[quote=“finley”]It would still be a waste of time (and money) to sue them. The only people likely to come out smiling from that one would be the lawyers. I think the important point here is (1) you are legally an adult and therefore responsible for your own destiny, yet (2) you are still young, and a couple of years in Taiwan isn’t going to kill you, even if you end up being drafted into the military. Nothing wrong with learning how to shoot straight. You have all the time in the world to settle into a boring, unproductive live back in Canada. Make a plan for eventual independence (say, 18-24 months down the line) and then make it happen.
It’s just a thought (and I’m certainly not suggesting you pursue it) but since you are an adult, and you are being kept here against your will, your parents have technically kidnapped you, which is a serious offence in most countries. Probably not in Taiwan though.[/quote]
I would rather not waste a year of my life serving in a country I dislike. I just want to live a normal life in Canada. Meaning a 11 dollar an hour job, an english speaking gf, attending a college of my damn choice and living in some shitty apartment.
He also took down my Internet about 4 months ago. I latch in to the wifi with my iPhone since that’s the best I can do.
He blocked my xbox wifi as well. So I basically sit at home all day doing nothing. He bought a iMac that he places in the dining room and states it’s a family computer but when I go on and forget to log off Facebook he sets up a password the next day.
I have no record, I never ever drink, I don’t smoke and the people I hung out with back in Canada were harmless. My father left for Taiwan like 5 years ago and since then he visited Canada only twice a year. The only memories from before then were when he beat me with a stick. Then again he is an Asian parent.[/quote]
You stated in your original post that YOU decided to come here. Beating a boy with a stick is not an exclusively Asian trait. How do we know your father is not a Gong Fu master teaching you Chi? Give us more information.
I have no record, I never ever drink, I don’t smoke and the people I hung out with back in Canada were harmless. My father left for Taiwan like 5 years ago and since then he visited Canada only twice a year. The only memories from before then were when he beat me with a stick. Then again he is an Asian parent.[/quote]
You stated in your original post that you decided to come here. Beating a boy with a stick is not an exclusively Asian trait. How do we know your father is not a Gong Fu master teaching you Chi? Give us more information. What would your father say?[/quote]
He bribed me with goodies like, I’ll get you a new pc, ps3 blah blah all the good stuff if I tried living in Taiwan for a year.
But since I’ve been here I’ve yet to see one of the things he promised. My 2 sisters have both received things. Younger one got a new laptop. And the other got a touch screen pc and an iPhone 4.
He gives stupid reasons for not buying me a ticket back. Such as “we have no money” except everyday I see a new thing being delivered. Since he said he has no money he has bought 2 70" 3d tv’s, expensive leather couch set, brand new bar for basement, new iMac. The list goes on but you get the point.
OK … well, that right there is why your dad is getting mad. They say that “youth is wasted on the young”, and it probably irks him that you’re quite happy to leave this earth (in 70, 80 or whatever years time) as if you’d never even been here. OK, there’s no law that says you have to do something with your life, and I don’t see anything inherently wrong with doing what you suggest (the world would have been a better place if Hitler has gone to work in the supermarket and spent his life in a shitty apartment). Even so, 18 is awfully young to decide you’re going to be a walking corpse. The problem with making that decision is, when you hit 40 and gaze at the english-speaking gf you spawned a bunch of kids with, you think: “Holy fuckin’ crap. Where did my life go?”. And then you start making mental lists of all the things you should have done, like having an affair with your secretary, and you start making up for lost time. It’s not pretty.
So … like I said, just try to savour the fact that the world is a big place and some of it (you never know) might even be as good as Canada (sorry, I’m trying hard not to piss myself laughing here). You don’t have to become a particle physicist or a human-rights lawyer, but that doesn’t mean you have to be boring. After all, how do you think you’re going to pull that english-speaking gf if you’ve got nothing to talk about? A few stories about having live grenades shoved up your rectum during your military service initiation is sure to get you some attention in the bars back in Canada.
[quote]He also took down my Internet about 4 months ago. I latch in to the wifi with my iPhone since that’s the best I can do.
He blocked my xbox wifi as well. So I basically sit at home all day doing nothing. [/quote]
Oh, come on. I’ll say it again: you are 18 years old; ou are an adult. It really isn’t your parent’s problem to finance you if they choose not to. Start making some adult decisions. Your dad obviously hasn’t given you a good start in that respect, but there’s no time like the present to start learning.
OK … well, that right there is why your dad is getting mad. They say that “youth is wasted on the young”, and it probably irks him that you’re quite happy to leave this earth (in 70, 80 or whatever years time) as if you’d never even been here. OK, there’s no law that says you have to do something with your life, and I don’t see anything inherently wrong with doing what you suggest (the world would have been a better place if Hitler has gone to work in the supermarket and spent his life in a shitty apartment). Even so, 18 is awfully young to decide you’re going to be a walking corpse. The problem with making that decision is, when you hit 40 and gaze at the english-speaking gf you spawned a bunch of kids with, you think: “Holy fuckin’ crap. Where did my life go?”. And then you start making mental lists of all the things you should have done, like having an affair with your secretary, and you start making up for lost time. It’s not pretty.
So … like I said, just try to savour the fact that the world is a big place and some of it (you never know) might even be as good as Canada (sorry, I’m trying hard not to piss myself laughing here). You don’t have to become a particle physicist or a human-rights lawyer, but that doesn’t mean you have to be boring.[/quote]
If they financed me I would move the damn uk for all I care, the only reason I want to go back to Canada is because I know I have a shot there even without my parents financing me. The wall in the way of that is the price of the damn plane ticket. Prostitutions not looking like such a bad idea at this point.
[quote=“D.Stark”]
A Canadian credit card or a Taiwan credit card? I could probably not get either due to the fact I have no income.[/quote]
So where was the money going to come from to sue your parents?
[quote=“Funk500”][quote=“D.Stark”]
A Canadian credit card or a Taiwan credit card? I could probably not get either due to the fact I have no income.[/quote]
So where was the money going to come from to sue your parents?[/quote]
Winning the lawsuit hopefully. Some lawyers collect a % of the winnings after a lawsuit. Also they may take pity and do some pro-Bono work.
[quote=“D.Stark”][quote=“Funk500”][quote=“D.Stark”]
A Canadian credit card or a Taiwan credit card? I could probably not get either due to the fact I have no income.[/quote]
So where was the money going to come from to sue your parents?[/quote]
Winning the lawsuit hopefully. Some lawyers collect a % of the winnings after a lawsuit. Also they may take pity and do some pro-Bono work.[/quote]
And if you didn’t?
[quote=“Funk500”][quote=“D.Stark”][quote=“Funk500”][quote=“D.Stark”]
A Canadian credit card or a Taiwan credit card? I could probably not get either due to the fact I have no income.[/quote]
So where was the money going to come from to sue your parents?[/quote]
Winning the lawsuit hopefully. Some lawyers collect a % of the winnings after a lawsuit. Also they may take pity and do some pro-Bono work.[/quote]
And if you didn’t?[/quote]
I did write a second part. And I suing was just an option, I didn’t say I was going to go through with it. Especially without justifiable cause. There would be no case.
A Canadian credit card or a Taiwan credit card? I could probably not get either due to the fact I have no income.[/quote]
I’m not sure how it works in Taiwan, but I did know a few Taiwanese women with wallets full of cards who also did not work when I was living there. A couple of them were married so may have gotten theirs through their husbands, but another woman I used to teach was single and over the five years that I knew her, she never once had a job (and never had one prior to that to my knowledge) but always had cards and lived a champagne lifestyle (presumably living off of her credit). It may be worth a try anyhow.
A Canadian credit card or a Taiwan credit card? I could probably not get either due to the fact I have no income.[/quote]
I’m not sure how it works in Taiwan, but I did know a few Taiwanese women with wallets full of cards who also did not work when I was living there. A couple of them were married so may have gotten theirs through their husbands, but another woman I used to teach was single and over the five years that I knew her, she never once had a job (and never had one prior to that to my knowledge) but always had cards and lived a champagne lifestyle (presumably living off of her credit). It may be worth a try anyhow.[/quote]
She must be in a boatload of debt. My credit rating is 0 I doubt any banks will be lenient enough to give a credit card to a jobless 18 yo without any credit whatsoever. Thanks for the response though.
You are considered a minor in Taiwan until your 20th birthday, but don’t you also have a Canadian passport because you are a Canadian citizen? If yes, i would recommend that you go to the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei and ask for advice there: canada.org.tw/taiwan/contact … x?lang=eng
In this context, here is some information about the age of majority in the provinces of Canada: canadaonline.about.com/od/canadi … jority.htm - i don’t now whether this is, indeed, useful information but have a feeling that it might turn out to be useful.
About the question of giving up your Taiwanese citizenship: since you don’t speak much Chinese i would like to suggest that you ask at the Canadian Trade Office for an interpreter who can help you to talk to the relevant offices in Taiwan - first of all to find out whether it is even necessary to give it up at all, and if the answer turns out to be “yes”, how to do that. I doubt there are many people on this BBS who have dual citzenship of Taiwan and Canada or who have gone through the kind of situation you are in, and therefore it will very difficult for you to get the advice here that you are asking for - talk to the Canadian office first…
Good luck!
[quote=“D.Stark”]I am an 18 year old student that recently finished high school in Canada I was born in Canada and have lived there for my whole life. I have been living in Taiwan for the past year but due to some familial issues, I have decided to move back. The problem is that my parents refuse to buy me an airplane ticket back. I have little money and my Chinese is not very good which makes it hard for me to find a job. I entered the country on a Taiwan passport which I obtained because my father is of Taiwanese nationality. I don’t want to be drafted into the military, but I have no way of getting back. What are my options in my situations.
I’m willing to sue my parents if anyone can give me justifiable cause.[/quote]
I can empathize with you. There was a time when I disliked Taiwan too. I was a teen then too. I couldn’t care less about living here or learning Chinese for that matter. However, as it turns out, I ended up here anyway. Life here is not so bad. And there are far more English speaking girls than you might imagine. Actually, it’s kind of interesting developing a relationship with a girl who is learning English. Sharing about cultures with each other is a definite plus (for me). Who knows? While you are here, you may end up meeting a hot Taiwanese girl.
You don’t need to speak Chinese to find a job. It helps, but you can still find a good job.
Going back to Canada because of “familial issues” makes it sound like you are running away from a situation. If you want to show your parents that you are mature enough to live on your own, then you need to prove it by settling your “familial issues” in a mature manner. Running away doesn’t help anything.
