I’ve never lived outside the US and I’m getting ready to fly to Taiwan in a month, in order to teach English. My problem is that I don’t know what is the best way to pack for the trip. I want to get about conveniently but I don’t want to draw attention or perceive to have money.
Should I used two suitcases? Or huge duffel bags? Separate laptop bag/briefcase?
What materials do you wish you had from your home country to use or give as gifts in Taiwan?
What items are great to sell in Taiwan because they are cheap in the US but expensive in Taiwan?
Any concerns about people approaching me when I walk out of airport with my luggage?
I would think about functionality over anything else. A backpack/duffell bag combo might be a wise option. Yet then, I guess it depends on what & how much of same you will be bringing, and also if you plan to travel about in Asia during working breaks. As well, how far you have to travel after you land at the airport.
I wouldn’t worry about drawing attention to yourself wrt to the money roll. Taiwan is a safe country for travelling foreigners.
[quote]What materials do you wish you had from your home country to use or give as gifts in Taiwan?
What items are great to sell in Taiwan because they are cheap in the US but expensive in Taiwan?
Any concerns about people approaching me when I walk out of airport with my luggage?[/quote]
1.Gifts: Junk food, esp. candy/chocolate & corn/potato snacks. The locals love to eat, and it’s quite customary to bring back some snacks from other places.
2. Comparative advantage: Good question, yet a little dodgy. Not that one avoids dodginess, it’s SOP around these parts. I have no idea what is cheap in America these days? Shoes? Beef jerky?
3. Exiting the Airport: Compared to other Int’l airports in Asia, Taiwan’s is quite friendly. One might feel disorientated/confused, but at least one is not abused.
[quote=“calitotaiwan”]
What materials do you wish you had from your home country…but expensive in Taiwan?
thanks[/quote]
Especially if you are going to teach younger children, stock up on over-the-counter medicine and vitamins. I’m suffering from my second cold of the school year (started August 1). Even if you will teach adults, OTC medicine is much cheaper in the US.
Sudafed, Nyquil, and Dayquil are three products I’ve never seen here. Aspirin costs about US$3 for 10 tablets here, versus US$3.99 for the bottle of 500 tablets I bought at Walgreen’s.
Some items which are hard to get or overpriced here:
oversized shoes, undies, clothing, hats, condoms, bras, socks – you name it!
motorcycle helmet for very large (e.g., 2xL, 3xL+) head, especially if oval or long oval shape
aspirin, bulk vitamins (available here, just not cheap)
antihistamines (available here but it’s hard to communicate to a pharmacist that you don’t want other ingred’s)
deo/antipersp. of your choice (see relevant threads on this)
alkaseltzer, Tums, Pepto-bismol
kaopectate (available but hard to find; see relev. thread)
solarcaine spray – non-existent here AFAIK
bulk beef bouillon granules or cubes (overpriced beef stock in cans is available at Wellman’s)
styptic pencils; alum for pets’ cuts & overclipped nails (non-existent here)
ammonia-based pens that stop mosquito bites from itching
saffron
rye flour
wild rice
good chorizo
masa for making corn tortillas
taco fryers
cooking sherry
books in languages other than English or Chinese
Oh, don’t just pack summer clothes unless you’ll be in the far south. Winter can be a tad damp and chilly here, and good leather jackets, Levi 501’s and heavy all-cotton sweatshirts, for example, are better brought from the States.
As for what you can sell here, you can probably take orders from Forumosans. You could do a small markup, but if you bring them in at cost you’ll make a lot of friends quickly! I, for one, would be happy to take a pair of taco fryer tongs (about US$8 to $16) and a bottle of cheap cooking sherry (same range) off your hands.
I've packed a potato masher and a rolling pin. Much appreciative. I can't wait to bang some sucker on the head with a rolling pin and grab his cash, which he expected to exchange for a potato masher. awesome.
When I show up I'll have Advil and Trojans for all. Look for the guy in a Robin Hood costume throwing packets left and right.
Although I still haven't heard what the hot commodity is in Taiwan. Chocolate treats, really? I hope to hear an improvement on that.
Cheers.
I wouldn’t worry about that. You’ll be regarded as an EFL teacher/economic migrant and therefore impoverished.
Other than that, there’s a painkiller called Aleve that I like. I’d buy a big bottle of them off you if you’re going to be based in Taipei.
… can get moldy here in the humidity. I had mine here, but brought it back to California so it wouldn’t get moldy anymore.
But yes, definitely bring analgesics (aspirin/ibuprofen/acetaminophen) and multivitamins, as they are for some reason stupidly expensive here. Same goes for dietary supplements if you use them: stock up on them.
Prescription meds, on the other hand, are easily obtainable here…without a prescription. And they’re significantly cheaper here than in the US.
If there are any specialty cooking ingredients you like to use, like canned hominy or gumbo filé powder, bring them along.
Clothing in your Western size too would be a good thing, especially shoes.
Don’t worry about looking wealthy or not. Even if you walk around flashing wads of cash and jewelry alone in dark alleys late at night, you’re exceedingly unlikely to be robbed. Local criminals generally understand that local Taiwanese offer richer pickings than foreigners, and in any case, confrontational robberies almost unheard of here.
Chris wrote [quote]… [leather jackets] can get moldy here in the humidity. [/quote]
Absolutely. Not to mention the weather is so mild that you’d only get a month’s use out of it each year. Strange that a fattie like the well-insulated Dragonbones would recommend bringing a leather jacket. Perhaps he’s just into leather.
Unless you choose to go ‘commando’…stock up on good quality underwear. But the best 100% cotton you can find. FTL and Hanes make a ‘better’ grade product that I highly recommend you spend the extra $ or 2 per 3 pack and bring. Trust me on this one.
I, for one, would be happy to take a pair of taco fryer tongs (about US$8 to $16) and a bottle of cheap cooking sherry (same range) off your hands. 
