Finding the Best Hospitals in Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei is the exciting capital of Taiwan. It is the economic, tourist and cultural center of the island. Taipei is endowed with many good hospitals. Some of the major hospitals here have established separate centers for foreigners. This is a brief note on some of the leading hospitals in Taipei.

Taipei Veterans General Hospital, established in 1958, is a trusted hospital in Taiwan and is situated at No.201, Sec. 2, Shipai Rd., Beitou District, Taipei. This hospital is a pioneer institute in medical education, research and medical care services with all latest technologies in diagnostic sector. Regarded as the teaching hospital for the National Defense Medical Center under the Ministry of National Defense, it has bilateral ties with foreign universities and organizations like Berlin University and also the Center for Rehabilitation of the Austrian Labor Committee.

Mackay Memorial Hospital is a famous private Christian hospital with all modern medical facilities and highly qualified medical professionals, founded in 1912. This world class hospital is located at 92 Zhongshan North Road, Section 2, Taipei and is considered as a flagship hospital of Taiwanese native peoples. This 1200-bed hospital offers treatment and assistance in all major medical specialties. Tel. +886 2 2543-3535

Taipei Medical University Hospital (TPUH) is a famous modern hospital with 500 beds and all of the most advanced medical facilities for treatment at global standards. This ISO-9002 certified hospital, founded in 1976, is also considered a pioneer center in clinical research and medical education. TPUH was recognized as the Class I Teaching Hospital and Health Executive Center by the Department of Health of Taiwan. The International Patient Center at TMUH is formulated exclusively for international patients and is conveniently located at 252, Wu Hsing Street, Taipei. Phone: +886-2-2737-2181

National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) founded in 1895 has perhaps been the most trusted and renowned medical center in Taiwan. This hospital, located at No.7, Chung Shan S. Rd., Taipei, employs more than 4000 dedicated and highly qualified medical personnel to offer most modern medical services and treatment of international standards in all the departments. NTUH is especially famous for their centers for liver diseases and Heart Transplant Division. Tel: 886-2-2312-3456 The Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH) is another highly reputed hospital in the city and this large health center is situated at No.325, Sec.2, Chenggong Rd., Neihu District, Taipei City 114. This hospital is equipped with latest medical instruments and technology combined with excellent services of master medical professionals.

Taiwan Adventist Hospital is another well-known hospital in the city and is operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a part of their worldwide mission system. The hospital working under government's sponsorship employs 900 medical staff and offers cost effective treatment to more than 1,400 outpatients daily and emergency services to over 2,000 people monthly. English speaking staffs are available in this 379-bedded world-class hospital, which is placed at No.424, Sec. 2, Bade Rd., Songshan District, Taipei City10556, Taiwan. TEL: 886-2-27718151

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) is another top rated hospital in the city, which offers world-class treatments and services of brilliant doctors and allied staffs cost effectively. The hospital was founded in 1976 and has been a major center of medical services, teaching and research. Their International Service Center (ISC) attracts a large number of foreigners and is located at Duenhua North Road, Taipei. Tel: 886-2-27135211

Taipei Tzu Chi General Hospital is another well-known hospital in Taipei and is situated at No.289, Jianguo Rd., Sindian City, Taipei. Tzu Chi Foundation, the leading community service group of Taiwan operates this trusted health institute and offers clinical treatment and services at reasonable prices in a warm and caring environment. The hospital established in 2005 is especially famous for the micro-invasive operations formulated to minimize patients' suffering. Phone: 02-66289779

Before you travel or move abroad, make sure that you and your family have quality medical insurance. Let Good Neighbor Insurance help you find the right international travel insurance for your situation.

Go East Young Man-Made In Taiwan And The China Syndrome Part 1

The US Markets are closed today so I thought this might be an opportunity to look beyond the US shores to another favourite market of mine-the Far East. For many years the Asian Markets have lagged far behind the US and Europe. I think we may be seeing the tentative shoots of recovery in certain markets. Japan is still a wildcard but I believe that 2007 may prove to be a good year for Taiwan. In 2006 a number of emerging markets including some in Asia have hit all time highs but Taiwan still lags behind and is over 43% below its high from February 1990.

Taiwan is home to some of the largest Tech and Electronics companies in the World. Companies that produce I-Pods and the Mini Mac as well as supply major IT companies such as Dell and Hewlett Packard, the link therefore to PC and Semi-conductors is inextricable, when these markets boom so does the Taiwanese economy. If you believe that these sectors are likely to start to move in 2007(think Vista and PC's) then Taiwan is a good place to invest. For me the best way to play this is via the iShares MSCI Taiwan Index Fund(EWT-NYSE). This fund is broadly based and diversified but heavily weighted to Technology Companies. Another boost for Taiwan is that it is one of the major trading partners of China.

The Chinese economy is still one of the fastest growing economies in the world and as the mass Chinese become more affluent then they will increase their expenditure on goods such as PC's and Technology, this can only be good for the Taiwanese economy and for the iShares MSCI Taiwan Index Fund(EWT-NYSE). I will be opening a position in this fund at the mkt tomorrow. I will also post Part 2 of this communication looking in a bit more detail at opportunities to gain some exposure to China such as Hong Kong Shanghai Bank (HBC), Templeton Dragon Fund (TDF-NYSE) and China Medical Technologies (CMED-NYSE).

Alan Gillies trades his own Pension fund, he is experienced in Trading Stocks, Futures, Options and Forex to read his blog on his trading tips and ideas go to www.retirementtrader.blogspot.com.

ESL Jobs in Taiwan - What Teaching English in Taiwan is Really Like

If you are considering a move to Taiwan to teach English, then the good news is that there are a lot of schools and positions that are available all year round. This makes finding work as an ESL teacher in Taiwan fairly easy, but it isn't until you look a little closer do things not look so simple. Teaching English in Taiwan is a great way to explore Taiwan and earn a living at the same time, but what kind of classes or students will you teach? Japan, Korea and China have a wide number of private schools, colleges and universities that hire teachers, so getting working teaching adults, teenagers or children is easy to do. This isn't the case for Taiwan where there is one primary employer of foreign teachers, private schools. The main employers in the ESL industry in Taiwan are cram schools or more specifically cram schools for children.

The bulk of the learning English market in Taiwan consists of children aged 6 - 12 years of age. Most other Asian countries have students of all ages wanting to learn English, but this isn't true for Taiwan. Because the market in Taiwan is made up primarily of children, this means that most places advertising for teachers are cram schools that have classes for children. Parents are obsessed with trying to give their children an edge and one perceived way of doing this is by sending them to English classes. Most children finish their day at public school around 3 or 4pm and then find their way to some kind of classes in the evening, of which one kind is English class. If you are looking online or on any job boards for work in Taiwan, you will notice that 99% of the positions advertised are for teaching children in cram schools.

So what is work in a cram school like? If teaching children isn't your thing, then you would be best to strongly avoid teaching English in Taiwan. Most classes have anywhere from 10 to 30 students, with the majority of classes consisting of around 20 or so children. Classes run for usually two hours and cover fairly basic English usage. Most cram schools will want you to be lively and enthusiastic to keep the children entertained. A key point here is that cram schools are more interested in keeping children happy than helping them improve their English. Since cram schools are a business, their primary focus is on making money. You don't have to be extremely educated or talented to teach in a cram school, just make sure the children love you and you'll most likely never be without a job.

Teaching in a cram school might not be everyone's idea of fun, but that truth is most ESL jobs in Taiwan are in the children's market. If you enjoy children or would like a change, then teaching children could be right for you. Many people believe that teaching English to children offers more job satisfaction than anything else in the world. The same might be true for you also.

Want to discover more about Taiwan teaching jobs? Visit the ESL jobs in Taiwan website today and find out what life and teaching is really like in Taiwan.

Differences Between Mainland and Taiwan Chinese

The Chinese language is probably the most famous language which uses characters instead of letters. However contrary to popular belief Chinese is not just one language but there are many different dialects. In Hong Kong for instance people speak Cantonese which is so different that someone from Beijing would not understand it. Also there are two different sets of Chinese characters. The original traditional characters and the simplified characters. The simplified characters were introduced to promote literacy by decreasing the number of strokes required for some characters. Not all characters were simplified however, like some characters which are already very simple (2 or 3 strokes). Traditional characters are still used in Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong. In Mainland China and Singapore simplified characters are used.

Someone who wants to learn Chinese is normally best advised to learn Standard Mandarin and simplified characters which are used in Beijing (Peking) for instance. However if you also want to do business or stay in Taiwan for instance you should also learn traditional characters. Traditional characters are considered to be the "more beautiful" characters, even by some mainlanders. Since simplified characters are relatively new, it means that many historic texts can not be read by the new generation.

Also if learning Chinese the questions is which romanization system should be used. Hanyu Pinyin (or short Pinyin) is the most common system. This system uses the Latin alphabet to represent sounds in Chinese. In Taiwan a different system is used called Zhuyin. Zhuyin does not use the Latin alphabet like Pinyin and is therefore more difficult to learn for Westerners. Zhuyin is also known as Bopomofo.

China is emerging as a major economic power. For that reason it is becoming more popular to learn. Some schools in Europe have changed their curriculum and Chinese competes now with French, Spanish and German.

Oliver Antosch is the owner of Chinese-Course.com and many other websites.

Restrooms in Taiwan - What to Expect

Taiwanese Bathrooms

Taiwan is a developed nation and Taipei a very modern, developed and adapted city. This being true, there are still some things from the past that have hung on culturally. The restroom and habits of using it are no exception to this. This article will guide you through the restroom process in Taiwan and, about what to expect so you don't have any unpleasant surprises!

One of your first big surprises when in Taiwan will surely come when you are in a rush and step into the bathroom only to see a hole in the ground. Congratulations, you have just had your first encounter with the Squatty potty. The squatty potty is a normal acquaintance for most Taiwanese, however may take some getting used to for others. When you run into your first one, don't freak out, just try and do your best.

You will mainly run into this type of receptacle when you are outside of the main city, in smaller unknown areas, or small restaurants. Use you best judgment and don't get thrown off. If you are eating in a back alley night market restaurant and run into a squatty potty, you should be expecting it. On the other hand, well established restaurants, buildings, and other places usually have western type facilities provided. In fact most restrooms and buildings in Taipei are now equipped with western style toilets in both men and women restrooms. Typically, when walking into most buildings you will find a combination of both squatty potty's and western style toilets available.

The Squatty Potty Culture.

There is still reminiscing of an old cultural belief that sitting on a toilet was unsanitary and appalling. This is surprising to many in a sharp contrast that many westerners think of the squat style toilet as a more primitive and unsanitary system. Just one of the interesting cultural treasures you are sure to uncover while here in Taiwan! Although this type of method and custom is still very prominent in the country, many Taiwanese have now become accustomed to using western style toilets and they can be found in most places.

Another interesting cultural characteristic in Taiwan is the bathroom cleaners. We are grateful to have them here, as the public toilets do tend to maintain a certain standard of cleanliness, however sometimes this comes at the cost of a slight surprise. Gentlemen, if when using the restroom and a woman walks in behind you, don't be alarmed, chances are it's just the cleaning lady. That's right, there is no sex discrimination when it comes to public restroom cleanliness here! Many of the public toilet cleaners are women and they do not hesitate to finish their job if the facilities are in use. Just carry along with your business and try not to smile and laugh to hard, this is a normal thing for you now!

Toilet Paper

No matter what kind of toilet system you run into, there is one thing you need to be sure you are absolutely aware of. Taipei is an old city and the sanitary systems used are still quite outdated. Because of this, it is most common to NOT FLUSH YOUR TOILET PAPER. There is wastebasket provided next to every toilet and its not there for show. If you use toilet paper, put in into the wastebasket and NOT INTO THE TOILET. The paper WILL clog the toilet and drainage and cause huge problems for everyone. Just simple fold your used toilet paper and discard it in the basket. Your cooperation will be appreciated by all!

Helpful Hints

Carry around a small package of tissue for emergencies. It is not uncommon to run into a poorly maintained restroom if you are outside of the downtown area, and even more common if you are traveling outside of the capital Taipei.

Sometimes Restrooms may charge you a fee for usage, or charge for toilet paper. If this is the case, there is usually a wall-mounted vending machine that you can purchase is from. Something to think about before rushing in and getting stuck in a smelly situation (literally). Don't forget, ALWAYS CHECK THE TOILET PAPER BEFORE USE!!!!

Check for hooks. Sometimes stalls have them, sometimes they don't. If you have valuables with you that you don't want to put on the floor, check for a hook on the back of the stall door or wall. If its not there, it may have fallen off. Head to the next stall and hope for better luck!

Hand sanitizer and/or Hand Soap. In addition to poor maintenance and lack of toilet paper in bathrooms, sometimes the soap dispensers get over looked. It's a good idea to have a small portable bottle of hand sanitizer or soap with you just in case. This can be a great way to kill off germs from just being in the city all day too!

This article was written by Christopher Collins, Program Director of Mandarin Taiwan Study Abroad. For more information, visit http://www.MandarinTaiwan.com.

Plastic Injection Molding In Taiwan

Plastic injection molding in Taiwan is at a high level of expertise in comparison with other Asian countries. Taiwan also has much better working conditions, environmental regulations and worker relations than most it's neighbors.

Government policies that have enabled the plastics industry to develop in a free-market manner. This has enabled the plastic injection molding industry to develop to a high technical level. The open market nature has given fair competition the ability to bring in high end jobs and industries.

What are some advantages of Taiwan over mainland China?

Decades of industrial growth and stability without destroying the environment




Safe and healthy working conditions for the employees. Taiwan has a long history or good human rights relations which reflects in it's labor laws.




For the environment. Industry has cooperated with the government to keep the island clean and relatively unpolluted




Costs are generally one-third less than those of the USA. This means you can receive high quality at reduced prices.




Thermoplastic injection molds, thermosetting molds, and custom molds of all types have developed to a high level of expertise.




No history of human rights abuse








What are some industries Taiwan specializes in?

Taiwan has an excellent relationship with the US, Europe and Japan because of it's political and economic system. This has enabled the island country to attract leading aerospace, automotive, electronics, computer, and small appliance companies.

How can you find a reliable plastic injection molding company in Taiwan? A good place to begin your search is here One of the top companies in Taiwan for thermoset molding is Longzu Plastic Molding Company They have been in business for over 40 years, which is a lifetime in plastics.

Randy Hough
Plastic Injection Mold Maker
http://www.global-plastic-injection-molding.com

"You know Dad, I've been thinkin', one is a lot more than zero!" my son, Thomas, age 5.

Round-Island Railway Tourism in Taiwan