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Language Exchange｜How should I prepare for Language Exchange and practice speaking?

Do you want to practice your speaking skills for free through “Language Exchange” and meet new foreign friends, but don’t know where to start preparing? Or have you tried “Language Exchange” before, but after encountering some difficulties in the process, and you just left it at that?

Then this article on language exchange prep will help you a lot!

What is Language Exchange?

Language Exchange is a reciprocal activity in which you practice the language that you are learning by chatting with a native speaker or someone who is fluent in that language. In addition, to quickly improve your speaking skills, you can also learn cultural knowledge not found in textbooks and make new friends, which is a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

Am I a good candidate for language exchange?

When you want to practice a language through Language Exchange, here are some tips you can check to see if you are a good candidate.

1) What is your purpose? Do you really want to practice the language? Or do you just want to meet foreign friends?

Because Language Exchange is not mandatory, there must be a strong motivation to learn each other’s language in order to be sustainable.

2) How is your language ability?

Usually, I suggest that it is better to have at least a daily conversation level, so that you can correct and improve your speech step by step during the conversation. Otherwise, it is easy to keep speaking only one language with each other.

3) Do you like to interact with people?

In fact, Language Exchange is also a kind of meeting internet friend activity, whether online or face-to-face, the first meeting will inevitably be awkward. So before participating in Language Exchange, you can ask yourself, do you want to meet a new stranger? Will you be curious about your partner?

What to prepare before Language Exchange?

The preparation content will vary depending on the length of time you work with your language partner, and is divided into early and late stages：

Early-stage：

1) Confirm meeting time and language appointment (1 hour of full Chinese conversation, 1 hour of full foreign language conversation). And set an alarm before you start so that you don’t forget to change the language when you’re having too much fun conversation.

2) Usually, the first meeting is just about introducing yourself, why are you learning this language? What are your hobbies? Where have you traveled to? What kind of music do you prefer? Basically, it’s the same as a blind date, in the process of talking to each other to find out what you have in common and whether we have a mutual connection because this part will also affect the subsequent contact.

Late-stage：

When you get to know your partner better, you will gradually start to run out of topics to talk about, so it is very important to prepare some beforehand.

1) Note down any problems of language learning that you have, such as being unsure how to translate a sentence or whether there is a more authentic way to say it. You can also bring your own textbooks or assignments and discuss your questions together.

2) If you have a grammatical problem, try not to ask a native speaker, because they usually don’t know how to explain it, either. Unless the partner major in linguistics, otherwise a lot of time will be wasted trying to explain grammar.

3) Share something interesting that happened recently, or any interesting articles, news, videos, cultural differences or interesting topics to discuss. It is better to have questions with a little depth, such as environmental protection or social issues, so that you can practice expressing your own ideas, and hear the results of your partner’s opinions from different perspectives.

4) Write an exchange diary! Language Exchange is not only to practice speaking, writing is also a very important part of it. You can write a short article about your reading experience or a movie afterthought. Gradually your writing skills will be greatly improved without you even realizing it!

5) Let’s hang out together! Hiking, movies, museums, whatever you and your friends like to do, invite your language partner to go with you as well! Since you’re going out together, you don’t have to be too strict about which language you speak for how long, so just switch between them! Be flexible!

6) Register for the language test and get certified! You can practice for the content of the exam, with specific topics and sentence patterns. When you are under pressure, you will be more prepared for each Language Exchange!

What should I pay attention to during Language Exchange?

1) When introducing to each other, observe the language level of your partner and adjust your speaking speed according to the language level, pronouncing your words as clearly and standardly as possible.

2) When practicing the language, instead of expressing yourself in your native language, ask more questions so that your partner can answer his/her thoughts more often. For example: Why? What do you think? What would you do?…etc. Try to use these questions often.

3) Use the cloud notepad to record words or sentences during the meeting, so that you can easily re-read them afterward.

Where can I find a Language Exchange partner?

Nowadays there are many ways to find language exchange partners, through mobile apps, websites, or by staying in a multicultural share house.

APP& Website recommendation：

1) Hello Talk: You can send texts, voice messages, voice calling, and video calling, and you can also help each other fix sentences, translate, and other auxiliary functions. You can also upload pictures and short articles. The overall function is very similar to Instagram.

2) Tandem: It is very similar to the function of HelloTalk, except that this app will actively send the notification about the info of other members to increase the chance of matching.

3) HiNative: It is a Q&A platform where you can ask questions about grammar, wording differences, or articles, and there are usually enthusiastic answers from native speakers.

4) BORDERLESS HOUSE: It is a multicultural share house with locals and they also organize a variety of events and provide free Language Exchange opportunities from time to time.

BORDERLESS HOUSE is an international, multicultural share house with locals. There are 17 houses in Taipei City and overseas branches in Tokyo, Osaka(Japan), and Seoul(South Korea).

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House Sharing Will Be A Good Way Of Living To Save Money

When moving to a new country, people have to start their lives out. They have a new job, must meet new people, make some friends, and they live in different surroundings. As exciting as it sounds, it can also be exhausting to adjust to everything new at once. It will also undoubtedly be expensive.

According to most foreigners that have moved to foreign countries, the biggest challenge that they faced after the move was finding accommodations. Some people end up at expensive studio apartments due to a lack of choice, others have to compromise on the locality of the apartment or pay high rents to enjoy a comfortable stay.

Not every house owner in east Asian countries is willing to rent their place to foreigners, and even then most of them ask for a local cosigner to guarantee on behalf of the tenant. The language and the cultural gap make local people feel that foreigners won’t understand them or get along with them. This is why they make no compromises on security money and ask for higher rents from foreigners.

Making a move can be an extensive and life changing task, which often disheartens people. Without friends and family around, they find it difficult to conduct an apartment search.

The solutions to all of the problems faced during apartment searching are offered by share houses. Share houses are rental houses with multiple rooms available for rent. While people have separate rooms, they also have common areas like the living room and kitchen. Share houses are mostly found in cities where the number of foreigners living in the city is high. The primary goal of a share house is to make sure that foreigners do not find it difficult to adjust to the new country.

Compared to apartments, share houses are a cheaper alternative for a comfortable accommodation. Along with clean rooms and basic amenities, share houses provide an opportunity for foreigners to make friends in the city.

People living at share houses are able to save money and have more flexibility in terms of the contract. If you’re on a small budget and are considering a move to countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, you might want to go through this article on how house-sharing could be a good way of living to save money.

Avoid Long Contract Periods

Most apartment rental contracts are signed for one year. The tenants have not experienced life in those apartments before signing the agreement. This is why when they experience some challenges living there, they are unable to move as they are bound by the contract. If they have to move by breaking the contract, they might have to pay a penalty.

Moreover, if you are required to move back to your country or some other place due to unexpected circumstances, then you will have to break the contract and will be charged.

Living in a share house is more flexible in situations like these. When living at a share house, if you do not like the place you are at, you can easily move out. Share houses are rented for shorter periods of time, so if you’re moving to a foreign country only for 6 months, staying at a share house could be your best money-saving bet.

Most share houses offer a room for the minimum stay of 1 month. Even if you are asked to sign a yearly contract, it will include a clause that if you give 30-45 days notice before moving out, then you will not be charged a penalty for moving out with less than a month’s notice. This offers relief to tenants who are unsure about the period of their stay in the nation.

Fully-Furnished Rentals

When having moved to a new apartment, you will need to furnish it as soon as possible for normal life to begin. Some of the furniture and appliances that you will need during your stay include a bed, table, cupboard, refrigerator, washing machine, water heater, air conditioning, etc. Buying furniture and appliances is a big investment. These items will likely cost you around one month’s rent.

Share houses are fully-furnished to ensure comfort. Every room has a bed and cupboard, whereas the common rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms are equipped with all the required furniture and appliances.

When someone moves to a share house, they only need to carry their everyday personal belongings. They do not need to spend money on furniture or decor and therefore are able to save money. They are able to use appliances that they might not have purchased themselves if they were to rent a private apartment. For example, a washing machine.

When they move to another country, they do not have to worry about selling or transporting furniture and appliances. This takes a lot of cost load that they are already bearing, off of their shoulders.

 

Free Internet

Whether you are a student, working professional, or tourist, the internet is a necessity for everyone. It helps people stay connected, updated, and entertained. To enjoy seamless internet connectivity, most people have Wi-Fi installed at their apartments.

Setting up the internet at your apartment will be some cost to you. You will also have to pay some extra cost in the beginning. There are not many landlords that will provide free internet to their tenants. However, share houses offer free internet connectivity to all its housemates at no extra cost.

The cost of the internet is already included in the monthly rent. The internet connectivity is strong and the housemates can enjoy smooth surfing. Access to the internet is limited to the housemates to avoid usage by outsiders which would cause poor connectivity.

Less Initial Fees

Share house managers do not expect you to pay a few months’ rent as deposit or downpayment. The initial fee is comparatively much lower than what is charged by apartment landlords. This enables most people to expand their budget and rent a room at a luxury share house. They are even able to spend money on sightseeing around the new country.

The initial fee at the BORDERLESS HOUSES is more reasonable compared to a typical apartment or condominium.

It does not matter which country you move to, the brokerage costs are usually high. While brokers are quite efficient at finding accommodations, they are often working in their best interests rather than yours. When renting a share house, you can eliminate the need for hiring a broker. Share houses are easy to find as they usually have an online presence. When renting a room at a share house, you will not have to hire a broker and can directly contact the manager. This will help you save some money.

Lower Rents

With the increase in the number of foreigners coming to east Asian countries and local people moving to industrial areas, cities are getting crowded. This has led to a hike in rental prices in the city. For example, on average, renting an apartment in a good Taipei locality will cost you somewhere between 18,000NTD to 26,000NTD per month. The rent will depend on the city that you live in, the size of the apartment, proximity to the market or MTR stations, and the amenities offered.

The monthly rent of staying a share house is lower than that of renting an apartment. If you have a low budget, you can also rent a bed in a shared room or dormitory. This way, you will be able to use all the house amenities, without having to pay for a private room.

The deposit is lower at share houses and the maintenance fee is reasonable. What’s more, most share houses are located near train stations and in low-crime localities. They offer easy connectivity to most places in the city and do not empty the tenant’s pockets.

Conclusion

Quite evidently, the process of finding an accommodation in Taiwan for reasonable prices can be an exhausting task. Add to that the expenses that come with moving to a new place, like buying home appliances and paying maintenance costs. However, worry not, because you can always rent a room at a share house and save yourself some money.

BORDERLESS HOUSE is a share house company with many share houses in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The ratio of local people and foreigners at these share houses is kept equal. The motto of the company is to welcome the people that stay there and ensure their comfort. At BORDERLESS HOUSE, the rooms are rented at affordable prices, and the company offers shared rooms and dorms for people with lower budgets.

If you have recently moved to Taiwan and are looking for accommodation to ensure a comfortable stay, you can reach out to us at BORDERLESS HOUSE.

Share House List: https://reurl.cc/nn1Mpd

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Choose The Best Locality To Rent A Share House In Taiwan!

If you will hold a meaningful conversation with people belonging from different corners of the world about their likes and dislikes, undoubtedly, you will come across many individuals who will describe traveling to new places as their favorite hobby. Many people will accept that visiting new places inspires them and aids them in learning new things. Some people will also confess that traveling works for them like yoga. It fills them with a new zeal for life, especially, traveling to the countries in the East.

Yes, traveling to the East has emerged as a new obsession for the travel junkies in the past few years. Discovering the East, its way of life, its culture, its habits, and traditions, has turned out to be a new fascination with the common people. Some individuals claim it is so because the East is deeply rooted in the old cultures and values, and that its lifestyle brings content and peace to the human mind and soul. This belief has given birth to the new trend of temporary migration to the East.

Now, one of the many countries situated in the East that has fascinated a lot of people with its customs and traditions, and which has attracted many travelers in the past few years is the country of Taiwan! Yes, Taiwan is an island country that is located in East Asia, and that is popularly known as the “heart of Asia.” This country is loved by migrants so much so that it topped the global rankings for ex-pats to live in the year 2016.

The major reason for this status and popularity enjoyed by the nation includes causes like the cheap and practical lifestyle of the country. People in Taiwan lead a simple and easy life. But still, the country boasts of a remarkable education system and strong infrastructure. In Taiwan, the convenience stores open 24*7, and they are present in every nook and corner of the country. Apart from this, the people here are also very friendly, and they never miss a chance of helping others even when the people in need are strangers to them.

So, if you too are one of these people who are thinking about moving to the East temporarily, then you must consider visiting Taiwan. While you are there, you can look for a share house, where you can stay for the duration of your visit. However, for those of you who are not sure about the localities in Taiwan where you should try to find accommodation, here is a list that you might find useful! Go, check it out?

What are the best localities to rent in Taiwan?

If you are moving to Taiwan and you are looking for a share house for accommodation purposes, then here is the list of localities that you should bother checking out to find a residence. Here you go!

So, you love shopping?

Well, I have met some people during my traveling excursions who describe shopping as a therapeutic act. Now, I might not feel about shopping the same way but who am I to judge? Hence, for those of you who consider yourselves shopping queens, and who would love staying in a locality that is close to a marketplace, I have some recommendations that you would appreciate.

So, for all the shopaholics out there, when you are looking for a share house try searching for one in the Shilin district that is considered to be the largest and the most famous night market in Taiwan. Apart from this place, you can also look for accommodation in the Da’an district that houses some quirky boutiques which sell trendy outfits. The Gongguan and Ximen areas are the two more localities that you can consider while hunting for share house service such as BORDERLESS HOUSE.

Would like to focus on your studies?

Taiwan is home to an extraordinary education system. Every year many people move to this place in search of better education. So, if you are one such people who has moved to this country for getting access to better education, then it makes sense that you would like to stay in a place that is close to your college or university so that you won’t waste much time in commuting between the places.

So, for those you would prefer that, I would recommend finding a share house in the Da’an district of the Taipei city that is home to many educational institutions. You can also consider searching BORDERLES HOUSE in the nearby Gongguan area that is also close to the National Taiwan University. Finding a residence in such places will also give you the benefit of staying with other students.

Want to live a thrilling and exciting life?

If you are one of those people who gets easily bored with leading the same monotonous life every day, you should try finding a place of residence in localities like Ximen or Zhongxiao Fuxing Area. Now, Ximen that stands for West Gate is an exciting area that houses historic Red house theatre. Around the theatre, there are also many bars, meeting places and shops that will keep you entertained. In the Zhongxiao Fuxing Area, on the other hand, you can locate many shopping malls that house some of the biggest brands. So, if you are also a fan of brands and you only like to shop for branded goods, then this is the place that you have been looking for.

However, for those of you, who do not consider shopping or dancing as thrilling enough activities, and who would prefer staying close to arts and culture, maybe you should try researching Shilin as a viable resident locality. Shilin is home to the National Palace Museum and it houses a remarkable collection of Chinese prints and fine arts. Apart from this, the area also has serene gardens and upscale eateries.

So, if you are moving to Taiwan, then these are some localities that you can check out to find a suitable share house for your stay!

All the best!

 

 

 

 

 

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Why Are Share Houses The Best Shelter Option When You Are Starting Life In Abroad?

In the present world, borders and boundaries have become fluid. These lines that mark and enclose an area to represent a city, country, or continent, and which primarily only exist on paper are in the present world not as rigid as they used to be earlier. Instead, in the present moment, these boundaries have become porous to allow people to move in and out of a country. This sits true for the borders and boundaries of almost all the countries or continents around the globe.

The Earth presently has become a global space, and all the cities and countries have become a part of its chain. Whether it is for studies or managing businesses, every year we witness people moving across borders. Because of this, it has become a natural occurrence to find citizens of different nationalities living together in a country they were not born or brought up.

But if you have ever traveled overseas, then you would know that living in a new country is not a very pleasant experience especially during the initial days. It is so because when you go to a new place you usually miss your old friends and family, and the previous surroundings terribly. Plus, when you move to a new country you feel like a stranger, and thus, it becomes difficult to blend in.

Mixing-in in a new country is not as easy as it may appear in the first place. We say so because when you go to a new place, you usually don’t know much about the culture or tradition of that place. And because of this, you always feel anxious and stressed in your new surroundings. You are always on your toes observing how other people are behaving so you would not mistakenly do that would hurt or disrespect the sentiments of the natives.

Thus, in such a time when you have freshly moved into a new country, it is considered a good idea to live in a share house. Doing so will help you in many ways. Wondering how that works? Well, in that case, read our next section to find out your answers.

How are share houses helpful in starting a fresh life in a new country?

A sharehouse is a big property that is offered on rent to tenants where many strangers share the same roof. In a share house, you can rent a single room for yourself or you can rent a room that houses 3 to 4 people in total depending upon your needs and requirements. This place is a top shelter choice for people, especially for those who have freshly shifted to a new country because-
It helps you in understanding alien customs.

As we have already established, when you move to a new country, chances are that you will be unfamiliar with its customs and traditions. This can make you anxious while adding to your stress levels. Also, there is this probability that if you did something wrong because of your unfamiliarity with the local customs that the natives find offending or insulting, then you might feel even more alienated and alone. Thus, for this reason, it is a safe choice to live in a share house at least for the initial days because there you are bound to come across many people who will be interested in international exchange.

When you will live with them, such people will help you in learning more about their local culture, while at the same time they will also try to understand your traditions. This healthy exchange will make your life significantly easier. So, if you want to know about the local customs and traditions of a place, its food, its manners, etc. in a friendly way without wasting much time, then share houses should be your top priority while seeking shelter.

It is a borderless accommodation

When you move to a new space how fluently you can speak their local language plays a very important role in deciding the ease with which you will blend in your new surroundings. So, for example, if you have moved to Taiwan for your further studies and you can fluently speak and write Chinese, then this will probably mean that you will find it easier to navigate Taiwan as compared to someone who doesn’t even understand Chinese. It is so because when you don’t understand the local language of a place, you find it hard to explain to people your queries or emotions.

Now, in such a scenario, it is wise to find a share house in your new country because in share houses you can probably find residents who are familiar with your language. In this way, your common language can help you in befriending people and it can also help you in learning the local language quite easily. We, BORDERLESS HOUSE, make language exchange easy for you by offering on our website the information about the nationality of its residents. You can even opt to talk to the residents of the share house while requesting a preview of the property.

It offers you easier access to common knowledge

When you shift to a new country, other than the customs, traditions, and language of that place there are many other things that you ought to learn about your new home town. These things include information on the common practices of the new place, knowledge about local shops and convenience stores in your locality, and awareness about the norms of living in that place such that your safety is not threatened.

Living in a share house can help you in gaining easy access to such information. It is so because when you are sharing a roof with other people you are bound to interact with them. In your conversations, you can come across the above-mentioned info without even requesting for the same. In opposed to this, if you opt to live alone in a new country, then acquiring such information may take some time.

Thus, these are some reasons because of which living in a share house should be your preferred choice. Living here can help you in settling-in easily.

 

 

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What to do during Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year, as known as the Luna New Year, based on the lunar calendar, begins on the first day of the first lunar month, which is the most important festival to celebrate in Taiwan!

Every family members will gather on Chinese New Year Eve, share a dinner and the life of the previous year.

But you must what to ask, when you living aboard here in Taiwan, what can you do and where can you go during the New Year holiday?

Don’t worry! We got a few options which you can do during that time!

Dihua Street 迪化街

If you’re looking for a place to feel the Chinese New Year atmosphere, then Dihua Street will be the best choice for you! Start from a few weeks before Chinese New Year until the end of the New Year holiday, people go there to buy Chinese New Year’s goods, so Dihua Street will become very crowed and lively.

Longshan Temple 龍山寺/行天宮

Longshan Temple was built in 1738, it’s the most well-known temple in Taiwan! During the Chinese New Year, people gather to Longshan Temple to pray for a fresh and peaceful new year, and that’s the best way to experience the new year atmosphere.

Sanxia Old Street 三峽老街

Sanxia old street was an important business center in north of Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. For now, Sanxia old street still keeps the historical red brick buildings and became to a famous tourist spot. And the Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple is also a must visit spot if you visit Sanxia, it will be very lively during Chinese New Year!

Taiwan Lantern Festival 台灣燈會

The Taiwan Lantern Festival is the biggest lantern festival hosted by Tourism Bureau in Taiwan, normally takes place during mid of Feb to beginning of Mar, and the event venue will alternate at different cities every year.

This year (2019), the Taiwan Lantern Festival will be take place in Pingtung city, and according to the Chinese zodiac sign, the main lantern this year will be “Pig”, if you have chance to visit south of Taiwan during that time, you shouldn’t miss it!

Here are the few options we want to share with you! Let us know if you have some other suggestions, or if you got any cool ideas to do during CNY, share with us!

Happy Chinese New Year! Everyone!

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「帶著外國朋友遊台北」全攻略！（美食篇）

來台灣玩，當然不能錯過在地美食囉！

如果有外國朋友來台北，應該推薦他們什麼呢？要怎麼吃才盡興？
別擔心，我們今天替大家整理了幾個外國人力推的美食景點，給大家做參考囉！

1. 夜市：

大多數來台灣的外國旅客，清單上一定少不了夜市這樣一項！光是在台北的夜市，大大小小就高達十數個！

我們今天就根據外國人最愛的幾個夜市作介紹吧！

▪士林夜市： 士林夜市絕對是遊客必去的景點之一。其佔地面積較廣，攤位種類多元，有吃又有玩，吃飽喝足後，還能到遊戲攤小試身手，絕對能讓外國朋友玩得盡興！

▪饒河夜市： 饒河夜市是個以美食為主的夜市，其美食種類眾多，各種特色小吃在這裡都找的到，若朋友是個熱愛美食的饕客，饒河夜市肯定是第一首選！另外，饒河夜市旁還有彩虹橋，很適合大吃大喝後，到河岸邊走走唷！

▪師大夜市： 除了美食之外，師大夜市還有許多服飾小店，對於喜歡逛街的朋友肯定是一大福音！逛街逛累了，來盤滷味、一杯珍奶，體力充足後再戰下一間！快推薦給你的購物狂朋友們吧！

2. 東門市場
忙碌又充滿人情味的傳統市場，是許多台灣人的共同回憶，對於外國朋友來說，也是一個體驗在地生活的好機會。位於台北的東門市場，隱藏了許多傳統的好滋味，諸如是：米粉湯、赤肉羹、餡餅、豆花……等傳統美食，絕對能讓外國友人念念不忘喔！

3. 永康街


永康街周圍除了有外國人最愛的鼎泰豐外，還有許多知名的特色小吃。像是米其林推薦的永康牛肉麵、排隊美食天津蔥抓餅、老字號東門餃子館，都是非常適合介紹給外國朋友的在地美食喔！

4. 中式早餐店

一日之計在於晨，開始一天的行程前，先帶朋友去品嘗傳統的中式早餐吧！台北美味的中式早餐非常多，各家都有自己獨特的風味，像是古亭站的劉媽媽飯糰、新北市的永和豆漿，或是被米其林推薦為全台中式早餐代表，善導寺附近的阜杭豆漿，絕對要帶著外國朋友去朝聖啊！

以上的幾個台北美食tips給大家做參考，不知道大家喜歡嗎？

或是你也有自己的必吃清單呢？歡迎跟我們分享喔！

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「帶著外國朋友遊台北」全攻略！（美食篇）

來台灣玩，當然不能錯過在地美食囉！

如果有外國朋友來台北，應該推薦他們什麼呢？要怎麼吃才盡興？
別擔心，我們今天替大家整理了幾個外國人力推的美食景點，給大家做參考囉！

1. 夜市：

大多數來台灣的外國旅客，清單上一定少不了夜市這樣一項！光是在台北的夜市，大大小小就高達十數個！

我們今天就根據外國人最愛的幾個夜市作介紹吧！

▪士林夜市： 士林夜市絕對是遊客必去的景點之一。其佔地面積較廣，攤位種類多元，有吃又有玩，吃飽喝足後，還能到遊戲攤小試身手，絕對能讓外國朋友玩得盡興！

▪饒河夜市： 饒河夜市是個以美食為主的夜市，其美食種類眾多，各種特色小吃在這裡都找的到，若朋友是個熱愛美食的饕客，饒河夜市肯定是第一首選！另外，饒河夜市旁還有彩虹橋，很適合大吃大喝後，到河岸邊走走唷！

▪師大夜市： 除了美食之外，師大夜市還有許多服飾小店，對於喜歡逛街的朋友肯定是一大福音！逛街逛累了，來盤滷味、一杯珍奶，體力充足後再戰下一間！快推薦給你的購物狂朋友們吧！


2. 東門市場
忙碌又充滿人情味的傳統市場，是許多台灣人的共同回憶，對於外國朋友來說，也是一個體驗在地生活的好機會。位於台北的東門市場，隱藏了許多傳統的好滋味，諸如是：米粉湯、赤肉羹、餡餅、豆花……等傳統美食，絕對能讓外國友人念念不忘喔！

3. 永康街
永康街周圍除了有外國人最愛的鼎泰豐外，還有許多知名的特色小吃。像是米其林推薦的永康牛肉麵、排隊美食天津蔥抓餅、老字號東門餃子館，都是非常適合介紹給外國朋友的在地美食喔！

4. 中式早餐店

一日之計在於晨，開始一天的行程前，先帶朋友去品嘗傳統的中式早餐吧！台北美味的中式早餐非常多，各家都有自己獨特的風味，像是古亭站的劉媽媽飯糰、新北市的永和豆漿，或是被米其林推薦為全台中式早餐代表，善導寺附近的阜杭豆漿，絕對要帶著外國朋友去朝聖啊！

以上的幾個台北美食tips給大家做參考，不知道大家喜歡嗎？

或是你也有自己的必吃清單呢？歡迎跟我們分享喔！

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6 Things About Living in Taiwan!

Are you planning to move to Taiwan?

Or planning to start your Chinese class in Taiwan?

Before that, we have a few interesting things what to let you know before you come to Taiwan!

1.  Convenient store everywhere! (7-11, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK…)

（圖片來源：saveinmycity）

You’ll find out the convenient stores are one of the best things in Taiwan once you arrived!

Convenient stores in Taiwan are not just a store for junk food or beverage, you can basically do everything at there, ship packages, pay your bills, buy tickets (train, concert, exhibition…etc.), print documents, call taxi, ATM…and so much more!

And these 24H convenient stores are everywhere, seriously, EVERYWHERE! You can even find 2 or 3 convenient stores on one street! It’s your best neighbor ever!

 

2.  Musical garbage trucks.

Living in Taiwan, we got some tips here for you to deal the household garbage.

Most of families here don’t have trash bins next to their house. Instead, garbage trucks drives through streets at night with playing Beethoven’s Fur Elise loudly to alert people their arrival, and you need to carry your trash bags (If you living in Taipei, you need to use the city-approved trash bags), and throw them into the trucks by yourself.

And you will find out the time of garbage trucks coming, is also the time of social gathering, because people come out earlier and chat with neighbors while they waiting!

 

3.  Earthquakes and Typhoons.

Earthquakes and Typhoons are 2 things you will experience in Taiwan!

Taiwan located in a seismically active zone, the average number of perceivable earthquake is about 1,000 per year. (not to mention the un-perceivable earthquake is more than 18,500 per year.)

And if you visit Taiwan during July to September, you will probably hit the typhoon season, prepare some foods and save some clean water is what you need to do before it.

But don’t worry! You’ll also find out Taiwanese handle it very well, most of buildings in Taiwan are prepared for earthquakes and strong wind of typhoon!

 

4.  Bubble tea.

Taiwanese LOVES bubble tea! You can find bubble tea shops nearly EVERY corner of Taiwan’s streets, and it’s a part of Taiwanese culture now!

If you planning to visit Taiwan soon, put bubble tea on your “must-try” list!

 

5.  Friendly people!

Even not every Taiwanese can speak fluent English, but you’ll still find out how friendly are of Taiwanese!

Most of Taiwanese are defiantly welling to help if you need (sometimes you don’t even ask for help)! Finding a restaurant, point you a way to your hotel (or just take you to there with their scooter)!

And if you got chance to visit south of Taiwan, the people from south are even friendlier, most last generation can’t speak English, but they still give you smile, and try their best to help! You’ll definitely feel welcoming here!

 

6.  Kingdom of Scooters!

Do you know Taiwan has the highest scooter density in Asia? The population of Taiwan is 23 million, but the amount of scooter is over 14 million! Almost every family has at least one scooter!

Taiwan is a small island, and scooter can take you to almost everywhere in Taiwan, especially when you travel out of Taipei City (Taipei has every complete public transport system), you’ll find out how convenient it is! And if you planning to travel around Taiwan, scooter is a good idea!

But remember to prepare your driving license and international license before you rent a scooter in Taiwan!

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Event | Coastal Cleanup – Taiwan

Have you join a coastal cleanup event before?

BORDERLESS HOUSE Taiwan organized a coastal cleanup event, we went to The North Coast in north of Taiwan, had some fun, did something good for our environment and also visited a popular scenic spot there!

The green reef at Laomei is one of the most popular scenic spot of the north coast. Ages ago, the volcanic of Datun Mountain has erupted, and the lava formed reef by seashore! And now, every year in April and May, green algae flourish on the surface of the reefs, forming this unique beautiful view.

We met up at the Tamsui MRT station first, and then took a bus to Laomei, it’s a very good chance to meet other tenants form other BORDERLESS houses, and getting to know each others before the event start.

Before we start to clean up the coastal, we had an enjoyable lunch together and with a very beautiful view of the beach.

Tenants from different BORDERLESS houses got chance to meet each other, and shared some experiences about their life in Taiwan, which is very interesting!

Started to clean up the coastal after lunch!

There was a lot of trashes on the beach, and we spent around 2hrs to clean up.

Really appreciate our tenants’ support and join, glad we can do something good to our environment together, and hope there will be more people join us in the future!