Guides

If you’re interested in living in China, Taiwan or Syria, I’ve written a series of practical guides over at the “Escape from America” and “Offshorewave” online magazines.

“My frustrating love” was a piece I wrote a couple of years ago, trying to give a feel for how I felt about living in China. And “Positive Advice” gives tips for would-be English teachers in Taiwan.

My articles on Syria were an attempt to provide more comprehensive advice about living in the country as a foreigner. Stuff you should bring, issues about sexuality and safety, how to find a room in Damascus, how to take a beach holiday in Sinai and so on.

Many people have written to me asking questions about teaching English in East Asia. I look back my two years teaching in Taiwan with a lot of fondness - I saved a lot of money and had the time and space to develop as a writer. I have rarely felt threatened in any of the countries I’ve been to (exceptions might be certain parts of Honduras, Guatemala, India, London and Philadelphia), and Taiwan is particularly safe and welcoming. If you have black or Asian skin, you may find it harder to get an English teaching job than a white person, but it can be done. In hindsight, many of my best experiences came from discovering things about Taiwanese culture and life, and yet, while one is in Taiwan (or China, or probably every very foreign country), there seems this constant pressure to live an ex-pat life, probably because it’s so much easier. My advice would be, if you plan to teach English in East Asia, to arrive with as much money saved as possible, and work as hard as you can to learn the language and understand what’s going on in the country (lifestyles, religion, politics etc).

I’m happy to answer questions by email; please give as many details as possible.

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Daniel

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Taipei at night

The Citadel of Aleppo