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| exalted United States. May 01 2012 08:16. Posts 3611 | Profile Blog # |
I've lived in Taiwan for over six years now. When I first went to Taiwan, I was 17 and was everything a young nerd should be - intelligent enough to feel cocky about it, socially awkward, physically weak, broke...
Of course, most importantly I was eager to break away from my family and become my own entity! Since then, I can confidently say I've seen and experienced the spectrum. I graduated college, had a girlfriend, became financially independent, travelled and lived and experienced both a peniless and baller lifestyle. Like Rekrul in Korea, I've seen both the light and dark sides of the country (although he's only familiar with the path of night).
I am now at a turning point in my life and will be leaving Taiwan to start a more "standard" career. So, it is only fitting I commit my wealth of experiences to writing in the hopes that it entertains you!
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Noticeable Differences about Taiwan (compared to East Coast, USA)
The first things that come to mind are:
- You do not have to tip (restaurants, delivery, haircut), and even better, a lot of those places have student discounts. I still take advantage of this to this day.
- There is national health insurance, and its coverage is good. Clinics always have a lot of people because getting a check-up is ~$5-10. I had a wisdom tooth pulled for $20. Unfortunately, I am no longer covered as I am not a student or working here. Even then, medical costs are very affordable compared to the obscene amounts charged in the US. For that reason a lot of people come to Asia for health-tourism (dental work, plastic surgery, etc.).
- Unlike say, Korea and Japan, Taiwan is very foreigner friendly (perhaps especially towards Americans). Baseball and basketball are both very popular here - Linsanity was the worst; my entire Facebook feed was spammed by both Asian-Americans and my Taiwanese homies. While I have not yet met a white girl serious about learning Chinese, it is pretty common to get female numbers because they want to be your "language exchange partner".
- The average person doesn't make a lot of money. The college graduates I know make ~$1300-1600 a month, and a lot of them work ~50 hour weeks. For that reason, they are forced to live a pretty nitty lifestyle. For my first two years of college, my Dad gave me $300 a month for expenses. Back then (2006) I was obssesed with Starcraft 1 and my birthday wants were "Logitech MX300", "Func 1030 Surface" [which I still have to this day] and "mouse glider stickers". Ah, those were simpler times.
There's a wide variety of things I can talk about, so please comment and give me suggestions for future entries. Gogo!
Last edit: 2012-05-01 08:17:35
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| drsnuggles Korea (South). May 01 2012 08:51. Posts 307 | Profile Blog # |
Sounds good 
How good is your mandarin?
What did you study and at which university?
Whats your plan after graduating (or w/e your planning to do next now etc.)?
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| leo23 United States. May 01 2012 08:57. Posts 2842 | Profile Blog # |
On May 01 2012 08:16 exalted wrote:
... While I have not yet met a white girl serious about learning Chinese, it is pretty common to get female numbers because they want to be your "language exchange partner".
...
better exchange some tongues with them...
anyways how is the gaming scene there? they have a taiwanese esports league or something i remember from sen's gama bears |
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| Game May 01 2012 09:26. Posts 3026 | Profile Blog # |
| I remember you... it's very hard to imagine that the exalted from 2006 actually became a functioning human being. Good to know about the tourism in Taiwan, and I was just discussing medical care internationally (specifically Taiwan, Thailand, Japan) today with my father. I think I'll have to show him this since he argued that healthcare was immediate and free basically everywhere in Asia, and good for the rest of the world, while America's is the devil. Last edit: 2012-05-01 09:27:08 |
| | SC is like sex. You should play often, but never too hard. And you should only try hard when it matters. | |
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| Azera Singapore. May 01 2012 09:59. Posts 3376 | Profile Blog # | |
| | Trudge comfortably | Check out some glorious music made by TLers - http://bit.ly/QXYhdb , by intrigue. http://bit.ly/RTjpOR , by ohsea.toc. | |
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| haduken Australia. May 01 2012 10:49. Posts 6896 | Profile Blog # |
Good work bro, still remember your old posts and its being a while.
So what are you going to do in US? |
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| Carson Canada. May 01 2012 11:33. Posts 820 | Profile # |
That is awesome, I am moving to Qingdao soon.
I am also wondering how well you picked up the language as far as speaking/reading/writing.
What do you miss most about home?
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| | "You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn." Arnold Schwarzenegger |
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| Ack1027 United States. May 01 2012 12:16. Posts 7026 | Profile Blog # |
More interested in a series of posts about
+ Show Spoiler +Of course, most importantly I was eager to break away from my family and become my own entity! Since then, I can confidently say I've seen and experienced the spectrum. I graduated college, had a girlfriend, became financially independent, travelled and lived and experienced both a peniless and baller lifestyle.
With Taiwan as a backdrop!
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| | [ TL's #1 Boxer fan since '04 ] |
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