A bit of details - I’m a high school dropout, worked at home on a farm until we sold some great grandfather’s property and now I haven’t worked in three years (I’m 23 now). I’m very interested in eastern asia, I grew up watching Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee movies and documentaries about the history of China. Now I just love the erhu, traditional rooftops and dumplings! And yes, I am serious about the move. How serious? I was thinking to live in Cambodia cause it’s near eastern asia, so here I am, it’s hot and I changed my mind on a second day. Really, I’ve spent two years studying the country, watching documentaries about it and never realized that tap water just tastes awful, you’re nagged to death by tuk-tuk offers and that it’s madness on the streets. Do you know how annoying and dangerous it is? Walks by the riverside aren’t relaxing at all. That’s not something that I imagined about the daily life. Now I really can’t stand it in Phnom Penh and it’s barely a 3rd day. And all sidewalks are packed, people just expand their property onto them, even on major boulevards and so you’re always walking on the dangerous road. I’m an active person but now I can’t even do daily running. I was always able to find a kilometer of sidewalks to run on in all directions back in Ljubljana.
The only safe/comfortable thing to do is to stay inside all day and that’s not something that I want, especially with terrible water. I don’t even wanna make tea with that. And people complain of bad bottled water in western countries. Sheesh! I found Evian and it tastes great! I know there might be issues in Taiwan too but after all this, it won’t bother me. Xenophobia? Well that sounds easy to handle over endless tuk-tuk offers. Some even complain over few rude koreans and have their holiday ruined. That doesn’t sound that bad.
So is there any way to live in Taiwan on my own finances? Any possible way? Some countries have investment programs, you buy property worth $300.000 and they give out investment visas, or however that works, but I can’t afford that. What if I join the military? Migrants/foreigners can sign up for the US military, right? Yes, I can be devoted to the country. I really wouldn’t flee Japan over nuclear disaster just like that.
And the thing is that I want to cancel slovenian permanent residency. I want to get something in Taiwan that will equally count as permanent residence, otherwise it’s pointless paying the rent back at home because I can’t cancel slovenian residency without acquiring residence somewhere else first.
Here in Taiwan… You want traditional rooftops? You know where you can find those? Across the street from my cement block apartment. It’s got some pretty blue tape around it and cockroches milling about inside. Right next to (literally) they are building a high-rise skyskraper and the “traditional rooftop” is about to be torn down any day.
If you don’t like it there, I doubt you will find it much nicer in Taiwan, maybe Taipei, but I think Shanghai or Hong Kong are a little more modern when it comes to thinks like keeping footpaths accessible and making some minimal effort to preserve historic areas.
Your post exactly describes some parts of taiwan except the tuktuk thing (: My wife is constantly complaining about the footpath and I can stand the heat.
No, no, it must be better in modernized countries. So far I’ve heard tuk-tuk offers EVERYTIME I went out. Before coming I was at least hopeful that by having my own transportation, they won’t nag me but now I see I can’t even drive because it’s just madness. And yes, I know Taiwanese streets can also be packed. It’s just here is really packed with either cars parked, locals running a shop or homeless camping out and then you just walk on the dangerous road all the time. I saw only one street so far with no one on the sidewalks but that road was closed and behind the royal palace, otherwise it’s always walking on the road.
Why would you want to make the same mistake twice? Just visit and check by yourself if you’ll like it. If not, go elsewhere. Anyhow there are a couple of nice areas in Taipei, if you have the budget. Much better than Phnom Penh in every aspect.
There are very few people who choose PP as a city to live when they have the choice, because there is no reason to live there; the cost of living is quite high in PP and the quality of life very poor. I’m surprised you would research the country so long without realizing it. Most of the time it’s Thailand expats who are fed up with Thailand, or English teachers who struggle to find a job elsewhere in Cambodia who move there.
Also, I don’t know who in their right mind would drink the tap water in SE Asia, even if filtered.
There are several nice Chinatowns in North America where you could probably settle quite comfortably, without having to concern yourself about residency rules or unAmerican environmental hazards.
If you have enough money to live anywhere, try different places, including Taiwan. The worst thing that can happen is that you put yourself back on a plane and fly out of here.
If you’re looking for permanent residency, and you’re not looking to marry a Taiwanese citizen, then you need to run a search for APRC.
There is also a scheme in Taiwan where they encourage people to retire here. I would guess that you might be able to apply for something along those lines if you have enough money in the bank. You’ll probably be best off visiting the Taiwanese consulate in Bangkok and asking their advice. My gut feel is that if you have enough money there will be a way to live here without doing visa runs. If you have enough money you can also start up a business and get an ARC. I doubt that the army would have you as they seem to be cutting back on the military here. It seems like a bit of a risk to move to a country you’ve never been to and try to join the army in order to become a citizen. You might find that you don’t like it here, either.
I don’t drink the tap water, but I know people who do and they seem OK.
To the original poster, in my own experience about the lowest i could live on without a room mate is about $10,000 NT/ month and that is not doing anything and is comfortable but very boring. I agree about cambodia, the nicer places to be there you cant just go our for a nice stroll through the forest. Plus PP is really not like most of the rest of the country.
Hi guys. I don’t know how I missed this shit fest today, but I’ve removed the OT stuff and flamed the insults. Let’s keep it On Topic from here on, please.
you’re nagged to death by tuk-tuk offers and that it’s madness on the streets. Do you know how annoying and dangerous it is?
Wow…“tuk-tuk offers” has become a thing of the past…I’ve never seen it long long time ago… Taiwan is a beautiful place. You don’t need to worry about getting robbed when walking on the street( of course big cities’s) in the middle of night…
2000 usd to blow a month you will be fine. 1000 usd and you will have to struggle a bit. 500 usd you have to live in the boonies and scrunge. Less then that you probably will face deportation eventually, because you will probably overstay your visa.
I am guessing this is taking into account visa runs to another country every 2 months? without visa runs 1000usd i never foudn a struggle for me AND my wife. In fact we live on that to this day, often not even that much (excluding travel money outside of taiwan).
I am guessing this is taking into account visa runs to another country every 2 months? without visa runs 1000usd i never foudn a struggle for me AND my wife. In fact we live on that to this day, often not even that much (excluding travel money outside of taiwan).[/quote]
Yes, I am using my personal “yardstick” , your mileage may vary
I find I really need bout 2000/month USD to be comfortable, taking into accounts 3 day visa runs to HK, etc. And going out all the time basically.
And remembering that my little studio near tunhwa/chongshiao costs 700/month right there. So 1300 usd /month to pay for all meals out, trips to pubs for a drink maybe two a few times a week (lets say daily) and visa runs. And I aint suffering those in/out visa runs, i stay 3 days in the kong.
