For me, the reason for the lack of interesting expats in Taiwan is obvious – interesting people would never CHOOSE to live long term in Taiwan. Why? Look at the genuine financial, cultural, and political superpowers that surround the backwater, reactionary, and politically schizophrenic ROC: Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore.

These global capitals all have what Taiwan lacks: real political ties with foreign nations (this means actual embassies instead of Trade Offices and Consulates which allows in turn for major multinational’s regional headquarters there instead of nextdoor in mainland China or in significantly cheaper and more liberal Bangkok). The business law in Taiwan for foreigners is discouraging at best and hopelessly slow and corrupt at worst. Furthermore, the local media and education is myopically self-centered – so much so that the Taiwanese populace in general has no reason to be interested in the outside world. I prefer the subtle xenophobia of Bangkok or even the not-so-subtle xenophobia of Japan over indifference – at least they have attitude behind their ignorance. I wonder what is behind our ignorance of these cultures back home in the West…

You want more exciting expats, short- or long-term, you need to go to where the action is. Not the cheapest alchohol and apartment rentals, but the most intellectually and spiritually stimulating business, politics, and journalism. When was the last time you hear of a Fullbright scholar travelling to Taiwan to beef up their skills in… anything? How about an aspiring MBA on pins and needles over a competitive internship at a major Taiwanese corporation? How about an arts organization anxiously trying to break into the Taiwanese market in parallel with those of Hong Kong, Singapore, China, or Japan? It just doesn’t happen, and until Taiwan understands why it is a drop of oil floating on the surface of the ocean of modern, global Asia, it will never change. It doesn’t help at all that following any administrative change takes place in Taiwan, private or public sector, the slate is wiped clean and a new course is charted. Ah, chronic institutional amnesia – now that’s a powerful engine for policy development!

All that said, I love working in Taiwan on a contract by contract basis. I have even incorporated there. But I could never live there as an expat – not with so many possibiliies of more a more scintillating life are less than 3 hours away in every direction.

Cheers!

I think if you met more long-term expats and more expats not in teaching, you’d find the same amazing people. There’s a whole niche — teaching English to children in cram schools — that doesn’t exist in Europe. It doesn’t attract amazing and interesting people. It’s also harder to meet such people because the long-term expats are pretty independent-minded, or hang out with each other and much less so with outsiders.

Michael