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[rupert shellgame]

I am sick of watching my Taiwanese friends, including my girlfriend, suffer from work, school, and television addiction.

I am sick of being asked, more often TOLD, to make my English conform to Taiwan's ridiculous English. What would the parents think of that?

I am sick of institutionalized micromanagement.

I am sick of being gawked and giggled at by Taiwanese adults that are as helplessly surprised when they see a foreigner as their children are. Grow the F up.

I am sick of what "the parents" might think.

I am sick of "the parents."

I am sick of the filth, and more so the ignorance about what's happening--no, happened--to the environment here.

I am sick of the absurd notion that this (or the U.S., but especially this) country is free.

I am sick of memorization and drills.

I am sick of hearing "so-so," as well as Si Ku Su instead of Six, and this could go on forever.

I am sick, and could give an F about "the elders." They are the ones that built this industrial wasteland, and they STILL want respect.

I am sick of Taiwanese peoples' phobia of anything they aren't familiar with.

I am sick of working Si Ku Su days a week, and my Chinese counterparts are too.

I am very sick of hearing "but Chinese teacha make so much less than you, but work so much more." If you want my salary and workload, go to a place where they are desparate for teachers of your native language. Get a labor movement going in this country. Do something. But quit moaning. I'm a native speaker living 10,000 miles from home in a place where native English is gold. You aren't, that's why you don't make 680/hr. Get over it, or find another line of work.

I am, more than anything, sick and tired of cultural relativism. Taiwan reminds me of some dainty version of 1984. I'm glad I only have to deal with that about 4 hrs a day. Thank God my parents copulated in the western world.

And hey, yeah, I'm a party pooper, I know. I feel very similar about America though. And what's more, I could make a similar list (but not quite as long) of things I love about Taiwan. I'm just not in the mood today.

And yes, I've considered that I should a) go home [just cuz I'm complaining doesn't mean I have to leave] b) am just an a s s h o l e. [just cuz I'm being honest doesn't make me one] or that I'm wrong. Am I?

[dangerousapple]

I'm not making fun of you, but how long have you been here? These are all normal rants for someone who's been here about a year or so. It definitely takes time to figure out how this place ticks and make it work for you.

[rupert shellgame]

[timmyjames1976]

HA, I hear ya. The top of your list is great. I have been here 3 yeas, and the best advice I can give is to just nod yes and ignore whatever else is told/asked of you.

Also, while maybe not the best thing, but it seems to work somewhat, is to have a bimonthly (that's every two months right?) blow up. Now, these aren't even close to the degree of a western "blow up" but just show your anger towards something insane that comes out of a bosses mouth. That usually buys some hands off time. Again, not the best advice, but it works.

The fact of the matter here is that education is pure business. ESL is no different, if not worse. I work at a private school (not buxiban) and it may as well be a buxiban. Bottom line is that you are here to make someone else money.

Oh, and forget the parents. If you aren't the owner or in admin, don't even think about them. You are a foreigner so you are always wrong.

P.S. Don't let your employer try to drop any "you get good income...local teacher works more but you make more, you should be kissing my ^&%" stuff. The fact is parents (the real bosses of buxibans) want foreigners, so no foreigners = no buxiban.

I know how you feel. You are not alone. Once my daugter gets old enough ti pick up some Mandarin I'm outta here.

[BigWally]

Now that I've been gone for about 6 months, all those things don't seem that terrible anymore, and I'd happily take those daily "pains in the ass" to go back to where life is easy, happy and good.

As one of my new co-workers (a 40 something man from Laos) "you're stupid to come back to Canada, everyone works too hard here, and gets taxed on everything. Everything is too expensive, and you have no money left over at the end of the day to travel anywhere, or do anything thats very much fun. I can't wait until my wife and I have enough money to finally leave, and go back home where we can retire and live like kings for $300-400 CDN/each a month"

[LKJ]

Rupert, I loved your post.

Same Same - But Different.

Live the life. Taiwan rocks.

[rupert shellgame]

LKJ - thanks!

BigWally - I agree with you totally. I mean, I'm still here.

But, I am overwhelemed with Taiwaness. This place is so absurd sometimes I just wanna scream. Eff American culture and its nonsense, but I'll most parts of it any day over this pathological Confucianism. Alas, the taxes, the work schedule. Life really is good here. THANK GOD I'M A WHITE FACE FOR THE PARENTS TO--oh sorry, I'm only supposed to think that in private.

[SanChong]

An all time great, hall-of-fame post. Thanks for lightening up my day!

A few of the things I found most entertaining (and don't we always find things most entertaining if we've experienced them ourselves?):

1) The Si Ku Su comment. That's always gotten under my skin too.

2) The whole micromanagement here. What bothers me most about this is the lack of an efficient and rational approach. In the West we think, "What's the best way to get this done." In Taiwan, a lot more comes into play: face, guanxi, the greyness of laws, etc.

3) Your method of finding a way past the censors to put the word "a s s h o l e" in your post. A little thing that made me smile.

I most identified with your love/hate relationship with Taiwan and combination of doubt/self reflection and changing opinions. I feel the same. There are times I really love Taiwan and times I think I'd be better off back in the US (or another Western country). The ongoing plight of the Ex-Pat I'd say.

I genuinely love Taiwan (been here for 4+ years) and there is probably a great chance I'll be here forever. Like some other posters said, we'd find even more to be annoyed about back home. We do live privileged existences in Taiwan and mostly I feel lucky. Maybe the biggest challenge of all is to always look at life with a "glass half full" approach. Even when you know how good you have it in your head, it's not always easy to FEEL that way. Perhaps, though, it's the most important thing we can do.

Still, venting, in the right way, feels good!

[rupert shellgame]

Thanks guys, thanks for the replies.

I've had some thoughts on this.

Is there such a thing as a wiki-thread? I'd love to hear what other people think.

Also, my entry about the parents. I'd like to change that to I'm sick of the parents, because I'm not sure they exist at all. I see some people who come to collect the children waiting on scooters, and they look at me exactly the way every other stranger in the country does...are THEY the parents? Who are these "parents" you refer to, oh boss? These parents who occasionally deign to send message to me by you as agent, telling me how to teach their children a language they don't know but three words of?

[timmyjames1976]

The parents = the people who make the owner's pockets fat

the parents =/= the people who raise the children




some parents are great and show genuine concern for their child's well-being, but yeah, there are those that just pay the bills (but that happens in every country)


random info: as of several years ago, the number one reason why teachers in the USA would seek a career change....




the parents


it happens everywhere

[rupert shellgame]

[Taylor]

Hi Rupert,

Thanks for the interesting post. Could you tell us a bit more specifically what you meant by "cultural relativism"....

Taylor
Kaohsiung (10 years)

[rupert shellgame]

[stunnershades]

I've been gone from taiwan for a few months now and it all seems like a fond memory but yeah, i don't miss how juvenile the taiwanese were about encountering westerners. anyways, everything you think is valid rupert and don't let anyone tell you different. just make sure to restrict your ventings to an anonymous blog posting. nevertheless you need a vacation i think .

[rupert shellgame]