Help me do Taiwan this summer?
January 21, 2010 3:19 PM   Subscribe

How to do a cheap trip to Taiwan this summer? From California in July, returning in August. And what are the chances of earning a little cash there teaching English?

I'm an experienced ESL teacher, my Mandarin is non-existent, but I know some Japanese. Also, no need to tell me it will be hot.
posted by Rash to Travel & Transportation around Taiwan (4 answers total)
 
Have you checked the Daves ESL Cafe forums? Here is the Taiwan forum. Another useful resource is Tealit (Teaching English And Living In Taiwan).

Your timing could be good though, July is the summer holidays in Taiwan. Many parents send their kids for extra classes at this time so it is the busiest time of year for English teaching. I can't say for sure, but if you have experience you may be able to pick up a job for just these months.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 7:54 PM on January 21, 2010


The ESL scene in Taiwan is pretty developed. I don't think you'd be able to break in with such a short window. And teaching without a work visa can get you into trouble (although many people do it).
posted by bardic at 8:11 PM on January 21, 2010


Response by poster: Thought it was a long shot but anyway, what about budget travel to and then in&around Taiwan? Any tips welcome, especially seasonal.
posted by Rash at 9:15 PM on January 21, 2010


You can easily live in Taipei with hotel & food ~USD100/day. The bulk of the money will go towards hotel - clean, and comfortable love hotels are around USD60-70/night. I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives, but I'm not aware of them.

Food can be inexpensive, street food is delicious and safe. There are plenty of bargain restaurants too (especially in basements of department stores).

Once your in Taiwan, travelling is also relatively inexpensive. A typical Taipei subway ride is about USD0.50, and the high speed rail from Taipei (north) to Gaoxiang (south) is ~USD40 and takes about 1.5hrs.

There's plenty to see in and around Tapiei too -
Beitou hot springs
Museums
Lots of bustling city life
Lin Family Garden
Chang Kai Sheck & Sun Yat Sen memorials
Taipei 101
Plenty of parks and hiking around here too

I won't be in town during the summer, but this is a decent resource for foreigners in the 'wan: http://forumosa.com
posted by askmehow at 10:49 PM on January 21, 2010


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