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CHI Home >> Work & Travel Abroad >> Teach in Taiwan | |
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Taiwan
Programs Available: Overseas English Tutor
Overview | History | Climate | What to See | Culture and Customs | What to See Overview:Taiwan (Republic of China) is situated in the Pacific Ocean about 100 miles from the southeastern coast of the Chinese mainland and located midway between Korea and Japan. The central mountain range bisects Taiwan from north to south and about two-thirds of the island's 14,000 square miles are covered with forested peaks. The rest of the island is made up of foothills, terraced flat lands and coastal plains and basins. On the East Coast, Taiwan's mountains rise straight out of the sea and on the west lies a flat, fertile plain where 90% of the population resides.
Taiwan also includes a number of smaller islands. These are the Penghu, Lanyu, Lutao, Hsiao Luichiu, Kinmen and Matsu islands. The latter two are very close to Mainland China and serve as military bases, although both are now open to tourism. Mandarin Chinese is the official language in Taiwan, though other dialects are also spoken. Many people can speak some English. Population: 22.5 million History:Little archaeological evidence remains from Taiwan's early history. People are thought to have inhabited the island since 10,000 BC with migration from China in the 15th century. In 1517 Portuguese sailors reached Taiwan and named it "Ilha Formosa" (Beautiful Island). The Dutch invaded in 1624 and built a capital at Tainan - two years later they lost the island to a Spanish invasion but returned the favor by booting the Spanish out in 1641. During the 1660s the Ming and Manchu (Qing) dynasties arrived on the scene, kicking out the Dutch and wrestling one another for control of the island. The Manchus eventually won, making Taiwan a county of Fujian province and triggering a flood of Chinese immigration. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 following China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese quashed a republican rebellion organized by the local Chinese population and went on to establish a military base on the island and to promote education and economic development. After Japan's defeat in at the end of WWII, Taiwan was handed back to China.
Taiwanese politics is divided among those who want reunification with China (the KMT line), those who want Taiwanese independence, and those who want the status quo preserved. In 1995 relations between the two Chinas plummeted to a new low. Determined to isolate Taiwan and sway the minds of its voters, China held intense military exercises near the Taiwanese coast. Despite the region's sudden high concentration of itchy trigger fingers, the first direct presidential election was held without incident, and Lee Teng-hui was returned to office. Taiwan's fortunes took a turn for the worse in September 1999 when a massive earthquake hit the island, the largest in its history, leaving over 2000 islanders dead and a rubble-strewn country. Even in this time of crisis, however, the snippy relationship between mainland China and the wannabe republic continued. In March 2000, Taiwan elected its next president, Chen Shui-bian, the candidate of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party, who believed in a formal declaration of independence for the island. The upset ended 55 years of Nationalist rule. In 2004, Chen Shui-bian was re-elected by a narrow margin following a possibly-dubious assassination attempt on him only hours before the election. In a concession to political opponents and a country fearful over its constant Chinese threat, Chen Shui-bian vowed to forge closer relations with China and leave the volatile issue of Taiwan's sovereignty off the political reform agenda. Climate:The climate in Taiwan is subtropical in the north and tropical in the south with average annual temperatures of 72 - 75 degrees. Warm currents give Taiwan a climate that makes vegetation abundant and permits two to three rice harvests a year. Summers, which last on average from May through September, are usually hot and humid with average daytime highs from about 81 - 95 degrees and approximate humidity at 80%. The typhoon season is from July to October. Winters, normally from December through February, are short and mild with average lows from 54 - 61 degrees. Snow falls only on the higher mountains. What to See:Lanyu About 38 miles off the southeast coast of Taiwan, Lanyu is a rocky, volcanic island with a tropical climate. Lanyu is very different from the rest of Taiwan: most of the inhabitants are Yami aborigines, culturally closer to the Philippines than to China. Traditionally, the Yami speak their own dialect (which is nothing like Chinese), build houses underground to avoid typhoons, and live by cultivating taro and sweet potato and catching fish. There are a few small Chinese business on the island, and fairly easy access to taxis, TV, beer and cigarettes, so don't expect an pure tribal paradise. The coastal scenery - jagged, black volcanic rock - can be breathtaking. One of the best ways to occupy yourself on Lanyu is to walk the island's 23-mile circumference. There are a few places to stay and eat, and you can camp out if you ask nicely. Small prop-planes fly between Lanyu and Taitung or Kaohsiung, or you can take the not-too-pleasant boat trip from Taitung via Green Island. Tainan Tainan, on the southwest coast, is Taiwan's temple town. Designated the provincial capital for over 200 years until the 1880s, Tainan still has a firm grip on Taiwan's traditional culture. It's also one of the best places in the country to witness Buddhist parades and festivals. There are hundreds of temples in Tainan: some of the most interesting are East Mountain, a busy Taoist temple where people come to communicate with dead relatives or exorcise ghosts, Mito, with its magnificent statue of the 1000-armed goddess Kuanyin, Chuhsi, Tainan's largest and most beautiful temple, set in an athletic park, and Kaiyuan, a classical Buddhist temple with spacious grounds and plenty of pagodas. Taipei Located in northern Taiwan, Taipei is the political, economic, financial, and cultural center of the Republic of China. It has a thriving art and academic scene and countless modern commercial buildings. Taipei is nestled in a basin with mountains on all sides. Two beautiful peaks rise up steeply in the northeast: Mt. Tatun and Mt. Chihsing, both just over 1,000 meters high. It is one of most crowded cities in the world with a population of over 2.6 million people.
The National Palace Museum is built in a classical Chinese style with white walls and green roof tiles. Its purpose has always been the preservation of cultural artifacts, the promotion of culture, and the education of the public. The National Palace Museum ranks among the most important museums in the world, with a collection that includes artifacts collected during the successive Chinese dynasties of the last 1,000 years. The collection can be divided into three sections: vessels, paintings, and documents. The vessel collection has more than 68,000 pieces of bronze, porcelain, jade, lacquer, enamel, and other vessels. The porcelain collection is one of the most important sources for research of the history of Chinese porcelain worldwide. Among the paintings of the museum are Chinese ink paintings, calligraphic works, fan paintings, and embroidery, more than 9,000 pieces in total. Works of this collection span the past 3,000 years. The collection of historic documents has some of the most precious Chinese documents from the different dynasties. Culture and Customs:Traditional Taiwanese culture is very similar to that of China. Chinese opera, and its half-sibling Taiwanese opera, are an integral part of the culture. As in China, 'face' is vital, and destroying someone's face is surprisingly easy to do. In order to save the face of others, the Taiwanese rarely express their emotions or speak frankly: smiles and politeness all-round are the norm. Gift-giving, flattery, self-deprecation and flowery rhetoric are an everyday part of Taiwanese interaction. The Taiwanese take health and longevity very seriously. Many practise taichi - slow motion shadow boxing - for exercise and as an art form. Chinese medicine, acupuncture and faith healing - qijong - provide an alternative to a growing Western medical system. Superstitious about death, the Taiwanese avoid its symbols - white and the number four - and never talk about dying or accidents.
The Chinese religious belief system has a guardian deity for almost every aspect of human life. The Chinese deities revered in Taiwan, notably Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, and Matsu Goddess of the Sea, all had their origins on the Chinese mainland, Taoism and other indigenous Chinese religions, and such imported religions as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, also came to Taiwan via the mainland, Today Buddhism and Taoism are the predominant religions in Taiwan, along with significant numbers of Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Moslems. Money Tips and Common Expenses:Travelers' checks and cash can be changed at international airports and large banks, but you'll have trouble with travelers' checks in rural areas. Stick to US dollars for cash and checks if you can - other currencies will cause you problems. Credit cards are widely accepted at major eateries, shops, chain stores, etc. Take the same precautions you would in the US, theft and fraud are just as common here. When changing checks, shop around, as commission costs can vary widely.
Counterfeiting of local money is now common. I suggest you shop only at large stores, and accept only coins from mom and pop places until you are used to the money. Traditional markets and family-owned stores are common sites for attempted passes of bad money. Real money has a stiff feel, and you can see the holograms flash when you tilt the bill. It also flouresces under UV light, and you can buy a UV reader of key-chain size cheap. Tipping is not the done in Taiwan. The only people who really expect you to shell out are hotel bellhops and airport porters, who will expect about $1 a bag. Big hotels and restaurants will stick 10 per cent service charge and 5 per cent value added tax on your bill. Taiwan is not a developing country, so don't expect to haggle yourself a bargain - you may be able to get a slight discount (around 10%) in street markets and small shops. Here are some approximate prices:
Support During Your Placement:We will be available to give you any support, advice, or guidance you may need with any issues. There will always be an emergency number for you to contact. Our aim is to ensure that you have a happy and successful experience during your stay in Taiwan.
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The island's
high mountain forests are predominantly cyprus, although camphor used to grow in abundance. Taiwan was once home to many
endemic species, including the Formosan black bear, the Formosan Sika deer and the Formosan landlocked salmon. In its
headlong scurry towards economic prosperity, Taiwan has managed to destroy most of the western coast's habitat and wipe out
a species or two, although the inaccessibility of the rest of the island has made it a natural wildlife reserve. But in the
last 20 years Taiwan has declared 67 reserves, including six national parks, and instituted some fairly hefty environmental
legislation.
When
Communist forces took control of China in 1949, the president, General Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist Party, the
Kuomintang (KMT), fled to Taiwan to plan their re-conquest of the mainland. One and a half million Chinese also left the
mainland for Taiwan when Mao took control. The leaders of both Communist mainland China and the Republic of China (Taiwan)
claim to be the voice of all China, but the international community has, almost without exception, chosen the mainland.
The Taipei 101
Building is the biggest building project in Taiwan's architectural history. Not only will this be the tallest building in
the world, but the international frame and mission will also bring worldwide attention to Taipei. The 101-floor skyscraper
combines classic oriental culture and local Taiwanese features. Taipei 101 Mall presents selected international fashion and
gourmet restaurants to meet the needs of local and international consumers. The world-class space design and artistic
architecture make shopping here a joyful pleasure. Taipei 101 Mall will become one of the most desirable places for high-end
fashion.
The Taiwanese
love to eat, and they love to feed guests. Food here is much the same as in China, with dishes from Beijing-Shandong,
Sichuan-Hunan, Shanghainese and Cantonese-Chaozhou cuisine. The Taiwanese have added a subtropical flavor with plenty of
seafood and the liberal use of sugar. Eating out can be another excuse for a display of face-making, with everyone ordering
exotic, high-priced dishes and competing with each other to pay the entire bill. Although the Taiwanese use many ingredients
which seem implausible to Westerners - dog, snake, bear organs - these are usually medicinal and expensive, and you'll be
unlikely to encounter them in an everyday dish. Special foods to keep an eye out for include moon cakes (made during the
Moon Festival in Autumn), spring rolls (sold in April), rice dumplings (made for the Dragon Boat Festival) and red turtle
cakes (for birthdays and temple worship).
Never use ATMS
except at banks, post offices and chain convenience stores. Fake ATMs that download the info off your card are not unknown.
The card will be returned with an apology for having no cash. Criminals will then steal your data and empty your bank
account, with the connivance of an insider at your bank.