Thank you, thank you, thank you, to This American Life. Their most recent episode really gave a perfect example of Taiwanese. And it's something that I have been telling a lot of friends to try and help motivate them.
But first a little bit of back story. In Taiwanese culture you are not allowed to talk to strangers. And the only way you can make friends with somebody is if they are your classmate, coworker, or your friend introduces you. Needless to say, many people in Taiwan are extremely lonely.
I often as why they can't go up and talk to a stranger, and the response is always the same "no why." If there is somebody at the gym who seems to have the same workout routine as you, nope can't talk to them. If you always see the same person at the local supermarket and you two seem to have a lot in common, can't talk to them. Even if it's somebody you interact with everyday, like the person who works at a lunch box restaurant, can't talk to them.
Thankfully foreigners are exempt, so we can talk to whoever we want. Not only that, Taiwanese also feel comfortable breaking the rule when it comes to foreigners. If you are out and about, you always must be prepared for a Taiwanese person to come up and say hi and ask you a ton of questions.
So what's the problem? obviously people not only can, but want to go up and talk to others, but they just can't take that step. I often ask my students how would they feel if somebody came to talk to them, and they all said they would feel very uncomfortable. Yet when I say "what if the person were very attractive." then they usually say it's ok. ha.
So perhaps this is all ok in Taiwan, as they do have friends already and they have their family, but it doesn't hold well for them in other countries. Many of my students and friends have gone abroad to study and they complain that local people *cough* Americans, *cough* British, don't like them. And that they have no friends and they only talk to the other Asian people.
Honestly for years I felt really bad about this, and worried that it was because my fellow westerners are just jerks. But the podcast really shed some light on this.
Again a little back story. There are several programs in America where foreigners can go work some service job for the summer. Things like working in fast food, or working at an amusement park, a hotel, etc. This particular podcast was interviewing people who worked at a rest stop along a highway. At this rest stop were two groups of foreigners, one group from Taiwan, and one group from Ukraine.
One of the girls from Taiwan was talking about how it was the worst experience of her life and how bored she was. that she didn't have a car so she couldn't go anywhere, and that all her and her other Asian friends did on their days off were go to the megamart and buy stuff. I've actually heard this story a lot from Taiwanese who have joined this summer program, how in their free time they just go to walmart and buy things.
So I was feeling very sorry for them UNTIL the Ukrainians were interviewed. They said that it was the BEST time of their lives. They made friends with all the americans who worked there, and of course the Americans had cars, so they would drive the Ukrainians all over and take them on trips to places like New York. The americans also invited to them to parties and taught them a lot of games and american traditions. The Ukrainians just couldn't stop beaming about their experience.
And that's it. That's Taiwan. And I thank this podcast for showing the world what Taiwanese are like. My hopes are twofold. I hope that some Americans will here this, and do a better job of reaching out to Taiwanese people who travel there. And I hope that it will inspire a lot of Taiwanese to step out of their comfort zone and really take more chances. Because as I like to say, if you "fail" nothing happens, but if you succeed than you have the chance for some truly amazing experiences.
Oh i almost forgot about the picture. The other day I saw this gentlemen stop this lady to talk to her. I was really proud of him that he wanted to chat up a stranger. He's definitely on my wall of Taiwanese heroes.
