To relocate or not to relocate

Okay folks, here’s the “dilemma”. I’ve been living in Tainan for two and a half years (after having escaped the confines of small town Cishan in Kaohsuing county). I have about two bars that are worth going to on any given night and not much else to do but drink on the weekends (except for touring out of town). Tainan has also seemed to become highly over populated with teachers as opposed to available jobs. And quite frankly, I’m just getting bored here. More and more of my mates seem to be going home or leaving for other cities. I don’t want to leave Taiwan, but I feel I need a change of scenery (including people and activities).

I want to be able to find a school where I can build a solid relationship for the next three to six years, study Chinese, begin a Masters degree (International Politics or preferably Asian Politics/Studies) and have more things to do in and around my new city. Are my only two really good options Taipei and Kaohsuing? Or is Taichung (or any other place I don’t know about) worth a shout?

I’ve been to Kaohsuing and Taipei several times and of the two I must say I prefer Taipei. However, I’ve been told that the cost of living (especially apartments) is exorbitant… Is Taoyuan better where that is concerned? What’s the work situation like there?

Any advice or guidance would be most appreciated.
:thanks: in advance…

Funny, I agree with you. Tainan is becoming over populated with teachers, and I’m one of them. I relocated a few months ago thinking it would be the right move, because I moved here from a smaller city. But I have had a hell of a time finding a decent job. However, I was spoiled at my old job.

Here’s my advice on relocating. Don’t do it. :noway:

I have concluded that your chances would be slim in finding a better overall situation anywhere else. Yes, I agree with you on the “two bars” thing, as regular hangouts. But there are other less frequented places that I am now discovering after a few months. And you’re right about Taipei, but a lot of people have the same general idea as you (especially young newbies who will work anywhere for 550 NT/hr or less), and the competition for a decent job is stiff, my friend.

As I said, I relocated to Tainan and it has been a struggle, job wise. It is very difficult to settle in again and the move is rarely seemless. You’ll probably be without work and an aparment for a while (like I was) and it really sucked. You can’t very well go back and forth to Taipei every other day looking for work.

And there are other things, such as finding new people to hang out with and all the discomfort of a new city. It’s a lot like picking up and moving house in your own country. If you make a mistake and accept a job that sucks, get an expensive apartment that is noisy, and get knocked around the streets of Taipei on foot and on scooter, you’ll be wishing you were right back here in Tainan.

And hey, Tainan has a good uni right in the middle of the city, lots of western people, beaches and…two good bars!

Take my advice and stay put unless you can afford to take a month off and scour another city for a good job and a decent place. Just remember that once you quit your present job, the ARC runs out quickly unless you can renew (which I think you can), but it’s a shaky situation to be in. You don’t want to get desperate after all this time in Taiwan.

I found out the hard way and after what I experienced, well, I’m just getting my feet back on the ground now. In addition, I have just recently polled a few long time Forumosans on the aspects of Taipei, and even though they have been open minded and tried to be unbiased, my strong impression is to stay put. Things are just not the way they were even two years ago. Seems everyone and their girlfriend is coming to Taiwan.

Just think about it from a neutral perspective and you might find you’ve got it made right here in lil’ ole Tainan City. :wink:

For a while anyway.

:astonished: Wow! I’ve been in Chiayi for three years and I can’t wait to get to Tainan! Anything is better than Chiayi…
At least Tainan has a great university to study Chinese. Try and do that in a place like Chiayi. :noway:
Also, I am tired of seeing the same five foreigners all the time. :laughing:

I moved to Taizhong city proper in April. I have yet to find a proper teaching job. If anything, I was thinking of moving down south if I haven’t found anything in the next month or so. It also might be the time of year more though, so maybe I’ll find some sort of teaching job around August.

I’m taking Taiwanese and Chinese classes now. There are some good universities in the area, but I don’t know anything about going for a master’s there.

I don’t know anything about the night life here.

In general, it seems like the touring that’s right outside of Tainan is more interesting than the stuff right outside of Taizhong, but that might only be because I’ve already seen most of the stuff outside of Taizhong.

[quote=“alidarbac”]In general, it seems like the touring that’s right outside of Tainan is more interesting than the stuff right outside of Taizhong, but that might only be because I’ve already seen most of the stuff outside of Taizhong.[/quote]It’s fairly easy to get into some really nice and peaceful countryside not far from Tainan.

Taichung also has decent countryside quite close but it tends to get crowded at weekends so takes longer to get there.

[quote=“wonder”]Funny, I agree with you. Tainan is becoming over populated with teachers, and I’m one of them. I relocated a few months ago thinking it would be the right move, because I moved here from a smaller city. But I have had a hell of a time finding a decent job. However, I was spoiled at my old job.

Here’s my advice on relocating. Don’t do it. :noway:

I have concluded that your chances would be slim in finding a better overall situation anywhere else. Yes, I agree with you on the “two bars” thing, as regular hangouts. But there are other less frequented places that I am now discovering after a few months. And you’re right about Taipei, but a lot of people have the same general idea as you (especially young newbies who will work anywhere for 550 NT/hr or less), and the competition for a decent job is stiff, my friend.

As I said, I relocated to Tainan and it has been a struggle, job wise. It is very difficult to settle in again and the move is rarely seemless. You’ll probably be without work and an aparment for a while (like I was) and it really sucked. You can’t very well go back and forth to Taipei every other day looking for work.

And there are other things, such as finding new people to hang out with and all the discomfort of a new city. It’s a lot like picking up and moving house in your own country. If you make a mistake and accept a job that sucks, get an expensive apartment that is noisy, and get knocked around the streets of Taipei on foot and on scooter, you’ll be wishing you were right back here in Tainan.

And hey, Tainan has a good uni right in the middle of the city, lots of western people, beaches and…two good bars!

Take my advice and stay put unless you can afford to take a month off and scour another city for a good job and a decent place. Just remember that once you quit your present job, the ARC runs out quickly unless you can renew (which I think you can), but it’s a shaky situation to be in. You don’t want to get desperate after all this time in Taiwan.

I found out the hard way and after what I experienced, well, I’m just getting my feet back on the ground now. In addition, I have just recently polled a few long time Forumosans on the aspects of Taipei, and even though they have been open minded and tried to be unbiased, my strong impression is to stay put. Things are just not the way they were even two years ago. Seems everyone and their girlfriend is coming to Taiwan.

Just think about it from a neutral perspective and you might find you’ve got it made right here in lil’ ole Tainan City. :wink:

For a while anyway.[/quote][quote]

It just feels like everyman and his dog (inside Taiwan and outside) are rushing “down south” to Tainan. Competition is getting really fierce here and then there are the newbies willing to work for peanuts. Of the three years I’ve lived in Tainan I’ve never actually worked in Tainan!! I currently commute 25 minutes each way, which is an improvement on the previous two years that I commuted 60 minutes each way!![/quote]

But thanks for everyones reply. If I do move it’ll probably be to Taipei or Taoyuan as they have a really good Political Science Uni up there, and the Institute for International Studies.