How about biting my stripey ass?
If I have a LOT of money, like 200k USD a year or more, I would live in the US. You need that kind of money to live there especially when you factor in the cost of housing and healthcare. If I were independently wealthy or have a non location limited job (like working remotely or can work in remote parts of the US) then 75K and above will probably suit me. But that’s a lot of assumptions. I can live in most parts of the US on 20k without a car (which is a hard life), bump that up to 40k if I need a car (because there’s a lot of unexpected expenses with those). Then adding taxes and healthcare (whether doing it without insurance or paying 200 a month for premiums) things can get out of control, FAST. This is considering the fact that many Americans don’t make anywhere near 50k (which is really pushing it in many parts of the country), America is really a land for the uber rich.
I used to hate Taiwan more than anything because I never asked to come here and so I hated everything about Taiwan. What I hated more about this place was the society in general, like work, school, etc. but I am beginning to realize that they have their merits. In Chinese society they want people to succeed and as a result they really don’t give you a choice to fail. So that’s how you end up with the crazy school work, military service, and work. They hope to build up a society where people would have skills and compete to succeed. Doesn’t always work for everyone but even the poorer segment of this society does fairly well. So honestly, if I don’t have a boatload of money and the best I could manage is 20-30k a year, I think I will do very well in Taiwan, especially taxes are very low and I don’t have to worry about paying 200 a month for health insurance. Actually people who make 30k USD a year(which is about 60,000NT a month) in Taiwan have a car and all that, so it’s not out of control. Plus a car is not absolutely required, in places without advanced transportation like Taipei people use scooters which costs nothing.
So I’ve come to the conclusion that in America they don’t force you to succeed and as a result the society is full of people who goes to college to take up easy liberal arts degree so they could party all day, and then they get a rude awakening when they go look for a job other than Starbucks. Schoolwork may be easier in the US but they don’t stimulate kids enough to succeed, and they tolerate failure too much. I have seen expats send their kids to local schools because they can’t afford TAS and they seem to do ok, so that could be an option. Plus I think your kids will come out as a better human being and more competitive if they go to local schools.
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Are you suggesting my B.A. in Comparative Religion is worthless? 
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I like living here for now because I live good, I eat good, I get good healthcare, I live in a decent apartment, and I make decent money. But I‘ll probably head back to the states when my parents get up into their 70s just so I can look after their sorry old asses.
I could haul them both back, but I don’t want to uproot my father. He’s not the adaptable sort. And the last time my mom was here, she told me “I fucking hate this place. That’s why I left in my 20s. I only came back here for my mother,” in so many words.
Yet …
200k ain’t uber rich, it ain’t close.
Just felt it needed pointing out.
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I genuinely think Taiwan is becoming a great place and will get better. The last 10 years were not great but I really started to believe in Taiwan and think we are in the right place and at the right time now.
One thing I really like in Taiwan is how politically involved young people are and how people are really starting to discuss what kind of country they want this place to be. I think Taiwan is really going in the right direction. There is no perfect place, but there are a lot worse places than this free messy and beautiful little island
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It’s the top 5.63% of the population, is I think his point.
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It’s still miles from being uber rich, and I suspect he’d bargain down quite a ways. That’s my point.
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Taiwan is all right. I think I’ll probably stick around a while longer. Not in the summer though…those suck.
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I’m planning adios next year will be 20 years by then, the vast majority of my adult life .
I’ve done my bit. I’d already be gone if I was an American or Australian.
This is no shame on Taiwan,it must be a decent place if I stick around so long in such a small place in, at times, challenging circumstances. The last few years haven’t been that challenging , more about the money for me. Ironically. It’s far from Europe and family which doesn’t help.
And I agree the Summers are pretty tough.
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I’m giving Taiwan 2 or 3 more years max, and I’ve been here for 8 years. If it were as diverse as Singapore, I would probably consider retiring, and putting in the work to make that happen, here. But I’ve pretty much accepted that that won’t happen in my lifetime and I’m already in my 30s.
I will go back to my home country, where transport sucks but all my family and closest friends are. And most importantly, the culture is more Westernized. I’ve no problems with Taiwan’s culture, but the mindset is just something I’ve never really liked. Tolerated, yes. Liked enough to see myself become Taiwanese, no.
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this 
++
versus a far bigger country out there with young people who want to beat others on the side of the head if they don’t agree with them.
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Long-term, you guys don’t care about the pollution?
Where compared to where?
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Not worthless, but a bit worse than a degree in Clownology.
We’ll call it a tie.
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haha. it’s heaven compared to early 90s when i arrived.
Yes a lot of the things that stick out to me are:
-no places to really run around and play unless we make a trip to the park or move out
to the country
-there’s someone smoking around every corner here
-extremely unsafe and dangerous drivers (driving down the wrong side of the road, flying through red lights, playing pokemon go while driving, etc)
-the schools don’t seem to take learning English very seriously here, unless you can get them in an expensive international private school
-the mixed race kids will always stand out because for some reason taiwanese people can’t handle it
-despite what people claim most of the people here have really poor english skills, usually all they can do is read well
-the schools seem like they turn the kids into zombies
-I don’t want to teach english for the rest of my life
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I left Taiwan a few years ago to return to London to build up my career and to put money into my own property to use as a safety net. Both of these would simply be out of the question for me in Taiwan. My intention was to move back to Taiwan once I get those things out of the way, but the longer I’m away the more used I get to my comfortable life and upwards mobility in London and the harder it gets to go back to a country where I’d be doing the same thing for the rest of my working life and NT$75K is the highest monthly salary I could realistically hope for (at a stretch).
I’m constantly on the lookout for an amazing opportunity in Taiwan, but nothing ever presents itself. If such an opportunity does present itself though (like landing a job here in the UK that could transfer me to Taiwan), then I would very happily immigrate to Taiwan and make it my life. But, with the situation being what it is, I just don’t think Taiwan is a great place for adults above the age of 29 who want to earn money and lead fulfilling lives.
Eating amazing food and going hiking on the weekends can only fulfil you for so long if you’re doomed to rent a room that doesn’t belong to you for the rest of your life and have little-to-no chance of getting a promotion at work or trying new things with your career. Sad but true. 
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It’s the society in general that does that , not only the public and private schools, but the buxibans, the parents expectations, the bosses. Turn left hit a Taiwanese teacher, turn right hit a Taiwanese boss. Things have gotten a lot better than years ago mind you.
The schools are great for learning Chinese , and they have plenty of extra curricular activities for kids. In junior high things get rough.
Fair enough. But it’s possible to do other things in Taiwan. Not super easy but possible. I don’t teach English (although I have done when I needed to), there’s people doing all sorts of stuff here.
What I always say to newbs is, if you don’t mind grinding out a non English speaking career you can try Taiwan and work really hard for at least ten years on mediocre pay, otherwise there’s plenty of easier options in many other countries 
95% don’t stick around more than a couple of years. Too hard plus they didn’t learn Chinese .
Another very popular career option for foreigners (as well as Taiwanese ) is to find a rich local to marry or at least one that comes with free accommodation 
.
Although I do know people who are very happy with the 9-5.30 office gig and tiny pay raise each year as long as there are no other expectations and job security.
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