist) directly, saving valuable time. In Canada, I would need to first see my general family doctor, who would then refer me to a specialist, and it might be a long wait (possibly months) before I could get to see the specialist. In contrast, in Taiwan, I can choose a hospital near me, go onto the website, and browse doctors by department. I can see their specialities, where they studied, and even what languages they speak. After I’ve chosen the doctor I wish to see, I can then use the online booking system to make an appointment directly, without a referral, and see a specialist with minimal wait time.

On the flip side, while this system is very efficient for users, one con is that it is prone to abuse, overcrowding hospitals with patients seeking specialist services that a general doctor at a clinic could easily treat. This is something to be mindful of when considering what type of care you need to seek.

Cost

With NHI coverage, basic healthcare in Taiwan is very inexpensive. When I go to a walk-in clinic, I can expect to pay a copayment of around 100 NT to see the doctor and receive three days worth of prescription medications (more details on copayments here). Seeing a specialist at a hospital, though it costs more than seeing a general doctor at a clinic, is also quite inexpensive. I’ve discovered that even non-essential treatments that are not covered by NHI are quite cost-effective when compared to other countries with health care of the same high standard of quality. It’s one of the reasons many overseas Taiwanese prefer to return to Taiwan for dental and medical treatment, and why Taiwan is a popular choice for medical tourism.

In my experience, the medical staff are transparent in communicating the costs before administering any services or treatment, so there aren’t any big surprises when receiving the bill. If unclear, just ask.

No NHI? Relax.

During my first year in Taiwan, I was on a working holiday visa and didn’t have NHI coverage. Because my health travel insurance from Canada only covered emergencies, I avoided seeing a doctor at all costs because I feared it would be cripplingly expensive.
However, in one instance, I was desperate and sought attention at a local walk-in clinic. If my memory is correct, I think I paid around 250NT for the consultation with the doctor and three days’ prescription medication. I remember being shocked at how cheap it was (and well-worth it considering how unwell I had been feeling). In another instance, I accompanied someone who didn’t have NHI to see a specialist (ENT) and it cost 500NT to see the doctor and get a week’s worth of prescriptions.

That being said, if you’re ineligible for NHI, it is still necessary to have some kind of emergency travel/health insurance, since accidents do happen and medical bills can add up quickly, depending on the situation and treatment required. It may not cost much to visit the doctor for a severe cold, but a bad traffic accident, an emergency surgery, or many days in a hospital would be a different story. Of course, these are things one hopes to never happen, but cannot predict!

Quality of Care

One of the concerns many people have with going to live in an unfamiliar country is the quality of health care available. What if something happens to me and I need to go to a hospital? Will it be safe? Sanitary? Will I be able to communicate with the doctors? Will they try to overcharge me because I’m a foreigner?
Taiwan’s health care professionals are highly educated, many receiving an international education. In my experience, most doctors are able to speak English. Having been to several different hospitals and clinics, I would say Taiwan has a very high standard of health care, with clean, modern, well-equipped facilities. Overall, I feel that the quality of care that I receive in Taiwan is comparable to that which I would expect to receive back in Canada, only much more convenient and, in cases such a dental care, affordable.
I used to be terrified of going to hospitals, but now I feel quite comfortable and confident getting medical care and treatment in Taiwan, knowing that I will receive excellent quality care. Also, the billing system under NHI is consistent and transparent, so I don’t need to worry about being unfairly overcharged.
Another aspect that I appreciate about Taiwan’s healthcare system is its efficiency. Hospitals are certainly busy (perhaps people appreciate the cost and accessibility a little too much and take advantage of the system), but I’ve never had to wait long to receive care. Some may feel like they are just getting corralled through a revolving door, getting only a couple minutes of facetime with the doctor, but it does mean less wait time. As previously mentioned, in Canada, I might have to wait months to see a specialist or receive non-urgent treatment. In Taiwan, I can probably see a specialist next week.
For more information, I found this FAQ blog post to be helpful in providing an overview of Taiwan’s healthcare system.

In Conclusion…

If you’re worried about health care while abroad, Taiwan is a great place to be. Taiwan’s healthcare system is accessible, efficient, cheap, and high quality. Especially while living in a foreign country, it gives me great peace of mind to know that whenever I need it, I can quickly and easily receive top-quality health care at an affordable price.

The post What I Love Most About Taiwan’s Healthcare System as an Expat first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Published: 04 May 2021

What happens when you are planning to teach abroad and then a global pandemic hits? What is it like to move to a new country amidst the uncertainty? Is it even possible to go? These brave new teachers moved to Taiwan to teach in 2020. We asked them to tell us about their experience.

Our HR Team is committed to supporting our teachers through every step of their teaching journey with us. Although changes can be unpredictable at this time, our staff stays up to date on the latest updates and immigration requirements from Taiwan’s government so we can best guide our teachers through the necessary steps to arrive here safely.

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Learn more about how COVID-19 has affected everyday life for our teachers in Taiwan.

The post Moving Abroad During a Pandemic?? first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Written by Daniel Alfaro
Published: 27 April 2021

I moved to Taiwan three years ago in August 2018. It was my first time moving out of home to live by myself and to take my first teaching job. The first few months were not easy. I was honestly petrified of trying to communicate to others, as I had next to no knowledge of Chinese (a problem that persists even to this day, albeit a little better). Also, being a young teacher without much of an age gap between myself and my students, I suffered a bit from imposter syndrome. However, the more connections I made with the world around me – the more I taught, the more I explored this country, the more I started letting go of these insecurities I had – the better my experience became. It’s the reason why I’m still here in Taiwan today, in my third year teaching and looking forward to a fourth. So, here are just a few tips that have made my journey in Taiwan easier and much more enjoyable!

Making Connections By Language Learning and Teaching

Although I consider myself to be bilingual (English and Filipino/Tagalog), I had never learned a language from scratch like I’m doing with Chinese right now. I fully believe that the best way to understand language learners is to be a language learner yourself. The deeper I’ve delved into learning Chinese, the more empathetic I’ve become to my students’ situations. There are few times more frustrating than not being able to communicate a word or idea, despite knowing how to describe it, or knowing how to express it fully in a language you’re more familiar with. Knowing that feeling, I’ve become more patient when my students become annoyed with themselves for not knowing the right vocabulary, or when they go in a vague and roundabout way to describe the idea they want to express. Many students repeat the same ideas using the same vocabulary to answer a question because they just don’t know how else to express themselves, or they see it as a “safe” answer where they know it’s not a mistake.

In the same way, the more I’ve learned Chinese, the more I understand the mistakes that my students make in English. For example, many causative verbs such as “let” or “make” are expressed solely by the word “讓” (ràng) in Chinese. This is the reason why I have students make mistakes such as, “My teacher ‘let’ me do a lot of homework last night.” By being more mindful and aware of the differences between our languages, they grasp concepts even better!

Making Connections by Learning Student Interests

Nothing gets anybody more excited than being able to share their love or passion with someone else. Some of my most memorable breakthroughs with quiet students were when I was able to talk to them about an anime or band they liked. Similarly, some of the best lessons I’ve had with students were ones that used their interests as the main focal point of the texts we read or the examples I made. That being said, one of my greatest strengths as a teacher here in Taiwan is sharing a lot of the same interests as my students.

As a starting point for those who aren’t as well versed, these are three things that I feel are trending right now with Taiwanese youth.

BTS – A grammy nominated Korean pop group

Honestly, I’ve been following this group since 2014 where they resembled a hip hop collective more than the internationally acclaimed pop group they are now. Many question why BTS became this famous despite the dozens of talented, good-looking groups that came before them. As a long time K-pop fan, I don’t have the reason why, however, their rap skills, vocals, general dorkiness on variety shows, and talents for dance are amongst the best and most well-rounded the industry has ever seen. My personal favourite songs are “On,” “Black Swan,” “Dope,” and “Anpanman,” all of which have derived from their hip hop roots. Other K-pop acts to look out for are IU, EXO, Seventeen, SHINee, Twice, Blackpink, and Brave Girls.

Demon Slayer – A critically acclaimed Japanese manga (comic series) After the murder of his family by a demon, a young boy named Tanjiro journeys across the land with his demonified sister to seek revenge. It was adapted into an anime in 2019 and it is already one of the most popular series of all time. This is largely due to the (mostly) lovable characters, absolutely gorgeous animation, and a storyline that captures you from the very first minute. The film which serves as a second season to the series is now the highest grossing Japanese produced film of all time! Other anime to look out for: Attack on Titan, Haikyuu, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia.

“Among Us” – An interactive online game of social deduction

Although this game was originally released in 2018, this game blew up in popularity last year due to content creators on Twitch and Youtube. “Among Us” is a social deduction game similar to “Werewolf” and “Mafia” in which players need to find the “imposters” while completing various mini games. This game is highly engaging, highly infuriating, and guarantees broken friendships. Other games to look out for include Genshin Impact, Arena of Valor, and Valorant.

Making Connections With the People Around You

One of the best and worst things about teaching in a different country is having ephemeral relationships. It’s hard sometimes being close to or being mentored by others, knowing that in a year, a couple of years, a couple of months, you’d be in completely different countries and quite possibly just lose touch. However, there is beauty to be found in this. Just like how students have many different teachers to take in different perspectives, so do we as foreign teachers have the opportunity to be friends with and learn from people from around the world. Thinking about the close friends I have here right now, I know that they will last a lifetime, but since we’re only in the same place for a short while, it encourages us to spend more time together while we still can. I’ve grown and learned so much from the people around me, and I’ve created so many priceless memories.

Making Connections With the Country You Live In

For a place to become home, you need to first make yourself at home. There’s a saying in Chinese that says “入鄉隨俗.” Its English equivalent would be closest to “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Coming to Taiwan, I had researched different foods, restaurants, and places I wanted to visit. While they all mostly gave me positive experiences, the best experiences I’ve had were the ones that only locals knew of. The little hole-in-the-wall restaurant tucked away in a sidestreet, a secret bar hiding in plain sight, a beach 30 minutes off the beaten path, or as simple as joining a random line outside of a store. Yes, we praise the almighty Din Tai Fung for the amazing xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), however, their signature dish only places third on my list of favourites in Taipei!

When the opportunity comes around, join in the numerous festivals Taiwan has to offer, get out of the city and explore the countryside, just get lost in this country and find yourself!

Making Connections With Yourself

Speaking of finding yourself, moving to Taiwan was the first time I truly moved out of my parents house. Despite numerous temporary overseas stints, I had not had a chance to be truly independent and live on my own. Moving to a new country for the first time, let alone it being the first time living by myself, has given me such a new perspective on myself, as well as many opportunities to grow.

One of my biggest realizations about myself is that I’ve spent most of my life pleasing others. My parents, workmates, students, wooing potential significant others, but I’ve rarely spent time spending my time pleasing myself. A lot of the advice I gave to others to be happy was rarely advice I took for myself. So during the past three years, I’ve decided to try things that I had never done before. I took hip hop classes, climbed mountains, took up a new sport in the form of badminton, went out and partied, participated in open mic nights, and so much more!

I’m proud of how I’ve grown in the past three years, and I’ve discovered a lot of parts of myself that I never knew were there. Through all these connections I’ve made with the world around me, I’ve become more mindful and comfortable of where I am today. While I will eventually return to Sydney one day, I’m making the most of where I am now!

*Daniel is a high school teacher from Sydney, Australia. With an insatiably curious mind and a self-identified lifelong learner, Daniel embodies the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none.” An avid photographer, musician, chess player, and foodie, hit him up on instagram at @dcalfaro for even more recommendations!

The post Making Connections: 5 Tips to be More Present While Teaching Abroad first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Published: 09 February 2021

One of our Foresight staff members shared photos and reflections from visiting Dihua Street Lunar New Year Market last year, an annual event cancelled due to the pandemic this year.

In Taiwan and many other Asian countries, the Lunar New Year (also called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival), is the biggest, most significant festival of the year. The annual holiday is a welcomed break from work and school, and a heartwarming time to celebrate with family, indulgent foods, red envelopes stuffed with crisp bills, and wishes for a happy and prosperous year ahead.

While many international teachers take advantage of their well-deserved semester break to explore places beyond Taipei (this year, it looks like it’ll be domestic travel only), I find myself in the much smaller group that typically sticks around for the holidays each year, enjoying a low-key break in Taipei.

Last year, I enjoyed visiting Dihua Street in Taipei’s historical Dadaocheng district for the annual Lunar New Year Market, and was excited to visit again this year for all the street snacks and samples.

Instead, I was crushed to find out it has been cancelled for 2021!

I mean, a large holiday market that brings thousands of people into a very small area, packed with vendors selling and sampling open food? Okay, probably not a great event to have at such a time as now with a global pandemic still very much in effect. Even though Taiwan has emerged as an exemplary leader in its response to the pandemic, and our day to day lives have remained relatively unaffected, we still remain vigilant.
So instead, here I am reflecting on the experience of last year and looking forward to the days when such festivities become possible again.

There’s something charming about Dadaocheng, where vibrant reflections of the past meet with the present. Though I had visited Dadaocheng a number of times before, this time, the atmosphere was tangibly different. Even upon approaching the area, I noticed that the streets were lively, not with hurry, but a leisurely excitement. The whole street had transformed into a bustling market where shoppers were enjoying street foods and sampling various goods to prepare for New Year’s – candies, snacks, dried fruits and meats, teas, and red envelopes blazoned with auspicious wishes.

Despite the area being busy and crowded, we were able to enjoy it at a relaxed pace slowly meandering and taking in the sights and smells. The vendors were kind and friendly, but not in an overbearing way that makes you avoid lingering too long for fear of being harassed into buying things you don’t want. Rather, we were able to take our time checking out the various goods, chatting with the vendors, and sampling many different traditional and non-traditional snacks, without feeling uncomfortably pressured into buying.

It seemed to me that the many of the people working the booths were university students picking this up as a seasonal gig during their semester break; they were having a blast working alongside their friends and it kept the atmosphere fun and lively. One of the highlights was trying different dried fruits and vegetables – there was such a wide variety, and the students were so keen to make sure we got to try them all! We definitely bought some to enjoy as a snack later (and for the next couple weeks).

As of New Year’s Eve, the streets of Taipei become quiet and empty, as businesses close and people leave the city to spend the holiday in their hometowns.

This year, I’ll be staying in Taipei, enjoying the quiet atmosphere and meals with family and friends, or taking advantage of the (hopefully clear and warm) weather to get some hiking in. How are you spending Chinese New Year?

May you be safe, healthy, and have a happy New Year!

*Lian is a high school teacher from Calgary, Canada and has lived in Taiwan for over three years. She has taught English in Hong Korea, Korea, and Taiwan, and currently works as part of Foresight’s HR team. When she’s not hiking, biking, or otherwise enjoying Taiwan’s beautiful outdoors, she enjoys playing board games with friends.

The post Spending Chinese New Year in Taiwan – Visiting Dihua Street first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Published: 09 December 2020

• School Events
• GRES

Who doesn’t love a carnival? This weekend was the GuangRen Elementary School annual carnival fundraiser. The ESL Department worked together to create and host 4 carnival games to test their students’ English ability while also having fun!

Not only was this a great collaborative moment for the ESL teaching team, it was a wonderful opportunity for teachers and students to build strong connections that they will carry forward into the classroom. Check out these photos for highlights of the day and the creative games the team put together!

The post GRES School Carnival Highlights first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.