Middle-class Taiwanese Immigrant Women Adapt to Life in Australasia: Case Studies from Transnational Households

Abstract

Most women have joined the stream of immigrants from Taiwan to Australasia as associational movers and supporters rather than as autonomous migrants, as part of the Business and Skills Migration Programs. Previous research on Taiwanese immigrants to Australasia has not included a gender-sensitive dimension and this study seeks to understand the immigrant experience and types of problems faced by women in particular. The term “tan chi ma ma” was coined for lone mothers who stay in Australasia with their children during their education, while the men moved back to Taiwan or to other countries to make a living. In spite of their middle-class background and work experiences, the former were excluded from the labor market, and often became full-time homemakers. In this preliminary investigation, four case studies from Australia and New Zealand are presented to illustrate the types of adaptations made by women as “tan chi ma ma.” In spite of struggling to balance the needs of husbands and children and suffering a number of disadvantages in their new environment, they frequently enjoyed an autonomy and freedom from responsibilities they had to fulfill toward their extended families in Taiwan, under the control of their in-laws. Apart from the mutual support and bonds amongst other migrant women, these women benefited considerably from Taiwanese associations of various kinds, which provided practical care upon arrival, friendship, and Chinese educational resources for their children. They were also able to contribute as volunteers in the host society and gain in terms of personal growth and self-esteem, despite facing several difficulties in adapting to the new environment. In this paper, the voices of Taiwanese women are represented through a qualitative study to gain an empathetic understanding of their situation.