Hope someone can help me. I’ve got funding to go to Taiwan and study Mandarin for a year. My level of Mandarin at the moment is less than rudimentary as I have only been studying for six months once a week in an evening class in London, although I have been busy memorising (simplified) charecters. The people who administer the scheme are not especially forthcoming with any advice.
I have some questions:
Where is the best place to study? Someone suggested Teachers Univeristy in Taipei (I would rather be in an “urban setting” anyway). Do people agree? However I looked on their website and it was all in Mandarin. I also tried ringing - with the same problem. How do I go about applying? (I have to find the place myself- they are just giving me the money).
Is $25,000 /month minus course fees enough to live on? WIll my visa allow me to suplement this with some work teaching English and would this be easy to find?
What about accomodation? Is it better to get a college dorm style place or go private?
There are more!! But thats probably already excesive.
Any help or advice would be appreciated -p.s I have tried a search but all the posts seem to be from people already in Taiwan. Many thanks.
I’m on the same scholarship and I knew nothing before I came. Mine only requires 2 hours of class a day. If yours is the same, make sure you have 538 hobbies, or a job. You can turn your reason for coming here into teaching English and living the lifestyle, learning Chinese on the side, with the added advantage of never worrying about money for one year and having a student visa.
Definitely go to Shi Da. Maybe if you type Mandarin Training Centre or similar into Google you will find the English website. They have heaps and heaps of info which other schools don’t offer which already says alot about the school. eg exact details about visas.
The money is fine and you will find that the schools will be flexible when it comes to fees when they know you are on the scholarship.
One more thing… Watch out in Jan and February. My school postpones Jan’s payment till Feb, for mysterious reasons, and a few people who weren’t prepared were left eating crap all holidays and pretty angry for the lack of warning. :bluemad:
Good luck!!
Ironlady - sorry I did try searching (as indicated in my post) but it came up with 450 results. I ploughed through a good few of them but couldn’t find anything that addressed my specific questions.
Gretel - thank you for the advice. I have checked out Shi Da and their pages are very helpful. Will try and make some descision - other people have reccomended Chinese Cultural University and Teachers University. I have no idea which to go for. I am interested in having the best possible tuition and not being stuck out in the sticks - anyone elese have any views?
Shi Da is for the serious student unencumbered with outrageous working hours. Not been to Zheng Da - political University - but I hear that is also good.
25k should be enough though you will no doubt have more than ample chance to up this with some legal teaching - 10-12 hours a week I think.
You’ll have to organise your own housing. Or this a place called International House where people on scholarships stay.
If I were in your position I would go to ShiDa.
I was in your position and I did go to ShiDa. I have no regrets.
The reason is that there are a lot of students there. A lot more than any other centre. More people to make friends with and to study with.
One warning - the secretaries have no clue about “service”, they are rude and unfriendly. Try to get through the ordeal without strangling one of them by remembering that after the initial sign-up you will have very little to do with them.
I wouldn’t advise getting into any contracts you can’t get out of before you get here as far as apartments go. You will have a much better idea of the local market once you get here and will know what to pay and where you would like to live. Some of my friends rented large apartments and several of them stayed together. It proved fairly economical and they were happy with it but I guess it depends on who you end up living with.
Is it easy to get a job teaching English? Yes if you’ve got white skin.
thanks for the advice…i am very confused by all these names. Someone told me there are to places to go -Shi Da “the one on the hill on the edge of town” and Teachers’ University in the centre. Are they the same institution on different sites?
The scholarship pays is through British Association of Chinese Studies. It pays
The one on the hill on the edge of town is either Chinese Culture University OR ChengDa (Political University).// Both have Chinese as a second language.// If I were you, I would avoid ShrDa. There are so many universities that teach Chinese, why go to the one in the centre of the dirty ShrDa district?// I recommend: The Catholic University in Taichung (I think it starts with F) cuz everyone I have ever met who went there can speak beautiful Mandarin. That is the best advice I could possibly give you. And Taichung is the most beautiful city in Taiwan.// OH another beautiful campus is the university in Tainan. They have an awesome Chinese as as second language program, too.
The “dirty Shida” district is one of Taiwan’s culturally most vibrant neighborhoods–full of cafes, galleries, bars, bookstores, and restaurants. It’s also close to the MRT and has one of Taiwan’s largest and most beautiful urban parks. I don’t think you’ll find anything comparable in Taichung or (especially) Tainan. The big drawback is that the cost of living is so high that you probably won’t be able to afford to live there on a student budget.
Why do people like ShrDa? I don’t get it. I worked in ShrDa Dist. for over 2 years but lived in Mucha and it’s so dirty, crowded, no air, ultra expensive. It’s intolerable. Almost any other neighborhood in Taiwan would be superior. I can almost smell that restaurant that fries sardines and eel right now. Yuck.// The neighborhood behind the uni is ok but not the one between the uni and Roosevelt.
I agree with you about the student ghetto bounded by Shida Rd., Taishun St., Roosevelt and the uni. The area north of Heping full of quiet leafy lanes. Too bad I can’t afford to live there.
The working class districts on the far side of Roosevelt (Tongan St. , Jinzhou st.) are cheaper but offer good access to the Shida area.
I know others on the list who have opted for a suburban lifestyle will disagree, but I believe the key to happiness in Taipei is living within walking or cycling distance of work and the area you like to hang out in.
You’re mad. It’s the best area in town. Dirty? Maybe ont he main street of the nihtmarket, but otherwise no more than any other area in Taipei, and a lot better than most. I used to live on a spacious tree-filled lane off Wenzhou St. Not dirty, not crowded, fresh air and inexpensive. Ever since then I’ve always lived and worked in or near that area. I know Taipei well, and there’s nowhhere I’d rather be.
Honestly, if you are WALKING everywhere, then yes stay in ShrDa.// Now, I should have walked more when I lived in Taiwan but once you’re on 2 wheels and you see what the rest of the island has to offer…you’ll be surprised that you thought ShrDa was a nice place to live.// HOWEVER I WILL SAY THIS: Some people compare ShrDa to districts like Nanjing Lu, the working class dist. mentioned about, basically the neighborhoods around there…yeah it’s nice compared to those. It is. I’m comparing it to Mucha. East Side Taipei near the airport. TienMu. etc.
think i’ve set something off- I’m used to living in “dirty, working class urban neighbourhoods” and hate suburbs. I want to live in the city!!! I need bars, clubs, record /book shops, places to hang out, action etc. etc. I can always hire two wheels and ride around the island for holidays.
If I want this lifestyle is Shi-Da the place to go? Bit worried about the money thing now - with my loan repayments I may not have much…are there cheap enough districts within walking distance \ short public transport ride of Shi-Da?
I don’t know if his scholarship will be cash-able at a Catholic college, but I have taught at Wenzhou (briefly, summer of 98) and it is an adorable campus with a dedicated staff. They get RESULTS. They actually give a shit…and fun area of Kaohsiung, too.// And as for UK residents who claim they live in “dirty, crowed, working class neighourhoods”…um. Well, let’s just say the NICEST and most expensive neighbourhood in Taiwan would look something like the crappiest one in UK. LOL. We are talking narrow streets, no grass, strays, garbage problem, food stands, slimey cement, no sidewalks…etc. even in the richest neighbourhoods. And ALL neighborhoods in Taiwan have a night market area and bars and clubs open to all hours. There is the cutest little gayborhood over there by Chenda. Oh, I am getting homesick now.// GO to ShrDa, then. I don’t give a rat’s ass…don’t say I never told ya so.
