Job Discussion Forums

Jgplk1 · Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 16

I am arriving in Taipei at the end of November and will obviously be there over the christmas period. I was just wondering what the christmas period is like there? Are there places ex pats etc go to celebrate? I will be coming out on my own so just wondered what peopel do?

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

The current Taoist government of Taiwan has implemented a policy known as localization.
This policy dictates that all things not Chinese in origin are bad.
That means you, me, the language you speak and the God you worship (unless it is the same god as the current regime on Taiwan.

Christmas has been cancelled again!

Please read this,
10 Steps to Success on Taiwan!
Good luck!
A.

wix · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 250 Location: Earth

Contrary to the negative impression that Aristotle is perpetually trying to create about Taiwan, freedom of religion in Taiwan is as good as anywhere else in the world. Christians are a small but significant minority in Taiwan. Former President Lee Teng-hui is a Christian.

Christmas Day used to be a holiday called Constitution Day, but the DPP government rationalised the number of public holidays and Christmas was one of the casualties.

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

It takes a long stretch of the imagination to get a positive impression of anyone who cancels Christmas!
I would go even farther and state that the reason Christmas was chosen as one of the holidays to cut is that a majority of Taiwan's enslaved migrant workers are Christians.
Please read this,
10 Steps to Success on Taiwan!
Good luck!
A.

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

Xenophobe · Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 163

I remember the first time they cancelled Christmas as a stat. Most of the teachers at our school and many others I knew of developed a flu. Being parents, my wife and I booked the morning off a couple weeks earlier. I'd worked on Christmas Day at home while I was in the military, so it wasn't as big an issue to me. Still had Christmas Dinner for twenty that night, which to me is what the holiday is really about. Fellowship and sharing with friends and family.

Bryanpass · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Kaohsiung

Ki · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 475

Christmas day this year falls on a Saturday. So if you would normally work Saturdays you would probably have some special day at school, including a Christmas play. If you are lucky enough to not normally work on Saturdays then the school will probably make you work this one Saturday. If you have a salary position then you won't be compensated for this either. I am lucky enough to have an hourly wage. The foreign teachers also managed to pursuade management to have the big Christmas show the week before.

A friend of mine who was subbing at a buxiban, and was only his second day there, got put into a Santa outfit and put on stage for 5 hours when he showed up for work on Christmas day.

Xenophobe · Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 163

Check again, it's on a Sunday this year. So everyone who wants to can celebrate on a day off

Ki · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 475

My apologies. It has been a long day. If Christmas was on a Saturday last year then of course it would be on a Sunday next year.