Taiwan seems to have an extraordinary grasp on those that have lived there for sometime. And even to those who have not lived there for some time but yet feel a strange draw to the place. Do you hear the siren call of Taiwan when you are away even seemingly never to return. And when did you hear it? And what did you do (if you did anything) about it? If you are away now, do you hear it? the CALL?? And if you are not yet there but planning to be. When did you hear the Siren call of Taiwan. that strange gravitational pull from Planet Taiwan that doesnt go away.
I heard the call in June 2001, after coming here on another business trip. Went home, did the numbers (i.e. income after tax versus cost of living), then sold the house, car, and most of my personal stuff and headed over just before 9/11. I had a fun three years of wild bachelorhood and a variety of work experiences, then met Mrs. Tomas and settled down.
I like living here. A daily cultural adventure, combined with reasonable taxes and cost of living, and numerous work opportunities. I don’t often get bugged by the trivial shit that accompanies living in a foreign land.
Tommy, why don’t you get your keyster over here? I’m sure we only see the tip of the iceberg, but maybe you can pull it off, eh?
I didn’t know very much about Taiwan way back then in the mid 1980s, but I wanted to immerse myself in studying Chinese, and Taiwan seemed to be the best place for doing so.
When I went with my Malaysian Chinese girlfriend to her elder sister’s place and mentioned that I was planning to study Chinese in Taiwan, the jiejie’s response was: “Ooh, Taiwan’s a paradise for men, you’ll be able to have a different flavour every night.” That sounded pretty good to me, though of course I had to feign disinterest and assure them I’d staunchly resist being seduced by those Taiwanese sirens. After all, I was only planning to stay for a while, and then we’d be back together again.
But my letters to her began to peter out as the months went by, and eventually, after graduation, she went back to Malaysia, gave up on me, and married her childhood sweetheart. Now, 21 years 8 days and 8 hours after arriving on these shores, here I still am, and expect to remain here for the rest of my days.
I hate here. Fucking hate it. It’s a shithole. But my wife doesn’t want to leave, I like the money and anyway, what the fuck would I be able to do back home in civilization?
[quote=“Omniloquacious”]I didn’t know very much about Taiwan way back then in the mid 1980s, but I wanted to immerse myself in studying Chinese, and Taiwan seemed to be the best place for doing so.
When I went with my Malaysian Chinese girlfriend to her elder sister’s place and mentioned that I was planning to study Chinese in Taiwan, the jiejie’s response was: “Ooh, Taiwan’s a paradise for men, you’ll be able to have a different flavour every night.” That sounded pretty good to me, though of course I had to feign disinterest and assure them I’d staunchly resist being seduced by those Taiwanese sirens. After all, I was only planning to stay for a while, and then we’d be back together again.
But my letters to her began to peter out as the months went by, and eventually, after graduation, she went back to Malaysia, gave up on me, and married her childhood sweetheart. Now, 21 years 8 days and 8 hours after arriving on these shores, here I still am, and expect to remain here for the rest of my days.[/quote]
wow . and like the rest of the inmates you know Exactly HOW long you’d been in Taiwan :)
[quote=“Tomas”]I heard the call in June 2001, after coming here on another business trip. Went home, did the numbers (i.e. income after tax versus cost of living), then sold the house, car, and most of my personal stuff and headed over just before 9/11. I had a fun three years of wild bachelorhood and a variety of work experiences, then met Mrs. Tomas and settled down.
I like living here. A daily cultural adventure, combined with reasonable taxes and cost of living, and numerous work opportunities. I don’t often get bugged by the trivial shit that accompanies living in a foreign land.
Tommy, why don’t you get your keyster over here? I’m sure we only see the tip of the iceberg, but maybe you can pull it off, eh?[/quote]
honestly i really want to. But its wierd for me cuz im born and raised in Taiwan but yet i CAN NOT get Taiwanese citizenship unless i give up my US citizenship (which i refuse to do).
only children born AFTER 1986 can be dual nationals apparently without giving up their “other” citizenship if their MOTHER is taiwanese and their dad is not.
STUPID RULES , VERY STUPID. i think its a human rights violation. HOw can a person who grew up in taiwan and was born there be allowed to be treated like a tourist?? Shameful really !!!
only way i can stay in taiwan long term now is to find me a taiwanese gal to marry. And thats not easy from here in sunny CAlifornia !! Not enough selection of taiwanese hotties here at all. And the ones that ARE here are going after the mericans here. And they want to STAY HERE. NOt go back. I want to go back !! But all the girls iv come across seem to want to COME to the USA or want to STAY in the USA. WHAT TO DO??
maybe i need one of those arranged marriages where i can live in taiwan cuz of my ‘wife’ and she can in the meantime live in the usa cuz shes married to an american?? something like that.
[quote=“almondcookie”]is the rule different if your dad is the one who is twnese (and your mum not)?
you should find a local girl online and make a deal, she helps you get twn citizenship and u help her get US…
good luck…[/quote]
YES if the father is taiwanese the child is AUTOMATICALLY given taiwanese citizenship and can have any other citizenship he can get. NO problems whatsoever. But if the MOTHER is taiwanese??? then the child CAN NOT have another citizenship as well if he/she is to get taiwanese citizenship. This was later amended to read ok for children born AFTER 1986. Which i think is very stupid and inhuman. ARe children born BEFORE 1986 as i was less human?? and less entitled somehow???
very strange laws. and then again very typical of planet taiwan.
TAiwan is a place where everyone has some sort of love/hate relationship with
i love much about it and i do hate a few things bout it too, trust me on that.
but since i was born and raised there, when i am somewhere else. The air just doesnt feel the same, it doesnt smell the same, the air density is not the same. the climate is not the same, etc.
it just AINT the same.
i brought two taiwanese persian cats with me to the USA . One has since died , but the other will come running to the computer if he hears a taiwanese/chinese girl speaking chinese.
he doesnt run over when i play a vid on youtube in japanese, or korean , but he will come when i play something that has a girl speaking mandarin. Wierdest thing !!! he will jump on the table and put his head right next to the speaker
Came to Taiwan in 2002 with the plan of staying a year. The usual story, study Chinese, experience living in a foreign country immersed in a culture completely different from my own.
After the year my boss convinced me to sign a second year contract. I duly did this and went back home for a month. I arrived on the Sunday morning. By Wednesday I was already fairly “homesick” and moved up my return to Taiwan by three weeks. Got back to Taiwan one week after I had left, surprised my then girlfriend (whom I’m still very good friends with) and spent the next three weeks of my vacation with her.
I’ve been here ever since. Getting married soon and have no intention of leaving any time soon, if ever.
For some reason I just feel very at home in Taiwan.
Get your ass over here Tommy. I may be wrong, but I think US citizens qualify for a landing visa (30 days). If not, it will still be a piece of cake for you to get a visitors visa. Take it from there.
[quote=“bismarck”]Came to Taiwan in 2002 with the plan of staying a year. The usual story, study Chinese, experience living in a foreign country immersed in a culture completely different from my own.
After the year my boss convinced me to sign a second year contract. I duly did this and went back home for a month. I arrived on the Sunday morning. By Wednesday I was already fairly “homesick” and moved up my return to Taiwan by three weeks. Got back to Taiwan one week after I had left, surprised my then girlfriend (whom I’m still very good friends with) and spent the next three weeks of my vacation with her.
I’ve been here ever since. Getting married soon and have no intention of leaving any time soon, if ever.
For some reason I just feel very at home in Taiwan.
Get your ass over here Tommy. I may be wrong, but I think US citizens qualify for a landing visa (30 days). If not, it will still be a piece of cake for you to get a visitors visa. Take it from there.[/quote]
haha isnt that funny how it works? You go home and just days later you are restless for the re-entry!! Congrats on your upcoming marriage :bravo: :bravo:
ya we get 30 days landing visa. But i will try to get the 60day visa (five year multiple) i had before. That means a short visa run to hk every 60days . Just a hop there and back. I guess you just gotta PLUNGE back in.
want fish? gotta go to the fish market, wanna find a nice taiwanese gal? gotta go to taiwan. simple huh?
:loco: 
:)
