The Turning of Life – Life Story of a Young Taiwanese-Chinese Descendent in New Zealand

• Main Authors: Chou, Li-Chun, 周俐君
• Other Authors: 楊聰榮
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/69985v

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 應用華語文學系 === 101 === In recent years, the rationale for many overseas Chinese youths to migrate back to Taiwan consists of a multitude of reasons, experiences and motives. As discussed in other literature, the decision to return is the sum of many considerations and multi-faceted assessment that come together to make a final choice. A study of the prior literature demonstrates many common motivations, including career choice, environmental preferences, interpersonal relationships, and personal aspirations. To the aspect of career choice, young returnees often make the decision in relation to their current stage in their life-span, which is more focused on career stability or the career-of-life searching. Therefore, they potentially consider turning back to Taiwan if what their field of study has little room for development and prospering in immigrate country while Taiwan could offer a greater space for development. To the aspect of interpersonal relationship, the individual could be more inclined to return to Taiwan if there exists certain relationship-based connections, such as family or friends being in Taiwan, or family needs and expectation from them. As to the motive of environmental preferences stimulates overseas Chinese youths to return is for those who like the abundant and diverse or some certain lifestyle in Taiwan, speak Chinese or enjoy various foods with reasonable price, for example. And to the reason of personal aspiration can explain more of those who left Taiwan with their older age might share stronger belonging to Taiwan, and those who made their life-goal to benifit Taiwan, or who wants to study in Taiwan or expand their life experience. These reasons impel the overseas Chinese youths to return. Additionally, they could be more inclined to return to Taiwan if they could benefit from having dual-language and multicultural background. This study is focused on a detailed analysis of a single case, and uses in-depth interviews, life stories and narrations depicts the miraculous change of heart for one to proactively decide to return to Taiwan. It will analyze different levels of understanding, thoughts and opinions throughout the individual's many stages in life, along with the impact of each on his decision making process. This research establishes a depiction of how this individual's decision making process and transition fits into the larger scope of other studies' observations, and points out the linkage between each consideration and its affect on the final decision. This study will show that every consideration is important; the process can be broken into turning points of capitulation, protest, compulsion, and enthusiasm, culminating in the dissipation of the individual's original reasons for resistance, and return to Taiwan. While the person's decision making process may not be the same as those of other overseas Chinese youths, the decision making process and its related motivations can be taken as a detailed example to further similar research.