I can see you know all about fun. Clearly. You’re not miserable at all. Please teach us how to have fun. I’m sure you’re the life and soul of every party
I am really wondering who you are hanging out with. Having lived in quite a few countries, it has been refreshing to me how creative, aware and opinionated (especially young) Taiwanese people are. Not everyone, of course, there is all kinds of folk in every society.
The way you are generalising people in Thailand and Philippines being more “joyful and full of zest” just sounds like a cultural thing that you prefer. And this is OK if you are not judgemental about it. But… if you have failed to meet any colourful unique characters in Taiwan then I’d suggest you to blame the man in the mirror.
8 Likes
My mirror is long since broken. But I stand by my opinion. Are they nice? Sure, some of them. But they lack a spark, a dynamism and a general energy that I look for. And I’ve lived in 6 and been to over 30 countries. If I had to choose from a panel of those countries to pick a person from all those places to hang out with then Taiwan wouldn’t be in the top 20.
Again, I don’t mean to be harsh. And believe me I’ve had plenty of exposure to them. Grey is not a bad colour by the way. It goes with many other colours. I just don’t click with them.
4 Likes
But that’s always been my impression as well especially when compared to the Philippines , the real smiley and outgoing people of Asia!
There’s simply no comparison.
2 Likes
You are Irish ? I’ve always felt Philippines are closest to the Irsih of Asia. They are loud, live proudly, and have bundles of energy and passion. I like both nations deeply. Thailand also gets a shout out
1 Like
Yep I am and I love the Philippines 
. I also like Malaysia which is very easy going and friendly place , where I can converse in English or Chinese and its still chill.
1 Like
I wasn’t disagreeing about the observation, and it is fine to prefer such a society, but it doesn’t mean that less smiley societies “have no social skills”.
A lot of people in Taiwan have no social skills. A lot. The main problem is they are too quiet and will not converse.
If it was an orchestra Irish and Filipinos would be playing Vivaldi Four Seasons and the Taiwanese would be playing Ode to Joy. 
4 Likes
How does your girlfriend feel about your opinions of her country, culture, and people?
6 Likes
It’s probably resulting from the time of martial law.
1 Like
When icicles hang by the wall
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail
And Tom bears logs into the hall
And milk comes frozen home in pail,
When blood is nipp’d and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl . Tu-whit;
Tu-who, a merry note,
While greasy Gain doth keel the pot.
When all aloud the wind doth blow
And coughing drowns the parson’s saw
And birds sit brooding in the snow
And Marian’s nose looks red and raw,
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the staring owl . Tu-whit;
Tu-who, a merry note,
While greasy Gain doth keel the pot.
1 Like
Bad times
If you don’t converse you don’t get past the first round in the ‘social skills’ test in my book.
I mean it works okay in Taiwan cos it’s the culture here in Taiwan to keep quiet and ignore strangers and neighbours (and even family ) to a large degree but outside Taiwan, fail.
3 Likes
filipinos people have Asian body but they have Latin culture, yes they are more friendly and talkative.
The Philippines were colonized by the Spanish for almost 300 years, and … heritage since so much of Filipino and Latino culture is rooted in it.
but if you have a group of Filipinos in the mrt together they give you a headache,
People so don’t talk to strangers and neighbours in many other countries.
She is not Taiwanese so I assume she does not care. Safe to say the Taiwanese girls I did date were not exactly thrilled by my observations back then
2 Likes
I really think that this is a cultural thing. People here have different social norms than what you or I may have grown up with. I guess we can call them ‘social skills’ but we should acknowledge that it is super subjective.
I have to acknowledge that my standards are low though 
. I am from a country where people wait to open their front door if they can hear that a neighbour is around. And, this is the personal space required when queuing for a bus:
7 Likes
Is that Finland?
This specific photo, yes. I am from neighbouring Estonia and the situation is exactly the same 
.