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rupert shellgame · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 109

I prefer "Gloomy Guss", please.

I appreciate a little levity. But if I were to wake up tomorrow to find myself overflowing with positivity about this place, I would have to question my sanity.

One can't breath the air...yes, but rejoice, your salary is good.

One can't drink the water...yes, but you only work thirty hours a week, at most

One can't help but to notice the savagery on the streets...yes, but the cost of living is so low.

Here live 23 million people waiting for someone to change them...yes, but free healthcare...and beautiful mountains...and the food...oh...I give up.

We could at least warn newbies that much will be good for you here, but very little for society or the world as a whole. The desperate ones won't care. Nor will the brave ones.

Welcome to the tumor known as Western Taiwan.

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

rupert shellgame · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 109

Ah, tell me more about mexico...

I would love to go there.

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

zipper · Joined: 14 Dec 2009 Posts: 237

I miss spacious sidewalks. In Changhua county, if you want to go for a walk, you need to share the streets with cars, so I seldom go for a walk. The tiny roads leading up into the mountains are not bad though.

zipper · Joined: 14 Dec 2009 Posts: 237

Today's the last day of Ghost Month, so expect a lot of offerings, burnings and those damn firecrackers. 9/7

Modest Mouse · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 28 Location: Taiwan

Q: How do you say "please change the CD, it's played 13 times."?
A: 這張CD已經播了十三次了，可以請你換一張嗎?

Oh, and Shellgame: 你不適應台灣，就離開。

/thread

creztor · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 476

I think shell's response to the "learn Chinese" and "why don't you make male friends" comment was handled extremely well. He pointed out that culture/language/whatever excuse you want to insert has nothing to do with what he was referring to. I also don't think shell needs to be told, in any language, that he isn't suited to Taiwan. It is pretty clear that he already knows Taiwan isn't the place for him and has already mentioned several times that he is leaving. Congrats on typing in Chinese though. Do you feel better now?

Modest Mouse · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 28 Location: Taiwan

I never told Shellgame that "he isn't suited to Taiwan." Don't always trust Google Translator. Wink

Also, if you would go back and read my posts, I never suggest that learning Chinese and making local friends would magically make all of the little frustrating things about living in Taiwan disappear. I was simply stating that not knowing the language and the people of Taiwan is essentially like being blind to a whole dimension of Taiwan. Anywhere he is going to live will have both positive and negative elements, but being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections. Learning the language and having local friends simply adds a lot of positive elements that you can appreciate.

And another thing: I am the only one to actually answer the question of this tread, which required me to type in Chinese.

Congrats on having an invalid argument, though. Do you feel better now?

creztor · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 476

Google translate comes up with this:

You are not suited to Taiwan, on the left.

Babelfish with this:

You do not adapt Taiwan, leaves.

It is quite clear from your posts what you meant. Let me help you if you missed what you said.

>>>It amazes me how many claim to understand Taiwanese/Chinese culture and then you find out that that can't even speak the language (白痴).

Learn the language and know the people. People who don't are idiots.

>>You studied Chinese for a semester, then dropped out.
>>You have a Taiwanese girlfriend, with whom you speak primarily in English, but you have few, if any, Taiwanese friends who are guys.

What else is there to that post beyond knowing the language and making friends will make all the problems go away?

It is also very clear that you enjoy putting others down who don't live up to some specific Chinese proficiency standard that you have. Are you one of those foreigners who believes they are better than others due to their language ability? If posting comments in Chinese and calling people who don't know Chinese idiots makes you feel better, then I guess you gotta do whatever works for you. Good luck with that.

If you really want to read some negative comments about Taiwan, I recommend this website.

http://truthabouttaiwan.blogspot.com/

rupert shellgame · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 109

I didn't think I'd have to point this out, but the title "How do you say please change the CD..." is a rhetorical question. I know how to say it, but I like the cafe owners and I don't wanna be pushy.

I don't go further with my Chinese because, for one thing, I know that at some point I'll be good enough to say what I really think. And in their culture boat-rockers are bad, bad, bad. Doesn't matter if the boat might sink. Face is everything.

Second, I don't care to learn anymore. As a friend said: "I have no desire to engage them."

What are we gonna talk about? Stupid TV shows? Work? "Education" (please...)? The "evolution" of the China question? Your boring weekend? I wanna talk about how filthy, ugly, and disgusting Taiwan is. I wanna talk about how unengaged Taiwanese are with their reality. I wanna talk about the dreadful future this place must have. I wanna talk about all these things we've talked about here.

Since this ain't the usual boring stuff, I will be seen as a real pisser who disturbs the "way of things." Taiwan doesn't want people who disturb "the way of things." Neither does the West for that matter, but it's got 'em -- they are part of the culture.