What Happens if You Pass Away in Taiwan?

[Taiwan_Student]

After recently losing my mother in law this got me to thinking. What will I the foreign head of household do. Am I suppose to by some land and start a family crypt? We have only one son. Should I book plot just for myself in a foreigner cemetary somewhere? Should I even be thinking about that.

While growing up, each time we moved, I over heard my parents calling the memorial park and booking places as a contingency thingI thought that was strange. Oh we have life insurance of course but never thought about this passing away stuff till now.

[Taiwan_Student]

Which still leaves the question how to get access to the Christian heaven from here. I mean you will get bothered by hungry local ghosts, have to pacify them with ghost money, must use goddamned paper ships to cross rivers (ghost around here are not aloud to walk on water, you know) and then finally be granted access to heaven's gate, where you finally have to search your place amidst a feudalistic Chinese society with the Jade emperor at the top. No thanks, I am saying. So how would my crap survival Mandarin get me a transfer to the Christian section? That might be a whole new adventure, fighting your way through bullsh... old paradises of forgotten Mesopotamian cultures and the like until you made it home. And how will the guy at the door react to my Wicca stuff? Man, really got me thinking now....

There is a short story by Mark Twain that describes what we may have to go through. The only difference, if I recall correctly, was the protagonist was stuck in the south western US and he had to deal Indian and Spanish culture instead of the Chinese. The name of the story escapes me.

[citizen k]

Would it be cheaper for them to come get the body, buy it a plane ticket, and then do a Weekend at Bernie's thing back to the home country?

Much. We sent a friend back after he passed a few years back and it cost in the region of $180k.

[rk1951]

I lost a very close friend here about 4 years ago here. He has been here 15 years and had a motorcycle accident. Nobody really knows what actually happened, but it looks like it was his fault, and if he was wearing a proper helmet (not a bowl helmet) then he could have probably lived. He hit a parked car. It was a very sad time.

Anyway, our cram school did a very nice job with the situation. He was in his 50’s, so his parents had already passed away. So his siblings came to Taiwan to sort things out instead. His siblings took a few possessions from his house, but they didn’t want much. He had lived in his house for years and had acquired so many things. He girlfriend knew most of his friends and she called us, including me to come and help get rid of everything inside his house. It was a big deal because he had so much. We didn’t sell anything, just gave things away and threw a lot out.

Our cram school had a very nice funeral for him here in Taiwan. He was then cremated here in Taiwan and his siblings took him home back to Canada. I’m not sure about his assents, but I’m sure his family was able to collect it.

I used to go to his house to watch all the Formula One and Moto GP races and he would BBQ up some hamburgers and hotdogs. I really miss those times. He had a very nice motorcycle and his girlfriend wanted me to have it, but since he was deceased and had no other family members here the papers were not transferable, so it was “bao fei.” It was a very sad time. WHERE A NORMAL HELMET PEOPLE!

[citizen k]

WHERE A NORMAL HELMET PEOPLE!

Too right, rk; the friend I mentioned also died as a result of trauma from a bike accident...sad stuff.

[Dark Horse]

Along these lines, can anyone offer advice on how to get a will done here? I would really like to make sure things are handled properly in the event but I haven't a clue on how to get one done here.

[hualienmonk]

Bloody Hualian is very far away from Taipei! How would they transport my dead body to Taipei?

[tommy525]

A coupla questions pop to mind, no offense intended.

1. does it matter?

2. why taipei?

3. who will be handling your affairs, they can probably try to meet your wishes for what to be done?

[hualienmonk]

A coupla questions pop to mind, no offense intended.

1. does it matter?

2. why taipei?

3. who will be handling your affairs, they can probably try to meet your wishes for what to be done?

Well, if my relatives fly into Taiwan from overseas to take care of my body, wouldn't they wanna ship my body back to my home country via Taoyuan Airport?

On second thoughts, they might ship my body via Hualian Airport as well.. Hmmm..

[PigBloodCake]

Perhaps this thread can be moved to "Dying in Taiwan"