Job Discussion Forums

mep3 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 212

I definitely agree that Miyazaki rocks. He's given me a lot of good info too.

mep

chienkun · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 16 Location: Southern California

Of course Tienmu has many restuarants and pubs for the homesick foreigner, but it doesn't have that city-central feeling and is quite frankly, a pretty dull place. I believe SEndrigo is looking for somewhere with more energy.

Tienmu did not develop overnight - those places were there when I was there and many years before. How often does one shop at SOGO anyway?

I would agree that the area Miyazaki suggested would be pretty exciting. And there are month-to-month furnished apts available in that area too. They are more geared to the short-stay engineer or businessman than they are to the travelling English teacher, however. Expect to pay over $20,000NT a month. I remember a cool short-term stay type place near the trainstation - not as posh, but more economical ($12,000NT). Do the research and you'll find. Check the English newspapers (as suggested), postings in restuarant/pubs that foreigners frequent. Lonely Planet? Tealit dot com? "Tzwei Ma Ma" is a cheap apartment finding service near Tai Da university. Possibilities galore.

forest1979 · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 507 Location: SE Asia

Of course, it's impossible to get a city-center feel in a suburb (of Taipei) but for someone completely cold to Taiwan and its culture there's worse places than Tienmu to arrive at. However, I do concur, for the more establishd party animal Tienmu might be a bit dry in comparison to a downtown district.

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

chienkun · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 16 Location: Southern California

SEndrigo,
I just looked at the site "tealit dot com". I don't live in Taiwan anymore and normally never go to the site - but I searched for apartments for one person and found some great finds.
Go to the site, choose roomates/apartments, scroll down past the adds and choose apartments for one, scroll down, and you'll be very pleased with the choices - makes me miss being there.

Here's an example of one I saw:

One minute walk to Guting MRT, two minutes to Shida, and three minutes to TLI language school. Ideal studio in a great neighborhood with tons of Chinese and Western eats all around. AMAZING fruit and produce store just around the corner and Welcome 150m away. Comes with high speed internet and cable. Apartment has tons of natural light from big windows. It�s a corner room on a quiet street, facing a beautiful temple and an empty lot with big trees around it. There is parking just outside the front door. The room is fully furnished with bed, mattress, refrigerator, large TV, stove, desk, and more! Everything is new and clean. Come check it out, this place is sweet!

Are you going to the TLI on Roosevelt or Syin Yi? I lived near the first one for about 6 months and the 2nd on Syin Yi for about 2 years. That neighborhood is great, actually - the South East block of Jing Shan North road and Syin Yi road (section II?) and sorry for the out-of-date romanization. TLI is right there, you're a super short cab ride from some expat pubs/clubs, a nice little alley in the area full of "famous" eating establishments, not too far from the area Mazuki (sp?) mentioned, 10 minute walk from CKS Memorial...I could go on.

Let me know if you found some leads on the website mentioned. Smile

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

babar6789 · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 69 Location: Japan

Im surprised no one has mentioned booze/club prices over here. It'll cost you thousands of $ NT if u wanna go out 3/4 times a week. Unless ur planning on bringing loads of cash over with u. Good luck to u on that 1.

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

haha yeah, I kind of figured that would be the case, though I doubt it is more expensive than in Japan.

It would be great if you could give some kind of idea, and I know everyone's got different drinking habits and all, but considering I don't really drink all that much, but I do like to party, which means going bars, clubs, etc.

What would you say would be a good, realistic amount for me to put aside each month for a going-out budget, if I plan on going out 3/4 times a week?

Any kind of ballpark figure you could give me would be great.

Thanks again, you guys have all been super helpful!

SEndrigo

babar6789 · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 69 Location: Japan

You can pay up to $300 for a drink over here in a trendy bar. Ive also heard that club charges for entry in taipei can be really steep, maybe up to $1000 without a drink included. If you're out 3/4 times a week you'll spend an absolute fortune.

7-11 drinking is a good way round this. Very Happy

forest1979 · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 507 Location: SE Asia

Without wishing to be stupid, if someone is moving to Taipei to be near the nighlife and no realises how expensive going out 3-4 times a week is, and has thus been advised to get drinks from a 7-11, doesn't that negate the whole argument for that person living near nightclubs in the first place?

BigWally · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:42 am Post subject:

forest, I don't think this negates the argument, the 7/11 option has merit, WHEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH NIGHT CLUBS....

ex. Pre-drinking at your apartment (close to the clubs) with some friends, on cheap 7/11 beer and alcohol, makes it a much cheaper night, rather than going to the club and spending a fortune on booze and cover, etc....if you're already bombed when you go out, then you're not going to spend nearly as much when you are out...

forest1979 · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 507 Location: SE Asia

True! Having been done some of the so-called places where the beautiful people in Taipei hang out it's good advice to be ratted before going in. It's the best way to cope with all the fawning.

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

hahaha, this is all good stuff...Big Wally, good point there!

But I actually don't drink that much, to be honest!

I mean I like to have a few drinks just to have fun, but I'm not really into getting bombed.

I do like being around people and in a social environment though, so I'm looking forward to meeting some interesting people there.

And another thing that's really important for me is making local friends, i.e. Taiwanese people, and not just hanging out with foreigners because it's convenient.

Because I found that in Japan it was very difficult to create friendships with many Japanese people, for whatever reason.

I've heard from many people that it's easier to create friendships with Taiwanese people...from your experience is this true?

BigWally · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:22 pm Post subject:

Taiwanese are generally friendly people...at times their friendliness can almost be shocking, or overly-friendly (by N.American standards)...for example, just yesterday my buddy is lost trying to find the gas company to pay his bill, after about 10-15 mins of driving around in the pouring rain, a woman flags him down (who had seen him pass her house several times) and he pulls over, she asks him what he's looking for, and he shows her the gas bill, she proceeds to get her umbrella and walks him the 4 blocks to the gas office....

I've also found that the guys are as interested in ex-pat guys, as the women, sometimes even more so...at times it can even seem that the interest is a little "too" strong, but I think that is just how the Taiwanese culture is, as I commonly see two guys on a scooter together with one on the back, arms wrapped around the one in front, or two dudes walking with arms around each others shoulders talking (things that in N.America everyone would shout "FAGS!!" or some other derogatory term)

if you're looking for women, be respectful, as always, but it seems that Taiwanese women in general are very friendly towards foreigners, but thats just from my limited view, as i'm living here with my awesome gf from good ol' Canada....

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

Wow...that's really good to hear.

I'm not saying I didn't see/experience any kindness in Japan, because I experienced a lot of it.

It just seems however, that the Taiwanese are way more open and friendly, generally speaking.

It's good to hear these things from you guys because it just confirms the experience I had with Taiwanese people in Japan - they too were kind and friendly.

Even though I'm North American, I come from a culture that is very "touchy-feely", and so I don't mind that sort of behavior at all, and in fact, welcome it.

About girls - let's face it, everyone who goes to another country will want to hook up with someone or some people, no one wants to be alone, and that's just the way it is.

It's cool we can talk about this stuff in the Taiwan forum without people going bonkers - it happened all the time in the Japan forum where a guy would ask an innocent question like, "Are Japanese girls open to dating foreign guys?" (he HONESTLY didn't know and that's why he was asking) and half the forum would jump down his throat, call him a pervert and other names, etc.