Job Discussion Forums

[Bette]

Hello
Been offered a good job in Tainan but I don't really know what it is like to live there. Now I am living in the country and find life challenging. Country life in Taiwan is great BUT hard to meet people and hard to find things to do. So, I don't want to move to Tainan only because it is a city. I have read both positive and negative things about it. I would really like to hear from people living there and I would like to know their point of view on how they find life there.
What I am hoping to find are art classes, a gym, chinese classes, clothing stores for non-skinny women, and a few western restaurants.
Thank you.

[Tainan]

Well, I'm not living there, in fact I only spent a couple of days there, but it made a very positive impression on me (my nickname here might be a clue to that.) It had a sort of small city atmosphere--definitely a place with lots of people and culture, but somehow more relaxed and comfortable than Taipei. There was great food, there were lots of spectacular temples, and the people were really great. I sat down in a coffee shop and asked if they had any green tea--they said no, they only served coffee--but then the proprietress offered me a cup of green tea--from her own supply--for free! Of course I bought something from them as well after that. I can't answer your questions specifically but it would be hard to believe that they had nothing in the way at least of chinese classes.

Good luck!

[surrealia]

I lived and worked in Tainan about 8 or 9 years ago. It's my favorite city in Taiwan, for a number of reasons that the previous poster has already mentioned. I like the Confucian temple, Cheng Kung University, The Green House, and that wonderful Greek restaurant.


This website can give you some up-to-date information on things in Tainan:

http://www.tainanbulletin.com/

Also, Cheng Kung University is the most popular place to study Chinese:

http://kclc.ncku.edu.tw/

although I imagine there are others.

[JoeyKocur]

imo, way too many foreigners live in Tainan vis-a-vis the number of good jobs. you can find work, but not like two or three years ago. i have lived here for about seven years and have never seen it this bad.

currently, i know several very qualified canadians and two americans who have jobs, but only around 15 hours a week. while you can live off that, you really need over 20 per week to save some money (and have a life).

in the past, everyday, or every couple of days, jobs would be posted for here in Tainan. now, it is rare (relatively) and the hours/pay are NOT what they are in K-Town, Taichung, Hsinchu or Taipei.

dont believe the hype about it being so easy to get a job. now the competition is fierce in Tainan. you may get p/t work immediately, but you need an ARC school (which is not as easy as it was).

everyone else is writing about how it was, i'm telling you how it is.

whatever you decide, best of luck.