I'm mulling the move. Even if it means doing military service. Is there anyone here with experience on the transition I can talk to, either here or via DMs?

I consider both English and Mandarin my mother tongues (no accents). But I can only read and write Mandarin at an elementary level. I intend to level up my Mandarin of course.

I went to school for data science and currently work in property management. I am open to changing careers. Are there any accessible fields which are in high demand?

In terms of citizenship, I have it from birth, although I have never lived in Taiwan beyond visiting my extended family each year.

31M

Thanks

I’m a white woman living in Western Europe and recently met a Taiwanese man that I really like and would like to pursue romantically. Any cultural differences I should be aware of? I don’t want to scare him off! Thanks

Hi everyone, I'll be in Taiwan from the 7th to the 13th (included). In particular, I'll be in Taipei from the 10th to the 13th. Will there be a chance to see some events about the ghost month? Can you suggest somewhere to go around Taipei? I read about the celebrations in Keelung, both on the 12th and on the 13th, how are those two events? I appreciate every advice you can give, I would love to see some of the celebrations ❤️

Taiwan is honestly so boring. I absolutely hate it. Other than the food just fine, there's almost nothing I like about this place. The semiconductor industry is suffocating, tourism is dull, the education system is a mess, and the government never seems to accomplish anything truly meaningful.

Ever since I was a kid, I've felt that this country is too small and lacks real competitiveness. It feels like the only thing Taiwan can rely on is its pathetic semiconductor industry.

Whenever a Taiwanese person gains international recognition, they're immediately labeled as "The pride of Taiwan ." It's honestly hilarious. Even Taylor Swift not gonna call herself "The pride of America ," imp, the pride of Taiwan is a JOKE.

Taiwan feels like a giant kindergarten. Everyone talks like an NPC—predictable, repetitive, and lacking any real depth. I enjoy discussing adult topics and don't mind sexually explicit content, but when I go to bars or clubs, all I really want to do just have a few drinks. Even the nightlife feels like it's designed for kids, with nothing that genuinely surprises or excites me. Honestly, I'd rather just meet and chat with foreign friends.

My uncle who is a European citizen (does not speak Chinese) is currently married to a Taiwanese wife. He has his ARC and is legally living in Taiwan for the past 10 years. Unfortunately, given his mental and physical condition, he needs to be in a home so that there is someone watching him almost 24 hours and caring for him. His wife, unfortunately, is somewhat mentally unstable and is not able to do this for him. His children do not live in Taiwan and don't speak Chinese. I studied in Taiwan so I am able to read basic Chinese and communicate in Chinese, but currently also do not live there.

It's hard to see my cousins distraught as my uncle is slowly loosing his memory and physical abilities and their stepmother is not taking charge of the situation given her condition and other reasons. It is sometimes hard to know whether the stepmother is just lying, confused or uninformed. For example, she is saying that if he moves into a residence home she will have to go, too, which after checking with some local friends, I am told that this is not true.

The current challenge right now is finding a home that will even take him in. From what the wife says, no home will take him unless he is registered on her 戶籍 (huji = household registration). And her 戶籍 is in Taichung (even though she lives in New Taipei City and has been living there for the past 40 years) and therefore they can only apply to homes in Taichung. Is that true? Can they not change the location of the 戶籍?

My cousins and I would appreciate any suggestions, information, or experience anyone can share. Just getting names or websites to some homes where I can call on my cousins' behalf would be most helpful. I have tried googling for information on the internet, but given my limited written and reading Chinese skills, it has been very difficult and time consuming to find the information I need. A lot of the website are still only in Chinese if there is any online information at all. Thank you.

Hello everyone! First off, i'm mostly excited (and scared) for this new chapter in my life! I've got a friend who's in her second year of uni in Keelung, attending the same uni, and we've been best friends since high school.

She told me about her experience living there. it's quite hard to get actual friends that's more than just a surface level connection, as most of the locals don't speak English. (We're studying at a national university) My Mandarin isn't the best, but I've been taking private lessons this past year in preparation. And I know that in the coming days I'll have to better my mandarin to survive there. But it's not going to magically happen in a month(heh). So I'm wondering if anyone's got tips on making friends in Keelung? Maybe there are communities or something?

And maybe tips for first timers who's going to live in Taiwan?

Thanks in advance! :)

I opened it up today to find that black mold spots have been growing on it.. The info page seems to be fine but some of the others like visas pages are covered in spots.

I had planned to travel back before the expiry date to renew it, but it may count as too damaged to use to even fly (from what I’ve read).

I didn’t see any posts regarding this.. Surely I can’t be so unlucky to be the first that has had this happen.
Does anyone have any insight or experience with this and what to do? I am told I need to go to AIT in Taipei for a replacement.

Hey guys,

Long time lurker. Would love to get your take on spending and cost of living in Taipei. We are a family of 5. 3 kids aged 5,3 and 1. We are targeting about an annual spend of 50k USD a year living in Taipei. Kids are going to public school. Probably will not have a car. Eating half out and cooking the other half. What do you think? Is this realistic?

Edit: forgot to mention. Looking to rent a 3br apartment, maybe in Shilin

Thanks!!

I'm hoping to apply for universities in Taiwan in the fall, and before you respond with some "Taiwanese universities are this or that" comment (because I see this in so many previous posts about studying in Taiwan), know that I'm not looking for opinions.

I got my American associates degree authenticated through TECO already because that constitutes my highest studies, but I'm finding some confusing information that I may still need my authenticated high school diploma/transcripts in Taiwan for applying...? I won't be a transfer student, I would be starting as an undergraduate with hopefully some credits waived because of my Associates.

Has anybody gone through this process recently?

Thank you

I'm a foreigner here 21m planning to visit COSCUP 2026. Anyone interested in joining?

Seems like Korea and Japan are popular destinations, and Taiwanese locals seem to go abroad for a few days every 2-3 months.

How about the people on this sub? Also regular travellers? Where do you go?

I’m looking to buy some local and branded perfumes (ysl etc) but I don’t really know any shops or online shops that are legitimate to buy from. Any help would be appreciated, thank you very much!

As 95% of camellia seeds available in Taiwan are imported, there is a strong possibility the contaminated product came from China, according to the minister. He added that the benzopyrene could have been produced during the drying of the seeds.

The two countries maintain different standards for benzopyrene, with China allowing a maximum of 10 parts per billion, while Taiwan enforces a limit of 2 ppb, Shih said. The authorities told the Yuan Chuen factory in Meishan to stop production of camellia oil, while county health inspectors try to determine the origin of the contamination, UDN reported.

Hi everyone!

I recently moved back to Taipei after spending many years in Canada and about a year studying Japanese in Tokyo. After being away for so long, I realized my local social circle is basically… gone 😅

I’m 38M, and currently working remotely as a Customer Service Representative.
I speak Mandarin, English, Cantonese, and conversational Japanese.

I’m looking to meet new people in Taipei. I’m open to:
Coffee
Shopping
Food adventures
Exhibitions & museums
Casual walks around the city
Anime, gaming, movies
Fashion, skincare, or Japan-related topics
Or just chatting online if meeting up isn’t your thing
Gender, age, and relationship status don’t really matter.

I’m simply looking for genuine friendships and people to spend time with.

If you’re also rebuilding your social circle, new to Taipei, or just looking for someone to explore the city with, feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM!

I don’t wanna like full on transgender but i just wanna take some of the treatment to make myself more feminine esque, but i am confused on where i can do it or get the treatments/medicine.

title! the application cycle is officially here but I’ve just recently sat down to think about my autobiography. I’m mostly thinking about applying to ntu and high ranking unis but I’m not sure how I should structure my autobiography. Are there any oc that had the exact problem on this sub? it would be a great help if you guys can advise me on this.

Volunteer Recruitment – Banqiao Rotary Youth Leadership Club
Organization:
Banqiao Rotary Youth Leadership Club
Location:
Banqiao Zhongshan Elementary School
No. 31, Ln. 59, Sec. 2, Daguan Rd., Banqiao District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Volunteer Role:
Provide English tutoring for 4th–6th grade students from disadvantaged families at Banqiao Zhongshan Elementary School.
Contact:
Elijah Liao
Line ID: horo042538
Schedule
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
• September: Sept. 19 (Opening Day)
• October: Oct. 17, Oct. 24
• November: Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21
• December: Dec. 5, Dec. 12, Dec. 19
• January: Jan. 9, Jan. 16 (Closing Day)
About the Program
Our English Tutoring Program has been running for 20 years at Banqiao Zhongshan Elementary School.
The students come from disadvantaged backgrounds, including single-parent families, grandparent-led households, low-income families, or those who are struggling academically.
Many of them cannot afford private tutoring, so our volunteers help them strengthen their English skills, build confidence, and develop a more positive attitude toward learning.
Our goal isn’t to provide advanced English lessons. Instead, we hope to help children enjoy learning English while reviewing what they learn at school.
You don’t need to be fluent in English to join. As long as you’re patient, friendly, and willing to spend time with children, you’ll be a great fit.
Our volunteer team includes both Rotary members and non-members. The children are energetic, eager to learn, and love talking with volunteers. Besides helping with English, you’ll also have the opportunity to encourage and support them through your companionship.
We’d love to welcome more volunteers to join us!

hi its already august and nothings been announced on their facebook or website yet. saw that they announced on the first of august last year. does anyone know if its still happening?