[quote=“Hokwongwei”]
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.[/quote]
Perhaps because you keep living in the past and insist on incessantly posting here.
[quote=“mr.wang”][quote=“Hokwongwei”]
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.[/quote]
Perhaps because you keep living in the past and insist on incessantly posting here.[/quote]
Quite unfair. His posts and reflections are, for me at least, a very enjoyable part of the forum.
[quote=“mr.wang”][quote=“Hokwongwei”]
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.[/quote]
Perhaps because you keep living in the past and insist on incessantly posting here.[/quote]
Yeah, it’s not ideal for me. I stopped posting for about 2-3 months but then realized I had nowhere else to turn to for conversation. You may call it incessant, but I bet Forumosa’s usage would drop by half if I disappeared again. :discodance:
Please bring back the kudos button or the suggested post button, or code a button to promote this post.
[quote=“BlownWideOpen”][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?[/quote]
I second strangers being chatty. I can kind of understand your statement if you base it off of Taipei alone, but Taipei is kind of meh, some are, some aren’t, really depends on who you’re interacting with. However, there’s not one time where I traveled south (from Taipei) and stayed in a hostel or BnB and the hosts were not friendly and hospitable.
I feel like half the taxi drivers I have met over the years here are curious about who I am and what I am doing here. Half is an exaggeration but it’s plenty.
When they hear how bad my Chinese pronunciation is, they will often ask if I am Japanese or Korean. And when I tell them I am Filipino they will tease me and say that I don’t look Filipino and I must be Taiwanese. That is a very normal conversation for me with a complete stranger in Taipei (OK, I’ve only lived here since '93 but I think it’s a large enough sample size)
Not to mention all the service people. Here in California it’s
“How are you today?”
“I’m alright. My knee’s been acting a little funny in this weather–”
“That’s nice, are you ready to order?”
In Taiwan, a conversation like that can easily go on for ten or twenty minutes if you let it.
Here’s another difference: I went out shooting (pictures) today, and I realized just how vulnerable carrying around an SLR makes me feel in this country. I never even thought about someone potentially mugging me in Taiwan. Obviously that didn’t happen here, but the thought did cross my mind a few times when people in much better shape than me got a little too close on the street.
[quote=“Hokwongwei”]Not to mention all the service people. Here in California it’s
“How are you today?”
“I’m alright. My knee’s been acting a little funny in this weather–”
“That’s nice, are you ready to order?”
In Taiwan, a conversation like that can easily go on for ten or twenty minutes if you let it.
Here’s another difference: I went out shooting (pictures) today, and I realized just how vulnerable carrying around an SLR makes me feel in this country. I never even thought about someone potentially mugging me in Taiwan. Obviously that didn’t happen here, but the thought did cross my mind a few times when people in much better shape than me got a little too close on the street.[/quote]
I won’t lie, the girl behind the counter at McDonald’s (in Taiwan) may think you bringing up your knee problems at the counter will think you’re crazy at heart, but would still probably talk to you about it for a few seconds 
, I know I know, all to prove a point.
I will forever use my phone to hold my seat in Taiwan when I dine alone. Only other place that I’d do that is Japan. Nowhere else.
That bad is your aim?
It’s superstition, they think you might have bad karma and it’s stuck to the ball, so, no touchy that one!
Or worse…cooties!
That bad is your aim?[/quote]
Balls on windy beaches can run a long way when kicks/throws don’t go right… Lets just say anything north of 20m 