I’m moving to Taipei in a few months, I’m wondering if it’s easy to meet people since I would be working in an environment where they are few people.
What hobbies or activities does the Taiwanese do normally? Like on the weekends?
Is it easy to get around without a car?I’ve lived in both Toronto and Vancouver and it takes AGES to get around…I wonder if it’s the same in Taipei.
Hope any of you can give me some advice!! Leave a comment!!
Are you going to teach English?
[quote=“jessccw”]I’m moving to Taipei in a few months, I’m wondering if it’s easy to meet people since I would be working in an environment where they are few people.
What hobbies or activities does the Taiwanese do normally? Like on the weekends?
Is it easy to get around without a car?I’ve lived in both Toronto and Vancouver and it takes AGES to get around…I wonder if it’s the same in Taipei.
Hope any of you can give me some advice!! Leave a comment!![/quote]
Watch TV, sleep … KTV, shop until they drop … eat junkfood
Ironman, either teaching English or finding another job.
You? Are you teaching English in Taiwan?
Why does it matter? What hobbies do YOU have?
Ironyman said:[quote]
Are you going to teach English?[/quote]
You are a bad man. 
I’m moving to Taipei in a few months, I’m wondering if it’s easy to meet people since I would be working in an environment where they are few people.
What hobbies or activities does the Taiwanese do normally? Like on the weekends?
-> caring for the family, meeting the family
Is it easy to get around without a car?
-> yes, if you do not mind the crashes
I’ve lived in both Toronto and Vancouver and it takes AGES to get around…I wonder if it’s the same in Taipei.
-> Do not ask Bubba2Guns for a cell phone call when you get lost, he will say something nasty about your mum
Hope any of you can give me some advice!! Leave a comment!!
Sleep, watch TV.
But there are fortunately some more actiive types about. Check the Forumosa hiking thread for example.
HG
Taipei is one of the easiest places in the world to get around on public transport and it would probably take five times longer in a car. There are excellent island-wide coach services if you want to explore the rest of Taiwan and taxis are fairly reasonable if you want to go somewhere out of the way.
As for meeting people, how long’s a piece of string? Taipei is generally a pretty friendly place to live.
I wouldn’t rely on your future Taiwanese friends to find you exciting things to do but Taiwan has a lot to offer the adventurous traveller. On my first visit I went swimming under a waterfall with Thai friends, picnicked near a secluded stream, climbed a few mountains, raced motorbikes, chilled out at the beach, stayed at a mountain community in Pingtung, went clubbing, etc. etc. Life, as always, is what you make it.
[quote=“jessccw”]I’m moving to Taipei in a few months, I’m wondering if it’s easy to meet people since I would be working in an environment where they are few people.
What hobbies or activities does the Taiwanese do normally? Like on the weekends?
Is it easy to get around without a car?I’ve lived in both Toronto and Vancouver and it takes AGES to get around…I wonder if it’s the same in Taipei.
Hope any of you can give me some advice!! Leave a comment!![/quote]
Hary sounds like you did many exciting things!! Lots of fun!!
[quote=“jessccw”]Ironman, either teaching English or finding another job.
You? Are you teaching English in Taiwan?[/quote]
Hey jessccw,
No, I am a designer and spend time in Taiwan checking to see if what I design is actually built in a half reasonable way.
Glad you are enjoying Forumosa. Have fun here.
Re names. Is it jesscounterclockwise?
Despite being a llama I’m not the least bit hairy, thank you.
I hope you aren’t ashmatic Jess. That turned my planned year long trip into a stilted, unsatisfying, three month jaunt. The pollution in Taipei is truly bad. Most expats don’t seem to mind though. So if you can handle it better than I, go on and enjoy yourself. Now let’s see if I can answer your lifestyle question:
Unmarried Taiwanese women stay at home and play with dolls, even if they’re thirty. Occasionally they go on shopping binges, eat syrupy ice candy, and complain about all the slutty women who are having better times than they.
Married Taiwanese women with kids take care of the kids. Period. Sometimes they complain about slutty women, but usually their screaming kids distract them.
Married Taiwanese women with grown kids play majiang all day, drink nasty tea condensed from vegetable fiber, and complain about all the slutty women who are having better times than they.
Unmarried Taiwanese men — you know what, I just don’t have the energy.
There’s lots of stuff to do actually. Taiwan is certainly more family-oriented, but Taipei has all the usual entertainments and then some: you can see interesting religious parades carnivaling down the streets, go to night markets and eat a bowl of noodles while perusing through hundreds of pirated VCDS, take a weekend trip to Yangming Mountain and stay in lavish Japanese hotels built during the occupation, there soaking in the natural hot springs or hiking around the mountain. You can hang out at the pubs and watch all the expats totter around drunk. Oh, and since you’re Canadian, you’ll have the added pleasure of telling people that no, you’re not American, about a zillion times a day. Have fun!
Prepare to drink more alochol than you’ve planned. 
Thats two for me already during this session. And follow the other good advice here, the cynical ones too, because its all that and more.
Chou
dear jessccw,
i dont live in taipei but i spent 3 weeks there last year and had a great time.
i dont think you need a car if you are working in town. i used the mrt a lot and it is very convenient. you will master it in no time. i also walked a lot. i love to walk and this is a great way to learn the city. and if you lose direction, no big deal, this too helps you learn the city.
there is so much to do you will never run out of entertainment. my favorite things to do were visit temples (luckily i have friends who helped), shop at the night markets (there are many), hike the trails, and visit a pub or six.
i am going back to taipei for the entire month of march this year. i have been studying my maps and guides and there is so much yet to see that i missed last year.
the museums are amazing. there are many to choose from. it seems to me the taiwanese are serious about their malls too. i enjoyed them mostly for their amazing architecture.
as far as meeting people i think you will do fine. i happened to meet a group of people from taipei here in the usa , so i was lucky. they showed me around and knew all the good places to eat and shop, etc.
you are going to love it, i know i do.
best,
jm
[quote=“bob_honest”]I’m moving to Taipei in a few months, I’m wondering if it’s easy to meet people since I would be working in an environment where they are few people.
I’ve lived in both Toronto and Vancouver and it takes AGES to get around…I wonder if it’s the same in Taipei.
-> Do not ask Bubba2Guns for a cell phone call when you get lost, he will say something nasty about your mum
Hope any of you can give me some advice!! Leave a comment!![/quote]
Bob You Bad!
I only say that to weeping Germans.
thanks everyone! great info.
Hey, no problemo!
No problema, rush right in, the whole friggin’ country is waiting for ya.
Like olda women? I need to get my mother in law occupied somehow…