List #1: Top Ten Things I Want To Know Before Moving
Seems that the most popular blog posts are actually lists, so I figured I’d try my hand at it.
This is a short list of the top ten things I want to know before I move to Taiwan, two years before I actually do it. It will be interesting to see how this list changes as the time gets closer.
10. I’m a stinky American. Will I be able to easily find a deodorant/antiperspirant that is built for my dairy-infused bulk?
9. I want to be able to get around easily, but don’t necessarily want to ride a scooter. How long will I survive on a motorcycle before I’m smeared across the front of a bus?
8. I’ve heard, depending on where you are, foreigners are a bit of a novelty (not in Taipei, obviously). Is there an appropriate way to ask people to stop staring, or should I just put on my sunglasses and pretend to ignore them?
7. Bathrooms are different in a number of ways. If private bathrooms’ showers are all open (without curtains), doesn’t that get kind of cold?
6. My speaking is not nearly as good as my listening. How long will I last simply grunting and pointing to get what I want in stores and markets?
5. As much as I hate to say it, I am a typical young, White, American male in that I’ve got a number of tattoos. What exactly will they think of my tattoos when we go to the beach?
4. My sense of direction is akin to that of a dead cow. How many days before I get completely and utterly lost in the city? (Bets can be taken on this one.)
3. I love to take pictures. Can I carry around my camera without looking like a tourist?
2. Chinese food makes me happy and I can eat a lot of it. Still, such a drastic change in one’s diet can have strange effects. How much weight will I gain/lose when I get there?
1. Will her family like and/or accept me? Either is fine. Both would be great. Neither is expected.
I suppose there’s a bigger question: how many of these will be completely meaningless? I’m going to say… nine of them. Feel free to respond with your take on these questions!
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Here’s my thoughts of some of them..
10. No problem! go to Watsons you smelly laowai.
9. If you’re in Taipei, take the MRT
8. My experience living in China, put on the sunglasses and stare back. Ignore it or enjoy what little celebrity you have ;-)
6. Part of the adventure.. good times! I remember doing the chicken dance, trying to order Chicken wings, my first year in China.
1. Good luck with that one, i’d say they will be cool, esp. if your speak Chinese. .. though this largely up to “her” and you too of course. Again, enjoy the cultural awkwardness, it’s part of the journey.
Hi 美國人
I am an american to, in the same situation as you are I am going back to taiwan with my wife in a couple of years also. I went back in april of this year for vacation and to check out my soon to be new home. One of the questions I can answer for you is that yes you will be a novelty in some parts of taiwan being an american but, never while I was there for 3 weeks did I ever feel like an exhibit at the zoo. the children look at you for a moment then gather with there freinds and then will practice their english on you they will want to know if you have ever seen the yankees play and boy you will LOVE it if your a yankee fan.the other than the children the people wave smile and will want to make you feel welcome. Not one time while i was there did I ever feel threatened or in some kind of show for the people. I am also aprehensive about going so I know how you feel , I also would really REALLY like a change but it not easy leaving the only thing you have ever known. I will be li ving in Kaohsuing at about the same time you will arrive in Taipei. Maybe we could keep in touch this way and help each other out with being american in taiwan.
Hello! I just found your blog via globetrotteri’s Twitter (yes, I love snooping around). I’m a Taiwanese-American living in Taipei, so I might be able to help with some of your questions:
10. I’m a stinky American. Will I be able to easily find a deodorant/antiperspirant that is built for my dairy-infused bulk?
It won’t be a problem and I bet you won’t be the stinkiest person around here.
9. I want to be able to get around easily, but don’t necessarily want to ride a scooter. How long will I survive on a motorcycle before I’m smeared across the front of a bus?
I see people riding motorcycles quite often. The key to getting around in Taipei and other big cities is defensive driving. I have to confess, Taipei traffic and how close drivers here are willing to cut it gives me a heart attack… but I have a really low threshold for stuff like that.
8. I’ve heard, depending on where you are, foreigners are a bit of a novelty (not in Taipei, obviously). Is there an appropriate way to ask people to stop staring, or should I just put on my sunglasses and pretend to ignore them?
I’m not sure if there is. My husband is white and the people who stare at him in Taipei are usually very, very young, so there’s really nothing he can do besides ignore them. I sometimes get stared at, too, because I am an Asian-looking person who sounds like an American (which I am, er…). It’s really weird how some people (and I’m talking about adults, not just kids) are willing to just gape and gape. Staring back at them doesn’t help, so I usually just ignore them. I’ve been tempted to jam a finger up my nose and start digging around, to see if that will get people to avert their eyes, but my sense of decorum always stops me.
7. Bathrooms are different in a number of ways. If private bathrooms’ showers are all open (without curtains), doesn’t that get kind of cold?
Bathrooms here are usually so small that they warm up pretty quickly.
6. My speaking is not nearly as good as my listening. How long will I last simply grunting and pointing to get what I want in stores and markets?
You won’t have a problem! I think being able to listen is the most important part of communicating.
5. As much as I hate to say it, I am a typical young, White, American male in that I’ve got a number of tattoos. What exactly will they think of my tattoos when we go to the beach?
I see a lot of people with tattoos here, so I don’t think it’ll cause a huge stir.
4. My sense of direction is akin to that of a dead cow. How many days before I get completely and utterly lost in the city? (Bets can be taken on this one.)
If you live in Taipei, you can try looking for Taipei 101 in the horizon to get a sense of where you are. Other than that, it can get a bit confusing in the alleys here. I just consider every day a wonderful, serendipitous adventure.
3. I love to take pictures. Can I carry around my camera without looking like a tourist?
Photography is HUGELY popular hobby here. People take SLRs and all sorts of fancy lens just to get a cup of coffee at a cafe, which they then spend half an hour taking loving macro shots of. I’m guilty of this myself.
2. Chinese food makes me happy and I can eat a lot of it. Still, such a drastic change in one’s diet can have strange effects. How much weight will I gain/lose when I get there?
I live next to a night market filled with (in)famous snack stands, but I keep my weight stable by not keeping ready-to-eat food in the house.
1. Will her family like and/or accept me? Either is fine. Both would be great. Neither is expected.
I have no idea, but I wish you good luck!
Hope this was helpful!!!
Moving in December of 2012 to Taichung with my Taiwanese wife. I am so excited and am working hard at my Mandarin. Been there twice already, love it there. Dan