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Being A Black Woman In Taiwan's 'Safety Bubble'

With protection from Covid-19 and little danger of anti-black police brutality, Taiwan is the place to be in 2020. Although the country has contained the spread of the virus since January, there is room for improvement regarding racial awareness. Especially with the current attention on the Black Lives Matter movement.

I have been living in Taiwan for nearly three years, where I’ve worked as an English teacher. I first moved to East Asia to teach English after graduating six years ago. Like most graduates who use English teaching in Asia as a way to travel and earn money, I never planned for this to be permanent. As a Black British woman, I’ve experienced roughly the same amount of discrimination here as I have in other countries I’ve travelled to. Taiwan isn’t perfect, but I feel safe in a way that has allowed me to heal from the accumulative microaggressions that I’ve encountered. After a short trip 'home' to Scotland last November, I realised I didn't want to return to the UK. It wasn’t a place I was comfortable in, although I grew up there. It’s difficult to define what makes me feel secure in Taiwan, but I know it can offer me stability, peace of mind, and opportunities other than English teaching.