Some things Taiwan’s got going for it are:
-Much cheaper living expenses
-More friendly and open people
-Slower, more relaxed pace
-Bosses are less likely to screw you over
-Better access to Western foods and products
-Much cleaner and less polluted than KO (though not JP)
-Warmer weather

Finally, if teaching isn’t your thing, you really _can_ get paid for living in Taiwan. TW’s Ministry of Education gives out scholarships for learning Chinese. I did this for one semester, but there are longer durations too–one-year to several years(!). Taiwan really wants to make more foreign friends.

The scholarships are ~$750US/mo, enough to cover tuition and basic living expenses. I also talked to a guest going to study at a Buddhist monastery in southern Taiwan and he was paid for that too.

If I were older, I woulnd’t want to go without a teaching degree and peprhaps a more established job with an international school rather than a job teaching English in a foreign school.

Although there has been a lot of discussion about the positives, there has not been much about the negatives. Most of the English teachers I encountered in my two years lived in dormitory like setting with little of no personal space. They carried all of their personal belongings around with them because the apartments were often broken into. I would just say check what you are getting into.

My husband and I lived overseas twice - once before kids and once with our kids. Although both experiences were great in ways, I would also suggest you really understand what you will be missing. Asia is VERY far from America. Travel back and forth is very difficult and very time consuming. Even with the internet, communication can be tough.

Make sure you are willing to leave your family behind and lose your friends. Your family will always be there - they are you family after all - but not all of your friends will understand. We chose to make the sacrifice and in the end I think it was worth it. However, when we were given the chance to move to Asia again … we turned it down. It is too far now that our kids are growing.

Interested readers might also find this article useful as well.

http://www.geoscareer.com/

check it out if you’re interested.

Also, to xref to the buying vs. renting discussion, we kept our house here in the states and rented it out. We ended up with a negative monthly cash flow of about $100/month to do this, but recovered that in additional tax write-offs. Also, the house increased in value by a significant amount. Had we sold before we left, we might have cleared about $30k. Instead, the value went up by over $100k before we returned.

5 easy steps to finding an insurance agent [Bankrate] “A good agent will save you money while acting as a risk manager for your household. [Here] are some tips designed to help you find an insurance agent you can trust.”……

Almost all schools will pay for your airfare, apartment’s rent(not utilities), and will give a month’s salary bonus upon completing the contract. Beginning salaries usually range from about $2000 to $2500 a month with less than 6% taxes.

I strongly considered going to Japan, especially since I studied the language for a year after graduating; but found Korea to be the better choice for financial reasons. A good website for more info about teaching abroad is http://www.eslcafe.com.

I came to Korea soon after graduating university and have just re-signed with the same school for another year contract with better pay. I’ve saved $15,000 this year while taking trips to Thailand, Japan, and within Korea.
Good luck with your goals everybody!

Especially if they’re English teachers, I can’t help but think of them like they’re the old guy at a nightclub, trying hard to look cool and young but just not getting it at all.

Patrick makes a very good point about living like the locals, especially regarding the food. I do everything like his brother - eat small portions of healthy Japanese food, and walk everywhere. I don’t own a car, and don’t need one. I am always shocked when I meet up with relatives and friends from home and see how overweight and unhealthy they are. We all started out same size, but over the years they have gained in girth, and I have stayed exactly the same weight as ten years ago. I think I can safely attribute this to my Japanese lifestyle.

By the way, I’m now saving 60% of my income.

The only down side is that we are behind on retirement savings.

Any suggestions?

* The US-Japan tax treaty allows you to work tax free (in //both// countries). See IRS form 2555-EZ.

* The Japanese government takes pension (social security) out of your paycheck, but will refund it to you once you leave Japan. For each year you work in Japan you get a full month’s salary back.

In addition, I found a local bank with a philanthropic partner that offered grants to foreign workers in Japan. I wrote a proposal for a documentary about green tea and they awarded me money to buy a equipment and travel (both inside and outside Japan). You can get more information at pengi.films.googlepages.com .

- Live like the citizens do: learn to like the daily food that they eat, live in a small apartment, walk and take the train, etc. (He lost a lot of weight, is healthier, and enjoys the food).

- Get involved: Don’t surround yourself in an American bubble–assimilate. Find a hobby where you can associate with Japanese. (He plays futsal/soccer with a rec team there, and meets with a church that has some Americans but not all).