any one got any suggesstions as to what a Qualified UK Social Worker could do in Taiwan apart from teach English?
All due respect MseSpikey, but I am (A) shocked that this post has been up here for over 15 hours and not one of the 50–49 including me–Forumosans who viewed the post actually took time to make a smarmy, back-handed comment at your expense, which is generally the MO of an elite group of veterans who prowl here, and (B) that no one actually took the 30 seconds to answer your question, which, unfortunately and on the surface of things, IMHO is “not much.” [b/t/w I am not a teacher, a phrase which I’ve seriously considered patenting or printing up on t-shirts and coffee mugs, etc.]
If you speak Mandarin, you can pretty much write your own ticket. If you have a solid English lit/journalism/publishing background, which I’m just guessing and forgive the assumption, you don’t, there are scattered opportunities for work. If you are a 20-something white male with significant computer/coding skills, you can find work, too. Voice actors are in decent demand and if yer photogenic, there are several talent agents actively seeking foreign faces. But, um, the social work skill set, as far as I can tell, is neither appreciated nor in demand on this lovely little island.
A few Q’s for you: Got any government contacts, i.e. U.K. diplomatic relations who do business in Taiwan? Do you speak decent Mandarin? Would you consider attending university in Taiwan? [Loads of foreigners get over here on the second or third degree program]. Do you need to make money right away?
Now, just cuz I say it is so, doesn’t make it so. I’m hoping that by jumping this thread to the top of the active topics list, some generous soul has some bright idea(s) for you. Who really knows? Come over here and check it out. Maybe there’s a niche that’s just waiting for you. That’s the best I can offer at this time.
Good luck.
Shocked? I’m outraged!
To the OP, I know one or two local Social Workers, and even they have a hard time. They do some good work, but generally, Taiwanese don’t like “outsiders meddling” in their personal affairs, and don’t open up easily to strangers about personal and/or private things.
Also, doing social work would mean working for the government, and I don’t see much chance of that happening.
But as the previous poster said, you could do other things based on the fact that you have a degree, or pursue post graduate studies here.
You can perhaps teach English, in that case you will have endless opportunities to work with kids.
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial. Do not expect anyone to open up to you automatically, and even if they do they will not be telling the truth. However I do find that people here complains about things (mostly the government) yet won’t do anything about it. As for personal or domestic stuff, people do not generally talk about it and they have a “see no evil, hear no evil” attitude towards domestic matter. So if they see someone else being abused by their family members they will not do anything about it.
Contact the Community Services Centre. Do a search on here for their address, etc. Don’t know if they have paying positions or not, but they have Western counsellors.
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?
[quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.
[quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.[/quote]
That may be so, but that’s not what being superficial means. Believe it or not, in Europe Americans are considered the prime example for “being superficial”. Of course you have another point of view, being American.
[quote=“GC Rider”][quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.[/quote]
That may be so, but that’s not what being superficial means. Believe it or not, in Europe Americans are considered the prime example for “being superficial”. Of course you have another point of view, being American.[/quote]
Human kind in general is superficial. Perhaps you’re not familiar with us.
OK, I get it, Americans suck. Awesome observation of the obvious, but it belongs on craigslist rants n’ raves.
[quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.[/quote]
Bottling things up is not being superficial, it could a lot of other things, however, living with your opinions, ideas, feelings on your sleeve is NOTHING but superficial.
The only person who is smarmy enough to take a back handed swipe is you.
Nah, Sandman beat you at the patenting thing like eons ago.
Ideas shelled out in generosity are rarely bright.
[quote=“divea”][quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.[/quote]
Bottling things up is not being superficial, it could a lot of other things, however, living with your opinions, ideas, feelings on your sleeve is NOTHING but superficial.
The only person who is smarmy enough to take a back handed swipe is you.
Nah, Sandman beat you at the patenting thing like eons ago.
Ideas shelled out in generosity are rarely bright.[/quote]
Hello. About my smarm. It’s a genetic disorder. Sorry to make you bu shufu. And yer about 10 hours late on the FMO pimp-slap. Y’all have internet access up there?
Um, thanks for bringing me one post closer to “KTV attendant.” Much respect.
[quote=“super_lucky”][quote=“divea”][quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.[/quote]
Bottling things up is not being superficial, it could a lot of other things, however, living with your opinions, ideas, feelings on your sleeve is NOTHING but superficial.
The only person who is smarmy enough to take a back handed swipe is you.
Nah, Sandman beat you at the patenting thing like eons ago.
Ideas shelled out in generosity are rarely bright.[/quote]
Hello. About my smarm. It’s a genetic disorder. Sorry to make you bu shufu. And yer about 10 hours late on the FMO pimp-slap. Y’all have internet access up there?
Um, [color=#FF0000]thanks for bringing me one post closer to “KTV attendant.”[/color] Much respect.[/quote]
You can’t fault us for trying!
And if you mean Divea, she’s moving, so her internet is probably dodgy…
Yeah, well, first I thought this belongs into the automotive section because it is about Station Wagons, then I thought maybe it’s about software. Then I wanted to make a wise ass remark, but stopped myself ten times from doing so.
English teachur, English teachur is the only thang available. Good, honest profession, teaching little giggling kids who pull down your pants and stuff while you are asleep in class. If that might be a good summary of what is to be read in the English teaching forum.
Better late than never 
[quote=“super_lucky”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”][quote=“GC Rider”][quote]
Be forewarned however, Taiwanese people are VERY superficial.
[/quote]
Do you mean as superficial as Americans or even more so?[/quote]
Americans are very honest and open compared to Asians… most Americans I talk to will open up if I display a willingness to listen, or at least be there. Most Asians prefers to bottle things up, and no amount of persuasion will change that.[/quote]
That may be so, but that’s not what being superficial means. Believe it or not, in Europe Americans are considered the prime example for “being superficial”. Of course you have another point of view, being American.[/quote]
Human kind in general is superficial. Perhaps you’re not familiar with us.
OK, I get it, Americans suck. Awesome observation of the obvious, but it belongs on craigslist rants n’ raves.[/quote]
Yes but America is the only place that complete strangers would tell me how much money they earned and how they made their fortune within 10 minutes of meeting them. They would also regularly talk about helping me find a job or this or that but most of the time I knew that it was just pleasant talk. Plus you get taught in school to talk about your strengths from an early age. Self-affirmation in front of other people. So his point does have some truth in it. Taiwanese are not superficial. They just are shyer and more private. Plus Taiwanese had a severe lack of security for many decades, first with Japanese, then KMT and then a lot of kidnappings and murders in the 80s and 90s. If you ask some kids what their parents do here they won’t tell you.
Of course these are all generalisations…not good to get stuck on that.
[quote=“headhonchoII”]
Yes but America is the only place that complete strangers would tell me how much money they earned and how they made their fortune within 10 minutes of meeting them. They would also regularly talk about helping me find a job or this or that but most of the time I knew that it was just pleasant talk. Plus you get taught in school to talk about your strengths from an early age. Self-affirmation in front of other people. [color=#FF0000]So his point does have some truth in it[/color]. Taiwanese are not superficial. They just are shyer and more private. Plus Taiwanese had a severe lack of security for many decades, first with Japanese, then KMT and then a lot of kidnappings and murders in the 80s and 90s. If you ask some kids what their parents do here they won’t tell you.
Of course these are all generalisations…not good to get stuck on that.[/quote]
This is a classic example of how an innocuous solicitation for advice winds up a sociological debate about 7000 km from the OP.
HHII: You make an excellent reference to the lack of security in Taiwanese history but it’s really nothing to do with superficiality. It strikes me that the Taiwanese are superficial in their own way. For chrissakes, there’s not a hell of a lot to do on Zhongxiao E. Rd. except shop for designer and brand name goods.
Oh, sorry, one more question [in re: red font] Who’s point has some truth in it? The Euro guy who clowned on Americans or the other guy who said Taiwanese are superficial? Please don’t tell me the point is Americans are loud-mouth, oafish braggarts. That’s like saying all Canadians are hockey players with a nationalized inferiority complex.
I met an SW in the UK once. Very polite.