Taiwan is a great place to live so long as one has the right attitude and expectations. Some Schoolhouse teachers have come to Taiwan intending to stay a year and have loved it so much that they are still here after a decade.
No matter what the actual length of your stay is, however, your time on Taiwan will be more enjoyable if you keep in mind that Taiwan, though Westernized, is not the West, and therefore:
1. some Chinese customs and habits (for better or for worse) differ from Westerners, and it is not a Westerner's place to change them.
2. not everyone on Taiwan speaks English. Therefore, if you have trouble getting a message across, do not become angry or irritated. The person to whom you are speaking probably does not understand you. Simply say 'thank you', and find someone who does.
3. traffic does not operate the way it does in the West. What we consider the rules of traffic are often disregarded here. To insist that Easterners drive the Western way will not only get your frustrated. Worse still, you may create an accident. (To learn more about Eastern traffic rules, go to safety tips and regulations.)
4. Taiwan--like most places in Asia--has some pollution problems. You can do your part to curb the problem, however, by recycling your trash and by driving a motor scooter with a 125cc (four stroke) engine or above. Anything less than a 125cc (two-stroke engine) does not burn fuel completely and contributes to Taiwan's air pollution.
5. Taiwan--like most places in Asia--has tap water that is not safe to drink. You can drink water from the tap only if it has been boiled or filtered through a water purification system that uses reverse osmosis. If you do not choose to buy a water purifier (which runs about NT$10,000), you can buy bottled water at supermarkets, convenience stores or through bottled water companies.
6. expect to take a few weeks to become accustomed to the culture, the climate, the traffic and the language barrier. If you have a positive attitude, however, you will soon adapt. Furthermore, when it comes your time to go "back home", you will leave Taiwan with many cherished memories.
To learn what you will do your first week as a Schoolhouse teacher, go to getting situated and settled.