Taiwan ROC (Republic of China) is a great place to start your ESL (English as a second language) career. It is not always the first choice or thought of people when they are exploring teaching English in Asia. Other countries like China and Japan are sometimes a more popular choice, however don’t overlook Taiwan as it is a great place to start and gain some great international work experience. To many foreigners it just a tech place a small island with not much going on. In fact, Taiwan is bustling with thousands of foreigners and you do not feel as isolated as you may in a rural place in China, and it is quite safe and a democratic country and has a well-established ESL (English as a second language) industry.
Taiwan was originally called Formosa which is Portuguese for beautiful island, they locals are very friendly, the food is cheap and fantastic and it is a great place to learn Chinese and have the experience of a lifetime. It is also a hub meaning it is easy to take off to places for vacations, you are close to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia Philippines, and many other great places. When you teach in places such as South Korea, Japan, or China getting away is a bit more difficult, farther and more expensive.
1. Safety
Taiwan is a very safe country and you will feel safe even walking the streets at night, there are people, families and children everywhere so you will not feel alone. If you left your purse or wallet is a restaurant or bar and go back 10 minutes later chances are it will still be there! It is really safer than Western countries and perhaps one of the safest places in the world.
Taiwan is affected by frequent natural disasters, including earthquakes, typhoons, Stay indoors during typhoons and avoid mountainous areas as they can flood with the heavy rain.
Urban streets are very safe, for both men and women, just be watchful like you would be anywhere and you will be OK.
Government Travel Advice
The following government websites offer travel advisories and information on current hot spots:
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs
British Foreign Office
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs
US State Department
2. Tropical climate
Taiwan has fantastic weather, it never snows ! If you come from a cold country then Taiwan will be a great break from the snow and cold winters. It is always great weather, it does rain more in Taipei but in other parts of the island. Taiwan is on the Tropic of Cancer the northern and central part of the island are subtropical where in the south it is considered tropical. Taiwan does experience Typhoons from July to September which is LOTS of rain and usually high winds but not as deadly as a hurricane, if you are in your apartment you are generally safe. All the buildings in Taiwan are concrete and built to protect against Typhoons so you will be safe. Countries like the Philippines and China and less solid housing structures so experience more damage in Typhoon season. You also may get a couple days off a year called Typhoon days which are a bonus holiday.
Countries like China, Japan, and South Korea you are dealing with snow, winter just like back home, so we think Taiwan wins here !
3. The People
The Taiwanese people are very friendly and your school and others you meet will make you feel at home. The locals are very curious about foreigners and are used to seeing people from the West as it is a very well-developed economy. Teachers have been going to Taiwan to teach English for decades and many of them speak decent English, and they love to practice with you or teach you Chinese and about their culture.
The locals are also very honest and trustworthy and once you get there you will quickly be able to make friends either from your home country or local Taiwanese.
4. Money
Teaching English in Taiwan can be lucrative, whether you want to pay off your student loans or save for a down payment on a house back home if you are disciplined you can definitely buckle down and save some decent coin.
The cost of living is quite cheap, food and rent is minimal, you won’t have costs like car insurance, gas and cells phones are inexpensive too. Your largest expense will likely be travel and if your go out to the clubs every weekend it can be expensive but if you watch your budget you can keep your fixed costs around $20,000, Taipei would be a bit more expensive but it is also a bigger market where it is easier to find private students which can be very lucrative as well.
It is very easy to save $1,000 USD/mo and once you are established, maybe pick up some privates and depending on exchange rates you could get into the $2,000 – $3,000 per month range but that takes a lot of hard work, time. and great teaching skills.
5. The public transportation
You’ll feel like you’ve entered the future when you experience Taiwan’s public transportation system. The “MRT” is the local subway system in Taipei that connects the entire city. It’s clean, modern, extremely efficient, and easy to understand and navigate with English signs posted everywhere. And if you’re looking for a city getaway, the bullet trains are a must-do as well. Topping speeds of 180 MPH, you can travel from the northern most part of the island to the southern tip in less than 3 hours!
6. Food
The food in Taiwan is amazing and quite cheap, lunch/dinner can cost a couple dollars and many people just eat out all the time rather than grocery shop.
There are night markets and food stalls everywhere you turn. There is also a 7-11 on nearly every block to grab a Slurpee or your favorites like back home, i.e. chocolate bars, Doritos; etc
If you are a Costco lover there are 13 in Taiwan so if you are in a major city or near one you can definitely get many of the same products you can in Canada or the US with some other Asian flavors. They even have the cheap hot dogs and pizza here too.
If you like fast food chains Taiwan is covered with Dominos, Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks; etc It is not covered like the United States would be but these places are still available in the major cities. You may not want these though as the local food is so good, cheap and super convenient.
Recently voted by CNN as “Best Food Destination in the World,” Taiwanese cuisine is world famous and well worth traveling for. It has many Asian influences, ranging from mainland China to Japan. The cuisine is often vegetarian friendly with tofu being a main staple in many meals. However, meat eaters will definitely get their fill with famous dishes like beef noodle, shabu shabu (Taiwanese hot pot), lamb skewers, and the absolute “must-try” soup dumplings! The Taiwanese people are very proud of their eclectic cuisine and with good reason.
7. Travel
Taiwan is an island country located in East Asia, off the coast of southwest of Okinawa, Japan and north of the Philippines.
You can literally go to the Philippines, Hong Kong, or Japan for the weekend are they are super short flights away.
When you have time off for travelling which is why we all do this, right? Then places like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and other places are very close and cheap to get away to.
If you teach in places like South Korea, Japan, or China, then the flights are just farther and less convenient. It is still doable but will just mean an extra connection or two. As Taiwan as direct flights to all major centers to easily access your dream vacation.
8. Low taxes
Taxes are super low in Taiwan and when you have an ARC (Alien Resident Card) which your school will provide once your work permit is setup you will have to pay some taxes. When you first get there you will be taxed at 18% or your wages but after you stay 183 days the rate will drop to 5% and you will be given a return for that 13% at the end of the tax year, so think of it as a savings plan when you first get there that will pay for your first dream vacation when you have some time off.
9. Medical Facilities
First off before leaving for Taiwan check with your local doctor to make sure you have your shots and get travel insurance as you will not have coverage upon landing in Taiwan as you will need to wait for your work permit to get processed first.
When you are around people so much you may get occasionally sick in Taiwan, when you see a doctor there will be a small charge of a few dollars and sometimes the medication if needed is even included. Your school will help you connect with a local doctor/dentist to help you with any medical needs and many doctors will speak English, and most doctors from our experience went to school in the United States so you will be in good hands. In fact, the medical system in Taiwan seems to be much more efficient than places like Canada or the United States.