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Taiwanese more foreigner friendly than....
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torentosan



Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 54

PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 3:34 am    Post subject: Taiwanese more foreigner friendly than.... Reply with quote

Chinese main-landers? I heard Taiwanese were just as rude as main-landers and were very difficult to make friends with. I taught in Shanghai and am now considering Taiwan...but I am in no way eager to have a repeat experience... Is there anyone who cares to offer their opinions on how bad culture shock is in Taiwan? Anyone been to both places and can compare?
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sistercream



Joined: 18 Dec 2010
Posts: 497
Location: Pearl River Delta

PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 6:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't often drop into the Taiwan forum (I left the island in 2002), but it's holidays and rainy, so here I am with my 2 cents worth ...

Big cities are big cities are big cities wherever you are, but Shanghai is an extreme example of the genre ... even Taipei is only what, 1/6 of that population or so and correspondingly more human in scale, IMHO. But I did, in my time there, generally prefer the local Taiwan Chinese types more common in the south of the island to the "mainlanders" in the north who had come over after '48 - I found the former more open (although some don't like their bluntness).

On mainland, I found the "little" cities like Kunming and Xining were much more friendly than the megalopolises. Writing off mainlanders from experience in Shanghai is (again, IMHO) a bit like writing off Europe because you didn't like Belgians.
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ncaraway



Joined: 15 Feb 2010
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Last edited by ncaraway on Mon Sep 08, 2014 5:47 am; edited 1 time in total
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:10 am    Post subject: Re: Taiwanese more foreigner friendly than.... Reply with quote

torentosan wrote:
I heard Taiwanese were just as rude as main-landers and were very difficult to make friends with.


I have taught and lived in both places and I'd say that without a doubt the Chinese are the nicer people. I say this because mainlanders have a greater security in themselves that comes from having a strong national identity. The Chinese are proud people and have much to be proud about in their long eventful history.(They have much to feel ashamed about too I might add.) The Taiwanese on the contrary are very insecure. This stems from a weak national identity that forces the Taiwanese to look outwards to other countries, particularly American, for evidence of who they actually are. China, on the contrary, knows exactly who it is and what it wants and is actually quite independent. Some people misinterpret the honesty of the Chinese for rudeness. However, I'd much rather know how someone feels rather than having to guess all the time as you have to do with Taiwanese people, who rarely say what they feel and hide behind a forced smile.


Last edited by romanworld on Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:20 am; edited 2 times in total
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torentosan



Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 54

PostPosted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:41 pm    Post subject: I've heard both Reply with quote

I lived in Shanghai and found the people not only rude, but arrogant and quick to anger. I knew a lady whose husband was from Taiwan. They both always told me how much nicer Taiwan and Taiwanese people were. I think in general, teachers on these forums have a good opinion of living in Taiwan.

However, I sometimes hear that it is hard to meet and befriend Taiwanese or that they are cold and unapproachable. It makes me think that they are really not that much different from people from mainland China.

I worked in Japan years ago. You did not meet people out on the street normally, but when you went to a pub or gatherings, you would indeed meet people and make friends.
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 7:02 pm    Post subject: Re: I've heard both Reply with quote

torentosan wrote:
However, I sometimes hear that it is hard to meet and befriend Taiwanese or that they are cold and unapproachable.


That's right. Typically the only time you'll deal with Taiwanese is when there is money exchanging hands. Yes, you'll meet your landlord, shopkeepers, waitresses, bartenders, managers, etc, but finding friends outside of these everyday transactions will be difficult because you don't have anything to offer. The Chinese in contrast are still quite curious about foreigners, which might be the result of years of communism and international isolation. When I was in China, I couldn't go anywhere without people trying to befriend me. It was quite different in Taiwan, where I often felt very lonely and alienated from people and society and consequently started hanging with my own kind. I was glad I left Taiwan when I did and would never go back . . . not for a million dollars. Other countries are simply far more hospitable.
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RiverMystic



Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 1986

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have lived and worked in both Taiwan and mainland China. My experience does not match. I found people in Taiwan very friendly, and I found the lack of nationalism to be the most refreshing difference from the PRC, where you have to constantly check everything you say so that it does not evoke nationalist outrage. I also found Chinese nationals to be very much insecure about the way China is perceived, and often regurgitate propaganda about China's 5000 years of history, four great inventions and so on. I also encountered far more hostility in the PRC. I never once had any person give me a hard time in TW. In China there was the odd bit of aggro, and people sometimes yelled rude stuff at my Chinese wife and I in public. Never happened to my Taiwanese g/f and I in TW.

Having said this, most people in China are friendly once you know them. But there is definitely more xenophobia there.
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Jared



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 319
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't tell you how confused I get when I hear one thing from one person, and another from another person. Meaning, one person says china is friendlier than Taiwan, and another says Taiwan is friendlier than china.

I lived in china for a long time, and the longer I lived there, the harder it became to generalize the country. I found it easy to make friends in china by going to English corner. And some people on the streets were approachable. Most cut ties with you right after first meeting you. But the odd one's do keep sincere contact with you. The one's which do are very pleasant people.

I only been to Taiwan for two months and I met a small number of people who I kept in contact with on and off fore more than 7 years. I can't say how friendly Taiwan is. Because one blog says they are so friendly. Another blog says they are closed and resistant towards us, or whatever.

My advice, go there and find out for yourself. That's all. Since I don't know much about it, I can't say anything. But since you got one person who says it's friendly and another who says it's not friendly, the advice "go find out for yourself" is all I can think of to say. My two yuan. Nothing more.
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Solar Strength



Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 557
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 3:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They are rude in public in Taiwan also. I don't think there's much of a difference and they love to persecute a foreigner in the media if they can get a chance. Many also use a foreigner if they can, but maintain a facade of friendship. As soon as you move to a new city or new job, they can't be reached anymore or don't reply to e-mails sent.

I don't know anyone who has real Japanese, Taiwanese or Chinese friends. Event those teachers who've been in those places for 20 - 30 years never really establish friendships with the locals.
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Jared



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 319
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Solar Strength wrote:
They are rude in public in Taiwan also. I don't think there's much of a difference and they love to persecute a foreigner in the media if they can get a chance. Many also use a foreigner if they can, but maintain a facade of friendship. As soon as you move to a new city or new job, they can't be reached anymore or don't reply to e-mails sent.

I don't know anyone who has real Japanese, Taiwanese or Chinese friends. Event those teachers who've been in those places for 20 - 30 years never really establish friendships with the locals.
i established a few friendships with some chinese people. Very few that is. In sichuan i had troubles. But in chengdu I had a good handful of friends who were good to be with. And some even kept contact with me in the long run too.

Same with about maybe three locals in Taiwan. It is hard at times. I know. But for teachers there 30 years? Can't make friends? What kept them there this long?
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Javelin of Radiance



Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't visit the Taiwan forum often but thought I'd pop in for a look.

Solar Strength wrote:
They are rude in public in Taiwan also. I don't think there's much of a difference and they love to persecute a foreigner in the media if they can get a chance. Many also use a foreigner if they can, but maintain a facade of friendship. As soon as you move to a new city or new job, they can't be reached anymore or don't reply to e-mails sent.

I don't know anyone who has real Japanese, Taiwanese or Chinese friends. Event those teachers who've been in those places for 20 - 30 years never really establish friendships with the locals.

So what do you call it when you sit down with a bunch of local people and drink and eat and laugh and get invited to their home for a holiday, and maybe vacation with a few local people, and perhaps even marry one of them and have kids and spend time with the friends of your new family etc etc? What exactly is your idea of real friendship anyway?

Jared wrote:
Solar Strength wrote:
They are rude in public in Taiwan also. I don't think there's much of a difference and they love to persecute a foreigner in the media if they can get a chance. Many also use a foreigner if they can, but maintain a facade of friendship. As soon as you move to a new city or new job, they can't be reached anymore or don't reply to e-mails sent.

I don't know anyone who has real Japanese, Taiwanese or Chinese friends. Event those teachers who've been in those places for 20 - 30 years never really establish friendships with the locals.
i established a few friendships with some chinese people. Very few that is. In sichuan i had troubles. But in chengdu I had a good handful of friends who were good to be with.

Please complete the final sentence with the correct answer. The people in Chengdu are friendly. Chengdu is in Sichuan. The people in Sichuan are ________ .

If you're having nothing but bad experiences with local people, in any country, then most likely you're the one with the problem, not them. Learn to adapt a little more and you'll probably find your positive experiences outweigh the negative ones.
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Jared



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 319
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Javelin of Radiance wrote:
I don't visit the Taiwan forum often but thought I'd pop in for a look.

Solar Strength wrote:
They are rude in public in Taiwan also. I don't think there's much of a difference and they love to persecute a foreigner in the media if they can get a chance. Many also use a foreigner if they can, but maintain a facade of friendship. As soon as you move to a new city or new job, they can't be reached anymore or don't reply to e-mails sent.

I don't know anyone who has real Japanese, Taiwanese or Chinese friends. Event those teachers who've been in those places for 20 - 30 years never really establish friendships with the locals.

So what do you call it when you sit down with a bunch of local people and drink and eat and laugh and get invited to their home for a holiday, and maybe vacation with a few local people, and perhaps even marry one of them and have kids and spend time with the friends of your new family etc etc? What exactly is your idea of real friendship anyway?

Jared wrote:
Solar Strength wrote:
They are rude in public in Taiwan also. I don't think there's much of a difference and they love to persecute a foreigner in the media if they can get a chance. Many also use a foreigner if they can, but maintain a facade of friendship. As soon as you move to a new city or new job, they can't be reached anymore or don't reply to e-mails sent.

I don't know anyone who has real Japanese, Taiwanese or Chinese friends. Event those teachers who've been in those places for 20 - 30 years never really establish friendships with the locals.
i established a few friendships with some chinese people. Very few that is. In sichuan i had troubles. But in chengdu I had a good handful of friends who were good to be with.

Please complete the final sentence with the correct answer. The people in Chengdu are friendly. Chengdu is in Sichuan. The people in Sichuan are ________ .

If you're having nothing but bad experiences with local people, in any country, then most likely you're the one with the problem, not them. Learn to adapt a little more and you'll probably find your positive experiences outweigh the negative ones.
Hmmm. Then I guess the teachers who were there 30 years and still no friends, perhaps they are the problem. Not the locals.

Your friends are.......?
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Javelin of Radiance



Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The poster who said there are people staying in one place 20-30 years with no real friends doesn't know what he's talking about. Assuming you could find someone with no friends why would they stay so long? Ask them. As for me, I've got real friends and most of them are local people.
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Jared



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 319
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Javelin of Radiance wrote:
The poster who said there are people staying in one place 20-30 years with no real friends doesn't know what he's talking about. Assuming you could find someone with no friends why would they stay so long? Ask them. As for me, I've got real friends and most of them are local people.
Prove it. Who are they?
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Javelin of Radiance



Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jared wrote:
Javelin of Radiance wrote:
The poster who said there are people staying in one place 20-30 years with no real friends doesn't know what he's talking about. Assuming you could find someone with no friends why would they stay so long? Ask them. As for me, I've got real friends and most of them are local people.
Prove it. Who are they?

And there you have it, the end of another pointless thread started by Jared.
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