Hello all, I am Robert, The offical writer for i-to-i in Indonesia.

What things do you want to know before you come to teach here in Indonesia. Do you want to know how much something is or how easy it is to get to somewhere?

Just let me know and I will help otherwise you can read my blog for constant updates on the goings on in Gading Serpong (where I teach). Also remember I have videos too.

Look forward to answering your questions!

Robert AKA Goose

Well just sent of my application so waiting to here from them, I hope I have everything needed to get the job!

There are allot of questions I could ask like how much help did you get with accommodation and what’s it like? Um………… Do you get on with the other staff you work with? What the dress code at work like? What are some of  the plusses and minuses or day to day life there??

Did you apply via i-to-i?

If you applied via i-to-i and you are coming to Jakarta rather than Bogor accomodation is subsidised if you choose to live in the teachers house, that costs 850,000IDR per month and is taken directly out of your salary before you get it. On top of that there is the house bill for the maid, drinking water, cleaning products etc and that is around 150,000 - 200,000IDR per month.

The dress code is Shirt and tie for the guys and smart dress for the girls, Friday is casual day where you can wear a plain t-shirt and casual trousers or you can ask for a promotional T-Shirt which you can wear on Friday, If you have to work a saturday then same as Friday but jeans are allowed.

The other staff are fine, both local and natives, the native teachers I live with so sometimes can get a little stressful seeing them almost 24hrs a day but we all have our own bedrooms which we retreat to for some alone time or you can go hang out at the mall which is nearby. The local staff are good, they will help you with your Indonesian for example if you need to fill in a form or you get a call from your bank or something just give them your phone they will deal with translations for you. They also often come ask you when they're planning lessons if they have the correct grammar.

Plusses are probably the great weather and cheapness of everything around here, beer is approx. $2 per bottle and you can get a meal in a nice chain restaurant for under $3. We often go to a steak house that serves imported steak from NZ/AUS that is around $4 depending on the cut.

Minusses would be our management team, Staff are great but management tend to be unsure of lots of things when you ask them and deadlines never seem to be met. But dont let that put you off!

Let me know how your application goes, Gusti (The HR guy at EF Swara) will ask you very simple questions such as how would you teach a lesson about travel? (that's what I was asked).

Good Luck and let me know if you have other questions!

Robert

Hi again,

I was wondering have you done a lot of travelling outside of Java? Is it possible to go to Singapore, Bali or other nearby islands at the weekend?

All I know is that I'll be either EF Pluit,Tebet,Puri,Tanjung Duren or Cengkareng.

Thanks

Hi Shan, I haven't done much travelling outside of Java, I went to Singapore to get my visa, that allows you one day of travelling, you dont need to do any waiting for your visa as an agent deals with it.

You can easily travel around using Air Asia (Asia's equivilant of Ryan Air) they are extremely cheap e.g. 200,000 IDR to travel to Ho Chi Minh one-way thats about $20. If you want to leave the country you have to leave a HUGE deposit to guarantee your return but to travel within Indonesia you can easily go at the weekends, if your happy coming back Monday morning from somewhere that's fine as you won't start until around 2pm (most classes start at 3pm). I will be going to Bali at Christmas so I will let you know how that is as due to high cost of the flights I am going by train and bus which will take approx 20hrs but at 1/10 of the cost, and anyway it will be an adventure! haha

Looks like they have missed out Gading Serpong, it could be here too. They gave me the same list and I ended up in Gading Serpong!

Thank you!! I did apply through i-to-i about a wk ago but am only half way through my 120 hour course, am not planed to leave tell March so will def be finished by then. I hope that won’t affect my chances, how long after you applied did you hear from them?

It won't affect your chances at all, the school i-to-i works with here is the largest private language school in Indonesia and they are always looking for teachers! After I have applied and i-to-i had recieved all the documents the HR manager here (Gusti) contacted me via email to arrange a suitable time to call.

I applied to i-to-i on 5th Feb, Gusti sent his first email on 17th Feb and I arrived here 26th March after volunteering in Spain. As I say the fact you don't want to start until March is no big deal, Shanshan who has also posted here is not starting until February and she has been offered a contract.

If you want to do some volunteer work before you come like I did check out Vaughan or Pueblo Ingles they are two companies who do exactly the same program (used to be same company but split), They teach English on a masters program and each week they have special conversation practice for their students that lasts 5 days for Vaughan and 7 days for PI, it is in a 5 star hotel in various parts of spain, usually the countryside. All you pay for is getting to Madrid and pre/post Madrid accomodation, they provide you with transfers to the program and 5* accomodation (your own room), 3 course meals etc in return for you speaking to their students. You should check it out as it gives you a chance to practice slowing down your voice and explaining idioms and other nicities of the English language. You also get a certificate afterwards!

It is fun, I signed up for 2 weeks in a row and went to Cazorla which was really nice the hotel was first class! Yeah the ryan air flights are really cheap if you get their free flight deal like me! I enjoyed every minute of it and although it can be tiring because the venue I was at was very hilly it is rewarding, We sometimes just walked to the town square had a beer and tapas and then went back to the hotel, you have 1 hour with each Spaniard and doing that gives more than enough time! I totally reccommend you do it!!!

The certificate just says you volunteered xx number of hours speaking. Not a TEFL certificate or the like but it is good to show schools who you apply to, 'Oh yeah I did some volunteer work in Spain, here is my certificate' it really bodes well when talking about it during the interview! What venue do you think you will choose as your first choice?

Yeah that makes perfect sense, I remember reading about the old days when volunteer meant do something for someone else for free, now everywhere you look you must pay to volunteer! haha

I have a friend who I met at Vaughan, I think, who does the PI and Vaughan about once a month. She has a flexible job I think but if you can why not I say! My plan was to work in Spain, Incidentally they also have vancacies to teach their courses, And then do these programs 3 out of 4 weeks a month, travelling and resting for the 1 week in between until I found work, great food and no money worries! But whilst at Pueblo Ingles I was offered the position here in Indonesia! So I jumped at the chance!!!

I saw Pueblo Inglés advertise on gumtree a few days ago I think they have some type of recruitment day on saturday. I applied to i-to-i for Indonesia in early September and had my phone interview in October and found out I got the job the following day. Gusti is really nice as we had trouble talking to each other as the line was bad. You seem really enthusiastic so Im sure you will get the job.

Yeah, Gusti is nice. I have only met him once when I went to sign my contract.

Hello Robert,

Just wondering if you know anything about any good schools in Yogyakarta or Padang?  Been doing some research and at the moment they're the cities that look the most tempting to me.  I've applied to Real English Yogyakarta and Elite English Institute Padang but having trouble finding contact details for other schools.  Any advice would be helpful.  Also, do you get to surf much where you are?  I'd like to keep up surfing when I go out to Indonesia.  Hence Padang. :)

Thanks

Red

Hi,

Just a health related question for you!  Is malaria restrictive to travelling around Indonesia?  I looked online and it said Jakarta was malaria free but everywhere else needed anti-malarials?  Just wondered if you have taken meds out with you or not.

Cheers.

Wow, lots of interesting info!

To be honest i hadn't really considered Indonesia as an option until everywhere i was reading about, namely China and Japan..even Thailand all wanted me to have a degree in teaching. I don't have this unfortunately but am desperate to teach English and after looking at Indonesia online i can't believe how beautiful and fun it looks.

My boyfriend and I are looking to relocate and move to Indonesia, completing our TEFL's in the next couple of weeks probably through the placement service. What do you think our chances are of obtaining work without having a degree?

Thanks :)

Hey Everyone,

Just got offered a job with EF in Jakarta starting in June!! Mega nervous but excited too!!

I've one quick, tiny almost insignificant question!! In the accomodation they provide is there any form of Internet at all?? Cheers!

Also would be great to get in touch with anyone who is already over there or going over soon so if anyone is then drop me a message!! I know from my profile I look like a complete randomer but I've some problem with my chalkboard and it wont allow me to update anything on it, they'll  hopefully have it sorted soon!! I do have a photo up though :)

For what it's worth I don't think the question about internet in the teacher housing is insignificant at all.  I'd like to know that as well. 

Also, does anyone know roughly how long after you arrive is the visa sorted out?  And does the working visa only come into affect on the day you actually start work?

Hello  I was just wondering about visa requirements for Indonesia , I have done some research on the mis-information highway and cant seem to get a solid answer ! do you absolutely need a degree ( bachelors , or alike ) to work in Indonesia , some sites say no and others say the government has now changed the law so it is a must ?  

thank you

Hi Robert,

I have a question concerning the progress of my TEFL-course. Momentarily I have a rough schedule of leaving to Indonesia in the beginning of November (no plane booked yet). Althought i donnot know whether I will be able to finish the course on time and apply for job and these kind of things. What would be a reasonable time to take into mind? How much time is there between receiving a TEFL-certificate, applying for a job and the actual day of the first TEFL-lesson abroad?

I hope you can help me with this question,

Kinds regards,

Joris (Holland)

I just recently turned 18 and thinking about doing a TEFL Course. I am already sick of the same routine day in and day out and I want a change.

I just have a few questions before I start the course. I really want to travel and teach in China I can speak fluent English but I doubt my spelling a bit and I think if I'll have trouble with it, As in if they come to check on a few words with me and I don't know if its right what am I ment to do lol?

Hi Robert

How does the whole application process work?  I am quite interested in applying for job placement in Indonesia and I will be coming from the US so I was just wondering what kind of things I will need to have ready to send if necessary.

Thanks

Celeste

Hi Celeste, If you want to work in Indonesia or anywhere else for that matter, you will need to have a copy of your passport, degree (if you have one), TEFL certificate, any high school certificates, photograph, and your CV.

Hi Robert,

From your posts it seems that a lot of people are placed with EF. I had previously contacted EF before I found i to i and was told by them that they require a university degree for their teachers. How will the lack of a degree (I have 3 years of college in the US) effect my ability to get a good teaching position in Indonesia?

Thanks,

Mark

Hi Robert, (or anyone else that can answer this question for me),

I recently finished my 140 hour TEFL course and am currently looking for a job in Indonesia or South Korea. However it seems that I'm required to possess an American, British, Australian etc... passport. I only have my Dutch passport, but I speak English fluently, have experience in teaching English to children in Indonesia (although this was part of a voluntary project), I can speak Indonesian and I do have a degree (in Communications). Is the passport required in order to get my KITAS, or is this something they prefer, but they might find less important as soon as they realise that my English is fluent? Do you know if it is even possible for someone with only a Dutch passport to find a job as an English teacher in Asia? Please let me know.

Thanks, 

Linda