The Wild East / Society What is ‘rehab’ like in Taiwan? From the following account, it’s pretty much like Alcatraz, except for the few hours a day of forced ‘meditation’. This year, a foreigner tested on the margin of error for having smoked marijuana, and was forced to go to
Read moreCulture Shock
Covering issues of cultural differences including personal experiences and linguistic issues.
Your Temple Is My Office
By Trista di Genova / The Wild East / Comedy There’s a temple I frequent in East Taipei, but I won’t say exactly where it is for fear other people will come and ‘rush’ it. For when you hear how awesome my office-temple is, you will have the urge to
Read moreHungarian loses appetite at Taiwan breakfast shop
By Frank V., for The Wild East Offering my Hungarian-Jew-style comedy to Taipei Comedy Club guests for the third time some weeks ago, I felt the support of the local audience again, which is the best drug for a comedian. I always wonder why comedy has no tradition in Taiwan,
Read moreThe day I stole a scooter in Kaohsiung
The Wild East / Comedy “I think you must trust people here a lot!” Wubai said, motioning to the rented scooter I’d parked in front of the 7-11 while we went inside for a bite to eat. The keys were dangling from the ignition. “Yes, I do,” I
Read moreExpat Chat: On being a Western wife, part 2 of 2
What it’s like being a Taiwan xifu – daughter-in-law…? Curious about other foreign women’s experience of marrying Taiwanese, I interviewed Serina from Australia, who shares her many cultural experiences as a Taiwan daughter-in-law on her blog, http://www.taiwanxifu.com/. Read Part 1 here Serina wrote : “I met and married my husband
Read moreExpat Chat: On being a Western Wife: Part 1 of 2
When I told people that I’d married a “PingDong Man”, a huge smile would break out on their face and almost invariably they’d exclaim, ‘Ah, Taiwan xifu!” What’s a Taiwan xifu? I wondered. It means “Taiwan daughter-in-law”. But it has another, very positive connotation — of total acceptance in this
Read moreAdultery still a punishable crime in Taiwan
By Trista di Genova and Wu Bai, The Wild East Taiwan’s law against adultery (xing-fa 刑法), also known as “Criminal Law Number 239” in the legal code, may seem a strange and archaic animal to some. To this day adultery is a criminal offense that is punishable by up to
Read moreMy Run-In With The Dumpling Vendor
by Trista di Genova There’s this little place deep in the Heart of Banciao where they admittedly have some great shui-jiao but some lousy, cheese-emporium-like service. When I ordered some curry dumplings, they said they were all out – mai wan le so I tried to score some Korea-style dumplings
Read moreConclusion: My Two Months of Hell in the Taipei Detention Center
CONCLUSION of The ‘Hole’ Story: My Two Months of Hell in the Taipei Detention Center By ‘M’ Read Parts one, two, three, or four. I was dreading the moment, saying goodbye to N–. I hate goodbyes and I always, always cry. I hate, hate, hate goodbyes. How could I say
Read moreThe ‘Hole’ Story: Part 4
The ‘Hole’ Story: My Two Months of Hell in the Taipei Detention Center By ‘M’ Read Parts One or Two or Three. Everybody cried sometimes, even the strongest ones, even the ones that giggled and joked a lot. Everybody felt the pressure of the time, and boredom, missing their freedom
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