I admit it. I’ve been living in Taiwan for almost 5 years and I am more confused and frustrated now about their “culture”, than I was a year after moving here from Korea.
As I write this post, a temple party is in full swing less than 100 meters from my apartment. It started this morning at 8 am and today is Sunday. It started with a series of explosions, much louder than your average fireworks. Lucky me I thought. 
After living in this apartment for two years, the parade route that was out on the main drag, not far from my house, was inexplicably moved so the monthly parade would wind its way through the narrow alley in which I live, making the parade come right past my front door. These are all-day parades mind you. And with people making as much noise as possible with their “instruments.”
I just don’t understand how this is relaxing for these people. I will never understand, actually. And this is after looking into the cultural aspect of a temple party. And why move the parade route into a narrow alley? Where far more people are affected and is distinctly residential and no room for spectators?
It’s ironic that my landlord told me not to worry about any restaurant noise or speaker trucks near my apartment. She failed to mention the temple parties. It’s no fault of hers. The Taiwanese are desensitised to noise. They simply don’t hear it. Ever rode your scooter up behind a Taiwanese? They don’t hear it until you beep your horn.
When I saw a temple party or parade, I used to ask people (Taiwanese) what the parade/party was all about? They had no idea what I was talking about. They didn’t see or hear it until I pointed it out. And then they would have no idea why there was a parade on a Sunday, the worst time of the week for traffic. Funny how the Taiwanese have managed to squeeze almost everything into a Sunday. :loco:
The parades and parties aside, I firmly believe the so called “kindness and friendliness” of the TW is overstated. Although there is some truth to this as there is in almost any culture or country, the TW have a big problem with manners and social ettiquette. The habit they have of getting up from their table, reaching across your table, and subsequently your dinner plate, in a restaurant and helping themselves to a napkin or sauce that’s on your table is rude. They don’t even look at you or smile and say excuse me. Since when is this friendly and kind?
Another thing that never ceases to amaze me is they never move until they see you coming. This morning I pulled up to a Family Mart and there were two cab drivers there. One was sitting, the other standing. As I approached from a very visible angle, the standing cabbie moved right in front of me blocking my path to the door so he could talk to the other cabbie. Of course he couldn’t wait a moment, because he just didn’t see me, nor did he care. This is thoughtless.
You could be halfway through a purchase at the convenience store and in walks a TW, barking demands, oblivious the clerk is serving you. Maybe they see you and don’t care. We’ll never know. If you tell them to wait a moment, they look at you like you’re crazy. Why wait?
This morning I heard a man out in my alley talking so loud I swore it was a amplified voice talking through a microphone. Nope. Just another TW talking on his cellphone loud enough to let the entire block know what he was talking about. He was so loud that I had to go out and politely ask him to be quiet. This is inconsiderate.
Of course these things are not unique. They are part of this society and all of us must tolerate it if we want to live here. I made my bed and I am sleeping in it, albeit uncomfortably. And I do make an effort to remind myself that this is their culture, not mine. I’ll just never understand it. :help
