would anybody like to share how they got to taiwan? what forces in their life brought them here? what’s your story?
mine was a divorce and an offer to be on TV, introductions to the music industry, blah, blah, everybody’s heard my story already. i’m interested in what others were experiencing that brought them here. and how has this decision turned out for you?
In England. Free ticket. Snow.
while working temporarely in Korea, one of our HQ hot-shots wrote on a 10 sq cm Post-it note “send him to Taiwan”. 3 months later I found myself here, doing simply a tour of duty. Will be happy to move to another place in a year or so. Still can not figure out why people like this rock so much.
It’s turned out fine. You say ‘Decision’ as if we decided to travel into the future so that when we returned, our loved ones and way of life would have been dead for 1000s of years. It’s fluid. I can travel or go home or go somewhere else (I don’t, can’t be arsed, but that’s not the point) if I want to. So a decision to come to Taiwan is no more than a ‘what shall I do today?’
Snow and ice were a feature in my reckoning also.
I was to do a year in a Chinese university as part of my degree and it was somehow whittled down to a Chinese medicine Uni in Harbin. I’d lived in China for six months studying at a Red Cross Hospital in Hangzhou, which is considerably further south than Harbin. I recalled sitting in clinic rooms looking like a white coated Michelin man and still shivering with the cold and figured I’d never survive a Harbin winter. Right about then a good friend who had lived previously in Taiwan copped a scholarship for Shi Da. I was an instant convert.
BTW, a classmate who did go to Harbin told me in quite colourful and precise language about his fascination for a 12 inch icicle of gob formed near the university entrance as each person entered and added a daily supplement. He said the worst of it was watching it thaw in spring. I have never quite got that image out of my head.
HG
Bored/unhappy/restless with career/life back home. Had traveled in SE Asia previously and wanted to choose one country in Asia to live in, experience the culture, and learn the language (ha ha). Picked Taiwan somewhat at random, based largely on a few favorable comments from foreigners living in Taiwan who I met in SE Asia.
Was also considering Thailand, Vietnam or Japan at the time. Life would have been completely different. Funny how a fairly arbitrary choice should have such a monumental effect on ones life.
The desire to teach the next generation and make a real difference
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]BTW, a classmate who did go to Harbin told me in quite colourful and precise language about his fascination for a 12 inch icicle of gob formed near the university entrance as each person entered and added a daily supplement. He said the worst of it was watching it thaw in spring. I have never quite got that image out of my head.
HG[/quote]
Yes, when I was applying for jobs just before I cam here, I stupidly gave my number to a recruiter who wanted someone for Harbin who painted it as a kind of Xanadu on ice. However, she stupidly mentioned it ‘got chilly’ in winter. How chilly, I asked. End of negotiation.
I knew I was going back to Asia and I wanted a break from Bangkok. Had to be at least warm. Got offers from HK, NanJing, Tokyo, BeiJing, ChiangMai but Taipei offered to DHL me a ticket to leave in 6 days.
China Airlines
typically takes a person three years to figure that out one , and then hes in danger of staying on for the next two decades or more 
IF he/she has figured it out by then that is
Job offer. Since I work in a very specialized technical field Taiwan was the only option to stay in Asia at the time.
Still looking for a way out …
There was a glut of teachers in my part of the world when I graduated with my teaching degree. My options were to go to the bottom of the sub list, go teach in the far north, or go to Asia. I applied for jobs in Taiwan, Japan and Korea, and got the best offer here. The plan was to just do it for one year and make a dent in my student loan, but one year has now turned into 11 and I have absolutely no regrets.
all very interesting stories. for me , it’s been mostly good, though i bitch a lot.
We noticed. 
WOW, thas how life works huh?
taiwanese buddies at school asked us to come for vacation. they’re back there, i’m still here lol
opportunity, adventure and freedom
This is where my old lady is from.
I had been in here for business a few times. I ultimately decided to retire after a a divorce. I had some choices,
SE. Asia, in my opinion sucks.
China would ultimately kill me for my views, Japan is tooo damn expensive. I liked Hsinchu. Moved to hukou and have been around for more than 5 years. I wont leave. Wheare would anyone want to go.Go see family and spend your time off travelling. Kids know where I live and they can come here. Just my way of thinking.
enigma,
sounds like you’ve got the kind of life you want. i hope i can do that when i retire.