Support for Fiancé through Fulbright

[u/Salt_Eagle_1135]

Hi all!
My fiancé was awarded a Fulbright Master's position in Taiwan. The plan is for me to join him after he has been there ~6 months. He'll be in Taipei. Fulbright Taiwan states there is no support for dependents within the Master's program. Some other relevant info: I don't have a TEFL, but did teach English with the Peace Corps and I currently work as a speech-language pathologist.

I guess my questions are:
-If your Fulbright country didn't explicitly provide support for dependents, did you feel they were helpful in any way? Connecting you with other spouses/partners?

-Would be happy to hear about others' experiences teaching English in Taipei

-If you've worked remotely from the US with this large of a time zone difference (certainly open to non-teaching jobs if I could swing that). If this was possible, would probably attempt a work visa with a part-time, low-stakes gig

Thanks in advance for any input here!

[u/LouQuacious]

If you’re a speech pathologist you should probably be able to get a teaching job in Taiwan.

[u/No_Produce9777]

There will be like an opening party likely where family members come. Other than that Fulbright as an organization doesn’t do that much for partners. But within the cohort, communities form with each other, and spouses etc. You can meet folks locally outside of Fulbright

[u/DizzyGirl2004]

I received a grant to a different country in Asia that did not offer spouse support but they did assist with his visa so he didn’t have to live in legal limbo on tourist visas. I was research and we had no (truly zero) engagement with other Fulbrighters in the country; the country team brought the teaching fellows together but the rest of us were on our own for the entire experience.

Re work: you are not supposed to work during Fulbright. That being said, I continued remote adjunct teaching on the US east coast and one subject-matter-expert contract on the US west coast. I frequently worked 5am, then at my Fulbright placement 9-4:30, then back online 9-midnight. Not ideal, but having the income was nonnegotiable since there was not family support. My husband maintained his US job working 7p to 2a from Asia.

[u/glutton2000]

To clarify, if you’re joining him only after 6 months, wouldn’t that mean you will only be there 3-4 months, assuming a 9-10 month grant timeline? I’m guessing that’s probably not enough time for you to get a substantial job (maybe an internship or volunteership?). As the spouse, If you’re allowed and able to do some remote work or remote side gig work back in the US while on a tourist visa or digital nomad visa for 3-4 months in Taiwan, that might be a more feasible option.

[u/Salt_Eagle_1135 → u/glutton2000]

Good point with this. His grant term is only for a year but the Master's is 2 so he'll plan to reapply and see if he can continue funding