I’ve just arrived in Taichung.
Can’t really say what I think to it at the minute, seems very busy and (obviously) the culture is really different.
I feel quite rubbish at the moment though, as soon as I had a wander around I felt a little uneasy. I’m here to teach English for a year but I’m not sure how I feel about that now. Can anyone offer any advice? Is this a normal feeling?
Good luck, NickLane,
Everybody reacts differently on arrival - you have those in awe of anything Asian, those who are horribly freaked out, and also those who just get on with it.
There’s no absolutely correct response to ensure success during your time here. But sometimes the people who arrive a little shell-shocked do well. Just remember that you came to Taiwan for something different. You’ll meet friends and settle in soon enough.
Consider these threads:
Taichung: http://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1207&start=50
New to Taiwan: [url]New to Taiwan: Some Questions
Shock of Arrival: [url]Dealing with the shock of just arriving
[quote=“ThreadKiller”]Good luck, NickLane,
Everybody reacts differently on arrival - you have those in awe of anything Asian, those who are horribly freaked out, and also those who just get on with it.
There’s no absolutely correct response to ensure success during your time here. But sometimes the people who arrive a little shell-shocked do well. Just remember that you came to Taiwan for something different. You’ll meet friends and settle in soon enough.
Consider these threads:
Taichung: http://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1207&start=50
New to Taiwan: [url]New to Taiwan: Some Questions
Shock of Arrival: [url]Dealing with the shock of just arriving
Thanks. I suppose it is a little bit of culture shock mixed in with total lack of knowledge (accept from books/internet sources) about Taiwan and Taichung in general. Don’t suppose you can really put down on a piece of paper what it’s actually like.
I’m hoping that eventually I’ll just be able to get on with it.
Greetings Nick! I’m in Changhua teaching English for a year, though my year is almost up. Just 3 months left.
You may have some jet lag at the moment too. I know I had a lot when I first got here. And I was totally in awe of anything Asian as ThreadKiller mentioned. (So was my roommate. She told me when we were walking on food street here in Changhua “Hey look, Chinese food!”
I’ve been to Taichung a few times, and think the area is fairly nice. There are some nice museums and such that way.
Anyways, at risk of sounding like I’m rambling, I’m gonna say welcome to Taiwan! And get in touch if ever you just wanna talk or whatever.
That’s brilliant, cheers bree1818.
Things have gotten a lot better since the first night. It was horrible to be stuck in a hotel in an unfamiliar place even for a night, but I’ve managed to get a pretty nice apartment in a nice area and within walking distance of my school, and I’ve managed to get out with some other teachers and explore a couple of blocks either way near my house and school too.
My email is nicklane01@googlemail.com!
I’m surprised you didn’t get any advice from Lindsay Craig before you came over. 
Welcome Nick,
I first came to Taiwan around this time of year 11 years ago, and I remember how crappy I felt for my forst couple of weeks here. The jet-lag, heat, humidity, less than ideal air quality and getting my bearings right around town with no Chinese language skills were the hardest on me. A good rest supplemented by eating as much fruit as you can (fruit is easy on the system while trying to sort itself out in the new climate) will make you feel much better, at which point you can start exploring your area to see what’s around (just don’t look for any pubs, they’ve all been closed recently by the mayor). It takes a bit of time to get settled into the swing of things around here, but I wouldn’t worry too much about your initial impressions. You’ll soon be enjoying yourself.
The best advice I can give is: learn Chinese. Don’t put it off because you “don’t have time”. Make time for it. You will be able to communicate within six months (part-time study) and conversational within 18-24 months.
It gives you a reassuring sense of “home” when you can read the shop signs, order a meal, and understand people grumbling about foreigners on the MRT.
Thanks for the advice guys, its really appreciated!! 
Hey, I have also just recently moved to Taichung to teach English. Nick, I felt the same way as you when I arrived in Taichung a few weeks ago. Some of those feelings have already started to go away, and I already feel more comfortable living here.
Thanks to all the other posters. Reading this thread and the links provided has been really helpful.