One light compact umbrella that fits into a bag—that’s all you need.
You have been warned! 
Guy
I have one. I’ve been using it for 4 years. 
You’re good to go.
Over and out,
Guy
I still leave it at home if it’s nothing more than drizzling.
I have a good one for dates with the ladies and the one I’ve been using for the last four years.
Also, young women. I see lots of young 20, 30 somethings with very thin hair. Makes my balding head look luscious.
It’s more common with East Asians than any other ethnic group, I believe. IMO it’s simply because it’s easier to notice with people with black hair, but there’s probably a scientific reason. Follicle density or something.
They are immerging in Taiwanese culture.
You’re hardly 6 ft.
The perceived “avoidance” may be explained by simple maths. A rough estimate of non-Asian residents in Taiwan is 20,000. Around .08% of the 24 million population of the country (overall, higher in metropolitan area). See https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141478/141380/ for interesting data of foreign nationals by country and area of Taiwan.
- Consider the number of random strangers who greet you during an average day (nod, maintain eye contact, say hello, or attempt a conversation). People in the service industry don’t count, obviously. Active engagement by strangers is not the norm, thus the term “stranger.”
- Recognize that bumping into a person or having an otherwise pragmatic reason for breaking a personal tendency of ignoring strangers (which varies by personality, but for the average person is generally the status quo) accounts for most of these random encounters. It seems prevalent in Taiwan’s social contract to implicitly avoid confrontation and most people who reside here become accustomed to this.
- Consider how much more “obvious” non-Westerners are in a relatively homogeneous society. Or other small demographics (sexy police officers, topless people, little people, etc) for that matter.
- In reality, you’re equally ignored by everyone – Taiwanese and foreigners, on average – but more likely, due to a form of attentional bias, to notice being ignored by a foreign stranger.
- Arguably, your state of acculturation and sociocultural or psychological adaptation in Taiwan may cause you to attribute this act of “being ignored” as passive and normal behavior from a stranger, active and abnormal avoidance, or something in between.
- Several factors contribute to the ease of acculturation for most expats in Taiwan, such as linguistic supports, lack of barriers to resources, existing relationships, and even online support (Forumosa).
- The extreme minority status of foreigners in Taiwan, in an environment that offers sufficient linguistic support and easy access to employment and healthcare, makes dependence on other minorities advantageous to only a certain group of individuals (personality and length of residence are factors).
Taiwanese regard all western foreigners being friends of each other. Funny!
2.5k limeys sounds about right. I reckon I must know the 130 or so who live in Taoyuan.
3 guys from Afghanistan and one of them is the guy with Covid. Bad luck for the other two.
I like it when they say… do you know John? He’s a Canadian too.
Me: where does he live
Them: oh in Taipei somewhere.
Ahh yes… of course I know John in Taipei …
There are Canadians that are known widely.
In these parts, the much missed @Mucha_Man .
Currently, the most recognizable Canadian in Taiwan may well be Wes Davies of youtube fame.
Throughout time, it’s no doubt George Leslie Mackay.
Though Marco is working on climbing the rankings… 
Guy
I ignore other foreigners. Other foreigners give me no notice because of my Asian features. Other than that, I see no real reason to act differently than when back in the US, which is to not strike up a conversation unless there is a reason to do so. As for small talk opportunities, such as when in the line at a supermarket, I find it strange to do this with other foreigners because it feels less like small town friendliness and more like talking solely because the other guy is foreign.
I believe it’s because foreigners know all too well that in many cases expats are not exactly the top of the crop so to speak, so, maybe for an excess of cautiousness, they tend to avoid each other.
Most of us here are not expats, expats come to Taiwan to work on an expat package which can be extensive and is limited in time mostly, about 3 years. Many of them do like to network as it can advance their career.
An interesting first post! Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
With views like this, I wonder why then you’d bother to even spend time on this forum? You could instead go find your top-of-the-croppers wherever such folks reside. 
Cheers,
Guy
I’m learning that after being sucked into Forumosa politics forums! 
I’m used to western expats here being a relatively progressive bunch, but perhaps I’m in a bubble of educators. (Or perhaps some of the worst offenders don’t actually live here.)
That’s what I don’t get. Why do people who don’t even live in Taiwan want to go onto a tiny Taiwan expat forum and bicker about American politics? There must be billions of forums on the intrawebs geared towards blathering about Trump or Biden or whoever. And they’re aimed at Americans.
Why come here to do it, where people are simply looking for places to buy sour cream, complain about pollution and the rudeness of Taiwanese people or ask if teaching kindy is illegal?