Tag: Asia

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Lesson 10: At the Post Office

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Hey guys, long time no see! I apologize for taking such a long hiatus fom blogging, but life has been chaotic of late! My wife and I have relocated to the USA and have been working very hard to get re-established here, and so I have had little time or motivation to blog. But I know you all would be lost without me, so I'm back!
 
The format for my blog is now going to be a little different from the way it was before. From now on, since I am no longer in Taiwan, I will not be writing as many posts on exploring the island. I already have a fair amount of content on the subject, and I am always willing to answer any of your questions, but for now I am shifting my focus to Chinese. My posts will now be mainly Chinese lessons, with anecdotes of my time in Taiwan strewn in when appropriate. Please let me know what you think of this format, and as always, thank you for reading!
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So you're in the post office, waiting in line to send a care package back home. The guy in front of you is playing on his iPhone, and the guy behind you is stamping his feet, looking at his watch and visibly annoyed. He's obviously in a hurry and doesn't want to end up being held up by the foreigner taking forever to get walked through the process by the friendly, though somewhat lingually challenged clerk…or are you? Let's show that guy that he picked the wrong laowai!
 
Ten essential phrases:
 
1. Letter 一封信 yīfēngxìn
 
2. Stamp 郵票 yóupiào
 
3. Package 包裹 bāoguǒ
 
4. Express delivery 快遞 kuàidì
 
5. Registered 掛號 guàhào
 
6. Standard shipping 平信 píngxìn
 
7. mailbox 信箱 xìnxiāng
 
8. PO box 郵政信箱 yóuzhèng xìnxiāng
 
9. envelope 信封 xìnfēng
 
10. postage fee 郵資 yóuzī
 
 
 
In context:
 
 
1. I would like to send a package overseas. 
 
我要寄包裹到國外。
 
2. How much is express delivery? 
 
快遞的郵資要多少錢？
 
3. I want to send this letter as registered mail.
 
這封信我要寄掛號。
 
4. I would like to buy some stamps and envelopes.
 
我想買一些郵票和信封。
 
5. When will my letter arrive?
 
大概幾天會到？
 
That's it for today, practice and we'll see you next time!

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Getting Your Money\’s Worth

If you spend even just a few days or a week in Taiwan, there are a few things that you will probably do. If you are in Taipei, you will most likely visit Taipei 101, even of you don't make it to the top. And wherever you go in Taiwan, I'd be surprised if you don't visit a night market. But the one thing I can guarantee is that you WILL visit at least one 7-11 during your stay.
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7-11 practically runs the island, and there are so many services offered at each one of their bazillion locations that really set the chain aside from the other big players in the convenience store biàn lì shāng diàn 便利商店 biz, such as Family Mart quán jiā 全家, Hi-LIfe lái ĕr fù 萊爾富, and OK Mart. You can pay your bills, taxes, order items online or mail packages, print, scan and fax your documents, drop off your dry-cleaning, book an HSR(high-speed rail) ticket or even a domestic flight. Heck, they even have a phone and internet service! Just try doing any of that in your local 7-11 back in the states! Though you can't gas-up your car like you could in the states, but I won't hold it against them, will you?

There are often special promotions and discount prices on items in the store, and you can collect stickers when you make a purchase of a certain value and save them towards half-priced, or even free items! But I feel that a lot of foreigners will miss out on these deals, so today I wanted to bring one of them to your attention.

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(Beverages with a certain price sticker pair up with food items, like bread or sandwiches with the same sticker. It's cheaper to buy them together as a set.)

This is just one example of a possible deal you could take advantage of. Another common one are discounts when you buy two of the same type of drink. The staff may ask you to pull a number out of a box to get your discount price (the largest discount is 1NT!), or the discount could be automatically deducted.

Another useful thing to know is that discount percentages are written opposite from the way we write them in English. Where we say "20% off" they say "8 zhé 折", but they are the same thing. The difference is while we advertise the percentage that you get discounted, they advertise the percentage you pay after the discount. So if you ever see a sign that says "79折", for example, it means that the item is 21% off, not 79% off!

I hope you found this article useful, now go and get your money's worth!

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Chinese phrases of the day:

折= discount (by percentage)
便利商店= convenience store(s)

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Posted on

Getting Your Money\’s Worth

If you spend even just a few days or a week in Taiwan, there are a few things that you will probably do. If you are in Taipei, you will most likely visit Taipei 101, even of you don't make it to the top. And wherever you go in Taiwan, I'd be surprised if you don't visit a night market. But the one thing I can guarantee is that you WILL visit at least one 7-11 during your stay.
\"2012-08-07

\"2012-08-07

7-11 practically runs the island, and there are so many services offered at each one of their bazillion locations that really set the chain aside from the other big players in the convenience store biàn lì shāng diàn 便利商店 biz, such as Family Mart quán jiā 全家, Hi-LIfe lái ĕr fù 萊爾富, and OK Mart. You can pay your bills, taxes, order items online or mail packages, print, scan and fax your documents, drop off your dry-cleaning, book an HSR(high-speed rail) ticket or even a domestic flight. Heck, they even have a phone and internet service! Just try doing any of that in your local 7-11 back in the states! Though you can't gas-up your car like you could in the states, but I won't hold it against them, will you?

There are often special promotions and discount prices on items in the store, and you can collect stickers when you make a purchase of a certain value and save them towards half-priced, or even free items! But I feel that a lot of foreigners will miss out on these deals, so today I wanted to bring one of them to your attention.

\"2012-08-07

\"2012-08-07
(Beverages with a certain price sticker pair up with food items, like bread or sandwiches with the same sticker. It's cheaper to buy them together as a set.)

This is just one example of a possible deal you could take advantage of. Another common one are discounts when you buy two of the same type of drink. The staff may ask you to pull a number out of a box to get your discount price (the largest discount is 1NT!), or the discount could be automatically deducted.

Another useful thing to know is that discount percentages are written opposite from the way we write them in English. Where we say "20% off" they say "8 zhé 折", but they are the same thing. The difference is while we advertise the percentage that you get discounted, they advertise the percentage you pay after the discount. So if you ever see a sign that says "79折", for example, it means that the item is 21% off, not 79% off!

I hope you found this article useful, now go and get your money's worth!

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Chinese phrases of the day:

折= discount (by percentage)
便利商店= convenience store(s)

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Chill Out in Taipei

One of my favorite places to spend an evening in Taipei is the Xinyi District. Not only is it home to the famous Taipei 101, it's also filled with tons of interesting art exhibitions.

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(The ever-present Taipei 101)

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(Check out these awesome sculptures. I don't know what they're waiting in line for, but they sure look cool!)

Oh, and did I mention that it's a shopper's paradise? There are almost half a dozen giant shopping malls clustered together in this part of town, and they are all worth a visit.

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(Feel free to indulge yourself, just take it easy on that credit card!)

My personal favorite is the ESLITE chéng pĭn 誠品. Each floor has something to peruse, whether it be the latest in trendy clothing or handmade crafts, DIY stands, food or other delicacies, there is something for everyone. And then there is the bookstore which is open until 1am. That's what my fiancé and I usually go for. And then there's the food!

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(a shot of some of the surrounding department stores, and the entrance to ESLITE)

Most of the food courts in the different shopping centers will feature pretty similar selections, but as far as dessert goes, I highly recommend the shaved-ice bào bīng 刨冰 stand right by the escalator as you enter the food court in B1. It's awesome! Despite it being autumn, we have still been getting a lot of hot weather lately. When it is still this hot this late into fall, Chinese people call it qiū lăo hŭ 秋老虎, which translates to fall tiger.

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(L: waiting in line to get some shaved-ice R: choose your toppings)

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(It tastes like sweet snow, and it melts in your mouth!)

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(Do you want a bite?)

If you go on a Saturday, then you are in for a treat! Walk through the underpass in the B1 area and over to the băn jí 阪急 department store (it would also be convenient or you to start your evening here, as it connects to both the Taipei City Hall MRT Station as well as the respective bus station). There are tons more great restaurants in the food court here, and you have to stop by my favorite Japanese store, Muji wú yìn liáng pĭn 無印良品, before leaving. The bus station is upstairs, so take the escalator up and then walk outside and then up the stairs onto the rooftop square. There is a TGI Fridays here, as well as a Starbucks xīng bā kè 星巴克 and an NY Bagels(The home of the best American style breakfast I've had to date in Taiwan), but that's not why we're here. Just take a look around you, you should be in the midst of the jumble of stalls that makes up Taipei's newest Art Market!

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(L: This is where I take the bus back to Zhongli R: an outside shot of the bus station, now let's head upstairs)

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(L: NY Bagels, the best place for an American breakfast in town R: checking out the market) 

The market features many unique and handmade products shŏu gōng pĭn 手工品, so take a look around and if anything catches your eye, then buy it! While some of the price tags may be a little higher than you'd expect, remember that the goods are handmade and try to support our artistic community. Plus there is usually a band playing live, so take a seat and let the rhythms soothe your feet!

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(Well, I couldn't decide what to buy…but I made a new friend!)

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(L: A stand selling Taiwan Beer. I don't drink, but don't let me stop you. R: Take a seat and let the music do the rest!

So there you have it! Enjoy your relaxing day in Taipei.

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How To Get There:

Take the MRT to Taipei City Hall MRT Station. Many buses go here as well, both in Taipei and from other cities. It's really easy and convenient.
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Chinese phrases of the day:
 
 
 
誠品= ESLITE
 
 
刨冰= shaved-ice
 
 
秋老虎= autumn tiger
 
 
阪急= the department store connected to Taipei City Hall MRT Station
 
 
無印良品= Muji
 
 
星巴克= Starbucks
 
 
手工品= handmade products
 
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Out of all the places in the world…

Being fair of skin, with a healthy serving of freckles and a side of strawberry-blonde hair, I think it's safe to say that you may notice me waiting in line in a crowded night market or making my way through the throngs of people at a bustling MRT station, which in my opinion is just about as chaotic as a kicked anthill. Among a flock of black-haired sheep I'm not exactly hard to pick out…okay, so I stick out like a sore thumb, happy now?

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(Fear me puny Earthlings!)
 
 
To tell the truth though, I have been living here so long, I feel like it's home, and it's easy for me to forget that I am different here. That is until I see a toddler staring at me on the train like he's just seen Marvin the Martian. And then there's my students, who like to stroke my arm hair…it makes me feel like a pet! Funny story, I once taught a kid who called me a golden monkey because of my blonde-hair! But I digress.
 
"Why did you come toTaiwan?" is a question I have heard countless times, in fact it is likely the most common question I get when I meet anyone for the first time over here. And I still don't have a good answer; in short, it's a long story.
 
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I first came to Taiwan shortly after graduating from college, and at that time I really had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I had a bachelors in education, and I had always loved traveling and learning about foreign cultures and languages. So I decided to spend a year abroad. But not in Taiwan.
Originally I had looked into living abroad in Ireland, as I have always wanted a chance to further explore my own cultural roots, and I had been to Europe and really liked the atmosphere. But that was a no-go. As it turned out, I wasn't able to get the teaching job I had looked into because I lacked a European passport. Oh well, back to the old drawing board.
 
 
Not long after my Ireland bubble burst, I started talking with a friend who also wanted to live abroad and teach English for a year, and we settled on Japan. We filled out online-applications and waited eagerly for our phone-interview. After getting off the phone with the recruiter, I felt excited and I knew this was what I was looking for. After preparing a lesson and waiting impatiently for the big day, a few weeks later we met representatives from Japan who were in Austin, Tx to interview prospective teachers. I was really nervous, and the interview didn't go as I'd planned. My friend was accepted into the program, but I wasn't! Curses, foiled again!
 
 
So after getting turned down for he second time, I was pretty down. But to quote Chumbawamba, "I get knocked, down but I get up again.
You're never gonna keep me down." So I got up, dusted off my jacket and applied to another recruitment agency called Reach To Teach. This time I wanted to get a job teaching in China. I once again filled out an application and had an interview with one of the company's representatives. The interview went great and they started sending me job offers from several different schools right off the bat! I was feeling really good now, and ready to set out for my adventure! Well…not quite(see, I told you this was a long story!).
 
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(Hanging out in the teachers' room before class, still fresh off the boat!)
 
The first few schools that I had offers for didn't pan out, and eventually the agent I was working with told me of a school in Keelung, Taiwan that wanted to hire me…but where's that? Well, I did my research and read as much as I could about Taiwan and I decided that it sounded like a great place to spend a year abroad. I was emailed a contract, read it over, signed it and faxed it back. About a month later I said my goodbyes to friends and family and my dad drove me to the airport. I remember him telling me that I didn't have to go and nobody would think any less of me if I decided to stay in TX. It was tough, but I said goodbye and  boarded my flight. And little did I know I'd still be here nearly five years down the road!
 
 
Though the path I took to get here was long and winding, I believe that it all happened for a reason, and my life would not be the same today if I hadn't gotten on that airplane. I wouldn't have met my fiancé, Ruby or raised our dog, Popcorn and our cat, Pumpkin, nor made all of the wonderful friends I have here. When I came to Taiwan I was looking for something, I just didn't know what it was. But I found it!
 
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5 Reasons for you to spend a year (or more) abroad in Taiwan.

1. Mandarin is THE language to learn, and with over a billion people in the world who speak it, learning even just basic Mandarin will open up a lot of doors for you, especially with Mainland China's economic growth in recent years.

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2. Taiwan is a safe place to live with a rich cultural heritage. On top of that, the locals are very friendly, and welcoming of Westerners. The people will take care of you and help you out however they can. Whether you are having trouble ordering food at a restaurant, or finding your way around, the majority or Taiwanese are very approachable and willing to help you out. Many Taiwanese are also very interested in learning English and about Western culture, so don't be surprised if random people approach and befriend you. This makes Taiwan an ideal place to pick-up a second language and to learn about a fascinating culture that has been around for thousands of years.
 
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3. Convenience is paramount in Taiwan, and public transportation is excellent. Taxis are cheap, buses run late and to practically any destination you could possibly have in mind, and the MRT system makes getting around Taipei(and now Kaohsiung) very easy. And there are plans to further expand the MRT system, which will eventually run all the way from Taoyuan international airport to Taipei city. Usually in North America, when we say a place is nearby, we mean 5-10 minutes by car. In Taiwan, distances are usually measured by foot(except in the county, where having a set of wheels becomes more necessary). When I get hungry, I just walk downstairs and have a ton of options in the neighborhood, not to mention 7-11 around the corner and the night market just a little further down the road. More on night markets in a future post.
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4. Taiwan is a great place for nature lovers. Whether you feel at home surfing or just chilling at the beach, or if a hike through majestic mountains is more your thing, rest assured, there're plenty of amazing places for you to explore. I'll expand on this topic in a future post, but I'll leave you with a few pics of some of my favorite destinations: Penghu and Hualien.
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5. It's a fruit lover's paradise. Taiwan has a ton of unique fruits which are either uncommon or unheard of in the USA. A few of my favorites are bājiāo(八蕉), a type of short, sweet banana, huǒlóngguǒ(火龍果) or dragon fruit, and shìzi(柿子) or persimmons, but this topic really deserves a future post of its own. Easy access to a variety of fruits and fresh juice stands makes it easy to get a healthy snack on the run!
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Chinese phrases of the day:

bājiāo(八蕉)= a type of short, sweet banana

huǒlóngguǒ(火龍果)=dragon fruit

shìzi(柿子)= persimmons

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Posted on

Welcome!

Hello everyone!

My name is Logan, and for the past four and a half years I have been living in Taiwan. Life as an expat is never dull, and is full of both challenges and rewarding life experiences. Over the years I have gained a lot of insight into Chinese culture and way of thought, as well an above average command of the language. But a lot of my knowledge has come  the hard way, though luckily for you, your's doesn't have to! I will be updating advice on how to get around in Taiwan, what to expect and how to cope with the cultural differences you will encounter…basically anything and everything that is Taiwan. I would love to hear from my readers, and encourage you to post any questions you may have and I will answer them as quickly as I can! Taiwan has changed my life in more ways than one, and I hope the same will happen for all of you.

Thank you for reading.