Where should I live?

Yeah, Peddicord’s book is great and well researched.

Money isn’t a concern in relation to most Asian countries - Europe is a completely different story.

Are you Taiwanese American? I’m curious how you’re going to find part time work because working for people not on your ARC can get you deported… Do you have open work rights?

Also check the rules here before home schooling, I’m not sure how it works here in Taiwan because there are compulsory schooling until middle school.

I’m not Taiwanese American, and my wife isn’t either. I’m hoping for the Gold card visa, we will see (which has an open work permit attached). If not, I’ll teach for the 5 years or so for my APRC ( the 20 or so hours a week I consider part time after working 70-80 hr work weeks), get my chops really polished, and then at the five year mark start performing/teaching.

Homeschooling is completely legal - there are several very active Facebook groups that give all the details.

On a side note, have you ever made any lutes?

I made guitars and ukeleles. Guitarmaking isn’t really my main business, because I haven’t really established myself enough to do it, but I do mainly repair work because that’s just the market I was able to find… oddly enough right now it seems kinda dry, not sure why.

With my collection of instruments, you will definitely get some business - 3 banjos, 3 guitars, 1 fiddle with the stringed ones. We may try and trim them by selling a couple before we move though.

yea, I used to have two customers who are working musicians. One guy is really wealthy with probably 20+ guitars, and he always given me regular work. Not that he couldn’t do the work but I imagine his wife would seriously object to it…

The other guy won Golden Melody awards, is a working musician and had me restore some majorly damaged guitars to playable condition. I like the challenge… much harder to do than building new ones because at least if you messed up on a new instrument (even if it’s a commission), you always have the option of making some firewood and starting over. Can’t do that with restorations.

Unfortunately one went back to the states, and the other seems a bit too busy (he hasn’t given me much work even before I left for the states in 2014). Now that I came back, well I haven’t heard much from him.

foreign kids can attend school, but it is not compulsory for them.

Local homeschooled student should belong to a school, and get a graduation certificate from the school. Maybe foreign students can do that, if they need certificates of taiwanese education system.

You “belong” to a school, but really you are just associated to that school. The child can opt to go to the school for gym, art, music, etc… Or they can choose not to go. There are home visits and the curriculum has to be approved if a graduation certificate is to be issued, which for locals is mandatory.

https://hslda.org/content/hs/international/Taiwan/201408070.asp

I know some home school groups in Taiwan.
Honestly though I am not very enamoured with the ones that I know, they create a bit of a bubble . Although I’m sure there are plenty of pros too.
But the Chinese language skills and all that…hmmmmm.

What happens if the kids want to stay in Taiwan later ?

Now if the kid is older and little / no Chinese skills there may not be a lot of choices.

1 Like

There are cheap(er) countries in Europe, like Spain.

True, but the amount that is required in pension income (for a retirement visa) for Spain is out of my reach (over $2400 US a month).

Some Italian towns will pay you and sell you a 1$ house. There’s also plans for foreigners have no taxes for a few years in some places where the population is diminishing.

Catch is…those 1$ houses often need a lot of work sometimes. You can’t work on it yourself most of the time. You need special permits and people who are permitted to work on them. It might cost a lot.

1 Like

Ok … That is super weird. We just (like 2 minutes ago) watched a House Hunters International on Sicily that had the 1 Euro houses. Soooo Creepy!!

1 Like

Maybe google around Formosa Boulevard (美麗島) MRT station. It’s the main interchange between the 2 lines.
Otherwise, if you like a harbor view try places at 85 Sky Tower. Get a higher floor. Harbor is just a few walkable blocks west.

Thank you very much!

I want to be close to LIUHE street market as that’ll be a suitable place to hangout and absorb local cuisine and culture.

Google Ting BnB. Should be in that area.

Thanks!

As Asia and especially Southeast Asia are evolving rapidly it’s best to devise more than one future plan because no one knows what will happen in the next 5-10 years.

Thanks for the advice??? History happens, and life happens. I pay close attention to World news, and Asia is stable enough as a whole. Can things happen? Of course! We are talking about humanity, who knows what might happen?

However, did you read the entire thread (it is a fun read!) because that is what we are discussing. Mexico is still on the table, and both Vietnam (I know, still Asia) and Ecuador were discussed as options. 5 years definitely allows some time for things to develop or change, both politically and personally. We will see.