Hi Nathan. We made an open application with HESS, the largest language school chain in Taiwan. We were randomly placed in LuoDong because they had an opening for couples there. There’s also a branch in Yilan city. LuoDong itself has a couple of other languages schools too, including American Eagle and Edison.

It’s what it is. Indeed!

I’ve recently worked in education, in a very conservative part of the Middle East. I travelled alone and I never had any problem with the locals. I liked it there. It was a positive experience and a spiritual journey.

Is the journey more important than the destination?

Tu, you have faced the Dragon Den, Taiwan style. I’m not an NES but I hold a British passport (I taught myself how to read using the broadsheet and dictionary to guide me because these were the only reading materials in the house. No, I didn’t come from a poor family). I’ve a UK degree in Business Administration. I come from a broad background where I had spent many years in high finance in the City of London and did quite high level stuff in Central Government, in Whitehall. In the last 3 years, I had worked as a Teaching Assistant in primary schools in London, mainly Yr 2 – 6 (with children from autistic spectrum, learning difficulties, behavioural issues, the less able children and the very bright sparks). I became ill, three quarter of the way into my CELTA course. i’m currently doing a TEFL course, 120 hours. Two NES have recently volunteered and told me that I’m very British. However, I’m Oriental and I can get by in a number of Chinese dialects. What’re the chances of me getting a ESL job in Taiwan? Am I a lost cause? Any potential hot leads and or advice are greatly appreciated.

Yes, it is actually rather bizarre when you put it that way. I definitely agree that Tu’s students probably could relate more to him because he speaks two languages, even though he’s a native English speaker, and those are very similar challenges to what the students are going through. Tu is an incredible guy, and I’m so impressed that he’s still teaching in Taiwan and making it work! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Katie :)