Tag: expat advice

7 Taiwanese Gift Giving Superstitions and Rules

After a little research and help from my Taiwanese students (they say hello, by the way), I’ve got this whole gift giving business in Taiwan down to a tee. I’m glad I learned these before making a social faux pas á la British minister Lady Kramer. Listen and learn, traveler friends:

Things My Past Self Should Know Before Moving To Taiwan

Before moving to Taiwan, I thought I had it all figured out since previously living in Korea. My smug past self confidently packed a suitcase and prepared for the new adventure. At the time I was quite unaware, of course, that I was being a complete moron in my assumptions about what I needed, didn’t need, and should know about living in Taiwan. If only I could go back in time, I’d leave a letter marked “Urgent” to myself containing these 10 tips.

Safe Asian Destinations For Women

For women who want to experience the beauty and diverse cultures of Asia but weren’t able to convince another gal pal to take the plunge with you, don’t fret. There’s no need to write off your dreams of travel just because you might have to fly and trek solo.

10 Things to do on a Rainy Day in Taiwan

Are there any things in life more comforting than curling up at home with a book while soft rain pitter-patters outside your window? The answer, dear friends, is hell yes. Don’t get me wrong, I love a day snuggled up at home because the rain has barred me indoors, but Taiwan’s rainy season has the tendency to turn many (myself included) into hermits who rarely leave the house.

Blog Carnival: Home Comforts

Living in Taiwan for three years has been such an amazing and enriching experience. I have been asked to write about how it has changed my home comforts, but what Taiwan has done is actually provided me with new home comforts I never had before.

Taiwan Spring Time Bucket List

Now that spring is in full swing in Taiwan, it’s time to unpack sundresses and sandals. Andy Williams may have sung that winter was the most wonderful time of the year, but that man didn’t live in Taiwan.

The Reality of Teaching Abroad

Teaching abroad is a fun and enriching experience for both you the teacher and the students, there is such a huge amount to be gained from the experience in aspects of teaching and being in your host country. However, there seems to be a lot of bad information out there as to the reality of teaching English abroad. Slogans such as “Teach English abroad, it’s a fun and easy way to travel” are misguiding.

3 Tips for Overcoming Your Fears of Living Abroad

When I first made the decision to move to Korea as an English teacher, fear hadn’t dawned on me yet. It wasn’t until I started telling my friends and family about my upcoming adventure that I began feeling the sting of anxiety. I realized that almost every person I knew had asked me in one way or another, “Aren’t you scared?” At first I kept thinking, “Of course not!” Then, I started to wonder, “Should I be?”