Why do foreigners find it so difficult to leave Taiwan?

www.patreon.com/allanandprozzie

I have lived in the UK for a year, 13 years in the US, and 7 years in China. More than half of my adult life is living abroad. And I am now back in Taiwan for good. I came back not because I failed, I came back because I find Taiwan to be the best and most comfortable place to live in. I think I am fortunate to have a great place to come back to.

I locked myself in when I invested in creating a company here. That was a conscious decision to spend 5-10 more years in Taiwan. I could leave after that if it's stabilized etc. But from that point onward, staying in Taiwan was a planned outcome, not laziness or lack of alternative options.

Almost twenty years ago, my wife and I arrived together in Taiwan for me to study Mandarin. We kept coming back for a total of 8 years - and then we went back to Canada for me to follow a "career"; a stepping stone as Prozzie so aptly stated. Fast forward 11 years, to me being completely burnt out from a high stress career, and we have never lost our love for Taiwan: the people, the beautiful nature, and the ease of living there. Now we are choosing to return to Taiwan after a year or so of travel, and look forward to growing old in a place that we both love, where we can enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, all while introducing our son to Taiwan as well. I would love to hook up with the two of you and "chin wag" over growing old in Taiwan!

1.醫療：即使生病，退休後，擁有台灣的健保醫療，還是比很多國家要好得多。 2.生活：想要好的生活品質，還是在先進國家比較舒服，台灣在許多先進國家比較下，物價算是較低的。 3.經濟：比起很多經濟停滯的己開發國家，外國人在台灣，也有更多發展外貿工作機會，因為我們的經濟成長，都是出口導向的。

非常喜歡這一集，台灣話有一句話說的很好，給你方便不是當隨便，所以我覺得台灣人有一半日本人的感覺，不要給別人帶來麻煩，意思就是要自已處理好，不要老是麻煩到別人，社會責任的議題，還是跟各國一樣，自己管好自己，做好自己的本份。

我想可能是因為不能陪伴家人所產生的"罪惡感"，讓你開始質疑一切。Prozzie 提出很好的一點，就是你必須與當地人、事、物有更深的連結，才能真正生活在台灣這片土地上。否則就像有些youtuber，只是把台灣當作暫時的跳板罷了。

我想帥倫可能真的是在經歷中年危機,不論哪國人都會經過這一段.40歲真的會開始想到健康,積蓄,退休金,甚至婚姻.. 這是一段很複雜的經歷,很難只給一兩句建議經驗等等..... Prozzie說的很好,要經過這段的問題解答，“哪裡”可能不是最重要的. 你説你可能在英國退休會比較舒適,因為在哪裡有你可愛的家人, 不論環境或是支援系統你都會覺得比在台灣養老更安心. 但是進入老年退休 所需要的資源是累積，累積的好健康,足夠的儲蓄,好的伴侶..我再幾個月就要60歲了（希望你跟 Prozzie不會太失望我是歐巴桑粉絲）在我徬徨的中年時只花一點點時間煩惱,就決定我希望有個健康自由，經濟自由的老年,所以我該開始認真工作,計畫儲蓄投資..我明年要退休了, 我算經濟自由了，但是我 因為自己的怠惰,我的健康卻需要再加強….所以我開始計畫跟我的醫生們一起規劃,慢慢往健康自由邁進.. 帥倫,不用煩惱,先靜下心，聽聽自己的聲音,開始計畫，一步一步來, 一切就會順利了！加油！

Well it's been around 3 weeks since we left quarantine and there hasn't been a day where I haven't wondered if we did the right thing moving here with the kids. Taiwan is BEAUTIFUL and amazing. I believe you would have to have a heart of stone not to love this place, but the whole expat process is tough, no matter what angle you come at it from. So sorry to hear how tough life is right now Allan! Let us know if you ever want to get drinks with some fellow Brits 🥰x

能為自己而活是一種幸福，為別人而活是另一種甜蜜的負擔與幸福。自己能選擇自己的人生也是一種幸福。

台灣是真的太安逸 安逸到忘了別的國家的人是如何的不容易 有不少人安逸到沒目標 不過也不少人安逸到很容易過自己想過的生活 有好有壞! 不過探索人生! 創意也能隨之而來 總之一句 活自己的人生 但別只為自己過生活 每個人盡一份力 相對每個人就輕鬆一些!

很實際的問題，兩位的論點很有深度，的確是該好好思考為人生如何終老做打算與準備。身為台灣人很幸福，年輕時熱愛日本文化、學習日語、去日本旅遊，但也深刻體會到外國人再怎麼努力還是不可能成為日本人融入日本社會，還是待在台灣最舒服

台灣養老~醫療便利絕對首選.........台灣老人的生活其實很精彩豐富...參與義工~宮廟社區活動~原住民新住民的民俗活動~各種公會活動~爬山健行~種花養鳥釣魚~攝影紀實......沒有身心障礙的~家族長輩們大概就是玩這些......大叔年紀到了~該培養幾種"養生"的活動

I’m a Taiwanese that moved to US 31 years ago. I still think of a possibility to come back and live in Taiwan when I retire one day. It’s not an easy decision as I need to consider my wife’s and my children’s feeling of their homeland here in US. Yes, they have visited Taiwan, but living there is very different from a memorable trip. Anyway, my point is that our life journey isn’t a straight line. Don’t worry too much about it as there are plenty of other factors can turn your decisions to where you never considered. Enjoy while you can!

Prozzie 說帥倫的英文很奇怪，這才是一件奇怪的事吧， 哈哈！ 臺灣的夜市真的很好逛，不只美食小吃，還有物美價廉的商品； 帥倫解釋了不能陪在威廉身邊的原因～無奈，相信大家能體諒； 其實他的處境及故事令人動容，希望大家多給鼓勵，帥倫加油！💪😃🙏

I like how sincere and raw this discussion is. At the end of the day, you do you. You're not beholden to any place or people. Your own happiness is paramount. It's already so hard to be happy in this life - don't try and pour from an empty cup. If it's empty, spend every second trying to fill it again. Be happy

You hit the nail in the beginning: being too comfortably breeds laziness and laziness breeds content and that's the "real trap." IRONICALLY, YOU TOOK yourself out of your comfort zone in the first place to move to Taiwan!! 🤣 and Prozzie is the real pragmatist here as he's a straight shooter and his words are sharp and a little uncomfortable which is actually a good thing!

我很驚訝Allan有傳統亞洲父母照顧孩子的方式。 威廉現在還小，你的義務是支持他一直到16歲，念高中期間可以開始找一份兼職工作。 上大學時可以申請政府助學貸款(免利息)，到那時Allan不需要寄錢給威廉。如果你想要留在台灣退休，你需要儲備自己的退休金和買房。我是住在海外的單親台灣人，我撫養女兒的方式就像我建議的方式。 女兒是獨立的，從16歲開始，她自己掙錢，用政府學生貸款完成了大學，工作兩年，用自己的錢買了第一個房子。

I just started my 4th year in Taiwan...I only intended to do one year, 2 max. I think you hit the nail on the head though...it is easy living here compared to the USA or other countries. I work less hours, have a larger apartment, and make more money than I made in the states.

I got the video order wrong…. Prozzie also filmed a five top Nightmarket foods video a few days earlier! The scariest foods will be on his channel next week Here is his new video! https://youtu.be/hy_faW4n_lM