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.)