Why Every Expat Should Have a YouTube Channel

I believe that every expat should have a YouTube Channel. Expats who don’t simply confuse me, for many reasons, the first of which being What You Are Doing Is Cool I don’t care if you’re going hiking in Nepal or getting coffee in a small town in Paris or just walking down the street in […]

How to Get More Leg Room on Airplanes

How to Get More Leg Room on Airplanes   One of the things everyone who travels wishes they could do is get more leg room on airplanes. It turns out, there’s a secret way to achieve it, without spending a dime. First, you have to be seated in an aisle seat. Second, you have to […]

Taichunger’s Guide: Classy Overnight in Hong Kong for Under NT$10000

by Joseph Fritz  all prices listed in New Taiwan Dollars   (NT4:HK1 / NT30:US1 / NT40:EU1) For many expatriates in Taiwan, leaving the country every 60-to-90 days is a normal part of life, and it can be a frustrating part of it.  I handle these blasé-but-necessary overnight trips by traveling at as high a standard as possible, […]

The Cost of Living in Taichung, Taiwan

One of the most important things to understand when living somewhere is the cost of living there: many will need to use a home affordability calculator in these circumstances (like those found on SoFi) to see what expenses are for their home. This is my report on my cost of living in Taichung, Taiwan, as […]

jsphfrtz’s How-To Guide to Taiwan Visa Runs

When you live in Taiwan, chances are you will have to do a “Taiwan visa run” at some point. A lot of the information in this piece is outdated. I recommend you look at my February 2014 piece about Visa Runs. I’ve lived in Taiwan, off-and-on, since January 2008. My total time in Taiwan clocks […]

No Taiwan ARC? No problem!

If you’ve read my past blogs, you know that I talk about all kinds of random trouble in Taiwan, from banking to shopping to dealing with the government of the ROC.  One of the most common frustrations with people without a Taiwan ARC is hearing the words, “No ARC?  No…no…”  Because of the way Taiwanese bureaucracy operates, […]

My Taiwan Apartment in Taichung City

Taiwan Apartment I moved to Taiwan in January 2008; after almost two years, I went back to the USA. Then I moved back in October 2010. And then I moved back to the USA in December 2011. And, now, I’m back in Taiwan, again, since this past August. I have always lived in the City […]

I Need To Write Every Day

I’m going to try to start doing that more, like I did in college. Back then, I was impressed when I would pound out 8000 words in an all-nighter.  Now, I can do 2000 words an hour without breaking a sweat. So, why don’t I write more? As I age, am I becoming more jaded? […]

Oasis Park Hotel Review – Paco Park, Manila, Philippines

I am truly impressed with the Oasis Park Hotel. Situated on Belen Street in the Paco section of Manila, it is just adjacent to Paco Park, formerly a municipal cemetery during the Spanish Colonial Period. The neighborhood is relatively barren, by Manila’s usual standards, but this is advantageous, in a way. While the nearest 7-11 […]