Top-10 things I miss the most about Taiwan that I can’t experience in crappy England

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
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These are just from the top of my head, so I’ve probably missed a few things out.

In no particular order:

  1. The sensations you feel when you step out the front door first thing in the morning, like the overwhelming heat and humidity washing over you and the sheer chaos of traffic and people
  2. The smells of food literally everywhere
  3. Being able to eat out every day without breaking the bank
  4. The very likely chance that if I go to a bar by myself, I’ll get chatting with somebody and make a good memory
  5. Still discovering new things in the city where I live even after four years
  6. Going to the mountains on the weekend
  7. I know we’re not supposed to admit to liking this, but being considered interesting by virtue of coming from another country
  8. The mad nights out when Japanese colleagues are in town
  9. Being so close to Japan
  10. The edge-of-your seat anticipation waiting to find out if tomorrow’s typhoon is predicted to be strong enough to cancel work (Now that Taiwan has finally embraced WFH, will people just be expected to work from home on typhoon days going forward?)
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At least you don’t have to miss the UK variant of COVID-19, since we imported it to Taiwan. :unamused:

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That’s the good one. The Made in Britain one is far superior to the Made in China one because of the UK’s high manufacturing quality.

Boris Johnson doing his part to export British made goods after Brexit.

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Except the Coronavirus, it’s lasted longer than anything else ever made in China before.

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It’s amazing how many of the listed points do not currently apply (for better and more often for worse) in Level 3 restricted Taiwan.

Guy

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Great list. Why did you ever leave?

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I planned to spend a couple of years working up the ladder a bit and getting better qualified, because it became clear to me that if I stayed in Taiwan I’d be doing the same thing for the same poor pay for years to come. It was the right decision, but I never expected it to take as long as it has. Hopefully next year is the one, when the pandemic is over.

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This is very sad. Hopefully Taiwan will bounce back. I feel like it will take a very long time for England to do so.

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How long have you been away?

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Four years :cry:

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Haha half of those points are the reasons why I miss the UK.

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Very similar to myself - we have been gone 11 years now. Pretty much everyday I miss Taiwan.

However, we are incredibly close to pulling the pin and leaving Canada … Taiwan isn’t ready to have us though (not for a bit, anyways). If we do this, it will be February of 2022 - we will see where Taiwan is in relation to Covid, probably do 3-6 months in Mexico, and then decide if we are coming back to Taiwan for summer 2022.

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Love this.

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If its not iverly personal. Care to elaborate why you want to move back to taiwan after moving back to Canada? I am quite interested in this perspective fron various folks as i have a few friends that have done, or want to do, the same.

We are also starting to seriously consider moving out of taiwan in 5 or 10 years based on how society is looking, but not sure if canada is really any better…

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If you want some more:

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As a completely OT aside: with the exception of The Railway Children - movies where Jenny Agutter didn’t get her kit off?

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Blimey, I had no idea Rik Mayal was in this film! Haven’t seen it in years.

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These are very weird things to miss about.

Backhanded compliment. It’s like saying I miss England because it’s so close to France, which I kind of do. France is great … if taken in small doses.

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