I currently just started a Masters Program at NCCU, and I’m on a Taiwan Scholarship. I’m not impressed by the program, and especially not the faculty (i.e. they regurgitate the reading assignments during lecture). I just overall feel that wasting 2 years of my life in academia is not what I want.
On the happier side of things, I get married early-mid 2013, and we really want children, which is no way possible by living off a 30,000NT/month subsidy from my scholarship. Not to mention, I have Cystic Fibrosis (Google it) and I’m a healthy individual (you wouldn’t know by looking at me), but I don’t know what the future will bring (e.g. I just get really sick somewhere down the road and my health takes a dive). So, I’d rather start working (probably teaching English) in order to start a family. And to have children we’re going to have to go down the IVF/ICSI route, since a factor of CF is that the vas deferens don’t form, and IVF/ICSI is a costly procedure.
My concerns are thus: What will happen when I drop out of my Masters program in terms of my Visa/ARC. I currently have a “pursuing studies” visa and an ARC valid until Aug or Sep of 2013, so can I just stay here on it until it expires? Should I just find a job and then they will change my visa and get me a new ARC? Or will my current ARC be cancelled and throw my arse oust the country? Basically, is the government going to screw me over for abandoning my Taiwan scholarship? Will they redlist me or something?
So all in all, I’m prioritizing building a family rather than being a student till I’m 30 (I’m 27). I’d much rather be a father than a cog in the corporate/government apparatus.
This was written in a hurry, but any input is greatly appreciated and thanks for taking the time to read.
-Katsurio
You haven’t specified whether your fiance is Taiwanese. If she is Taiwanese, you can simply register your marriage sooner (you could still hold a wedding ceremony or party at whatever time you wish), and then your visa problems would be sorted because you would be eligible as spouse for a JFRV, which allows you to reside and work legally. If your fiance is not Taiwanese, I’m afraid that I don’t have a ready answer, but I do suggest you wait on pulling out of your program until you have figured out how you will get a new visa.
She was born in Taiwan and has a Taiwan passport, but she also is an American citizen and has an Amican passport. If I got a job that offered an ARC, then wouldn’t I be able to have that? Otherwise if all else fails and they revote my pursuing studies visa, then couldn’t I just do an HK run or something?
It also takes a while to get an FBI background check and do all that stuff to get a JFRV. Not to mention I have a couple DUIs back in the states, so I’m not sure if that would prevent me from being accepted for a JFRV!?
I don’t know about the criminal check, but the JFRV is what you should really get. Go for that first. You can get a visa through work later if that doesn’t work out.
I would agree with your assessment of the situation from the outside, you may be better to ditch the MA now (you have seen the education system from the inside, not pretty) which to be honest may have neglible value towards a future career or your life regarding your special circumstances. But of course wait until you check your other options. I doubt the MA is very strenous anyway and you’ve got that 30k coming in per month.
[quote=“Katsurio”]I currently just started a Masters Program at NCCU, and I’m on a Taiwan Scholarship. I’m not impressed by the program, and especially not the faculty (i.e. they regurgitate the reading assignments during lecture). I just overall feel that wasting 2 years of my life in academia is not what I want.
-Katsurio[/quote]
I know that this is a difficult time for you to be going through but could you elaborate on why you want to leave the programme? I am currently an English teacher making around 60k per month and I am thinking of jacking it in to go back to school depending on if I could get the Taiwan scholarship. However I heard that the scholarship for a masters is now only 20k per month. How did you manage to get 30k?
Thanks
Listening to your students regurgitate English sounds worse to me than listening to an uninspired professor. At least you have the option of completely tuning out. In case you haven’t done it before, you might want to try teaching a year before choosing to do so to raise a family. Why not screw off at school and use your time teaching on the side, then you got money coming in both ways. And after it happens enough maybe the government here will figure out it’s a complete waste of resources that could otherwise be used to help some of its own citizens who are really in need. No one in the world gives a shit how international the image of Taiwan’s universities seems, especially the foreigners who get paid to show up to class and laugh in their faces.
If I were you I would continue the studies. How many hours do you have classes? Teach a little on the side to get more of an income (illegal, but so are most things here) Having a masters is gooooooooood for the rest of your life:) Once you are teaching there will be no ‘sorry, I can’t come to work because my baby is sick’ It’s not that easy, unless your wife to be has family to help out.