life in Taiwan: strange but true

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7ZnU7Rr-MODCuKjXo3NkIHf-FgVSxtGgB07vFFh9sqFHj_IUw7HPmZv4bl3Wdhyphenhyphenn287JcZRbaf8MQ1KwraozC9fqkqX5AfWCXe-WChQFRCVQVfxYnOudi6F_zcAo2n3HA9Ph6JAIBT1L/s1600/strangebuttrue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7ZnU7Rr-MODCuKjXo3NkIHf-FgVSxtGgB07vFFh9sqFHj_IUw7HPmZv4bl3Wdhyphenhyphenn287JcZRbaf8MQ1KwraozC9fqkqX5AfWCXe-WChQFRCVQVfxYnOudi6F_zcAo2n3HA9Ph6JAIBT1L/s640/strangebuttrue.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />as I'm currently adjusting to culture shock: the sequel, I thought it would be fun to share a few of the things here in Taiwan that seem a little strange. every culture is unique [and that's a good thing!] but here's a bit of what makes my American brain think "that's... different."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1T3Uk9VMxyaxX_NeGdz_zvqcHeIHSqdX-uwWkNygOaQVZ2CI0H4FNUXoo7wu91rhZqal4pWviIGSGla4UfVjzFqUb_PhmMEtdCxtsXKIUXdzIhdyfQyWNXDdj9ChieHQCnwD-DVeZBxx/s640/blogger-image--376375934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1T3Uk9VMxyaxX_NeGdz_zvqcHeIHSqdX-uwWkNygOaQVZ2CI0H4FNUXoo7wu91rhZqal4pWviIGSGla4UfVjzFqUb_PhmMEtdCxtsXKIUXdzIhdyfQyWNXDdj9ChieHQCnwD-DVeZBxx/s640/blogger-image--376375934.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>Taiwan sells a billion flavors of Oreos</b>. or, nine. which is close to a billion. to be honest I never checked the cookie aisle when I was in the states [thanks, gluten intolerance!] so maybe this is normal there too now. but it still seems strange to me. my childhood memories are of regular and double stuffed... blueberry ice cream Oreo just seems wrong.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJY9lc-WQkrDB50wlmWe8dPTDe9IJcwtRrMkjJZA15hG3PTQcd8xDoit5gnLxXjZ2GqrWy4zWwOQPXSebX2ER-pl0_SrOdYa9eyadoxEMSg0xn9k6vOZh7EtdcN5jR7bkWLY1B8IS53-TD/s640/blogger-image-454528711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJY9lc-WQkrDB50wlmWe8dPTDe9IJcwtRrMkjJZA15hG3PTQcd8xDoit5gnLxXjZ2GqrWy4zWwOQPXSebX2ER-pl0_SrOdYa9eyadoxEMSg0xn9k6vOZh7EtdcN5jR7bkWLY1B8IS53-TD/s640/blogger-image-454528711.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b>your receipt is also a lottery ticket.</b> not anything like mega millions or powerball, but still potentially $20 US. for the first few months we just threw them away without knowing, but now we try to tuck them in the charity donation bins we find all over. [and yes, we DO have Starbucks here. thank goodness.]<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHbLgcBgc0G2Yb563gPOfqQO_dmUjxs6ueCaMMlKHxrQXGI6X4FxyZt6qyTmC7EfMjYeZSFIwhUakyrO1sDiQqbLMmGvLyhyphenhyphen5NVa4ShA-FSAXYBGyGgaxQztCTRE0zKplYGaFzZyiXDcX/s640/blogger-image-641017602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHbLgcBgc0G2Yb563gPOfqQO_dmUjxs6ueCaMMlKHxrQXGI6X4FxyZt6qyTmC7EfMjYeZSFIwhUakyrO1sDiQqbLMmGvLyhyphenhyphen5NVa4ShA-FSAXYBGyGgaxQztCTRE0zKplYGaFzZyiXDcX/s640/blogger-image-641017602.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><div><b>random theatre performances.</b> I was driving home from running errands the other day and found this set up in the edge of the street. [and by found, I mean I almost drove into these people as I came around a curve.] according to a friend of a friend, these people are entertaining ghosts to keep them from being upset. they find music and theatre calming, apparently. there's a lot of construction going on around our school campus, and since it used to be a graveyard the ghosts are not happy they had to move. this definitely seems strange to me, but if it keeps the ghosts happy then I'm ok with it.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdVD7l7DyJJeXWczoXUHIEeFFk0RLDpgGIstHA6lXOTwjxqrpbenpoF9DbtWzvRhOubt2-pX-yO8bsZtBrBB6RZnOcb1_9Bq4dr7VRYsYXoEC75_UFJQuYuJ3sUvkIaM81QVNuZpbnFC8/s640/blogger-image-469845624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdVD7l7DyJJeXWczoXUHIEeFFk0RLDpgGIstHA6lXOTwjxqrpbenpoF9DbtWzvRhOubt2-pX-yO8bsZtBrBB6RZnOcb1_9Bq4dr7VRYsYXoEC75_UFJQuYuJ3sUvkIaM81QVNuZpbnFC8/s640/blogger-image-469845624.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>we have special flavors of Doritos.</b> I haven't had a Dorito since college. but I'm pretty sure even now the US doesn't have flavors like American hot wings, American sausage and spicy grilled mix. [other common potato chip flavors in Taiwan are seaweed, roasted chicken, seafood platter, swiss cheese, butter, salsa, and lemon.]<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySc8e_poumaDnrKMUW-DeVhwrrF-Cvuq35jQNE06duBlQx_I87l6KaV9RDbyDbIIs3LQhuxeun1o7VB0tXpYmcNoTRS-8dB5oaoxPEopfr6Wko-pYW2rNA2rmYDJdU-AqY-kTjlOh71Qh/s640/blogger-image--865670076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySc8e_poumaDnrKMUW-DeVhwrrF-Cvuq35jQNE06duBlQx_I87l6KaV9RDbyDbIIs3LQhuxeun1o7VB0tXpYmcNoTRS-8dB5oaoxPEopfr6Wko-pYW2rNA2rmYDJdU-AqY-kTjlOh71Qh/s640/blogger-image--865670076.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b>things get lost in translation.</b> many signs are in English as well as Chinese, but I don't think the translators always truly understand English. this is a billboard for a new high class apartment building. one that's really tall and has a great view, I would assume. but my American side was a little creeped when I first spotted this.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriM5kM_5O8vSTUBUZD9f8OcOqLDsx0Mfe8RQucHc1iCoEQpngBpKlPuKUkBR6cmGm_PfsoaIdkUtFiaq2YqAM_uyl8x5h732OWgjH5gxdhH0R4CfaxhUWoJgQ3neGvFVuWKrNtAO4L94G/s640/blogger-image--2020807208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriM5kM_5O8vSTUBUZD9f8OcOqLDsx0Mfe8RQucHc1iCoEQpngBpKlPuKUkBR6cmGm_PfsoaIdkUtFiaq2YqAM_uyl8x5h732OWgjH5gxdhH0R4CfaxhUWoJgQ3neGvFVuWKrNtAO4L94G/s640/blogger-image--2020807208.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>almost, but not quite.</b> the stationary store has a HUGE selections of pens and markers [and a ton of other things] but they don't sell Sharpies. <i>whyyyy?</i> I had to import some back with me from the states. they sell imitation Sharpies here, of course, but if you are a Sharpie fan you know that nothing is like the real thing. [I will admit, however, that the stationary store is awesome and one of my favorite things about Taiwan. even if there are no Sharpies.]<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2G_xb-tgcvNMnamRoOR9cEW5df4a5Otg4VyTji11Px7z0Yo6FI5aGoXViYf2ApDDXpF_xrMnCmFN1HIbM3p6Q8i873S9FnTlwcwkIPoaKAL2z6Tq6gzOdVBes-3CqaMg11unKBqunXXY/s640/blogger-image--356653045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2G_xb-tgcvNMnamRoOR9cEW5df4a5Otg4VyTji11Px7z0Yo6FI5aGoXViYf2ApDDXpF_xrMnCmFN1HIbM3p6Q8i873S9FnTlwcwkIPoaKAL2z6Tq6gzOdVBes-3CqaMg11unKBqunXXY/s640/blogger-image--356653045.jpg" width="586" /></a></div><br />and finally: <b>cockroaches.</b> they are just a fact of life here in Taiwan. you <i>will</i> have cockroaches in your house. it's only a matter of how often, how many, and how big.</div>

life in Taiwan: strange but true

as I'm currently adjusting to culture shock: the sequel, I thought it would be fun to share a few of the things here in Taiwan that seem...

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