I just came back from a trip to Taiwan and I am Taiwanese, so Taiwan is on my mind right now.

Just some of my observations about Taiwanese:

1)Some Taiwanese don’t like cold, cold drinks.  It goes back to the belief that you have ‘heat’ or energy in your body.  Drinking cold drinks would extinguish the fire within you.  Not good for your health according to some sources.  In the US, most everyone likes ice cold drinks.  It’s refreshing!  I went to Taiwan when it was hot.  Its a dry heat.  And that makes your throat drier.  When I desperately wanted a cold, refreshing drink, I sometimes got a meagerly cool one.

2) Taiwanese are on the whole thin people.  I weigh 250+ pounds.  So I stood out like a sore thumb.  Mainly, its diet.  Taiwanese eat small portions.  They eat a little rice, mostly veggies and tofu.  Taiwanese also like to walk a lot.  Many Taiwanese like to go to parks in their free time and ‘sanpo’ (walk around).  They also drink a lot of tea.  Black tea and green tea.  Although there are soft drinks galore in Taiwan, the local taste is still iced teas.  There are many shops that serve refreshments including iced teas, iced drinks, shaved ice, and ice cream.  Tea ups your metabolism, curbs appetite, and also is generally good for your health.

3) I did not know that the cost of living in Taiwan is much lower than the U.S.  Salaries are lower too.  The average salary is about $1000 USD per month.  You can have a meal for $1-2 dollars.  Rents are about half the cost in the U.S.  The lower tier workers usually make about $4-$5 dollars/hour.  In my opinion, this makes Taiwan a good place to own a business.  Even commercial rents are low.  There are a lot of people in Taiwan.  Lot of competition, but lots of people.

4) Taiwanese families like to live together.  I think Filipino and Mexican families are a like.  It is not strange that a 30 year old unmarried person would still be living at home.  It is expected that you take in your aged parents.  They raised you and took care of you, so when they are old its time to return the favor.  These can be a cause of tension.  Usually, say if a 30+ unmarried man is living at home (confession: that was me), the Dad usually wants him out as soon as possible.  About grandpas and grandmas living in a home, sometimes husbands and wives will fight over whose parents will live with them.  Usually wives (daughters) want to be ‘shao’  (孝, a Chinese virtue) or ‘good, honoring kids’ so she wants to take care of the parents.  Women are so good. 

5) Taiwanese love David Hasselhoff.  Oh wait…that’s the Germans.  :)