HI Jenna,

it is very easy to find virtually any kind of accomodation you are looking for, from basic to luxury. It will help if you speak chinese or know someone who does who can help you. I did not look around, my girlfriend (who is Taiwanese) found our apartment. Some parts of Taipei city really suck to live in: loud, crowded and dirty, but there are some very nice places to live too. Getting around is pretty convenient with the MRT (Metro) and bus system. But depending on where you work and how much you are willing to commute will factor into your decision.

Hey Jenna,

I may not be the guy to ask about how much to bring. When I got here, I brought a good chunk of cash ($5000 US) and that lasted me a long time. I didn't "really" work for a while, just did a few privates until I got a job. But Taiwan is really cheap. I guess if you got here and were working right away, you could be fine on $1500 US. That would certainly cover all of your bills for the first month and leave you with a bit of spending cash in case you wanted to take a trip or do something and you would have some money in case of emergency.  

Hi Jenna,

Try www.taiwanted.com the other site, is www.forumosa.com, but it sucks. Very little on forumosa. But like I said, go in to talk to people face to face. If you email your resume you probably will not get any response. Use taiwanted for leads, then go in. Like I said, I work at David's English and it's great. If you are in Taipei city, you should check them out.  they also have branches in Tainan, Taichung, Kaohsiung and a few in other places.

Like I said, the market for teachers here seems to be flooded. People are looking long and hard for jobs here now. I don't know if there is really a "season" for finding a job, but if you are dilligent and drop off resumes in person, you will find something. You may also consider outside of Taipei city. I reckon there are more opportunities outside of Taipei.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other ?s.

JK

HI Jenna,
I would tell you that it is better to get a job when you get here, rather than get stuck in a contract. When I first got here I had a contact and the job was not what I signed up for. In fact, it was so awful that I quit 4 months before the end of my contract, which would have given me a $6000 US bonus. I really could not stand it. Since then I have had 3 other jobs, with mixed results. Currently I am working for David's English. I really like it. I teach mostly adults, and the schedule is very flexible. The staff are great, both locals and expats.
I would warn you that even while I recommend finding work here, the hassles that you will have with immigration if you do it that way will be many and quite frustrating. If you come in with a contract ahead of time, you will basically just walk right into the country, no problems.
You should also know that it's not so easy to find work here anymore. Everyday there are more and more people showing up looking for work, but if you need any advice I'd be happy to help. I would also recommend walking into offices to hand out resumes, rather then emailing. It may take up to 6 months to get a response from an email.
Good luck and let me know how I can help.
JK

Taiwan sounds cool - you should check out this article a girl who spent quite a bit of time teaching there wrote for us: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/travel-guides/197-Top-Three-Tips-for-Teaching-in-Taiwan-

You might also want to chat to this guy who's based in Taiwan at the minute: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/jkaja1

Good luck!

Hey Jenna,

Glad you're having such a good time in South Korea - what's your favourite thing about living there? In terms of other places to teach after your contract finishes, here are a few suggestions and ppl who are out teaching there at the minute:

Indonesia: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/robertclarke

China: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/littlegems

Japan: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/augustineo

Good luck with it all and give me a shout if you need any help with anything!