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Western Conveniences
Though incomprehensive, the directory below illustrates how plentiful and accessible Western items and services are on Taiwan. Generally speaking, teachers can get most Western goods and services they need. Female teachers, however, should bring their favorite cosmetics, toiletries and hair colorings as their favorite colors, fragrances or shades might not be available here. Personal care items (e.g., toothpaste, razors, shaving cream), however, are widely available at affordable prices, so don't bring a year's supply with you.
◆ Western Fast Food and Fine Dining Establishments
Taiwan offers a wide range of cuisine at affordable prices. Asian food (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.) is widely available and inexpensive, but if you crave Western food, there are a wide variety of choices at affordable prices. Western fast food establishments are cheap (i.e., NT$110 for a Big Mac Value Meal), but trendier restaurants (e.g., TGI Fridays) are slightly more expensive than they are in the West. Every major city has a McDonald's, a Pizza Hut, a Domino's and KFC. Depending upon the city in which one lives, there are also any number of local restaurants (often started by an expatriate) that offer appetizing Italian, German, Greek, French, Tex-Mex or Mexican cuisine. Generally speaking, the bigger the city, the larger the selection of Western dining establishments. In addition to the restaurants listed above, for instance, Kaohsiung has Starbucks, Subway, the Pig and Whistle, as well as numerous local Western restaurants, sandwich shops and bistros.
◆ Grocery, Personal Care and Household Items Western-brand grocery items, personal care items, and household supplies are widely available on Taiwan and, at prices that are, comparable to the West. The best values can be found at Dollars, Carrefour (a French hypermarket chain) and Costco. For those who want a late-night Western snack (e.g., a hot dog), there are more 7-11 convenience stores per capita on Taiwan than anywhere but Hong Kong.
◆ Department Stores Every city in which Schoolhouse branches are located has at least two large department stores where Western products and brands are sold. The exception, however, is clothing and shoes for the "big" and "tall". If you are exceptionally tall or large of girth, you will find the selection limited or, in some cases, nearly nonexistent. The same is true of shoes if your foot size is larger than a size 11 (men's) or a size 10 (women's). If the above applies to you, bring at least a year's supply of clothes and at least three pairs of shoes.
◆ Western Book Stores Western bookstores are in every major city in which Schoolhouse is located. The most popular one is Caves, which features a wide selection of Western books, although at slightly higher prices than in the US, Canada or Great Britain. You may also choose to order books from www.amazon.com, which ships to Taiwan and sometimes offers better prices than Caves.
◆ Western Media Newspapers Taiwan has three English-language newspapers, and all Schoolhouse branches subscribe to at least one. Most teachers, however, choose to get their news from "back home" via the Internet. (See below for more information on Internet services available on Taiwan.) Magazines and Periodicals Magazines (e.g., Time, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, etc.) are available at Caves, but they are significantly higher-priced than in the West, so most teachers choose to read their favorite periodicals on the Internet.
◆ Electronics, Appliances, Taiwan has a large selection of name-brand electronic items and appliances. Furthermore, Taiwan uses the same electrical system as the US and Canada (110V), so an adapter is unnecessary for appliances (i.e., hair dryer, laptop computer) unless you come from a country (e.g., Great Britain, Australia) that uses 220V. If you don't have a camera, you can buy one here at affordable prices. Film and film processing is cheap and affordable, too, so there is no need to bring a large supply of film with you.
◆ Computers, Software and Peripherals Computers and peripherals are generally cheaper on Taiwan than in the West. Microsoft's English-language operating system and software, however, is cheaper to buy in the US. So, if you plan to buy a computer on Taiwan, it is advised that you bring your favorite English-language operating system (i.e., Microsoft XP) and software package (i.e., Microsoft Office Works) with you.
◆ CDs, DVDs and Video Tapes English-language CDs, DVDs and video tapes are widely available on Taiwan. CDs are sold at major department stores and Taiwan-based CD shops. Video tapes, DVDs and VCDs are available for rent or purchase at Blockbuster outlets, as well as numerous locally owned shops.
◆ In-Town Entertainment Venues Movie Theaters Movie tickets run NT$210-NT$250. English-language movies are played in English (with Chinese subtitles). New releases generally arrive in Taiwan a month after they premier in the US and Canada. Video Rental Video and DVD rental shops offer rental fees of NT$60 to NT$140. Though there are many privately-owned video rental shops on Taiwan, every major city also has a Blockbuster--if not three or four. Cable TV Cable TV service runs from NT$3500 to NT$7000 per year. Most cable packages come with the English-language channels HBO, Cinemax, Discovery, Star Movies (based in Hong Kong), and CNN. ESPN is also available, but it is broadcast in Mandarin Chinese, and even Western sporting events offer Chinese commentary. Internet Service Teachers generally pay about NT$800 per month for Internet service with high-speed ADSL or cable modem connections. (Some apartment buildings provide free Internet service.)
◆ Culture Center Every major city in Taiwan has a Culture Center that stages monthly cultural performances. With the exception of Kaohsiung and Taichung, however, most theatrical and musical productions are in Chinese. Kaoshiung's Culture Center, on the other hand, occasionally hosts English-language theatrical (e.g., "Cats" by a Broadway cast) and musical productions performed by Western artists. Depending on the quality and popularity of the production, ticket prices run from NT$800 to NT$3000.
◆ Museums and Temples Every major city in Taiwan has Buddhist and Taoist temples that foreigners are free to visit. Some central and southern cities also have museums, but all of them pale in comparison to the National Palace Museum in Taipei, which has the most extensive collection of Chinese art and artifacts on the planet. Though most teachers prefer not to live in Taipei due to its high rents and congestion (pop. 10 million), it is definitely worth a weekend visit--if only to see the National Palace Museum.
◆ Western Churches Kaohsiung and Taichung have several nondenominational Christian churches which hold worship services and English Bible study. The Catholic church conducts English mass, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides English translation for its sacrament service, as well as an English-language Sunday school class for Western members and visitors.