Attempting to figure it all out.

[naijeru]

I know what options I have back home, but I have no idea what options I may have here...other than teaching English, of course.

This sounds like your answer. You probably have no idea what options you have in Taiwan because there are none. I was about the same age as you when I confronted the same question in Taiwan. Not seeing any real opportunity in Taiwan other than teaching English, I made sure I left Taiwan before the shine wore off.

Taiwan for me was generally easy. I never had any interest in living in Taiwan but when the opportunity presented itself I jumped at it. I had always wanted to live overseas and the whole process of getting to Taiwan was relatively painless. There were lots of classes, lots of cool teachers and loads of cash to be made. Times were tough at first but I had a ball and like many folks I came to love the country. There were signs that dark times were ahead though. A new kindergarten in my district was having trouble attracting students. Dozens of schools were popping up on every corner fighting for a diminishing supply of children. Management started increasing the frequency of open houses. My job was slowly but surely becoming less about taking care of the students I had and more about recruiting new students. Blech.

I loved living in Taiwan but I wasn't crazy about the work situation. I felt that though my time in Taiwan had been generally pretty good to flat out awesome, it seemed as if I was burning a candle at both ends. Having witnessed some truly horrific situations, I didn't want to find out how bad Taiwan could be when things didn't go my way. This way Taiwan will always be this great life experience I had that ended on a high note. Emotionally I didn't want to leave but logically it was the right time to do so. Returning when I did I managed to get back into my primary skill and I've been able to do pretty well with that.

It may not be what you want to hear but if I were you I'd listen to the doom n' gloomers. I don't know what opportunities you have back home but you are now at the prime age to realize them and I think you should. You'd be surprised how quickly they can vanish the older you get.

[PigBloodCake]

OP, listen to the posters here. They know what they're talking about.

Taiwan is an excellent place to live and enjoy your earned stash if you happened to made it in the Western world such that even a middle-upper class family there would be able to live a bit large here. It also happens to be a great place (along with other parts of Asia) if you were transferred here by an MNC with a higher salary than what you were making back home.

However, if you want to start out your career here, fuggetaboutit. Except for teaching English, there's really nothing here if you don't have ample experience back home. And even with experience, you're not gonna see a whole lotta high-paying jobs out there (high paying, IMHO, is anywhere higher than $80k NT/mo if you were situated in Taipei proper for a single person). And with working hours a bit better than slavery, you won't be able to enjoy what Taiwan has to offer in terms of scenery, mountains, etc.

As for English teaching (especially buxiban teaching)...well, it's been discussed ad nauseam on this forum so do a search on it.

[TheGingerMan]

Mr. Ginger, please do tell about your rocketing opporunities.

Oh, not me. I'm more of a master of shrubbery. Though I have certainly have had more editing opportunities in my 40's than I did a decade earlier. But that is surely due to a myriad of factors, rather than solely age.
But I know quite a few others that have done quite well indeed. This rocketing might appear more significant given the preponderance of utter nosedives, but surely the latter involves those with a wish to be washed up? Poseurs. Drunks. Washouts. One's opportunities might dwindle with age in one sphere, but without a doubt others surely open on up, if one shows genuine persistence.
This not might entail big bucks at the outset, but sometimes doing something which one relishes pays off far better in the spiritual sense.

Much like anywhere else, depending on the actual line of work, age can actually be parleyed into wisdom. Even if only in the situational sense of an middle aged chap being able to make a go of it with enough of a local time commitment.
Granted, the quick style in and out is more tuned for a younger string, but then an aging string is tougher and breaks not so easily.

[clint]

I appreciate the comments from everyone so far, and from what is being said, I am definitely getting a dose of reality as to future job opportunities here. That being said, I have started to enjoy the pace of life (granted, it's in a small town) and the different mentality that I have started developing here. Again, it has only been a short time, so I have to wait and see if this continues.

So it's very hard to get super rich in Taiwan, but what about a comfortable life? All you fellas out there who have settled down with families here - Whats your stories?