Teaching in Taiwan, Mastering Mandarin (or not)

Teaching in Taiwan, Mastering Mandarin (or not)

I had been planning to writing a few travels in row, but my contract is approaching its end and I’m about the finish my third term of learning Chinese and about to take a break.  So I am going to share what I have learned for those think of doing something similar.

 

Teaching in Taiwan

Since I have been researching the possibility of finding a new job, I have discovered one key thing: you must separate the wheat from the chaff.  I have read many people doing a lot of complaining about teaching in Taiwan.  It is important to remember that people love to complain on the internet and that although some have a point, many are complaining about nothing.  From my experience, talking to others and reading, what I have theorised is that it is generally a case over expectations.  People get the idea in their head that they will be working about 18 hours a week and will be in a delightful place to work.

 

Some people may be lucky, but for the vast majority this is not the case.  When coming to Taipei it is hard the get the hours you want/need.  In your first year of teaching, if you are inexperienced, you will not get lots of hours.  You will have to earn your stripes (hours).  You will start on a few and have to build yourself up.  You are also unlikely to get the hours you think you deserve till at least your second year.  My initial plan was to stay in Taiwan for a year and then to move on, but because of lack of hours (and spending all of my free cash on Chinese) I have not only been unable to save, I have even less than when I started.  In most cases you are not going to make money in your first year, you will have to wait till at least the second to start doing that.  When approaching the end of your first year you will either have to persuade your director for more hours or move on to greener pastures.

Teaching in Taiwan

In terms of working conditions, many or not awesome, but it is not like the third world.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived, but I was shocked when I began; it was not as (let’s say) aesthetically pleasing as I expected and lower tech.  I generally get on with the people I work with, both foreign and Taiwanese teachers, but if you are working in a Buxiban (cram school) you need to remember it is a business first.  You need to make sure the parents sign their kids up for next term and if the director thinks there a possibility that won’t happen, you will be taken-off that class without a seconds hesitation.  Your well-being comes very much second everything else, but that is the name of the game.  Don’t forget there is another white native English speaker getting off the plane as I type and you read!  Also consider, are you an experienced teacher, do you deserve the hours or do you just have job based on the fact you speak English?  Did you come to Taiwan with the idea to loyal to your first employer?  You hear stories of people being over worked and abused, but I think the most common complaint would be a lack of hours.  It very much depends on the school.

 

Personally despite not the ideal amount of hours, I have decided to stay in my current job one more year.  I am an inexperienced teacher and I am still learning lots.  I also want to see the improvement of the kids I have been teaching; in one year they have improved, but I am excited to see what they will be like after two.  My school is far from perfect and the resources feel like there are from the 90’s, but I’m comfortable and with a few more hours will feel better.  I am also tutoring on the side (sshhh) to try and cover my day-to-day costs, so I can save some money.  I know many teachers who do a little tutoring; it can be fun, doesn’t take too much planning, and is nice little bit extra.  I know it is not strictly above board, but I most directors assume people are doing it.

 

Mastering Madarin/Learning Chinese

 

I have been learning Chinese at the Mandarin Training Center (MTC), NTNU, for three terms now and as much Chinese as I have learned, I think I have learned more about how to learn Chinese.  I literally started learning straight off the plane.  This, when I look back on it was a mistake.  It would have been more beneficial to wait a month or two and allow my ears and mind to grow accustomed to language and pick up more basics naturally.  It also would have given more time get used to working in Taiwan and getting settled.  But hey, jumping in the deep end always looks like the best idea.

 

I have done three straight terms and thus (in theory) learned two and half books or 30 chapters.  I have little time to let anything I have learnt settle or use particularly well.  I am only finally getting to a place where I feel comfortable with what I have learnt now I have stopped learning grammar (Book 1 and 2 is almost pure grammar, don’t worry everyone seems to use the same books in Taiwan).  I think taking a break after each term would be beneficial to your learning experience.  You will be able to practice what you have learned and get everything clear within your head.  Also it will give more time to experience Taiwan.  I have felt going to school every day to learn Chinese is not really Taiwanese culture (if not a little necessary).

Chinese Class at MTC

In my third term I also switched from an 8am class to a 10am class.  I may be wrong, but I am not sure it has been beneficial.  I changed in the belief that my brain could not focus so early in the morning; I generally work in the evening, so do not always get to sleep at a reasonable hour.  I am not sure I am anymore awake and I miss the hours of the day I had when I finished so early.  Maybe my studying is more effective because I am less tired after class, but before my change I could study and read a book and still have time before I had to go to work.  I could even go for a nap if I felt particularly tired.  It is hard for me to say, you’d have to ask my director or my teacher to see if my performance is better for the change, but I do miss my extra hours.

 

The Hot Tea-pic 

I came to Taiwan with a one year plan: learn Chinese, teach English to support myself and save money, move on to the next country and see what happens.  The first pitfall to this is that is nowhere near enough time to even become competent in speaking Chinese.  The second, you are never going to earn enough money teaching English and if you do you won’t have enough time to study.  These combine to stop you moving on.  I considered moving on to another country (maybe Singapore, Hong Kong, or China) to continue learning and teaching, but this brings me to number three, spend a year in one place and situation/circumstances change.

 

Kids aren't all bad (a little confused maybe)

If you like me you have come to learn and teach here are my recommendations.  Do not approach any job with high expectations of either hours or working conditions.  Remember you will probably have to stay two years; you will not be anywhere near fluent in Chinese in one year and you will probably be too poor to move on anyway.   And take an early class, you’ll be tired, but the extra hours are nice (I really feel like an old man saying this).  If your expectations are not met or fulfilled, who cares?  You have just learnt something and you’re in a new country experiencing things not many get a chance to.  Your friends are probably jealous of you right now; being a foreign and exotic land while they are stuck at home working.

 

Hot Tea

 

 

Heading to Hua Lian

Heading to Hua Lien

Not long ago, it was the Qing Ming festival in Taiwan.  To us not in the know this is tomb sweeping day, where families clean the tombs and pay respect to their loved ones.  As, in Taiwan I have no tombs to sweet and a free few days from work and school I decided I would take a little trip, get out of the city, and get some (much needed) fresh air.  So I decided to visit one of Taipei’s ample stores that contain post cards.  I picked a card which looked pretty and worth visiting; this time I decided on Hua Lian (Hualien).  On a side note, when visiting a country with little to no plan, this can be an excellent source of information and ideas of what you’d like to see and where to go; after all postcards to like to show off the best of a country.

At this point in time, I’d like to introduce a new pseudonym, Yellow Sugar.  Yellow Sugar is the perfect accompaniment for Hot Tea, and as such we travel many places together.

 

You can get a one way ticket to Hua Lian for around NT$200 (£4ish).  This includes a bus to Luo Dong, Yilan County, which takes around 90 minutes, and then a 2 hour train to Hua Lian.  Not the most direct route, but for NT$200, worth it.  On the train to Hua Lian I even got the pleasure to see some stereotypical Chinese tourists.  Every time a mountain lowered down to show some scenery or we popped out of a tunnel, BOOM! Like a rabbit on red bull, they up like a shot to take photo of anything, as if they hadn’t seen the light in years.  Amusing if you were not the poor man sitting next to them getting bumped and barged (and pretending to be asleep).



Dong Shan River

 

 



Dong Shan Dino

I must admit when we arrived at Luo Dong it was early and I was slightly cranky, but we made the decision to spend a few hours there and see what it was like.  We stopped for a bite of breakfast at a classic Taiwanese breakfast shop, had some bacon to start the day and were on our way.  With the gusto of bacon behind us, we (I) made a less than smart choice and decided to walk to Dong Shan River Park.  This took around an hour and it was quite hot; it looked a lot closer on the map and the public transport around the area is not the most convenient, although later I found there is shuttle bus that goes not too far away from the area.  After a delightful stroll by the roadside in hot, humid conditions, we finally arrived at the park.  The first thing we saw were diggers, and then school children; a confusing combination to say the least.  I’m still not sure why there were several school trips visiting the park when it was under renovation; a mystery of Taiwan.  We then walked up a gentle slope to see a paddling pool, but it was empty.  Away from the empty paddling pool we wandered on and found some swinging benches, of the uncomfortable variety, and then a bizarre collection of dinosaurs.  I must say that this confused me more than the multiple field trips.  Despite the being devoid of reason, these random dinosaurs brought a smile to my face; why in the middle of a River Park would you have dinosaur playing football?  I for one have no notion and I’m not sure if I want one.  From here we meandered down the river.  Looking out over the river you could have been anywhere in the world.  Minus the vast swaths of bikers flying past, this was a pleasant experience.  At the end of our jaunt we reached the National Center for Traditional Art, which from the outside looking in appeared to be a nice activity.  Unfortunately, we had spent too much time elsewhere and decided we could not get our monies worth in the short time we had, so we decided upon a free activity; a trip to beach.  The beach at Luo Dong is black.  I’m not a geologist, so I am unable to tell you if it is magnetic placer black sand or black sand from lava, maybe it was just very very dirty sand.  The latter of the options would not entirely surprise me, as the beach was covered in rubbish and full of scooters and cars driving all about it.  It’s safe to say I would not recommend the beach for a picnic.  From here we found a bus back to the station (much better than walking, if not a little crowded) and headed to Hua Lian.
 



The Black Beach of Luo Dong

 

If you take the same route as I have suggested, I would not recommend a stop in Luo Dong.  Although, I have heard Yilan County is nice and full of scenic beauty, Luo Dong is not.  The River Park is in a state of disrepair and very much needs a lick of paint, even my beloved dinosaurs, and the beach does not make me want to be beside the seaside.  There is little to do in the city, in terms of a day trip, and although I have heard good things about the night market (I mean what city doesn’t brag about it’s night market) I cannot imagine wanting to stay an entire day to sample it.  My advice, get on the first train to Hua Lian.



Geological or jut dirty?

On to Hua Lian.  We arrived late afternoon, early evening and checked straight into our hotel.  We stayed within a stone’s throw of Zhiqiang night market.  It is a 20-30 minute walk from the train station, but I’ve seen much worse.  After a quick relax, we headed out for a spot tea at the night market.  It may not be the most visually exciting night market in Taiwan, but there are a myriad of food choices on offer.  You distinguish the few ‘famous’ establishments by the insane queues stretched out or winding around the night market.  There are several decent steak places to eat at and many places to try some local fish.  We decided to avoid the long queues, as I was eager to watch the Simpsons’ Movie in Chinese and chose a hot pot like dish, but everything is already cooking in the water and you pick you want.  On a side note, like many western movies in Taiwan the Simpsons was edited/censored, but on an extraordinary scale and the storyline barely made sense; a definite waste of 90 mins and of little to no benefit of Chinese.

 



Zingy chilling at the beach

The next day we decided to rent a scooter and head to the beach.  In front of the station there is a large range of different rental shops to choose from.  So if you love to get a deal there’s much opportunity to shop around.  We were behind schedule so just picked one so we could head off to the beach.  We scooted off to Qi Xing Tan beach.  It is a pleasant pebble beach, not the most compacted of pebbles, but more than acceptable for a nice little stroll down the beach; with the key advantage of no sand in your shoes.  Unfortunately, the weather was fairly foggy and we were unable to see some (of what I can only assume are) wonderful views.  After a nice stroll up and down the beach and our tummies rumbling we made the decision to move on.  We went in the direction of Tai Lu Ge gorge (Taroko).  After a little food stop to satisfy our bellies, we headed into the mountains.  Almost immediately we stumbled upon the East-West Cross Island Highway Gateway.  It is more than worthy of a quick photo opportunity.  There is not a lot to do other than photo, but it is nice to stretch your legs and stop for 5-10 mins.



Qi Xing Tan Beach

 



East-West Cross Island Gateway

Just beyond this photo opportunity is the Taroko (Tai Lu Ge) visitor centre.  This is an excellent place to begin several walks in the national park or get key information on other walks and sites in the area.  Personally I got particularly distracted by the contoured map; giving an insight in the peaks and troughs you will encounter on the walks to decide to attempt.  On this visit it was beginning to get a little late, so we decided to hop back on the scooter and head back on the road, along the mountain side to Qing Shui Duan Ya.  I would highly recommend driving on the mountain roads and the mountainside roads.  They are a magnificent blend between the natural and man-made, with the roads flowing through the natural curves and movement of the mountains.  The contrast between naturally formed marble mountainside and the Pacific Ocean cut by the road is a particular highlight.  The weather was still overcast and far from clear, taking the edge of some stunning views.  I can only imagine the view with the added sparkle of the sun on a clear day.  We once again stopped for a quick break and photo opportunity at Qing Shui Duan Ya.  Similar to the Highway Gateway, it just a place to stop stretch your legs and take a few photos.   Rather than explore more of the mountain roads, with numb bums, we headed back Hua Lian and steak night!  Taiwan is full of places of steak for under NT$150 and this was one of the better ones.  The steak was cooked well to about a medium, which fairly uncommon.  I often find these steak places slightly stressful to eat at, but the atmosphere hear was nice and relaxed.  I even had a fan club of a small child who gawked at me like I was celebrity, he didn’t take any pictures, but I still felt special.



Qing Shui Duan Ya Mountainside

 



The striking contrast of Ci Li Bai

We had half a day left in the area, so we decided to stay fairly close to the area and try some local delicacies.  First, after a quick look on google maps (and seeing the word lighthouse), we headed to CiLaBi lighthouse.  I’ve read that in 2014 the area will become a tourist attraction, but on our visit it was devoid of people barring the odd photographer out for a picture.  At the top of the hill you see uninterrupted ocean and far enough to see the curve of the earth, it is a peaceful place, which could be magnificent.  Unfortunately, I have to say could be.  The magnificent scenery and serenity is contrasted by a landfill to the south and power plant behind us to the west and that is not what depressed me most.  The site could almost be described as a rubbish dump its self.  Everywhere you look there are discarded pieces of rubbish, I even found half-buried shoes.  I could not figure out where it all came from.  In the hour and bit we were there, we only saw three people.  It is sad to see natural places of beauty destroyed by the carelessness and disregard of man.  I was initially so excited to find a scenic spot almost untouched by human hand, where there was no need to fight with pushy, and often inconsiderate, photo hunters; a place to relax and enjoy the beauty at your own pace.  I found myself leaving disappointed and considering the benefits of turning little slices of paradise into tourist traps.  (Dear Taiwanese Gov., All over Taiwan I see people cleaning leaves, please can you send some of these people CiLaBi lighthouse; the need is greater). 
 

Ci Li Bai Lighthouse



After the eye-catching views and less satisfactory cleanliness, we were ravenous.  Yellow Sugar had heard of several eateries she wanted to try, so we decided to sample some of the Hua Lians finest.  First, we headed to Gong Zhen Bao Zi for Xiao Long Bao.  As this place came recommended, we had to queue for 20 or so minutes.  We decided not to eat-in and head to Zha Dan Cong You Bing and have some Cong You Bing (often referred to Dan Bing, but very different) with our Xiao Bao.  This shop does not open till 1pm, so we arrived a little earlier only to be greeted with a ludicrously long line.  At this point we decided to chow on our Xiao Bao; they were tasty, don’t get me wrong, but did not set the world alight and I am not sure if they can be classed as better than other Xiao Bao.  Around the long queue we had found ourselves in, there were an ample amount of shops to buy little treats and amuse yourself.  If you are not as stubborn as mule or Taiwanese, this queue may not be for you; we queued for around 1 and a half hours.  We added a little spice to our meal and this, for me, was surprisingly good.  I did not expect egg and spicy to be a good combination, but it was.  This egg was runny, which made me very happy, as very often these things come with hard eggs.  All in all it was pretty good, if the queue was shorter, I’d recommend it, but what I will say this: have a look and if the queue looks OK go for it, if not run for the hills (Tai Lu Ge).



Queue fo Zha Dan Cong You Bing

 



 With the little bit of time left before we had to leave, we headed to Mei Luan Mountain Park for a stroll.  With the massive amount for beautiful locations to ramble in nearby, I would not recommend Mei Luan.  It in comparison is highly boring.  Go to the beach, go to the mountains, or maybe just go shopping.  After seeing the sights of Hua Lian, ending in the park was definitely an anti-climax, but it is close to the station.  We returned our scooter, bought some local Mua Ji (strange, but gets better each time you try it) and headed to train station.



The view from the lighthouse

Overall, I would recommend Hua Lian to those of you who like a good wander, exploring, seeing some scenery, and/or like a good photo.  There is so much opportunity to get lost in beautiful scenery.  You can drive/scoot on beautiful mountain roads, you can hike through the mountains, or you meander on the beaches.  For a mini break, you can keep yourself very busy and be very sad to return home or move on to your next location. 

Hot Tea

P.S. Here are links for our Hua Lian Hotel.  Not in English, but have pretty picture.  http://turnleft.pgo.tw/index.php and https://www.facebook.com/pages/%E5%90%91%E5%B7%A6%E5%90%91%E5%8F%B3%E6%97%A5%E7%A7%9F%E6%B0%91%E5%AE%BF/406796826018986?fref=ts