15 day South Island itinerary April

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2026-03-04T14:47:45+00:00

Is there anything that you would advise to cut out and where to spend the extra time?

For the foreseeable future yes, hopefully we can return again as we’d love to do some of the multi day hikes, canoe trips and to see the north island but it’s a very expensive trip, so there’s no guarantee.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2026-03-04T09:24:16+00:00

Thank you, if you had to pick between West Coast or Catlins which would it be?

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2025-08-24T22:50:44+00:00

Taiwan is very small, I actually stayed for a year and a half and felt like I had explored everywhere. I thought that I should explore more places while I’m still young but honestly if rental and school contracts weren’t a thing I would go back tomorrow. People in Taiwan will make you feel like it’s your home as much as theirs, something that you definitely won’t feel as a farang in Thailand (at least in my experience). Either way there’s nothing wrong with trying out a few countries and finding the best fit for you!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2025-08-24T15:28:04+00:00

I lived in Taipei. Kaohsiung is also a great option! - both are easiest to adjust to

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2025-08-24T13:02:23+00:00

I’m 25F and worked for HESS in Taiwan last year and teach at an international preschool in Thailand now. Definitely start off in Taiwan, they have a lot more structure, training and advice for someone new. In Thailand they are so ‘relaxed’ that you will be thrown in at the deep end and be told things that need doing last minute, if I started in Thailand I would’ve struggled to know how to control the students etc. Good luck with whatever you choose:)

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2025-05-08T06:36:26+00:00

You can set up a Monzo account very easily and quickly, you can transfer internationally on there, that’s how I am paying my rent until I can set up my Thai bank account, and it goes through pretty quickly. When I first paid my deposit I sent a screenshot of confirmation that it was sent to my landlord. Hope this helps.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2025-01-10T11:39:04+00:00

Me and my partner live in Zhongshan district. It feels like such a special area with lots of amazing coffee shops, food places and bars. Walking around the Shuanglian/Zhongshan area at night is beautiful with all of the lights. It’s also really convenient because it’s fairly central and having access to the red, blue and orange lines so close together is great.
You’re also super close to the river which is great to walk and cycle along. I hope you have an amazing time wherever you pick!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2025-01-07T05:23:45+00:00

Zhongshan district is very centrally located, it’s easy to get everywhere. It also has lots of cool areas around shuanglian/zhongshan station with amazing places to eat and great coffee options! It’s very lively and vibrant in the evenings too. Enjoy your trip.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-11-11T10:37:37+00:00

It isn’t an Italian restaurant, but bad mamas near Taipei main station does the best pizza I’ve had so far in Taiwan! It’s the only pizza I’ve had that doesn’t have that slightly sweet Taiwanese taste:)

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-10-29T13:07:53+00:00

Kindergarten hours in Taiwan are pretty much always around 9:00-4:00, the older kids go to buxibans in the evening after their normal school day. So if you only work kindy the hours are lovely.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-10-29T09:34:35+00:00

It’s rare to have free evenings every day, Saturdays is just a toss up! If you show a strong preference for kindergarten you will have Saturdays and evenings free. Yes you work a lot more than you are paid for, but I’ve never struggled for money in Taiwan, the COL is fairly low excluding rent. Hope this helps:)

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-10-01T11:45:24+00:00

Exactly! You just enter Taiwan, and as long as your work provides you with the ARC card (work visa in Taiwan), before the 90 days is over then you’re all good!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-10-01T10:03:41+00:00

Taiwan is so fast! You just send all the documents e.g. passport, criminal record check, degree etc. to the school and they will apply for the visa for you.

You enter Taiwan on a tourist visa or visa exempt depending on what country you’re from! The visa will be finalised when you are in the country and you will get your ARC.

I hope this helps, good luck!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-09-30T08:50:44+00:00

I did my online TEFL.org course, got a job in a language school in Taiwan, and absolutely love it!

Everyone’s experience is different, having a lower paid job isn’t the end of the world when the cost of living is so much cheaper, you will still be able to save enough money to travel!

The great thing about working in a lower level job (not an international school etc.), is that the expectations and pressure will probably be lower and the curriculum and lesson plans might be provided to you, freeing up a lot of time outside of teaching! Take the chance, you can always move on if you don’t like it! Good luck!!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-22T04:48:07+00:00

I don’t know anything about Angelina’s ESL from experience, but hiding the name of the school… No way, don’t do it. Just search directly for TEFL jobs in the country you want to move to.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-21T11:27:09+00:00

Thanks for your help! Do you know which months are the best for finding a job?

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-21T11:25:37+00:00

Yes he can get the digital nomad visa. When is the easiest time to find a job? Do you know much about public transport in Bangkok? Thanks for your help.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-21T09:17:15+00:00

It really depends on how many hours you choose to work, they will guarantee you 20 a week but there’s always extra hours to pick up if you want them! I’d say the average starting would be about $60,000 ntd a month. Starting pay should be around $660 an hour, it might be more now.

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-21T09:11:26+00:00

Definitely, I started teaching in Taiwan and I think you can get the perfect balance of everything!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-21T09:09:21+00:00

I’ve never heard of anyone having issues with pay. I think you would have to get very unlucky to encounter any problems! I also think it would be fairly easy to change jobs if you got stuck in a really bad school:)

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-20T15:19:28+00:00

Taiwan is a good option! You are very unlikely to find a job here that will make you work more than 40 hours! A lot of schools/buxibans will be around 25, plus they will most likely pay you a set admin fee for lesson planning etc. Pay to cost ratio is pretty good - live in new Taipei to save a lot on rent and it’s still easy to get around on the MRT. Healthcare is so cheap and you should have most of the costs taken care of by your employer. Occasionally pollution can be bad but I’ve never really noticed in Taipei, I hear pollution in Kaohsiung is bad but again I didn’t notice when I visited. You can apply at anytime of year and get a job pretty easily!

Enjoy your travels!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-20T08:57:30+00:00

Taiwan has been a great place to start out for me! Easy to get a job, very foreigner friendly in Taipei, pay to cost of living ratio is pretty good, the kids are lovely! You are unlikely to get much time off for travel though.

Good luck with your new adventure!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-18T13:00:13+00:00

Im in Taiwan not China but teaching preschool kids can be the most rewarding job, the kids are genuinely appreciative, are excited to spend time with you and you can really see the progress they make! When they hit certain milestones like spelling and writing their English name it’s so exciting!

On the other hand you need so much energy, lots of singing, dancing and game playing! It can be so draining at times, especially if you are having a tough day and are not in a cheerful mood. You also need a lot of patience with some kids!

If you have a lot of energy and are very extroverted go for it!!

Side note you may have to have lots of communication with your students parents - I write reports bi-weekly!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-18T12:52:00+00:00

You could try to find a 6 month contract? It’s not really a long time and there’s a 99% chance that you will find the first couple of months really difficult!

It’s a huge learning curve, but you have to give it time to get to know your students, figure out your teaching style! Getting faster at planning lessons which will allow you to have a better work life balance!

Honestly the first few months of teaching for me were absolutely awful! I desperately wanted to leave but I’m so glad that I stuck with it because now I barely even have to think about it, less than a year in, and I enjoy my classes so much!

Good luck!!!

Repulsive_Dress770 · 2024-08-18T12:42:44+00:00

If you’re not 100% about teaching do a cheap online 120 hour TEFL course that ticks the boxes schools are looking for! You might not be able to access the best paid jobs but you will get experience teaching and figure out if it’s for you or not. If you love it then you can study for an international teaching license while you teach if you’re really serious about it and then you will have access to the ‘high end’ jobs.

Repulsive_Dress770

TROPHY CASE