I am really fed up with the whole housing situation in taipei county. Too many sellers pushing for as much dough as possible for their 20 ping shack.
My wife came up with a fantastic idea yesterday, let’s move to Taitung. Why Taitung? Well I guess thats what I want to find out.
She has always liked Taitung county and city and I am desperate to get out of the city and to be honest the further the better.
We have a kid on the way too so really want kiddo to grow up with a garden or at least a safe street outside the front door.
With herself being pregnant nipping down to Taitung to check it out just isn’t on the cards for quite some time. We don’t know anyone living there so have no idea about the place besides what she remembers from years ago.
So are houses expensive in the county?
No desire to live in the city.
Another question would be are there any reasons not to move to Taitung?
[quote=“bobl”]Right now, the prices in the country are still pretty reasonable, but getting worse as more of you from Iceland (Taibei), find out ore little secret.
Taidong is a GREAT place to raise a kid.
Taidong is NOT a great place to earn a living.
Taidong is a place to come to after you have money, and want to enjoy life.[/quote]
to be honest I’m quite happy with earning just enough. We have our own business but I would like to teach in the morning as well just to get the regular spondulics
[quote=“irishmoe”][quote=“bobl”]You might like Taidong then.
It really is a laid back, nice place to live. There are lot’s of nice parks and natural areas to enjoy.
There is not much in the way of western shopping, but maybe will improve, as rumor has it Carrefour is planning to open here.
Teaching gigs might be hard to come by, but if part time is ok, you could get by. Wages might be a bit low to Taibei standards.
Tech jobs are next to impossible, unless you work at the Air base.
PM me if you have any questions.[/quote]
Cheers bobl I just wanted to hear some positive things [/quote]
I’ve also heard there are some excellent human rights activists and internationalists amongst the local police force in Taidong. Personally, for some extra guanxi, you could always make some “Together, we’re better” rainbow-colored buttons. Take them into the police station and give them as a present to the dignified Peter Chen. Tell him you’d also like to get some of your friends together and hold a concert in his honor.
[quote=“Chewycorns”][quote=“irishmoe”][quote=“bobl”]You might like Taidong then.
It really is a laid back, nice place to live. There are lot’s of nice parks and natural areas to enjoy.
There is not much in the way of western shopping, but maybe will improve, as rumor has it Carrefour is planning to open here.
Teaching gigs might be hard to come by, but if part time is ok, you could get by. Wages might be a bit low to Taibei standards.
Tech jobs are next to impossible, unless you work at the Air base.
PM me if you have any questions.[/quote]
Cheers bobl I just wanted to hear some positive things [/quote]
I’ve also heard there are some excellent human rights activists and internationalists amongst the local police force in Taidong. Personally, for some extra guanxi, you could always make some “Together, we’re better” rainbow-colored buttons. Take them into the police station and give them as a present to the dignified Peter Chen. Tell him you’d also like to get some of your friends together and hold a concert in his honor.[/quote]
Good news on the Peter Chen front. He is no longer a policeman.
He is now a civilian employee for the NIA.
We have had 3 people deported in the past 10 years that I am aware of. 2 were busted for teaching with fake degrees from Thailand, 1 was a musician that had a work permit as a translator for a music publishing company who failed to get a performence permit.
Number busted in kindies- 0
demos - 0
wrong branch - 0
I would say that it compares pretty well to other areas, were otherwise legal teachers are booted for stupid technicalities.
The lack of good hospitals, education and foreign imports were the reasons we didn’t think about moving to Taidong. It’s just a bit too lacking in important things for me to think about moving there. Of course it has a much better environment than Taipei though.
So now the prick is probably finding excuses for not giving people PARC’s. Personally, I’d like to see this taike get relocated to the sanitation department.
[quote=“Chewycorns”][quote=“bobl”]
Good news on the Peter Chen front. He is no longer a policeman.
He is now a civilian employee for the NIA.
[/quote]
So now the prick is probably finding excuses for not giving people PARC’s. Personally, I’d like to see this taike get relocated to the sanitation department.[/quote]
wow seems there is a whole new kettle of fish here.
We have been thinking a lot about where to go and have had a lot of suggestions from the wife’s family, Ilan, Hualien, TaiChung and Taidong. So now we have no idea where we’re going because somebody has something great or bad about everywhere. It’s going to take quite a while and a few road trips to get any closer to the countryside dream I keep having of beers and barbecue in my GARDEN.
We have been thinking a lot about where to go and have had a lot of suggestions from the wife’s family, Yilan, Hualian, Taichung and Taidong. So now we have no idea where we’re going because somebody has something great or bad about everywhere. It’s going to take quite a while and a few road trips to get any closer to the countryside dream I keep having of beers and barbecue in my GARDEN.
Hmm it’s good to dream[/quote]
2 cents from my pocket.
I lived in Taipei and Taichung, both for about 1.5 years. Back in Taipei now because of a new job. I miss a lot of things about Taichung. If you’re teaching English, I think it’s the best place to live. If there were jobs other than teaching English down there, I’d make the move in a heartbeat.
Taichung Pros:
*Less crowded
*75 more days of sun each year than Taipei
*Less humid than Taipei
*Not as hectic
*Cheaper to live
*I have no kids, but imagine I’d feel safer with them in Taichung
*Another kid issue: more open areas and parks
*definitely more space for your buck and houses in the suburbs are great to live.
*better mental health than in Taipei (see “less hectic”)
Taichung Cons:
*Jobs outside of teaching seem hard to come by
*Not as many things to do? (Mainly a bars/nightlife issue, not sure if this is relevant to your situation.)
*Less cultural offerings
After looking at my own list, I can recommend whole-heartedly that the Chung is a great place to live. It’s just a career and gf thing for me otherwise I’d be down there.
I think it’s small enough to be friendly and approachable, but large enough that not everyone is in your business.
I think Taitung and Taichung are sound like much better choices than Hualien or Yilan. Yilan rains constantly. Hualien is bigger and more polluted than one would think. North of the city, the air force flights are a problem. South of the city, it rains too much.
Full disclosure: I have been Taichung exactly once in 20 years in Taiwan. But friends, Taiwanese and foreign, strongly recommend it.
I have been to Taitung many times but haven’t lived there. Paradise but no work is what I hear from people who have.
I think Taitung and Taichung are sound like much better choices than Hualien or Yilan. Yilan rains constantly. Hualien is bigger and more polluted than one would think. North of the city, the air force flights are a problem. South of the city, it rains too much.
Full disclosure: I have been Taichung exactly once in 20 years in Taiwan. But friends, Taiwanese and foreign, strongly recommend it.
I have been to Taitung many times but haven’t lived there.
[quote=“irishmoe”][quote=“Chewycorns”][quote=“bobl”]
Good news on the Peter Chen front. He is no longer a policeman.
He is now a civilian employee for the NIA.
[/quote]
So now the prick is probably finding excuses for not giving people PARC’s. Personally, I’d like to see this taike get relocated to the sanitation department.[/quote]
wow seems there is a whole new kettle of fish here.
We have been thinking a lot about where to go and have had a lot of suggestions from the wife’s family, Yilan, Hualian, Taichung and Taidong. So now we have no idea where we’re going because somebody has something great or bad about everywhere. It’s going to take quite a while and a few road trips to get any closer to the countryside dream I keep having of beers and barbecue in my GARDEN.
Hmm it’s good to dream[/quote]
If you let one prick make your whole image of a town, you won’t like it anywhere.
Keep it in perspective, lots of people live in and love Taidong, and quite a few for 20 + years.
Like I said before, if you want to buy a degree in Thailand, maybe Taidong isn’t the place for you to teach English, you will be bounced out.
Then again, maybe I should just say that Taidong sucks, it’s kinda nice when we go to a surf break and there is nobody else there. Maybe I should just keep it all to myself.
I have been here 7 years, have never had any hassle at all from the FAP or from Peter Chen himself.
Most people here don’t.
[quote=“bobl”][quote=“irishmoe”][quote=“Chewycorns”][quote=“bobl”]
Good news on the Peter Chen front. He is no longer a policeman.
He is now a civilian employee for the NIA.
[/quote]
So now the prick is probably finding excuses for not giving people PARC’s. Personally, I’d like to see this taike get relocated to the sanitation department.[/quote]
wow seems there is a whole new kettle of fish here.
We have been thinking a lot about where to go and have had a lot of suggestions from the wife’s family, Yilan, Hualian, Taichung and Taidong. So now we have no idea where we’re going because somebody has something great or bad about everywhere. It’s going to take quite a while and a few road trips to get any closer to the countryside dream I keep having of beers and barbecue in my GARDEN.
Hmm it’s good to dream[/quote]
If you let one prick make your whole image of a town, you won’t like it anywhere.
Keep it in perspective, lots of people live in and love Taidong, and quite a few for 20 + years.
Like I said before, if you want to buy a degree in Thailand, maybe Taidong isn’t the place for you to teach English, you will be bounced out.
Then again, maybe I should just say that Taidong sucks, it’s kinda nice when we go to a surf break and there is nobody else there. Maybe I should just keep it all to myself.
I have been here 7 years, have never had any hassle at all from the FAP or from Peter Chen himself.
Most people here don’t.[/quote]
Don’t worry bobl I will choose my own place for my own reasons and nothing else.
Like I said before, if you want to buy a degree in Thailand, maybe Taidong isn’t the place for you to teach English, you will be bounced out.
Then again, maybe I should just say that Taidong sucks, it’s kinda nice when we go to a surf break and there is nobody else there. Maybe I should just keep it all to myself.
I have been here 7 years, have never had any hassle at all from the FAP or from Peter Chen himself.
Most people here don’t.[/quote]
I don’t have any sympathy for teachers without qualifications being deported. However, I thought the deportation of that musician was a little uncouth. He had recorded numerous albums which portrayed Taiwan in a positive light. From my understanding, he has moved on to bigger and better things in Spain. I love the Hualian/Taidong area and have enjoyed many a weekend appreciating the region’s natural beauty. However, I do think that deporting foreigners that have contributed something to the nation’s development is not something that should be commended. As is the case in many developed countries, Taiwan’s educational system is not producing enough qualified school graduates in certain areas (e.g electronics, English etc). Important industries are therefore required to recruit from overseas. Do you think foreigners want to come to Taiwan when they realize there is no fair arbitration process for such matters? What Peter Chen did certainly does not help Taiwan. Doing your job is one thing, but following groups of foreigners to sporting events, making foreigners sign deporation orders without explaining to them the repurcussions of it are etc. is not fair in any sense of the word. Shouldn’t a city on the peripheries of Taiwan be more welcoming to tourists and foreign residents?After all, they do bring money into the city do they not?
In other words, I’m glad Chen has left that position. However, he is still in a position where he can make decisions that effect the long-term standing of foreigners in Taiwan. I’d like to see the motherfucker dig latrine ditches with his fingernails while receiving a 2000 NT unemployment stipend from the local city office .
Chewy, I agree that the whole Scott thing was fucked up, but the management of the music publishing company must share a lot of the blame too, IMO.
Fucked up laoban takes the easy way out and gets his work permit as a translator, then has him doing work as a musician. Was Scott aware that he was not legally employed as a musician? Maybe not, a lot of teachers get hired to teach legally and then are sent to kindies, too.
It is possible to get a work permit as a musician, as a friend of mine just hired a Filipino band to work at his night club. Not easy to do but possible.
Also, Scott could of got a performance permit, which he was advised to do before the show, but decided not to.
Is there much in the way of good new housing developments, in gated communities with security guards, around Taidong? And if so, what sort of prices are the 60/70-ping places with a bit of a garden selling for?
I’ve long wanted to move somewhere closer to nature, with fresher air, less traffic, and bigger housing plus garden at an affordable price. As I work from home, I can live wherever I like and continue to earn a good income. If I were still single I’d certainly be living at least part of the time out in the sticks, most likely between Hualien and Taidong or on Penghu; but unfortunately, it’s hard to persuade the wife of the merits of living far away from the big city and her parents and sisters. Nevertheless, I still live in hope of prevailing one day, and am always eyeing up and weighing up the possibilities, especially down that lovely east coast.
Personally, I’d like to see this taike get relocated to the sanitation department.
Personally, I’d like to see this taike get relocated to the sanitation department.[/quote]
.