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Published: December 7th 2010
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My Welcoming Party
Clive, Felicia, Gretchen, Ashley Taipei, Taiwan. What can I say, a whole new world
Literally on the other side of the world. I didn't quite understand this concept until I was on the plane, and oooh boy, you are on there for a day. With the time changes it gets a bit confusing but you can feel the distance. This is one of the prime reasons why a lot of Asian countries have plenty of perks to Americans coming out here who want to teach english. Especially females. Because if you are like me then you have heard negative stories of Asia. Stories laced with danger and lawlessness. Stories about getting human trafficked and sold into sexual slavery. Well, I am not here to tell you that these things do not happen, but I can assure you that they do not happen in Taiwan. Taiwan is the safest of the Asian countries. You can literally walk down a dark alley at 3 in the morning and feel perfectly safe. Not to say this is one of my tourist destinations, because it's not, but the truth is that I can take on any guy out here. Primarily since the Taiwanese are very meek and gentle.
Sushi
Sushi on a conveyor belt, notice the sushi chef wearing a face mask, very common ever since the Asian bird flu They do not learn how to fight back and this is one of an Americans many strengths.
The first thing people ask me out here when I tell them that I am new here, fresh off the plane, they ask me ‘Do you Love it yet?’ All of the inquirers are by expats who have lived here three years plus. Why do they stay here so long in small Taiwan you ask, and this is a good question. The reasons I have gotten don’t stray far from the fact that Taipei is convenient, it’s inexpensive to live here and the people they’ve developed relationships with and met out here are quality. I am first of all surprised at how large the city is. In fact, it’s huge! I did not expect such a large developed city in a small Asian island off main land China. We all know China is a reigning super power and developed country. Yet Taiwan, as small as it is, has a bustling economy of it’s own, as well as negotiated it’s freedom from both China and Japan. Sounds feisty.
I have had the fortune of being able to see the city on the
Scooters on the Sidewalk
Notice the Buddhist Monk on the left, he is listening to headphones back of friend’s scooters. Of which there are a lot. Riding care free on the back as we zip through the wide city streets, surrounded by city buildings, store shops, street food, and around and through traffic. The amazing thing is that there is never stagnate traffic although Taipei and the surrounding areas total a population of almost seven million. The reason is because people keep moving. The motorcycles and scooters are always finding an avenue to move through, fit through, squeeze through, go around. To be honest, the driving out here looks brutal. The rule of the road is to pay attention to only what is in front of you, not what’s coming up behind you or next to you. Back home we learn how to drive defensively. But if you are driving in Taiwan, or Asia for that matter, the rules change. You drive offensively or get out of the way. The movement would be likened to a raging river, complete with rocks and other obstructions. But water always finds a way to flow.
Another thing I have noticed is the helpfulness and sincerity of people. I think especially since I am a white American girl who
speaks English and the people here hold it almost as a sign of class for how much English one can speak. So many people love the opportunity to practice speaking their English with you. In fact, they are extremely impressed if you speak even one word of Chinese. The two words I know here are ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ which people use all the time. Especially thank you. People are just so polite. At times when I have been lost, someone has stopped to help me. So in that respect it’s been fairly easy for me here.
But let’s face it, I don’t speak Chinese. And everywhere around me are Chinese characters, a language that I cannot read, speak or write. It’s amazing. I am completely illiterate in this foreign land. Thank goodness most people speak English and are tolerant of those that don’t speak Chinese. Other wise I would be SOL.
On the negative side which brings on daydreams of the West, you cannot drink the tap water out here. It needs to be boiled first. Which worries me whilst I am brushing my teeth or taking a shower. What if I accidentally swallowed a bit? Maybe
the water shouldn’t be in my mouth at all! The last thing you want to be in a foreign country is sick like a dog and ultimately vulnerable.
I came out here to teach so the first step of course is landing a job, getting a place, getting a scooter ☺ My friend Felicia Braverman, with whom I worked with back in Austin at Hula Hut, is my contact and good buddy out here. It is actually through reading her blog about Taipei that ultimately swayed me. She is currently an ESL teacher (english as a second language) and is developing her own company TEACHBRAVE.com. I encourage you to check it out. She recruits teachers to Asia and South America and gets them in touch with the schools looking for teachers. She is basically the middle man. This is so helpful to me right now because she is not only letting me sleep on her couch but also showing me the ropes and getting me connected. This is invaluable and I wonder how can I repay her in the future for her and her friends extreme generosity.
Wish me Luck and until next time, So Much Love
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Greg
non-member comment
sounds amazing
I love your blog. It seems like you are going to have a great time. Looking forward to more of your stories.