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Hi everyone!

Happy 4th! Well this thread has already shot past 1000! That was fast.

Everything's smooth sailing here. Now I'm drifting into that comfort zone where nothing seems worth commenting on day to day, just easy living in a down home town.

I was stunned to read that the US up and canceled 60,000 H1B technology visas this week! That will free up TONS of programming jobs.

I can understand that there was some jealousy in the '90s, but I think we all now understand that it's not just this profession or that profession, but it's ALL of us on the chopping block, we really MUST stop this international jobs giveaway that has ruled the roost for the last 15 years.

Plus I read that in India the price for good programmers (I even read somewhere else than only about 5% are employable by Western standards anyway) is now up to 75% the wage that Americans demand.

That means all the cross-cultural and 12hr-time-difference BS isn't even worth it anymore. That will free up TONS MORE positions in the US.

I haven't even thought about programming since I shifted gears and went back to English teaching, but I was close to taking the first of the 5 tests when I left (and I already hold two of them, I'll just have to renew those two as well). So reading that made me look to see if testing facilities are here in Taiwan, and they're all over the place!

There's tons of them, and I have loads of hours of free time with this gig. I am definitely going to complete the certification, in a timely and enjoyable fashion. I very well might be back in the US by February! That would be so cool. There are an enormous number of things to love about being where I am now, and I do love them all, but I would be happier being back in the US.

But no rush, English teaching is a lovely little gold tap I can keep on while I get my certs, then who knows, Mountain states, West Coast states, hmmm, I better start planning where I want to move to next, seven months will go by in a hurry!

Happy 4th again everyone, and hope all is well,

starbase