Europe is still a beautiful place to live though. It’s why I’m still here. You really can not beat it in food and culture. I would like to explore more of it.
But if i wasn’t with a European woman, I would start my business in the US. It’s just far easier and more profitable with a bigger market and people willing to spend.
From my experience, Americans are incredibly receptive to new ideas and innovative products and designs. When I tell Europeans my ideas; they look at me like “why? It’s fine the way it is”. When I tell Americans my ideas in business, they get excited. Despite all the issues in the US, I really like this mentality in the US.
Yeah I watched a video on the story of ASML, which is arguably a more important company than TSMC. All they did was buy this and buy that, not much organic growth.
Be very careful to thoroughly verify this information. “Visa-free” to Phu Quoc started a few years ago because of its “international” airport, as a way to increase tourism, but it wasn’t true in practice. Here’s my experience:
Websites galore, including government sites, were claiming that Phu Quoc was visa-free as long as you transited through select airports (HCM, Hanoi, etc). I excitedly bought my tickets and didn’t bother to get my normal visa.
At Taoyuan Airport check-in, I was told I needed a visa. I smugly showed the clerk the website info about Phu Quoc being visa-free. She talked to a supervisor, who in turn called several people. Nope, still needed a visa. Thank God I was at the airport early and managed to find an online service that could issue a visa letter in 30 minutes (at a hefty price).
So anyway, when I got to HCM I asked about all of this. The plan was too make it visa-free, but because you must exit the international airport and walk a couple of hundred meters outside to the domestic airport, a visa was still required.
That was in 2018, but during my last trip in 2019 I still needed a visa, even though online it still claimed it wasn’t necessary.
I suppose a transit area is being developed between the airports, which may be finished by now? I got a visa for my trip in January and I’ll report back about the current situation.
Yes, many Taiwanese commented on similar issues , stopped in the airport, still asked for visas etc. It’s not straightforward. Maybe with Vietnam Airlines it’s fine.
You seem to be missing a lot of things in Taiwan. Ever been to a temple party? How about a temple street party? How about a temple renovation party? How about those temple festival parties? Then there’s temple funeral parties. And the regular visits to perform temple rituals. And you know where those joss sticks that get made in prison end up? That’s right. Temples.
Just because you don’t understand it, or don’t see the things they do, doesn’t mean they don’t do them. The temples even have kindergartens in some places.
So yeah, they are a pretty central part of a lot of communities in Taiwan.
I have no real feelings about any religion. I’m an advanced fish, on a space rock.
The Roman Empire brought that mindset to Europe. I think it’s a bit lazy to say a Jew from Nazareth is the biggest reason why things are as they are. Especially when he was a teacher telling people to love each other.
And rushing the money temples to turn the lenders tables over. While hanging out with the poor and homeless. And occasionally inviting prostitutes to chill with him.
But don’t tell the modern believers any of that stuff. They’ll beat you with a stick for saying such blasphemous things.
TW is already much a stealthy rich country, not so flashy with respect to Singapore, HK or China. More on the line with JP or Korea, even if with Chinese cultural substrata.
Don’t see many Rolls or Ferraris here, many Maserati, Lexus and Mercedes. So still more understated.
If I can live in Europe I won’t need more than 7 vacation days. I can automate things using Python.