Not a soul. Not even to visit. My grandmother was very excited that my cousin had come over here and that I should show her around. I had to carefully explain for 30 minutes that Thailand and Taiwan are in fact two different countries.
I have a fishing boat full of Canadians moored off the east coast waiting for a moonless night. Sorry, they’re all my fault, but it pays well.
I haven’t brought any but I made a couple of my own.
Guys, don’t talk so bad about Canada. That place is my Plan B site (ie. if I can’t get citizenship here). Can’t be that bad.
I’m calling the Japanese coast guard right now!
Ha, I used to work for a company here and I was responsible for hiring more than 500 foreigners and pursuading them to come to Taiwan. Wow, was that an interesting job. Met some real interesting people, too. The record I ever had was picking someone up at the airport, then by the time they got to their hotel, they said they don’t like this place and wanted to go home. The Thailand story people have been mentioning is true, I had a guy once who was located to Sancheong call me one day not long after he arrived and ask where all the beaches and palm trees where, and through our brief conversation, he actually discovered he was in Taiwan, not Thailand. When I used to interview people and ask them how they would go eating here, I often got the answer. “oh, I like Thai food.” I used to say that I did too and that I know a few good Thai restuarants in Taipei City, but food from Thailand isn’t that common in Taiwan…
But also met some people that have been huge successes here and have had nothing but a great time. Some that have left, only to come back 6 months, 12 months, even years later as they have missed the place so much…
My mum has been here 3 times, she is OK with the place and likes to visit me and her grandson, but my sister was here once and vows never to return and often asks me how I can stand living in a sub-standard country. It’s filthy, polluted, crazy traffic and rude people. Well I also told her that everyone makes their own experience here. Sure I go without some of the comforts of home, but at least they still have Big Macs here…
It’s all fun and games here and almost anything goes…
Give yourselves all a big hand. Actually , truth is Taiwan is only palatable to a select few waiguos. It takes a special constitution to stomach the rock. It only fits a select few.
So those of you to whom the rock fits and fits well, give yourselves a big hand. Either one hand or two hands will do
As a tourist, unless you are Japanese, and possibly Chinese, what isn’t there to love about two weeks in the wan?
(Japanese will may comparisons over appearance, Chinese may just feel odd.)
[quote=“tommy525”]Give yourselves all a big hand. Actually , truth is Taiwan is only palatable to a select few waiguos. It takes a special constitution to stomach the rock. It only fits a select few.
So those of you to whom the rock fits and fits well, give yourselves a big hand. Either one hand or two hands will do[/quote]
We don’t need to applaud ourselves. Some people are just more flexible in the attitudes but have the required determination to achieve things that others would trou up first at.
We are not a select few.We were not chosen to come here.
I chose to come here. Staying and living here long term was another chaoice that I made later on.
One day when I become President I might consider some applause.
I have not encouraged one person to move to my island from abroad. Never.
[quote=“almas john”]He wasn’t impressed by the place; he wondered why I was living in such a shithole with the “gooks.”
I had to explain that I was surrounded by Chinamen, not gooks.[/quote]
“What the fuck are you talking about? The chinaman is not the issue here, Dude. I’m talking about drawing a line in the sand, Dude. Across this line, you DO NOT… Also, Dude, chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature. Asian-American, please.” The Big Lebowski
[quote=“Modest Mouse”][quote=“almas john”]He wasn’t impressed by the place; he wondered why I was living in such a shithole with the “gooks.”
I had to explain that I was surrounded by Chinamen, not gooks.[/quote]
“What the fuck are you talking about? The chinaman is not the issue here, Dude. I’m talking about drawing a line in the sand, Dude. Across this line, you DO NOT… Also, Dude, chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature. Asian-American, please.” The Big Lebowski[/quote]
Great flick. Should Taiwanese people be referred to as “Asian-Americans”?
I was directly responsible for bringing three people to Taiwan, who themselves were directly responsible for bringing three people to Taiwan. So, six.
Just the ones posting in the Taiwan Politics forum I think. 
I helped persuade one friend to come over. He stayed a while and Taiwan wasn’t a good fit for him. Where he is now, I have no idea.
Taiwan is a land of stark contrasts. If you can handle that, you’ll be fine. If you aren’t comfortable with ambiguity, you’ll be miserable here.