I think maybe it means that when you’re filthy rich, everyone is friendly to you, like dog legging.
But that seems like it would be true anywhere, so I don’t really get the Maldives reference.
Are people there especially friendly?
1 Like
yes they’re amazingly friendly there
I was shocked and caught off guard twice the last couple days in Taipei by someone saying “Hi, can I help you?”.
And to the nice woman that said “hi” and offered to help me but I was so shocked that I said no, I’ve rethought my position and yes I do need help.
What is going on? Is there some Taipei government push to be friendly to foreigners, or the change in weather, or my new haircut or what?
Maybe something to do with the seasonal influx of foreigners learning Chinese and teaching?
Sometimes I need help tying my errant laces but nobody seems to notice.
The only time I’ve ever had a conversation on the MRT was when I caught an old man who fell when the train started moving. He was a bit embarrassed and somehow that led into long stories about ww2, and the woman next to me jumped in and started explaining that she was a potter by singing a line from Unchained Melody. I keep headphones in now.
A few days ago, I was zipping through an MRT station and I noticed that a woman’s knapsack had been left wide open. I pointed this out as I walked by here. She thanked me sincerely and made sure her knapsack was zipped up securely. Amazingly, people can be nice here if you act nicely too!
Guy
1 Like
I second that. I fixed an old guy’s glasses when the lens popped out and bounced down the floor of the train. It earned me a pat on the arm from an old bird on the other side of me. You get what you give.
2 Likes
that reminded me of the only 2 convos i’ve had on there. first one was a guy who was trying to give me directions to taipei 101, even though i didn’t want to go there and didn’t need directions. i told him i was going to a restaurant, he poo poo’d it and said he never heard of it and that i should go to 101.
another one was this year some guy kept ranting to me about how busy the mrt was and its tai ying wens fault. yea headphones in is a good idea.
It’s time for a shower my friend/
The friendliest people I’ve encountered were in Kinmen
1 Like
In China people were most honest about it. They would just walk up and say, “Hello, I want to practice speaking English. How are you?”
1 Like
I’ve got a look that attracts people like that. Random, usually old, people starting up shallow conversations about themselves or places of interest. If it was a hot girl I’d make an exception…
1 Like
So far, I have a pretty fine experience in Taiwan, after stints in Malaysia and Singapore. I do generally find the folks more affable, outreaching and less grouchy than in the previous cities I stayed in. 
1 Like