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For those of you who keep up regularly with my blog, you’re probably familiar with my fun experience in the ER a little while back. I’ve never been a fan of the doctor–as I am sure not many people are–but honestly, visiting the doctor in Taiwan is one of the many bonuses to living here. As an expat, I definitely have a different experience than the locals when it comes to daily life, but there are bonuses to living in Taiwan, and perhaps living in Asia in general. So let’s break down just a few of the pros to moving to this island:
- Healthcare: Coming from the United States, I was petrified of getting sick and *gasp* spending an arm and a leg for medicine when it was nothing more than the stomach bug. But here in Taiwan, everything is universal. There’s no competition among health insurance providers, because there’s only one, so doctors and hospitals are readily available. It was weird to get used to being able to go to the doctor and only paying as little as $5 US for a trip to get some medicine and confirm that it was something minor. Even my hospital visit, with insurance, cost me $33 US. Dentists are the same when it comes to prices, making me a little sad to be returning to America, land of the expensive healthcare and insurance providers a plenty.
- Safety and Friendliness: Taiwan is by far one of the friendliest places I have ever been. It’s one of the few countries where I walk around, often after work at night, and don’t have to constantly be concerned about the things that usually go through my head back home. People are almost always willing to help you if you’re lost and every person I have connected with (for the most part) has left me with a good feeling afterwards. It’s safe, and everyone is friendly. It’s mostly the people that make Taiwan feel so homey!
- Public Transportation: On top of healthcare being ridiculously affordable, most of the public transportation on the island is affordable or free within 5 kilometers of your destination, like in Taichung. High speed trains run about $20-25 US for a ticket that can take you from the southernmost city on the island to the capital in less than two hours. Local trains are half the cost and twice the time, and buses are close to the local train cost. And even more so, there’s taxis everywhere if you don’t feel like messing with the buses or scooting around yourself. It’s easy to get around, and doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg to do so.
- The weather (mostly): Taiwan is known for being warm and comfortable most of the year, due to its close proximity to the equator. There are typhoons, and often there are earthquakes (most of the time I don’t even notice them anymore aside from the big ones) but most days are blue skies, seventies and eighties, and shorts. If you are anti-winter and cold temperatures, Taiwan is the place for you! But let me give you a warning: summer can get brutally hot, and winter can be really cold, despite what you may think. Humidity and cold do not mix, but the best time of the year is spring and fall, as that’s when the weather is most tolerable and if you’re lucky, you miss a typhoon or two.
- Food: It’s a food lovers paradise over here and with the copious amounts of street food lining the night markets in every single city, it’s impossible not to find something that you’re in the mood for. For the meat lover, the veggie lover, or the pickiest of eaters, Taiwan has something to offer for everyone. As I have come to find, Taiwan has so many vegetarian and vegan options if you know the right characters to look for. And if you miss the western tastes and treats, no need to fear: loads of western restaurants are easy to find, and often a little busy because of their popularity among locals and foreigners alike.
That’s just a few of the many, many pros to living in a place like Taiwan. So if you’re considering traveling to this country, or anywhere in Asia, what other things would you like to know about? Do you have any other additions to this list? Let me know in the comments below! Until then, stay rad!
