Taiwan refresher

Corbett | June 19, 2003 7:52 PM

I found this site put up by Terrie Brown, the pastor's wife at Grace Baptist Church here in Taiwan. I found it very refreshing, because most foreigners complain bitterly about Taiwan, but not the Browns. Here's 20 of their refreshing discoveries:

1. It is okay to burp out loud, and slurp your soup, but don't lick your fingers, even if you eat at KFC!
2. Everything is good with corn.
3. Soup is eaten at the end of the meal and drinks aren't drunk during the meal, only after.
4. If it looks like it should taste sweet, it probably doesn't and if you think it shouldn't be sweet, it probably is.
5. If you are bigger than a size 6, you are fat.
6. Even if you're a Christian, it is best to learn the "tao" of traffic...this is the term used for how traffic "flows" in Taiwan. It means that you fill every available space with a vehicle and move without hitting each other...at least we hope to not hit each other.
7. If you hear a truck coming down the street playing music, don't run out expecting ice cream...it's the garbage truck...one of our friends said you know you've lived in taiwan too long when you hear the music and no longer think of ice cream"
8. Riding in a taxi improves your prayer life. So does raising 3 children on the 7th floor of an apartment building!
9. Killing mosquitoes improves your agility and eye-hand coordination. And did you know that you really can get used to their bites! We were amazed. Dave doesn't even get a red mark now, Terrie gets a small one for about 2 hours and the kids are similar. It's really cool...unless you are allergic to them, which some of our friends are. then, it's a big Ouch!
10. Blond-haired, cute little two-year-old girls can get free stuff everywhere they go. Annalyssa has gotten more free candy and stickers since we've been here just for smiling and saying "bye jien"...."dzai jien" is goodbye in Chinese.
11. If you live on the seventh floor or higher in a building, aftershocks from earthquakes can make you seasick.
12. Tile floors are like ice skating rinks when wet. And kitchen cabinets are no help for stability because they are not attached to the wall.
13. One should never injure any appendage in this country, because you need all you can get to walk to the grocery store, walk to the bus stop, walk to the mrt, walk to the church, walk, walk, walk and carry, carry, carry everything home!
14. Summer in Taiwan...even you can experience it...go into your bathroom and turn on the hot water in the shower full blast with the door closed...keep all your clothes on so that they can get damp and stick to you. Now, turn on your hairdryer and blow it in your face. Next, run in place really fast until you've broken a good sweat. There, now you can feel like you've taken a quick trip to Taipei in the summer.
15. Winter in Taiwan...go sit outside on the sidewalk when the temperature is just about 40 degrees or a little lower. But you must be wearing slightly damp clothes...remember, it is humid here and rains a lot. Now, sleep there. That is what it is like...we have no heaters in our houses! And we have cement walls and tile floors. Of course, if you bundle up, it is quite comfortable. We also added two space heaters to our house to make it bearable.
16. When the power goes out, you get a lot of good exercise....who needs a stairmaster!
17. Another favorite keep in shape exercise is learning to use a chinese bathroom facility...knee bends....enough said?
18. You can survive without a stove and an oven if you really put your mind to it. We did for several months but are very thankful for the stove we now have.
19. Hello Kitty...you either love it or hate it...few people are neutral on the subject.
20. Craft Stores, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, etc. are luxuries we will never again take for granted.

Category: Mr. Asia

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