Where to begin.
Almost two years ago today I got news that Taiwan was opening its borders for professionals. I had been waiting for months on end, along with many other aspiring English teachers, wondering when I was going to be able to get in here. It was a stressful time. After a couple weeks of quarantining* and then training, I was on a bus from Taipei to a place called Hsinchu City.
My two head teachers came to meet me on the last part of the ride. I tried to keep engaged and bright-eyed for my new bosses, but we were all exhausted, and some of us hungover, after an intense training schedule. But they were understanding. This company had a reputation for really working the shit out of their employees. And my head teacher had been there, done that. She was even joking about the hotel we stayed at with the rats in the ventilation.
We crossed over a river where she said we were leaving Zhubei, where the high-speed rail station was and "a very different vibe" than the city we were entering.
We rolled up to this shop front. It certainly didn't look like a school. There were two rows of countertops for secretaries, but the place was empty. It was 11am.
They had me bring my suitcase and backpack inside the teachers' office. They were surprised by how little I had. "This is the least anyone has ever brought," I think I remember her saying.
She handed me her phone, asking me what I wanted to eat. She was ordering Uber Eats from Louisa. She said the school will pay for it. I got a coffee and a sandwich and waited.
She sat down and told me teachers are going to start coming in soon. I still had to seal the deal with my apartment. I was exhausted and sitting with my luggage in an office that was about to be occupied for the work day. I could barely listen to what she was telling me. It was all overwhelming.
My friend *** was coming to pick me up and drive me to the apartment where I was supposed to bring 30,000NT ($1,000) cash for the contract signing. I walked to the nearest 7-11 and tried to pull it out of the ATM. Didn't work. I walked to the other 7-11. Same thing. My friend was on his way and I was running back and forth trying to pull all my money out last minute for this apartment. I was sweating.
I went back into my new place of work and quickly asked them for that start-up loan that they offered during training. I gave them my passport as collatoral and they handed me 30 big ones. Lucky day.
My friend was waiting outside as I scurried out, cash in hand, shaking, along with my new boss. They talked in Chinese as she asked him about the apartment's situation, location, etc. I was nervous about her meeting one of my degenerate friends, but of course he pulled it off with his charm. I hopped in the car and we were out.
I didn't have to go back to work that day. She said get some rest and settle into the new place and be there at 12pm the next day for some class observations. After shopping for sheets and hangers and things with *** I found myself sitting on the couch by myself in this quiet, empty little apartment. I had a TV, a bathroom, and upstairs was a loft with the bed, closet and desk.
Those first few months were intense. It was hot as fuck. It rained all the time. My clothes wouldn't dry hanging up outside because it was so humid. I worried about not having enough pants.
I would come home around 9pm emotionally exhausted from a full day of teaching and plop on the couch just to order Uber Eats and watch old movies on Starz. I was lonely. I was trying to figure out this living abroad and teaching Engish thing all by myself. My first class didn't start until 2pm but I would get there at 12pm and try to figure out what I was supposed to teach them and plan the whole day of classes.
I felt like I should be using my mornings productively like going to the gym or writing a novel, but I would just be anxious until the start of the first class when I had to perform. I didn't want to get out of bed...
But that was just the first few months. I got to meet other foreigners in the same boat, who had been here for a couple years and could say "Oh yeah, I remember how that was my first year..." and it gave me some perspective. It does get better, with all the great moments sprinkled along the way.
That was almost two years ago. And I'm still here. I just signed a new one-year lease for an apartment.
Two years is not enough time in Taiwan. I saw a lot of people leave after three.
I'm not sure what's next. But I know where I'll be.
I'll keep you posted.
* If you want to hear more about moving to Taiwan during COVID and the quarantine experience, we talk about it here and here.
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Enjoy!