What goes through the mind of the average Taiwanese people when seeing a foreigner?

I will say for people who have a sense of aesthetic beauty and art, living in Taiwan can be an assault on the senses. It’s one of my biggest gripe with Taiwan. I frequently find myself thinking “what a shit hole” even in places in Taipei.

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Driving from the airport through New Taipei City to Taipei after time abroad is always a soul-crushing experience. It’s something I never get used to. Each time, I ask myself, “Why does it have to be so ugly?” Then, after a week or so, I don’t even notice it.

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This. Us ugly people don’t get any attention. I’ve never been stopped, photographed or even yelled random English phrases at.

Although once in japan some creep came running across the road when he saw mr. whitey, started talking about how he wants some english help for his son and offered to carry my groceries to the station. On the way there he asked way too many personal questions, invited me to his home for dinner and even made me practice some realistic judo with him. This is terrible for someone who hates touching strangers. Exchanged formalities and Line at the gate and ignored all his messages thereafter.

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It’s not necessarily ugliness. Maybe you just don’t look very nice or approachable.

I got a lot of attention in Taiwan. Girls could come to me say shy hello or stared at me. Smile shy.

They commented usually your eyes are so blue. You are strong. You teeth are so big and cute.

Aboriginals girls usually yelling i love you, when run marathons there.

Probably they think how foreigners are handsome and tall. Probably what the hell am doing with ugly Taiwanese chick . Taxis drivers thought i live on girls money and banging half of taiwan

Kids were excited and thinking i must be cool.

Middle ages women must think how gifted I am, and why they never sleep with a guy like me, when they were younger.

Gain give me big like. Are you shy

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A bit polite for @Gain… are you feeling ok ?

哈哈哈笑掉牙了

He’s got “cute teeth” - how could you resist?:wink:

Middle ages women? Like these hussies?

image http://wludh.ca/dh100/2015/Eur/MedEdEn/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/women-in-med.jpg

Gifted? Where I come from it’s called “Special”, as in Special Ed :slight_smile:

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I will save the debate on whether Taiwan is awesome or shit for another thread, however suffice to say I think like a lot of places, the answer is in between. :smiling_face: While I live here though I reserve the right to complain about it on here frequently.

Can I suggest a coping mechanism for the OP on this thread? He could use this experience of being a Caucasian ant under the microscope in Taiwan to build his empathy for people who are stared at for more hurtful reasons anywhere, such as disability, disfigurement, actual racial hatred etc.

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To answer the OP.
-If it’s an older cat’s ass face purse hugger, “The news last night was true, they are dangerous!”
-If it’s a down on his luck momma’s boy, “He’s stealing my job that I’m not qualified for.”
-If it’s a 20-30 something office gal, “He’s staring at me. Is he staring at me? Why isn’t he staring at me?”
-If it’s a middle aged woman with a post-university unemployed son, “What a loser, my son is more special.”
-If it’s a middle aged woman with a daughter, “My little girl will never be allowed to date one of those.”
-If it’s a middle aged dude, “I wonder if that guy will go with me to the OK KTV as bait.”
-If it’s an older couple, “Is that our little prince’s English teacher.”

And so on.

In the end who gives a rat’s ass what people are thinking. I see a lot of people on the train who look like what’s going on behind their eyes goes something like this, “Doo dee doo dee doo, money, doo dee doo dee doo, mom, doo dee doo dee doo, line message, doo dee doo dee doo, LV bag, doo dee doo dee doo, foreigner, doo dee doo dee doo, my stop.”

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Maybe it’s just the fact that they will have to try to speak in English, but I do know a lot of Taiwanese that seems hospitable to foreigners like me. I don’t think that they will pay attention to foreigners as if its the first time that they have seen one.

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“Look, its a foreigner!” similar to a child seeing an animal in a zoo, “Look, its a camel!”

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No shit, Mitch.
There are people on here who pay good money for that kind of action…

Had an old neighbor lady tell me that she thought I was from Europe because Americans are usually “big”…didn’t make me feel too good lol

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She was probably complimenting you for not being fat.

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Taxis to me can be very annoying looking back and asking me the same generic questions. “Are you a ABC” “Do you play basketball”

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Well, but…you are, and you do, right???

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You don’t find people constantly stating the obvious annoying?

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I just realised that for the last couple of years, all the grannies have been calling me 帥哥…which is kind of weird

Only you.

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