Taiwan is not the first place that comes to mind for most South African teachers seeking greener pastures, but adventurous graduates with student loans (or similar financial incentives) are arriving here in increasing numbers. At least, there are enough South Africans here to make it worth the while of one Taipei pub to have added boerewors to its menu.
When I first arrived here in 1999, the preference for American English-speaking teachers was more widespread than it is now. In that year, I met five South Africans. Now it is strange if a month goes by and I don’t meet another one. The vast majority of those I meet are teaching English here.
The Taiwanese government grants work permits to graduates from English-speaking countries, enabling them to teach in private-language schools (known as cram schools), bilingual pre-schools and private primary and high schools. The government recently announced its intention to hire foreign teachers for government, primary and high schools too.
An advantage that Taiwan has over South Africa for unemployed graduates is that most private-language schools and pre-schools do not require an education degree or experience. Long-term possibilities for undergraduates tend to be limited — the prospect of being a cram school or pre-school teacher is not that attractive in itself — but it’s still a lot better than being unemployed. Post-graduates stand the chance of a university lectureship.
But those who come here tend to be less concerned with their prospects of advancement than their incomes. Salaries, which may be considered ordinary by teachers from other countries, are very attractive to South African teachers. Income tax is low and a good standard of living is possible on the average cram-school salary. The government intends to pay foreign teachers even more than the cram schools do, but the requirements for the government positions will be stricter than those for cram schools.
Don’t start packing your chopsticks yet. Officially, to teach in a cram school you need to have a passport from an English-speaking country, speak English as your first language, and have a degree. Unofficially, you need to be white or Chinese and have a degree from somewhere other than Unisa. Even if you do satisfy the official and unofficial requirements, don’t expect life here to be too easy. Many find it hard to adapt to the culture, inside and outside of school.
After I got over the culture shock, I really began to enjoy living here. I have many Taiwanese friends and I have learnt a lot about Asian culture from them. I have also learnt much about the relationship between Taiwan and South Africa since I arrived. Taiwanese friends have mentioned how disappointed their government was with South Africa when our country suddenly cut off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in the mid-1990s. Surely the valuable contribution South Africa is making to the English-teaching industry here (and hopefully, in the long term, to the Taiwanese economy) with so many of its graduates coming over, has made a positive difference to this
relationship as well.
— Clare Rothwell,
Taipei County, Taiwan