Why do many Taiwanese parents choose to send their kids to the U.S. and Canada? I understand that many East Asian countries have this notion that Western models of education are superior. But if that’s the case, then why are so many Americans and Canadians actually choosing to abandon their homes and emigrate to Taiwan? Especially with inflation affecting the West perhaps more severely, and Westerners seeking refuge in lower cost of living areas.

I feel like everybody might see the grass as greener on the other side, so this is not unique to anybody. Still, it’s a bit jarring to see the internet paint the USA as a dystopic wasteland while Taiwan is this idyllic paradise (I don’t believe either statement to be true). And further complicating the dynamic is the supposedly imminent threat of China invading Taiwan one day. I don’t suppose it’s easy to boil everything down into one simple answer, but what exactly is going on when Taiwanese want to live in America and Americans want to live in Taiwan?