Taiwan insights for our hometowns

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

It’s easy for foreigners to identify Taiwan’s many shortcomings. Many of these failings often escape local eyes. I’m wondering if there are things that stand out as “illogical” when you return to your home country.

What have you learnt in Taiwan that would benefit your hometown?

Taiwan has reinforced my belief that the levels of tax in Western countries are daylight robbery.

Scooters are a great form of city transport.

I no longer want to cook on an electric stove.

Name cards are great for remembering names and telephone numbers.

Gas-fired water heaters are more efficient than electric-heated boilers.

2

Agree about the scooters. Also, when I go back home, I want to have at least one bathroom like I have here – where I can spray water wherever I damn well want (well, except for the electrical outlets).

3

It makes life so much more convenient when shops are open round the clock, and getting one’s wheels serviced and repaired is so much less painful when mechanics don’t charge a penny for their time.

4

When I’m retired and living back home, I hope I exercise as much as do the elderly people in my neighborhood here.

5

[quote]I want to have at least one bathroom like I have here – where I can spray water wherever I damn well want (well, except for the electrical outlets).
[/quote]
Absolutely. On a trip to England I was surprised to find some carpeted toilets :shock: :shock:

6

Balconies are good places for washing-machines – definitely much better than kitchens.

7

Omni:

Yes, indeed. Stuff the archaic licensing laws and give me 24 hour convenience stores with grog. I’m sure we could also legalise pot and have that served alongside the confectionary counter for good measure.

almas john:

Carpets in the bathroom are awfully nice on a cold morning.

Hakka S.:

Check your local branch of the Ministry of Silly Walks.

HG

8

Check your local branch of the Ministry of Silly Walks.

HG[/quote]

Right after the Ministry of Rubbing Your Back Up Against Trees and Telephone Poles

9

Mid-day/afternoon naps are pretty good for letting you burn the candle at both ends. I used to think sleeping during the day was a sign of illness.

10

It’s good to live in a place where guys generally don’t display rabid hostility and want to bash your face in just because you’re of a different race and have taken up with a local girl.

It’s also good to live in a place where the police largely leave foreigners alone rather than picking on them just because they’re foreign.

11

How truly odd is that? And what a shock when you re-emerge in an environment where the opposite is true.

Maybe I’m totally conditioned by my upbringing but I ponder these very thoughts almost daily.

HG

12

Betel nut girls.

13

I think that special treatment is reserved primarily for European-American looking forign nationals.

Not so lucky if you’re of a more brownish hue.

14

A Taiwanese taxi driver beeping his horn would be handy on those 3am, 3 parts pissed Sunday mornings on Bourke street.

15

the city ripped the paving off the neighborhood roads then waited a month to repave them. it would have been white banner time after a few days in Taipei :slight_smile:

fifteen years after collapsing, a major arterial highway still looks like one of those escher drawings

16

[quote=“almas john”]

Taiwan has reinforced my belief that the levels of tax in Western countries are daylight robbery.

Scooters are a great form of city transport.

I no longer want to cook on an electric stove.

Name cards are great for remembering names and telephone numbers.

Gas-fired water heaters are more efficient than electric-heated boilers.[/quote]

Totally agree re taxes. Here I know that if I do some extra work, I get to keep almost all the money. Taxing spending, not earning!

Scooters are also a great source of air pollution. More electric scooters would help, as most people only travel short distances.

In Oz, we now use namecards in almost every business and professional situations.

Ian B.

17

I’d like to build a grand hotel in my hometown. Love looking at that thing from my office.

18

Lo Ban Ton!

19

all tile bathrooms are key. i grew up with carpeted bathrooms and it was always a pain when water got spilled everywhere. wallpaper just doesn’t belong in bathrooms. :stuck_out_tongue:

also, i know this is going to offend some posters here, but i really dig ice cubes in my beer. :smiley:

20

Roadside trucks selling fruit.