Gambling over Taiwan

To all those living and working in taiwan, I am seeking your advice.

I recently was teaching in France, but do to bureaucratic nightmares, the relatively high cost of living and because I just ran out of money, I had to return home (Canada.)

In January - shortly after Chinese New Year - I will be coming to Taiwan for peak job hiring season. I have yet to pick my town, but I’m sure it will be one of the bigger ones.

I will be coming with very little money - probably about 1000$ - so obviously want to find work quickly.

Now, I’ve been adviced that coming with that amount of money is fine, and in january you won’t have any problem finding work anywhere.

Do you think it is better that I come with a job pre-arranged (the Hess route, etc…), or should I just come with a little money, gamble a bit, and expect to find a better job fast enough?

Thanks.

PS. Is Hess really that bad? I know there are plenty of threads on this, but i have yet to look at them…

I don’t think 1,000 is enough money to search for a job when you get here. You’d need more like 2,500 or 3,000. If you can only scrape together 1,000, my advice is to try and work off of recommendations from other Canadians who have lived and worked here. Try to find a school that provides housing so that you’ll have a place to live when you first arrive. You can always move out once you’re settled, but you’ll at least save money on rent (and you won’t have deposit money for a time). You can start working right away, bite the bullet for a month or two before you’ve reached a bit of a comfort zone.

Can you borrow 1,500 from a rich uncle? That would allow you a great deal more freedom, and dignity, once you arrive.

If you try the get a job after you arrive route, it will be at least 3-4 weeks before you collect your first salary, and two months before you’re earning enough to live normally, without having to worry and scrap. I don’t think your money would hold long enough to make it if you had only 1,000 to begin with.

If you are coming here to teach English, then I hope that this was a mispelling.

I agree with Tomas. If you can, bring more money. Maybe you can promise to pay it back after you get on your feet here and have a steady income.

Of course, anything is possible. But I agree that some more money "will allow you a great deal more freedom, and dignity, once you arrive. " (To quote the sound advice of Tomas.)

living in a hostel for a month… 6000-8000 nt
eating… 300 nt a day… about 9000 a month
mrt… 1000nt for a month
maple syrup and bacon… hmm yea youll need a lot for then 1000

You can do it.
I have known people who have.
The first couple of months will be austere but instant noodles and hostel life isn’t all bad. And you might find a chick who will take you in for free.
But do your homework before you arrive. Don’t commit to a job before you arrive. Check all the info here you can before you come.
By the way, I stayed in Taipei for the first two month I was here in a home stay for free – rent and meals. Just had to “teach” the kids a little each day, which meant interacting with them in English a bit.