Hi everyone! I have a special request :help: I’m not really sure where to post this, so feel free to move it if need be.
I’ve gathered a lot of information already and plan on moving to Taiwan around the middle of July. I’m currently living in Canada.
People here have been a great help with the questions I had so far, so I’d like to return the favor with other newbies who are in the same stressful situation as me!
I’m a very friendly and outgoing guy, therefore I’d love to get to know other people who are planning the same move, around the same time, to share info and make some contacts before I get there I think this is the kind of move that’s so much easier to do when you have other people supporting you, knowing you won’t be alone when you get there. I also think it could be a great way to find a roommate to share housing with!
I’m a 34 yr old male from Canada who loves the outdoors: camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, fishing, etc. I’m also a big movie and TV series fan . I love hockey, fine beers, good food, and pretty ladies So don’t be shy, whether you’re male or female, younger or older, drop me a line so we can exchange on this common project of ours! The more the merrier!
Welcome to Taiwan and to Forumosa. You’ll be most welcome to join me and my friends for hiking, camping and river tracing. You can find us on facebook as “Hiking and Riding in Taipei”.
Yep, a bit bit. Been to Montreal, best school pal lives there, lovely city, very nice people.[/quote]
It is indeed a lovely city, but it’ll soon be losing one of its nicest people hehe.
I see that you live in Xindian. Not much has been said about that part of Taipei in the forums. I’ll surely be looking for an apartment on the outskirts, both to save money and to be closer to nature. I don’t mind traveling. Do you recommend Xindian? or others places nearby?
I’m actually hesitating between Taichung and the outskirts of Taipei, and nothing I read is really helping, both cities having their pros and cons.
Go to the Yellow line, It’s pretty far out yet accessible by MRT not sure about the rent.
Xizhi Area is about 10 mins away by local train. It’s got some nice mountains & hiking trails and rent is cheap. 0 nightlife
LOL. I recommend Xindian for people who do not mind being a bit far from the party scene and foreign amenities. It is close to nature, with hiking trails and bike paths and the lake and hot springs. It might be a bit cheaper in terms of housing than other areas closer to Taipei. We’re 20 minutes away from Taipei Main Station -the center of downtown to say something- by metro.
[quote=“hs172”]Go to the Yellow line, It’s pretty far out yet accessible by MRT not sure about the rent.
Xizhi Area is about 10 mins away by local train. It’s got some nice mountains & hiking trails and rent is cheap. 0 nightlife[/quote]
I don’t care much about the nightlife. Nice to know it’s not 3 hours away if I feel the need for it, but I don’t need it to be that close to where I live.
I read that the weather is nicer in Taichung, with less rain. Housing is bigger and it costs less, but I’m just thinking that it might be a major hassle for a newcomer to live far from Taipei for the work permit, ARC and everything. Would it be? Better for a second contract maybe?
Xindian sound good too, with the metro close by. Are there many buxibans in these parts? I see elementary schools pretty much all over Taipei on Google maps, so I guess there must be work on the outskirts too right?
Do prospective teachers tend to stay close to downtown Taipei?
Do you think my preference for a quieter setting could give me an advantage when looking for a contract?
Eh, each city has its own NIA office -where you process your ARC, it is not all centered in Taipei. The key factor here is where you will find work…
As a matter of fact, if you live in Xindian, you must trek to the main NIA office for the outskirts, which is located in anotehr city. But as said, convenience is teh word here, nothing is more than 30 minutes away by metro/taxi.
Yellow line has a bit less options regardig what you like -hiking, outdoors- but it will be cheaper. More crowded, though, which is always something new arrivals have a hard time getting used to -and old timers get antsy, too.
Downtown Taipei is not my cup of tea to live. I work here, a stone’s throw away from The Main Station, and I’d live here for convenience sake, but for health sake I live in Xindian. Taechers I believe should live close to their workplace, but I don’t know anyone who live slike really close to downtown. In taht case, I’d recommend the cheap foreign area, the area around National Taiwan Normal University -well, not really cheap, but cheaper for foreigners as compared to say, Tianmu or Xinyi, teh fancy areas- or around daan, which is still close to a big park. Liuzhangli MRT station and surroundings are also convenient and reasonably priced. Xizhi might be a bit out there but it also has lots of green areas.
Teachers go where work is. being flexible is always and advantage, but these days it is quite competitive, so I wish you the best of luck in finding a suitable job.
Thanks for the suggestions people!
Maybe outskirts wasn’t the appropriate term after all. Yushan, Hualian and Yilan all seem like nice places but I wouldn’t venture that far out on a first contract, without any knowledge of Mandarin I still want to have access to foreign amenities and to see foreigners. I just said that nightlife isn’t that important, and mostly that I’d rather not have it all around me. But maybe the two are inseparable after all
I’ll look into the surroundings of Liuzhangli though, and Danshui might be interesting too. What about Taichung?
I also asked earlier about the location of buxibans. I see elementary and high schools in every part of Taipei on Google maps. Is it safe to assume that buxibans are located all over Taipei as well, generally close to these schools? I know I have to go where there’s work, that’s not a problem, but when I first arrive, I’d like to know where to start looking for work. I can’t cover every part of the city. That’s why I thought I could look first for nice neighborhoods and then walk around these parts and look for jobs around the elementary schools there. But if you tell me all buxibans are located downtown, then I’ll look for a job first and then I’ll look for decent housing. What’s the best way to do this?
I’m really motivated and I’m up for the challenge. I’m taking things really seriously, planning everything, and seeing this opportunity as a life-changing experience and a fresh start, not vacation time. I will be actively looking for jobs once I get there and I’m confident that my presentation, maturity, education and life experience will help me find a job and be a part of that community. At my age, I’m thinking long-term, not just a brief stint.
By law, all buxibans have to be located in the buxiban district, in Sanchong.[/quote]
OK! That’s good to know.
That makes things a lot easier when looking for a job then I really thought they could open a buxiban anywhere near schools. So, the kids travel a lot more than the teachers in the end!
By law, all buxibans have to be located in the buxiban district, in Sanchong.[/quote]
OK! That’s good to know.
That makes things a lot easier when looking for a job then I really thought they could open a buxiban anywhere near schools. So, the kids travel a lot more than the teachers in the end![/quote]
Unless you live in the glorious metropolis of Sanchong, jewel of New Taipei City, of course. Living in Sanchong can best be described as a constant stimulation of the senses. The air is fresh, the streets are safe, the women all wear short skirts. One wonders why anyone would ever choose to live anywhere else, except of course for reasons of mental illness or defect.
I think this is the kind of move that’s so much easier to do when you have other people supporting you, knowing you won’t be alone when you get there. I also think it could be a great way to find a roommate to share housing with!
. I love hockey, fine beers, good food, and pretty ladies 
So don’t be shy, whether you’re male or female, younger or older, drop me a line so we can exchange on this common project of ours! The more the merrier!
Yep, a bit bit. Been to Montreal, best school pal lives there, lovely city, very nice people.
