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Living in Taiwan: Seven Reasons Why It's Good to Be Here


Chinese New Year can be a pretty boring time for a foreigner. All of my friends were celebrating with their families, and since I have no family here, nor have I a girlfriend whose family I could join, I had nothing special to do. Shops and cafes were closed - apart from big chains like McDonald's or Starbucks, which were overcrowded anyway. So I had a lot of time to think.

On Saturday evening I went out to buy my dinner. While I was walking around, I heard the voices of the people inside their homes, the sounds of their New Year celebrations. Then I suddenly asked myself: "What on earth are you doing here? Why are you still in Taiwan?" 

Before I came to Taiwan, some Taiwanese friends of mine had recommended me their country, highly prasing it and going so far as to say that Taiwan is a "paradise for foreigners" (bear in mind that when I say foreigners I mean 'Westerners'). 

"It's easy for foreigners to find a job," they argued. "Taiwanese are nice to foreigners and treat them better than they treat each other." Others stressed the fact that Taiwan is cheap and there's a lot of great food. Others again talked about "girls who like foreigners." 

Some of these praises I found not to be true - but I will talk about it in another post. Right now I would like to explain why in my view it is indeed good to live in Taiwan.

1 - Taiwan Is a Great Place to Experience Chinese Culture


Well, this statement is quite complicated, because many Taiwanese don't want to be Chinese. Still, despite all the political differences between Taiwan and the PRC, I think it's undeniable that Taiwan is a centre of Chinese culture. People speak Chinese, have Chinese customs, religion and architecture etc. So, if you want to learn Mandarin, Taiwan is a nice place to do it. True, nowadays mainland China is more dynamic and polarizing. But Taiwan is a little bit easier for Western people to live in. Why? Let me explain:

- Taiwan is way smaller than China, which means that its big cities are not much more crowded than in the West. Taipei, for example, is comparable in size to big European cities (around 6 millions in the whole metropolitan area), while cities like Beijing or Shanghai have around 20 million people. That's a big difference, isn't it? 








- Taiwan has a high per capita income and relative income equality. It means that the lifestyle and the standard of living are comparable to those in the West. In China, on the contrary, you have wealth and poverty coexisting side by side in deep contrast. China is a developing country with many challenges ahead, so its way of life and material conditions may be difficult for Westerners to cope with. We should also not underestimate the fact that China is still partially a rural society and that only a few decades ago the majority of the Chinese people were peasants. For people who come from countries like the US, Great Britain or Germany, which industrialized long ago, this might be hard to understand; but we should always remember that the rural way of life, as opposed to the sophisticated urban life of rich countries, might be one reason why the behaviour of some Chinese, including the "new rich", seems to us quite rude and unrefined. 

- Taiwan is a democracy. Well, many Westerners are obsessed with democracy and are deeply anti-Communist, which makes it hard for them to live in China. When a Chinese says: "I'm a member of the Communist party," Westerners give a start. Overall, Westerners don't mind to see in shops portraits of Chiang Kai-shek (at Taipei airport, for instance, there are teapots and plates with Chiang's image), but they are deeply disturbed by depictions of Mao - mostly because the first was 'our' ally and the latter was 'our' enemy. Anyway, I myself believe in democracy, so it's good that in Taiwan you have rule of law, elections, free media and internet (that's why I can write this post; in mainland China blogger, along with many other sites like Twitter or Facebook, is blocked, which is annoying). 
Nevertheless, I'd like to warn Westerners that democracy alone doesn't make countries similar or compatible to Western culture by magic. Taiwanese culture is deeply different from the West's. It is a fallacy to assume that because Taiwan has elections and free media it is "Westernized". It's unquestionable that the influence of the West on Taiwan and Asia in general has been strong. But this word "Westernization", as far as I can judge, is often used in very superficial terms. To name just a few examples, in Taiwan marriage, family or even ideas like freedom and equality are not necessarily the same as in the West (read my posts about marriage and family). But that's not all. If you think about it, you might find out that even very simple concepts like 'respect', 'love', 'politeness', 'sacrifice' etc., have a different meaning from the one you're used to. So, don't overestimate the cultural importance of political labels.

Overall, because Taiwan began to industrialize much earlier than mainland China, it doesn't have the sharp social contrasts and inequality you can see in China. Besides, over the last two decades Taiwan has become a democracy, For these reasons, living in Taiwan might be easier for foreigners than living in mainland China. Taiwan is therefore a great window to the Chinese-speaking world.  

2 - It's Easy for Westerners to Find a Job


This is true if you hold a passport from an English-speaking country. Then you can do what the majority of foreigners do here: work as an English teacher. 

Teaching English in Taiwan is apparently relatively easy. Many cram schools hire people who have no teaching qualification (though I think they must have a bachelor's degree). English teachers have an easy life compared to a great part of the local population. We have to bear in mind that Taiwan is a country with some of the longest working hours in the world and a widespread culture of unpaid overtime. Given the things I heard from Taiwanese people, working here is very stressful, most especially in the IT industry. A report from CNN says it all:

"The annual working hours for Taiwanese employees eclipses many industrialized nations, according to figures from the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) and the OECD. On average, the Taiwanese work 2,200 hours annually; 20% more than their counterparts in the United States or Japan and more than 35% longer than those in Germany" (note)

Against this backdrop, working as a teacher in Taiwan is a paradise, because you have Western-style working hours and the pay is decent. So it's true that many Western teachers here can have a comfortable, relaxed lifestyle.








If you're not a native speaker of English, like me, things are very different. You may consider finding a 'normal' job, but you must accept the stress and long working hours (and the overtime) attached to it. I've heard that foreigners get a higher pay than locals, which I have no data to confirm, though. I guess it depends on the company and the boss. I heard bosses tend to see foreigners as an 'added value'. Moreover, recognizing the cultural differences, Taiwanese bosses may not treat their foreign employees like they treat their Taiwanese employees. 

3 - Many Taiwanese Think Foreigners are 'Cool'


This seems to be true. For many decades, Taiwanese have been taught that English is necessary and speaking English is not just cool but also extremely useful for their job; many Taiwanese seem to be imbued with myths about Western civilization. 

I'm generalizing, but there are definitely many Taiwanese who think it's cool and useful (because they can speak English and know more about the West) to have a Western friend or a Western boyfriend/girlfriend. 

Taiwanese hold foreigners in high esteem; first of all because of the economy (the West, and Japan, were the example Taiwanese wanted to follow). Then, the very existence of Taiwan depended on American support, because the PRC constantly proclaimed they wanted to invade it. So, admiring the West, and particularly the US, and finding Western things cool was and still is part of the zeitgeist.

Decades of wrong economic policies, however, are beginning to compromise the image of the West, so perhaps some day this 'love for all things Western' will be gone. Nevertheless, it is true that as a Westerner you get a lot of attention and this might be a good feeling for some people. 

4 - Taiwanese are Polite


Yes, they are. People will be nice to you, they won't shout at you or be rude. But wait, it's not that simple... 

We must first of all understand what Taiwanese politeness is about. I would  bluntly describe Taiwanese politeness as a distant, ceremonious indifference. I must point out that politeness and friendliness are two different things. Friendliness is heartfelt, politeness isn't. 

Generally speaking, Taiwanese have two different attitudes towards strangers: 1- indifference; 2- politeness. These two kinds of behaviour depend on different situations. Let me give you two examples to show it.

1) I was sitting on a plane a few weeks ago. There were two Taiwanese mothers with their children sitting in front of me. During the flight, the children began watching the Gangnam style video on their tablets. The music was really loud and it bothered not just me, but also other passengers, who from time to time cast angry looks on the children. But they did not say a word. The typical Taiwanese attitude in such a case is: do nothing. No one told those two mothers that it was rude and disrespectful to let their children play music loudly. In Germany, someone would definitely have told the mothers something like: "Excuse me, but it's really loud. Could tell your children to stop?" But in Taiwan, no one says anything. They simply endure it. This is what I call the "it's-non-of-my-business" attitude. As I said, strangers simply act as though they did not perceive what others were doing, unless it's absolutely necessary for them to intervene. You can see this on the street: people walk and drive as though they were the only ones around. 

2) Politeness is an attitude of more or less cold ceremoniousness. In Taiwan, politeness is usually confined to strangers. When people know each other well, they won't be polite. That doesn't mean they are not nice, but they are definitely not polite. Within the family, instead of politeness there is something I would call "familial piety". To put it plainly: the attitude of the shop girl who tries to sell you a product by putting on a standard smile and using a high-pitch voice is not the same thing as the attitude that a son might have to his parents or a nephew to his uncle. The first is a ceremonious business ritual; the second is based on family ties, which is a relationship that is completely different from the one you have with a perfect strangers like a shop clerk. 

It is therefore true that people here will be polite. While in Germany or Europe in general even strangers may mind your business or be rude to you, in Taiwan they usually won't do that. As a foreigner, we are of course subject to particular attention, but this attention is most of the times positive and benign. So far, except for a bus driver at Taipei bus station, no stranger has ever been rude to me. But, as I said in one of my earlier posts, what we can call rudeness may exist between close friends and family members. 

5 - Taiwanese Girls


I will devote a whole post to this (very old) subject. For now, I will just say that, as far as I could see, there is a specific group of Taiwanese girls that are really into Western men. It is truly one of the most peculiar and fascinating things here in Taiwan; and perhaps one of the most inexplicable. You see pretty young girls literally throwing themselves into the arms of some foreign guy. 

I once went to a club. I was doing nothing at all. I was simply standing at the bar drinking my cocktail. In Europe, no one would have talked to me. But in Taipei, six girls approached me, and two of them were so hot and wore so tiny clothes that I had already noticed them dancing on the dance floor. 

One reason why some Taiwanese have a bad opinion of foreigners is exactly that it is widely known what (some) foreigners do at night. But this phenomenon is so conspicuous that Taiwanese tend to generalize and think all foreigners go clubbing and then take girls home. That isn't the case. Many foreigners do not go clubbing, and many Taiwanese do not either. But those who do it polarize the attention, hence the bad reputation. 

If you're a male who likes clubbing and girls, well - you'd better come and see with your own eyes. I met a Western guy some time ago, who is definitely not very handsome and in Europe probably didn't have much success with girls. In Taiwan, whenever he goes clubbing, he "scores".  








6 - The Weather


Have you ever gone out in shorts in the middle of February? Well, in Taiwan you can. The most interesting thing about the Taiwanese weather is that it is mild and extremely changeable. The temperature rarely goes above 37 and rarely below 15. In Taipei, the average temperature is 19 degrees in the winter and slightly above 30 in the summer. 

The best thing about the weather is that the temperature fluctuates a lot. For example, the summer can be quite hot and humid. But it's not hot every day. Very often it gets cooler, for example 26, 28 degrees. There are also many typhoons during the summer, which bring cool air and wind.  

Only to give you a comparison: in my home country Italy in the summer every day is hot. You have to endure the scorching heat for about three months. In some parts of the country, the temperature can even reach 45 degrees, though rarely. In Taiwan, when it's cold, you know that within a couple of days it will get warmer. When it's hot, you know that in a week or in a few days it will get cooler or there will be a typhoon. 

So, it's not a continuous, long-lasting cold or heat, and there are no unbearable extremes. Having said that, it's true that the summer can be quite challenging, but I guess not as much as in Hong Kong, Singapore or Shanghai.  

7 - The Food


The food is one of the great strengths of Taiwan. Well, not if you don't like Chinese food, of course. But I personally love it. Chinese food is extremely various, you will never stop discovering new dishes wherever you go. Besides, I guess that Taiwan is a paradise for vegetarians and vegans. In fact, Taiwan, like other countries with a long Buddhist tradition, developed over the centuries a Buddhist vegan cuisine that is really delicious. 





Comments

  1. I'm really agree about your view ''Taiwanese are Polite.''
    And your two examples, especially "it's-non-of-my-business" attitude, just describe it so well!hahaha :)
    It's really surprised me that Chinese New Year can be a pretty boring time for a foreigner. And I realized why after read your blog. thx!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Dantou,

    sorry for replying so late to your comment! I've just checked your blog, perhaps I can read it to improve my Chinese - which is getting worse by the day: (

    Indeed, during Chinese New Year I can't think of many things we foreigners can do. I thought maybe I could go clubbing with other foreigners, but first, I don't like clubbing, and second, I can't imagine Taiwanese going clubbing instead of gathering with their family at home. What do you think?

    Have a nice day: )

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello,
    I am an American male living in Taiwan.. How old are you and where are you from? I enjoy reading about your experiences in Taiwan.. It would be cool to meet up for a coffee or something?

    swross@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi! I am currently in Hong Kong, but when I go back to Taiwan, sure. How long will you be staying there? Have a nice weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I m staying here for the last two years and I can say everything written here in this blog is true..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi, nice blog. I lived in Taiwan (Taichung) for 2 years about 10 years ago and I've been thinking of going back. I sort of miss it. I agree with what you describe, very accurate and true. I'm from the UK so I was teaching English. I really enjoyed it, met quite a few people and still to this day I'm still in touch with a few of my then students. I'm a male so the ones still in touch with me, for things like sending me a birthday message or the odd email are female former students.

    How's the situation through the eyes of a foreigner over there? I mean, I know the economy is doing reasonable OK, as compared to the most of the West that is, but the lifestyle. Has it changed a lot from 10 years ago? I know you've been there quite a while thus my question.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I enjoyed this post. :) Thanks! I plan to visit Taiwan probably early next year. I am looking forward to the food :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Jinky, thanks for your comment. I hope you will enjoy visiting Taiwan, it is certainly one of the most interesting places to see in Asia and an entirely underrated tourist destination.

    ReplyDelete
  9. @anonymous - sorry for reply late to your question. Well, I have been in Taiwan for just about one year and a half, so I can't really compare the present situation to 10 years ago. I would say that the Taiwanese economy is still reasonably dynamic, most especially when compared to the economies of Western countries. But I've heard the overall situation for foreigner teachers is somewhat worsening. The demand is still high, but it seems that due to the economic crisis more people from English-speaking countries are coming here. But since you already worked and lived in Taiwan, I think you won't have problems finding a job right now.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi, great post. My husband may have to stay in Taiwan for a year ( if his company chooses Taiwan company for their project consultant). Glad I found your blog as I may have to accompany him along when the time comes.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, Great Post! What you wrote truly reflects the current condition in Taiwan. I just left Taipei yesterday. Will he going back again soon
    I am currently looking for a job in Taipei. Any advice on this matter?
    I am from a Malaysia.

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  12. Omg I'm really lovin' your write up on Taiwan,I mean,as a Taiwanese lol
    I love the Chinese culture,food,and weather parts.They are the best things about taiwan tbqh,imo.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you all for your comments : )

    @Helangmerah: I wish you all the best for your experience in Taiwan, I am sure you will have a great year!
    @Elros: Unfortunately, I can't really give you any advice on how to find a job. I can only advise you to search on websites like www.1111.com.tw, www.104.com.tw, or tealit. Good luck to you!
    @gain al: Thanks a lot for your positive feedback : )

    ReplyDelete
  14. i can't believe I didn't find this blog earlier. love it

    ReplyDelete
  15. sean@xinosys Thanks a lot and welcome : )

    ReplyDelete
  16. It is so true...and thanks for the accurate and insightful description of the politeness. I think I confused both myself and my american husband when he defended me not being rude but just being polite. I clearly know that I did not have respect to someone but I would just be "polite", but people I treated felt the distance and somehow rudeness. Now I can accurately delivery and explain my husband that the politeness is "ceremonial and distant", which is completely different from the way I treat my family, and that I am not weird or rude.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Aris,

    I'm from Indonesia, and i was offered to work at one of tech corp in Hsinchu Taiwan. I just wondering and have some thought about my life there. how can i survive with no ability to speak in chinese at all? or it can be learned automatically as times goes by there?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. You must be fairly young. Chiang Kai Shek was NOT a nice guy. He was a corrupt dictator whom the U.S saved. Mao saved and united China. Granted, he and his compatriots did many horrible things, mostly out of ignorance in the 1950s and then horrific things under the Cultural Revolution. So, too did the U.S. versus Negro Slaves, Indians, Immigrants, and regards to Latin America. You may have forgotten about Mussolini or did you not study him? Italy for hundreds of years was engaged in warfare of one kind or another and engaged in slave trade as well. The Popes were corrupted and city-states were constantly at war or engaged in competition leading to real viciousness.

    This is NOT to defend Mao but I please don't hold Chiang up as some nice guy. Read your history.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Also, please see my essay "10 reasons why Taiwan is not good for dating or social life". It's very intellectual and well written with many good points.
    http://blog.happierabroad.com/2013/01/10-reasons-why-taiwan-is-not-good-for.html

    PS - I hope you're not a liberal mangina who censors out all critical comments. If so, that's lame. Truth seekers don't do that. I never do that on my blogs or forums.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Winston I do not censor all critical comments (you can clearly see that in my comment section,), but I categorically refuse to publish comments with offensive content. I want my blog to be a place where people discuss about arguments and do not attack each other. So, please rephrase your comment, and avoid expressions like "what do you smoke?" and the like. If your comment has a respectful language I will publish it even if you criticise the content of my post. Thanks for your understanding.

      Delete
  20. Btw, if you want friendly and open girls, you should come to America. Here the girls are very open, flirtatious and wild, just like you see in the movies. haha (sarcastic tone)

    Just kidding of course. Anyway, you should mention that flirtation in Taiwan is a taboo. Just like in America. You are allowed to flirt with your girlfriend or wife, but not with strangers. That's what Taiwan and America have in common, a non-flirtatious culture. If you love to flirt with strangers, like me, you're better off in many European countries, Russia and its surrounding republics, and Latin America of course. But anyone knows that flirtation in Taiwan is taboo. You can't deny that. Even you would have to admit that. It's the most obvious thing in the world. I swear.

    ReplyDelete
  21. By "American" and "Western" and "foreign" you mean White. Taiwanese, like most asians, worship whites. If you're a Black foreigner, you get treated like shit.

    ReplyDelete
  22. One thing I like about Taiwan is that they focus on small-medium size businesses rather than the big mall frenzy you see in China. Plus they have more respect for Chinese culture than the communist party because the Party are intent on destroying their traditional heritage in favour of Western culture. Please reply if you agree.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I think Taiwan has many medium and small size enterprises, but it also has huge corporations like Foxconn, Asus, Acer etc.
      As to the cultural point: I think it's a paradox that many Taiwanese on the one hand say that Taiwan is not Chinese, but on the other hand they are proud of preserving Chinese culture better than the Chinese. I think they should decide if they are not Chinese, or if they are more Chinese than the mainlanders.

      Delete
  23. Thanks for your blog.. I already have an idea about taiwanese people. I was planning to work there (Taichung) this coming July. Thanks a lot:)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I've been looking into what it's like for an American visiting Taiwan and came across this posting. Very informative, I must say! I'm a student majoring in TESOL and will most likey be visiting Taiwan in the summer of 2015 to teach English in a program for about 3 weeks. I'm VERY excited and can't wait to sign up! Thank you for posting your experiences so I could catch a glimpse of what to expect.

    ReplyDelete
  25. ELS teacher earn higher income than many of Tiawanese. So high standard of living is possible. However, I do not think specially female income is higher enough and fair there.

    ReplyDelete

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