When Cultures Collide – Indian Expat working as a Corporate Executive in Taiwan

Working in the corporate world in Taiwan is one of the opportunities that most Indian nationals have been taking advantage of.  In the recent years, these nationals have joined the workforce in different Asian countries such as Singapore. They have reached the ladder of success in their respective industries and now have come to Taiwan to impart their knowledge and expertise.

When people of different nationalities choose to temporarily work in another country, it is natural to expect some cultural differences.  Food is one of the things that differ from one culture to another.  Indians and Taiwanese people have different palates.  As the Indian expat slowly tries to get used to the local cuisine, he is not without any options to choose from as Taiwan has a selection of restaurants serving international and fusion cuisines.  The only problem here is that with the fusion of Asian cuisine with that of the Mediterranean, Indian food may lose its spiciness and their curry flavor.

The best way to save up on dining at posh restaurants on a daily basis is to be able to book a dormitory that has a kitchen. Most apartments for lease may be exorbitantly priced. However, the freedom to cook indoors at one’s own time is nothing but a relief.

There happens to be specialty stores scattered around that offers spices and other ingredients such as turmeric powder and even the right kind of grains. It used to be a worry that the food that is offered in various restaurants are only limited to Western dishes and authentic Taiwanese food.

One thing to be careful about in Taiwan is their potable water. It is advisable to order bottled water instead of drinking it from the tap. There are numerous cases of stomach problems since their drinking water is not a hundred percent suited for drinking. Even if they were, it cannot be helped that Indian expats who arrive in Taiwan are more accustomed to their country’s water supply and could be sensitive to the water in their new location.

Another important thing to remember when living and working in Taiwan is to always keep track of time.  Being late is frowned upon in this location.  An executive must always keep track of time and never be late.  This not only applies to get to work or any other destination at the appointed time.  Being on time is also applied to settling payments and observing deadlines.

For foreign nationals who wish to get a permanent Taiwanese visa, there are certain requirements that need to be met.  They should adhere to all the laws and by-laws of the city. Being an expat does not give anyone the right to be exempt from any rule. Spending time in the outskirts of Taiwan will show Indian expats and other foreign nationals the meaning of respect among people no matter what their positions are in life. Taiwan has indeed embraced the idea of one’s life status in order to gain respect but if they are treated badly, no amount of money or flashy cars can appease them.

A German Expat’s Cost of Food and Drinks in Taiwan

Most of the corporate executives who are working as expats in Taiwan might be troubled about how to make ends meet. Unknown to many, even though a hefty sum is given to them as salary, their daily to monthly expenses can weigh them down financially. Germans are associated with good food and good beverage.  Taiwan is known for their own tastes but their flavors are hardly similar to those of German fare.

When in Taiwan, Do What the Taiwanese Do
There is a saying that for a foreigner to adjust to a new country, he needs to adapt their culture and way of living.  Food is no different.  While Euros and American Dollars can purchase several food items for German expats, the fact still remains that the cost of food in Taiwan is higher.  This is a place where home cooked food is preferred to restaurant food.  Serving food prepared the slow-cooked way is the way to go in Taiwan.  Drinking and dining out can put a dent on the expat’s budget.  This may be the time to drink tea at home instead of drinking alcohol at a bar to save the money.

German expats in Taiwan would have to take note of the following concerns as they leave their home country to work across the globe in Asia:

Gold and Standard Ale vs. The Lesser Spirits

Germans are beer drinkers by nature – the entire world is thankful for their exceptional brews and draft beer. Germany is famous for its Oktoberfest where millions of beer lovers across the globe party and chug down volumes of different beer brands. However, an unfortunate truth prevails in Taiwan: beer is very expensive.

Corporate executives who need to unwind after a hard day’s work would look for their beverage of choice.  Most German expats will wince at the thought of just one serving of beer before they call it a night. There are convenience stores that sell beer that costs around 1.8 USD. Cost implications with force German expats to settle for cheap beer at an eyebrow-raising price. When taste cannot be compensated, most Germans head to pubs or restaurants and concede to the high prices.  For a 660ml bottle of beer in Taiwanese restaurants, expect to burn 6.63 USD.  The normal six to ten bottles of beer will quench a German expat’s thirst for their beloved brew, but it will dry out his wallet.

On Schnitzels and Pretzels

Food from an Asian country is a far cry from those served in patisseries and boulangeries found in Germany. Expats who yearn to have a taste of the beer and bread in their homeland will be a little disappointed.  They will have to fork over as much as 59NT for a loaf of bread.  Converted into western currencies, this is around 2 USD or 1.53 Euro.  Compared to airy European breads, Asian bread is heavy and dense.  Oftentimes, they are filled with either a meat filling or a sweet filling.

As a corporate executive, fine dining will cost a lot.  Taiwanese restaurants offer more expensive meals. On an average meal, an expat will have to shell out 200NT.  For most German expats splurging more of their New Taiwan Dollars for their midday meals is preferable.

Expat Corporate Executives in Taipei Eventually Become Homesick Too

Working too long as a corporate executive in Taipei brings a homesick feeling to me and fellow expats. The feeling is natural, no matter what foreign country or state you are sent to. There are so many factors in contributing to this urge to finally return home.

Having experienced being an expat in Taipei, I can say that it’s not easy to adjust moving into this place. It’s not Taipei, in general, that is hard to adapt to but the way of living here. For example, a person like me who grew up in a place where everywhere is within walking distance found it extremely difficult to get around in Taipei. Without a good sense of direction you could get lost in the stream of stores, vendors and passersby in the urban corners of the city. It might be impossible for some to adapt to the number of people flooding neighbourhood streets, but it’s possible to manage by assigning your own landmarks to arrive where you need to go.

The people are actually easy to work with, once you have found a way to interpret their language. I have to admit, it was excruciating at first. As a corporate executive there is a need to assign work forces to a certain area of the project and give them tasks to accomplish. This responsibility is challenging because it is done on a daily basis and monitoring the production needs to be done every hour. It is difficult to explain the tasks to workers with no knowledge of their language.

Some expat corporate executives shared their experience in Taipei. A friend and co-worker said that a Taiwanese interpreter had to accompany him almost all the time to assist in decoding some workers’ concerns. Another corporate executive had to write down and learn the repeating Taiwanese words in his work place. Some had the privilege though of learning with the help of their hosting company.

At the end of the day, what most expat corporate executives miss most is being able to act, decide and talk like their normal selves. Being in any foreign place, especially Taipei, requires expats to change and adapt. It means learning new languages and acting more politely than they normally do. Hearing someone speak your mother tongue is like music to the ears and is very uplifting.

In Taipei, the monsoons and humid tropical seasons can make any American or European citizen miss the predictable summer and winter seasons. It’s almost uncomfortable to go to work every day when the weather is dry and even more inconvenient when the heavy rains start pouring. The climate is easy to adapt to, after a time, as well as people. It is being far from loved ones that is extremely difficult to accept and get permanently used to.

Conversations are valuable to expats, but the physical comfort and presence of loved ones are priceless. Nothing compares to being close to those you love and care for, which is the only but best benefit in coming home.

What It’s Like to Be an Expat in Taipei for my Father-in-Law

I’ve noticed that there have been a lot of people moving out of the country, mostly because they are required by their jobs. Most of these people, usually engineers and corporate executives are inclined to live in foreign countries because the project assigned to them takes years to finish. My father in law is one of these so called expats who barely comes home in a year. Although it’s sad that we don’t get much time together as a family, the provision is quite plentiful.

Being an expat is probably not the life for everyone. And how could it be? It’s difficult enough to be away for so long from loved ones you will even have to adjust to a foreign country’s climate and culture. My father in law experienced a great deal of changes in his work as a corporate executive. It’s bad enough that there’s much work to be assigned and managed daily, but he even has to learn a new language each time he moves elsewhere. Although it’s very challenging to be thrown into a foreign place, he said that there are still some places that could be enjoyable, if not easy to adapt to.

He had spent two years in Taipei once when he received a project in Taiwan, and he said it was much easier for him to work with people there than in other Asian countries. For one thing, at least half of the workers there could speak English or understand a little. Unlike his experience in Japan and Indonesia, he didn’t have to take language lessons on weekends in order to understand what his co-workers were talking about. He’s not completely alone in his work, he has assistants and sometimes a translator to aid him but it’s more efficient to know the language anyway.

My father in law said Taipei is relatively welcoming; he even came to know of a community for expats like him which was pointed out to him by a Taiwanese friend. If there was one trouble my father in law couldn’t seem to get used to it’s the climate in Taipei. He mostly gets assigned in European countries where weather usually consists of rainy seasons and calm, cool climates. In Taiwan it’s very hot and very humid, and then there are heavy rainstorms and surprising typhoons between July and October. The apartment he stayed in had over 20 floors but a certain typhoon caused so much flooding that the lobby sunk thigh-deep in murky waters. He could not bear wearing a suit and had to go to work in an almost casual-looking polo shirt in order to bear the humid heat.

Recommended: A Day in the Life of An Expat

Taipei Skyline

I am awakened at 7:15 a.m. by the sound of my Taiwanese roommate blending a concoction of fruits and vegetables into a vitamin-chocked slurry for her seven-year-old son. If there’s one thing all Taiwanese seem to be good at, it’s blocking out noise. The building next door is being torn down and rebuilt? No problem. The octogenarian downstairs is watching Korean soap operas at full volume? Didn’t hear a thing. It’s all a part of living in the poster child for population density known as Taipei. To them, it just rolls right off their backs. As for me, let’s just say after five years here, I’m still getting used to it.
Read more at http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-expat-in-taipei-taiwan/#4PxPEMI0C2zr5ZTJ.99 

Recommended: An Expatriate in Taiwan Blog

Curious about what actual Expatriats in Taiwan are experiencing?  Head on over to the anonymous expat in Taiwan author's blog at http://www.expatintaiwan.net


SYLLABICATION: ex·pa·tri·ate
NOUN: (-t, -t) 1. One who has taken up residence in a foreign country.

I live in Taiwan and, like other expats, teach English.  I enjoy learning about and experiencing the Taiwanese culture through the language, food, and interacting with the people of Isla Formosa. This blog is my way of sharing the culture of Taiwan with the world.

Not much info there about the author.  Anonymity gives him the freedom to write what he freely thinks about the country without getting persecuted.  Kudos!

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