10 Fun facts about Taiwan: the most frequently asked questions by foreigners lol
As a born and bred Taiwanese, I've never noticed these fun and unique facts about Taiwan until I started guiding exchange students.
These are the most frequently asked questions, and the most surprising cultural differences that interested foreigners😆
1. Facial masks
"Why are so many people wearing facial masks? are they all sick?"No, we are not that sick. But it is like a habit to wear facial masks for us. Speaking for myself, I have at least ten masks with different colors now😂
Here are some reasons that Taiwanese wear facial masks:
- They are sick. If you're sick, it's impolite not wearing a facial mask in public spaces.
- They are afraid of getting sick.
- The air is too polluted.
- It's too cold. I brought some masks to Germany and found that no one is wearing it even it is so fucking cold. But it's a common sense in Taiwan to keep your nose and lips warm with masks.
- For some girls, if there are pimples on their faces, or if they forget to put on makeups, they would wear a mask to cover.
- Also for girls, facial masks can be used as sunscreens when they don't want to be tanned in the summer.
- In some really rare cases, people wearing facial mask simply because they fell more "protected" under the masks. They can hide their real emotions and facial expressions...
2. Trash cans
"Where can I find a fucking trash can????"The 10th time for me to answer this question, within the first week of school.
I don't know why it's hard to find a trash can on streets, but I'm used to keep the garbage with me until I go home or go to train stations. (F.Y.I., there are always trash cans in metro stations or bus stops, or you can ask restaurants to throw them after dining.)
And it seems unbelievable for foreigners that, even without trash cans, the street is still tidy. Not throwing trash on the road is a much emphasized social norm. So be prepared that you might have to carry your trash for hours when you are in Taiwan
3. Recycling
If you finally find trash cans, great! The challenge just begins.
I'm sorry but it's funny to see that exchange students staring at the trash cans during lunch time, trying to figure out where to throw their garbage lol
The good news is that in most public spaces like train stations there are only two to three categories: recyclable trash, paper and other trash.
The bed news is that in universities you would find all these categories, and even more.
Taiwan is taking recycling seriously. I remembered when I was 10 there were classes in school teaching us how to do recycling, and we had to do it by ourselves in turns (see number 8 below). For example, if you buy a Tetra Pak beverage, you need to separate the Tetra Pak, the straw and the sleeve of the straw since they belong to different categories.
4. Toilets
In Taiwan we have the kind of Japanese toilet which foreigners consider as "a hole on the floor."
Well, we are educated that this kind of toilet is more sanitary because you won't get in touch with the toilet seat, which might have numerous germs after people sitting on it.
So the sitting toilets are usually free even when people are lining up in the restroom-- good news for our foreign friends.
With this kind of toilet, it's reasonable that we can do the "Asian Squat" easily 😂😂😂😂😂
5. Taipei Metro plays music, as well as Garbage trucks
I was so surprised when an European friend told me she would definitely miss "the sounds of Taipei."What's the sound of Taipei? This video shows the music plays when a metro is arriving. There are 4 major metro lines and they have their own different music.
I was so used to the sounds so I never realize they're special. However I'm writing this article and listening to the sounds in Germany now, OMG! They makes me homesick😥
Besides the metro, our garbage trucks also play music.
Usually the song is either Beethoven's Für Elise or Bądarzewska's A Maiden's Prayer.
The aim is to remind people in the house that you can throw your garbage now, so people don't need to wait on the road for the garbage truck.
6. All you need is an Umbrella
If you grab a Taiwanese girl's bag, 80% you would find an umbrella inside. Not only because it rains often but also we need it in both sunny and rainy days.In rainy days, even it's only dripping, everyone still opens the umbrella. I'm not sure it's a myth or a truth, the elders always say that we have "acid rains" due to air pollution. And if you let the acid rain falls on your head, you'll get bald. Reasonable isn't it?
An umbrella is also important in sunny days because girls are afraid of getting tanned. In Taiwan we have a slang: "A white complexion can cover three faults." A girl with white skin is much more appreciated, so we are always well-prepared to fight against the sun, with face masks, sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, long sleeves, etc.
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| My friends demonstrated the most effective way of sun protection, when we were training in 35℃ summer. |
7. New Taipei? Taipei!
Taipei and New Taipei are separate cities in the perspective of administration. Taipei is the capital. New Taipei is the city surrounding Taipei, and it's the city with the most population in Taiwan.However, no one lives in New Taipei would say "Hey! I come from New Taipei!"
NO ONE
People would say "I'm from Taipei" or "I'm from Xindian (or any district of New Taipei)"
There are no distinct borders between these two cities, and they cooperate in public affairs, especially transportation, very often.
It just feels weird to say "I'm from New Taipei," and only the "real" Taipei people would judge you because you declare yourself as a Taipei citizen😑
8. Clean your own school
For foreigners, it's hard to imagine that doing the cleanings is one of the most unforgettable part when I was in school.
Students, from 6 to 18 years old, have to clean their own school, including classrooms, restrooms, garbage, gardens, basketball courts, etc.
Their are two designated sessions for cleaning every day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. During winter and summer vacation, students also need to do it in turns.
A specific teacher will check if your class has done all the work and gives a score everyday. If your class unfortunately ranked last in your grade, you need to do more cleanings in the vacations.
Students, from 6 to 18 years old, have to clean their own school, including classrooms, restrooms, garbage, gardens, basketball courts, etc.
Their are two designated sessions for cleaning every day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. During winter and summer vacation, students also need to do it in turns.
A specific teacher will check if your class has done all the work and gives a score everyday. If your class unfortunately ranked last in your grade, you need to do more cleanings in the vacations.
9. Where is "4"?
You go in an elevator, and you find out that there's no 4th floor...
This is not a thriller, don't panic. 4 is missing because it's considered unlucky in Taiwan. The pronunciation of 4 in Mandarin is similar to death, so people try to avoid using it. Especially in hospitals and hotels, where death is a even more ominous issue, you could hardly find 4th floor and room 4.
This is not a thriller, don't panic. 4 is missing because it's considered unlucky in Taiwan. The pronunciation of 4 in Mandarin is similar to death, so people try to avoid using it. Especially in hospitals and hotels, where death is a even more ominous issue, you could hardly find 4th floor and room 4.
10. English names
"Hi! My name is Jessica!""Jessica?" foreigners always look confused when I said that. They didn't expect an English name from a Taiwanese girl.
In fact, young people in Taiwan have their English names, mostly given by English teachers in school. (one of the common names is "Apple." I didn't know it's strange until an American pointed out.😂) When meeting foreigners, we automatically use our English names.
However, after I come to Germany, I finally realized the problem. Students from China, Japan and Korea all use their original names, because they want people to remember their real names. Only Taiwanese introduce themselves with English names. I'm not sure it's bad or not, but now I understand the unnatural feeling when people learn that I'm "Jessica."
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"so what's your Chinese name?"
"Oh, it's ____."
"...okay, I'll call you Jessica."
That's always how my self introduction ends.
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