Why choose to work and settle in taiwan?

But akiragxx is right. Your attitude and your willingness to tolerate cultural differences or difficulties determines your happiness to a large extent. For those who do complain about Taiwan, what’s keeping them here? There must be something. Maybe they have a great girl, who’s better than anyone they could get back home. Maybe they have a job, that’s better than whatever job opps they’d be stuck with in their home country. Or maybe it’s the people, a love of travel, the night life, etc. And if it’s none of those things… if there’s truly nothing here for them, except looking for crap to complain about… then I would suggest they go home. They’d probably be happier. But I suspect most people are kinda happy (or at least happier than they’d be in their home country) and they just like to whinge.

My Taiwanese better half wants to return to the isle of Formosa and beget children/look after the parents as they age. Through “online research” (aka browsing through forums like this) I’ve decided that a decent, well paying job working for a Taiwanese boss just isn’t happening. The silver lining is I’m in the software industry, and want to strike out on my own anyway - Taiwans low taxes and cheap cost of living make it a better place to do it than where I’m from.

So, if I can get myself off the ground I will work and settle in Taiwan. If I can’t - then it’s back to the west to make someone else money.

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I agree that Taiwan is a really great place to be your own boss; I’m currently on that quest too, and there’s not many other places I’d be trying to do it. Location within Asia is also great; you’re a hop away from Japan, Korea, HK, etc for business, but you don’t have to deal with actually living in those places.

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I recently have run across a platform called upwork. I think that would be great for software folks who don’t want to be tied to an office. It will definitely pay better than Taiwanese salaries unless you have an expat package.

I’ve heard some bad things about it, unfortunately

https://hackernoon.com/why-you-should-never-use-upwork-ever-5c62848bdf46

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Taiwan does seem like a great place to bootstrap.

Japan seems really nice apart from the sky high tax. Houses are cheap too. But I’ve never been.

I have a love-hate relationship with Japan. I still go every year, but I’m not under any illusions either. I think being a foreigner there long-term is very tough; a lot of people treat you with apprehension or bemusement, like you’re a chimpanzee who managed to stand upright and put some clothes on. I dress well too, even by Japanese standards as it’s part of what I do, so it’s not like I’m rolling up there with a bad haircut, unshaven and with cheap clothes.

On top of that it’s just socially broken. Foreigners often don’t really make local friends except for their GF/BF. Also a lot of weirdo foreigners too, so it’s not like you want to be friends with many of them. Interactions are almost always rote and formal unless you’re dealing with locals who’ve lived abroad. Trust in relationships is low; everyone’s cheating. Of course that works out to a man’s benefit in a way.

It really is a lovely place to visit though; the best overall country in Asia, easily. Safe, first-class, incredible looking women (or men, depending), historical, best shopping in the world, good food, lots of beautiful nature, etc.

I just would need to be loaded to live there.

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incredible looking women? was i looking in the wrong places or something? i was happy to get back to taiwan after visiting japan. the women were not as good as i had expected. i agree with the rest though, even though i am no expert on japan. i don’t think it would be such a nice place to live. even though for visiting i had one of the best times of my life. truly amazing place. i was so impressed with how perfect everything seems there.

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I also was extremely underwhelmed by women in Japan. Too much makeup, bizarre fashions (what’s with all those hats?), annoying voices (eeeeeehhhhhh?), childish behavior, flat figures and just generally not very good looking.

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Well, in Japan I’d say the majority of women are just OK looking (4-6 range) whereas in Taiwan most of the population is in the 7 range. However, the best-looking Taiwanese women cannot touch the best-looking Japanese women. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I saw a 9 in Taiwan; lots of flat-chested ones here too, and many with too dark a skin tone. Even 8s here i TW are only the occasional sighting, whereas I can see them every day in Japan by going into department stores, nice cafes, or places like Omotesando/Shibuya when in Tokyo.

I’m going purely off looks, not personalities. That’s why I said socially-speaking Japan has issues. A lot of women there are dull and samey (“Ehhhhhhhhhhh”) and not apt to want to hold a deep conversation. However, that’s not everyone and I certainly know some wonderful people there. :slight_smile:

Overall, I think Taiwanese women are better looking than Japanese women. Don’t get me wrong, Japan has some hot women, but percentage-wise, I think Taiwan has more beautiful women than Japan.

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I do a lot of work on Upwork and have never had a problem. You do need to be careful and use common sense but you can definitely make a fair bit of money on the site.

Yes, some people run into trouble on the site but most of the time, it’s because they didn’t use Upwork properly in order to protect themselves.

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Straight guys talking about hotness of women according to their nationality. How typical.

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As if women don’t do exactly the same thing. Straight, gay, male, female, we’re all (relatively) hairless apes. :smile_cat:

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sounds like the type of comment from someone who hasn’t heard gay guys talking about the hotness of men. its a whole other level!

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Like women don’t have a check list of the male characters they want to date: the Korean pop star, the Texas cowboy, the British gentleman, the Italian ladies man, the California surfer, the biker bad boy, the Wall Street guy, the Taiwanese fireman, the Spanish bullfighter, the Norwegian viking, the Hollywood actor, the rock star, etc.

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I used to live and work in Seoul. I liked it. It’s got different pros and cons than living in Taiwan. The people are friendlier here overall. But Korea is cool. I dig Japan and HK too and have spent time in both. I’m pretty adaptable. The only place I can’t imagine living and working in East Asia is probably (non HK) mainland China. That’d be tough.

What a ridiculous comment. Just stop.

What about Korean women? I know, I know they’re plastic surgery mad, but they’re still fit as hell.

I have a place in Hokkaido. Spend several months a year there. It’s my favorite place on earth. I live way out in the country nearly off the grid and all my neighbors are farmers. I’m respected and treated well but I’ll never be one of the gang. I don’t care though. I’m there for the culture, food, air, water, soil and rural lifestyle.

Since Japan in general and Hokkaido in particular are depopulating prime rural property is cheap and country living is easy.

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