Job Discussion Forums

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

I have been living in Korea for a year and I will stay here for a second year (March 2007-Feb 2008). I will probably get bored with Korea, so is it worth living in Taiwan or should I just stat in Korea?

Currently I am interested in saving money to invest so my only options are Korea, Taiwan, Japan, or the Middle East.

matchstick_man · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 244 Location: Taiwan

Taiwan's only really worth it if you stay for longer than one year. If you're bored with Korea after one year. You may well be bored with Taiwan far quicker. You'll have far more set up costs in Taiwan than what you had in Korea.

If money is the only reason I'd go with the Middle East

StayingPower · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 252

It's worth it in the following degree:

Socially sounder.

You won't feel like you do in Korea, which is something only someone who's lived there for more than a year can understand.

White_Elephant · Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 175

Oh, if I were interested in teaching children, I'd be in Taiwan in a split second. All my professional experience is in teaching adults, especially in higher ed. My career goals do not include teaching children. I really like them and they like me a lot, but....

That being said, I spent two years at college being really good friends with the Taiwanese. My best friend was from Taiwan. If it weren't for him... All in all, I feel it's very safe to say that the Taiwanese people are REAL inside and out. I truely miss their sense of humor, good taste, loyalty .... I'm getting sappy.... and our ping pong matches. Oh those were the days.

These days, I often run into Taiwanese while traveling and it's the same ole feeling.... like meeting up with long lost friends.... laughing our heads off.

This is totally a different feeling compared with Korea and Koreans. When I get with the Taiwanese and talk about Koreans.... we hold the same exact feelings, opinions....

tedkarma · Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:11 am Post subject:

I spent two years in Taiwan, after 2.5 years in Korea. LOVED Taiwan. Beautiful country, fascinating culture, tough language!

The countryside is stunning - the eastern coastline is one-of-a-kind beautiful.

Set up costs, as mentioned earlier, are much greater. You probably won't get free housing - and rents are expensive. But, I found the quality of life better in Taiwan - the people aren't as wound-up and up-tight as the Koreans.

psychedelic · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 167 Location: China

White_Elephant,
"When I...............opinions....". Very interesting..thanks for sharing that. That's the first time that I've read a comment like that.