Since, I am now looking at six to seven months more in Taiwan, I want to ponder was coming to Taiwan worth it? Actually I have my answer but I am curious about what others think. I would say hell ya. Despite the many negative postings on Forumosa, I would say that coming to Taiwan in your 20s or 30s is well worth it. Some people may think that you are wasting valuable years that you could be building your career. Well, there are people who made their millions after turning fifth. J.K. Rowling starting working on the Harry Potter series as an EFL teacher. In my opinion you can do it all, even if you spend five years on the Rock.
As for me, I will have three English textbooks published in 2011. Not to mention all of the adventures, I have had in the Taipei night clubs. Furthermore, I managed to study Mandarin for most of my four years in Taiwan and am currently working on reading the junior high textbook used for Taiwanese history in Taiwan.
I guess it depends on people’s career, but I can’t see how you can “waste” years if you work, learn a new language and live the challenge to work abroad. From an employer’s point of view I would see it as a big plus.
But are those people genuinely happy? And does “building your career” make YOU genuinely happy? Millions spend ‘valuable’ years building careers, whatever that means, and end up divorced, miserable, and alone. Oh, and richer than I am. Woohoo.
We should start by thinking about what questions are the right ones to ask.
There is a cut-off point of worth it or not, plus it depends when you ask somebody that question. For me Taiwan does feel quite small, missing certain international aspects and a bit lacking in the initial excitement of learning new language and culture, but it is home for now so I guess you have to make it worth it yourself wherever you live. I agree that 20s/30s is not too bad an age, it could be a problem later on if you want to do something that you can’t actually do in Taiwan.
Yes – with the one caveat that I basically missed out on being able to marry a partner of my choice during my childbearing years. That is a big tradeoff and one that is not always evident to you at the time, when you’re in your 20s or 30s.
Hell yeah! And my career is totally unrelated to teaching so my time spent in Taiwan was of zero professional value to me. I always wanted the challenge of living in another country though so when the Taiwan opportunity came up I took it. I also believe I made an exit at the right moment. I was just starting to get bored which means I was in that hallowed place of having solved my initial challenges but hadn’t encountered new ones yet. Seeing though how much time it has taken for me to get back on my feet after returning though it is definitely and adventure for the young (20s - early 30’s) unless you plan to live your life permanently in Taiwan or as a backpacker. The prospect of returning home in one’s 40’s and starting over without serious financial resources is a frightening one.
I think it’s been worth it… first 3yrs were spent slaving away as a dancing monkey in a buxiban… now i’m working in a high school that appreciates my efforts and treats me like a professional. If I had stayed in the buxiban system any longer, I would probably not be still here but now i’m loving life
But are those people genuinely happy? And does “building your career” make YOU genuinely happy? Millions spend ‘valuable’ years building careers, whatever that means, and end up divorced, miserable, and alone. Oh, and richer than I am. Woohoo.
We should start by thinking about what questions are the right ones to ask. [/quote]
Extremely true. Too many people spend too much energy working on things that they “should” do even when those things make them miserable. Focus on your lasting personal happiness and all the other things will flow from that.
Worth it?
No way.
I could cry when I think of all the money I’ve blown here, supporting myself, a wife, and kid, when if I’d stayed home, I’d have been living cost and tax-free for most of the time as a guest of the Federal Correctional System.
Of course, I’d probably be missing an eye or something, but, you know, no free lunch and all that.
[quote=“cfimages”]
Extremely true. Too many people spend too much energy working on things that they “should” do even when those things make them miserable. Focus on your lasting personal happiness and all the other things will flow from that.[/quote]
I’ve had a much better year than I did when I was doing all the right career things. And I make significantly less than then. And once I get next years job sorted out I’m pretty confident that next year is going to be better.
I do wonder sometimes ‘should I have gone to Vietnam or tried to work in Japan’ or ‘should I be getting my teaching degree first so I can get out of the world’s buxibans’. But I think coming here for 3 years (and several big Asian vacations) was the right choice. I can return to the US and get a teaching degree in 2 years and then set out on my next adventure.
It’s an experience. And like many, so long as you grow from the experience it helps define you as a person - not only who you are but what you want and how you view the world. So long as there is growth, I am sure it was worth it. At the very least, there are a few good stories in there.
If I’d stayed in the UK, I would have drunk much more decent beer, seen a lot more bands play live, and eaten more chips. Staying in Taiwan means I’ve learned a lot about a very different culture, hiked up a lot of mountains, been to several other Asian countries, and now find myself doing work I love.
