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Barto posted:More Spanish actually. I GET IT
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Aug 8, 2014 18:52
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Like a sort of.. Portuguese Perry Mason.
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Aug 9, 2014 02:56
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TetsuoTW posted:Wait, they found him already? I assumed he was an ABC, is he straight-up Taiwanese? Oh, we had one of these in Korea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDzlaAiBgnc
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Aug 10, 2014 07:27
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politicorific posted:Oh, we had one of these in Korea: Okay, this is good. I am learning things. What to do as an American abroad in Taiwan: 1) Visit Taipei 2) Get Drunk 3) Ride a bus 4) Miss my stop 5) Get into verbal and/or physical altercations with the local populace 6) Get a woman to dent my iPhone
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Aug 10, 2014 15:44
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Sorry to double post, but I just got an offer from HESS! Going to try to be there by the 22nd of September, so I'll see how things go. Please give me your advice, pearls of wisdom, and general "things you should do and things you should avoid."
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Aug 14, 2014 15:26
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YF19pilot posted:Sorry to double post, but I just got an offer from HESS! Going to try to be there by the 22nd of September, so I'll see how things go. They tell you which city/area you're going to?
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Aug 14, 2014 15:42
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YF19pilot posted:Sorry to double post, but I just got an offer from HESS! Going to try to be there by the 22nd of September, so I'll see how things go. If you have larger feet, bring as many shoes as you think you'll need for the year. This is less problematic in Taipei, but if you aren't downtown, it's going to be difficult finding more than a few options above US 10. If you like a particular brand of deodorant, load up on it. It's still not super widely available. This is also true of just about any perishable. There's not a ton of variety. Most stores carry basically the same thing. If there's something you really like and you think you can't live without it, bring enough to hold you over. I always made sure to load up on spices, for example. Learn to love whiskey. It's the cheapest booze on the island.
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Aug 14, 2014 16:04
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YF19pilot posted:Sorry to double post, but I just got an offer from HESS! Going to try to be there by the 22nd of September, so I'll see how things go. Don't bring formal clothes, as they advise, they will be useful once a year at the banquet. Easier to rent. The statement that you need to wear more formal clothes is also false, it's trainers, jeans, and polo shirts. Ignore the theoretical stuff in training and learn as much about English and teaching as you can before you come. E: Oddly, the thing i've had most trouble getting so far is shoelaces. duckfarts posted:They tell you which city/area you're going to? These don't get assigned until people arrive in Taipei. Where'd you request though YF19pilot?
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Aug 14, 2014 17:05
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House Louse posted:These don't get assigned until people arrive in Taipei. Where'd you request though YF19pilot? T'aichung and T'ainan, with the third option open. This is apparently the "season-ender-we-need-to-fill-spots" class, so to my understanding I could end up anywhere on the island. Thankfully I have three pairs of shoes that are each less than 6 months old that I will be bringing with me, including some super comfortable semi-formal/casual shoes I used at my last job. I paid $200 for those shoes and I don't regret a single penny. What is the availability of OTC medication? I've previously lived in Florida for about 15 years and am pretty familiar with things there, and if I am to believe that Taiwan is analogous to Florida, I'm expecting a year-round allergy season. Currently I occasionally use things like OTC Allegra or generic varieties, but the one thing that I can't live without is Excedrin, because my allergies always manifest as sinus headaches which can trigger my migraines. Is there a local equivalent, or would I be doing well to hit the local Sam's Club and stock up on a year's supply? Otherwise, it looks like (I may be wrong) I can apply directly for a multi-entry resident Visa through the Taiwan consulate, do I still need to show an itinerary of a flight out of Taiwan?
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Aug 14, 2014 17:24
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YF19pilot posted:Otherwise, it looks like (I may be wrong) I can apply directly for a multi-entry resident Visa through the Taiwan consulate, do I still need to show an itinerary of a flight out of Taiwan? Hess will do this all for you. Just enter Taiwan on a landing visa.
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Aug 14, 2014 17:36
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YF19pilot posted:What is the availability of OTC medication? I've previously lived in Florida for about 15 years and am pretty familiar with things there, and if I am to believe that Taiwan is analogous to Florida, I'm expecting a year-round allergy season. Currently I occasionally use things like OTC Allegra or generic varieties, but the one thing that I can't live without is Excedrin, because my allergies always manifest as sinus headaches which can trigger my migraines. Is there a local equivalent, or would I be doing well to hit the local Sam's Club and stock up on a year's supply? Want me to blow your mind? Just go to the hospital and tell them the problem you have and they'd probably be more than willing to write you a scrip for a few hundred (3$US) bucks. I'm sure you can get allergy poo poo over the counter here, but this might be a suprisingly effective way to deal with the problem.
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Aug 14, 2014 19:04
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Spanish Matlock posted:Want me to blow your mind? Just go to the hospital and tell them the problem you have and they'd probably be more than willing to write you a scrip for a few hundred (3$US) bucks. I'm sure you can get allergy poo poo over the counter here, but this might be a suprisingly effective way to deal with the problem. Okay, sounds good. One more thing, I know mainland China has the Great Firewall, are there issues like that with Taiwan? Would it be a good idea/necessary to set up service with a VPN? Sebastian Vettel posted:Hess will do this all for you. Just enter Taiwan on a landing visa. Okay, I went to https://www.boca.gov.tw and got my answer. Specifically, http://www.boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=1443&ctNode=779&mp=2 answers my questions. I have 90 days, but am able to get a work visa for any kind of "white collar" job. I imagine that teaching is considered white collar. CovfefeCatCafe fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Aug 14, 2014 |
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Aug 14, 2014 20:25
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YF19pilot posted:
You have to fight a pack of angry minipigs to use the internet in Taiwan. VPNs won't help at all. (Taiwan is a democracy...you can use the internet here lol)
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Aug 14, 2014 21:44
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Barto posted:You have to fight a pack of angry minipigs to use the internet in Taiwan. I figured as much, but I've spent so much more time in the China megathread sometimes I forget if I need a VPN in the US  Otherwise, reading through the HESS manual, it mentions the Visa Exempt entry. Do I actually have to show a paid ticket for that or can I still get by with an unpaid Expedia itinerary? If I can do the latter that will definitely make things a lot smoother for me. Also, is there a fee for the Visa Exempt entry? I can't seem to find a mention of it anywhere.
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Aug 14, 2014 23:30
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You might be able to book a round-trip ticket and then once you're in Taiwan, you can reschedule the return flight for when you would want to come home, assuming you only stay the year (otherwise you'd need another flight back to Taiwan). Excedrin is not available and I'm not a big fan of Taiwanese pain killers. A lot of the OTC ones use a substance that was banned in the United States for causing nerve damage. I'm not sure what you'd get the from a doctor, but it may or may not be fine. I've found some pretty nuts things looking up prescription meds I've received here. OTC allergy medicine is available. I paid 600nt for 70 one-a-day tablets. This may or may not have been cheaper than going to a doctor. The visit would have cost 150nt just to talk to the doctor and they really only liked giving prescriptions for five days or less. I'm not sure what the coverage would have been like for a chronic condition. You can also use the internet, but a lot of sites and Youtube channels will be blocked because you're not in the US, not because you are in Taiwan.
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Aug 15, 2014 01:00
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I currently get Zyrtec from the doctor for allergies and it's 150NT for two months worth. You can buy it OTC as well as a no-name alternative with the same ingredients 10/50NT. OTC painkillers suck.
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Aug 15, 2014 01:12
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I just saw that Expedia has a 24 hour cancellation thing. Maybe I can get a cheap flight to Hong Kong or Tokyo or something, print out the itinerary with the seat assignment (that seems to be the thing they keep mentioning), then cancel, get money back, and be kosher. Or just save the extra money and spend a few hours Saturday night/Sunday morning in Hong Kong, maybe I'll stock up on Excedrin here.
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Aug 15, 2014 01:20
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YF19pilot posted:Otherwise, it looks like (I may be wrong) I can apply directly for a multi-entry resident Visa through the Taiwan consulate, do I still need to show an itinerary of a flight out of Taiwan? Do whatever they tell you to, which for me meant booking a flight out after 89 days but might be different for a US citizen.
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Aug 15, 2014 01:22
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House Louse posted:Do whatever they tell you to, which for me meant booking a flight out after 89 days but might be different for a US citizen. That appears to be the same thing for US citizens, so that's what I'll do. For $230 round trip I can hang out with Hong Kong goons for 24 hours to get my Visa. How does the process for Visa Exempt to Worker's Visa flow? I'm sure that Hess will provide me with what I need to know when I get there, but it'd be nice having a heads up so I know what to expect ahead of time, instead of stressing out and running around Taipei like a chicken with its head cut off. Would I need to visit a local consulate or government office in person, or will the employer/Hess just do all that? In their documentation, it definitely sounds like having a Visitor's Visa ahead of time would mean the least amount of work from me, but it also mentions with a Visa Exempt there would be some footwork that I may have to do myself.
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Aug 15, 2014 01:39
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YF19pilot posted:I have 90 days, but am able to get a work visa for any kind of "white collar" job. I imagine that teaching is considered white collar.
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Aug 15, 2014 04:13
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As someone who is married to a white collar worker I can definitively say that teaching is not considered white collar work for government purposes. There's no guaranteed 50k salary for one thing.
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Aug 15, 2014 04:38
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Spanish Matlock posted:As someone who is married to a white collar worker I can definitively say that teaching is not considered white collar work for government purposes. There's no guaranteed 50k salary for one thing.  There isn't really any guaranteed salary for anyone.
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Aug 15, 2014 04:55
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TetsuoTW posted:
There's not even any guaranteed back pats 
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Aug 15, 2014 06:20
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Barto posted:There's not even any guaranteed back pats
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Aug 15, 2014 07:22
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Us citizen, flew in on a one way with no leaving flight scheduled, did just fine.
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Aug 17, 2014 22:43
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poetrywhore posted:Us citizen, flew in on a one way with no leaving flight scheduled, did just fine. UK citizen, I got stopped in Germany and told I couldn't get on my connecting flight without a return out of Taiwan (with the logic being they would just send me back). Bought a flight from Taiwan to HK that I immediately booked to be cancelled 24 hours later thanks to the helpful German staff. When I arrived in TW they never asked about it though or asked to see my receipt showing the flight... So it's a mystery if it was necessary.
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Aug 18, 2014 06:09
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It has to do with the computer systems at the airports/airlines. Assuming they're properly connected, flights with a passenger going to Taiwan should be prompted to confirm whether the person is Taiwanese or a resident, and if not, to show proof that they have an exit flight. Even after living here I've always had to show my residency card on inbound flights. One time, when I was visiting family in America and about to head back to Taiwan, I was leaving from Montana and the guy at the counter had never seen such a screen before. He quizzically asks me, "Uh, it's asking for, like, uh, proof? that you're going to leave Taiwan." I tell him I'm a resident there, and he says, "Oh, uh, I need to see, like, a card, or something?" He just seemed baffled as hell but after showing him my ARC it was fine. I was probably the first guy going to Taiwan out of that airport in...well, forever. More recently, when I was coming back from my friend's wedding in Korea, I had another one. I'm sure in Seoul they deal with people going to Taiwan a lot more often than they do in Billings, Montana, so she right away asked for my ARC directly. It was my first time traveling since getting an APRC, though, and after I hand it over, she studies my card for a good minute before going, "This card, it... it doesn't have an expiration date!" as if someone had made a mistake at the NIA and just forgotten to have it printed on the card. I got to be all smug and say, "Oh, it's permanent!" and then I was good to go. When I moved here, I did have a return ticket booked for one year later, which the airline allowed me to get a refund for when it turned out that I would not need it.
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Aug 18, 2014 06:28
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Bought my ticket to Taiwan. Going to be on the ground on the 21st of September, with a 17 hour layover in Seoul. Also, I guess since this is the end of season need to fill spots recruitment, they emailed me where I'm probably going to end up. Looks like Lugang Township, Changhua County. If there's a creole/Cajun restaurant, this is going to feel so much like moving back to Florida. I may just have to take some Tony Chachere's with me to complete the illusion. I suppose it's close enough to not make any difference to Taichung, which was one of my preferences. But it's right on the water which is awesome.
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Aug 20, 2014 21:07
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YF19pilot posted:Bought my ticket to Taiwan. Going to be on the ground on the 21st of September, with a 17 hour layover in Seoul. Ah, Lugang, the place where every man can stick some incense in the burner.
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Aug 20, 2014 21:10
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http://shanghaiist.com/2014/08/20/taiwan-restaurant-apologizes-for-long-live-the-nazis-dish.php Whoops!
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Aug 21, 2014 01:21
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I posted that on Facebook when the story first broke and boy I think my old Hebrew professor was ready to book a ticket to come over and start the protests herself.
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Aug 21, 2014 03:05
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YF19Pilot if you're in Seoul pop over to the Korea thread and say hi, we'll help you out maybe we can take you to dinner. PocketChomp what's that elephant from?
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Aug 21, 2014 10:45
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It's from San-X's Sentimental Circus series, named Mouton. Totally related to Taiwan because it's part of the sticker promotion that 7-11 is running at the moment. Gotta get me that Mouton plate.
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Aug 21, 2014 16:15
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Looks like Hess changed their minds, the current unofficial word is now JiaYi or Chiayi (I think it's labeled Chiai in the OP and on my Atlas). All those nearby squiggly lines on the map are going to make me want a car.
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Aug 21, 2014 19:31
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YF19pilot posted:Looks like Hess changed their minds, the current unofficial word is now JiaYi or Chiayi (I think it's labeled Chiai in the OP and on my Atlas). All those nearby squiggly lines on the map are going to make me want a car. That kind of sucks for you. ChiaYi is one of the weird cities in Taiwan that has a lot of people living in it, but nothing really going on inside of it. It's basically an over-sized bedroom community. Like, don't expect any kind of nightlife what-so-ever beyond a couple of token late-night restaurant/bars filled with old timers slamming Taiwan beer and singing bad karaoke. On the plus side you'll have more outdoorsy stuff available to you there. Scooter rides up into the mountains can be pretty fun. Don't get any ideas about swimming around in reservoirs they have there though as swimming anywhere besides a pool is against the law.
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Aug 21, 2014 21:08
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YF19pilot posted:Looks like Hess changed their minds, the current unofficial word is now JiaYi or Chiayi (I think it's labeled Chiai in the OP and on my Atlas). All those nearby squiggly lines on the map are going to make me want a car. Fortunately you aren't far from the HSR and can get to Taichung, Kaohsiung, or even Taipei fairly painlessly. Also, I hate how every word on this page is spelled. Fix your spelling Taiwan!
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Aug 22, 2014 01:11
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I looked up Chiayi cause I had no idea how to say it or what characters it was and lol "Chia" is wade giles for 嘉 but then yi is pinyin for 義 what the heck Taiwan pick one romanization system and stick to it for at least one word.
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Aug 22, 2014 01:34
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Picked up my resident visa at the Consular office in DC today and checked to see if they would also be able to authenticate my international driving permit (My license is Maine issued, so they told me I have to go through TECO Boston). The woman laughed and asked me "Are you sure you really want to drive a car in Taiwan?" I told her I figure it's better to have the option available, and we both shared a hearty laugh. (I had apparently accidentally been driving illegally in downtown Taipei when I was on vacation last year...  )
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Aug 22, 2014 01:43
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The worst part about Taiwan having no unified romanization is when somebody tries to give you an address in English for "convenience" and it's like... how do you seriously expect me to find this place? Google maps in English is pretty useless in Taiwan too, although it works just fine in Chinese.
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Aug 22, 2014 02:05
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Magna Kaser posted:I looked up Chiayi cause I had no idea how to say it or what characters it was and lol "Chia" is wade giles for 嘉 but then yi is pinyin for 義 what the heck Taiwan pick one romanization system and stick to it for at least one word. There are also road signs saying JiaYi and a part of town called JiaBei (麚北)...
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Aug 22, 2014 02:31
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