Yonghe?

I’ve been living in Taipei for 9 weeks.

I had thought I was becoming friends with a Taiwanese girl I met. After six weeks I learnt she has a boyfriend, and was pretty much just meeting with me to practice English. I have an overseas Chinese friend who lives pretty close, but I would like to make some female friends as well.

I currently live in Yonghe. I love my apartment, but when I go out I usually see just a lot of senior citizens. Being here is starting to feel pretty isolated.

Are you familiar with Yonghe? What’s a good way of making friends here?

I don’t know what to tell you since you’re living in younghe. That far from civilization and out of reach of the rest of Taipei I’d say you’re pretty much screwed. Better off learning Chinese chess and hang out with the local seniors

I noticed that Yonghe has a lot of neighborhood pubs that Taipei doesn’t have. There’s a lot of coffee shops and restaurants across from the library behind the Yongan MRT stop. The Global Mall in neighboring Zhonghe is a happening place, the 57 bus goes there. Gongguan is just across the river, with NTU and lots of young lovelies just walking around.

There are generally a good amount of foreigners hanging out at Frankie’s Pies, and, as Dr. McCoy said, Yonghe borders on some decent areas. Some friends and I go bowling down in Jhonghe on Fridays from time to time, as long as you’re not a dick ( :wink: ) you’re more than welcome to join us. You’re never going to meet people just bumbling around no matter where you live, get out there and see a bit more of Taipei!

Yeah, Frankies is pretty much the center of the expat community in Yonghe. Just walk out of Dingxi MRT exit two and turn left and walk along the road until the first intersection and turn left again - Frankies will be on your left just a little bit past the 7-eleven. Look out for a table or two of hairy furriners on the pavement. Two minutes walk from Dingxi, maximum. If you don’t drink then just go for a meal. Fridays and Saturdays are generally busier of course and younger folk often go there for dinner and few drinks before heading out on the tiles. :thumbsup:

Or, if you do drink then catch the MRT to Guting and go to 45 (exit 5, 100 meters on your left, up the staircase just before the vacant lot). The bar manager is a wonderful conversationalist.

[quote=“antarcticbeech”]Yeah, Frankies is pretty much the center of the expat community in Yonghe. Just walk out of Dingxi MRT exit two and turn left and walk along the road until the first intersection and turn left again - Frankies will be on your left just a little bit past the 7-eleven. Look out for a table or two of hairy foreigners on the pavement. Two minutes walk from Dingxi, maximum. If you don’t drink then just go for a meal. Fridays and Saturdays are generally busier of course and younger folk often go there for dinner and few drinks before heading out on the tiles. :thumbsup:

Or, if you do drink then catch the MRT to Guting and go to 45 (exit 5, 100 meters on your left, up the staircase just before the vacant lot). The bar manager is a wonderful conversationalist.[/quote]
Right, but I’m not trying to meet South Africans and Aussies. I’d like to make some Taiwanese friends. This isn’t my first time living abroad … and without befriending local people, one (or at least myself) will always feel like a foreigner.

When I last passed by this place, I saw a three Western guys outside drinking beers in afternoon. One had a black eye, and one was massively overweight. And drinking beers in afternoon? Creates an f-ing awful image of Western people for the locals. Moreover, I’m still a young guy, and the Western folks I see here look like age 35 - 45…

[quote=“gentletree”][quote=“antarcticbeech”]Yeah, Frankies is pretty much the center of the expat community in Yonghe. Just walk out of Dingxi MRT exit two and turn left and walk along the road until the first intersection and turn left again - Frankies will be on your left just a little bit past the 7-eleven. Look out for a table or two of hairy foreigners on the pavement. Two minutes walk from Dingxi, maximum. If you don’t drink then just go for a meal. Fridays and Saturdays are generally busier of course and younger folk often go there for dinner and few drinks before heading out on the tiles. :thumbsup:

Or, if you do drink then catch the MRT to Guting and go to 45 (exit 5, 100 meters on your left, up the staircase just before the vacant lot). The bar manager is a wonderful conversationalist.[/quote]
Right, but I’m not trying to meet South Africans and Aussies. I’d like to make some Taiwanese friends. This isn’t my first time living abroad … and without befriending local people, one (or at least myself) will always feel like a foreigner.

When I last passed by this place, I saw a three Western guys outside drinking beers in afternoon. One had a black eye, and one was massively overweight. And drinking beers in afternoon? Creates an f-ing awful image of Western people for the locals. Moreover, I’m still a young guy, and the Western folks I see here look like age 35 - 45…[/quote]

Perhaps you should post, then, on a Locals board where your delicate sensibilities are less likely to suffer bruising.

Ok, you didn’t specify that in the OP. I meet a lot of Taiwanese in such places, by the way, but if you want to avoid the expat crowd then fair enough. Yonghe has a myriad of Taiwanese managed bars - like my local, which has virtually no foreign clientèle whatsoever. I often get asked to sit next to someone and have a drink, or join a group. Gets a bit annoying sometimes actually, if I just want to drink a beer in peace, and it kinda irks me that some young guys have got their priorities so messed up that they are more interested in talking to the dopey furriner than the pretty girl behind the bar.

Other than that I have no idea. You don’t specify any interests or sports. My problem is kind of the opposite to yours in that I’m usually finding ways to escape social engagements, like all-you-can-eat buffets, which bore me to tears.

Really, where is this place? I’d like to consider myself interesting, but I’ll respect your humility :stuck_out_tongue:
But do Taiwanese girls visit there as well? I’d like to make both some male and female friends here.
In truth, I generally don’t like to meet strangers when they’re not sober. It tends to result in a lot of warmth and emotion that they wouldn’t otherwise feel for you and won’t again when they meet you sober. But I’m not opposed to the idea if it’s a good spot.

I live just west of Dingxi station. I see many young people here during rush hour. Then this place becomes a bustling hive with all sorts of people in the sidewalks (that are in reality 1/3 restaurant and 1/3 parking strip…) But much later than 9 I just see people standing on the sidewalks waiting in line at the food stands.

heh, I’ve made conversation with a younger stranger on two occasions at a vegetarian buffet. I like those places during peak hours.

About sports and hobbies, I’m a climber. But all too often in climbing, the people who meet for it don’t live anywhere near each other and just see each other for climbing. But that can change when they start to go on trips together.