All posts tagged: Taiwan

Finding an English Teaching Job in Taiwan is easy “they say” w/ GIFS

Published by nnedi

Who? What? When? Where?  Why? and  How? I am pretty convinced that the universe was out to get me. My luck in job hunting for English Teaching particularly in Taipei has been close to impossible to find. And it doesn’t help that I am also picky, but it is for a good god damn reason.  I have already lived in Taipei for more than one year now with some English Teaching Experience under my belt, so I have an idea and know what kind of work I want to do. And from talking to many people who have or are teaching in Taipei, I have gained a lot of insight on what I can do and things I can avoid. So finding this work is easy right? Yes, but just because it is easy to find and secure, doesn’t mean it necessarily a “good” place to work.  For starters, I want to find work to do in the afternoon, for I plan to continue studying Chinese later this year. Secondly, I want to also find a school …

Dragon Boat Training

Published by nnedi

Every year on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, countries from all over the world celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. This holiday commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan. He dedicated his whole life to assisting the king to build the State of Chu stronger. When he died, locals rowed out on a river to search for his body but were unable to locate him. Gradually, rowing boats developed into dragon boat racing. I chose to join my school’s Dragon Boat team to change up what I was normally doing. I have already been living in Taiwan for some time and was getting so bored with my everyday routine. School, Hang Out, Tutor, Bike, Sleep…I mean that just got so repetitive and dull. When I studied in Shanghai, my school also had a Dragon Boat team in which many of my friends participated in. But unfortunately, I left my program early and was unable to take part, but when I came to Taiwan and heard …

My Favorite Taiwanese Food

Published by nnedi

Eating locally in Taiwan has proven to be super cheap to eat out in Taiwan so I tend to take advantage of going around and trying new things constantly. The main thing while I am looking for when eating out is good, somewhat healthy, fulfilling and most importantly, cheap food. Braised Pork with Rice This is the OG, the staple, the must-try dish if you ever visit Taiwan. I personally don’t care to eat pork so much, but when I do, this is always my go-to. This pork is cooked under low heat for hours and some unknown Taiwanese sauces are placed into the mixture to create this bad boy. It has a savory yet sweet taste to it and normally cut into very small tiny pieces. A lot of shops have this staple dish, but I recommend everyone to try it at this restaurant. To spice it up, add a Tea Egg for an additional 10 NT for love. Chicken with Rice As simple and plain it may look, this is yet another staple …

Studying Chinese in China vs. Taiwan

Published by nnedi

I have studied in two major cities in China and Taiwan (Shanghai and Taipei) and there is not a ton of information online about these programs or yet someone who has done both and can openly share their experiences about it. I’ve been asked from different social outlets about mine and I want to express the major differences between the two and possibly help those decide which one may be a better fit for them. Disclaimer: My experience may be different compared to others. At the end of the day, this is my opinion on what I feel about the programs and maybe something you should consider before in deciding on which program may be better for you. Keep the facts I mention here in mind, but also take into account that maybe what I experience is different from others. Scholarship Details China Chinese Government Scholarship Bilateral Program pays for the tuition up front. Students can stay in the campus international student dormitory for free. If a student decides to change the housing type at …

Studying Chinese at NTNU’s Mandarin Training Center

Published by nnedi

National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) was the first school in Taiwan to open up a language program for foreign students starting in 1956 called the Mandarin Training Center (MTC). And to this day, its considered as the most popular school to attend and study Mandarin due to their high standards in teaching techniques, along with the books they’ve published used in class for foreign students. The building is located on: 129 Heping East Road, Sec. 1, Taipei City, Taiwan You can take the Green Line to Guting and take exit 5 walking down Heping East Road or you can also take the blue line to Taipower Building Station Exit 3 and walk straight down Shida Road where all the shops are down to the university. At the university, there will be a library in front and right behind it is the Bo Ai Building where students attend the Chinese Language Courses. Take the elevator up the 7th floor to access the classroom area, but if you need to talk to the staff, visit the 6th …

Workaway in Hualien

Published by nnedi

What is workaway? Workaway is a platform that allows members to contact one another to organize homestays and cultural exchange. Volunteers or “Workawayers”, are expected to contribute a pre-agreed amount of time per day in exchange for lodging and food, which is provided by the host. Just for a small fee, for a year the user have access to hosts all over the world. Choose a country, set up the profile and message away. This is a great way to learn more about the places one visits and a great way to practice the local language and learn about the culture. Typically, volunteers are guaranteed a place to stay in exchange for 3-5 hours of work a day max 6 days a week. With the platform, users can read the list of available hosts and past experiences of volunteers time spent. Users can also look at what’s expected of the work and the incentives of working with that particular hosts. Some hosts may provide more than just accommodation such as free meals, bike rental, laundry, …

First Impressions of Taiwan

Published by nnedi

Everyone is super sweet! I feel like Taiwanese people really want to know and learn more from me. Some places I travel to, people start a conversation in trying to get something from you whether its to buy their product or some type of services, but the people here seem genuine. When I am lost, people go out of there way to help me even if they are not asked for and are very hardworking individuals. Great balance in their infrastructure and use of space From just living in Hualian and Taipei, Taiwan has a great balance between city and rural life in many of their cities. You could take a hike up one of their many mountains, bike on their designated trails, hang out in a park, go watch a movie, go out, sing it up in a KTV venue all without leaving the city. That food tho… Taiwan is a foodie destination. Known to have the best night markets in all of Asia with a variety of food to try. From Beef Noodles, …