LOL...
Hey Dabssa, work better for ya? ....
I am simply providing a neutral and as close to truth post as I could muster. Reality is that some companies just plain "suck". Im just the messenger... but your post is quite funny.
I did go to another company, equally as good as Cathay. In fact even better. So sorry to hear you are still stuck there. Maybe Cathay will give you a second chance.
Leaving was the best thing I ever did.
I am simply trying to help our colleagues with what "my take" was on my experience with the Taiwanese companies were. Of course its my opinion only...and of course its an anonymous forum. Your ability for the obvious is striking! And quite funny...
Ryan, I did not realize you had Married a Taiwanese, and had so much experience with the country. Like Dabykins said, its different for everyone. However, I do stand true to my post. You might have a great time there then, since you will have your family with you, but don't think that it will make you a local at the company. The fact remains that the companies there really suck. I have seen many others there who were just like you, and were passed over again and again. None similar to you became captains. All that I knew similar to you (married a local etc) moved on because they kept getting screwed. And I won't even scratch the surface at how seemingly brainless the managment is! Typical top down authoritarian style management. Policy is spoken by whoever is in charge and even if it does not make sense, no one will question and it will continue forever that way. Its unbelievable sometimes. I suggest you go, and check it out, but then keep looking, and focus on a place where you will be on a seniority list for upgrade, and the pay is way better, and it NOT CONTRACT. Especially if you have a fam.
Keeping it simple: The money sucks...it doesnt compete with the rest of the world, you will be fighting an uphill battle based on your skin colour (sad but true), you will work twice as hard (this is not an exaggeration!), you will get no benefits, less vacation time, no upgrade, etc etc. If your American, you will have to pay tax to the US regardless of if your not living there anymore or not and it sounds like you are. From other countries, maybe you can get away with 13-15%. Fabykins says he paid 12%, which means he was an FO and made ***** but still loved it. LOL. Guess he forgot that the more you make the more you pay... .(hey Faby...its graduated numb*****), which makes the fact that he is defending it all the more rediculous for him since hes basically telling everyone he made a ***** salary there and loved it when he could have been enjoying life anywhere else at double the pay.
Although You might accept all the shortcomings since your will have a better family life. However I would suggest that you consider some of the other aspects that you should look at considering you have a family and kids. Pension, upgrade, permanent nature employment not contract, paid schooling, etc. CAL/EVA do not have schooling benefit packages. So you are regulated to the public system. You will not be able to afford the private system. The Taipei/American school is about 20k/year. Just a suggestion, but consider Hong Kong to Cathay or even to the Sandbox and get an upgrade sooner. I think you will be happier as you will get double the money, more time off, work less etc etc. Or stay in your home country and go for the legacy.
Btw, I greatly enjoyed my time in Taiwan, but I hated the company. And I hated how they lied to get you there and use you as an FO, and then get you out so they could only upgrade locals. It even happened to the guys I knew that have local family! But, there is a great nightlife, but I am only dealing with what were MY and most others frustrations with the companies. But then I have seen great nightlife everywhere I have worked. Non of the foreigners stayed... thats just the fact. Think about that. Why would that be? I think Hong Kong would be the best place for you. Dragon Air or Cathay. Your wife will be happy and Hong Kong is in my opinion way more of a better experience all around. And since you have a family, it will have much better of the kind of benefits you should be looking at as a family. Paid school, retirement fund, more holidays, less work days, permanent position etc. Or go and get your 320 command at Air Asia in KUL.
Even though your wife is Taiwanese, you will still be on a contract of the length chosen by CAL/EVA. Recently CAL contract renewal was 1 year. In otherwords, every time you come due, they will look at the req's and either keep you or say goodbye. Put too much time in a company like this, eventually you will be let go and have invested 5+years, with kids in school, no pension savings, and suddenly having to look for a job, no upgrade and having to start over with a real seniority company, and no way to support your family. Taking a big chance man. Over the last year CAL did not renew most foreigner contracts no matter who you were. All nationals stayed, almost all foreigners were terminated! Read between those lines there! You will not be able to be on a local type scheme, and wouldn't want too, because that pay is even more rediculous at about 2-3k month.
Just my opinion for ya.... again! Good luck man!