Expats in Hualien belong to a small, multinational diasporic group that functions similarly to a small town. Because there are few international business opportunities in Hualien, there are fewer members of this community, but expats there are more long term and the rate of expats married to Taiwanese spouses is higher. Because of the nature of this expat community, the functionality of the group is different from that in a global city. Expats experience a strong expat community, but weaker individual interactions, along with forced friendships and group identity. Although most “light skinned” foreigners are grouped into this expat identity by outsiders, some do not interact with the expat community due to a class difference. Within those who do interact in the expat community, there is separation based on nationality, although it is weaker than that of a global city and not based on nationalistic or patriotic feelings. Because the Hualien expat community is more acculturated than expat communities in large cities, it is difficult to say whether or not a distinct community exists. However, interactions between expats and the close proximity of their residences and businesses, as well as the existence of recreational spaces for expats point towards a separation between the local Taiwanese population and expat community. The separation between these two communities is exacerbated by use of the term “外國人” (Wai Guo Ren, meaning “foreigner”), which local Taiwanese use when referring to “white” or “light-skinned” foreigners, and may be seen as a neutral term by local Taiwanese, but derogatory by expats.

Chapter 1: Introduction 1
1.1 Significance of Research 1
1.2 Inspiration 2
1.3 Background Information 3
1.4 Research Purpose and Questions 6
Chapter 2: Literature Review 9
Chapter 3: Methodology 17
3.1 Research Framework 17
3.2 Ethical Considerations 20
3.3 Limitations 21
Chapter 4: Expat Life in Hualien 25
4.1 Government Statistics 25
4.2 An Overview of Life in Hualien 26
4.3 Defining an Expat Community 27
4.4 Small Town Life: Inclusive and Exclusive 29
Chapter 5: Separation of Class, Nationality, Marital Status and Gender Among a Small Expat Community 39
5.1 Motivation and Class 39
5.2 Trailing Spouses vs. Individual Expats 42
5.3 Separation by Nationality 45
5.4 Separation by Marital Status and Gender 49
Chapter 6: Individual and Community Identity for Expats 51
6.1: Does the Expat Community Space Really Exist? 51
6.2: Expat or Foreigner? 58
Chapter 7: Summary 69
References 75
Appendix 79

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