Lost in Taiwan
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
Lost in Taiwan
I am completely new to ESL, I have been in north of Kaohsiung for almost one week. I am teaching in a Bushiban.... well I have orientation for 3 days and I start teaching this Thursday. It isn't the teaching that scares me it is everything else. How do I get around, the food, NO ONE speaks English. Is it best to ask my employer for help? I do not have a scooter and do not want to get one just yet. Are buses a safe means of transportation here? Is it safe for white females to travel alone? Any English people in Alian or Gangshan?
Calm down. You'll be fine in Taiwan, being a white female (well, I was, and most are). It's not a scary place.
Yes, ask your employer for specific help, when needed. But be prepared to try things on your own as well. English is less important than you think when it comes to face-to-face communication--body language, facial expressions, and gestures do really well until you pick up some Chinese. And in written communication, people are somewhat more likely to understand simple English.
I wouldn't recommend getting a scooter. Most first-time riders wipe out a few times. And although that might just mean a scraped knee, it also might mean traumatic brain injury. You only get one brain, and when you bump it hard enough it doesn't recover (plus hospitalization is expensive--do you have enough insurance?). Scooters are notoriously dangerous, especially because they seem so innocuous and people aren't consistently careful with them. Go with buses and taxis whenever possible. And never ever ride a scooter or bike without a helmet, no matter how hot it is, and no matter how many funny looks you get from people--your brain is more important.
Oh, and the food? Enjoy! You're going to love it. Go out to a restaurant and point to what other people are eating. Or even randomly pick something from a menu... it's unlikely to be as weird as you fear. It's also useful to know of a few favorites that you can order in almost any restaurant and get. I liked yu xiang rou si (pork slivers with veggies), gong bao ji ding (spicy chicken cubes with peanuts and veggies), and ma po dou fu (spicy tofu). A lot of people also love potsticker dumplings (guo tie). For breakfast, fresh warm soymilk (dou nai) and rice porridge (zhou) are great. [excuse the mainland pinyin romanization, I never did get the hang of the Taiwanese romanization system].
Don't worry. Everything always seems overwhelming in a new country at first. But everyone else is living there just fine, and you will, too. Ask for help when you need it, and learn to live with ambiguity.
Good luck!
-EH
Yes, ask your employer for specific help, when needed. But be prepared to try things on your own as well. English is less important than you think when it comes to face-to-face communication--body language, facial expressions, and gestures do really well until you pick up some Chinese. And in written communication, people are somewhat more likely to understand simple English.
I wouldn't recommend getting a scooter. Most first-time riders wipe out a few times. And although that might just mean a scraped knee, it also might mean traumatic brain injury. You only get one brain, and when you bump it hard enough it doesn't recover (plus hospitalization is expensive--do you have enough insurance?). Scooters are notoriously dangerous, especially because they seem so innocuous and people aren't consistently careful with them. Go with buses and taxis whenever possible. And never ever ride a scooter or bike without a helmet, no matter how hot it is, and no matter how many funny looks you get from people--your brain is more important.
Oh, and the food? Enjoy! You're going to love it. Go out to a restaurant and point to what other people are eating. Or even randomly pick something from a menu... it's unlikely to be as weird as you fear. It's also useful to know of a few favorites that you can order in almost any restaurant and get. I liked yu xiang rou si (pork slivers with veggies), gong bao ji ding (spicy chicken cubes with peanuts and veggies), and ma po dou fu (spicy tofu). A lot of people also love potsticker dumplings (guo tie). For breakfast, fresh warm soymilk (dou nai) and rice porridge (zhou) are great. [excuse the mainland pinyin romanization, I never did get the hang of the Taiwanese romanization system].
Don't worry. Everything always seems overwhelming in a new country at first. But everyone else is living there just fine, and you will, too. Ask for help when you need it, and learn to live with ambiguity.
Good luck!
-EH