Author Archives: Michael Cannings

The MRT in Taipei

Transportation

The old faithful scooter is not the only way around, and Taipei in particular has a well-integrated public transport network Air Travel Taiwan has two major international airports, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (IATA code: TPE),…

Learning Mandarin in Taiwan

Study

Already a popular destination for students of Mandarin, the government is now doing more to encourage universities to offer English-language Master’s courses Learning Mandarin Many people move to Taiwan with the aim of learning Mandarin….

Off to work

Work

Foreign nationals are most commonly employed as English teachers, or in sales, marketing, technical writing, and editing for the IT industry Teaching English The majority of westerners in Taiwan come to teach English. While some…

Taiwanese children

Family

Children are doted on in Taiwan, but educational standards are suspect and children study extremely long hours Children Children are prized in Taiwan, and those with foreign genes will be an especial focus of interest….

Eating and drinking in Taiwan

Eating and Drinking

Taiwan offers a wide variety of Asian and Western options; from everyday affordable snacks to fine dining Western food Restaurants from outside Taiwan generally fall into one of two categories; the “taiwanified” group of restaurants…

Shopping in Taiwan

Shopping

Shopping is something of a national obsession. From cheap night-market knock-offs to high-end fashions, Taiwan offers a wealth of options for the ardent shopper. Grocery shopping There are a few options for purchasing your day-to-day…

An apartment in a high-rise

Housing

Taiwanese cities offer mostly apartment-living; it’s usually easy to find somewhere suitable, though the quality of housing is often mediocre Finding a place to live Trying to locate a suitable home can be a frustrating…

Xinyi from Taipei 101

Where to Live

Most people will feel comfortable in Taipei, but other cities can offer a more authentic Taiwanese feel When considering where to live in Taiwan, there are a number of factors to take into account: availability…

Taxes in Taiwan

Taxes

Taiwan has relatively low income tax and an easy efficient tax returns system, but non-residents can be caught out by the blanket 20% tax rate In terms of individual taxation, Taiwan has two systems based…

Marriage in Taiwan

Marriage

Getting married in Taiwan is relatively straightforward, unless you are British—applying for residency based on marriage to a local is also not difficult It is easy for two foreign nationals or a foreign national and…