Culture Crash- Foreigners in Taiwan.

Last night we discussed the fact that Taiwan through foreigners’ eyes is a very different world. Think of all the things you take for granted in your everyday life and each of them could be potentially strange to a foreigner. Taking off shoes when going into someone’s home, or showering at night before bed. As a foreigner who’s been here a while, I find these normal and my own culture a bit backwards in this respect, because, in America we have these beautiful homes and we walk around in them with our dirty shoes on!!?? We like to look good and care very much about the way we look (and smell) and about sanitation and personal hygiene, but we go to bed without showering!!?? It’s just a bit strange and unusual, don’t you think?

Foreigners experience discrimination from local Taiwanese especially if they are from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, or Indonesia. On the other hand, in Taiwan, Caucasians experience preferential treatment including higher pay that causes a lot of resentment from locals. It seems, though, that Taiwanese treat Taiwanese the same no matter where they are: a Taiwanese hired by a Taiwanese company in overseas receives lower pay and is worked harder than the locals because the company knows they need the job and takes advantage of them.

Foreigners in Taiwan have so many chances to experience bizarre (to them) things. For example, in the south, the lack of traffic rules and the special clothing styles, or the possibility of seeing a whole family (6 people) and a dog and a dead pig on one scooter. It’s a completely different world from the one where they came from.

Though foreigners in Taipei may not have the range of interesting and strange experiences of those living down south, we also have our share. For example, the sudden appearance (or disappearance) of a paid parking space overnight; strange protesting behavior, or flashers in the park. Not to mention the seemingly ever-changing traffic rules and random law enforcement.

I guess life really is like a box of chocolates.