Finding Friends

Taiwan is a both friendly and international, so making friends is incredibly easy to do. Whether you are looking to make friends from the USA, Europe, Asia, or locally, you will have no problems. This is especially true for American students studying Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan as you are bound to have an international class made up of students from all over the world.

Outside of class, many universities and language training centers have social clubs and meetups so you can explore the island and make friends at the same time.

Unlike many other Asian countries, Taiwan is a relatively liberal island nation that accepts all walks of life. Most lifestyles, whether they be personal, religious, or social, are accepted in Taiwan. Foreigners residing in Taiwan face very little, if any, discrimination. This is very unlike the experiences of foreign nationals in Japan, China, and other South Asian countries.

making friends with foreigners

For those who have never lived abroad, it may seem like a lonely experience, especially in a country that has a different language. Nothing could be further from the truth. Taiwan has a vibrant expat community and finding other Americans as well as friends from around the world is easy.

It is even possible to contact others via social media such as this Facebook Group.

For those attending Mandarin Chinese language classes, the classes will likely be filled with student from various countries, and most of them will speak English as their first or second language.

making friends with local taiwanese

While it is not true that one must speak Mandarin Chinese in order to live comfortably in Taiwan, knowledge of the language is important in making deeper and lasting friendships with local Taiwanese. However, this is not to say it is impossible, or that making friends is entirely dependent on language abilities.

English is the third most common language spoken in Taiwan today, after Mandarin Chinese and the local Taiwanese dialect. English is used in many international classes in universities, and almost every student is required to take English classes. This means there is almost no trouble making local friends because they are either already fluent in English, or eager to learn and improve their language skills.

Language exchange friendships are common in Taiwan, and you can make good friends who will help you improve your Mandarin while you help them improve their English.

You can find out more about language exchange in Taiwan by visiting these webpages and groups:

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/taiwan.language.exchange/

My Language Exchange: https://www.mylanguageexchange.com/Country/Taiwan.asp

Tandem App: https://www.tandem.net/language-exchange/taiwan

You are not limited to making friends only through language exchange. If you are living in Taiwan and learning Mandarin Chinese, simply going out and practicing your new language skills is bound to help you make friends.

As well, many of the social clubs and school events hosted universities or language training center will have international students grouped with locals as well.

Taiwan is such a friendly place, making friends there could not be easier.