Bloggence, Cunning, Exile

Postcolonial Trash

Some people ask me what I think about Taiwan. It has taken a long time for me to get used to living there.
But the city of Taipei is cosmopolitan (code: westernized) and you can find your daily paths to the things that make you happy.
You carve out a niche, and evolve into the local system. Also being an expat is to have a real social role: you are the foreigner, kind of exotic no matter what. If you are alienated already, like me, then this role is an objective correlative -- or, a comfortable recognition.
The people of Taiwan are very polite in general, unless they're on a motorscooter, which is quite often, and then they're not. The women are petite and bossy, the men are hardworking and responsible, and the children are all above average.

For a much longer and more critical take on the pollution and sprawl in Taiwan, see my essay in Taipei's weekly paper POTS -->

Postcolonial Trash

posted by E. Heroux @ 12:06 PM