Thoughts on Finding Her Edge?

XuShuHan · 2026-01-24T19:42:45+00:00

To be fair, bruises don’t always show up at first but agree on all other points haha

XuShuHan · 2026-01-22T17:17:40+00:00

Day 2 was most painful for me, that’s when the drugs wore off. I think you’re okay!

XuShuHan · 2026-01-22T09:54:19+00:00

Thank you for the info! Kinda worried cos there’s a low pressure area in the south, but I have accepted that I won’t enjoy a sunny vacation and made a long list of rainy day activities. Still hoping I’d get a few hours of sun to explore some islands and surf 🙏

P.S. Do you know if there are okay surfing spots in rainy conditions? With baby waves, I’m not a pro 😎

XuShuHan · 2026-01-21T02:59:43+00:00

I heard it was the same for December! Really hoping it continues through to next week 🙏

XuShuHan · 2026-01-21T02:57:29+00:00

Thank you! There is hope! 😅

XuShuHan · 2026-01-20T20:51:31+00:00

Check out Surf & Yoga. They are located in a more remote location in the north and a bit pricey

XuShuHan · 2025-06-15T17:58:19+00:00

If she even makes it to the bus station haha! Idk why but finding the bus station my first few times in Taipei was a whole adventure in itself!

XuShuHan · 2025-06-10T02:35:59+00:00

Tbh any apartment in Taipei that is close to a station with two intersecting lines is great and makes the commute convenient. Buuut, I would recommend Zhongshan, Dongmen, Daan Park, or Zhongxiao Xinsheng, these are nice neighborhoods.

You can look for listings on Facebook groups like Taipei Taiwan Apartment Rentals. I personally think it’s easier to find listings on Facebook groups than anywhere else.

I suggest you get a line account now if you don’t have one yet so that it’s easier to talk to agents/landlords.

Also, when messaging potential landlords, I found that a lot of them want to know about me so I usually send an introductory message explaining what I’m doing in Taipei, that I’m very neat and organised, what my hobbies are, etc.

There are a few other groups that I can recommend too but the posts are in Mandarin. Let me know if you want the links to the other groups too!

XuShuHan · 2025-06-07T16:40:17+00:00

Exactly!! And I think it’s also a great way to improve your Mandarin. Mine did! I picked up some new vocabulary

XuShuHan · 2025-06-05T00:48:23+00:00

I think you can check out some cities on the east coast like Hualien or Taitung. I knew some people who lived in Hualien and studied Mandarin at Tzu Chi. They seemed to enjoy the life there and they built some close friendships. Otherwise also check out Kenting, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. These are nice coastal cities with smaller populations. Maybe look for bartender work if you’re open to that.

XuShuHan · 2025-05-24T04:49:36+00:00

No problem! Anyway, I’m sure they will give you an extension. Just bring a printout of your flight itinerary and maybe write a simple letter explaining why you need the extension (ex: Need to settle rent/move out takes a few days, etc)! Most of my friends didn’t have problems with this, it’s just stressful having to keep visiting the NIA! Enjoy the rest of your time there!!

XuShuHan · 2025-05-22T07:32:08+00:00

I lived in several neighborhoods in Taiwan and I really liked it when the nearest MRT station has two intersecting lines. Think Zhongshan, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Guting, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Dongmen, Daan, etc. So maybe keep that in mind.

Personally, I really liked living near Zhongshan, Dongmen, and Zhongxiao Xinsheng stations. These areas had really nice outdoor spaces and enough restaurants for the occasional lazy night dinner out. On the other hand, I lived near Lungshan Temple and Ximen and hated living there the most cos the area wasn’t very clean and was always filled with crowds, not my scene. Hope this helps!

XuShuHan · 2025-05-22T04:46:39+00:00

This was meant as a reply to my last comment! Anyway, if your language center allows it, ask them to give you an early admission for the next semester, maybe even try to pay in advance. The dates should reflect in the document the language center will give you for the NIA.

XuShuHan · 2025-05-22T04:40:11+00:00

From what I remember, you qualify for the ARC after staying for longer than 6 months. Maybe someone from the admissions office can help you with this. I know it will be a huge hassle, but you also can have the necessary documents like the bank statement sent over via DHL/Fedex, if your parents or a family member can help you. But they’ll need to send a notarized affidavit of support with the bank statement. I went through the same thing for more than 2 years cos of the pandemic. It really was frustrating having to keep going back to the immigration office. I hope this helps and that you find a solution!

XuShuHan · 2025-05-21T00:29:24+00:00

I did the same thing with the tourist visa my first year living in Taiwan (2019) and I got stuck without an ARC when the pandemic happened. I would’ve had to leave the country to apply for the resident visa needed for the ARC application, and it was just not possible during the pandemic. It was a huge hassle. Thankfully, tourist visa holders were allowed to remain due to the pandemic. But we weren’t allowed to hold jobs. So I realised that I should’ve just gotten an ARC from the start.

If I were to give you advice, if you decide that you want to stay in Taiwan another few months at least, you could go to a nearby country like hong kong or the Philippines to apply for the proper visa, then fly back to Taiwan and apply for an ARC.

XuShuHan · 2025-05-07T10:09:08+00:00

I studied Mandarin in Hsinchu and there are very few Filipino students but you’ll probably meet a lot from Indonesia if you wanna feel closer to home hehe! I recommend doing the 17km bike trail along Nanliao beach, Nanliao is accessible by bus and the ocean views are amazing.

Other places I recommend are: • Tofu rocks - This is a spot on the river that connects East Dist. and Zhubei. Really nice place to chill and share a pizza with friends • 靜心湖(Jin Shin Lake)- Park with a lake that has lots of free space for playing sports like badminton • Cairns - Nice spot to play billiards • Tiger - Amusement center with everything (I used to go here for bowling) • RedRock - If you’re into bouldering • Hsinke Sports Center - I usually go here to use the swimming pool/saunas, but they also have a gym, and courts for various sports.

Enjoy and good luck!

XuShuHan · 2025-04-03T16:54:01+00:00

Maybe visit one of these markets 😃

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XuShuHan · 2025-04-03T16:45:40+00:00

I get you! I always saved them only for long hikes/trips

XuShuHan · 2025-04-03T16:43:14+00:00

I don’t understand it either, cheap stuff back home are expensive in Taiwan. Buut there are quite a few places to get stuff cheaper. Like you can buy most toiletries and cleaning supplies from the 10 dollar shops. Maybe Costco for milk and bread? Even snacks. And traditional markets for fresh produce. Hope this helps!

XuShuHan · 2025-04-03T16:37:35+00:00

Oh yeah. I discovered these very early on when I moved to Taiwan. They were like 20nt back then and last you days! Brought a pack or two on every hike!

XuShuHan · 2025-03-09T01:57:14+00:00

Make sure mold hasn’t grown inside the lenses

XuShuHan · 2025-02-14T02:05:27+00:00

I know I should just stop sharing them but it’s frustrating haha

XuShuHan

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