OK I have been here for a few weeks now, and the first things I have noticed about Taiwan are:
Pollution
Wow, Taiwan is extremely polluted. It is clearly visible in the air, you cannot see more than 2 kilometers even in rural areas, the air often smells of chemicals and can leave a weird taste in your mouth. Apparently the ground water is quite polluted and from what I have seen and experienced a lot of pesticides are used on crops.
It looks like the prime air polluters are the Coal Power plants. Nuclear should alleviate some of the pollution, but Taiwan’s energy needs are so great I cannot see them moving away from coal completely.
Taiwan should also look at imposing restrictions on the use of 2 stroke engines as these create a lot of noticeable pollution in the city centres.
Lack of Maintainance
Everything is dirty. Scooters are rusting to pieces and UV damaged, paint on roads is fading and worn, public gardens are dying and scruffy, tiles on buildings are grotty and there are lime and rust stains everywhere.
As a side note, it looks like the Taiwanese do not know how to make concrete properly as all the bridges around here have bits crumbling off them, as well as the kerbs.
The Taiwanese are LOUD
There is no such thing as peace and quiet here. As I type I can hear people driving their cars around with loud speakers playing some political message. At Alishan there were people up at 5am on loud halers advertising their stalls, even at the top of the mountain, and they had an “official guide” who got on one as well, said a bit about the place then proceeded to start advertising products at the local shops.
The garbage trucks come very early in the morning and play Ice Cream van music VERY VERY loudly.
Rudeness
I get a lot of inquiring looks in the streets, and also a lot of very rude stares. Women are generally good, and look inquisitive some even friendly but a number of men usually only middle age and older ones have been very rude and have acted aggressively around me as if I am some sort of threat.
The men often will get in my way and create an annoyance, and will only move when I push them.
Food
The Taiwanese do not seem to eat many vegetables. It is very hard to go out and get a healthy balanced meal, it seems you can only buy noodle soups, fried items, dumplings, baking an so on. Even at restaurants Chinese dishes that traditionally have a lot of vegetables e.g. Kung Pao Gee Ding in Taiwan are made sans the vegetables.
What have other people first noticed when coming to Taiwan? and any opinions on what I have written about ?
Pollution levels have dropped incredibly over the last couple of decades.
2-strokes are no longer allowed to be made.
Taiwanese don’t eat many veggies? I don’t know WHERE that one comes from!
Gungpao chicken doesn’t have vegetables in except for peanuts, scallions and chillies.
But I’d bet all my savings that New Zealand is a lot nicer!
[quote=“MadeInNewZealand”]OK I have been here for a few weeks now, and the first things I have noticed about Taiwan are:
Pollution
Wow, Taiwan is extremely polluted. It is clearly visible in the air, you cannot see more than 2 kilometers even in rural areas, the air often smells of chemicals and can leave a weird taste in your mouth. Apparently the ground water is quite polluted and from what I have seen and experienced a lot of pesticides are used on crops.
It looks like the prime air polluters are the Coal Power plants. Nuclear should alleviate some of the pollution, but Taiwan’s energy needs are so great I cannot see them moving away from coal completely.
Taiwan should also look at imposing restrictions on the use of 2 stroke engines as these create a lot of noticeable pollution in the city centres.
Lack of Maintainance
Everything is dirty. Scooters are rusting to pieces and UV damaged, paint on roads is fading and worn, public gardens are dying and scruffy, tiles on buildings are grotty and there are lime and rust stains everywhere.
As a side note, it looks like the Taiwanese do not know how to make concrete properly as all the bridges around here have bits crumbling off them, as well as the kerbs.
The Taiwanese are LOUD
There is no such thing as peace and quiet here. As I type I can hear people driving their cars around with loud speakers playing some political message. At Alishan there were people up at 5am on loud halers advertising their stalls, even at the top of the mountain, and they had an “official guide” who got on one as well, said a bit about the place then proceeded to start advertising products at the local shops.
The garbage trucks come very early in the morning and play Ice Cream van music VERY VERY loudly.
Rudeness
I get a lot of inquiring looks in the streets, and also a lot of very rude stares. Women are generally good, and look inquisitive some even friendly but a number of men usually only middle age and older ones have been very rude and have acted aggressively around me as if I am some sort of threat.
The men often will get in my way and create an annoyance, and will only move when I push them.
Food
The Taiwanese do not seem to eat many vegetables. It is very hard to go out and get a healthy balanced meal, it seems you can only buy noodle soups, fried items, dumplings, baking an so on. Even at restaurants Chinese dishes that traditionally have a lot of vegetables e.g. Kung Pao Gee Ding in Taiwan are made sans the vegetables.
What have other people first noticed when coming to Taiwan? and any opinions on what I have written about ?[/quote]
Hi2u that is the hell hole of Taichung county; Shalu and that area, Wuqi.
The good news is, after a while you won’t notice it as much any more.
And once you get used to the hectic lifestyle here, chances are high that you’ll find New Zealand utterly boring when going back.
Taiwan old hands will also tell you that’s been far worse a decade or two ago. It’s amazing how fast things change here. So there is hope. Just stick around long enough.
I give it not more than 3 months before you feel a bottle breaking on your skull
There are a few stories around this on the site.
But do NOT push them - you’re playing with fire (or even with your life) acting as such. the only place where it is alowwed to push is when trying to get out of an elevator before 20 are trying to get in.
PS. I could have written a total same story 4 years ago when I arrive, but believe me, Taiwan is just GREAT. You still need to find the bars - spots - people - sceneries which let you forget in which hole you ended up (your Area indeed)
Loud? LOUD? Ever been to India or Vietnam? That is waht is loud - cities where you can hear 24 hours of honking the horn of each car - bike with an interval of 3 seconds.
You just arrived in paradise, but you are not aware yet…
Shame that you ended up out in the boondocks; Taichung county is everything that you’ve described. One of these weekends, get onto a train (if you’re new, I assume you won’t have a car) and head up to Yangmingshan (near Taipei) or to Alishan in Chiayi County. Go to Eslite in Taipei and stock up on English titles. If you have more time, go to the east coast. (Be warned: after seeing it, you may never return.) Not all of Taiwan is a disgusting cesspool; there is clean(ish) air to be had and there are nice places to live, but you have to know where to look.
It’s funny, when I read posts like this it takes me back to my first year and just how miserable I was here. I was in Chiayi County, which is similar to Taichung County in its… errr…ummm “local rural” population. Hang in there; it gets better. And as someone said, NZ will look entirely boring by comparison when your return home. (Beautiful, but boring and terribly “inconvenient”).
And as someone else said, DON’T PUSH THE LOCALS. Most are harmless, but some have entire batallions armed with baseball bats, waiting to kick your waiguoren ass. Push to get past, but don’t outright shove (except when boarding busses, the MRT or getting into a lift).
I don’t know how long you’ve been here, but to me it sounds like (a bit of) culture shock? Hard to say.
However, it gets better, believe me. Soon you will find your favorite watering hole/restaurant/supermarket/liquor store/barber shop/beach/cycling track/hiking trial, etc. You’ll even find that some 7-Elevens/Family Marts/Welcomes are better/friendlier/better stocked than others. Give it time.
Don’t go around focusing on the pollution, rudeness, loudeness, dirtyness, and the ca-bu-duo-ness alone.
Hannes wrote:
True words!
And to reiterate what ceevee 369 said: DO NOT push people! :no-no: :no-no: :no-no:
Posts on what it is like to live in Taiwan belong, not surprisingly, in the Living in Taiwan section, so I’ll move this there for you.
As for your first impression, I completely agree with nemesis.
Well, do remember that staring here is not considered rude, so you’ll just have to get used to the inquisitive looks. Smile and nod. If you appear friendly, you’re likely to get a friendly response.
This doesn’t match my perceptions. Perhaps you just need to avoid the places that only fry crap, and go to the ones that do stir-fries etc… Maybe you need to learn to ask for the vegetables? Blanched green vegetables, such as A-cai, are called tang4 qing1 cai4 in Mandarin. Try asking for it next time – a side dish is often around $30NT. Do you speak any Chinese, btw? We also have a Learning Chinese forum here where you can ask how to say things like that. We’ll be happy to help.
[quote=“MadeInNewZealand”]The men often will get in my way and create an annoyance, and will only move when I push them.
[/quote]
You are definately asking to wake up in a hosipital or not at all by coming to a foreign country, not understanding the norms, and pushing ppl to get out of unknown situations.
Is it their fault? Maybe. Is it your fault for messing up some norm or taboo w/o knowing it? More likely. Does it matter who’s fault? Nope, at least the nurse won’t care when she tries to figure out how to call the damn foreigner’s next of kin. Yeah this is a little harsh but you need to know how to be a bit more of an observer and passive so you not only avoid the small chance of really bad things happening, but also you get more enjoyment out of your stay by actually understanding things as they happen.
Terribly sorry to here about your condition, I mean location. Afraid there’s no cure for that other than moving.
Not to belittle your pain, MINZ, but running down your list, they pretty much all rate as what I loved about this place when I first came.
Hilarious.
One by one, they’ll all start to either grow on you, or you’ll realize suddenly that it hasn’t bugged you for a week or two.
Or, you know, not, and you’ll end up going berserk and commit mass murder in a 7-11 with a watermelon knife.
Naked.
You’ll find whatever you’re looking for here. I spent my first three months in Taiwan in the same area you are in, twenty years ago, and I loved it once I learned to stop comparing it to home.
You’ll find whatever you’re looking for here. I spent my first three months in Taiwan in the same area you are in, twenty years ago, and I loved it once I learned to stop comparing it to home.[/quote]
Yah, indeed. I’ve been a regular visitor to wondrous Shalu and Wuqi lo these nigh 20 years. The sight of Shalu in the rearview mirror never fails to lift my spirits.
[quote=“sandman”][quote=“Tomas”]What the chief said.
You’ll find whatever you’re looking for here. I spent my first three months in Taiwan in the same area you are in, twenty years ago, and I loved it once I learned to stop comparing it to home.[/quote]
Yah, indeed. I’ve been a regular visitor to wondrous Shalu and Wuqi lo these nigh 20 years. The sight of Shalu in the rearview mirror never fails to lift my spirits.[/quote]
OP, if it doesn’t get better and you want (or need) to stay in Taiwan, it’s better for you to live in Taipei City.
I agree on all counts with you, but specifically want to add the enormous traffic rudeness (especially against pedestrians). But at least in Taipei the situation is a lot better. Also in the other respects.
I stayed in Taiwan for almost 5 years and my move away from Taipei to another city made everything worse contrary to what I expected. Dumb move of me.
I toughened up against this culture and didn’t feel happy anymore. I lost some of my good health and getting a good night rest became difficult. If it just keeps getting worse, you may have to leave Taiwan.
Haha I wasn’t really complaining, they were more just observations of things I had found a little strange compared to what I am used to. It may have sounded like I am bitter, but I am not.
Taiwan seems like a really interesting place, I am enjoying learning about a new culture and experiencing new food like Stinky Tofu which is suprisingly yummy. The conveniences here are great, the bus service works like clockwork, the trains are clean and fast and the taxi drivers are always talkative. I like Taichung, its quite interesting and the shopping is great, but if we move here long term we will be living in Taipei as Taichung is just too close to my partners parents who in true Taiwanese style are very caring, but like to interfere.
Also, although I get rude looks here sometimes no one has said anything rude yet. Asian people get it much worse anywhere in NZ outside of the main cities.
I have been to Alishan, and compared to the story tale the websites tell it was only OK. The views of the mountains were spectacular but everything near the paths in the forests looked trampled until we were about 2 hours walk from the main village when it started to look more natural again. When we came across a group of mainlander tourists I discovered why, they were pulling leaves off plants, walking everywhere but on the path and flicking cigarette butts into the forest.
I am looking forward to going to Hualien and Taipei in the next few weeks.
