Leaving Taiwan for Two Years: Heading to Australia and Japan

Note: This post is translated by AI. If you find any unnatural phrasing or errors, please feel free to contact me via email or other channels. Your feedback is appreciated!

Originally hoped to have one article per month, but articles for April and May were written as a first draft and never published.

However, Atomic Habits says "The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows." Before June ends, I have to hurry up and publish! (Those two articles I wrote are about "Happiness" and "Honesty". I will try to finish editing and publish them soon.)

This article will share a major change in my life — Leaving Taiwan for two years temporarily.

Current plan is working holiday in Australia for one year, then working holiday in Japan for one year.

Finally Took That Step

I have always wanted to go abroad. Envied many friends going for exchange during university. Met many seniors working abroad after switching to software engineer. Only slowly felt that I might be able to do it too.

Initially wanted to go to Japan because I yearn for Japanese culture, climate and living environment. I also like listening to JPop very much. Close to Taiwan. Also already have many friends there etc.

I interviewed with Rakuten Japan on 2021/05/26. Unfortunately failed at the last stage. The reason should be unstable frontend basic knowledge and unable to understand Indian English (Interview with Russian in the first stage was not bad).

After that, I continued to stay in Taiwan, changed three jobs again. Kept talking about going abroad. Also consciously adjusted in life (reduced luggage, sold scooter, avoided entering a relationship). But I just didn't take that step.

There were factors of the pandemic in between, but mainly because of my self-limitation and procrastination. Like accumulating more skills in Taiwan first, wanting to switch to backend, mistakenly believing in groups that claimed to grow together, wanting to learn Japanese better, afraid of being frozen if interview failed, and a bunch of other things suddenly popped up feeling need to do (like submitting script competition etc.).

But what I should have done all along was "take that step", like polishing resume, applying widely, mock interviewing, then adjusting based on results and feedback of each interview etc.

After experiencing outsourcing company, closed startup, one-stop (frontend, backend, PM, customer service) position successively, originally planned not to look for Taiwanese companies anymore. But happened that a friend referred to current company (will be former company by end of month). Found they have an office in Japan. Also added a Japanese interview stage during interview. Went to Japan to work for two weeks after joining. Felt very close to "working in Japan"...!

Then, there was no then.

At the same time, I had a friend who took working holiday visa to Japan last year, and successfully switched to formal work visa before visa expired, working as backend engineer.

His success encouraged me. I know everyone's situation is different, but I am also almost unable to apply for working holiday. Applying doesn't mean must go. Why not get the visa first then think about whether to go.

Decided to Go to Australia Temporarily

I applied for Japanese working holiday visa at the end of April. Originally planned to stay in Taiwan until November when rental contract expires then depart.

The opportunity to want to go to Australia was because a former colleague just came back from Australian working holiday. Wanted to ask her some experiences with "working holiday" as the main theme. But chatting and chatting suddenly realized I have never been out of Asia. I only went to Thailand once, then all went to Japan.

Also thought of a good friend studying there for short term. I suddenly realized Australia is also an option.

And my ideal plan is to successfully switch to work visa during working holiday in Japan. If successful I will stay in Japan. Felt a bit pity not going out to see other places. Seems unnecessary to limit myself so early.

In these two months waiting for Japanese visa, there were also some changes in work, life and relationship. The final push was Australian working holiday visa is too convenient. Can apply online anytime. Quota is also unlimited. I just filled in online, applied for financial proof then medical examination and it was done.

I applied on my birthday 5/26, medical exam on 5/30, visa came down on 6/06.

Checked later, Japanese working holiday visa needs to be collected within half a year (2025/06/23~2025/12/19), and go within one year during visa collection period (2026/06/23). Calculated from landing in Japan. So I actually can collect before going to Australia in July, then go to Japan before next July. Can refer to official website 2025 Working Holiday Visa First Phase Successful Applicants Announcement.

I resigned on the day Australian working holiday visa came down. Then contacted landlord to terminate contract early, booked flight ticket, contacted local friends.

Why Want to Go Abroad So Much

Labor Environment and Software Career Bottleneck

In the review of 2024 -> 2025 at the beginning of this year, I started to slowly think about "What else can I do besides being an engineer".

I switched to software engineer in April 2019, six years so far. I don't know if there is an end to anxiety about career future and days writing code on holidays.

Suffered from imposter syndrome in the first three years. In the latter three years AI rose and digesting excessive manpower recruited during pandemic, software engineers entered winter, and don't see signs of improvement.

Taiwan's labor environment and software industry development are not very good either. I have changed four jobs currently. Although salary continued to rise, I kept repeating the special leave system of "three days after half a year, seven days after one year". If not for partially remote system, I really feel life is filled by work to the point of suffocation.

If work itself is challenging or growing then fine, but the fact is, companies I stayed in couldn't provide me growth space. Even if interviewed some difficult questions, subsequently went in doing some basic things. Causing me must continue to write code after work in weekdays and holidays. Have to study to continue surviving in the industry.

I slowly can't see the next step in Taiwan. Choices and development of pure software in Taiwan are limited. Feel most resources are still poured into hardware industry.

Companies I stayed in and know currently also don't care much about frontend. And UIUX industry is even worse in Taiwan. So I don't even have much experience cooperating with UIUX designers. Instead often cooperate with graphic designers pulled in to do UI.

Career so far, I haven't made a product I identify with. Maybe I should put down the need for identity with work. Work is just for money. But with Taiwan's high working hours and low vacation hours, I feel it's hard for me to distance from work.

I still want to continuously have sense of achievement at work, instead of only being pushed forward by anxiety.

Maybe I am not good at finding jobs, but this is my personal feeling of writing software in Taiwan.

Original Family and Housing Justice

But compared to work, more important factors are "Original Family" and "Housing Justice".

After my parents divorced neither wanted to take me. So lived in grandma's place since childhood. Followed uncle after grandma passed away in high school. Moved out to rent house by myself after graduating from university (But my uncle has always been very good to me).

After leaving this time, I won't have a place to live when I return to Taiwan in the future. Can only stay in hotels or friends' places during stay.

I rented 8 places in Taipei myself. Including moving around with relatives total 13 times.

I feel tenants in Taiwan are very vulnerable. Landlords freely enter and exit balcony, pile up their own debris without permission, don't repair air conditioner in summer, raise price and drive people away upon applying for rent subsidy. Illegal partitions and rooftop additions also occupy majority of rental market. Often don't even have a mailbox for receiving letters.

And size is very small. Suites almost can't cook.

I don't have my own home to go back to. Every time moving I even move graduation yearbooks of various periods together. Many memory type items I finally just took photos to keep. The body has to be thrown away.

I can't imagine days continuing to rent in Taiwan. And I don't want to join this morbid real estate market in Taiwan.

Unable to Feel the Good of Taiwan

Besides, also traffic environment never improves despite scolding. JPop concerts always have terrible organizers. Many groups and self-media claiming self-growth end up manufacturing anxiety and selling courses. Not to mention enemy country always aiming missiles at Taiwan and messy politics of KMT, TPP and their supporters.

Looking at these predicaments, I feel I am becoming more and more negative. And negative energy I spread might also affect people around who want to work hard on this land. I don't like myself like this. I want to inject some different energy into myself.

Because I know Taiwan also has many advantages. Good public security. Things left on table won't be stolen. Lost items will be sent to police station. Won't be afraid walking on road at midnight. Convenient eating out. High coverage of convenience stores. Convenient seeing doctors. High administrative efficiency. Beautiful eastern landscape. Legalization of same-sex marriage. Cheap movies. Also received help from many people here. (But I observed many conveniences are actually obtained through exploiting labor.)

I want to go out for a trip. I want to really experience good and bad of other places and other industries. Maybe I can rediscover how good Taiwan is.

Unease Before Departure

The price of leaving is the huge uncertainty coming face to face.

I am actually quite afraid this trip will fail. But what is the definition of "failure"?

Failure might be unable to find job locally and return to Taiwan? Have bad experience locally? Can't find job after coming back?

I am afraid failing going out, does it mean I will "succeed" staying? No, current life can't be said happy. Even can be said very anxious. I am very sure continuing to stay in Taiwan I will only become walking dead. Chronic suicide mentally.

My life before this followed a conveyor belt. Taking university entrance exam on time. Started working before graduation. Going out this time means my career and savings will pause accumulating. But I do need to press pause to go out and see.

Me one year ago definitely couldn't make up mind to interrupt my career. But I don't have much nostalgia for software career now. Continuing to do software in Taiwan, common situation is constantly being expanded functions. Forced to do everything. Then becoming harder to find next one.

This is my first time resigning without a job lined up. Experienced the feeling of no salary coming in starting next month for the first time.

But only slowly discovered after counseling, in mentally unhealthy state, there will be many revenge spending. So even if I earn seemingly more now, actually not much left.

I often wanted to escape some things in Taiwan when going to Japan. Went to Tokyo this March just wanted to escape suffocation of Taipei. Reason for going to Japan for remote work before was wanting to stay away from roommates at that time.

For this I took a loan to increase some confidence. After all, it's hard to have conditions for loan after interrupting career like this. Besides coping with emergencies in these two years, can also do some allocation.

I am definitely further from FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). But if can't really pass levels in front of eyes, don't need to think about things so far in future.

Finally I also really realized I am leaving my friends. Although I don't have family support, I always received help from many friends in Taiwan. Like I no longer have home in Taiwan, but friends are willing to let me store luggage I can't take away (yearbook, souvenirs, clothes etc.).

I used to think I was very independent. Now realized people flying out alone are truly independent. After all, difficulties encountered abroad mostly have to be solved by oneself.

I also worry English is not good enough. Or office sitting too long unable to adapt to physical work. But just go out and try then will know result!

Expectations for These Two Years

I don't preset must earn money in these two years. Breaking even might be good enough.

I mainly want to find different life rhythm. Know all kinds of people more. Understand various possibilities. See what else I can possibly do besides writing code.

Besides working part-time, I also want to write well or create in a broad sense. In these years of working, I think I didn't have margin in time and psychology to write. I tried to make margin for myself since 2023. But so far I feel progress is difficult. Possibly this is also an excuse. But if these two years I also can't continue writing, I think I just don't love enough nor suitable for writing.

I won't only write newsletter and blog. I have other writing projects want to challenge.

I am very pessimistic about my own software career. But I am also thinking maybe just against Taiwan's software industry and products. So want to continue participating in some open source projects. Might be projects in Apache Foundation. I want to write something I think meaningful, valuable, challenging and has future.

Finally, I still think Taiwan is a great place. But me at current stage don't have ability to appreciate. Hope I can rediscover beauty of Taiwan abroad. If not, I will also find a place relatively like more.

This trip was arranged very hurriedly. Directly advanced plan by half a year. And have to depart within a month. Work and residence have to be dealt with. Also did LASIK before leaving.

I can act so decisively and quickly. Maybe I have dragged for a long time. Always gave myself too many reasons. This feeling really like a friend living abroad for years shared with me before. Some major decisions want to make but dare not to make have to be "fast enough that make oneself can't react". (And I found my dad would bring his whole family back from China the day after I leave. I just happened to avoid them. This is a good omen!)

Above expectations sound very beautiful. But expectations of course have to be beautiful. My experience is there will be quite a few accidents and twists appearing. Really look forward to what future self will look like. Coming back to see my current imagination will have what feelings.

Thank everyone for reading here. Also thank people who helped me during preparation for departure. Wish my trip go smoothly!