OK, I’m back. Didn’t realize this post would generate quite so much interest (racial tension). Speaking of which, I don’t really care who populates the area, their ancestry or race I mean. Although I would like to be somewhere with somewhat of a foreign presence.
I didn’t get the job in Hsinchu, so however many Hakka it does or doesn’ t have is an even mooter point (yes I know this isn’t a real word trolls, I just wanted to say mooter). The interviewer liked me but said he had to hire someone already in-country in the interest of time.
So now, if I go to Taiwan I am looking Kaohsiung because I have an interview coming up with a school there and with Shane (I have a connection), which would mean I’d be living in a non-franchised Shane school as close to Taipei as possible.
As for my interests well, yeah I do like nightlife, but I don’t want to get caught up in the drunken expat lifestyle (I’ve taught in Japan before). I love big cities. In Taiwan I’d want to use my spare time to hike, take photos, write (my main thing), read, learn the language or at least some of it. I’d like to visit friends in Japan and Korea if I have time and money. Yes I want to party too of course, just not every other night or something like I’m in college (in my early 30s), and get over a previously bad experience teaching little kids since that’s where most of the jobs are. I have lots of experience teaching adults, some teaching teens.
One thing that attracts me to Taiwan is the proximity of big cities to nature instead of lame suburbs like in America. Currently trapped in one of those lame suburbs. If I have the money and time I’d like to learn to scuba dive although I only go to beaches once in awhile. Like port cities or just being on the water. Hate winter and grey skies, although I think I could deal with that in Taipei since it seems that there’s so much going on there.
My only concern about Kaohsiung is the climate - is it really that bad? My friend in the US is from Kaohsiung and told me that she never goes hiking or anything like that because it’s too hot. I don’t mind the heat as much as the cold, but I must admit that I sweat like a pig due to medications and heredity.
I also want to save money at the end of the month to pay off student loans and just to have for the future or for traveling or whatever. Yes, I know how expensive Taipei is, but I’m not a very materialistic person and I’d be willing to live 20 or 30 minutes outside it to save on rent.
I bet that’s a lot more info than anybody wanted. But there it is.
Sometimes I have to make the journey out there for this reason. Sad but true. Well one of those cafes have girls that dress in miniskirts and show a bit of tits but still fairly conservative and they do have honest to goodness good viet coffee, so technically that is the reason i venture out there now and then…u understand.