Living in Taiwan for five years·Taiwan in my eyes

Last time I talked about some small places where I felt a sense of gap after studying in Taiwan. In this article, I will share with you "What is it about Taiwan that I love so much that I chose to stay after graduation?"

Every place has its pros and cons. Hong Kong is undoubtedly my hometown, my home. I will miss it and be reluctant to leave it. But I chose to stay in Taiwan because Taiwan gave me what I didn’t have in my original life, such as freedom, space, atmosphere, people, etc. Everything makes me feel comfortable and allows me to be myself.

Doing as the Romans do is a necessary mentality to integrate into an environment.

I have heard from many people that they feel that life in Taiwan is very difficult, maybe because of the language barrier, maybe because of cultural differences, there are thousands of reasons, but they just feel out of place.

Leaving one's home away from home will of course make you uncomfortable in a foreign land. It takes time and courage. It's the same for me. After many sleepless nights, I tossed and turned, but I finally chose to be here. Speaking out may make some Hong Kong people resentful, but a major reason for their inability to integrate may sometimes be that people themselves are unwilling to integrate and participate. Some Hong Kong people who immigrate to Taiwan will take their sense of superiority as "Hong Kong people" to live in Taiwan and compare everything with Hong Kong - "The salary in Hong Kong is much higher", "Hong Kong people are much more international", " Taiwanese people's English is so bad"... the complaints are endless.

To be honest, it’s not limited to moving to another place, but since you choose a place, you should learn to get along with the place so that you can enjoy it. These mentality changes do not require any change of identity. I am still a Hong Konger. Understanding the culture of a foreign country will not affect any facts. Explore these differences and come into contact with people and things you have never come into contact with. Maybe you will find it interesting and fresh.

Before I came to Taiwan to study, apart from idol dramas, variety shows and one travel experience, my impression of Taiwan was probably the same as that of most Hong Kong people. There are no shortage of stereotypes, such as "Taiwanese wages are low", "Taiwan's most beautiful scenery is its people", "Taiwanese people are poorer than Hong Kong people", "English is not very good", etc. I believe Hong Kong people have them in their hearts. thought like this. When arriving at this place, it is inevitable to hold some inherent ideas and preconceptions. But the more people I meet, the longer I live, and the more I know the whole picture of this place, the more I want to stay.

The human touch is real.

During my freshman year, as a design student, I never had a full day of sleep. Because I stayed up late, I could only drink coffee every day. After drinking it, the owner of the coffee shop recognized me, remembered what I wanted to drink, and gave me a little more milk. . While I'm waiting for my drink, I always have a few chats and find out that they have a lot of regulars. Later, due to the lack of living expenses, I gained a lot of weight. I didn’t visit it for a long time. I probably only bought it once or twice a year, but they still recognized me. Senior year was about to graduate before I knew it, so we went to buy a drink after a long time, and both of us lamented how time flies.

Later, when I returned to Taiwan from Hong Kong, I went to school to receive my diploma. I wanted to drink the taste of college memories for the last time, but I found that the store had been vacated and rented out. The coffee shop ended with my graduation, and I felt a pity. After thinking about it, this is the human touch in Taiwan. The store is closed, but I will still be grateful to the boss in my heart. With their position, it seems that it is more than just cups of coffee, it is a connection between people.

There is a juice shop near my university. The boss has several rooms under his name, and he is actually doing it for fun when opening the store. There are several online groups in this store. He often sends out discounts. The limit is 15 cups. Everyone leaves a message to grab it. The price of juice is so cheap. His discount is $1@1 cup, and the ingredients are genuine. , I really don’t lie.

It seems that I have gone a bit far away, so let’s get back to the topic. One time I happened to grab a good deal and went to buy juice. There were a few children in front of me who I guess were in the second or third grade of an elementary school. After the drinks were made, it was time to check out. I found that I didn’t have enough change in my wallet. I still remember Just a few dollars difference. Several children looked at each other with slightly panicked expressions, and were about to apologize to the boss. When the boss saw this, he immediately said it was okay, gave them drinks, and asked the children to keep their change. The children quickly thanked them. I felt a warmth in my heart when I saw it.

I am a student during the epidemic. I have not been able to go home for three of my four years in college. I once stayed at a friend's house. When my friend's grandma knew that I was not a local, she gave me a deep and warm hug without hesitation. It was the warmth I had not seen for a long time in a foreign land. Even at the graduation exhibition, which was very important to me, even my family was not able to attend it. My grandma came to the exhibition to see me. It was indescribable to me.

Being here allows me to actually breathe.

Not just in my heart, but unexpectedly, physically I can actually breathe.

For as long as I can remember, the allergies in my nose have never had a day off, and breathing through both nostrils at the same time is even a luxury. It's strange to say that after I came to Taiwan, my nasal sensitivity disappeared overnight. I still have occasional attacks, but it's much better than before when I said goodbye to a pack of removable toilet paper every day.

After reading this, you may think that Taiwan has an overwhelming number of cars and motorcycles, so there must be a lot of exhaust emissions. Is it possible for my nose to get better? It may be because my physical condition has changed. Dudu! Yes, there are many cars, but there is too much space. There is room for dirty air and dust to circulate. But wherever you go in Hong Kong, there are basically high-rise buildings. It is not surprising to see 40-story buildings. Where can allergens go? The screen effect makes allergy boys have no choice but to drill into everyone’s noses. This does not seem to be my personal situation. I have a Hong Kong friend who has been troubled by eczema since childhood. After living in Taiwan, the situation has improved a lot.

Speaking of Taiwan having a larger space than Hong Kong, this was indeed a major reason for me to stay. I believe you have all heard about the high housing prices and small space in Hong Kong, or it may be your own personal pain. As a native of Hong Kong, I am a "public housing girl". A family of five people squeezes into a small house, and three sisters squeeze into a room. Bunk beds seem to be a must-have for many families in Hong Kong, and this is what many Hong Kong people normality. I go home every day and don’t even have my own personal space. Being used to growing up in that kind of environment, I have always longed for freedom. After my father passed away, the low pressure and low ebb period at home made me want to seek more time alone and have a good life. Breathe and get some rest.

So here I am.

As for Taiwan’s freedom, voting rights, and political differences, I won’t go into details here. What I experienced on stage in 2019 is all in my heart.

I am who I am, and I don’t need to accept too many vitriol and criticism.

Everyone knows that Hong Kong has a lot of swear words. Hong Kong people have a special characteristic: they speak directly. Due to the language and tone, outsiders often feel that Hong Kong people are swearing or quarreling. Is it a misunderstanding? Or is it fact?

"Swearing" does seem to be a major characteristic of Hong Kong people.
Of course, picky people have no nationality, and being rude is a personal behavior.
But at the beginning of 2023, when I returned to Hong Kong after three years, I discovered that Hong Kong people are really capable of criticism.

Let’s use body shape as an example. I wonder if you have any impressions of the Hung Shui Kiu murder case (link below). The female victim of this murder case had a relatively curvy figure. Related photos and videos were exposed at the time. In my impression, under different articles, Everyone has seen messages mocking the body shape of the deceased. My figure is within the standard range, but I am fatter than the average girl. When I was living in Hong Kong, I heard ridiculing and criticizing words from friends and family around me. If the listener meant it, the hurtful words would be packaged as direct and not tactful, or even I have also been a sharp-tongued person.

Instagram Related Articles: Hung Shui Kiu Murder Case

Detouring a bit, when I go back in 2023, I will hear some people around me talking about other people's bodies, laughing at others like "how can they have the confidence to post photos in public social groups", "want to be a KOL", "his face is very long" Words such as "like a pig" make me feel uncomfortable, but the behavior of telling others not to criticize is often accused of being a saint. It seems that you can be scolded for anything you do in Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong friend of mine once told me that it feels like Taiwanese people are very brave to express themselves. For example, on dcard, you can see amateurs sharing. I thought about it carefully and found that this has something to do with social trends. The legalization of homosexuality in Taiwan may also be a big step to make everyone braver. At least during the few years I was in Taiwan, I felt a lot more kindness.

Some people may say that is hypocritical, what is the meaning of being so euphemistic? They may even think that I am belittling Hong Kong, or feel that I am superior in my words. This is the reaction I expected from some Hong Kong people.
To be honest, the "mean" habits and culture are actually related to the repressive environment in Hong Kong. Everyone is under too much pressure, and society needs to vent their anger by swearing. This is a very sad thing. A society with more praise and less criticism will be much happier. Don't let Hong Kong become "not a life, just a survival."

The creative spirit prevails and we are no longer in a cultural desert.

A place where even relics are not allowed to exist is enough to prove that it is called a "cultural desert" and how sad Hong Kong people's self-deprecation is.

Here is an article quoted
》 [Inventory 2021] How many historical monuments have disappeared in Hong Kong in one year?

In recent years, due to the epidemic, everyone has been trapped in Hong Kong. Museums and art galleries have gradually gained more attention. However, more than half of the salaries of designers in Hong Kong are below $15,000 (approximately 61,000 TWD). In a society where business is a major trend, Design is really not an easy path to take.

In contrast, in the past few years in Taiwan, I have realized that design and art can be so diverse, and there are many more channels for accepting projects. In the past few years, I will write an additional article to share my stories on the design journey. I survived by chewing bread. My survival story is quite worth mentioning.

See you next time!

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