The Gloria Experience Part 2: Initial difficulties

Three current Gloria teachers share what was most difficult just after arriving in Taiwan 

[Note: teachers' names have been changed to allow them to speak freely about a current employer.]

What was most difficult at the beginning?

Teacher Cindy:

I remember realizing how far away home and everything I’d grown up with was. I’d have a moment of shock walking down the street and feel like “Wow. I’m not at home” and “Why are people looking at me?”

It was hard to get used to people staring at me. It’s not something we do in America. People are more politically correct back home - they may glance and look away. Here, people have no problem gawking. I felt so self-concious. You’re trying to dive in to a culture and immerse yourself and become familiar with the people, but while you’re trying to do that, people are treating you like you’re so different.

Mosquitoes sucked balls for the first two months I was here. I don’t know how they were getting in. I’d wake up and having mosquitoes biting me. I ended up getting a net for my bed, which worked. 

My friend who had lived here said it was really dirty. I remember walking down Tong-An Street an hour after I arrived. It smelled like shit, like actual poop. I thought “I’ve never been in a place like this place.” 

Also, I wasn’t prepared for the heat. If you’re from an area that doesn’t have high humidity, be prepared for that. 

Teacher Debby:

Getting around before I had a scooter was difficult. Having to cab everywhere wasn’t fun.

Nothing was too difficult. There were so many teachers to help with everything. 

Teacher Tom:

The money situation was what really bothered me in the first month or two. I had brought a couple thousand US dollars, so I wasn’t living on the edge, but some of Gloria’s policies really annoyed me.

The gist of Gloria’s system is that you won’t be making much money at all in the first month or so. In the second month you will make a little bit. In the third and fourth months, you will probably start making what you expected. (about 20 hours a week at 20 dollars an hour, less taxes)

For example, Gloria will pay your car fare when you go to observe a class at another branch. But the car fare is 100 NT when the cab fare might be 300 to 500 NT. I was angry because I was actually losing money each time I went to observe.

Getting regular classes is great - it’s your own class. But Gloria holds your pay for regular classes for 2 weeks. Example: you start a class on Tuesday January 1. The first day, you don’t get paid. The second week, January 8, you also don’t get paid. Finally on January 15 you get paid - only for that class - the first two weeks' wages are held until 9 months and 1 year of employment, respectively.

I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky, easygoing person, but the “Performance Bond” two-week hold policy made me quite angry and a little depressed. It sucks to work and not get paid. Also, aside from your personal spending, there are also required things you’ll have to pay for like: your medical exam - needed for work visa, and some costs with getting your visa.

I think Gloria should inform teachers better that you basically don’t get paid during the first month. (If you sub classes, you do get the cash that day, so that can be helpful.)

The Gloria Experience - Part 1 - Initial Arrival

Three current Gloria teachers share their first impressions of the Taoyuan, Tung-An dorm

[Note: teachers' names have been changed to allow them to speak freely about a current employer.]

How was your initial arrival to Taiwan and Gloria?

Teacher Cindy:

I came in during a typhoon. Once I got through customs, I went to go meet [Gloria administrator] Steve. I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people standing there. Flights had been delayed so there were maybe 100 different recruiters from schools holding signs. It was crazy. It was still raining pretty good when he drove us in.

The dorm reminded me a lot of college -  people wandering around. We got in late. My room was shockingly bare - the fluorescents just lit up the empty room. It was really bare - just the essentials - a clothes rack, a desk, a crappy chair and a scary-looking wooden platform bed. I was kind of shocked.

My room felt like no one had lived in it. It didn’t give off any feeling of life. The walls were blank and dirty and the floor was weird looking and the room smelled weird.  

I didn’t buy a mattress set from Gloria - I brought my sheets and a pillow from home. I found some extra mattresses lying around and used those. 

Teacher Debby:

My flight was delayed so I had to spend 24 hours in the Japan airport. United didn’t help me out at all. I got to the airport and Steve was waiting, all smiles, with a sign. He drove me to the dorm. 

Honestly, I was expecting the dorm to be a lot worse. I thought it would be really dirty. It was bigger than I expected it to be. We have lots of space in the common area and kitchen And there are two floors. 

My room was decent size. It was big enough for a bed and a desk and a closet. 

Teacher Tom:

My flight from the states to Taipei went really smoothly - 14 hours. I didn’t stress too much about sleeping or not sleeping on the plane. Steve from Gloria was at the airport in his car and he drove me to the dorm. 

My first shock was seeing my dorm room. It was small (9 x 8 feet) and not very welcoming. In it were a wooden bed, a small wooden desk, and a small, broken cardboard closet. The white walls were dirty, with tape, holes, various marks all over them.

“It’s too late now” was scrawled on the wall. The room definitely freaked me out at first. It seriously creeped me out and I decided to paint the walls as soon as possible. Even after picking up some things to made the room more comfortable, I never felt completely at ease until I had painted the room.

Aside from my Stephen King-esque room, my initial arrival went quite smoothly. The other teachers in the dorm were quite helpful, showing me local restaurants and convenience stores. 

The weather forecast. It didn't actually storm every day.

Teaching at Gloria English School - FAQ

Congratulations! You’ve been hired by Gloria English School to teach English in Taoyuan City, Taiwan. You have met the necessary requirements: 1. having a college degree, 2. having a pulse.

Let’s answer some frequently asked questions:

1. 

Q:  Is Gloria a legit English school?

A: Yup. It is a well-established “buxiban” or cram-school that operates in Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Gloria runs about 18 branches around the county. 

2. 

Q: What is a cram school? 

A: A cram school is a school where students go after their regular classes are finished. Many students study from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at their regular school, then go to one or more cram schools from 3 p.m. to 7 or 9 p.m.

Some cram schools offer help and tutoring in all subjects. At Gloria, we just do English.

3. 

Q: Does Gloria pay on time and reliably?

A: Yes. The starting rate for teachers as of July 2013 is 600 NT (New Taiwan dollars) per hour - $20 per hour. If you teach a two-hour class, you’ll stop at reception on the way out and they will hand you 1200 NT, cash.*

*Each time you start a new class, Gloria holds the first two weeks of your pay as a “performance bond.” This means you will start a class, teach it for two hours, but only get 100 NT from reception as car fare. (Cab fares round-trip to most schools about about 300 - 500 NT.)

4. 

Q: What about the dorms? 

Gloria provides two dorms for teachers to live in. One in the north in Taoyuan City and one in the south - in Jung-Li (Zhong-Li). The dorms are basic but reasonably comfortable. Living in the dorm, you’ll pay a cleaning fee of 1000 NT per month ($33), and you will also pay for your electricity usage. Electricy runs 1000 to 1500 NT in the summer when you’ll be using the AC. 

One small downside of the dorm is having to plug in to an ethernet cord to get Internet. Many modern laptops don’t have an ethernet port anymore. 

5. 

Q: If I work at Gloria, will I be able to travel?

A: Gloria runs classes Monday to Saturday and most teachers work six days a week. Sunday is “day-trip” day when teachers often take the bus to Taipei and its surrounding area. Working six days a week leaves little time for longer trips.

6. 

Q: How's the vacation policy?

A: Gloria promises each teacher 6 - 8 weeks vacation a year. Like any job, you’ll want to request time off as early as possible. It’s not always possible to take the time off you want. Vacation is unpaid, and taking vacation also makes you lose your “attendance bonus” - a monthly bonus for perfect attendance.