Taiwan is a small island nation located just off the souther coast of China. For all practical purposes Taiwan has been independent for the past half century, but the Chinese government still regards it as a rebel region that must be reunited with the mainland - by force if necessary. China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalist government fled to the island as the Communists, under Mao Zedong, swept to power. Before that, Taiwan was briefly governed by the Japanese and you may still find some older Taiwanese people speaking in a mix of Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese.

TEACHING IN TAIWAN:

Taiwan is regarded as one of the top destinations in Asa in which to teach English abroad. Every year hundreds of new teachers come to Taiwan to join an already vibrant expat community. Most of the best opportunities to teach English are located in the capital city of Taipei (see map) and surrounding areas, but there are a number of other cities that are wroth investigating as well: Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Hualien to name a few. Jobs in Taiwan have the highest earning potential, but the city also has the highest cost of living.

Approximate 1st year teacher monthly income ? $NT50-55,000 (after taxes). Each subsequent year you stay in Taiwan you can expect to make an additional $NT5,000. You can also supplement your income with private lessons and charge as much as $NT800 / hour.

Cost of Living:
* Housing ~ $NT8-10,000 / month
* Utilities ~ $NT1,000 / month
* Food ~ $NT3,000 / month
* Phone ~ $NT2,000 / month
* Transportation ~ $NT1,000 / month

That still leaves you with plenty of extra cash to save and use toward traveling through the rest of Asia!