Well being here for only a month I am one of these “newbies” and I guess it must be obvious because foreigners have totally ignored me since I got here. I was surprised, I am from a big city too and all but just to be acknowledged with a smile or nod would be nice. I sense superiority and hostility often as well. I think the OP hit the nail on the head, I would just like to meet a few nice foreigners is that too much to ask? How am I supposed to make friends here if no one will even acknowledge my presence?
You came here to meet foreigners? :?
Reagan and Clinton are both of Irish ancestry, no?[/quote]
Yes, but I guess it depends how far back you go down the family tree. I try to avoid getting into the whole Protestant / Cathloic thing (coming from N. Ireland) but there was talk here when he came over that Reagan or his family were originally Catholics who converted (or whatever) to Protestantism. I didn’t look into it at the time, so I don’t know the facts, but anyone who is interested may like to check it up.
Luna,
segue.com.tw/viewtopic.php?t=5551&start=30
Friendly people these are.
Sure there are many, many people who purposely avoid acknowledging the presence of another foreigner, but there are just as many who do, be it with a smile or nod, in my experience at least.
I’d much prefer to befriend people in the latter group than the first. Wouldn’t you?
Thanks for the tip on the game club but I’m in Kaohsiung. Maybe we can start one here:)
Tigerman, just wanted to say of course I didn’t come to Taiwan just to meet other foreigners, all I am saying is I would like to have a few friends from similar backgrounds to hang out and talk with. I am not saying I will hang out with only foreigners, I would love to meet Taiwanese too.
[quote=“miltownkid”]For the sake of science, I started giving a big smile and nod to all foreigners that are in proximity (did I use that right).
So far it seems that the majority smile/nod back right away or are caught off gaurd a bit, but smile back. Rarely have I made eye contact with someone, gave the nod and smile and got a cold stare. More results to come…[/quote]
It’s been almost a month of being nice to YOU foreigners and here are the EXACT results:
4.222% of the time they beat me to the smile/nod
5.67% of the time a strange situation arises, an ice grill (CLICK HERE for definition: see ice grill) or no response.
21.78% of the time the other foreigner is surprised by my extreme niceness and smiles/nods back.
and
72.696969% of the time I get a prompt nod/smile or whatever back.
So science has proven that it’s ok to smile/say hello to those freaky foreigners. Except for those REALLY freaky foreigners that I decided not to include in my experiment.
I wonder if you included me in your experiment? If so, it could explain why your figures don’t quite add up – one of my smiles would probably push the total above 100%. Do you remember smiling at a singularly eye-catching tall, athletic, well-dressed, wise-looking, devastatingly handsome and charming young foreigner? Well that wasn’t me. I’m not tall.
I met some really nice foriegners who smiled at me and talked to me. They told me all about something called Later Day Saint. Now the problem is how to get rid of these guys.
Interesting. I have a couple of those friendly guys talking about the same too. They visit me every evening.
Well I smile and not to all foreigners looking lost, hewever, when it comes to the ones I actualy want to meet up with?
A bit picky, I prefer long-termers, who are settled down and don’t plan to leave anytime soon.
Young English teachers, who plan to stay here for 1 year before grad school? No, they’re too green and why make friends with someone who’ll be gone in 6 months?
There are not all that many long-termers down where I live. I know of a nice guy in Zhongli, and know of a few more living in the same community as I do. But the odd 22 year old guy, who races to Taipei to get pissed on saturday nights? Naa, not interested.
Baffled by some of the fellow foreigners’ habit to turn their heads away when I try and make amiable eye contact on the street. Is it perhaps…
people don’t like to be reminded that they are not special?
everyone wants “their own private Asia”?
embarrassment of sharing the same (oh no!) occupation?
confusion akin to walking into a party and seeing somebody wearing exactly the same clothes?
lack of street etiquette?
profound depression?
lateness?
no smokes?
am I scary?
what is it?
And I should acknowledge every foreigner I see, because…?
I will treat everyone who tries to make eye contact here just like I would at home. I don’t know you. I don’t have to know you? You are not special just because you are a foreigner. If I get trapped talking to everyone who looks at me I’ll never get anywhere.
Give me a good reason why I should acknowledge you when after you see my local wife and son you will not have any interest in starting a conversation anyway?
Why don’t you start a conversation and not be so insecure?
Are all foreigners English Teachers?
Can all foreigners speak English? Bet ya didn’t think of that one.
You are not special either?
Perhaps they have a life. I dunno, but I wouldn’t waste valuable living time thinking about it. Accept it and move on.
I fear i was misunderstoond. I am not looking for conversation. A brief smile will do, which doesn’t take any time as you speed past.
And incidentally, I think it is a good idea to acknowledge someone on the street if they smile at you, regardless of their foreignness or locality.
[quote=“peregrinator”]Baffled by some of the fellow foreigners’ habit to turn their heads away when I try and make amiable eye contact on the street. Is it perhaps…
people don’t like to be reminded that they are not special?
everyone wants “their own private Asia”?
embarrassment of sharing the same (oh no!) occupation?
confusion akin to walking into a party and seeing somebody wearing exactly the same clothes?
lack of street etiquette?
profound depression?
lateness?
no smokes?
am I scary?
what is it?[/quote]
i’d think more positively if i were you. believe it or not, all people are not required to acknowledge you when they walk by you. feel happy when they do!
Ask yourself this:
a) Are you cute?
b) Are you female?
Now you know why I’m not looking at or talking to you.
Where I grew up looking or smiling at someone on the street could get you beaten up or worse. It’s not a habit that I wish to develop, it could get me killed when I go home.
I have run into other foreigners that have come up to me, shook my hand, took me out for food, beer, conversation, given me tips on my job search, set me up w/ demos and contacts, and left me with a welcomed feeling. I have come across others who have practically ran across civic boulevard to avoid me. In heavy traffic. To the former, I thank you. To the latter, kiss my ass.
The friends I do have here have told me that when other foriegners make a point of not even returning eye contact it’s because of some sort of emotional turmoil; maybe they are here to avoid the loserdom life from wherever they are from, and make a new one here. People who look like them remind them of their failures in life. Just a though; I haven’t really formed an opinion about this yet.
I have even come across an old roomate of mine, twice, near Xinpu MRT, and he has avoided even making eye contact w/ me. Maybe it’s because he still owes me for a month’s rent plus utilities from 8 years ago. :s
Anyway, my first week here, I was surprised to be completely ignored by some foriegners, but I got over it. I make eye contact with everyone and enjoy a response from anyone who cares to give me one. I am a friendly guy. It’s not a big deal to me.
As this is a forum for the Taiwan oriented online community, I would like to extend this friendliness to whomever wishes to recieve it. PM me; lets get together. I like people and I don’t care what culture or colour you are.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! 
smashy
There are only two kinds of strangers that I smile at:
small children and babies who often smile back
and
people who stare at me and continue to even when I make eye contact (it’s been very therapeutic for me rather than getting defensive about it)
In other words, if you as an adult want to get a smile from me, make eye contact or make my acquaintance as I always acknowledge people I have met. I don’t make exceptions based solely on race, sorry la.
And that is the real point, isn’t it.
I’ll nod, even smile. I don’t get all chatty, I don’t know you. No exceptions based on race.
I can vouch for this having had lunch and a chat with Bassman as he sat in a ball and rocked back and forth mumbling to himself. 
CYA
Okami
According to “Miss Manners” I don’t have to smile or say “hi” just because your not Chinese.
If the locals are staring at you, odds are I will too because you probably look like a weird circus freak.
99.9% of the foreigners I have met here can be considered useless. Drink, teach, go home (not necessarily in any order). In one year they’re gone. Few have any connections with local business or government officials so what purpose would they serve in a practical sense? Most of the long timers are residents. Most of the residents of Taiwan are Chinese. Most of us who are well-adjusted have/should have more Chinese/Taiwanese/Abo friends than foreigners.