During the past two weeks, we 'backpacked' through Taiwan, staying with relatives a couple of nights, then driving or taking the train to another city, and so on. We stuffed ourselves with cheap eats that we loved when we were kids as well as fancy meals at teppanyaki restaurants. We did some sightseeing, mostly hiking in the mountains, which are much grander and picturesque than those I've seen in America. There are many reasons that I love and miss Taiwan, the most significant being the large family gatherings, and the second being the cheap and delicious 'little eats' (one can get satisfyingly full with less than $2) that are nearly impossible to find in America. It's strange that in American culture, where it's a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, that there is not as much variety in foods as there is in Taiwan, a small island the size of New Jersey. What we found is that Americans tend to value the dining experience more than the food itself, whereas Taiwanese people care less about ambiance and service (it's nonexistent in most places here) and more about how good the food tastes.
The last time I was back in Taiwan, I was 16, and too young to fully appreciate the differences in culture and lifestyle, or to 'learn' from the experiences of being here. At the time, we were too busy playing with our cousins at the arcades or reading comic books. This time around, I am able to be more curious, observant and analytical. Many times on this trip, I thought about what my life would have been like had my parents stayed in Taiwan. And I'm sure it would have been fine, as I wouldn't have known anything else other than life in Taiwan. But with what I know now and what I've experienced living in America, I am more thankful than ever that my parents made the decision to move. I've grown to love and have become accustomed to the 'spoiled' lifestyle of living in America. I never really thought about how desirable it is to be able to speak English fluently, since it's just a language that we speak in America. Meanwhile, everyone is being forced to learn it in schools in Asia, and parents want to send their kids to America to improve their English. I realized that although there are beautiful places to visit and see in this world, that America is so huge and has so much to see compared with other countries! We have mountains, rivers, oceans, lakes, canyons, forests, desert, changing seasons, awesome cities to visit! We have so much land that our houses can be as big as we can afford, while there's no such thing as a 'yard' in Taiwan. All the buildings in Taiwan are made of cement because of the earthquakes and hurricanes, so they all pretty much look the same. We have heat in our homes! Because Taiwan is rarely cold, there is no heating system, but in the winter when it can get as low as 40 degrees, you have to wear your coat inside and outside. It felt really weird to be wearing so much and still shivering inside the house. I don't know if I could ever get used to that, I enjoy being inside in the winter time where it's nice and toasty. I've also realized that the opportunities in America really are endless, there are so many options in terms of jobs, hobbies, and lifestyles. If I had been brought up in Taiwan, I would probably have a different outlook and perspective on life, as I would have had little exposure to other cultures. It's hard to imagine what my life would have been like in this 'alternate universe'. Who would have been my friends? What would I have looked like? Would I have accepted Jesus as my Savior? I guess I'll never know. But what I do know is that God has a plan for my life, and that plan is perfect and good; all along, before I even knew Him, He has been preparing the way and leading me to where I am now, and I am thankful and know that I have been and am abundantly blessed.
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2 comments:
Sorry T, will have to disagree with you about culture exposure in Taiwan. Taiwanese actually know about japanese, american, thai, vietnamese cultures. They watch movies with english subtitles, they read japanese comic, they watch korea dramas. If you ask me which country as a whole is more culturally diverse i will say the citizens of Taiwan. Maybe b/c we live in NYC so we are more expose to different people from different countries, but even a typical new yorker may not be as adventerous as some Taiwanese in terms of food and accepting other culture.
Differences in opinion are always welcomed :) Come to think of it, I do agree with you that the Taiwanese are exposed to other Asian and American cultures, and that as New Yorkers we are more culturally diverse than the rest of America. But perhaps you and I are also in a whole different category than the rest of the population because we are bi-cultural. I think that while someone in Taiwan can learn about other cultures through the media, it's more difficult to be exposed to people of different cultures unless they made the effort to leave the country. For example, people have asked us whether life in NYC is like 'Sex in the City'. So while the media is a way to learn about other cultures, it's not the most accurate. But yes, I think you are right that as a country Taiwan is probably more culturally diverse.
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