Wow, I can’t believe it’s been over a month since I’ve updated this thing. As I try to think of a legitimate reason for neglecting this like I have, I’m coming up empty. Maybe the activity on this arc is symbolic of my stint in Taiwan—it started out with a lot of gusto and enthusiasm, began to plateau in the middle, and like all good things, inevitably came to an end.
So without further ado, I should get to my main point, cue the Skylar Grey, and tell you I’m Coming Home. Less than two months from now I’ll be arriving at San Francisco International Airport, returning to the states after a 14 month hiatus. While I’m excited to come home and see familiar places and faces, I’m realizing I’m going to miss Taiwan. Moreover, I’m going to reminisce about all the completely new experiences, the unexpected twists and turns that comprised the last year of my life.
Even as I reflect now, I’m forced to compare the perspectives I had when I arrived against those I now have. Many of these deal with the expectations (some of them blatant stereotypes) I had about Taiwanese people and culture before arriving. So, with my final posts in this blog, I’m going to address these issues. I’ll separate fact from fiction; play a little Taiwan MythBusters; or whatever other analogy you can think of.
Taiwanese people dress conservatively
Hardly. Of course you can’t generalize a group of 23 million, but in my experience, the dress code here has been anything but traditional and/or conservative. For one, girls have a tendency to dress like it’s Halloween at the Playboy Mansion. Ridiculously revealing skirts, done-up hair, high heels, and tight shirts are the norm. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the Taiwanese highly value fashion. Heavily influenced by Japan (and by the looks of it, Los Angeles), the locals here are all about showcasing the latest fashions and accessories. My normal ensemble of jeans and a t-shirt, which did me well throughout college, no longer cuts it.
Surprising as the female fashion is here, the real shocker is how guys dress. For lack of a better word, the male fashion sense here is very….gay. The other day I went to the department store to look for a new pair of jeans, only to be disappointed when I couldn’t find a single pair without some sort of glittery emblem or racecar flame decal. On top of that, Taiwanese men have no shame sporting purses. And these aren’t like the “satchels” you would see in the Hangover; they’re full on Sex and the City man-bags (neither confirming nor denying I’ve ever watched that show). But hey, considering my backpack has probably done more damage to my back than a summer’s worth of work for my father, maybe they’re on to something with the purses…
Then there’s the hair. At my gym, there are no less than 15 hair-dryers in the men’s locker room, typically all in use at any given time. When I jokingly mentioned this to a Taiwanese friend one day, they responded by asking me how I dry my hair instead. When I said that I simply use a towel, a noticeable look of horror and disbelief registered on her face.
My mother used to tease me by telling me the outfits I chose made me look homeless. Now it’s no laughing matter. Out here, in comparison, I do look homeless.
