Only if their teachers are Taiwanese. 
They have flushing toilets that they sometimes even USE! How cool is THAT?
[quote=āJames226ā]So after browsing around this forum for a bit, itās become quite obvious that one of its main functions is for complaining about all the crazy/rude/weird/annoying things Taiwanese people do (and rightfully so ā there are a lot of them 
)
But, we shouldnāt only focus on negatives all the time. I say itās time for a thread devoted specifically to all the great and nice things we like about Taiwanese people , so here goes:
Umm . . .
Just kidding. Okay, first thing: the appreciation they show for your appreciation of certain aspects of their culture. For example, I get so many plaudits from my colleagues simply because I really like stinky tofu. Itās almost too easy. 
Okay ā whatās next?[/quote]
Itās one of the things I dislike about forumosa.com, I feel that most of the time half the comments and threads on this site are about how taiwanese are this way and that way. Of course, I wonāt be a hyprocrite and say that I donāt contribute to the attitude sometimes, but I really enjoy my life here in Taiwan and really enjoy the culture. I really do appreciate the Taiwanese in general.
I sometimes have the opposite problem in which I consistently attack and belittle my own country for its own cultural problems. Sometimes I feel guilty because I constantly do it, so Iām trying to get rid of that bad habit :P. I just feel like I relate more to the Taiwanese culture much more than the culture from the country of which I come from.
[quote=āRabidpieā][quote=āJames226ā]So after browsing around this forum for a bit, itās become quite obvious that one of its main functions is for complaining about all the crazy/rude/weird/annoying things Taiwanese people do (and rightfully so ā there are a lot of them )
But, we shouldnāt only focus on negatives all the time. I say itās time for a thread devoted specifically to all the great and nice things we like about Taiwanese people , so here goes:
Umm . . .
Just kidding. Okay, first thing: the appreciation they show for your appreciation of certain aspects of their culture. For example, I get so many plaudits from my colleagues simply because I really like stinky tofu. Itās almost too easy.
Okay ā whatās next?[/quote]
Itās one of the things I dislike about forumosa.com, I feel that most of the time half the comments and threads on this site are about how taiwanese are this way and that way. Of course, I wonāt be a hyprocrite and say that I donāt contribute to the attitude sometimes, but I really enjoy my life here in Taiwan and really enjoy the culture. I really do appreciate the Taiwanese in general.
I sometimes have the opposite problem in which I consistently attack and belittle my own country for its own cultural problems. Sometimes I feel guilty because I constantly do it, so Iām trying to get rid of that bad habit :P. I just feel like I relate more to the Taiwanese culture much more than the culture from the country of which I come from.[/quote]
Oh, right. Youāve been here for between 3 and 5 years, right? Your views are the absolute standard in terms of cultural assimilation for someone whoās been here for that length of time.
[quote=āsandmanā][quote=āRabidpieā][quote=āJames226ā]So after browsing around this forum for a bit, itās become quite obvious that one of its main functions is for complaining about all the crazy/rude/weird/annoying things Taiwanese people do (and rightfully so ā there are a lot of them )
But, we shouldnāt only focus on negatives all the time. I say itās time for a thread devoted specifically to all the great and nice things we like about Taiwanese people , so here goes:
Umm . . .
Just kidding. Okay, first thing: the appreciation they show for your appreciation of certain aspects of their culture. For example, I get so many plaudits from my colleagues simply because I really like stinky tofu. Itās almost too easy.
Okay ā whatās next?[/quote]
Itās one of the things I dislike about forumosa.com, I feel that most of the time half the comments and threads on this site are about how taiwanese are this way and that way. Of course, I wonāt be a hyprocrite and say that I donāt contribute to the attitude sometimes, but I really enjoy my life here in Taiwan and really enjoy the culture. I really do appreciate the Taiwanese in general.
I sometimes have the opposite problem in which I consistently attack and belittle my own country for its own cultural problems. Sometimes I feel guilty because I constantly do it, so Iām trying to get rid of that bad habit :P. I just feel like I relate more to the Taiwanese culture much more than the culture from the country of which I come from.[/quote]
Oh, right. Youāve been here for between 3 and 5 years, right? Your views are the absolute standard in terms of cultural assimilation for someone whoās been here for that length of time.[/quote]
My total amount of time living in Taiwan is not much, but I have lived much longer than 3 to 5 years in my home country, and I still donāt think Iāll ever be able to fully comprehend that culture eitherā¦
Sandman guesses that the Pie Boy had been [quote]ā¦here for between 3 and 5 years, right? [/quote]
Ha ha ha. Heās not an alcoholic yet so Iām guessing under 18 months.
James 226,
There have been quite a few threads like this one. Iāll see if I can find them.
edit: hereās one -http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=15173&hilit=positive+stories+taiwanese
[quote=āRabidpieā]
I sometimes have the opposite problem in which I consistently attack and belittle my own country for its own cultural problems. Sometimes I feel guilty because I constantly do it, so Iām trying to get rid of that bad habit :P. I just feel like I relate more to the Taiwanese culture much more than the culture from the country of which I come from.[/quote]
so what country are you from?
oh and i really appreciate how hard-working the taiwanese are. they always think they are far worse off compared to people in other countries when in fact they are much more superior in many aspects. but i guess that kind of mentality keeps them working hard.
i just think that for such a small and young country like taiwan with the kind of turbulent history that she has and with no resources save for itās people power and living in isolation because she is shunned by much of the world diplomatically to have achieved so much in just a few decades is truly amazing.
Here are some (of course there are ādislikesā in the ālikesā threads, ālikesā in the ādislikesā threads, and neutral remarks):
Likes, 2001 (goes to 2005):
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1108
Likes, 2002:
forumosa.com/olympus2/viewto ā¦ =21&t=5137
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5058
Lighthearted (I think) dislikes, 2002 (title: āWhatās the most whack thing youāve seen in Taiwan?ā):
Likes and dislikes, 2002:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =21&t=2467
Likes, 2004:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=15144
Dislikes, some likes, 2004 (title: āCivilizing Taiwan,ā):
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=24276
Likes and dislikes, 2004:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=21450
Likes and dislikes, 2005
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=32728
Lighthearted (I think) dislikes, 2007 (title: āWhatās the most whack thing youāve seen in Taiwan, part 2ā):
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=60441
Likes and dislikes, 2007 (title: ā10 reasons I am finally leaving Taiwanā¦ā):
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=61773
Likes, 2009:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=76791
Dislikes, 2009:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=77584
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ā¦ =8&t=77640
And I wonāt be surprised if there are still more.
People here for the most part are very tolerant. Many comes from the Buddhist background. Of course sometimes tolerant to a fault. Sometimes they should not put up with certain things and they do.
I want to be specific in my appreciation, and make a public statement of thanks to the young lady who does my taxes at the Xindian office. Always affable, always keeps a handy sense of humor, no matter the crowds and the difficulties of her job.
I am also grateful to the people of the nearby community, hurch and hotel, who jointly administer the park next door. They kindly open it up to us non-residents and let us walk our dogs, even though they could just close the door and send us on our merry way.
I also thank the people in my building and neighborhood, who have accepted me and my pets and my funny fashions and weird music, and say hello to me everyday and keep an eye out for my safety. I also thank the vendors in my market, because they say hello to me and my dog and make fun of me when Iām late for work and run like Carl Lewis towards the MRT.
I am also grateful for the coworker who saves a space for me to put my junk on the MRT. She does not know if I am going to be there on time, but she saves it anyway. Most importantly, she takes time to talk to me and shows interest in my old and trite dog/cat stories.
In summary, I thank the Taiwanese for their openness and warmth.
These folks have been through quite a wringer over the years, and theyāve still got a hard row to hoe in terms of keeping and developing what theyāve made for themselves so far.
I appreciate the opportunity the Taiwanese have given me to make a living here. If it were to come to an end tomorrow, Iād still have a lot to be grateful for.
That said, Iām probably still going to complain about things. That doesnāt mean I donāt like this place. Iām a complainer.
The one with bad skin? Sheās always really really nice to me, even though I only see her once a year. Actually I ran into her just yesterday in the FamilyMart next to her office and she asked me about the wife and kid (even remembered their names!).
Well I can certainly say that TW people are much more friendly. Just on the JAL flight from SFO to Narita, I decided to stand in the back area to get away from the sardine madness thats economy on JAL. And I chatted with a stew from Spore and also this girl (late 20s something) was there and struck up a convo and was very friendly and approachable and you guessed it, shes from Taiwan.
Upon arrival at TAoyuan struck up a convo with a MILF in line ahead of me who turns out to be a returning TW lady from the MidWest USA and she was very friendly and helpful. She saw me wanting to get in line to exchange money where the line was long and suggested that theres another kiosk after immigration. The guy who ran the money exchange counter was friendly, the immigration officer was downright cheerful chatting with me bout the flu and all that. The Info booth person at the TAipei Main station was very helpful in showing me how to buy a token and swipe the token to get in. Standing in line close to midnite (when theres relatively few people) I was in line with only one other person, a young TW girl. I asked her what to do with the token when i reached my destination. She was very helpful and engaging (ask a young lady in SF BART close to midnite and she will NOT be so engaging trust me) and made sure I was on the right train, etc. Smiled and waved byebye when i reached my stop.
ITs these little things. But the friendliness is certainly there.
i appreciate taiwanās universal health care system. i dont think iāll ever see a universal health care system in the u.s. in my lifetime. americans are losing their healthcare insurance by the day due to being laid off in the recession. it costs hundreds of $ a month to buy it on your own and many cant afford it. even many people who have insurance have limited insurance via hmoās which skimp on many services. i know taiwanese who work in the u.s. who have insurance with their company but choose to go to back to taiwan to get health care because its cheaper, they get more for their money, and are even better in quality in the services they get.
[quote=āCharlie Jackā]These folks have been through quite a wringer over the years, and theyāve still got a hard row to hoe in terms of keeping and developing what theyāve made for themselves so far.
I appreciate the opportunity the Taiwanese have given me to make a living here. If it were to come to an end tomorrow, Iād still have a lot to be grateful for.
That said, Iām probably still going to complain about things. That doesnāt mean I donāt like this place. Iām a complainer.[/quote]
Yeah, thatās pretty much how Iām feeling at this point too. I couldnāt imagine living anywhere else at the moment ā truly enjoy the quality of life here and all the convenient amenities.
But still complain about stuff every once in a while.
Another positive: Because of their hard-working nature, they also really appreciate it when you work hard (especially since some foreigners, letās be honest, are not that hard-working).
As for the āextreme friendlinessā thing, I think that may come from how thereās no real āculture of fearā here, like we see in the west. Strangers are not automatically perceived as a potential threat, but as a potential, well, maybe not āfriend,ā but at least āaideā or someone who can be assisted.
Iām really trying to learn how to be more open and friendly (pretty reserved by nature) so as not to unintentionally denigrate or seem unappreciative of their behaviour.
Itās all about money-worship. The motives for being āhard-workingā are hardly commendable.
Am I the only one who calls into question the label/stereotype of āhardworking Taiwaneseā?
I know there are a lot of people who do work very hard hereā¦so no disrespect intended (and I am a complainer too)ā¦but Iāve also experienced more than a few people who āworkā 8-10 hours a day/whatever, with half of that time spent āworkingā on msn with their friends. I guess if you define work by time spent at work, they do work hardā¦but it seems like a lot of that time spent at work is unproductive. There just seems to be a perception that working hard (a long time) is to be respected more than working smart/efficiently. Personally at my work the highers up are always discussing and overthinking everything to death as if they have nothing better to doā¦if everything is going great and theyāre bored they simply manufacture a problem, or something to change just for the sake of change.
Also, if you do the same amount of work as a counterpart (or in my case the same amount I used to do but with less face-time at the office), thatās a no-no and something must be corrected. I once filled in for a friend doing proofreading workā¦first time filling in I would go in and log office hoursā¦whatever came across my desk I had to finish that day, and got paid a weekly salary.
2nd time filling in I didnāt want to travel to their office to do the work, because it was pointless. Theyād just feed me documents into a folder (it was both proofing and what ended up being heavy editing of butchered university application letters) at the office, and they never needed to go over them with me or anything. In other words minimal interaction. So I asked to do it at home. Same thingā¦they mail me the docs, I finish them same day. But despite being the exact same workload and deadlines, they said I would have to take a significant paycut (the exact numbers escape me). I ended up doing it (regrettably), but told them it was at my own leisure (within 2 or 3 days, not same day).
So in essence, they were cheap simply because office face-time is more valued than actual productivity. They saved a little money, but got the work done more slowly, and I told them to forget it the next time they asked me to work for them. I was pretty good at re-mastering those train wreck letters too, and my original salary was actually a pretty good deal for them.
Anywho, sorry to delve off topic there. I have good things to say. Service here is pretty good at restaurantsā¦much fewer cases of server apathy and rudeness here. Overall service is good tooā¦hotels, cabbiesā¦you certainly are free from the attitude that a lot of service industry people in the west exhibit.
The people overall are very friendly. Encounters with random strangers here are pleasantā¦again much more pleasant than in NA. Iāve been treated pretty well by both my major employers and landlords here, and my neighbours are really nice too.
People aside, the health care is a great thing, and the MRT systems are super duper.
Really, if the air here was cleaned up, (or cleaner, ratherā¦I know progress is being made) it would go from a decent place to live, to a very nice one (assuming one is content with their job and social life).
Absolutely. Itās all about bums on seats. Working smart or efficiently is the very antithesis of Confucian thought. We have a bloke here who has his very own chair, bought at his own expense. Itās a full recliner, so he can sleep in it. Which he does, nearly ALL the time. Still, he spends about 14 hours in the office every day, so heās spoken of in hushed reverential tones as a āhard worker.ā Iām pretty sure nobody even knows what it is heās supposed to be āworkingā at ā he hasnāt in the 12 years Iāve been here ever produced evidence that he actually ādoesā anything.
They had a meeting in our office the other week that cost in excess of 150 man-hours, to resolve to have fewer meetings.
The dude sleeping in the lie-flat chair is in charge of having fewer meetings.