Hello everyone. This is my first post.
I have spent the last two years working in Tokyo and am considering the move to Taipei when my contract is up. Has anyone made the same move? Any advice? Is it a good idead?
Also, I have been looking at photo’s of Taipei on flickr.com and the city looks dirty and run-down, not what I am used to! Is it really that bad.
Thank you everyone, I await your replies.
Cheers Robin.
TP really dissapointed me at first because i thought it was gonna be like Tokyo. but taipei has a lot to offer. when you add dan sui and yan min mountain into the equation, i could just live in taipei and go nowhere else.
[quote=“Robin-Hood”]Hello everyone. This is my first post.
I have spent the last two years working in Tokyo and am considering the move to Taipei when my contract is up. Has anyone made the same move? Any advice? Is it a good idead?
Also, I have been looking at photo’s of Taipei on flickr.com and the city looks dirty and run-down, not what I am used to! Is it really that bad.
Thank you everyone, I await your replies.
Cheers Robin.[/quote]
‘Dirty and rundown’. Don’t be cheeky.
Has anyone on a Taiwan ex-pat forum moved to Taipei? There’s loads of advice here. Have a look around.
Parts of Taipei are rundown, as are parts of 99% of capital cities are. Some people don’t have a lot of money. Taipei may not be what you are looking for. I would recommend somewhere like Samut Prakan, Thailand. Wonderful architecture, cleaner than Singapore, loads of cultcha! Or if you are set on Taiwan, TaoYuan, Sanchong and downtown ChiaYii are my favourite spots. Although I’ve heard the next Asian Disneyland may be built in BanChiao, so that might be one to go for…
[quote=“Robin-Hood”]Hello everyone. This is my first post.
I have spent the last two years working in Tokyo and am considering the move to Taipei when my contract is up. Has anyone made the same move? Any advice? Is it a good idead?[/quote]
What will you be doing if I may ask?
I would say yes. However for convenience I wouldn’t want to stay somewhere else; you could always move to the suburbs or other cities/towns in Taiwan it you don’t like to stay right in the middle of the mess.
Thanks guys, I looked for tpoics on Taiwan Vs Japan and more specifically Taipei Vs Tokyo but could not really see anything, So, I ask again: Is there anyone who made the jump and what do you reccomend?
I am an English teachre BTW.
what let me down about taipei for a long time was the lack of inspiring architecture. tokyo kept me writing music for years after i left. the city just has a rhythm to it, especially at night. HK has the best skyline though.
it took me a while, but i found many unique views of taipei, which will go in my photo essay that i’m going to post on forumosa soon. these views will inspire you.
heeeheeeheeehohohohohahahahaha… you think it looks dirty? You just wait to find out how bad it smells!!!
What, Taipei smells??? Are you being serious? Are apartments really that much bigger in Taipei?
Taipei sounds like Bangkok? Is that what its like?
I mean, Tokyo is the NYC of ASIA, so, what does that make Taipei?
The latrine at that New Orlean’s stadium during Katrina.
[quote=“Robin-Hood”]What, Taipei smells??? Are you being serious? Are apartments really that much bigger in Taipei?
Taipei sounds like Bangkok? Is that what its like?
I mean, Tokyo is the NYC of ASIA, so, what does that make Taipei?[/quote]
Don’t even try and compare the two cities. In fact, don’t even try to compare Tokyo with any other city. Taipei is great… it just takes getting used to. Although the city is pretty dirty looking, post places are pretty clean on the inside (except my apartment)
[quote=“Robin-Hood”]Hello everyone. This is my first post.
I have spent the last two years working in Tokyo and am considering the move to Taipei when my contract is up. Has anyone made the same move? Any advice? Is it a good idead?
Also, I have been looking at photo’s of Taipei on flickr.com and the city looks dirty and run-down, not what I am used to! Is it really that bad.
Thank you everyone, I await your replies.
Cheers Robin.[/quote]
dont let anyone prevent you from coming to Taipei. Its a great place to live and work in. Takes a little time to get established and put together a circle of close buds and a coupla hang outs, but once you do? You will wonder what took you so long to get here!! Japans great they say, but Taiwan is not less so.
Taipeis a great place once you make it your own. And you are not far from beaches, mountains, etc.
Someone’s trying to be clever and funny, but failing miserably. 
Someone’s trying to be clever and funny, but failing miserably. [/quote]
I didn’t find the second quote funny or clever either but that has nothing to do with the topic and neither does this sentence.
[quote]Fox wrote:
The latrine at that New Orlean’s stadium during Katrina.
Someone’s trying to be clever and funny, but failing miserably. [/quote]
Oh well.
Hey guys, thank you so much for your replies, I have few more questions:
Is Taipei just as busy as Tokyo? I know Taipei is smaller, (but then again I only frequent to a few districts anyway) but does it seem more or less busy?
Are the apartments really that much bigger (if you want to live alone, not shared) I live in a 1k (6mats)
I expalined to my boss that I was considering leaving and he has offered me Y273,000 with 6 weeks paid off (not to be taken when I want, but national and school hols). If I come to Tpe, I’ll be on NT$70,000 AFTER tax with 24 days UNpaid holidays.
Whats the better deal?
Thanks
TO:
let me make it easy for you,pal:
the chicks are better all the way around. follow the ole’ wang Robin Hood!
[quote=“theposter”]let me make it easy for you,pal:
the chicks are better all the way around. follow the ole’ wang Robin Hood![/quote]
ya reckon?
Sheesh, when I read these kind of post from folks originally from the more “upmarket” western countries I always scratch my head and wonder, “What exactly are you guys used to back home? You don’t have run down areas in North America and Europe?”
Anyway, off the point.
I come from a less developed semi-western country aka South Africa. So whereas we have exhorbitantly rich areas, middle class areas (which I’ve been told by Americans who’ve been there) could just as well be any small town or middle class suburb in the States - we also have areas that are so poor they could rival a New Delhi slum any day of the week.
I mention this because I didn’t come to Taiwan via Japan (which I’m sure is way more developed than anywhere in SA and probably way cleaner and convenient too), but when I first set foot in Taipei I was horrifed. When I arrived in Kaohsuing I spent the first day walking around the city in mid-summer heat. Yes, the stench was awful. I actually wanted to go right back home.
However, I decided it was an adventure and if it looked and felt the same as back home what would be the point? Therefore I committed myself to a year, fell in love and four years later I’m still here (albeit Tainan) with no plans of ever going elsewhere, let alone home.
My advice is, come for a year. Check it out. Experience something different. If you really don’t like it you can always bugger off back to Japan or elsewhere, but at least you would have experienced something different. Afterall, that’s probably one of the reasons you went to Japan in the first place, right? You can always go back to Japan. Try a year here. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t, but at least you’ll have tried it…
Hope that helps. Best of luck.
hello there.
i never been to Tokyo, so i cant help you comparing the two cities.
anyhow, im a newcomer to Taipei, and i can give you my first impressions.
I come from Paris, France, and what disappoint me most in Taipei is how bad looking the city is. Everywhere the same buildings… same small streets and big avenues…
Good point is, i feel some sort of soul in that big Taipei City. Havnt been to a lot of places here yet, but im pretty sure i’ll love that place, even if it takes a few months.
One thing is sure, imho, Taipei is not a dirty city. It’s pretty clean actualy, for such a big city.
Also, life is not expensive for an advanced country like Taiwan.
have a good day.