Thanx 
Appreciate it 
No worries, boet. Best of luck.
[quote=āsaddletrampā]Not sure if this belongs here? But it is part of my questioning āWhat next?ā
As you all probally know, the PRC does not accept dual citizenship. If Ma does the dirty deed, what will be the outcome for our kids?
Do we renounce their ROC citizenship, or their (ours) other one? .[/quote]
I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself. Ma isnt going to do anything and secondly, when HK returned to China all the Honkies with dual nationality are allowed to keep it, as they also donāt actually have PRC Citizenship.
Double Postā¦ Piesayā¦
[quote=āSatellite TVā][quote=āsaddletrampā]Not sure if this belongs here? But it is part of my questioning āWhat next?ā
As you all probally know, the PRC does not accept dual citizenship. If Ma does the dirty deed, what will be the outcome for our kids?
Do we renounce their ROC citizenship, or their (ours) other one? .[/quote]
I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself. Ma isnt going to do anything and secondly, when HK returned to China all the Honkies with dual nationality are allowed to keep it, as they also donāt actually have PRC Citizenship.[/quote]
Kind of a āWe (PRC) own the land, but you f***ers (HKāers) are foreignersā¦ā sort of deal. 
Niceā¦
So, if you could land a job āback homeā at twice what youāre earning in Taiwan would you take it? Would you move back?
Funny how one might hesitate and wonder if twice ones present salary would be enough to survive on.
More importantly, strange how this shithole ā any shithole ā grows on a person over the years, and āback homeā turns to a shithole in many respects, or at least becomes unknown and uncertain, and even though you could never imagine yourself staying here another few decades until death, the idea of moving back almost seems like just too much hassle. Almost.
[quote=ābismarckā][quote=āSatellite TVā][quote=āsaddletrampā]Not sure if this belongs here? But it is part of my questioning āWhat next?ā
As you all probally know, the PRC does not accept dual citizenship. If Ma does the dirty deed, what will be the outcome for our kids?
Do we renounce their ROC citizenship, or their (ours) other one? .[/quote]
I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself. Ma isnt going to do anything and secondly, when HK returned to China all the Honkies with dual nationality are allowed to keep it, as they also donāt actually have PRC Citizenship.[/quote]
Kind of a āWe (PRC) own the land, but you f***ers (HKāers) are foreignersā¦ā sort of deal.
Niceā¦[/quote]
thatās more to do with the Basic Law implementationā¦ and the PRC knew HK would be overrun by PRC citizens if they didnāt keep it separateā¦ would be very chaotic and thatās the last time CCP wants. Anyways, under the colony, land was under lease anyways. no change there.
[quote=āMother Theresaā]So, if you could land a job āback homeā at twice what youāre earning in Taiwan would you take it? Would you move back?
Funny how one might hesitate and wonder if twice ones present salary would be enough to survive on.
More importantly, strange how this shithole ā any shithole ā grows on a person over the years, and āback homeā turns to a shithole in many respects, or at least becomes unknown and uncertain, and even though you could never imagine yourself staying here another few decades until death, the idea of moving back almost seems like just too much hassle. Almost.[/quote]
Iām not in Taiwan anymore and have no plans to return, but if I were given the choice of living in the US or Taiwan I would certainly choose Taiwan, even though it didnāt grow on me much at all in the 6 years I was there. Just the thought of living back in the US gives me the willies.
[quote=āIndianaā][quote=āMother Theresaā]So, if you could land a job āback homeā at twice what youāre earning in Taiwan would you take it? Would you move back?
Funny how one might hesitate and wonder if twice ones present salary would be enough to survive on.
More importantly, strange how this shithole ā any shithole ā grows on a person over the years, and āback homeā turns to a shithole in many respects, or at least becomes unknown and uncertain, and even though you could never imagine yourself staying here another few decades until death, the idea of moving back almost seems like just too much hassle. Almost.[/quote]
Iām not in Taiwan anymore and have no plans to return, but if I were given the choice of living in the US or Taiwan I would certainly choose Taiwan, even though it didnāt grow on me much at all in the 6 years I was there. Just the thought of living back in the US gives me the willies.[/quote]
Were you born and raised in the US? Have you no desire to ever move back to the US for the rest of your life?
Lots of things about the US give me the willies ā nasty politics, gloomy economy, high unemployment, deteriorated schools, roads, infrastructure, seemingly widespread ignorance and senseless violence, having to drive everywhere, ridiculously high cost of everything especially healthcare, etc. ā but thereās plenty that I like about it, such as the fantastic and diverse scenery, wide open spaces, great weather (in California), skiing, great and diverse foods, and probably all sorts of cool things that I donāt even know about, since they came into being after I left. Iām sure Iāll return, but Iām sure Iāll have seriously mixed feelings about it.
[quote=āMother Theresaā][quote=āIndianaā][quote=āMother Theresaā]So, if you could land a job āback homeā at twice what youāre earning in Taiwan would you take it? Would you move back?
Funny how one might hesitate and wonder if twice ones present salary would be enough to survive on.
More importantly, strange how this shithole ā any shithole ā grows on a person over the years, and āback homeā turns to a shithole in many respects, or at least becomes unknown and uncertain, and even though you could never imagine yourself staying here another few decades until death, the idea of moving back almost seems like just too much hassle. Almost.[/quote]
Iām not in Taiwan anymore and have no plans to return, but if I were given the choice of living in the US or Taiwan I would certainly choose Taiwan, even though it didnāt grow on me much at all in the 6 years I was there. Just the thought of living back in the US gives me the willies.[/quote]
Were you born and raised in the US? Have you no desire to ever move back to the US for the rest of your life?
Lots of things about the US give me the willies ā nasty politics, gloomy economy, high unemployment, deteriorated schools, roads, infrastructure, seemingly widespread ignorance and senseless violence, having to drive everywhere, ridiculously high cost of everything especially healthcare, etc. ā but thereās plenty that I like about it, such as the fantastic and diverse scenery, wide open spaces, great weather (in California), skiing, great and diverse foods, and probably all sorts of cool things that I donāt even know about, since they came into being after I left. Iām sure Iāll return, but Iām sure Iāll have seriously mixed feelings about it.[/quote]
I was born and raised in the US and left in 1996, right after I graduated from university. I have no desire to ever move back there for the rest of my life, no. My husband is British and he feels that way about both the US and England as well.
I love going back for the same reasons that you say you like about it (but I get bored after about a week!). It is a fabulous place in so many ways. But I find it claustrophobic in the sense that I have lived abroad and have had so many awesome experiences living and traveling all over the world and I find it hard to relate now when I go backā¦thatās the only way I can describe how I feel about it. In other words, as each year passes, I feel like more and more of an alien in my own home country. I would feel much more comfortable and at ease moving to a completely different country than I would moving back home, if that makes sense.
My hubby and I have been looking into buying property for some time now and have looked primarily at Europe, but also once in a while in the States (for investment). Sometimes we will see big, gorgeous houses and we will think, āWow, it would be great to buy that and live in it!ā But then I think of what our social circle might be like and it turns me off. I love having people around me who have had experiences like I have, who enjoy being on their toes in foreign lands, and who come from different countries and backgrounds from me. I get a real buzz from that, and from living overseas.
Actually, I should mention that after I got married in 1998, we lived in the States for 2 years and couldnāt wait to get back overseas again! During the first year we thought it was where we were living that made us feel that way, so we moved to Boston. We loved it there, but missed being on our toes. After three months in Boston the overseas job search started againā¦and after a year in Boston, we were back on a plane and have never looked back.
[quote=āIndianaā][quote=āMother Theresaā][quote=āIndianaā][quote=āMother Theresaā]So, if you could land a job āback homeā at twice what youāre earning in Taiwan would you take it? Would you move back?
Funny how one might hesitate and wonder if twice ones present salary would be enough to survive on.
More importantly, strange how this shithole ā any shithole ā grows on a person over the years, and āback homeā turns to a shithole in many respects, or at least becomes unknown and uncertain, and even though you could never imagine yourself staying here another few decades until death, the idea of moving back almost seems like just too much hassle. Almost.[/quote]
Iām not in Taiwan anymore and have no plans to return, but if I were given the choice of living in the US or Taiwan I would certainly choose Taiwan, even though it didnāt grow on me much at all in the 6 years I was there. Just the thought of living back in the US gives me the willies.[/quote]
Were you born and raised in the US? Have you no desire to ever move back to the US for the rest of your life?
Lots of things about the US give me the willies ā nasty politics, gloomy economy, high unemployment, deteriorated schools, roads, infrastructure, seemingly widespread ignorance and senseless violence, having to drive everywhere, ridiculously high cost of everything especially healthcare, etc. ā but thereās plenty that I like about it, such as the fantastic and diverse scenery, wide open spaces, great weather (in California), skiing, great and diverse foods, and probably all sorts of cool things that I donāt even know about, since they came into being after I left. Iām sure Iāll return, but Iām sure Iāll have seriously mixed feelings about it.[/quote]
I was born and raised in the US and left in 1996, right after I graduated from university. I have no desire to ever move back there for the rest of my life, no. My husband is British and he feels that way about both the US and England as well.
I love going back for the same reasons that you say you like about it (but I get bored after about a week!). It is a fabulous place in so many ways. But I find it claustrophobic in the sense that I have lived abroad and have had so many awesome experiences living and traveling all over the world and I find it hard to relate now when I go backā¦thatās the only way I can describe how I feel about it. In other words, as each year passes, I feel like more and more of an alien in my own home country. I would feel much more comfortable and at ease moving to a completely different country than I would moving back home, if that makes sense.
My hubby and I have been looking into buying property for some time now and have looked primarily at Europe, but also once in a while in the States (for investment). Sometimes we will see big, gorgeous houses and we will think, āWow, it would be great to buy that and live in it!ā But then I think of what our social circle might be like and it turns me off. I love having people around me who have had experiences like I have, who enjoy being on their toes in foreign lands, and who come from different countries and backgrounds from me. I get a real buzz from that, and from living overseas.[/quote]
Sometimes I think being an expat for several years is like having been in prison for the same amount of time. You can go back, but things have moved on and you donāt really fit in anymore. People who never experienced what you did have no idea what youāre talking about and give you a weird look half the time. Bit difficult explaining things like sleeping all morning, if the mood takes me. Starting work in the afternoon instead of finishing off for the day. Paying the same for booze as I did a decade ago. Or drinking a beer with a mate outside a convenience store with a cop car driving past. Let alone things like a weekend trip to the Philippines or taking a week off to re-charge in Thailand. They just donāt get it.
Edit: And I just donāt get them, to be honest. All guys my age back home talk about is the crap politics, the m*&^#^$ running the government, crime, mortgages, car subsidies, crime, the lazy bastards they work with, crime, their marital problems, crime, etc etc. I guess they donāt mean it, but they come across as being very negative and unhappy about life in general.
When I give the Forumosa response, āWhy donāt you just pack up and leave?ā I either get the weird look or a speech about how our ancestors bled the ground red for the land. Ah well, as my sisterās hubby says, āWe all have our own path to travel.ā
And to answer this question:
Nope. I wouldnāt. Money canāt buy what I have here, and twice my current salary wouldnāt be enough anyway.
Well it is possible to form a group of like minded people in the US. But that will not likely happen if you are living in some hick town.
Well, I am going back to the US in September. Letās see how long it last.
[quote=āIndianaā]I was born and raised in the US and left in 1996, right after I graduated from university. I have no desire to ever move back there for the rest of my life, no. My husband is British and he feels that way about both the US and England as well.
I love going back for the same reasons that you say you like about it (but I get bored after about a week!). It is a fabulous place in so many ways. But I find it claustrophobic in the sense that I have lived abroad and have had so many awesome experiences living and traveling all over the world and I find it hard to relate now when I go backā¦thatās the only way I can describe how I feel about it. In other words, as each year passes, I feel like more and more of an alien in my own home country. I would feel much more comfortable and at ease moving to a completely different country than I would moving back home, if that makes sense.
My hubby and I have been looking into buying property for some time now and have looked primarily at Europe, but also once in a while in the States (for investment). Sometimes we will see big, gorgeous houses and we will think, āWow, it would be great to buy that and live in it!ā But then I think of what our social circle might be like and it turns me off. I love having people around me who have had experiences like I have, who enjoy being on their toes in foreign lands, and who come from different countries and backgrounds from me. I get a real buzz from that, and from living overseas.[/quote]
I couldnāt have said this better.
Hmm, I seem to be missing this part of the expat equation in my life.
[quote=āhousecatā][quote=āIndianaā]I was born and raised in the US and left in 1996, right after I graduated from university. I have no desire to ever move back there for the rest of my life, no. My husband is British and he feels that way about both the US and England as well.
I love going back for the same reasons that you say you like about it (but I get bored after about a week!). It is a fabulous place in so many ways. But I find it claustrophobic in the sense that I have lived abroad and have had so many awesome experiences living and traveling all over the world and I find it hard to relate now when I go backā¦thatās the only way I can describe how I feel about it. In other words, as each year passes, I feel like more and more of an alien in my own home country. I would feel much more comfortable and at ease moving to a completely different country than I would moving back home, if that makes sense.
My hubby and I have been looking into buying property for some time now and have looked primarily at Europe, but also once in a while in the States (for investment). Sometimes we will see big, gorgeous houses and we will think, āWow, it would be great to buy that and live in it!ā But then I think of what our social circle might be like and it turns me off. I love having people around me who have had experiences like I have, who enjoy being on their toes in foreign lands, and who come from different countries and backgrounds from me. I get a real buzz from that, and from living overseas.[/quote]
I couldnāt have said this better.[/quote]
I think youāre all right. I can definitely imagine how it could be true what Indiana says. And, if Iām not mistaken, I understand that housecat moved to Arkansas and I can definitely see how people there might be ignorant and insular and unworldly and boring. But if/when I return it will be to the Bay Area, where a substantial chunk of the population was either born overseas, or lived the expat life for a while, or at least traveled abroad, so hopefully I can/could find the people steelersman mentions to become acquainted with.
Hmm, I seem to be missing this part of the expat equation in my life. [/quote]
Yea, same here. Sounds nice. For me life has been largely back and forth, back and forth, back and forth between my house and my office. If/when I land a job in the Bay Area, Iāll definitely need to make the most of my final time in Taiwan (before I return here again).
Insularā¦thatās the word my husband uses a lot when he visits the Statesā¦and I agree.
I imagine that there are definitely certain places, like the Bay area, where this adjective wouldnāt apply (or apply to a lesser extent). Thatās great, especially for an expat who wants to return home.
I lived in Australia for a while and loved it, but got antsy after a few months and wanted to move again to a weird and wonderful place like the ones I have been calling home for so many years now. Even though Aus was definitely different from the US, it still felt a wee bit too familiar andā¦dare I say itā¦dull in that sense. Great people, fun and active things to do all of the time, fab food and pub life, but every day was the same. I missed all of the silly little things that can happen in places like Taiwan and in other places I have lived. I even missed the aggravations, as crazy as that sounds! Why? Because those are the things that make me feel alive, and they make great stories to laugh at after they have happened!
[quote=āIndianaā][quote=āMother Theresaā]
I think youāre all right. I can definitely imagine how it could be true what Indiana says. And, if Iām not mistaken, I understand that housecat moved to Arkansas and I can definitely see how people there might be ignorant and insular and unworldly and boring. But if/when I return it will be to the Bay Area, where a substantial chunk of the population was either born overseas, or lived the expat life for a while, or at least traveled abroad, so hopefully I can/could find the people steelersman mentions to become acquainted with.
[/quote]
Insularā¦thatās the word my husband uses a lot when he visits the Statesā¦and I agree.
I imagine that there are definitely certain places, like the Bay area, where this adjective wouldnāt apply (or apply to a lesser extent). Thatās great, especially for an expat who wants to return home.
I lived in Australia for a while and loved it, but got antsy after a few months and wanted to move again to a weird and wonderful place like the ones I have been calling home for so many years now. Even though Aus was definitely different from the US, it still felt a wee bit too familiar andā¦dare I say itā¦dull in that sense. Great people, fun and active things to do all of the time, fab food and pub life, but every day was the same. I missed all of the silly little things that can happen in places like Taiwan and in other places I have lived. I even missed the aggravations, as crazy as that sounds! Why? Because those are the things that make me feel alive, and they make great stories to laugh at after they have happened![/quote]
It is interesting how these silly little things energy certain ex-pats while others cannot bare to stay in Taiwan for very long. Some people want to get out as soon as their six months or one year is over. I think I fall in between these two types of ex-pats.
[quote=āsteelersmanā][quote=āIndianaā][quote=āMother Theresaā]
I think youāre all right. I can definitely imagine how it could be true what Indiana says. And, if Iām not mistaken, I understand that housecat moved to Arkansas and I can definitely see how people there might be ignorant and insular and unworldly and boring. But if/when I return it will be to the Bay Area, where a substantial chunk of the population was either born overseas, or lived the expat life for a while, or at least traveled abroad, so hopefully I can/could find the people steelersman mentions to become acquainted with.
[/quote]
Insularā¦thatās the word my husband uses a lot when he visits the Statesā¦and I agree.
I imagine that there are definitely certain places, like the Bay area, where this adjective wouldnāt apply (or apply to a lesser extent). Thatās great, especially for an expat who wants to return home.
I lived in Australia for a while and loved it, but got antsy after a few months and wanted to move again to a weird and wonderful place like the ones I have been calling home for so many years now. Even though Aus was definitely different from the US, it still felt a wee bit too familiar andā¦dare I say itā¦dull in that sense. Great people, fun and active things to do all of the time, fab food and pub life, but every day was the same. I missed all of the silly little things that can happen in places like Taiwan and in other places I have lived. I even missed the aggravations, as crazy as that sounds! Why? Because those are the things that make me feel alive, and they make great stories to laugh at after they have happened![/quote]
It is interesting how these silly little things energy certain ex-pats while others cannot bare to stay in Taiwan for very long. Some people want to get out as soon as their six months or one year is over. I think I fall in between these two types of ex-pats.[/quote]
I actually wasnāt fond of Taiwan in and of itself and left after a year to do my CELTA (and my husband his PGCE), but we ended up coming back for another 4 or 5 years after that! Crazy, huh? But as soon as we had enough money saved up to go and do our Masters in Australia with a little nest egg left over, we left. Taiwan was a great place to have fun and a fantastic cultural experience, make wonderful friends and save money, but it was time to move on when we did.