Jobs and life in Taiwan

Taiwan, a lovely and exotic island

Taiwan is one of the most beautiful, progressive, and welcoming countries in Asia. While not as famous as Japan, South Korea, Thailand and China, its undiscovered status has kept this island in pristine condition.

Some exotic things to experience in Taiwan are ghost month, yellow watermelons, night markets and mountains. See what else you can expect!

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“Taiwanese people are the most beautiful thing in Taiwan”

… Taiwanese people will tell you. Not a day will go by without someone smiling at you, and it’s not strange for a local to randomly ask you where you are from. Taiwanese people are curious and welcoming to visitors.

Generally speaking, Taiwanese people are interested in learning about other cultures and traveling outside of Taiwan. Since the locals are very adaptive to foreign culture, there are actually no specific cultural customs foreigners should be aware of (other than using common sense).

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A rich culture with many festivals

Taiwanese celebrate many festivals. One the most interesting ones is Ghost Month in August. During this month, expect to be chased by ghosts! During this month it’s not advised to travel, buy something expensive, get married or stand near water (or a ghost may catch you).

Dragon Boat Festival, Moon Festival, Chinese New Year, and Lantern Festival are some other top festivals in Taiwan. Don’t miss them!

You can expect one of the world’s most exciting fireworks shows every year at New Year’s Day.

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Do you speak Chinese?

Chinese is a super interesting language to learn. The grammar is quite similar but more simple than English (subject, verb, object). Reading is a completely different story…

If you don’t speak Chinese in Taipei, it’s usually not going to give you much trouble. Outside of Taipei, you should know some basic sentences. It is estimated the average person can become fluent in 3-4 years.

It is quite easy to survive even if you can’t speak, listen, read or write Chinese. Simple activities like buying fruit, getting a haircut or taking a taxi don’t require much if any Chinese.

Besides Chinese, many people also speak Taiwanese, especially those in the South and older people. There are also several other languages spoken by the many indigenous people of Taiwan.

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Taiwan has many different kinds of natural sights

Taiwan used to be called the Kingdom of the Butterfly. It is home to the second largest butterfly migration in the world. Outside the city there is no escaping them!

Taiwan is also home to the Taiwanese bear (a black bear with a white v-neck), various turtles, and various deer.

Besides animals, Taiwan’s nature is spectacular. Over half of the country is mountain. With an abundance of valleys, lakes, rivers, gorges and canyons, you will surely be able to take some unique pictures. Make sure to check out:

Because of it’s splendid nature, many Taiwanese enjoy hiking. There are several hiking groups that take weekly trips in nature, with varying degrees of difficulty. One of the most challenge things you can do is riding your bike one lap around the island.

If you are not that adventurous, you can relax in one of the many hot springs, beaches or walk around a national park every weekend.

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A look at Taiwan

Let’s have a look at what Taiwan actually looks like! (you can play both videos at the same time)

Traveling around Taiwan is easy

Public transport in Taiwan is affordable. You can use EasyCard to take the subway, bus and YouBike (a public bike sharing system). You can also pay at convenience stores and sometimes in other stores with this card. During rush hour, a subway will arrive every 2-5 minutes. In the evening the subway will come less frequently, with waiting times up to 15 minutes. Taiwan has a high speed rail, which can bring you from Taipei in the north to Kaohsiung in the south in about 2 hours.

In Taipei the subway and bus are convenient green alternatives to cars and scooters. Another good alternative are electric scooters, with WeMo (a public electric scooter sharing system) making them now even more accessible.

Taxis are very affordable, costing about $5 for a 12-minute ride.

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Irresistable foods will make you gain weight

Most people coming to Taiwan gain weight in their first months. There are simply too many delicious and new foods to choose from! In fact, Taiwan is the fattest country in Asia, with 45.2% of the population overweight. Make sure to try:

  • beef noodle soup
  • stinky tofu
  • dumplings
  • bubble tea

Taiwanese food includes both healthy and unhealthy dishes, so it’s up to you how healthy your diet will be. Most meals will include rice, so if you don’t watch your choice of meals you may easily end up eating rice three times a day.

Many Taiwanese people don’t cook at home. Instead they eat at one of the affordable restaurants every day. There usually are vegetarian restaurants available if you look for them. Many Taiwanese don’t eat animals. They also certainly drink less than western people, and it’s not hard to find someone who doesn’t drink at all.

Expect to spend between $250-500 a month on food, depending on how much you can control yourself.

oranges

Taiwan is pretty cheap, right?

Taiwan can be surprisingly expensive!

It’s pretty normal to spend a large amount of your budget on food each month. Spending only $6.50 (200 NTD) per day on food is possible, but only if you really have to. $250-500 per month is more realistic, and expect that amount to frequently be in the $400’s.

Luckily rent is low enough to make up for the difference, with shared apartments available from about $130 a month, and cheap individual apartments from about $350.

It is highly recommended to buy western electronics outside of Taiwan. For example, a popular Oral-B toothbrush (the device) will cost $115, while the same device is only $75 in Europe. Occasionally, high-end electronics will be about 30-80% more expensive in Taiwan, including Japanese goods. Furthermore, importing goods into Taiwan is not always possible with some stores, and import and transportation fees can be too expensive for certain items.

All considered, living in Taiwan is over 15% cheaper than in the United States. And with a “foreigners’ salary”, you can even save about half your income each month.

Take 15 seconds and check how much money you need in Taiwan to maintain your personal standard of living with Numbeo’s cost of living calculator. >> If the second amount you get is lower than the first, that means the second city is relatively cheaper <<

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Regions of Taiwan

Teach English in Central Taiwan

Teach English in Taichung

Taichung in central Taiwan is perfectly placed for visiting the high mountains of the Central Mountain Range as well as the beautiful Sun Moon Lake. Within the city limits there are several hiking trails ranging from a gentle stroll to steep slopes that require ladders to climb. The city has a science museum, art museum and botanical gardens. Not far from Taichung is the old town of Lukang which has some of the best preserved buildings in Taiwan and a huge variety of traditional snacks. In the evening, Taichung has a lively nightlife and attracts people from all over central Taiwan. There are a number of good clubs and foreign owned bars. The good weather means relaxing at a Taiwanese style beer garden is a good and cheap option.

Teach English in Central Taiwan

Teach English in Hsinchu

Hsinchu is home to a number of interesting museums like the photography museum in the center of town, the glass museum (where you can blow your own glass) and Guqifeng museum (housed beneath an enormous red statue of a Daoist deity) where you can peruse artifacts from ancient China. Guqifeng is also close to the peaceful 18 Peaks Park, a great place to go walking, jogging, or (if you’re up early enough) you can join in with people doing tai-chi.

Teach English in Southern Taiwan

Teach English in Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s largest city and has a wealth of interesting sights and hangout spots. Perhaps the most famous attraction is Lotus Lake, a recreational area to the north of the city. There is also an elegant Confucian temple on one side of the lake, worth visiting if you have an interest in Chinese and Taiwanese culture. The Sizihwan bay area is extremely beautiful, with a nice harbor where you can watch the sun go down and an old, well-preserved British consulate building up on a hill which you can visit. Qijin Island, a thin strip of land which hosts Kaohsiung’s main beach, is also a lovely place to while away an afternoon and eat some excellent seafood. If you are into nature and hiking, you can head to Shoushan (‘Longevity Mountain’ – referred to as Monkey Mountain by foreigners). You will see dozens of Formosan macaque monkeys in the trees and on the paths.

Teach English in Southern Taiwan

Teach English in Tainan

Tainan is a picturesque city with a wealth of Taiwanese history and culture and the best food Taiwan has to offer. To the east are Pingtung County and the Maolin Scenic Area, which boasts breath-taking mountains and a number of idyllic waterfalls which you can visit if you find someone who knows the way. And a little further south is Kenting, a sun-drenched tropical paradise where you will find the very best beaches Taiwan has to offer.

Teach English in Taipei

Taipei is a true 24-hour city with all the shops, restaurants and convenience you’d expect of a capital city. Whilst being a modern city Taipei retains a rich cultural heritage, with temples and night markets nestled among newer surroundings. Nature is also on your doorstep with the teahouses of Maokong, foothills of Yangmingshan and the riverside of Tamsui.

Teach in Taoyuan

Teach English in Taoyuan

Taoyuan has pubs, nightclubs and KTV hotspots for those who wish to have a fun night out. There is also a wide variety of restaurants serving traditional Taiwanese food, as well as other cuisines. Taipei is only a short bus/train ride away. Both Taipei and Taoyuan have amazing night markets to be discovered. The main airport is located here.

Teach English in Taiwan for the experience of a lifetime

We place qualified teachers all over the island. That means you’ll experience Taiwan and get paid to do it!

Earn

With the competitive salary, you can do at least any two of these at once:

  • Afford a large apartment in the city
  • Eat out and socialize daily
  • Fly out during holidays
  • Afford pretty much anything you want to buy
  • Send money home monthly
  • Save more than you ever could back home (while living better)

What is your choice?

Escape

Because life is just too short.

  • Embrace an entirely new culture
  • Have plenty of personal time
  • Experience something new every day
  • Start a job that changes lives

Spend 12 months (or more) teaching, traveling, living and loving. Get dozens of amazing stories to tell and a lifetime of memories.

Explore

You will be able to explore a new city every weekend. And Taiwan really has it all…

  • sleepy towns and thriving cities
  • sun-dappled beaches and misty mountains
  • ancient forests and high-end shopping

With some of the friendliest people in the world – both local and foreign – along with a vibrant culture and amazing food scene, Taiwan remains one of the world’s hidden gems.

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About Schools in Taiwan

All schools are well-equipped with all the teaching materials and resources necessary to deliver the curriculum. You can add your own materials and teaching methods to suit your style.

Each schools has 150-300 students, and 8-16 students per class. Teachers are assigned a district and will teach at a few different locations within that district. Travel is compensated and teachers will have the support of the Director of Studies for academic and welfare related matters. When you teach in Taiwan with us, you have nothing to worry about!

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Requirements to Teach in Taiwan

Native English speaker

You need to be a native English speaker.

Teaching Certificates

You need at least one of the following certificates:

  • A 120-hour TEFL certificate
  • CELTA
  • DELTA
  • Trinity certTESOL

Currently, the Taiwanese government does not require a TEFL or any teaching license to legally teach in Taiwan. However, to maintain the teaching standards of the schools, it is a company-wide requirement for all teachers to have at least one of the above certificates.

If you don’t have a teaching certificate yet, check out our TEFL discount, provided by International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT).

Degree

You need an associate or bachelor degree in any field.

Criminal Background Check

You need to provide a criminal background check, issued within the last 6 months. Check your country to see which one you need:

Australia (National Police Checks)

Canada (Certified Criminal Record Check):

Ireland (Police Certificates):

New Zealand (Criminal Record)

South Africa (Police Clearance Certificate)

United Kingdom (Police Certificate) ACRO or Basic Disclosure (for Scotland)

United States (Identity History Summary)