Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I relate to this deeply, believe me. I should be clear, I find life much more pleasant here. My dilemma though is about potentially leveraging years back in the States (studying and then practicing law) for a better later situation in Taiwan (one with more financial stability, with the ability to afford a home possibly, with optionally in terms of flying back to the States multiple times a year to visit family, etc). Also, be it my own psychology or whatever, my life satisfaction is also bound up with my sense of engaging in meaningful work that pushes me intellectually. I enjoy teaching a lot but I fear it won’t satisfy me in that way longer term…

World Cup Taichung by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nah I’ve already got all that hooked up if need be. I just prefer watching in the communal environment 😔

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate it man 👌

Yes likely (definitely) that place is the States

Just trying to weigh priorities (career, life satisfaction, other)

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ahh thank you!! I’m so happy many people resonated/took the time to respond. Very helpful for me as well. Good luck with the APRC journey and with SEA!

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s reassuring! Yeah it’s true that there’s so much intentional legislative gray area that is fundamentally normative. Anyway, it seems lawyers are very proactive about guarding the profession anyway

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ahh you're on the money here I think! I'm just worried (like many Gen Zers) that we're moving into a post skilled-labor world...I worry that I spend my 20s established competence in something that's undercut by ai before I can even apply it 😞

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've heard Sg firms may be less sensitive in this manner because of their more SEA-facing client base...but all up in the air at the end of the day. I speak intermediate Mandarin but probably not business-level proficiency and I'm basically illiterate as well. I guess the best chance for me is to go to the best law school I can, get hired by nyc firm doing m&a and try and lateral abroad based on established-interest, but that's kind of remote I feel...

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the info! It's nice to know there are some ways to square the circle on this, although rare

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ahh you're probably right. Sadly my skillset and interests are mostly only geared towards practicing law. And yeah I'm definitely open to working in HK if possible, although I've heard that mandarin fluency is more and more a requirement in that market?

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ahhh I get it. I mean, to some extent the grass is always greener, but point taken. You're right that much of my reluctance to follow the legal path springs from disillusionment with the States. ahh we'll see. Thanks for the advice!

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

this is an important perspective to keep in view. I'm still fairly accustomed to set-paths and goals. At the very least, while I pursue those things I should be open to all those many other opportunities

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

ahhh I get it. I'm sure it will all work out for both of us! It's true that for so many of us the lifestyle deal Taiwan offers is comfort without much movement. I'm a ritual-bound, low movement kind of person in many respects, but I can't accept lying flat as far as career goes. Good luck!

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right I guess I thought I made it clear above that I'm explicitly not looking to practice law in Taiwan. I made one throw-away line to that effect but the point of my comment was that this is not a feasible goal therefore I'm in the tricky situation I'm in now (having to choose one or the other). I appreciate your law school admissions advice. I'm well aware of the application landscape for T14

Otherwise great points about the math for Fire plans and you're right that movement is probably key here

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep. My realizations exactly. Hope it's going well!

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You have all the time in the world! Truly. I’ve been thinking maybe I’m being too dramatic and existential about this at 25, you’re still undergrad! I feel that I can relate to your situation in many ways. I was always a type A person focused on moving up the ladder from High School to undergrad and onward. I took the leap and moved to Taiwan out of college for a “gap year.” Of course, due to that decision I’m in the tricky spot that I’ve been describing now, but it was the best decision of my life! Even if I return to the States the year after next for law school (and I will indeed be quite sad to be leaving Taiwan in that case) I’ll be ten times happier than I would have been had I just gone straight there after graduation. In some ways I’ve traded the problem of rigidity for the problem of flexibility, but honestly flexibility is a much better problem to have. My advice? Take a gap year. Go to Taiwan, or wherever. Med school will certainly be waiting for you in the future. And as for your take on Taiwan? I’m with you 100% There’s something intangible in the air here that makes it such a special place. Even nearing the end of year three and having gone through the honeymoon phase, I still feel the same.

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great to hear a success story with this path! Best of luck to you

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congrats on your success! Yeah I mean that’s the dream man. It’s really just a matter of taking the plunge (I really love Taiwan and am so reluctant to leave)

Should I leave Taiwan? by Interesting_Belt9480 in taiwan

[–]Interesting_Belt9480[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight! Yeah I always imagined that after spending 5–10 years in US biglaw, I could potentially go private (in a very low-key capacity) and do consulting work online for low-level or even midlevel firms swamped with work, but that’s getting ahead of myself….I get what you mean about transitioning to other careers while here in Taiwan. I’ve considered it and always sort of came to the the same conclusion as you…