Just something I noticed today again but always intrigues me.
When kicking a soccer ball on a field /beach or playing catch or similar, if the ball goes past you and runs along towards Taiwanese people, most just ignore it. Almost non will make an attempt to stop the ball and return it to you.
It’s like the ball comes rolling to them, they freeze momentarily like a deer in the headlights, and then they watch the ball roll past them, and then they move on as if nothing happened. I don’t even know if they realize what is going on.
Kids are the worst. The ball can stop at their feet and they still won’t give a shit. They will watch you coming jogging from 50-100m away to come pick up the fucking ball right next to them. Adults aren’t much better.
Is it just me or what happened to ‘return the ball’ empathy in Taiwan?
really? are you calling “ball” when it rolls towards them. Most people have never touched a ball or played much sports, they prob don’t know wtf to do.
My balls usually get returned to me, more or less intact.
But then again, I don’t much suffer much exposure to city folkers with severe mustard deficiency.
[quote=“headhonchoII”]How often do you see strangers interacting, talking to each other in Taiwan?
There’s your answer pretty much.[/quote]
I don’t really agree on this. I find strangers to be very chatty. Then again, I’m American, and we suspect that all other people are out to infringe on our guns and take away or religion, so shoot first.
The key i think is: how often do you see people playing ball? The etiquette just doesn’t exist (yet). OP, next time shout really loudly to them:
Never seen strangers chat in a queue here , nor to people
Sitting beside them. If you think strangers in Taiwan. are chatty .,what type of place did you grow up in?
Some of the older folks not so bad
Or the mothers (my wife gets other women coming up to her in parks but they are often trying to sell something). Taiwanese can be very social but you usually need to be Introduced or introduce yourself to a group somehow.
I guess lack of the old football skills doesn’t help too much
I think this just about nails it. I had the same thing years ago with an errant skateboard that rolled past a bunch of kids, off the kerb, and then into Zhongshan North Road at rush hour.
All they had to do was stick out a foot to stop the board, but they let it go, where it could have caused a pretty nasty fall for a scooter rider or cyclist.
[quote=“cyberguppy”]Just something I noticed today again but always intrigues me.
When kicking a soccer ball on a field /beach or playing catch or similar, if the ball goes past you and runs along towards Taiwanese people, most just ignore it. Almost non will make an attempt to stop the ball and return it to you.
It’s like the ball comes rolling to them, they freeze momentarily like a deer in the headlights, and then they watch the ball roll past them, and then they move on as if nothing happened. I don’t even know if they realize what is going on.
Kids are the worst. The ball can stop at their feet and they still won’t give a shit. They will watch you coming jogging from 50-100m away to come pick up the fucking ball right next to them. Adults aren’t much better.
Is it just me or what happened to ‘return the ball’ empathy in Taiwan?[/quote]
So basically nobody wants to touch your balls? That has to suck.
[quote=“headhonchoII”]Never seen strangers chat in a queue here , nor to people
Sitting beside them. If you think strangers in Taiwan. are chatty .,what type of place did you grow up in?
Some of the older folks not so bad
Or the mothers (my wife gets other women coming up to her in parks but they are often trying to sell something). Taiwanese can be very social but you usually need to be Introduced or introduce yourself to a group somehow.
I guess lack of the old football skills doesn’t help too much[/quote]
In the South people are a lot more chatty to me. It’s kind of fun as I like to shoot the breeze in Chinese. As an expat, you’re always in a different category (probably labelled as the guy who teaches kids English)
Also, some of the older folk really try their best to hammer out some English sentences, way more than the younger generation.
But yes, I guess I don’t see much Taiwanese chatting to Taiwanese strangers. Going to take a stab that it comes down to Confuscian philosphy of caring about those in your circle and ignoring the rest. Probably relates to returning other people’s balls too.
I was playing football on the riverside park a couple of years ago when the ball went onto the bike path. An old man was walking on the path, and he stopped and went to pick it up for us just a the ball hit a bump and bounced right up hitting him in the face. He stood there dazed for a second or so, before turning around and walking off, leaving the ball on the floor. I had to go and get it.
The whole premise of this thread is craven like a choke puppy.
Truly, what manner, would actually expect balls to be returned?
An Amateur, per chance?
Let’s face it:
The balls were lost.
Now: whose fault is that?
From whence I hail, we have none of that.
If you are man enough to lose, go get it yourself.
Otherwise, yeah, sure, I’ toss one back to the younglings.
[quote=“Hokwongwei”][quote=“headhonchoII”]How often do you see strangers interacting, talking to each other in Taiwan?
There’s your answer pretty much.[/quote]
I don’t really agree on this. I find strangers to be very chatty. Then again, I’m American, and we suspect that all other people are out to infringe on our guns and take away or religion, so shoot first.
The key I think is: how often do you see people playing ball? The etiquette just doesn’t exist (yet). OP, next time shout really loudly to them:
可以幫忙一下嗎？謝謝！
[/quote]
Hokwongwei I find this kind of comment very interesting. You live in Taiwan? You think Taiwanese are chatty people? Ive never lived in a less friendly, less chatty, less sociable country. What does that make me crazy?
I moved back to California this year after seven years in Taiwan. Let me tell you:
[ul]It’s easy to make friends in Taiwan.[/ul]
[ul]It’s easy to strike up conversations in Taiwan.[/ul]
I’ve been here six months and still can’t figure out how to make friends. In fact, I’m about to write a post all about that in the Greater Forumosa sub.
