With the passage of time, the first generation of Taiwanese immigrants who once flooded into the United States in pursuit of the “American Dream” in the late 20th century are collectively facing a major turning point in life: where to settle down after retirement? In recent years, the overseas Taiwanese community in Southern California has observed a clear trend – more and more Taiwanese immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for decades are choosing to either return to their roots in Taiwan or lead a “snowbird lifestyle” between Taiwan and the U.S. Behind this wave of returning lies a profound consideration of cost of living, healthcare systems, cultural identity, and social security.
For immigrants who support the idea of returning to their homeland, the “cost-effectiveness of quality of life” is the most realistic driving force. The constantly rising housing prices, cost of living, and heavy burden of healthcare insurance in Southern California make retirement life stressful. In contrast, Taiwan’s universal healthcare system and relatively low cost of living allow the same retirement income to yield a higher quality of life.
Aside from economic factors, “sense of psychological security” and “cultural belonging” are also crucial. Many first-generation Taiwanese immigrants settled in Southern California, even though their children have taken root in the U.S., find a growing yearning for their homeland language, cuisine, and social interactions as they enter old age. Furthermore, Taiwan’s good public safety and stable social environment, compared to the rapidly changing social security situation in the U.S. in recent years, serve as a significant incentive attracting many elders back to Taiwan.
“Family responsibility” is also an important factor that cannot be overlooked. Many first-generation immigrants face the caregiving needs of elderly relatives in Taiwan. Choosing to settle back in Taiwan for the sake of “nearby care” and returning to a familiar social circle becomes a choice that balances responsibility and emotions.
Not everyone agrees that returning is the only option. Prominent lawyer and scholar Qiu Zhang emphasizes from the perspective of “core values”, highlighting that the freedom environment and protection of speech in the U.S. are the main reasons for her staying. She mentioned in an interview that despite facing challenges of cost of living and security, the level of protection of individual freedoms and legal systems in the U.S. and Europe remains the top choice globally, and an important support for the continuous development of the new generation of Chinese descendants.
Founder of the California Asian American Lawyers Association (CAAAA), Lawyer Huaqiang, offers a different perspective from the angle of “social contribution”. She observed that some Asian immigrants choose to move to Asia (such as Taiwan or Malaysia) due to life pressures or facing injustice, but this is not a common phenomenon. Huaqiang firmly believes that Asians should actively integrate into mainstream American society, rather than choosing to leave when encountering setbacks.
Huaqiang believes that the influence of Asians in the legal and social sectors is gradually becoming prominent, and she encourages the younger generation to enter the legal and judicial systems to strive for positions such as judges. She emphasizes: “Instead of complaining or leaving, it is better to demonstrate Asian values through practical actions and promote social recognition.” This represents a viewpoint of actively engaging in the society, rooting in the place of residence, and striving for the right to speak.
Observing the current trend, the residential choices of Taiwanese-American immigrants are no longer a simple binary choice between staying or returning. Many adopt a more flexible “snowbird model,” choosing to alternate between living in Taiwan and the U.S., avoiding the extreme climates of the two places or utilizing the festive resources of both. Most people also maintain dual identities and assets, ensuring the ability to adapt flexibly to changes in health, taxes, or family dynamics in both countries.
This trans-Pacific migration reflects not only individual life adjustments but also serves as a microcosm of the ongoing search for a balance point between economic reality, cultural identity, and values for the first generation of Taiwanese-American immigrants.