Before I came to Taiwan I did a ton of research to find out what life would be like here. I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect when I got here and in many ways I did have a much better idea than people who had just shown up barely knowing anything about Taiwan.
However, despite all my research on Taiwan there were actually several things I didn’t really understand (either I got bad information or I just never though about them). I thought it would be a great time to discuss the 5 things I wish I knew before moving to Taiwan to teach English.
1. You can’t just walk off the plane and have a job the next day
Ok, seriously, this needs to stop. So many people email us and ask whether getting a job is really that easy. It’s not even close to being that easy and anyone who tells you that you can just walk off the plane and start working in a few days is either lying or an idiot. Yes, it can happen and I know a few people who have landed here during the middle of the week and had a job lined up starting the following Monday. But I know far (far far) more people who have come here and it’s taken them a few weeks and occasionally a couple months to find a job.
This is why I wrote a post about how much money you should save before you come to Taiwan. Finding a job quickly often depends on when you come. If you come during the peak season it’s relatively easy to get a job (although it still could take a few weeks). But if you arrive in let’s say November or April, then lining up a job will almost certainly take far longer and there will be less decent jobs available. Read my post here about the best time to come to Taiwan.
2. The notion of Taiwanese students as quiet, reserved and respectful to teachers isn’t exactly right
Did you ever watch those TV specials on students in Asia growing up? I did, and in each one they talked about how nice and respectful the students were in classes. They portrayed the kids as studious and hardworking and rarely getting out of line. When I was coming here to teach I expected students to be great in class and always willing to listen with excitement as I taught them English.
If you are expecting the same then I have news for you — it’s not like that at all. Now I should point out that I’m not saying it’s the opposite (kids are rude and disrespectful), rather that the image of reserved and diligent students isn’t really true. The kids here are very similar in many ways to kids in the West. You have some great students who will really want to learn and will be polite and respectful, you’ll have some troublemakers, and you’ll have some students who hate being there, but are being forced to come by their parents. Some classes I loved teaching because the students were great and other classes I dreaded either because the students got out of control at times or because getting answers out of kids was like pulling teeth.
Having said that, I will say that the kids here are definitely better behaved overall than most American kids.
3. Taiwan has everything you need – Don’t bring extra stuff
When I first moved to Taiwan I remember debating endlessly about what to pack. I had two suitcases and I felt like I needed to pack as much as I possibly could from clothes to random medicines. I’m here to give you great news if you are also debating what to pack for Taiwan. Don’t worry about it because Taiwan has 99% of whatever you could possibly want.
Taiwan isn’t some backwater country with nothing in it. Rather, it is an extremely developed and relatively wealthy country and you will be able to find almost everything you could possibly need.
There may not always be the selection that there is in the West (i.e. there are only a few deodorant brands here), but in general you can find something suitable for whatever you need. There are a few exceptions to this (i.e. if you are bigger you may find it difficult to get clothing or shoes here). In the worst case scenario your family or friends can ship it to you here (the mail system is extremely reliable).
So stop worrying about what to pack and just bring the essentials and buy stuff here if needed.
4. Learning the language will be hard and you can’t just pick it up as you go
I have studied a variety of languages, including Spanish, French and Czech and I figured Chinese would be the most difficult. But I had also heard from people that if you get a language exchange you can pick up the basics relatively easily.
In reality, I’ve found that the only way to learn Chinese is to either take classes or set up a regimented study schedule. It’s nearly impossible for me (and most other people I’ve talked to) to just pick up Chinese in daily interactions or while casually meeting a language exchange.
Chinese is simply too different of a language to just pick it up as you go and you really need to be dedicated to learning it or you probably won’t. Language exchanges or interactions with Taiwanese friends can still be useful, but I don’t know anyone who has learned Chinese this way. Everyone I know who has developed an intermediate level of proficiency or higher has studied in classes and then maybe used friends or language exchanges as reinforcement.
5. You will want to stay in Taiwan for more than one year
A lot of people come to Taiwan with plans to stay a year and the head back home. And probably about 50% of the people that come to teach English in Taiwan do stay only for a year. But the other 50% stay here quite a bit longer and it isn’t unusual to meet people like me and Tim who have been here 5-10 years.
There are many benefits to staying another year or two and I always recommend that people stay longer if they can. You can save a lot more money in your second or third year than you can in your first year (you won’t have start up costs and you’ll be settled into life). This can make a big difference and I know people who have stayed 2 or 3 years and have gone home with a lot of money saved. You will also be able to travel a lot more and can take time off between teaching contracts.
One of the reasons I came to Taiwan was to be able to explore Asia. If I had stayed only a year I wouldn’t have gotten to see much. It really wasn’t until my second and third year in Taiwan that I had the time and money to travel a lot more.
Wrap Up
Moving to Taiwan was one of the best decisions I have made and I really enjoy living here. Still, I wish I had known the 5 things above as it would have made life a little easier. Let us know if you have any questions about what life here is really like.
I just want to say what I great site this is. I am interested in teaching English in Taiwan have been reading your various posts over the last several days and find them very informative as a kind of entry point on what to expect, how to even get a job, where to teach/cities, cultural issues, etc. Thanks for doing this!
im moving to taipei to attend national chengchi university this was very helpful
I have a concern. First off, I am someone who behaves myself. I try to avoid conflicts with everybody. However. When I was in china. I learned this. When a foreigner gets into a physical confrontation with a local chinese person. Other chinese will jump in and attack the foreigner as well. One foreigner had an E-bike accident with a local. The local started getting aggressive. The foreigner tried to avoid the fight. But the chinese guy started throwing punches. Next thing, a whole bunch of locals started punching and kicking the foreigner from all angles. They were shouting in English “revenge for the chinese people”.
This is how things are in china. But how about Taiwan? Are there many Taiwanese with the “us vs them” mentality? What would happen if a foreigner in Taiwanended up in a physical confrontation with a local? Would other Taiwanese blindly assume it’s the foreigners fault and attack the foreigner as well?
What part of China you in? I’ve heard those stories too, but they usually involve a drunk (usually rude) foreigner stumbling around at night. I spent my last few summers doing research in China, and have found people there to be generally friendly. You may get yelled at for something you do accidentally, but as long as there is no physical damage (which usually can be helped if you pay for it) Chinese will generally leave you alone, if not to call you an idiot in Chinese.
I was in zhejiang and sichuan province. Yes locals are usually okay. However there is a silent racism towards us. You kinda have to be living there a while to really feel it. Another example is this video here. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yossCxSAhjc many chinese wanted to beat up the foreigner. And maybe he deserved it. But the point is this. If this was a chinese person who did what the foreigner did. Nobody would care. The only reason so many people care is because it was a foreigner. I just want to know if Taiwanese are the same way towards us.
Another thing. During the time I was in china, This is what happened to me. (Just a few examples). In Deyang, Sichuan. I was with two girls. Just happened to meet them, they were friendly. We went to eat. Two guys approached us being friendly and all. Got our cell numbers and we agreed to go to KTV on the weekend. I call them all on that afternoon. Nobody responds. I talk with one of the two guys later and they said they went out that night. I asked why they didn’t call me as originally planned. They told me to get lost. Little obvious why they approached us in the first place. In that same city, had two different girlfriends. When we were together. People gave them the evil eye. I had a few similar things happen almost anywhere I was. Socially I was isolated. Lonely. Was lucky if I had someone to talk to. Living in a bigger city, you have a little more chance at meeting long term friends.
Again, I just want to get a good idea of what Taiwan is like BEFORE I come.
I have never been to China but I have been to Taiwan twice and have plans for another two trips. Both trips I went to Taipei, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, about one week each trip; that’s very short. I have never witnessed any anger except one case of mild road rage in a group of motorbikes during peak hour in Kaohsiung. I have been impressed by kindness though; when I was last in Kaohsiung, a railway staff member helped me with my luggage from the platform to outside the station and a little beyond the exit, all with a smile, and I hadn’t even asked for assistance. It was very nice. Perhaps, network with people before you go to China or Taiwan. Use Facebook and other networking sites to make contacts before you go; the earlier the better to get to know each other. For years I’ve worked with Taiwanese people in Australia, that was my motivation for going there. If you want to wing it and find contacts when you get there, then that is your choice, and the experience will be different than networking online first. But if you really want to go somewhere and don’t want to be socially isolated then I suggest you network before you get there as a starting point and then wing it from there. It also helps a lot to network locally where you live with people whose home country you are visiting. Ideally, find someone who has just moved to your area who is from Taiwan, that way you can help them get to know your area and they can help you with Taiwan.
Hello! Thank you for this article, it’s very helpful. I’m wondering about getting part time work teaching English in Taiwan. Does it exist? I’m currently researching moving to Taiwan to do volunteer work and support myself by teaching English 2-3 days per week. Would most of this type of work be private tutoring, or would contracts be available too?
Many thanks
Tina
Clothing and shoes sold in Taiwan tend to be smaller sizes. If you wear shirts larger than an M and especially if you wear size L, XL or larger it will be very difficult to find clothes.
I’ve done a little shopping for sporting clothes in Singapore and Taiwan, mostly for footwear, but the only time I had an issue was when looking for size 11-14 socks in Singapore. I found that Momentum in Taiwan (similar to Rebel Sport in Australia) had all the clothes and sizes I needed. I bought two large shirts and one pair of slides; but then that was Taipei. Could be less choice in other cities.
Thanks much! I found most of this out in Japan, but Taiwan is different and I thank you for providing this info so I can move! Especially just to bring essentials!