10 Challenges of Living In Taiwan (As An American!) 🇹🇼

[@TheUrbanVeg]

All 100% worth the experience! Anyone else have similar challenges living in a new country?? 🌏

[@DanielBakerDPDRexpert]

Vietnam the biggest challenges for me were the language barrier, constantly being stared at (living in a small 'non tourist town'), cultural differences and initially not knowing if something was worth the price or not.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Dan of the World yes we had this too! I’m sure it just takes time and learning the language would have really helped in integrating a bit more. Good lessons learned for us about just jumping into a culture.

[@chinchilla_mania]

Yep. I had similar ones while in Taiwan. I wear a size 9 shoe and had a really hard time finding shoes my size there. Things I had trouble with were: heat, mosquitoes, noise, and the crowds. I got exhausted anytime we went to a night market, just too many people. I liked most of the food and people were always nice. I had to get used to being stared at a lot from looking like a foreigner though.

[@chinchilla_mania]

You should try getting your hair done there. Usually you get a shoulder massage with it, so the price for everything can’t compare to the salon service in the USA.

[@bridgerhouston4131]

you probably dont care but does anyone know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly forgot the login password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me

[@peterblandtastic3363]

Costco is a thing in Taipei. Your American membership will work. Western style foodstuffs are widely available there.

[@danliang13]

Great Tip! Costco is life saver

[@akihideribu3106]

Food challenges can be solved if you go shopping with a local friend, the vegetables that you are looking for are available in supermarkets and local markets, and most American items are available in Costco as well. Taiwan Tap water quality is way better than states, you need to boil your tap water before you drink! I think your problem mainly is because of lack of research before you move there and having local friends to help you out definitely will make your life even more easier than trying to figure it out.

[@jeffparks25]

I'm From Ohio USA I'm 36 never been out of my city Columbus by myself and I'm hard of hearing. What place is good for meet friends here any Walmart or something?

[@francoiswilliams]

I lived in an underground room in Snake Alley in 1993...a hotpot restaurant was upstairs, it was free to live there and eat and drink(long story - I am writing a book lol about it). One night I was drink the heavy Kaoling liquor upstairs with some gangsters, suddenly there was a police siren outside and the heavy dudes rushed out, soon gun shots were ringing out...next afternoon I read in paper several police were killed in the area...Taiwan from 1990 to 2000 - the Wild Decade

[@TheUrbanVeg]

francois williams Omgosh you have to tell us when that book is out! Andrews dad was there for a sales trip around that time so the Taiwan he told us about was vastly different than our experience in 2018 haha.

[@ikeacha4153]

That's super interesting that you Netflix options are slimmer. Whenever I have gone abroad, I have experienced quite the opposite actually which usually causes me to binge watch shows that IK American Netflix does not have

[@Charlie-hv3dh]

This may be rude to ask, but what do you guys do for a living? Like what is your job?

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Hey Charlie. Not rude to ask at all. We are both within Instructional Design and Learning & Development.

[@frutiofam]

Thanks for the video.

[@WaterFallingDown]

Tips: If living in Taipei, you could buy easy IC card with unlimited monthly plan, it costs $1280 TWD. Assume you go out by MRT or Bus, bike more than 10 days a month. That's quite a good deal.

[@magdamanduhai1869]

Umbrellas only use when it’s raining hard !

[@chinchilla_mania]

Learn enough phrases for getting your hair done and bring a picture. You also ask a Taiwanese friend to go with you and help you communicate what you want. It’s doable. For learning Chinese quickly, I recommend the Duolingo or Rosetta Stone apps. If you have time on the weekend maybe you could take Mandarin classes. I had some of the same challenges living there. It was too crowded and noisy and hot. The mosquitoes also loved me, so that was a drawback.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Thank you! These are such great tips, Veronica :)

[@woonha4481]

There are actually a ton of uncooked vegetable dishes offered in cafes and restaurants all over Taiwan, but these restaurants usually don’t look traditional and are not situated in “traditional” communities if that helps.

[@danliang13]

Hi Guys, not sure this has spoken for, but for Netflix, did you try US based and using a VPN ? I am Chinese American and I felt the pain buying clothes as well, their Large is like one size down and I never buy the right clothes there.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

No we didn't try that - darn! Where were you three years ago when we needed you? haha jk :)

[@ChineseBuddy]

Water is definitely not safe. I've had a couple of vomit incidents due to drinking straight up tap water. So, avoid!

[@alan85]

Tap water is fine if you live in a newer building built in the last 20 years or so, but judging from your apartment I’d say no. BTW bottled water may not be any better as they are not regulated. If I were you I’d install a filter on your tap and just drink the tap water. Some locals will tell you to boil the water but that only kills bacteria, which you shouldn’t find in tap water anyway. The main concern is metals.

[@flyboring]

Not directly drink Tap water in Taiwan in most area. Most Taiwanese would drink the water after boiled it. U can supplement water from some RO machine in some corners for cheap price.

[@weiyangchen]

Agreed with everything but maybe one: the environmental thing. Having lived in the States for 8 years and then relocated back to Taipei last year, I really think Taiwan does better for the environment for the most part. Things like recycling, paper to-go boxes instead of styrofoam. And in Taiwan, if you go grocery shopping, the bags are not free whereas in many states, you can still get plastic bags for free. Also, I used to live by Ningxia night market, too lol

[@ftsection2156]

Weiyang Chen Agree

[@kiwizoey413]

Totally agree! The Taiwanese government banned single used plastic bags in grocery stores more the ten years ago. When I lived in the US I just couldn’t stand it. I felt like I was the only person in Atlanta that doesn’t get plastic bags. A cashier even said “save the trees” to me and I was like 😂 ... I don’t think they knew anything about climate change

[@jakeswenson9956]

Get Surfshark VPN and you can change the country to get whatever shows you want on Netflix around the world!

[@jenlee621]

FYI.. if you like spicy food... try Taichung.. they eat more spicy food then other areas of Taiwan.. for the Netflix problem you can get a vpn .. that might help with the blocking...

[@rhumandlove393]

Laughing as a Canadian in 2021 when maple syrup costs more here than it costs in Taiwan 3 years ago! Gotta love government planning!

[@DrSMacsay]

Thank you for your Pros video and now this one with the Cons. Thankfully, most of your cons are actually pros for me :-) except the plastic and the pollution. I would ove to visit Taiwan one day!

[@shikha5246]

There are apartments that are wayyy cheaper in Tapei. I know someone who has an apartment for 440$ a month but I think it also depends on what you want.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Natural Traveler we definitely saw apartments in all ranges of prices and locations. Since we were going to be working from our apartment and we are in a relationship, we wanted a bit more space. Our place was also pretty updated compared to others, we had access to an English speaking agent if any issues popped up and we had a security guard. So, I 100% agree as in any city, there’s a range of choices. In terms of US standards and what we know our friends would be looking for, we wanted to set expectations.

[@joeyp1927]

I was shocked that they use so much plastic packaging over there, but I guess on the bright side it's probably more hygienic in the time of coronavirus. Re: the water, can't you use a water filter like a Brita to remove the particulates and metal, or are there other concerns? Is it hard to get replacement filters? BTW I would've thought you two were the same age! Anyway thanks for the tips!

[@lantisyu1079]

Netflix is fine,​ you just need to use the VPN connect to the USA.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

That's true, easy solve!

[@rustshiz6749]

You should look at getting a big berkey water system :-)

[@Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana]

Sunday, March 5, 2023 Capital cities are always more expensive than other towns in the same country. While you were there, I would have recommended going shopping with 1, 2 or 3 local friends. And learn at least a few basic phrases in Mandarin, please and thank you, numbers, asking how much a thing costs, and so on.

[@rickhuang4902]

I think tap water part is almost exact as what you said, the water resource is safe the problem is old pipe problem so don't really recommend about drinking tap water without filter it.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Yea, we've heard the same from many of our Taiwanese friends. Not a huge deal, but definitely an adjustment.

[@sd-uk4ip]

@@TheUrbanVeg There are also public water stations around the city that you can use to refill water jugs.

[@KassyGO]

I cant believe they have Carrefour! That's a staple in France!

[@HowardARoark]

Nice videos that you have made, a great insight into life in Taiwan. It seems to me though there are advantages and disadvantages of every location, and the idea of the perfect location is a flawed one. The unoptimized life is the healthiest one I believe. The constant search for improvement and betterment is a cause of perpetual discontent, and keeps our attention away from what's really important in life. Personally I could not stand being in a place where people everywhere I go turn to look at me in surprise, because of my color. Nor to be able to communicate with people because of a massive language barrier. To me home is the best place, and making the most of that is my purpose. However Taiwan looks lovely, I love all the busy markets in the streets and the easy ability to eat out regularly and save on cooking and dishes. I love watching these videos about the Far Eastern countries, from nice people like yourselves - hope you do well out there, remember come back and visit us one day.

[@rbca]

I am living in Hsinchu, Taiwan for 4 months while doing a practical semester in my course of studies and I have experienced all your points! It is so cool how accurately you describe everything and the visualizations are great. I am definitely going to check out your other videos!

[@TheUrbanVeg]

rbca aww our great friend lives in Hsinchu and we visited her there. Cute city! I’m glad this resonated with you - hopefully helps you feel a bit of comfort. Enjoy every minute of your time there - it goes by quickly and you’ll miss it a lot once you’re home :).

[@GamerzShit]

Hi, I'm looking to do foreign exchange in Taiwan next year in Hsinchu. At the info session they told Hsinchu is a quiet town and lots of students commute from Tapei. You know anyone that does this and would recommend it or not?

[@rbca]

GamerzShit Hello, I highly recommend doing an exchange semester/ year in Taiwan! Hsinchu on its own is not that exciting, there is a lot of industry and it is known for its great universities. I personally didn‘t get to know a student that commutes from Taipei to Hsinchu because the students mostly live on the campus at their university. But it is very easy to get to Taipei from Hsinchu, it is only 1 hour with the bus! If you have any other questions let me know 😊

[@nicoletsai2022]

preparing an English interview of tour guide right now, and your videos actually helps a lot !!(subscribe immediately lol) btw, though this video has posted for a long time, still think that some information might help. I'm renting house near my college, and I use "BRITA water filter" to filter the water, and still cook it before drinking. It's not expensive, you can try it! and thank you for liking Taiwan 💗

[@masterchristopherchandler2171]

Grandmaster hop gar lama Kung fu big fan vary pond looks great 👍

[@VaYomerHashem]

From Taiwan to Colorado here 🤣🤦🏼‍♀️

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Awesome - hi Jimmy!!

[@lawrence4444]

What are you guys doing in Taiwan? Curious as to know what work... thank you.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

(from Andrew)...I was going to school in a Master's program in Taipei while we maintained our consulting business with clients back in the US. So neither of us actually worked in Taiwan. We did do a little unpaid side work with a Taiwan tour company creating videos and helping with digital marketing. Good experience! Do you live in Taiwan?

[@lawrence4444]

Thank you for pointing that out. No, we just visit the family there... love it there.. your other blog about lack of spicy foods is probably because you are just used to very spicy ones. Taiwanese food can be spicy (for me anyway) and just have to ask the establishments or business you are in..

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Yes, I'm sure the lack of flavor is because of where we are from. In addition, I think we're also used to very different flavors with more of a variety of spices used. All experiences are so different depending on where we've each grown up.

[@celizabeth9144]

Is gluten free nad vegan very difficult to do in Taipei?

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Not at all - many gluten free vegan restaurants!

[@WaterFallingDown]

Try Taichung or Kaohsiung, they are also good place to stay.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Thank you!

[@mandylin191]

tap water is not drinkable, boiling before you drink.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Thank you! Yes, we found that out after a bit. Do you boil or buy the water jugs?

[@mandylin191]

neither!! water filter.....lazy guy solution.

[@Luckimee]

As an American! I'm coming to earn my bachelor's. Woohoo!

[@TheUrbanVeg]

V M have an incredible time! Get to know both locals and expats. It will really help you learn the culture without feeling totally isolated. Enjoy!!! It’s an amazing country.

[@PilgrimTaiwan]

Normally we use water filter in our house for drinking or cooking water XD

[@TheUrbanVeg]

ninaway Li do you? What kind do you use?

[@PilgrimTaiwan]

Mainly Taiwanese use Brita which is a Germany brand. There're many different kinds.And now we use Mitsubishi (三菱）tw.bid.yahoo.com/item/%E3%80%90%E9%85%8D%E4%BB%B6%E7%8E%8B%E3%80%91-%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%A3%BD-MITUBISHI-RAYON-%E4%B8%89%E8%8F%B1%E9%BA%97%E9%99%BD-CSP601-100042001699 some of this fliter they said u could drink directly (no need to cook) If u use this water filter u have to change the heart of fliter about 3 months (depand how often u use it)

[@zakariazaki7513]

I like watching this video keep going 🤠 greeting from Morocco*

[@sydneyliu4825]

Interesting to know the challenges! A couple of them have to do with language, I just hope we could learn English better or you learn more Chinese, and also I suggest trying to make a Taiwanese friend. And a few are about city life. Maybe try other places in Taiwan? Some Taiwanese foods are actually disgusting to me. Don't drink tap water. Summer is just annoying to us, didn't know it was a real problem. Didn't know about the Netflix thing. Wow!

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Agree on the language. We definitely could have prepared better and spent more time on this...

[@frutiofam]

Limited shows at Netflix, killed me!

[@nayadrama4167]

Nice video, thank you for all your tips ! I will ask you about the climate, when I read about Taipei climate, it seems that in autumn, winter or spring, it's a lot of rainy and very very little sunny days. Is that correct ? Thank you so much !

[@DanielBakerDPDRexpert]

Great video thanks for the info. Have you had much experience in other cities? I'm probably going to teach English there, but want to avoid Taipei for a lot of the reasons you mentioned. I love the heat and am fine with smaller cities and obviously I'm doing my own research, but anything you've heard or have had experience with would be ideal if you can share.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Hey Dan - Thanks for checking out the vid. We were able to explore a good majority of the island. I'd suggest checking out Tainan or Kaohsiung. We almost moved to Tainan but a few things changed last minute with our work plans. It's much more laid back than Taipei and it's extremely affordable and close access to the beach. You will need to get a scooter for transport since their isn't an MRT down there. Other things to be aware of are the pollution levels in the winter and it's a little more challenging to fly in and out of Taiwan since the closest large airports are Kaohsiung (about 1 hr taxi) or Taoyuan (2 hr train ride). There isn't a ton of good info out there on the web about Tainan, but it's definitely worth checking out in person. Let us know if you have any other questions; always happy to help.

[@DanielBakerDPDRexpert]

Laid back and affordable sounds great. With Vietnam I went there and then found a job, would that be the best way in Taiwan do you think?

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Yes, I think you'd be fine arriving and finding a job once you get there. I'd still suggest doing some research ahead of time to see what schools and companies are hiring so you can have a plan when you arrive. Best wishes in your search!

[@irishadullah-al-akbaruthma8796]

TQ for sharing this video. Wow this is really Unique 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌💚💚💚I'm From nigeria

[@PilgrimTaiwan]

Go costco to buy American products seems cheaper than local Taiwanese supermarket :) I'm vegetarian and i suggest a grocery store call Leezen(里仁）There're many vegan and vegetarian products you could choose and some parts are organic.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

ninaway Li thank you so much! We never heard of that store! We really appreciate your support and understanding!!

[@PilgrimTaiwan]

THIS'S LEEZEN's website www.leezen.com.tw/

[@君愷范]

salad are served in restaurants like subway...

[@nonrepublicrat]

My experience might be different from your experience ? Really???? I can't believe it.

[@lawrence4444]

Excellent video guys.. keep it up.. go #Taiwan

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Thank you for your support, Lawrence! Much appreciated.

[@davidb2206]

Worst challenge is no reciprocal green cards (that is, permanent residency visa and property rights) for Americans all over Asia. You are essentially on a short vacation with no stability in your life. Pity, since the Taiwanese have over 900,000 U.S. green cards, don't have to do any visa "renewal," can stay indefinitely in the U.S., and can buy a house on the same day they arrive in California! It's not fair, reciprocal, just, or moral for it all to be one-way only with Americans getting the short end of the stick (all over Asia). There aren't that many American expats anyway ... relatively low numbers would be interested in spending the rest of their life in Asia, but some are.

[@soxyislander]

Oh my goodness, I feel you! Exactly the same for me, esp food, shopping, no raws!

[@nick680614]

Karen looks much younger than her age.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Awww, thank you Nick!

[@stefantube1983]

Nice video! As for the tap water in Taiwan. Do not drink the tap water directly here in Taiwan (Unless you live in the mountain area where they direct the water from mountain water). Not only there is substance in metal, they also added the fluorine to the water. It's better to invest in a decent water filtering system. Or you at least have to boil the tap water before you drinking them.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Stefan Kuei thank you so much! We boiled it in the kettle but didn’t do a water filter system. Does the filtering remove the metals though? We heard it doesn’t. Also, wondering how you came across our video? We are so happy to have you here :)

[@stefantube1983]

Well, your video appeared in the recommended playlist for some reason. Anyway, I am glad I found your video though. Also, sorry for my mistake, it was not fluorine they used to process the tap water, it was chlorine (Reference here: www.water.gov.tw/ct.aspx?xItem=2755&ctNode=886&mp=en). Boiled the water in the kettle can remove chlorine from tap water. But I don't think you can simply remove the metal by boiling it. Which is why you need one decent water filtering system since you are living in Taiwan now. To answer your question, yes, it does remove the metal from water. That's what filtering system is for, but also depends on which system you get really. Most of these filtering system deal you get in Taiwan came with free installation service, so you don't have to worry about installation. If you don't want all the installation trouble, you can get a Brita kettle with Maxtra Plus filter, this works very well to remove any substance from tap water, including metal. Plus it is very cost effective as well. Just a little advice, hope it can help you guys out a bit.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Ah thank you very much for these tips, Stefan!

[@warrenandyiching]

Great video! My parents went back and retired in Taiwan after living in the US for more than 50 years. I go back every 6 months to visit and can relate to some of your points. Not being fluent in Mandarin is even worse for me because as an Asian American, people expect me to speak. On the flip side, I can feel a little out of place even in America if I travel someplace that is predominately white.

[@TheUrbanVeg]

warrenandyiching I wish you didn’t feel out of place in the U.S. in those situations. Hopefully people are as kind to you as they were to us in Taiwan. We wondered about people traveling to the US from Asia after our own experience overseas. So we want to get involved with the cultural centers here to see if we can help others feel more at home! Let us know if you come to Denver or have any advice!

[@thoobxiong8136]

Colorado represent!

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Hey hey!!

[@君愷范]

just go to Costco instead, there you will find what you need!!!

[@seanwu1968]

It is interesting to know forefingers challenges to live in Taiwan. :-)

[@BethJehovah]

Stop bragging about how awesome it is. 😅

[@tomjohnson3141]

Understandably, you guys left "Chinese Invasions" off the list. If you're still there now (Feb 2021), I'd recommend bailing out now before the missiles are launched.

[@carolineh1845]

She looks alot younger than 38.

[@SitiAisyah-do6gj]

you have to live in indonesian

[@llewen123]

No offence but it sounds like hell there

[@TheUrbanVeg]

No offense taken but it really is amazing. If you watch our best things about living in Taiwan video you'll hear a lot of the incredible benefits!

[@steveh4114]

Great Video ! ... I hope you have come to realize to make some Taiwanese friends to help you with the incidentals .. hair salons, rent property . .. where to buy Western Clothes (Shilin District); Plus, you are not in Kansas (or Denver, CO) anymore .. so try to eat what the locals eat within your diet .... not so much maple syrup ... etc. My most difficult times were during Holidays (traditions) like USA Thanksgiving, Christmas (celebrated in HK, not so much in Taiwan) and Easter. As a Protestant/Lutheran I went to a Methodist Church that had a English service for Christmas and a Catholic Mass with an Italian Priest speaking English for Easter. Also, I went to Sizzler and western style buffets for Thanksgiving. --You are a couple and hopefully support each other as much as possible (I was a single), but get to know the people and lean on them, and be a good guest/foreigner/ neighbor with them as well. They are Good people as I'm sure you are, as well. :-)

[@tyras_heartlocker]

Another awesome video!!! I can relate as going to Australia I had a lot of changes, but opposite :P For example, it sucks not being able to find/get cheap tofu in the grocery stores here hahaha plus I didn't know about the Netflix thing! Thank you for sharing and I hope Thailand is amazing :3 (honestly feel like you guys would LOVE living there...)

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Oh I'm sure Australia was quite an adjustment as well. Affordable tofu is a huge perk of life in Asia (as long as you can read which is the "firm" or "soft" kind). Thailand is fantastic!! Certainly may add it to our places to live in the future. Best wishes and hope to see you again soon!

[@PilgrimTaiwan]

try asian supermarket i remenber it cost 2,5 au dollar in melbourn city cheaper than WWS or COLES :)

[@tyras_heartlocker]

ninaway Li thanks 🙏🏻 I do go to Asian markets for tofu but it’s still expensive compared to Asia

[@PilgrimTaiwan]

Lift Vegan Definitely ! So come back Taiwan again 🤣

[@chrisfowler9306]

My boyfriend and I made a similar move and are now living in Shanghai as foreign language teachers. I have been here 3 months and have still not mustered up the courage to get my hair done. Rocking the ombré and letting the gray grow in.😂 Best to you both- love the videos- great job !

[@ceciliahuang3984]

You couldn’t find spinach and peanut butter?!!! 😮 That’s probably some of the easiest things to get in Taiwan. 😂 No spinach?! Are you kidding?

[@SportRider3000]

is the produce from China ? If so pass ! too many chemicals.

[@xeelaxiu9039]

thank you for this video! My husband and I hope to maybe move to Asia when all of our future kids are born and we feel the time is right for the whole family. all 3 of us are vegan too :)

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Yes, do it!! You won't regret it :)

[@leehobbs8670]

there are 3 youtube heroes (they'll remain nameless) that fancy themselves as taiwan living experts. they say the exact opposite of what you've said in this video. the 3 youtube heroes are I00% wrong. good work on the facts not the hype. p.s. lived here I4 years. cheers

[@TheUrbanVeg]

Thank you, glad you found this helpful! I'm sure everyones experience living in Taiwan is quite different!

[@diiwiilau6016]

adorable

[@黃注]

The hostess is cute.

[@HavocStylesJoe]

Beauty and the beta.

[@optimusprime2119]

for taiwan mandarin learning, visit pinyinNews at patreon.com

[@optimusprime2119]

for taiwan mandarin learning, visit pinyinNews at patreon.com