Hi everyone,
So here’s the deal. I’m going to Taiwan this August to study at Shida. My question is will I be treated horribly for being overweight? I’m not MASSIVE, but I do wear a US size L/XL (and I’m pretty tall).
Will people make a big deal about it there? Obviously as an overweight woman, I will not react well to people pointing out something I am very aware of.
And please, no jokes here. I am trying very very hard to lose weight, but it doesn’t happen overnight 
Hi uisceros, and welcome to Forumosa! 
You might occasionally get a comment, not ill-intentioned, but sparked by some combination of cultural difference and low EQ. Let’s call it low EQ nationwide. 
People here often think it’s ok to comment on it just as if commenting on your eye color or something; others are giving well-intentioned advice out of concern for your health. I get this quite often. They’re rarely aware that it might be a sensitive issue. You need to be prepared to forgive them for this in advance. It’s all part of the great adventure called Taiwan!
Just be prepared to deal with it gracefully and with a smile on the rare (or not so rare) occasion when it happens, and you’ll do just fine here.
+1
“Rarely aware” can also be subbed out for “oblivious” sometimes. I think the atmosphere around ShiDa almost caters to foreigners though. Sometimes I feel as if I can get by solely on English in some areas (actually, that may be a bit exaggerated). There are a lot of us fellow Americans around as well as peoples of all walks of life.
Just out of curiosity, are you studying at the university or the MTC?
If you’re a foreigner then few people will care… however Taiwanese (Americans or not) don’t get treated the same. You’re “overweight” if you’re over 50Kg, especially if you are a girl.
Thanks so much for the information and advice everyone! It’s good to know that what they might say will most likely not be said maliciously. I can deal with people trying to be helpful 
I guess in this case it helps NOT to have Asian ancestry…
It’s also good to know that the area around Shida is expat friendly. As much as I would like to do total immersion, if I end up feeling uncomfortable, it kinda just negates the whole experience.
I’ll just be studying at the MTC. I already have my bachelor’s degree, and I’m betting graduate level science courses probably aren’t taught in english 
Some local people will comment about it but after a while you discover that they don’t say these things out of malice like the western people who will say it to hurt you or to make you feel inferior. Actually the locals are pretty straightforward with their commentaries but they are not rude, just don’t be oversensitive. People here are pretty nice at their way and can’t understand why the western people are so sensitive. Just take easy.
If your experience is anything like mine then you’ll lose a lot of weight when you get here. I was a tad heavy when I first arrived in Taiwan, and in the first 3 months I lost a stone.
If you stay away from bubble teas that is…
Guys normally lose weight here, but us girls gain it. It’s a natural response to the stress of a new environment.
One thing: bring clothes, especially lingerie, and shoes. Big sizes are pricey. And the especialized big size stores may or may not fit you, since Westeners tend to be taller, so the clothes fit horizontally but not vertically.
Remember people’s reaction has to do more about them than yourself. A bulimic, 49 kilo store clerk -actually, very common- will react to differently, as her family has drilled into her mind that she is overweight if she reaches 50 kilos. Be patient, be kind. And yes, do not sweat the small stuff. People here are used to a single pattern, and what we call personal questions are commonplace. They are still learning about the world and that there are different points of view and styles of living. You will be doinga great service to them by teaching them so.
And yes, teas and drinks in general here use fructose, which is like adding diesel to a gasoline engine…
I feel like I gained a few pounds here because Taiwan is so freaking hot that I have ZERO motivation to exercise. Winter is nice but most the time its rainy so you don’t really want to go out…
Not me. I gained 23 kilos (took a bit longer than 3 months, though).
[quote=“uisceros”]
I’ll just be studying at the MTC. I already have my bachelor’s degree, and I’m betting graduate level science courses probably aren’t taught in english [/quote]
You might be wrong about that. Or, in any event, the readings will all be in English and the profs will all speak it well even if they don’t lecture in it. But studying at MTC will be a great experience, and counter-intuitive as it may seem, the Shi-ta area is a great place to hang out and learn Chinese despite being home to many foreigners (not really expats though). Many cafes, bars etc with lots of Taiwanese people hanging out and interested in the wider world.
No one ever called me fat in Taiwan, other than a few kids, because, I erm, am. They do the usual ‘I’m so fat!’ ‘No I’M fat!’ irritating thing that women do. The white guys are the nastiest.
[quote=“Feiren”][quote=“uisceros”]
I’ll just be studying at the MTC. I already have my bachelor’s degree, and I’m betting graduate level science courses probably aren’t taught in english [/quote]
You might be wrong about that. Or, in any event, the readings will all be in English and the profs will all speak it well even if they don’t lecture in it. But studying at MTC will be a great experience, and counter-intuitive as it may seem, the Shi-Da area is a great place to hang out and learn Chinese despite being home to many foreigners (not really expats though). Many cafes, bars etc with lots of Taiwanese people hanging out and interested in the wider world.[/quote]
Yep, the programs at the Academia Sinica are taught in English.
[quote=“Icon”][quote=“Feiren”][quote=“uisceros”]
I’ll just be studying at the MTC. I already have my bachelor’s degree, and I’m betting graduate level science courses probably aren’t taught in english [/quote]
You might be wrong about that. Or, in any event, the readings will all be in English and the profs will all speak it well even if they don’t lecture in it. But studying at MTC will be a great experience, and counter-intuitive as it may seem, the Shi-Da area is a great place to hang out and learn Chinese despite being home to many foreigners (not really expats though). Many cafes, bars etc with lots of Taiwanese people hanging out and interested in the wider world.[/quote]
Yep, the programs at the Academia Sinica are taught in English.[/quote]
Why do you mention Academia Sinica, she’s going to MTC? And what programs? They sponsor a couple of doctoral programs but they’re basically a research institution.
Thanks so much for all the advice and information everyone!
I was worried for awhile, but hearing all the stories helped
I would personally love to study at a Taiwanese university, but right now I want to focus on learning Mandarin, and doing something I want to do for fun before I get back into academia. Thanks for letting me know about the program though!
[quote=“Dragonbones”]Hi uisceros, and welcome to Forumosa!
You might occasionally get a comment, not ill-intentioned, but sparked by some combination of cultural difference and low EQ. Let’s call it low EQ nationwide. People here often think it’s ok to comment on it just as if commenting on your eye color or something; others are giving well-intentioned advice out of concern for your health. I get this quite often. They’re rarely aware that it might be a sensitive issue. You need to be prepared to forgive them for this in advance. It’s all part of the great adventure called Taiwan!
Just be prepared to deal with it gracefully and with a smile on the rare (or not so rare) occasion when it happens, and you’ll do just fine here.[/quote]
Is it really low EQ… or is it just cultural differences? Forget about being fat! My wife has skin that’s a tad less white than a glass of milk… and people are always commenting about it, “Oh! You look so healthy!” and people are like (to me), “Won’t your mom ask why you have such a black wife?”
Well, cultural difference or not, it will seem that people here are kinda [strike]insensitive[/strike] open about things.
Like, if you have diarrhea and take a day off work… the next day, everyone will be like, “You had diarrhea, EH? Are you okay? Do you feel better?” Hahaha… REALLY.