Good and Bad about coming home

Discussion Open Forum
1

Dear All,

I recently left Taiwan to transfer back to the US. Of course, things have changed a lot in the five years I’ve been away. I’m really missing a lot about Taiwan. But I’m surprised to find what I do and don’t like.

The Good Things:

  • I’d forgotten how good the weather is here. It’s really hard to find a better place than the California coast.

  • I realize I actually missed driving. Nothing like a scenic drive to clear your head.

  • I’ve found a lot of people that want to change things in the US. Practically every American I’ve talked to can’t stand Bush. I’ve found there are a lot of people who are very angry with him.

  • Five-minute walk to the beach. VERY cool.

  • Nice seeing all kinds of ethnic groups again.

  • Mexican food. Mmmmmm.

The Bad Things:

  • I hope I don’t offend anybody here, but man–Americans really have to lose some weight.

  • I always thought that I was very neutral on fashion. Never put too much into being current or judging people on what they wear. But damn, I’ve seen some people that look like they’re purposely trying to look ugly. Especially young people. If I see another overweight 19-year old girl wearing hip-huggers and nuclear-reactor hair I may propose laws to legislate those things.

  • The area I live in doesn’t have ANY decent Chinese food (Found a decent Korean place though).

  • TV is total crap. I remember thinking that Taiwanese commercials were vapid. American’s are leading the cutting-edge in crass programming. And trying watching kids TV in the US; it’s like they’re trying to create kids with A.D.D.

Anybody else moved back to the US after a long time away? I’m assuming this is normal.

2

There was a thread on this some months back (6 months maybe?). I haven’t taken the time to go back and look for it, as I’m not even sure if it’s under this topic or another.

Personally, I miss NOT having to driving a car almost everywhere. But unless I move to NYC, there’s not much choice about it. I’m also in California, but not so near the coast but I am near Alhambra/Monterey Park and all that authentic Chinese food. In fact, there’s bookstore/cafe chain there where you can order sizzling steak with fried egg, listen to Mandarin pop, play Go and shop for cutsy plastic accessories.

I, too, hate the TV commercials. As if Americans don’t already love their cars enough, the commercials encourage all-out worship of the darn things, reminding us that they are much more than just a means to getting places.

The news is pretty bad too. Everything is a crisis or “breaking news.” A 10-mile per hour “car chase” will get full coverage for over an hour on three different stations. It’s like there’s such a rush to be able to say “We were there first” that they don’t check if it’s worth reporting.

Interviewers are miserable, too, trying to put words into people’s mouths.

TV in general has always been crap. So I can’t really say it’s any worse than 5 or 10 years ago. God forbid, though, all those impressionable pre-teens soaking in those awful “dating” shows everyday after school.

The weather is nice. Sunny so often and not humid! But I miss the lush greenery and it’s easy to take the good weather for granted since it will always be sunny tomorrow, too.

I often just miss small things in Taiwan. The cafe/tea shop I used to frequent. My favorite street vendors. Just the feel of walking down a crowded alleyway, knowing each store front, recognizing the sounds and smells of a particular area. Riding a scooter across a bridge late at night and admiring the city lights. Having moved with my Taiwanese husband helped a lot because we could share memories of people and places. Keeping active here at Forumosa also helps because no one “back home” has any idea of what in the hell you are talking about.

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You are on the LEFT Coast.

But actually, Taiwan has diverse opinions about politics. There some who hate A-bian with a passion, and some who will always remain loyal, while most are somewhere in the middle. It’s just that politicians/parties in Taiwan don’t define themselves by any issue other than the Cross-straits issue. (yawn)

Yup. The lack of diversity in TW really bothered me when I returned here.

Regretably most of America is like this. You’ll be missing those xiao-jies in no time.

Are you sure you’re in CALI? :?

I bet after 2 months, the only friends you’ll have will be Asians. Really. Trust me.

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You can’t find any decent Chinese food?? Are you sure??
I miss the weather back home (Taiwan’s summer is too humid for me) and I miss the yummy Mexican food and FLEA MARKET!!! I miss my car too!!!

Oh, and yes, I miss my family as well! :shock: (almost forget about them)

5

WarMonkey wrote

Yeah, but from what I’ve seen even the people on the “right” aren’t happy with they guy. And remember that Orange County (just 20 minutes from where I live) is known as “Reagan Country”. There seems to be a lot of very pissed Republicans as well. It could all be just anecdotal, but even without it I’m convinced Bush will be another one-term president.

ckvw–I know what you mean about driving. If you’ve got a long commute, or dealing with traffic, then driving can be bad. But I’m only ten minutes from work. Very cool

And I sympathize with the description of what you miss. I think that there’s an energy about living in Taiwan that I miss here.

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Ah yup

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This post was such great reading for me today. Yesterday I was having one of thoes serious need a vacation days. “I hate Taiwan” must have run through my mind a million times.

But there are things that I like about Taiwan and miss when I’m gone.

When I’m home I miss the seven eleven drinks because of the incredable selection. Also, I’m from a small town that has only one seven eleven and that store doesn’t have near the services as these here. I miss paying bills at seven eleven. And I miss my electric bills in Taiwan that are SOOOOO much cheaper!

I miss the coffee/tea shops. I miss, most of all, the hours of opperation for most places here. In my town, Wal-Mart is the only thing open after six or seven.

Although I love to see and hear English all around me at home, I miss listening to other languages, too. I can tune into Spanish on the radio dial, but that’s it. There are so many languages here, native, dialects, foreign languages. That’s nice IMHO.

I MISS MISS MISS the night markets, though I don’t go to them often anymore. I miss the food, too, though I don’t eat it that often here, I cook for myself, mostly.

And although I love getting to drive again at home, I miss the public transport here that is so convienient and resonably priced.

This has been really good for me. Thanks.

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I have always thought that there should be fashion police. A particular fine would be in order for ugly shoes.

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and ugly mugs too

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You don’t really have control over the look you were born with, aside from going under the knife, but those 30-year-old women in Taiwan who wear those Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm dresses are too much.

As to “coming home,” since here is home to me…to be honest, I think after an intitial adjustment period, I could live anywhere. Everyplace has its good points and bad ones.

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I have always thought that there should be fashion police. A particular fine would be in order for ugly shoes.[/quote]
In that case, you’d be sure to get it in the arse for those ancient huarache things you wear! :wink:

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if I left Taiwan, I’d miss …

  • the 24/7 attitude: shops and restaurants of all kinds open at any moment of the day or night, no distinction between Sunday and other days

  • the extremely convenient and cheap public transportation system, including the cabs (not the drivers perhaps …)

  • the diversity of food

… but I would never miss …

  • the hot sticky weather that keeps me inside near the airco even when I know I should be hiking

  • the rude selfish people jumping the line or bumping into you without apologizing.

  • the feeling of not belonging here.

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but enzo, you DO belong here!

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[quote=“Dahudze”]* The area I live in doesn’t have ANY decent Chinese food (Found a decent Korean place though).
[/quote]

The Thai places are usually decent, too. There’s a not-bad Taiwanese place in Irvine off the Jeffrey exit on the 5–across the street from the 99 Ranch.

15

[quote=“enzo+”]if I left Taiwan, I’d miss …

  • the 24/7 attitude: shops and restaurants of all kinds open at any moment of the day or night, no distinction between Sunday and other days

  • the extremely convenient and cheap public transportation system, including the cabs (not the drivers perhaps …)

  • the diversity of food

… but I would never miss …

  • the hot sticky weather that keeps me inside near the airco even when I know I should be hiking

  • the rude selfish people jumping the line or bumping into you without apologizing.

  • the feeling of not belonging here.[/quote]

Ditto on what Enzo said!

Dahudze: There are some good Chinese / Taiwanese on Culver St. as well, so check it out!!!

16

If you think people pushing & jumping in line is a problem here ,you should try China. They have raised this to a national sport. Taiwanese are pussy cats in comparison. The Italians also could teach them a thing or two in this area.
Everythng is relative I suppose.

17

I just returned from 2 weeks in California and here were my first impressions upon returning.

  • Hit with a wall of wet heat upon exiting the Taipei airport. While it was sunny and hot in California, it was infinitely more comfortable than in this humidity.

  • Even in heavily populated areas in the US, the buildings are much more attractive than here and they can’t be seen from the freeway. The Santa Rosa area, for example, is very heavily populated but you can’t even see a house from the freeway – just big green shrubberies.

  • The air here stinks. Went for a walk the other morning and was trying to identify the various odors: bus exhaust, gargage, dog shit, etc. Funny how with time one ceases noticing such things.

  • Notwithstanding the above, Taiwan does have its benefits. On my morning walk I enjoyed the park with all the taichi and kungfu, etc., and picked up some great schwayjienbao for breakfast. Those little things will have to hold me over for the next couple of years until I can get out of here.

18

Seems to me this thread has alot of Californians pining for their homeland. Maybe it should be called Califorumnia.

19

I’m on my way home to TW in a few days. My impressions after two weeks of fun in America:

Love about America:

-Friends and family who ask endless questions about my life overseas. They are actually more interested than I thought they’d be.

-The huge roads and the big-ass American cars I drive when I’m here.

-All of the great Mexican food and the selection of foods and beverages in grocery stores.

-Pants in a 34 length, and shoes in a size 12. Can’t find them in Taiwan.

-Women with curves.

-Great radio stations.

-Feeling like the Soloflex guy next to most of the American guys my age, who are nearly all overweight and paunchy.

Miss about Taiwan:

-Thin women.

-24 hour convenience.

-People who care more about relationships than what brand of shoes you’re wearing.

-Taiwanese teenagers compared to American teens.

-Hot, dirty, crowded, noisy…REAL neighborhoods. I keep my home neater than a military barracks, but I enjoy getting out into the thick of things in TW. America is too damned sterile.

-Speaking Mandarin every day.

Looking forward to getting home.

T.

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most important mission for the fashion police…crack down on girls wearing low rider jeans but “high” rider knickers…that’s seriously out of order…