Ririn, an Indonesian migrant worker who has been working as a caregiver in Taiwan for 11 years, is contemplating whether to apply for permanent residency, reflecting Taiwan's stance towards this significant group. 

Leo, a freelance journalist with rich migration experience from Germany, also offers his observations on how Taiwan perceives foreigners. At the "How Do I Become Taiwanese?" event organized by Independent Opinion and Commonwealth Magazine English, both speakers shared their thoughts.

How do I become Taiwanese held by Commonwealth Magazine English and Commonwealth Opinion. (Source: Commonwealth Opinion)

Ririn: Dreaming of Taiwan Because of "Meteor Garden"

I first came to Taiwan in 2011. At that time, I had just experienced a breakup, so I decided to work abroad. But why did I choose Taiwan among many countries? Because it had been my childhood dream. Around fifth or sixth grade, I watched the Taiwanese drama "Meteor Garden" and felt that Taiwan was a beautiful place with delicious food and a lot of fun. I fantasized that maybe one day, I could bump into Jerry Yan on the street!

I can tell you, I actually met him this September! He was filming in a park near my home. I asked the crew if I could take a photo with him, but it was refused. I only saw his back.

Initially, I wanted to study in Taiwan, but my parents didn't have money, and my younger sister needed to go to high school, so I decided to work full-time as a caregiver in Taiwan. I first learned Chinese, cleaning, and elderly care through an Indonesian agency over three months.

In the beginning, there were many things I wasn't used to in Taiwan. For example, Indonesian food has strong flavors, but Taiwanese meals are too bland for me; I couldn't swallow them at first. 

When the agency first gave me a lunch box, it took me almost an hour to finish it. After some time, I gradually discovered that Taiwan also has many delicious foods. I used to think stinky tofu was bad, but now I enjoy it more. Beef noodles, scallion pancakes, and others have become my favorite dishes.

Having stayed here for 11 years, I find Taiwan's society quite intriguing. 

For instance, in my country, few people would say “thank you”. But in Taiwan, whenever someone helps each other or borrows something, they say “thank you” all the time. I also noticed that Taiwanese people love queuing. Many Taiwanese don't know much about Indonesia; they're only familiar with Bali, assuming it’s a different country. I have to explain to them that Bali is just a small island in Indonesia. Also, where I lived in Indonesia's rural area, neighbors had good relationships, and helping each other was common, but Taiwan isn't quite like that. 

However, of course, Indonesia also has its downsides, such as it being difficult to find a good job without an education in my hometown. In Taiwan, I see ordinary middle-aged women working in department stores, but in Indonesia, it seems you have to be young and slim to work in those places.

Additionally, I feel like Taiwanese people experience significant stress. Recently, a friend of mine secluded themselves for three whole months, unwilling to contact anyone. I think that's not good for mental health. Also, chatting with the elderly, I noticed that Taiwanese used to prefer having sons, but now they seem to prefer daughters as they believe daughters take better care of their parents. Moreover, daughters-in-law are often considered outsiders in the eyes of their parents-in-law.

Taiwan needs migrant workers, but it's still difficult for us to stay

From my observations in Taiwan, I feel there are many lonely elderly people here. Taiwan's young people should pay more attention to their parents. I wrote a story about caring for an 80-year-old lady and won this year's Immigration Worker Literature Award. 

These lonely elderly exist in every country, but what I've seen in Taiwan is much more compared to Indonesia. Taiwanese often hire caregivers to take care of their parents, but it eventually turns into assigning all tasks to these domestic helpers. Previously, they might have visited their parents once a week, but now it's become once a year because everything relies on these helpers.

After so many years, I've grown accustomed to Taiwan and contemplated staying here. However, considering my status, it's still somewhat difficult to stay. Before, we couldn't stay, but now there's an opportunity to apply for permanent residency. The process involves first applying for a "mid-level technical labor" qualification, working for 5 years, and then applying for permanent residency. 

“But who knows if, after 5 years, we'll get the approval?”

Moreover, the most challenging condition in this process is the salary, which amounts to nearly 50,000 NT dollars per month. Are there employers willing to pay us this much every month? 

Our basic salary used to be just over NT$10,000, now it's around NT$20,000, and many employers are unwilling to pay that much, preferring to hire newcomers at lower wages. If I want to stay, relying on this job route might be quite challenging.

Perhaps marriage might be a simpler route? 

However, this involves finding a good partner, as we come from different cultures and need to understand each other well. 

I've had a Taiwanese boyfriend in the past. Around 2016, he accompanied me to Indonesia to meet my parents, but after returning to Taiwan for only 3 months, he suddenly said we weren't suitable and broke up. I asked him what wasn't suitable, we had been together for 2 to 3 years, why didn't he tell me earlier? But he didn't answer and blocked me on social media. That's my experience of dating in Taiwan. Nonetheless, I still hold hope for love.

I want to stay in Taiwan because, on the one hand, I find the transportation here very convenient. I love cooking, and I can find any ingredients I need. It's also safe here, unlike in Indonesia where I wouldn't dare to go out after 9 PM. In Taiwan, even if it's midnight and I have to ride back home alone, I feel it's okay.

When I first came to Taiwan, I couldn't speak Chinese; I only knew "good" and "understand," and I was scolded by my boss all the time. But after slowly learning Chinese, my employers were willing to entrust me with many tasks. 

Regular domestic helpers might not be able to handle things like dealing with the electricity company or going to the bank, but I can. So, I am grateful to my employers; they have taught me a lot here.

If I can stay in Taiwan in the future, I want to share more about Indonesian culture here. I love cooking, so I think I can introduce Indonesia to more people through my culinary skills.

Leonardp Pape, a German independent journalist based in Taiwan. 

Leo: Becoming Taiwanese Is Quite Challenging

I am an international journalist from Germany stationed in Taiwan, mainly covering Taiwan's political and social news for German media including newspapers and radio.

I previously stayed in China for some time, learning Chinese, and my time in Taiwan isn’t as long. Hence, what I'll discuss might not represent everyone's views. However, I can provide some observations based on my experiences.

From the standpoint of a foreign journalist living in Taiwan, the country seems very open, but becoming Taiwanese is quite challenging. I have many foreign friends who have lived in Taiwan for a long time and speak fluent Chinese, yet they still find it challenging to integrate fully into Taiwanese society or obtain citizenship. 

Taiwan has opened up its immigration policy in recent years, but the process of naturalization is still relatively strict compared to other countries like Germany or the United States. The naturalization requirements include a lengthy residency, Mandarin proficiency, a knowledge test about Taiwan, no criminal record, and financial stability. Even after fulfilling these conditions, there's no guarantee of obtaining citizenship.

Speaking of Taiwanese society, I believe the largest group of foreigners isn't people like me, Caucasians, but rather migrant workers from Southeast Asia. However, they don't really have much opportunity to become Taiwanese. Although there has been some opening up recently, I feel it's far from sufficient. 

“Taiwan should stop treating immigrants as a special group excluded from mainstream society, nor should there be discriminatory treatment among the category of "foreigners." I see this as a fundamental human rights issue.”

Taiwanese flexibility key to accommodating more foreigners

On a societal level, even if one obtains permanent residency or an ID card, it doesn't equate to becoming Taiwanese. It's not just about identity; even if you have the documents, it's still challenging to naturally be seen as a part of Taiwanese society by others.

In Germany, I feel it's similar; not all individuals who acquire German citizenship are entirely seen as Germans. People still care about where their parents are from, or if they have immigrant backgrounds. This might be somewhat inevitable because most nations classify based on ethnicity, making it challenging for people who look different to be accepted.

My idea is, that if you reside in a place long-term, have friends, and work there, you should naturally become a part of that society without boundaries. But this is a lengthy process. I believe everyone should slowly change old mindsets, and Taiwan has the opportunity in this regard. After all, the identity of a "Taiwanese" itself is somewhat contentious; even Taiwanese themselves aren't entirely clear on what it means to be "Taiwanese." 

For example, Taiwanese encompass indigenous peoples, local inhabitants, and mainlanders; it has already accommodated many different ethnic groups.

Taiwan can start from here, defining itself as an inclusive place. We are all residents of this beautiful island. If you live here, you have a fundamental connection with this land.

Hope Taiwan can become a society where people feel a sense of belonging

Shifting from theoretical perspectives to my personal feelings, I must admit, that I don't aspire to become Taiwanese. At least not a hundred percent. It's not because I dislike it here; I've lived in many different places and feel a sense of belonging to many, but I have some reservations about the concept of a "nation." 

I believe defining one's identity doesn't necessarily have to rely on being a citizen of a country. It's not imperative for everyone to become Taiwanese; allowing each person to retain their own identity adds value to diversity.

The most important aspect of having a connection with a place, I believe, is participating in that society, making friends, caring for each other, and supporting one another. For instance, being able to stand here and share with you means I can interact with this society. I find this very valuable. I spent a year in China before, but due to authoritarianism, there were many restrictions; there was no conversation about whether to become Chinese or not.

If you want people to engage in society, you need to give them rights, provide assistance, and let them know how to utilize these rights. Additionally, a sense of belonging is crucial. I feel relatively connected to Taiwan myself; I am doing meaningful work, and engaging with Taiwanese journalists and others in society, which gives me a sense of fulfillment. I think many Taiwanese are reserved; they don't usually ask too many questions to foreigners, pretending that everything is the normal, which actually makes it easier for me to integrate into this society, feeling more natural. 

I believe Taiwanese people have their enthusiasm, but sometimes it's challenging to communicate with them. I've had some foreign friends tell me that they aren't sure how to start conversations or make friends with Taiwanese. If you see someone who hasn't been in Taiwan for too long needing help, you can still find ways to get closer to them.

Listening to Ririn's story about her interactions with Taiwanese, I feel sorry. Of course, such breakup stories happen to people in any country, but I believe if you're in a relationship with a foreigner, especially when they're in an unfamiliar cultural environment, I think there might need to be more empathy in this regard. I hope this society can have more understanding of different people.

Of course, it must be said, that among foreigners, there are many different experiences. I have certain privileges myself in Taiwan. I can choose how long I want to stay here. Even if I can't obtain permanent residency, I can go elsewhere, return to my country, and come back to Taiwan. 

As for immigrants from Southeast Asian countries, coming here is about improving their living conditions, so they work very hard. The foreign communities in Taiwan also have many different types. 

I hope Taiwan won't treat migrant workers as second-class citizens anymore, nor consider foreigners as another group outside of society.

Before coming to Taiwan, my biggest impression of Taiwan was its music. I liked Wu Bai for a very long time. I had heard Yeh Chi-Tien's song "Ai Pan Jiu Hui Ying" (Life Will Win If You Fight) in China before. My regret in Taiwan is that I didn't make more effort to learn Taiwanese. Language is a key to culture, and if I truly wanted to become Taiwanese, learning Taiwanese should have been important. 

"Ai Pan Jiu Hui Ying" represents a kind of Taiwanese lifestyle for me: if you truly want something, you will continuously strive and give everything to achieve that goal. I find this very admirable. 

Perhaps, this is what "becoming Taiwanese" means to me.