• KJHS

As high school students in our ESL program reach upper years, they’re assigned more critical thinking tasks and project-based assignments. Rather than being directly presented with content, students are invited to dig deeper into global and societal issues that affect the world around them and to reflect critically on their place in it, through research, discussion, analysis, and reflection.

This year, in the final term, Grade 11 students completed a self-directed inquiry project as a culminating task for the year. They applied all of the different skills that they have learned and sharpened over the year, such as using the writing process, essay writing, note taking, research skills, and persuasive writing skills to present an issue of their choice. Over the course of five weeks, they completed a source analysis, 3000 word essay, and an academic presentation. They presented their issue and arguments to an audience of their peers, teacher, Foresight program directors, and numerous principals. They also answered questions and received feedback on their presentations.

Overall, the students did exceptionally well on this project, especially when it came to overcoming the challenges of writing an essay of such length in their second language and presenting to an audience. We know that presenting in another language can be incredibly nerve-wracking, especially with an audience of both peers and important guests! For these students, it was their first time completing a project of this magnitude in English class and we are incredibly proud of how well they rose to the challenge, as well as how far they have come throughout their time in our English program.

The post Student Work: G11 Inquiry Presentations first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

• School Events
• SHES

Perfect fall weather and beautiful natural scenery make ideal conditions for a school outing! Our ESL teaching team at Sacred Heart Elementary participated in the school’s hiking day to appreciate the outdoors and get some physical activity together with students and parents.

While the older elementary students took on the challenge of hiking up a mountain, the grades 1 and 2s instead enjoyed the views from a gentle waterfront walk. What a beautiful day!

The post SHES School Outing: We’re Going Hiking! first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

• School Events
• SHES

A unique aspect of teaching in a local school in Taiwan is participating in school events and having the opportunity to engage with students, parents, and the greater school community in different ways outside of the classroom.

At Sacred Heart, our ESL teaching team participated in the school fair, an annual event to raise funds for charity, by running a beanbag toss booth. Perfect weather and high student-teacher engagement made for a fun and successful day! Here are some of the highlights shared by our teachers.

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

While it’s the most wonderful time of the year for many countries around the world, in Taiwan, Christmas is a much smaller ordeal.

Here, Christmas is a borrowed holiday, having been brought in with the influence of western culture. The Taiwanese enjoy the fun and festivity of glittering lights and plastic Christmas trees glistening with fake snow, especially in places such as New Taipei City’s elaborate “Christmasland” festival throughout December, which attracts young families and couples with its magical atmosphere and impressive light displays. On Christmas Day, young Taiwanese may enjoy a special dinner together and exchange gifts with their friends. However, in Taiwan, December 25 passes much like any other day of the year, with school and work carrying on as usual.

Often times, the holidays are the most difficult time for our teachers to be away from their homes and families. We asked some of our teachers to tell us about their Christmas traditions back home, as well as their experience of spending Christmas in Taiwan. While Taiwan still recognizes Christmas in its own way, for most of our expat teachers, it just isn’t the same. However, they are still able to make the most of this unique experience and find their own special ways to celebrate the holiday here in Taiwan.

The post Spending Christmas in Taiwan first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

This past June, I was given the opportunity to visit Taiwan with Foresight I.E.C. after winning their Free Flight to Taipei Contest. I was ecstatic to learn that I had won and was eager to ask FIEC many, many questions (which they were kind enough to answer and even Skype with me multiple times before going). Although I had learned about FIEC at my school’s University Career Fair earlier this year, I had very little prior knowledge about Taiwan before going. That being said, once I arrived in Taiwan, I was immediately impressed by Taipei’s extremely organized and well thought-out transportation system.
In this post, I want to focus on the subject of transportation because I know how overwhelming it can seem to go to a new country, especially if you don’t speak the local language. Hopefully after reading this, it will ease some of your concerns.

Before going into the different types of transportation in Taipei, I first wanted to note that I found planning trips to be quite easy due to the fact that Google Maps is fully compatible and up to date in Taiwan. I simply input my destination and I would get multiple suggested routes in English. That’s what I did during my entire trip, and it never failed me once.

Arriving At The Airport

I arrived in Taiwan at Taoyuan International Airport on an overcast Wednesday afternoon. After a nearly five hour flight from Toronto to Vancouver followed by a 12 hour flight to Taiwan, I was understandably tired from travelling and happy to experience a rather easy customs process. Within Taoyuan Airport, there are prepaid SIM card booths. At these booths, you can buy a SIM card for your phone so that you can text, call, and use data during your visit to Taiwan. I chose to get a SIM card with T-Star, which offered unlimited data for 6 days, as well as a Taiwanese phone number that would work for up to 6 months. You can choose from different providers, depending on your phone compatibility, price range, and length of stay. This only cost me 450NTD (~$19CAD or ~$14USD), which I was extremely surprised by, considering I paid over $100 CAD for a SIM card when I visited Japan last winter. After going through customs, I proceeded to baggage claim and then the arrivals gate, all of which were clearly labeled in Chinese and English.

Transportation to and from Taoyuan Airport is fairly easy, especially with the aid of Taoyuan’s website, which provides information on driving and taking public transportation (bus, shuttle bus, taxi, MRT). Before leaving Canada I, had a look at this website in order to get a feel for the airport layout to make sure I wouldn’t get lost.

For my visit, FIEC provided a private driver (they provide airport pick-up for all their new teachers); it only took 30 minutes from the arrivals gate to my hotel in Luzhou District in New Taipei City. If I would have had to make travel arrangements for myself, I would have most likely taken the MRT (The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit). From Taoyuan Airport, the Express MRT train goes directly to Taipei Main Station and only takes 35 minutes, costing 150NT (~$6CAD).

The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

Getting around Taipei and the nearby area was quite manageable due to the organized and easy to use MRT system. Every station that I used had the stations’ names clearly labeled in English, as well as maps of the surrounding area, including major landmarks, such as schools, sightseeing attractions, and temples, in order for one to orient themselves within the area. This provided extra reassurance for me when I referenced Google Maps and compared it to the MRT station maps.

I also found that every station was extremely clean. I was told that this was partially due to eating and drinking not being allowed on the MRT, as well as cleaning staff working round the clock to keep both the stations and the trains spotless. I see this as a major plus. To me, it meant that I could use the MRT station bathrooms (they have both squat style toilets and western style toilets) and trust that they would be both accessible and clean.

At track level, there are multiple systems put in place in order to make sure you aren’t lost or confused. Firstly, on both sides of the track, there is signage with the subway line you are taking and all of the stops labeled in English. The full line will be displayed, but depending on which direction you are travelling, the opposite direction will appear noticeably faded (this made it easy for me to quickly decipher which direction the train would be travelling).

Secondly, at most stations I also noticed that there is a TV screen showing the next train that is arriving (indicated by the name of its final destination) and how in how many minutes. I never waited more than 3 minutes for any train and the predictions were always accurate. These screens made things quite clear, especially when it came to the MRT line I used most during my stay (the orange Zhonghe-Xinlu line, pictured above), which split into two seperate lines after Daqiaotou station. For example, when I was using this line, the TV screens would either state Luzhou or Huilong as the next train coming on that side of the platform, saving me from getting on the wrong train multiple times!

Thirdly, the subway trains themselves have digital screens on them stating their final destination. On the trains, they also have the subway map listed and a digital screen that shows (in English) the next station and which direction the train is headed. Station names are announced in Mandarin and English (as well as a couple other local languages). Pictured above, you can see that each station is also labeled with a letter for the colour of the subway line and numbers (for example Daqiaotou station is O12). This to me seemed like an added layer of accessibility and I had also seen something similar when I visited Japan. Lastly, above the subway doors there are two flashing lights that will indicate if the left or right side doors of the train will open at the next stop. Considering that at rush hour the trains are quite full (as in any country at rush hour), it helped me get in position to exit the train and not miss my stop.

EasyCard Payment System

Using the MRT was also affordable and simple as far as payment methods. You can use single-journey tokens but I found it much more convenient to purchase an EasyCard. EasyCards, which are also known as ‘Yōuyóu kǎ,’ can be purchased and reloaded at any MRT station. It took me only a matter of minutes to get my card and load it. It requires a deposit of 100NT (~$4 CAD or $3 USD), then you can load your desired amount onto the card for future use. I loaded 200NT and only ended up reloading it once more during my week long stay in Taiwan. When using EasyCard, I had to tap to enter the subway stations at the turn stiles and also tap to get out (prices are calculated based on distance travelled). I also saw EasyCards for sale at convenience stores (like 7-Eleven) and wished I had bought mine there, since they came in cute designs, such as Gudetama or Hello Kitty. Throughout the week, I also learned the many things you can do with your EasyCard, including purchasing items at convenience stores, renting a Youbike, taking the city bus or long distance bus, and getting into the Taipei Zoo.

Buses

While in Taipei, I had the opportunity to take the local city bus and a long distance bus to Jiufen. The local bus system I found quite easy. There are bus apps available, but I used Google Maps and had no trouble. When I put in my destination, it told me the bus stop and bus number I was looking for. I noticed that getting on the bus there is a sign that lights up, I learned that it informs you if you need to tap your EasyCard when you get on or off the bus (update: As of July 2019, on all buses you are required to tap both while getting on and off the bus).

Below I have put an example of how simple it is to use the bus in Taiwan with Google Maps. You can see the starting point, the bus number, the ending stop, and how frequently the buses come. At the bus stops I used, there was also a sign with the bus numbers that frequented that route, along with estimates for how long before the next bus would get there. A new system (that so far I have only seen in Chinese) is a TV screen on the bus that shows the stops the bus will stop at and how many minutes before you will reach that stop.

For the long distance bus, I took the 1062 bus from Zhongxiao Fuxing Station to Jiufen Old Street. I left from a bus stop in front of Exit 2 of the MRT station and got off at a stop directly across from Jiufen Old Street. The ride took a little over an hour and cost approximately 100NT.

Over all, both bus experiences were fairly simple and smooth. All buses were also air conditioned (which was necessary during the June heat) and I used my EasyCard for payment.

Bikes

While in Taiwan, I noticed a great abundance of not only scooters (as they were almost more prevalent than cars on the roadway) but also bicycles. One of the systems put in place is YouBike. Everywhere I went in Taipei, there were stations that allowed you to rent a bike (using your EasyCard) and ride around the city. The rates are affordable, costing 10NT per 30 minutes within the first 4 hours of use and you simply return the bike to any YouBike docking station when you’re done. Taipei also seems to be a rather bicycle-friendly city, as I noticed that in a lot of areas, the sidewalk was divided into a walking side and a separate bicycle lane. I think this is especially important since some balance-lacking individuals like myself feel safer riding in a bicycle-specific lane, rather than on the road with the rest of the motor vehicles.
Overall, I felt very comfortable using public transportation in Taiwan, and found myself double-checking Google Maps less often than I had in other cities I have visited throughout Asia. I personally feel that Taiwan’s public transportation system is very user/English friendly and look forward to using it in the future.

*Gillian Wall is a recent teacher education graduate from Nipissing University in Ontario, Canada, and the winner of Foresight I.E.C.’s 2019 Free Trip to Taipei Contest. We are happy to be welcoming Gillian to join our team as a full-time ESL teacher in Taiwan for the 2019-2020 school year.

The post Getting Around Taipei Worry-Free first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

One of the exciting parts of teaching English abroad is being able to introduce our students to some unique elements of western culture. Halloween isn’t traditionally celebrated in Taiwan (although it is becoming increaingly popular with the influence of western culture), but it’s an opportunity for teachers to engage students in some fun, themed activities in ESL class. Check out the creative costumes by our ESL teachers this year!

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, grade seven students made these fun and creative masks in their ESL art class, and then had a class discussion about identity, symbols, and the different masks we wear in our lives.

Students enjoyed the fun of seeing their teachers dressed up, and even getting into character during class.

Many teachers gave out candy to their students, because what’s Halloween without a good sugar fix?

Students who have been in our ESL program for a few years knew exactly where to go to get Halloween candy from our team – see them flock to the ESL office!

Meanwhile, elementary school students enjoyed coming dressed up to school, a change from their usual uniforms.

Some original costumes by our teachers included Teacher Director Jen dressing up as a bubble tea.

The grade 3/4 team went with a Pokemon theme. Cute AND comfy.

Holidays and festivals may not be celebrated here the same way we might celebrate them in our home countries, but we have fun and make the most of sharing these different cultural aspects with our students.

The post Halloween Fun at School! first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

• Living Abroad

Each year as our program expands, our teaching team grows. We are excited to have a great team of professional educators with us in Taiwan this year, including several new teachers. This has been an unusual year, with the global impact of COVID-19 creating unique travel and visa challenges for our teachers. We are grateful to all of our new teachers who willingly spent 14 days isolated in quarantine in a new country before being able to join us in person. Welcome to the Foresight family!

Blessed Imedla’s Junior High School

Sacred Heart Elementary School

Kuang Jen High School

Guangren Elementary School

Foresight Office Team

The post 2020-2021 Teaching Teams – Welcome! first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Ten years later, I haven’t forgotten the packing drama of the first time I moved abroad. The night before my flight, I was up late, clothes, books, and other miscellaneous items strewn across the floor, debating what to bring and what to leave behind. My destination felt so far, a year felt so long, and two suitcases felt like so little. Item by item, I made cuts, trying to guess what I could and could not live without. My suitcases, brand new and ready for my first international flight, were packed to the max with things that I later found out I really didn’t need to bring.
Packing for life abroad is no science and takes some learning through trial and error, but there are ways to maximize efficiency and minimize stress. After living abroad for five years in three different countries, I’ve streamlined (though not fully perfected) the art of packing. Here are my packing tips for moving to Taiwan.

1. Pack fewer clothes.

Clothes will fill a significant portion of your luggage weight allowance, but you probably need fewer items than you think. One thing to keep in mind when considering whether or not to bring an item of clothing is that if it’s something you don’t often (or ever) wear at home, don’t think that you’ll wear it when you move to a new country. Bring your favourite articles, the ones you find yourself wearing all the time, but also keep in mind that you’ll be able to buy clothes in Taiwan, should you find yourself needing something you didn’t pack (or just wanting to freshen up your wardrobe). They have Western chains like H&M and Zara, and you can also find a lot of good quality basics at Uniqlo. If you’re plus-sized, sizing may be a bit more limited in Taiwan, but not impossible.

2. When packing clothes, consider the specific climate and lifestyle context.

Taiwan is hot and humid most of the year, so lightweight breathable fabrics will be your friend. However, contrary to what many believe about Taiwan as a sub-tropical country, winter is cold. For a Canadian familiar with winters as cold as -40 degrees celsius, this really threw me off. I never imagined 12 degrees could feel so bone-chilling, but the damp winter air combined with the absence of central heating and effective insulation will make you glad you packed that warm jacket and your favourite sweater.

Second, I’ll mention that when it comes to school dress code, Taiwan is quite casual, even for teachers, something I wished I had known when I filled my suitcase with all my business formal clothes that I was used to wearing in my previous teaching situation. In Taiwan, teachers maintain a tidy appearance, but it’s acceptable to wear jeans, short-sleeved tops, and athletic shoes in the classroom. Bring a couple of more professional outfits for special events like parent-teacher interviews and open houses, but for everyday, casual, comfortable clothes are acceptable.

As for footwear, comfortable, well-supported shoes are essential as you’ll find yourself walking a lot in Taipei (especially if you’re used to driving everywhere), as well as rain boots or other waterproof shoes for Taipei’s many rainy days. Another of my packing regrets was multiple pairs of high-heeled shoes. I quickly found they are not practical for the public-transportation taking, umbrella-wielding, English-teaching life in Taiwan. I’ve even talked to colleagues who packed high heels and never wore them once during three years in Taiwan. One pair for special occasions, maybe. Four or five? Excessive.

3. Don’t bring household items unless you’re very attached to them.

When I say household items, I mean things like bedding, dishes, towels, clothes hangers, etc. Yes, you will need these, but unless you have a great deal of excessive space in your luggage, buy them in Taiwan. If you have a favourite mug or tumbler, that’s something you perhaps want to bring from home, but don’t bring whole sets of cutlery or pans or tupperware containers.
I made a couple trips to IKEA to get the initial essentials for settling into my new apartment. There are also many “everything stores” (or so we like to call them), which conveniently have all the household things you need for cooking, organization, electrical, cleaning, etc. at affordable prices.
Another cheaper, though less convenient, place to look for household items is through Facebook marketplace, as there are always expats coming and going through Taipei who need to get rid of perfectly good stuff. It’s a bit hit and miss and will require some searching and running around, but there may be some worthwhile finds.
Some items that often come up in this discussion include bed sheets and pillows. Some people say they have trouble finding fitted sheets in Asia and so they bring them from home, and others say the bed sizes are slightly different, so the sheets they bring from home don’t even fit. IKEA in Taiwan sells fitted sheets, so this shouldn’t be an issue. Also, multiple people I’ve asked say they packed their own pillow, or their own pillowcases. I don’t think it’s essential, but if it’s something you’re particular about and you have room for it, go ahead and pack what makes you feel at home.

In Taiwan, electrical plugs are the same as in the US and Canada. If you’re from another part of the world, like Australia or the UK, you’re going to need adapters to fit the local outlets. One genius hack I recently learned from one of our Australian teachers is to buy a powerboard from your home country, so you only need one adapter to charge your phone, camera, and laptop (and whatever else you may want to power) at the same time.
You might also need to do research for voltage differences, which require not only an adapter, but a converter. Most electronics like laptops, call phones, and cameras have universal voltage and do not require a voltage converter, but ones to check for compatibility would be small appliances like hair dryers or electric razors. In my earlier days of international travel, I once used a hair straightener that wasn’t compatible with the local voltage and nearly started a fire in my room.

5. Choose your comfort items based on things that are special to you, not things you think you might want (but can probably live without).

Most expats have select favourites foods or products that they stock up on at home (mine are Maynards gummy candies and Stash Double Spice Chai Tea, while another teacher’s is Hot Cheetos). The tricky thing about this is that if you’ve never lived abroad before, or at least in the country you’re going to, you don’t really know what you’ll miss until about three months in when you suddenly get a craving for a specific food or snack and can’t find it immediately.

My suggestion is that if there’s something you know for sure won’t be available in Taiwan and you know you’ll really want it, goa head and pack some, but don’t pack things just because you think you might, maybe, possibly want them someday. Comforts from home, though nice every once in a while, are non-essential and you’ll soon discover new things in Taiwan, new favourite foods, products, and beverages.
Also, there are very few things you truly cannot find in Taiwan. Sure, you might not find it in the 7-Eleven down the street, but Taiwan has several international supermarkets, like Jason’s Marketplace and Carrefour, which carry a variety of imported goods. There’s also Costco, which sells a lot of western products (and if you already have a valid membership, you can use it in Taiwan). The reality is that, even though it might mean paying slightly more than I would back home, if I really want them, I can find gummy candies and chai tea easily enough.

However, some comfort items that you may consider bringing from home are small momentos, photos, or other sentimental items that remind you of home. When you first move into a new apartment (even in your new classroom), it might feel pretty empty at first and a few sentimental touches can help personalize a space and make it feel more like your own.

6. Only pack toiletries and personal items that you are very particular about.

Toiletries are heavy and take up a lot of weight in your luggage. You don’t need to pack shampoo or soap or a full-sized tube of toothpaste, as you can buy them almost immediately on arrival. I used to pack carry-on sizes just in case, but ended up never needing them.

The only things that I do recommend packing are toiletries that you are particular about, for example, if you have a favourite deodorant brand that works for you (there are fewer options in Asia), or if your skin is very sensitive and you have a particular skin care system you want to stick to. I buy most of my makeup in Canada, not because they don’t sell make-up in Taiwan (they sell lots, including international brands), but because I know the products I like and can rely on (and I want to collect my Sephora points).

If you’re not that particular, just buy everything in Taiwan. It’s all available, even many brands you’ll recognize.

As for any medication, this is one you’ll need to look into individually. Taiwan’s healthcare is very cheap and accessible, but if you have any special medication you need, you might look into its availability in Taiwan, or find out if you need to get it before you leave.

7. If you are still pushing the weight limit of your baggage allowance, there are some minor hacks.

So, you did your best to pack light but are still way over your airline’s baggage weight limit? You’ve reassessed every item you’ve packed and are confident you want to bring it? Over the years, these are some hacks I’ve learned to help stretch the weight limit if your suitcases are really popping.
First, get rid of any unnecessary packaging, like boxes, and instead wrap fragile items in your clothes.

Wear your heaviest shoes and jacket on the plane. Yes, I know it’s summer time, but unlike items in your luggage, items on your body do not count towards your baggage weight limit.

Put any books or electronics in your backpack and carry them on. Airlines will weigh your checked luggage and sometimes your carry-on luggage, but they’ll rarely weigh your personal item (backpack, laptop bag, purse) unless it looks really over-sized. Yes, it’ll be a pain (literally) to carry around through airports, but if it doesn’t fit in your suitcase and you really want to bring it, just remember, you brought this on yourself.

In the end, if you have circumstances that require you to bring more than your standard baggage allowance, or you are truly an incurable over-packer, you always have the options of shipping your belongings to Taiwan or paying for excess baggage.

8. Get your phone unlocked!

This is not exactly something to pack, but something you must do before leaving home! If your phone is locked to a specific service provider, you won’t be able to put a new SIM card in it when you come to Taiwan. There may be an unlock fee, but it’ll definitely be cheaper than having to buy a new phone when you arrive. If you’re not sure if your phone is locked or not, check with your service provider (or try putting a different SIM card in your phone and see if your phone accepts it)

9. Change some money.

You can change money either before you leave your home country or on arrival in Taiwan. The exchange rate at Taoyuan Airport is good, the fee low, and the process quick. You don’t necessarily need to carry a fat stack of cash, but exchanging a good chunk upfront for your first week or two can help ease the transition, as you won’t have to stress about immediately finding a global ATM, or if it’s the weekend and the banks are closed.
Before leaving home, you should also check in with your bank to find out if you need to inform them of your travel plans (I think fewer banks are doing this though, seeing as international travel has become a normal part of many people’s lives), find out what the transaction fee is for withdrawing money abroad, and also make sure you don’t have restrictions on your account which will prevent you from withdrawing enough money while you are in another country.

Bottom line, when it comes to packing, stress less. You may not pack perfectly, but there’s nearly nothing you’ll need that you can’t get in Taiwan, so there’s no need to stress out about forgetting something. Skip the packing drama. Don’t stress, don’t overpack, and I promise, you’ll be just fine.

*Lian is a teacher from Calgary, Canada. She travelled extensively around Europe and Asia before falling in love with Taiwan and making it a permanent home. She currently works as FIEC’s Social Media Coordinator.

The post Moving to Taiwan: Packing Guide For Teachers first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

Earlier this year, we welcomed new teacher Gillian Wall to visit us in Taiwan. In this post, Gillian shares about her personal experience living and travelling abroad, comparing her experience and impressions of different places in Asia.

For those who have never travelled to Asia and want to teach abroad, you might be asking yourselves, “Which country would be the right fit for me? What will it be like? How will I manage in a non-English speaking country?” I hope to bring a little bit of insight to you in this brief comparison between a few countries in Asia and my home country of Canada.

To give you some background on my experiences, I was born and raised in Ontario, Canada and moved to South Korea (Ulsan) to teach English in their public school system in 2016. I returned to Canada in 2017 to get my teaching degree and during that two-year time, I returned to visit Asia during the winter, first to Korea (Seoul and Ulsan), then to Japan (Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, Osaka, Kyoto, Lake Yamanaka, Tokyo). Most recently, in June, I visited Taiwan with Foresight I.E.C as the winner of their Free Flight to Taipei Contest, and plan on moving to Taipei in August to work as a Foreign English Teacher for Foresight International Education Centre. I mention all this because I feel that I have gained some insights into living and visiting other countries and wish to share some of the things that I have learned along the way.

English Language Level

Coming from an English speaking country, it can be quite intimidating to make the move to a place where you don’t speak a word of the local language. When I moved to Korea there were definitely times when I struggled to communicate or gave up trying to do something out of frustration. I recall being in HomePlus (a popular grocery/home goods store in Korea) and the cashier trying to explain something to me about the food item I was trying to buy. Because it was so far above of my Korean language level, I ended up just taking the food item off the conveyor belt and not buying it, only later to find out that she was trying to tell me that the item was 1+1 (aka buy one get one free). That was not the first nor the last experience that I had like that in Korea, and although I learned a lot through these experiences, it also brought isolation in terms of whom I could talk to on a daily basis and the dependency that had formed between me and my co-teachers. I lived in Ulsan, in the northern part of the city which was surrounded by mountains and by far was the least foreigner-populated area of the city. This meant the English level was extremely limited and I needed to ask my co-teachers from the school I taught at to accompany me to places like the bank, the immigration office and the hospital. For me, as an independent person, I did not like having to depend on others in this manner, especially when it came to my finances and health. I would say as far as being English accommodating, Seoul has the most English speaking people and the most foreigners, but the problem is everyone wants to teach in Seoul, so the likelihood of getting a teaching position there is very low.

After visiting Taiwan in June, I would have to say out of the Asian countries that I have been to, Taiwan seemed to be the most English-friendly place. Even before I got on the plane in Toronto, I overheard an English teacher reassure a stranger during boarding that he didn’t even bother learning any Mandarin within the first 6 months of living in Taiwan because it was so English-friendly. Once I landed, I indeed notice that nearly every sign was translated into English and that Taiwanese people in general could communicate with me in English on a higher level than in Korea or Japan. So far in my experience, I would say for those who have never lived abroad, Taiwan would be a good place to start if you are worried about communication issues. This is not to say you will never rely on another person to help you with translation or there will never be any confusion, as you will be going to a country where English is not the first language. However, from my observations, it does seem like Taiwanese people are more willing to speak English or help foreigners if they sense there is a problem.

Cost of Living

Living in Toronto, I am no stranger to spending a significant portion of my monthly income on essentials like rent and groceries, as Toronto is known for being one of the most expensive cities in Canada. So in 2016, when I moved to South Korea, I was ecstatic to learn that I would be able to live a lot more comfortably on my monthly income while saving money and travelling at the same time. According to Numbeo.com (as of July 2019), the below difference can be seen between Toronto, Canada and Ulsan, South Korea (where I lived).

source: www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living

I definitely felt that I was getting more for my money in South Korea than in Canada and could still enjoy things like eating out, going for weekend trips to Seoul, and travelling to nearby countries during long weekends.

Fast forward to June 2019, when I went to Taipei and I was happily surprised to experience a much more affordable city. As you can see below, the cost of living in Taipei is significantly lower than Seoul, which is the capital of South Korea, as well as mind-blowingly cheaper than Toronto!

source: www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living

Variety of Food

Toronto is known as one of the world’s most diverse cities, with more than half of the population identifying as part of a minority group. This meant that I could literally type in any dish from any country into Google and be able to find restaurants to eat at within minutes. When I moved to Korea, this was a drastic difference, as out of a population of 51.47 million people, there are only around 200,000 foreigners from English speaking countries (That’s about 0.4% of the population as of 2018). This meant that in most Korean cities, the majority of restaurants were Korean, with Korean language menus, and Korean style dining. In places like Seoul and Busan, you could see restaurant chains and a little more diversity in selection, but in general, the only Western style restaurant I would ever see in smaller areas was Italian food.

I was expecting to have a similar experience when visiting Taipei but even before I went I stumbled upon articles and videos that reassured me that Taiwan had a greater range of food. Once I got to Taiwan in June, I could visibly see the difference in selection, even spotting Cold Stone Creamery, an ice cream place I’ve seen in Canada! After learning more about the history of Taiwan, and that they have had interactions and influences from many different countries (such as China, Japan, and the Dutch Republic), I could understand better why there is so much selection of food. Many different cultures and countries have had an influence of Taiwanese food and even though you can still see authentic traditional Taiwanese food in the night markets, there is more of a variety of food. One thing I would recommend though, and it did help me a lot, is bringing a food allergy card translated into Traditional Chinese. After showing restaurant employees my food allergy card, they were immediately accommodating and even helped me alter menu items so that I could find something to eat.

School Systems in Korea and Taiwan

I chose to work in South Korea as an English teacher in their public school system, which meant I had a co-teacher for each grade I taught and a head co-teacher who would help me with day-to-day things and my paperwork and documents. The Korean public school system has an English program that is textbook-based and I often felt it lacked imagination, as the textbook came with a CD-rom that my co-teachers insisted I played for the kids, even though it was simply repeat-after-me exercises. I would see every class from grade 3 to 6 once a week and the rest of the week my co-teacher would be teaching them. Each co-teacher had a distinct teaching style and I had to get to know what they liked and didn’t like, what they wanted me to teach the students, and what resources they wanted me to use. This experience can be varied for other English teachers, as I had friends who taught at other schools who had co-teachers that ranged from super helpful to incredibly difficult. Overall, I ended up leaving Korea and returning to Canada to get my teaching degree because I wanted the chance to teach in my own classroom and develop my own teaching style, which I didn’t think I would be able to do in the Korean public school system.

I have learned so much from my week long visit to Taiwan. I visited two schools (one in the city and one further out of the city) and both had way more resources than I could have hoped for, even if I would have stayed in Toronto and taught here. I learned that usually Foresight English teachers have their own classroom and teach Ontario-based curriculum. Both schools had extensive book collections that you could use to build your classroom library, smaller class sizes (around 20-25 kids), and access to art supplies and other materials to create word walls and teaching aids. At one school, they had Smartboards in every classroom and an iPad for each student, at the other they had projectors in each classroom and again iPads for each student. I was also happy to find out the system of support put in place for new teachers, as each teacher would have one or more grade partner teachers that they could bounce ideas off of and plan lessons with, an EA for lower grade teachers, a Lead Teacher (from an English-speaking country), and a Site Director (who is Taiwanese and can help with things like teacher/parent communication). What struck me most about visiting the schools is how personalized and unique each classroom was. Not only in the classroom, but throughout the school, I noticed student work hung up and displayed. To some of you this might seem quite normal, but because I didn’t really see that in Korean public schools, it was a pleasant surprise for me.

Cultural Differences

When I lived in Korea, people were nice but I could always feel this ‘inside-outside’ culture, as a lot of people saw me only as a foreigner who could help them with their English skills, rather than someone they could be friends with. There were also a lot of cultural factors that kept me from feeling as if I was accepted. Obviously, I was aware of these things before I moved to Korea, but that doesn’t change the feeling you get when someone tells you that you are not friends because you are a year or two younger than them. I also noticed that there was a certain standard of appearance by which one was supposed to abide (i.e. wearing certain clothing brands, having certain haircuts, doing your make-up a certain way). This translated to other parts of society, for instance, when I asked one of my colleagues why there weren’t really any colourful cars (only grey, black, and white), she said “Korean people don’t want to stand out and be noticed.” Whether that is true or not, I can’t say for sure, but I did feel as if there was a certain need for people to get things that were known to be accepted and “in fashion.”

Through talking to teachers from Foresight and spending time with people from Taiwan, it seems like there is less of this ‘inside-outside’ culture. Taiwan’s history has seen many chapters. From Japanese rule to Chinese Nationalist fleeing to Taiwan from China, to the Democratic Prograssive Party that is in power today. Through it all Taiwanese people see themselves as Taiwanese no matter if they are Indigenous to the Island or if their ancestors are from China. Because of this mix of cultures there is a relaxed feel to their society that is more welcoming and accepting. There was also a wider variety in hairstyles and clothing, as it seemed like no one was very concerned about trying to fit in. Even only having been in Taiwan for a week, I could see myself making a group of friends with a mixture of foreigners and Taiwanese people without worrying if they were just hanging out with me to learn English.

Overall, I think it really depends on what you are looking for, culturally and personality wise. There are many factors that go into making the decision to teach abroad, not just what I have mentioned. In my opinion though, I would say that Taiwan is a very English-friendly and an easy country to settle into if it is your first time living abroad from North America.

*Gillian Wall is a recent teacher education graduate from Nipissing University in Ontario, Canada, and the winner of Foresight I.E.C.’s 2019 Free Trip to Taipei Contest. We are happy to be welcoming Gillian to join our team as a full-time ESL teacher in Taiwan for the 2019-2020 school year.

The post Taiwan, Korea, and Canada: Living and Travelling Abroad first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.

After living one, two, even three years in Taiwan, our teachers have a weath of knowledge and experience to share. We asked some of our veteran teachers to tell us about their experience living and teaching in Taiwan, including the best parts, the hardest things to adjust to, and what advice they have for incoming teachers.

The post FIEC Teachers Share About Life in Taiwan first appeared on Teach in Taiwan | International ESL Teaching Jobs with Foresight.