I mean, besides seeing those ubiquituous “Made in Taiwan” stickers on the backs of cheap plastic toys back in the '70s and '80s.
Probably reading a couple of history of China books. That’s why I expected to be arriving in a police state. And I knew that my Tai Qi teacher and my friend’s Mum back home were from Taiwan.
Brian
The first specific memory I have of Taiwan was back in the '80s I read this article in the newspaper about geriatric legislators representing provinces on mainland China. There were protests at the time in Taiwan to get rid of them - some of the legislators were so old and infirm they attended legislative sessions wheeled in on life support, on dialysis and breathing machines. I was a teenage kid and thought how weird it had to be to have an entire country run by old men barely hanging on on life support.
And as we all know now, that was a pretty accurate metaphor for KMT-ruled Taiwan in the late '80s, before democratization. After reading that article, I gave Taiwan about as much thought as Latvia or Djibouti…that is, zilch, until I actually moved here a few years ago and suddenly had to learn about this little country that hardly gets any media attention back home.
I remember something similar when watching the news in Australia one day. There was something on television showing Taiwan’s political system and there was some footage of their parliament in action, with about 6 or 7 legislators throwing cutties and haymakers, others in headlocks, and even guys trying to dive into the action like an Under 13’s footy game in the wet. Contrasting to the next clip which had an Australian parliament question time with Paul Keating, as Prime Minister on the defensive “The Leader of the Opposition hurls all sorts of abuse at me, and all through question time those pansies over there want retractions of the things we’ve said about them. They are a bunch of nobodies going nowhere.” Two systems I suppose.
Reading “Made in Taiwan” on the underside of brik-a-brak, I reckon. And something in a National Geographic article.
I was always far more interested in Japan than Taiwan or China.
In fact, probably this one:
Publication: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine feature article
Title: Taiwan: The Watchful Dragon
Date: Jan. 1969
Pages: 1-45
Contributor(s): Schreider, Frank Author-Photographer
Schreider, Helen Author-Photographer
Subject(s):
Chiang Kai-Shek
Festivals–Asia
Religious ceremonies and festivals–Taoist
Formosa
Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan
Notes: Festival included: [pai-pai], a Taoist temple festival.
Dave’s ESL Cafe, I think. Or at least that was when I became aware of Taiwan as a country. I had posted my online resume for EFL jobs and got a response back from some recruiter. Yes, I’m sorry to admit I knew only a little about Taiwan when I decided to come here to teach English back in 2000, but I spent that whole year studying Mandarin in university, gettting involved in the Chinese Culture Club, and reading as much as I could about Taiwan’s history and culture before I came. Now it looks like I’ll be stuck here for much longer than I originally planned. :shock:
I first heard about Taiwan when I came here when I was a toddler–my parents would stop here just to load up on the latest pirated bestsellers.
had heard about taiwan, just kmt cks etc. but i first REALLY did shooting pool with taiwanese guys at college.
I remember looking at maps as a kid and seeing this big island called Formosa. But my first real experience with Taiwan came in Hong Kong airport in 1986. I was flying back from Thailand and had a long stopover. I met a German fellow who was on a visa run. He told me about his life in Taiwan and said it consisted mostly of studying Chinese, practising kung fu, teaching English and dating pretty Chinese girls.
It all sounded very interesting to a 20 year old and I thought that when I graduated from university I would go to Taiwan and try out teaching English, studying chinese and Kung Fu, and dating pretty Chinese (or rather ROC) girls. Of course things didn’t exactly turn out that way (coming after uni) but I got here eventually. Still haven’t done any kung fu yet.
Traveling in SE Asia in 1997 I met a few people at different times who said if you want to pick one country in Asia to live and work in, Taiwan is the best choice. I’m not sure I agree with them but I followed their advice and there’s no turning back now.
I first heard about Taiwan when I was born…
- Li Shi Da Wa Lung* <-- In Taiwanese…
[quote=“Alien”]Reading “Made in Taiwan” on the underside of brik-a-brak, I reckon. And something in a National Geographic article.
I was always far more interested in Japan than Taiwan or China.
In fact, probably this one:
Publication: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine feature article
Title: Taiwan: The Watchful Dragon
Date: Jan. 1969
Pages: 1-45
Contributor(s): Schreider, Frank Author-Photographer
Schreider, Helen Author-Photographer
Subject(s):
Chiang Kai-Shek
Festivals–Asia
Religious ceremonies and festivals–Taoist
Formosa
Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan
Notes: Festival included: [pai-pai], a Taoist temple festival.[/quote]
Hah - I have a copy of that National Geo…
The way the article reads, in terms of Taiwan being the home for cheap labour and the influx of western $$ - just substitute China and it could be 2003. A very interesting artcile indeed.
Back to topic… I first heard about Taiwan when my father was fixing an old radio and it read “Made in Formosa” on the inside. I thought my primary school geography was Ok, but I had never heard of Formosa before.
1987, when I was studying in Beijing. Came here with $50.00USD, a ticket home, and the customs officers made me take off my shirt while standing in the immigration line (and of course all my clothes were in my luggage). I had one of those 1997 T-shirts that had the HK flag being painted over with the PRC one. They didn’t have anything to cover me up with so I just went through the arrival process in all my glory. It was very difficult to keep whatever dignity I had… 
Though I do thank the stars that I wasn’t wearing a matching pair of shorts.
It was a great learning experience about the politics at the time.
[quote=“Durins Bane”]1987, when I was studying in Beijing. Came here with $50.00USD, a ticket home, and the customs officers made me take off my shirt while standing in the immigration line (and of course all my clothes were in my luggage). I had one of those 1997 T-shirts that had the HK flag being painted over with the PRC one. They didn’t have anything to cover me up with so I just went through the arrival process in all my glory. It was very difficult to keep whatever dignity I had… Though I do thank the stars that I wasn’t wearing a matching pair of shorts.
It was a great learning experience about the politics at the time.[/quote]
Shame on you for wearing that kind of shirt. And what is this nonsense about “a great learning experience about the politics at the time?” Even now, the immigration officers would probably do the same thing to someone wearing a PRC symbol. I think you got off light. They should have thrown you in the detention center with all the mainland prostitutes waiting to be returned. The prostitutes at least have enough sense not to wear a commie flag when landing in Taiwan. People like you are standing in the way of the ROC finally liberating the communist mainland. Come to think of it, though, going shirtless in CKS airport is pretty cruel punishment. That place is like an icebox.
Somebody have no milk for his cheerios this morning?
This may come as a shock to some of you, but in another lifetime, I was a Mormon missionary. When I was 18, I got a letter from the president of the Mormon church telling me I was “needed in Taiwan” for two years. I had to check out the map to see where the hell I was going.
I quickly fell in love with Taiwan and though many other things have changed (e.g. I’m not a Mormon anymore), I’ve never lost my enthusiasm for this place.
[quote=“Jive Turkey”][quote=“Durins Bane”]1987, when I was studying in Beijing. Came here with $50.00USD, a ticket home, and the customs officers made me take off my shirt while standing in the immigration line (and of course all my clothes were in my luggage). I had one of those 1997 T-shirts that had the HK flag being painted over with the PRC one. They didn’t have anything to cover me up with so I just went through the arrival process in all my glory. It was very difficult to keep whatever dignity I had… Though I do thank the stars that I wasn’t wearing a matching pair of shorts.
It was a great learning experience about the politics at the time.[/quote]
Shame on you for wearing that kind of shirt. And what is this nonsense about “a great learning experience about the politics at the time?” Even now, the immigration officers would probably do the same thing to someone wearing a PRC symbol. I think you got off light. They should have thrown you in the detention center with all the mainland prostitutes waiting to be returned. The prostitutes at least have enough sense not to wear a commie flag when landing in Taiwan. People like you are standing in the way of the ROC finally liberating the communist mainland. Come to think of it, though, going shirtless in CKS airport is pretty cruel punishment. That place is like an icebox.[/quote]
At the time I just didn’t know.
As for the rest of your post…please feel free to go fuck yourself as it is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about. “People like you standing in the way of the ROC finally liberating the communist mainland”. What the hell kind of drivel is that?
[quote]Shame on you for wearing that kind of shirt.
They should have thrown you in the detention center with all the mainland prostitutes waiting to be returned.
People like you are standing in the way of the ROC finally liberating the communist mainland. [/quote]
You fargun kidding me? Durins wearing a PRC shirt obstructs the ROC government from “liberating” the mainland. that is superweak. I don’t mind trolls, but this is absurd, and not even humourous if that was the intention. so maybe if you and your friends wore ROC shirts all day every day, it will deflect incoming PRC missiles and bullets.
and tomas, a mormon missionary. who woulda thunk.
[quote=“Kenny McCormick”]and tomas, a mormon missionary. who woulda thunk.[/quote]He heard there was a “missionary position” and signed up before hearing the rest of the sentence 
Shame on you, matthew. I was a paragon of virtuous manhood then.
I also didn’t have very much fun 
.
Do you still have the bicycle Tomas?
Brian