Guide to Living and Teaching English in Taiwan

So you’re thinking of going to Taiwan to teach English, but you’re not quite sure where to start. Luckily for you the helpful staff at Reach To Teach has compiled a list of useful resources for teachers considering teaching abroad in East Asia.

Teaching in Taiwan

A popular teaching destination that offers a low cost of living, stunning outdoor recreational opportunities and a solid opportunity to save money, Taiwan should be at the top of any teacher’s list for places to go.

First year teachers will earn anywhere from $1,600-$2,400USD per month during their first year of employment in Taiwan, and that number can jump significantly once you’ve been here for a year and established relationships in Taiwan. If you are not able to sock away at least $10,000USD per year in Taiwan, you’re either doing a lot of traveling or way too much partying!

Administrative Tools for Living in Taiwan

Wondering what the visa requirements are for Taiwan? Trying to figure out where you’re going to stay before you arrive? With so much outdated information online, navigating Taiwan’s bureaucracies can cause quite a headache! Go straight to the source for trusted and up to date information:.

Taiwanese Embassy Australia http://www.teco.org.au/

Taiwanese Embassy Canada http://www.taiwanembassy.org/CA/mp.asp?mp=77

Taiwanese Embassy England http://www.roc-taiwan.org/uk/mp.asp?mp=132

Taiwanese Embassy New Zealand http://www.taiwanembassy.org/NZ/mp.asp?mp=217

Taiwanese Embassy South Africa http://www.roc-taiwan.org/ZA/mp.asp?mp=402

Taiwanese Embassy The United States http://www.taiwanembassy.org/US/mp.asp?mp=12

These links offer information on visa requirements for citizens of the above-mentioned countries. It should be noted that citizens of Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand and the United States are now granted a 90-day landing visa upon arrival.

Tealit - Your go-to source for everything in Taiwan. You’ll find information on apartment hunting, roommates, Chinese classes and language exchange partners, pubs and restaurants, sports teams, teaching jobs, transportation and more on Tealit.

Taiwanese Government - This is Taiwan’s official government website, written in English. You’ll find loads of information here on Taiwan.

Read about the cost of living in different cities in Taiwan on Numbeo Taiwan:

Taiwan’s first choice for housing and real estate in Taiwan, 591.com may be written in Chinese, but it can certainly be navigated through Google translate.

About Taiwan

Taiwan is a small island country off the southeast coast of mainland China. Not usually regarded as a top tourist destination in Asia, Taiwan is nonetheless a fascinating blend of cultures from the region. The following articles haven been put together to give credit to this unique country.

	Find out more about how traditional Chinese culture and values have melded with Western influences to create a country rich in Culture that you won’t find anywhere else in Asia.
	Taiwan has a varied History that goes back thousands of years. Find out more about the people and events that have impacted this small island.
	Language plays an important part in the identity of the Taiwanese people. Mandarin Chinese is most widely spoken, but many Taiwanese also speak Hakka, Japanese and their own dialect collectively known as ‘Taiwanese.’
	Taiwan enjoys sub-tropical Weather with the winter months being particularly pleasant.
	Here you will find useful Maps about Taiwan and where it is in relation to the rest of Asia.

The Cost of Living in Taiwan

The average first year teacher in Taiwan will make $NT55-65,000 a month (before taxes), or roughly $USD 1,800. In Taiwan this actually puts you in the top 10 earning percentile, thus allowing for a very comfortable living situation. The following articles explain how much money you might spend on things like food, housing, transportation and other amenities.

	Food is an important part of everyone’s daily lives and Taiwan is no exception! Eating in Taiwan can be a difficult experience at first, particularly if your Chinese is initially limited. Not to worry, our guide to food in Taiwan is here to help as well as inform you through your Chinese culinary adventures! The most important thing is that you have an open mind and approach. You may not like everything you eat, but it’s all worth trying. More often than not, you will find yourself enjoying things you never imagined yourself eating. If you don’t enjoy something, it will make for great story telling to friends and family!
	Along with food, housing is another important consideration when you are determining your costs of living in Taiwan. For example you can expect to pay more for housing in Taipei than you would in Kaohsiung. We have also included information about what kind of amenities to expect and what might be absent from what you are used to back home.
	What are the pros and cons of getting a scooter? What are the buses like? Is it easy to travel to other parts of Asia? How much is all of this going to cost me? All of your Transportation needs and questions are covered here.
	Further down the list but still important will be getting yourself a Phone. Luckily in Taiwan you have a few more options than you might have back home (it is easy to get pay-per-minute plans so you are never stuck in long two year contracts) and the whole process is painless. Read on for more information.
	Staying connected is an important part of our modern lives. Most homes these days already come connected to the Internet, but should you need help setting up your own connection we are here to help.

Services in Taiwan

You can expect to have all the modern services here in Taiwan that you are accustomed to back home. In fact you will soon find that Taiwan is a very comfortable place to live. The following information is here to help you get in contact with these services when and should you need them.

	Setting up a local Bank account to manage your money will be an important step when you arrive here in Taiwan. Luckily this process is not difficult and we are here with some advice to make it even easier.
	While we all hope to avoid it, getting sick is a fact of life. Getting proper treatment can be a daunting task when in a foreign country so we have put together this list of local Hospitals to help. We have also included some information about traditional Chinese medicines in Taiwan that you might encounter.
	A comprehensive list of Numbers that you may find useful in Taiwan including local emergency services, government, airline, directory assistance and banking numbers.
	Because of Taiwans unique international status, most country’s do not have an ‘official’ Embassy in Taiwan. Instead they are called an ‘Economic and Cultural Office,’ but essentially they provide the same services as any normal embassy elsewhere. Should you need there services we have listed here the offices and contact information for the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Misc. Information for Taiwan

	Taiwan has many Holidays throughout the year that are worth noting, particularly if you are planning other travel destinations during your time off.
	Taiwan has a lot to offer when in comes to getting involved in outdoor activities and Sports. Baseball, soccer, and rugby are particularly popular among the ex-pat community and it is never difficult to jump on a team and meet new friends and start having some fun!
	Taiwan has a unique Lottery system that allows the entire county the chance to win big every month!
	Wondering what kind of things you will need to bring to Taiwan? Don’t worry, we are here to offer advice on what and what you won’t need to Bring to Taiwan!

Cities in Taiwan

Taiwan has many large cities and towns, each offering it’s own unique vision of Taiwan. Below is a list of four where we send most of our teachers.

	Taipei (臺北 or 台北) is the seat of government of the Republic of China and its center of commerce and culture. Taipei is home to one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, Taipei 101.
	Kaohsiung (高雄) is the second-largest city on the island. It has one of the busiest sea ports (the Port of Kaohsiung) in the world and it has the island’s second-largest airport, Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH).
	Taichung (臺中) is the third largest city in Taiwan, and has an abundance of interesting cultural amenities and activities.