A myTEFL grad in Taiwan.

Cameron shares what it’s like to live and teach in Taiwan post pandemic.

Hello everyone,

My name is Cameron, and for the last couple of months, I have been living and working as an English teacher in Keelung, Taiwan. Given the world is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s certainly been a crazy time to move abroad, but it’s been an amazing experience so far. In my opinion, despite its amazing sights, food and amazing people, Taiwan still feels somewhat underrated as a destination for TEFL teachers abroad, particularly when compared to other popular destinations like South Korea or China.

So, without further ado, here are some pros and cons of moving to Taiwan to teach English:

The Pros

• The people – So far, I’ve been to 26 countries around the world, and without question, Taiwanese people rank up there as some of the friendliest, warmest and nicest people I have ever met. They love asking questions about where you’re from (although most think you’re American!) and love meeting foreigners!

• Night Markets – If one thing makes Taiwan Taiwan, it’s definitely the night markets! To cater to industrial workers during Taiwan’s industrial period from the 60s to the 80s, vendors would offer cheap and delicious local food. Although some food will always be on the menu, such as Taiwanese fried chicken, spring onion pancakes or sticky tofu (if you’re feeling adventurous) some new food occasionally pops up, such as fried pork ribs. Whilst the biggest and most well-known night market in Taiwan is the Shilin Night Market in Taipei, some other ones I’d recommend so far would include Keelung Miaokou, Hualien Dongdamen and the Ruifeng Night Market in Kaohsiung. The food is cheap, the vendors are friendly, and despite the crowds, going to a Taiwanese night market will certainly make your trip to Taiwan a bit more special.

• Safety – Taiwan is without question, the safest country I’ve ever been to. The police are very polite and helpful, and petty crime is low. I’ve seen people, including women walk at night with no significant issues. It’s also ranked as the second safest country in the world, behind only Qatar. As long as you don’t do anything stupid, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll run into trouble.

• The sights – Despite being a country the size of the Netherlands, Taiwan truly has some extraordinary sights. From skyscrapers to ancient temples to mountains, its nature is truly breathtaking. Some of the best sights I’ve seen have included going to the top of Taipei 101, checking out the dragon and tiger pagodas in Kaohsiung, the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery and my favourite; Taroko National Park. It’ll blow your mind!

The Cons

Like everything in life, there are some cons. Despite the fact that I really like my life in Taiwan, there are some things I’ve found difficult.

• The Weather – As a country, Taiwan is hot and very humid. Particularly in the summer, where the peak so far has been 43 degrees and 95% humidity. Coming from a country like Britain which is known for rain and cold weather 9 months of the year, it’s certainly been a challenge to adapt. I initially anticipated I’d adapt after a while, but perhaps I just need more time. If you do move to Taiwan, and your apartment’s air conditioning doesn’t feature a dehumidifier, get one! Whilst it did cost a fair amount at around £200, it was without question, the best investment I’ve ever made.

• Language Barrier – Taiwan speaks Mandarin as its main language but finding help online to learn it is very difficult to find Taiwan’s version of Mandarin, given that, unlike China, it uses traditional characters. Given that 1.4 billion people use the simplified characters versus 23 million using the traditional characters, it’s very hard to find things online to help with that. However, given that I am still in the process of learning Mandarin, perhaps things will improve as time goes on.

If you have any further questions about life in Taiwan, be sure to message me. I will be happy to help! You can find me on Insta @cametch147 and on Tiktok @cameronetchells.

Good luck to all you new applicants!

Cameron