What tips can you suggest to new expats?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
41

I respect how the pinky snuff fingernail evolved into something useless. If anything ,respect for that evolution dumping an addictive drug habit :slight_smile:

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42

Expanding off that, learn to love linen and its wrinkles or stock up on athletic clothes, especially shirts. You’ll want things that don’t absorb moisture, as there will be days where your clothes are soaked from humidity before you’ve even started sweating. Wool socks are also your best friend, when it’s in the upper 30’s C and when it’s very cold. They do cost a lot more in TW than the rest of the world, so stock up or pay up.

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43

make as many friends with people from back home as possible. good advice I got 7 years ago, and didn’t take at first.

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44

Also we are not one of the Provinces of China, not matter what a few up north may say (like a odd car in Taipei with high power speakers saying this).

45

You mean people from back home, but living in Taiwan?

I guess this depends on your situation when you arrive. I made tons of foreign teacher friends when I first arrived. But I was in the buxiban circuit at the time, and we were mostly in our twenties. Basically all of them left within a year or two (hmm, should I take that personally?).

It leads to a weird dynamic and in my case at least sort of twisted my perspective on meeting new people. “Eh, you’re not going to be around long, I’ll enjoy this but I’m not going to invest much emotionally in it.” Which can of course be self-defeating.

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46

Technically we are a province of the Republic of China

But not a province of the Peoples Rep of China

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47

Well that was the ROC shell imposed on us wasn’t it.

Much like Japanese colonialism was imposed on us.

Doesn’t mean it makes any sense, especially after Lee Teng-hui axed the “Provincial Government” stuff (aka James Soong’s fiefdom) in the 1990s.

I would agree however that Kinmen and Matsu have their own historical trajectory and should be allowed to determine what they want in the future, as they were neither a Japanese colony nor part of this “Taiwan Province” thing.

Guy

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48

This is true, but now most (not all) Taiwanese do not agree with the “province” part. Anyways as new expat need be careful what you say on this topic as not everyone is open on this subject and some will get very angry when talking about this.

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49

Was returning to Taiwan once many moons ago and the immi officer saw my place of birth as CHINA
He ssid you are born in China ?

I said Yes Taiwan the Republic of China

Today my US passport says Birthplace : Taiwan

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50

This is good news. Do you know how long US passports have indicated Taiwan? (Were you using a US passport in the first example?)

51

Yes at one point Taiwan was not an option then it became an option again

My current passport I got last year I think

Yes US passport in first instance as well
I only have US citizenship

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52

Probably at least a decade or more since my first one was born and received first issued passport.

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53

Don’t flick it. Cover your finger and mouth with your other hand and eat it.

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54

I’ve seen kids do that.

55

I’ve seen grown men do that

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56

I do that when nobody’s looking. It’s very good for the immune system.

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57

Don’t deposit your purple sludge into the green connecting tube.

When they play the Fanfare of the ancient, look down and to the left.

Most good cheese washes onto the beaches on a Wednesday.

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58

Don’t get old.

59

Make sure to stay in close proximity to busy roads all the time and this will come easily!

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60

I dunno, some good friends of mine didn’t get old. I wish they’d had that chance.

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