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Justinelebonne
Joined: 11 Jun 2009
Posts: 42
Location: UK
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 Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:43 pm Post subject: How much to come with |
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How much should someone bring when moving to Taiching and looking for a job?
Thanks |
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Dr_Zoidberg
Joined: 29 Sep 2004
Posts: 406
Location: Not posting on Forumosa.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 9:35 am Post subject: |
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You should have an absolute minimum of 60 000 NT. With prudent fiscal planning that could last you up to 3 months.
I recommend that you have more just in case you land a job only to be kicked to the curb by your laoban, who found someone he / she likes better, and end up having to do a visa run. |
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GDT
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:24 am Post subject: |
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| I would second that and possibly even increase it by 500 USD. If you don't already know where you're going to stay then try and find a place for a month rather than camping out at a hotel. Paying 12,000 for a month might seem rough, but if you don't know anyone then it will make financial sense in the end. |
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beenthere96-2005
Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 79
Location: St Louis
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| Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject: I only had a dime |
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| Dr_Zoidberg wrote: |
You should have an absolute minimum of 60 000 NT. With prudent fiscal planning that could last you up to 3 months.
I recommend that you have more just in case you land a job only to be kicked to the curb by your laoban, who found someone he / she likes better, and end up having to do a visa run. |
I came with a about a hundred dollars in 1996, and did get booted out of my job/apartment within a few days after lunch at her home. I foolishly assumed I had the job and talked too much at the "interview."
But I went to Taipei Hostel with another guy that she fired and ended up doing pretty well. I had a 60 day visa which gave me plenty of time to find work.
I do know a guy who only had enough change to make a call at the airport to the owner of a hostel who he then convinced to pick him up.
I just can't imagine being too motivated to work with a couple of grand in my pocket.
Seriously, it seems to me that if things are that dicey, it isn't even worth doing. |
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Dr_Zoidberg
Joined: 29 Sep 2004
Posts: 406
Location: Not posting on Forumosa.
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| Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:20 am Post subject: Re: I only had a dime |
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| beenthere96-2005 wrote: |
I just can't imagine being too motivated to work with a couple of grand in my pocket.
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Anyone with that attitude should stay at home and collect welfare. |
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beenthere96-2005
Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 79
Location: St Louis
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| Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:55 am Post subject: Re: I only had a dime |
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| Dr_Zoidberg wrote: |
| beenthere96-2005 wrote: |
I just can't imagine being too motivated to work with a couple of grand in my pocket.
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Anyone with that attitude should stay at home and collect welfare. |
I should clarify by saying ...work ( in Taiwan ) with a .....
Why go through all the trouble to work there?
The point is, and I agree, you can't be down to your last buck and go to Taiwan.
The place sucks. There are far better alternatives. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: I only had a dime |
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| beenthere96-2005 wrote: |
| Dr_Zoidberg wrote: |
| beenthere96-2005 wrote: |
I just can't imagine being too motivated to work with a couple of grand in my pocket.
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Anyone with that attitude should stay at home and collect welfare. |
I should clarify by saying ...work ( in Taiwan ) with a .....
Why go through all the trouble to work there?
The point is, and I agree, you can't be down to your last buck and go to Taiwan.
The place sucks. There are far better alternatives. |
Every place sucks, it's all relative.
I haven't lived in a country that didn't suck, yet. Let's see:
- America: ridiculously high rents of $900 a month just for a studio apartment, people I can't relate to, highest college tuition in the world, nearly 20% real unemployment and a depression that has stretched on for three or four years
- Korea: "nationalist" beatdowns on the street, bigoted/overly strict visa system, polluted, North Korea ready to open fire at any time
- Hong Kong: actually not such a bad place, except that it's part of China, which is a totalitarian juggernaut with horrible pollution, poor freedom, and surging militarism
- Netherlands: the radio was stolen from our car three times by drug addicts
So seriously, where doesn't it suck? Because if there's a place that doesn't suck, I want to move there!
On the whole, I'd say that Taiwan fits within normal suckiness parameters. It's a country with a medium level of suck. It is neither outstandingly high nor low in the suck department.
I could probably spend the rest of my life here and only be moderately pissed off. It isn't that unbearable, and certainly light years beyond Korea and Mainland China, at any rate.  |
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adogadie
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 82
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: I only had a dime |
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| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
- Korea: "nationalist" beatdowns on the street, bigoted/overly strict visa system, polluted, North Korea ready to open fire at any time
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That's what I don't get about Korea, everybody loves their cars; especially Americans, and they seemed to have the biggest campaign for English teachers that offer better pay and housing than Taiwan, Thailand and HK, (but not sure about China, because the apartment I had there really rocked.); yet Korea is considered as what you've described and by many others; which makes me very hesitant to except a job offer in what appears to be a small and isolated inner mountainous place. It just seems there is a paradox here. They hate us, but need us at the same time; especially to help fight against their brothers to the North. I am befuddled. 
But I agree with ya about the US dismal economy; I could never integrate back into the US; tried it once, and won't try it again. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:23 am Post subject: Re: I only had a dime |
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| adogadie wrote: |
| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
- Korea: "nationalist" beatdowns on the street, bigoted/overly strict visa system, polluted, North Korea ready to open fire at any time
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That's what I don't get about Korea, everybody loves their cars; especially Americans, and they seemed to have the biggest campaign for English teachers that offer better pay and housing than Taiwan, Thailand and HK, (but not sure about China, because the apartment I had there really rocked.); |
Yeah, I don't get it either. They spend all day talking about how they don't want foreigners in their country, how foreigners are unnecessary since Superior Han Supermen can do any job better, but at the end of the day, they turn around and hire us by the tens of thousands. What gives?
| Quote: |
| yet Korea is considered as what you've described and by many others; which makes me very hesitant to except a job offer in what appears to be a small and isolated inner mountainous place. It just seems there is a paradox here. They hate us, but need us at the same time; especially to help fight against their brothers to the North. I am befuddled. |
About that job in the mountains, allow me to say this:
1. Most racist attacks in Korea occur near bars or brothels in cities.
Jealous Korean men + alcohol = recipe for a beatdown
2. Most racist attacks in Korea occur after 10:00 PM.
Therefore, my guess is that you'll be okay as long as you abide by those two rules. If I had abided by those rules, I would have had zero attacks rather than three.
I'm not saying that the attackers were justified (in fact, I hope they are murdered soon and burn eternally in hell), but I should have employed more street smarts.
Just remember that Korea's homicide rate is 2.38 per 100,000 versus 5 per 100,000 in America -- it is not 1/100th of America's homicide rate as certain gyopos/Koreans would lead you to believe.
Exercise the same caution that you would exercise in the US, don't be lulled into a false sense of security just because everyone else has such selective blindness/rose-tinted glasses and you'll probably avoid those things.
However, please keep in mind that "nationalists" are unavoidable even if they aren't beating you down. You'll encounter them at work, on the street, on public transportation, etc. I find it is best to avoid the following:
1. Talking about pay, benefits, or anything else that might remind them that you're earning more raw salary than they are.
2. Riding public transportation -- many mentally disturbed, angry loonies ride on public transportation.
3. Talking about foreigner's visas or rights -- their response to everything is "it was your choice to come here" or "if you don't like it, go back to America" or "you aren't Korean, you have no rights."
4. Logging onto Web sites related to Korea unless they are heavily moderated, and even then, it's not such a good idea. On sites like Korea Times' site, there are many 16- or 17-year-old Korean-Americans that hate America and post trash about America everyday. On Dave's ESL Cafe, the gyopos are generally less deranged, but the disgruntled English teachers will lead you to believe you're living in hell on earth when actually Korea is fully survivable.
Essentially, some people manage to maintain a fairly sane outlook on life in Korea, but you must build a great deal of "fortifications" around you and know what (and more importantly, who) to avoid.
| Quote: |
| But I agree with ya about the US dismal economy; I could never integrate back into the US; tried it once, and won't try it again. |
Agreed. |
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adogadie
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 82
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: I only had a dime |
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| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
| adogadie wrote: |
| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
- Korea: "nationalist" beatdowns on the street, bigoted/overly strict visa system, polluted, North Korea ready to open fire at any time
|
That's what I don't get about Korea, everybody loves their cars; especially Americans, and they seemed to have the biggest campaign for English teachers that offer better pay and housing than Taiwan, Thailand and HK, (but not sure about China, because the apartment I had there really rocked.); |
Yeah, I don't get it either. They spend all day talking about how they don't want foreigners in their country, how foreigners are unnecessary since Superior Han Supermen can do any job better, but at the end of the day, they turn around and hire us by the tens of thousands. What gives?
| Quote: |
| yet Korea is considered as what you've described and by many others; which makes me very hesitant to except a job offer in what appears to be a small and isolated inner mountainous place. It just seems there is a paradox here. They hate us, but need us at the same time; especially to help fight against their brothers to the North. I am befuddled. |
About that job in the mountains, allow me to say this:
1. Most racist attacks in Korea occur near bars or brothels in cities.
Jealous Korean men + alcohol = recipe for a beatdown
2. Most racist attacks in Korea occur after 10:00 PM.
Therefore, my guess is that you'll be okay as long as you abide by those two rules. If I had abided by those rules, I would have had zero attacks rather than three.
I'm not saying that the attackers were justified (in fact, I hope they are murdered soon and burn eternally in hell), but I should have employed more street smarts.
Just remember that Korea's homicide rate is 2.38 per 100,000 versus 5 per 100,000 in America -- it is not 1/100th of America's homicide rate as certain gyopos/Koreans would lead you to believe.
Exercise the same caution that you would exercise in the US, don't be lulled into a false sense of security just because everyone else has such selective blindness/rose-tinted glasses and you'll probably avoid those things.
However, please keep in mind that "nationalists" are unavoidable even if they aren't beating you down. You'll encounter them at work, on the street, on public transportation, etc. I find it is best to avoid the following:
1. Talking about pay, benefits, or anything else that might remind them that you're earning more raw salary than they are.
2. Riding public transportation -- many mentally disturbed, angry loonies ride on public transportation.
3. Talking about foreigner's visas or rights -- their response to everything is "it was your choice to come here" or "if you don't like it, go back to America" or "you aren't Korean, you have no rights."
4. Logging onto Web sites related to Korea unless they are heavily moderated, and even then, it's not such a good idea. On sites like Korea Times' site, there are many 16- or 17-year-old Korean-Americans that hate America and post trash about America everyday. On Dave's ESL Cafe, the gyopos are generally less deranged, but the disgruntled English teachers will lead you to believe you're living in hell on earth when actually Korea is fully survivable.
Essentially, some people manage to maintain a fairly sane outlook on life in Korea, but you must build a great deal of "fortifications" around you and know what (and more importantly, who) to avoid.
| Quote: |
| But I agree with ya about the US dismal economy; I could never integrate back into the US; tried it once, and won't try it again. |
Agreed. |
Thanks for the thorough briefs. It sounds like a great place to stay out of. I can't stand the cold anyway. |
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