Job Discussion Forums

[kotoko]

Thank you so much.

One last question, if that's ok. How easy is it to make friends with the locals? Unless you're a tall blonde white male, it's hard to make local friends in Japan, which leaves me feeling lonely at times. What's the case in Taiwan?

[scarab1169]

It's hard. I've given up on it, because of lots of reasons - many people will not like it when I air those reasons, but here goes. First off - there's the language barrier. I've tried to learn Chinese, but have given up. I can't learn a language on rote learning(which is the only way to learn Chinese). You meet very few locals, that can speak English good enough that can maybe make convo easier. Most of the locals I've met are into shopping, taking 1000 pictures of the same pose at some restaurant, watching TV or playing computer. The standard answer you get when you ask "What will you do? " is "Sleep or play computer." I like to have lively, intelectual discussions about whatever topic, and find it very hard to do that with a local person that has some command of English. My life is about more than shopping..blah,blah. Sorry, if that's maybe putting locals in a bad light or make me appear culturally insensitive. I'm blond, btw but find that attention given to me is zero. Maybe it's because I don't do clubs,drink until I can't stand on my two feet, or just go out and mingle. That's just not me.Males also tend to have an easier time with locals than females, and many foreign guys end up with a local girlfriend. If you're going to go to bars,pubs, etc and be more active than I am, I think you may find making friends with locals easier than I have, as for me - I just haven't been very succesful at it. I hope that helps

[JZer]

[kotoko]

[JZer]

If you like local guys you can always find them in front of a computer. Go to the nearest internet cafe and they will be playing online games.

[kotoko]

Haha, thanks, I'll keep that in mind!

[Solar Strength]

Locals love to go to Karaoke buildings, eat at round table and drink tea and smoke. They love taking thousands of photos in groups flashing the "V" sign. Maybe hit the local Karaoke-kan and chat the locals up there. Do some singing together.

IF they are in high school or university they will be in some sort of Dance Club and you will find them line dancing in the hallways after school for hours - hip hop type dance normally with a CD player at their feet. IF you're ever in the Taipei Main Station after school, on weekends or during the summer you'll see lots of students doing hip hop dancing there where there is space. I guess you could talk to them and make friendships possibly if you enjoy dancing.

Local guys also like smoking and drinking tea. They ride their scooters all over the place and go to the night markets and by T-shirts with weird or strange English on them and ugly neon-colored baseball caps..

If I ask my students what they did on the weekend I invariably get an answer something like, "Sleeping" or "Play computer!"

Whether it's Korea, Japan or Taiwan, most expats find it very difficult to make local friends even if they marry a local. Language, interests, cultural mores, etc. are different and have been mentioned above. But even if one were to spend 25 years in these countries, married to a local and master the language, it would still be tough to make local friends - good friends.

Western expat men often marry locals but never really establish good friendships with local men. They are just too different.

Also, there's always the big deal that they make out of you being a foreigner. They never really get past that. So one never really fits in here.

[kotoko]

Thanks for your reply.
Well I guess that was to be expected. I survive quite well here in the middle of nowhere, and it can't be worse than this.

Haha.

[Rooster_2006]

[Solar Strength]

Rooster,

Are you still in Kaohsiung?

What's the job situation like there now?

[Rooster_2006]