After having spent the most memorable 3 months of my life in Taiwan, I started wondering why do Taiwanese people leave this amazing country?
Taiwan has so much to offer: extremely affordable and high quality healthcare, convenience, quality of life, amazing public transportation, safety, natural scenery, a government that serves its people, a rich culture, amazingly kind and welcoming people.
Writing my last post about “Reverse culture shock” got me wondering why anyone ever leave this country. I asked some of my Taiwanese friends of different ages and got different responses.
When talking to people from an older generation (over 70 years old) I get these kinds of answers:
- At the time they left, Taiwan was not as developed as it is now
- Education was bad – kids used to get hit at schools and parents don’t like that
- It was understood that moving to USA would provide a better future for their kids
- It was understood that USA has more space and better natural scenery
- The quality of life was better in the USA
When talking to someone who is in their late thirties I get these kinds of answers:
- If Taiwanese parents can afford it, they send their kids to USA, UK, or Australia
- There are better work opportunities in these countries
- Raising kids in the USA exposes them to diversity and teaches them “street smarts”
- Taiwanese education focuses too much on memorization and not enough on critical thinking
The answer is different if someone has kids. Choosing where to live is mostly dependent on how much a location can increase a child’s chances of success. They believe that by raising their children in America they open a lot of doors for them. For people who are single and don’t have kids the big question is: where can I get the best job opportunity? They come to USA and stay because of high-paying jobs. If they can work remotely, then living in Taiwan definitely makes sense and some do move back. The pandemic stimulated this kind of return.
For someone who came to USA 30 years ago, it was true that the quality of life was generally better than in Taiwan. Things were affordable (including housing) and it was a lot safer and more peaceful than it is now. The reality is that now many of these people who came a few decades ago move back to Taiwan. They don’t see the point in staying in USA:
- The healthcare system is essentially a scam
- Retirement benefits are almost non-existent (you need to build your nest egg to retire)
- Crime is on the rise, law-enforcement is enforcing less and less
- Growing sentiment of division and violence
- Asian-hate is also on the rise
- The cost of everything has gone through the roof
- The government is doing less and less for the people
Moving back to Taiwan offers people a way to find peaceful living conditions, have access to healthcare and more affordable retirement homes. The cost of living is much lower. Living in a safe place has a huge impact on mental health. It was obvious when I came back to USA that there is a mental-health epidemic. In addition to giving access to an amazing variety of food, living in Taiwan allows one to experience a deeply rich culture on a daily basis. For many people it’s also an opportunity to reconnect with family and old friends.
For the Taiwanese who came to USA after college to find a job, arriving in USA was itself considered success. I think many people all over the world also view it that way. I think this is due to Hollywood.
Hollywood is essentially the marketing engine of the USA. It is the primary way in which people learn about USA and see what it’s like. Lots of people believe that once they arrive here their life will be similar to what they see on screen. The reality can be quite different.
The USA is still very much the Wild West. You’re on your own. You come here, work, make money, buy things and you are on your own. You want to go somewhere? Buy a car! You want to be healthy? Pay up! You want a good college education? Pay up (or go into debt)! You want to retire? You better start saving!
I sympathize with the people who were disillusioned after migrating to the USA. It is not what it used to be. It sure is better than many other places, but its decline has begun. Meanwhile countries, like Taiwan, are improving every year and building a better place for its people.
If you want to learn about the changing world order, this video gives a great overview of how powerful countries rise and fall: