[quote=“Cola”][quote=“Jaboney”]But tell me, do the creeks still foam and froth? When it rains, do things get dirty and sticky? Do the neighbours downstairs still burn ghost money in the stairwell? Is there now a sense of public space and respect for others in that space?
.[/quote]
No, the creeks no longer foam and froth…
When it rains, things no longer get dirty and sticky…
…and the neighbours downstairs no longer burn ghost money in the stairwell.
and there now a sense of public space and respect for others in that space, yes.
you see, in UTOPIA TAIWAN, things HAVE changed. Really.
I forgot to mention:
also:
the words CHABUDO and MEO BAN FA are no longer used here
stinky dofu is a thing of the past
people do not j-walk
non-Taiwanese are no longer called Atoah or even Weiguolen
ICRT can be heard islandwide loud and clear even in small villages
cellphones no longer ring inside movie theaters
drinking cold water when you have a cold is allowed
burning ghost money is outlawed and illegal
half the population has become Christian
The China Post is now called the Taiwan Herald
China Airlines has merged with EVA Airlines and is called CHEVA Airlines, nicknamed CHIVAS Airlines
The American Club in China (in Taipei) is now called The American Club in Taiwan Province
Chen Shui-bian face is on the 400 dollar bill
Hou Hsaio Shien is still making movies
There are no more earthquakes occuring here
Global warming has changed the coastline so that the entire West Coast is under water now
There is a bridge to Okinawa
Bird flu has killed almost everyone on the island
The Aborigines run the country from a highland palace in Alishan[/quote]
No offence Cola, but most of this sounds awful… 
And that which doesn’t sound awful doesn’t sound at all like the Taiwan I (and I think most of us who have been here for a long time) have come to love and cherish.
The smell and reek of of smelly tofu is absolutely awful to me too, but there is not other road marker quite like it. As in, “you know Minzu lu, near the 7-11 where they have that smelly tofu stand? Just turn left there. I’ll be waiting outside the coffee shop for you…”
And the monthly burning of paper money. Half the time I forget if it’s Tuesday or Wednesday… But when I see the old ladies setting up the burning urns, tables and stands, then I always know what time of month it is and that, indeed, another month has passed (by the lunar calendar anyway).
As a Christian, having half the population Christian too does at first come as a thrilling thought. But then, how does that effect all the other offshoots of Taiwanese and Chinese culture? Are there still loud banging parades through the streets blocking traffic on a gods birthday? Are there still dances and movies held and shown at temples? Do ladies still dance naked for the gods?
J-walking? I’m afraid that’s a very North American concept to gripe about… Everyone does it all over South America, Asia and Africa. It, and the wild traffic conditions are actually some of the things that make me feel at home here… :help: Not to mention the lack of respect for people’s personal space and food stalls on the pavements (sorry…sidewalks).
The only thing that I would actually be thrilled about is if the environment got cleaned up, so that Taiwan could once again legitimately call itself (albeit unofficially) by it’s Portuguese name. Ihla Formosa. Beautiful Island.
Because in every other respect, it is and always will be to me, a beautiful island.
The day I stop feeling like that about Taiwan, that is the day I buy my ticket back home.
