But Where Are You From?

In the U.S., any college student will inevitably be asked, "So, where are you from?"

If you're Asian-American, at some (or many) points this will inevitably be followed up by, "Yes, but where are you from?" or some variant of that (including but not limited to, "Where are you from from?", "Where are you originally from?", "Where were you born?", "Where are your parents from?", "Are you Chinese/Japanese/Korean/Vietnamese/etc...?" Sometimes, they might even disregard your answer altogether and tell you, "Wow your English is really good."). (And if you're Hispanic, Latino, Mexican, Dominican, what have you, many people will just lump them all together.)

Though this question might offend some, people are (usually) not trying to be rude when they ask--they're just curious about your ethnicity.

If you're Asian-American (or Asian-Australian, Asian-Canadian, Asian-anything-that's-not-Asia) and in Asia, it gets even more interesting.

Now in Korea, to ask someone where they're from, Koreans will either ask, "어디에서 오셨어요?" ("Where are you from?") or "어느 나라 사람이예요?" (Literally "Which country's person are you?"). Likewise, to ask in Chinese you'd say, “你是從哪裡來？” (Where are you from?") or “你是哪國人？”   ("Which country's person are you?") Now to answer "Where are you from?" you can just tell them you are from America (if you are) and to answer "Which country's person are you?" you would say (for Americans), "저는 미국 사람이예요/我是美國人."

The term for American (미국 사람 in Korean, 美國人 in Chinese), or for any nationality, follows the format of Country-사람/人 (which means person). Now this is interesting because it carries with it a tone of being from that country which, in the case of America, of course I am, but if I wanted to say I was Chinese, I can't say 저는 중국 사람이예요/我是中國人 because both phrases carry the implication that I'm from China rather than being Chinese.

In my experiences in both South Korea and Taiwan, telling people, "저는 미국 사람이예요/我是美國人" has confused the heck out of some because honestly they don't expect it (remember the shop-owner in Korea who was trying to guess where I was from?), but in Taiwan they would then ask to clarify, “你是華僑嗎？" or "你是華人嗎？" both of which mean, "Are you Chinese?" but refer to your ethnicity rather than the country you're from. I'm sure there's an equivalent to that in Korean too, but I don't know it.

Now if they're asking in English, the phrasing might be more akin to the "Where are you really from?" question. I have discovered that, in both Korea and Taiwan, people don't really know how to ask about your ethnicity when speaking in English. In Korea, we met a German student who was obviously of Asian descent. One of the Korean student volunteers asked where he was from and when he replied that he was from Germany, she tried asking, "But what are you?" which in America can be considered kind of offensive (the German student was just really confused). Likewise, while I've been here in Taiwan, some Taiwanese students have asked in response to "America," "Where were you born?" or "Where is your family from?" or just plain and simple, "Are you Chinese?" Again, in asking this, they are really not trying to be rude, they're just curious (and maybe a little confused) about your ethnicity and don't know how to phrase the question.

It's an interesting thing, being Asian-American because in America, I would identify with being Chinese. If someone were to ask me I would simply say I'm Chinese, not Chinese-American, which I can't say in Korea or Taiwan because 중국 사람/中國人 implies that I am from China so I would have to say that I'm American.

On a side note, a Chinese woman in New York once stopped me to ask for directions and when she asked (in Cantonese) if I was a 中國人, I replied that no, I was a 美國人, so used was I to answering that I was an American when speaking another language. Her response was an almost-exasperated sigh as she said, "我知你係美國人，但係我嘅意思係你係唔係Chinese?"  which translates to, "I know you are American, but my meaning is are you Chinese?" Oops. Haha, so in the United States, it could be used to simply mean of Chinese ethnicity and not necessarily from China. So before you automatically say that you're an American, remember to think about where you are when you answer this question!

Last note: if you're shy like me and have trouble approaching people and making new friends, you should at least try to talk to people because foreigners who are looking to befriend other foreigners will probably assume you're a local, while natives who want to make foreign friends will also assume you're a local so you get overlooked. I was once out with my white friend in Korea and the couple the next table over saw us and asked if my friend was from America and where. When she told them that she was from Boston and I from New York, they did a double take and asked if I wasn't Korean. Likewise in trying to help an international student from France who was having some communication problems this morning, he asked why my English was so like an American's and seemed surprised when I told him I was from America. Moral of the story is that people aren't going to know you're also another lost foreign student just like them unless you tell them so, so go out there and make the first move! I'm not saying to run around broadcasting that you're American to anyone who looks like they speak English, but you have to be willing to put yourself out there if you want to make friends. Even if it's scary.

Everyday Chinese

• 你是從哪裡來？/你是哪國人？(Nǐ shì cóng nǎlǐ lái?/Nǐ shì nǎ guórén?) - Where are you from?
• 我是從美國來的 (Wǒ shì cóng měiguó lái de) - I am from America
• 我是美國人 (Wǒ shì měiguó rén) - I am American
• 美國/美國人 (Měiguó/Měiguó rén) - America/American
• 中國/中國人 (Zhōngguó/Zhōngguó rén) - China/Chinese (implication of being from China)
• 你是華僑嗎？/你是華人嗎？(Nǐ shì huáqiáo ma?/Nǐ shì huárén ma) - Are you Chinese? (As in of Chinese descent)

SIM Card Plights and Humid Nights

Good afternoon all! (Or night over on the East coast)

So I was reading over the post I wrote last night and wow was I rambling. Guess that's what I sound like when I'm tired. Haha sorry guys. I blame the jet lag ;)

Anyways as promised, the continuation of my previous post, starting with...airplane food!

Who needs peanuts when you can have rice crackers and wasabi peas?

Choice of chicken rice or beef with potatoes for dinner--I went with the chicken rice and got a cheesecake (covered by the bread) too although it got to sweet for me to finish

Choice of congee or eggs for breakfast--I went Asian all the way haha

We also got sandwiches for lunch (I got a Reuben), but I didn't get a picture of that. Case in point, EVA Air serves some pretty decent food--although for some reason I didn't have much of an appetite on the flight. Nerves maybe? Or perhaps just me being a bad flyer.

The next point: SIM Card Plights!

To be honest, it wasn't that much of a problem with the SIM card except for my own indecision. Haha. So once you grab your luggage and go out to the Arrival Lobby of Taoyuan International Airport, you'll want to veer left until you get to the end, then veer left again. On the right side there will be a counter with three different phone companies for you to choose from: Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and FarEasTone. I admit that I made my decision based on which one had the cheapest rates although the boards behind the counters only inform you of rates for a 30-day pass at most. Obviously as a student, I'm not going to get a 30-day plan.

In any case, since FarEasTone had the cheapest looking rates (and the most people--that has to account for something right?), I went with it. Unfortunately when I asked the saleslady if she spoke English, she told me she only knew a little English. So Chinese it was. Luckily for me though, I understood most of what she said and for what I didn't she used English. She was very helpful and even helped me install my micro-SIM card. For a 6 month plan, that included Wi-fi, I paid NT$3300, which is about US$110--much cheaper than in the United States.

On a side note, I was under the impression that if your (Android) phone is locked, once if you insert your new SIM that it would ask you for the pin to unlock it. Sadly, with the LG G2, that is not the case; if you have an LG G2, you need to dial 2945#*801# to get to the unlock menu.

The brochures she gave me; the blue one is in English

Now I must apologize because I confess, I still don't know very much about phone service here. For example which company would be best, which plan to get, etc... I just chose based on price and I asked the woman which would be the best plan for me to choose as a study away student. So I'm sorry, since this didn't really clarify much did it? Also I get a whole bunch of texts from FarEasTone about my plan...but it's all in Chinese so I'm still pretty much in the dark about rates and stuff. I do know however that I can recharge my card at any convenience store. Also, for FarEasTone, you can send a blank text to 1312 to find our your remaining balance (answering text will be in English).

Humid Nights!

Before I got here I checked the weather and knew that it would be warm, like Spring. I also knew from my trip to Taiwan last year that it was still pretty chilly around March so I figured while I didn't need my winter jacket, I should bring at least a warmer jacket. Let me tell you--I have been here three days and all three days have been pretty warm. If anything, I felt overdressed. And while it rained yesterday, that cleared up to sunshine by the afternoon and it got pretty warm. 

I will say however, that it does get kind of chilly at night, so bringing a warm jacket was not in vain! Despite the chilliness however, it was still humid. Humidity is not limited to the daytime it seems. Unfortunately. What's even worse is that you can feel the humidity indoors as well. Everything just feels damp, from the air, to your pillows and blankets, to your tabletop surface. It's not terribly bad, but I'm not a fan of humidity so I could do without this dampness. 

Surprisingly, the jet lag isn't too bad although I am getting sleepy (and it's only 4 in the afternoon here), but that might have to with the fact that I've been out and about soaking up plenty of sunlight to wake up that internal clock (is that even how it works?). Also I've been waking up at around 3 in the morning and have trouble falling back asleep. But it's not so bad (when I get back to the States though, I'm going to become nocturnal, just you watch)

Anyways that's all for now because I am getting sleepy~~ Zzzz

臺灣，我到了！On Delayed Flights, SIM Card Plights, and Humid Nights

大家好！
Guess where I am? That's right, 30,000 ft above the sea on my way to Taiwan! Haha just kidding--I made it here about 14 hours ago and for the truly observant, you may have noticed that I changed the time zone to reflect my current location.

Anyways, let's try to keep this short (operative word being try) because I am super tired. Oh the joys of traveling halfway across the world. Let's start with my flight. As any New Yorker (or New Englander) will know, we've been getting quite a bit of snow lately and last night, it got pretty bad. Think snow and rain. Yikes. Now my flight's original boarding time was 11:50 pm, departure time 12:20 am. I get there early (at about half-past-ten), check-in was quick and easy (the beauty of online check-in) and decide to mill around for 15 minutes to spend some good quality time with momma dearest before I hop off through security check. So fast forward to around 11:30 where I'm half falling asleep at the waiting area when they make an announcement: due to some issues with the gears, boarding time has been delayed to 12:15. Alright. that's to be expected, some snow issues are bound to cause to flight issues (I don't even know if the two were related but I'm assuming they would be)--cut to 12:15 where they announce, boarding time has been pushed to 12:30 and I'm falling asleep (I like my sleep and this is past my bedtime folks), but obviously I am not about to take a nap before I board. Cut to 12:45 where they finally let passengers begin to board, It's 1 at this point and I'm sitting there, restlessly, nervously. Some other issue--something about being third in line to fly out or something--that's right third. Anyways, so I fall asleep cause ya know, tired, past my bedtime and all. I wake up at around 2, almost 3-ish and wonder have we taken off yet? It was kind of hard to tell, but I had a nagging feeling that we were still sitting on the ground. And of course we were. In the end, we didn't takeoff until about 4. The landing time went from 5:30 am to 9:30 am, That's right folks--a four hour delay, three of which were spent in a stationary plane, factor in the 16-hour plane ride and we have 19 glorious hours spent in a plane (again, three of which were spent not going anywhere).

Now I am in no way complaining cause hey, wouldn't you rather be in a safe and delayed plane than a prompt but unchecked one? The plane ride itself wasn't too bad (watched Big Hero 6, cried buckets, and 피끓는 청춘 - Hot Young Bloods laughed lots) and listened to Korean music, and had some good food. But still 16 hours, I'm surprised I managed to last this long through the day--it is now a quarter to 11 and I am about to crash. I've always been a bad plane rider--I can't stay asleep for very long and it makes my eyes feel tired. Is it just me?

Anyways, since I'm tired (and I did promise short) you get SIM Card Plights and Humid Nights some other time plus, as a bonus, pictures of flight food! Haha.

Good night.

Things to Know, Part II

Part II of things you to know before you go to Taiwan

Resident Visa vs. Visitor Visa

If you have a U.S. passport and would like to vacation in Taiwan, you're good to go: visitors with a U.S. passport are visa-exempt for 90 days. But if you are in Taiwan to study, obviously you're going to be there for more than three months, which means you need to apply for a visa at your nearest Taiwan consulate (for a list of Taiwan embassies in the U.S. check out the website here. [Link also to the side under the "Study Abroad in Taiwan" section, listed as "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S."]). Although I was able to go pick it up three business days after I dropped off all the necessary documents, I recommend taking care of any visa business early just to be on the safe side. Especially if you don't have an embassy in your city/need to travel further to get there, in which case you might have to mail in all your documents, which means in addition to processing time, you also have to factor in shipping and handling time. So yes, take care of that early!

For Taiwan, there are two types of visas that you can apply for: a resident visa and a visitor visa. There is no specific student visa for international students who want to study in Taiwan. The type of visa you should get depends on how long you plan on staying in Taiwan. A visitor visa is for those who plan on staying in Taiwan for less than 180 days (about six months), while a resident visa is for those planning on staying in Taiwan for more than 180 days.

For visitor visas, you can apply for either single or multiple entry, the latter of which is recommended if you plan on traveling internationally during your stay in Taiwan. Last I checked both cost the same price. If, while in Taiwan, you decide to stay for a full year instead of a semester, or if you want to stay a little longer after your visitor's visa's date of expiration, you can change your visitor's visa to a resident visa or get  your visitor visa extended. In the case of the former, you will need to visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while in the case of the latter, you will need to visit the National Immigration Agency.

Whether you enter Taiwan on a resident visa or if you decide to change your visitor visa to a resident visa while in Taiwan, you will need to apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) within 15 days of your arrival, in the case of the former, and within 15 days of the issuance of your resident visa, in the case of the latter. This is to be done at the National Immigration Agency. Since you can only get a single entry resident visa, while applying for your ARC, you can also apply for a re-entry permit will allow you to leave and return to Taiwan. So here is the general process for applying for a visa:

And your visa will look something like this:

 Or this:

1. Visa Type (簽證類別)：
• Visitor Visa (停留簽證)：Short-term visa for stays in Taiwan that are less than 180 days.
• Resident Visa (居留簽證)：Long-term visa for stays in Taiwan greater than 180 days.
2. Valid Until / Enter Before (入境限期)：the last day the visa holder is permitted to enter Taiwan.
3. Duration of stay (停留期限)：The length of the visa holder’s stay in Taiwan; it is counted from the arrival date. Extensions should be made within 15 days of the duration deadline.
4. Entries (入境次數)：Single or multiple.
5. Visa Number (簽證號碼)：Visitors should fill it in E/D card at immigration.
6. Remarks (註記)：A specific code represents the applicant’s identification or reason for visiting Taiwan (e.g. the code for exchange students is FS).

Visa Application Documents
This is just a general list of documents required to apply for a visa for studying purposes. Additional documents may be requested; for a complete list of required documents, see the links to the side under "Study Abroad in Taiwan."

• Completed & signed visa application form
• Two passport photos (taken within the last six months)
• Passport (original & a photocopy)
• Travel itinerary (with both a date of arrival and a date of departure)
• Admission letter (from the university you intend to attend in Taiwan)
• Proof of financial support
• Health certificate

Also, before you apply for a visa, make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your intended date of travel. If not, it's time to renew it!

Also, remember to make photocopies (or at least scans) of the identification page of your passport, your visa, and your admission letter, and remember to bring lots of passport photos, these will be useful for obtaining/extending/changing your visa and for whatever you may need to apply for.

Money & Banking

One thing that I found useful while in South Korea was having my own bank account and debit card. I have Bank of America here in the States and I think it charges about 3% for every overseas purchase you make. I could be wrong--I did the math at one point but I forget. The point is, you don't want to incur charges every time you make a purchase or withdrawal so bring some money beforehand and withdraw infrequently. Or open up a bank account. From what I've been able to find, opening up a bank account in Taiwan doesn't seem too difficult--you'll need your passport, your ARC (or an ROC ID number), and, at some banks, an initial deposit. You should also apply for a bank card so you can withdraw from an ATM at any time.

New Taiwan Dollars come in NT$1000, NT$500, NT$200, and NT$100 bank notes

Having a bank account in South Korea was useful because I didn't have to worry about carrying around too much (or too little) money and I didn't have to keep withdrawing from my Bank of America account (thus incurring charges), although I will say that at a lot of places in South Korea, they will charge you around ₩2000 (about $2) less for paying in cash instead of card. Even if you plan on opening a bank account while in Taiwan however, make sure to let your bank know that you are going to be out of the country so it doesn't look suspicious or get refused when you try to use your home credit/debit card in Taiwan. More on banking in a later post once I open an account.

Coins come in amounts of NT$½, NT$1, NT$5, NT$10, NT$20, and NT$50

From what I've heard, it seems the best place to exchange your currency is at the airport in Taiwan, because they offer the best rates. So make sure to exchange your money before you leave the airport!

As for how much to bring, you have to consider things like payments you have to make, for your ARC, to housing, for transportation, food, school fees and the like. And then bring extra. It's also wise to keep track of your spendings (especially if you're like me and perpetually broke) and make sure you don't spend your money too quickly!

Phone & Wi-Fi

If you plan on using your phone abroad, make sure it's unlocked or else you won't be able to use it. Also, it might be wise to call your phone company to suspend your service, since you won't be using it to prevent unnecessary charges. I'm not so sure on that though--my sister did that when she studied abroad a few years back, but I didn't do that in Korea because I didn't get a new SIM card while in Korea and was able to get away with just having Wi-fi. However, Taiwan isn't as wi-fi friendly as South Korea. 

Anyways, from what I've heard (again, my knowledge on this is very limited), it would be best to purchase a prepaid SIM card at the airport in Taiwan. Stores will carry both SIM and micro-SIM cards so there's no need to worry if you have a micro-SIM. Again, more on this in a later post once I've figured it out.

Now I didn't know about this the first time I went to Taiwan so big shout-out to my awesome cousin for telling me about Taiwan's wi-fi service, iTaiwan (link now in side under "Other Useful Resources." Apparently over 5,000 wi-fi hotspots have been established in an initiative to provide free wi-fi to the public. 

And finally...

Go With All Your Heart

If you've noticed, the url for this blog is go-with-all-your-heart-taiwan.blogspot.com. Also this quote is featured in the subheading under the title. And this applies to study abroad anywhere, not just Taiwan. But what's with the obsession with this quote?

This is where I admit that I didn't always have as much fun in Seoul as I could've had. I'm shy, painfully so. And introverted. And anti-social. And I don't make friends or strike up conversation very easily. In short, I'm that quietly awkward person who keeps to herself in the (hypothetical) corner. I admit that I spent a lot of my free time in my room doing homework and studying or else on my computer. In my two classes where I was the only American, I didn't talk to my classmates unless I had to. I'm sure I came off as cold, if not rude, but I'm just not the type of person who can communicate easily. It made me realize (a little too late but still), that if I really wanted to enjoy my time there, I should have put myself out there a little (okay, a lot) more. Actually it was sort of a battle to convince the study away office at my school to even let me go away for two semesters and well, I let my first semester almost go to a waste. I did have fun, and I did make friends, but I didn't immerse myself into Korean culture as much as I would have liked, by no fault of anyone but myself. Hence this obsession with Confucius's quote.

You're going to be abroad for at least four months, that's a third of the year; you should want to be there and not be there to play around, to pick up girls/guys, or just because you can. It should be the best darn experience it can be. You're not a tourist on vacation. That implies that you're just there for the short-term to take in the scenery without really partaking in it. You should go out and practice your language skills, learn about the culture you're in, try all the local foods (yes, even the "weird" ones!), mingle with the locals and other international students (and not just others from your country), do touristy things, get out there and see the sights, partake in local activities and make it a memorable experience.

Of course, schoolwork and classes are important too, but make sure to take some time to go out and explore, even if it's just for a short walk around the neighborhood. You don't have to do everything in groups or pairs--sometimes it's just nice to go out by yourself, but don't always be by yourself. If making friends isn't your strong suit (it certainly isn't mine), that's okay too, but you should at least try to step outside your comfort zone. You don't want to spend what precious little time you have abroad cooped up in your room. Also, it's okay to be homesick and to have some comfort food that reminds you of home every now and then but don't be averse to trying new things, local things, because what's the point of being in a new country if you're not going to experience it? What's the point of being in a new culture if you're just going to carry around the old? Don't write something off without trying it and don't bash on something because it's not what you're used to. Be friendly and open, open to new experiences, to unfamiliar customs, to different cultures, to meeting new people, to making mistakes every now and then, and to having the time of your life.

And at the end of the day, don't forget about your family and friends back home. Keep in touch, whether it be by snail mail, phone calls, video chats, or text message, because they miss you too. And even if they can't be there with you, you can at least share your experiences with them and let them know that you're doing alright and make sure they are too.

So in short,

新年快樂！

祝大家羊年大吉！

Happy Year of the Goat everybody!

So as you may or may not know, in addition to the Gregorian (or Western) calendar, the Chinese also follow their own calendar, a lunisolar calendar. For all you Chinese readers out there, this type of calendar will probably be very familiar to you.

With each month page looking something akin to this:

Sorry, I couldn't find an image similar to the style of the full-length monthly calendar above 

If you are unfamiliar with Chinese calendars, then this probably looks like a standard Gregorian calendar albeit (much cuter and) with Chinese written on it. The Chinese written under each date is actually the corresponding lunar date so under January 2 (January 1 is marked as New Year's) has 十二--12--marking it as the 12th of November, January 3 has 十三, marking it as the 13th of November, and so on and so forth. Therefore in following with the Chinese calendar, today, February 19th, marks the Lunar New Year (January 1 according to the lunisolar calendar). Hopefully this picture makes things a little clearer:

Because the lunisolar doesn't align perfectly with the Gregorian calendar, Chinese holidays will often be described as occurring on the ___day of the ___lunar month, so for example, the 15th day of the 1st lunar month (Lantern Festival) as opposed to saying January 15th (which fell on February 14th of the Gregorian calendar in 2014, but will fall on March 5 this year). Does this make sense yet? In short, the Chinese do follow the Gregorian calendar--they just also happen to follow a lunisolar one as well.

About Chinese New Year

Although other East Asian countries also celebrate the Lunar New Year (for example, in Korea, the Lunar New Year is known 설날 seollal), for the purposes of this blog I will be talking about Chinese customs in relation to the New Year (also note that when I say "New Year" I am referring to Chinese New Year, unless otherwise noted).

Although here in Chinatown in New York, the New Year's celebrations only last a few days at most, traditionally Chinese New Year celebrations last for 15 days, culminating with the Lantern Festival. Known in Chinese as 春節, literally Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is a time to gather with family, eat, pray, and celebrate with lion dances and firecrackers, although within the various regions of China and Taiwan, specific customs and traditions may differ. As with the Gregorian New Year in the States, Chinese New Year is a public holiday for the Chinese and people will be off from work and school (not for all 15 days though!) (on a side note, when I went to school in Chinatown, we got Chinese New Year off ^-^).

If you've ever been to Chinatown, you've probably seen these on the door or window of many stores:

The character 福 means good luck

Often, the character will be hung upside down, like so:

In Chinese the phrase, 福到--luck has arrived, sounds a lot like 福倒--luck upside-down, hence many people will hang the sign upside down in order to ensure the arrival of luck. Of course, there is a plethora of other phrases hung up in addition to 福:

Chinese greetings and proverbs are usually four characters long

There are even themed ones to fit the animal of the year--in this case, sheep (or ram or goat, whichever you prefer):

As I've mentioned, New Year's is a time to gather with family--known as 拜年 or paying a New Year's call. In addition to paying respect to your relatives, you will also have to pay respect to your ancestors, whose altars will be set up with food offerings.

This spread of food will range from fruits to sweets to full out meals. Some symbolic dishes include dumplings (to represent money) and fish (to represent surplus).

And of course, we can't talk about New Year without talking about

Red envelopes! 紅包 (or 利是 for all you Canto speakers out there). Red envelopes are traditionally given on wedding days, birthdays, and New Year's. Although they are called red envelopes, they don't necessarily have to be red; they can be gold, pink, purple, etc...Red is the most common color however, as it represents good luck and is thought to keep away evil spirits. They are usually given by married people to the unmarried (or elderly to young). In all likelihood, you would only receive bills/notes and no coins in your red envelopes and no amount with the number 4 in it (四--4--sounds a lot like 死--death--and hence is deemed unlucky). Sometimes relatives will give you two red envelopes--one with your New Year's money and another, with $8 for good luck (八--8--sounds similar to 發，short for 發財， meaning prosperity or wealth). When you receive a red envelope, it is customary to accept it with both hands--don't forget to thank the giver and wish them a happy new year--and not to open it in front of them out of courtesy.

And just for fun, one (of several) cheeky ways to ask for a red envelope (don't really do it though unless it's to friends!):

恭喜發財，紅包拿來 (Mando: Gōngxǐ fācái, hóngbāo ná lái, Canto: gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4 hung4 baau1 naa4 loi4)

Happy New Year Everyone!

And instead of a list format, I thought I'd share some videos for today's
Everyday Chinese New Year's Edition

Chinese New Year Greetings in Mandarin:

Chinese New Year's Greetings in Cantonese:

Anecdotes from Asia: The Asian-American Experience Abroad

DISCLAIMER: I don't claim to represent the experience of all Asian-Americans traveling in Asia--just mine ;)

So if you recall from the first post, I spent about a paragraph harping on how you get treated differently as an ABC in Asia (plus there's the blog title) than as a Westerner, but I have yet to actually mention how things might differ, so I thought I would make that the topic for the day. Keep in mind, this is from the perspective of an Asian-American who has a pretty poor grasp of her own language so while lots of Asian-Americans out there can speak their native tongue perfectly fine, I am not one of them, so I may have language issues other Asian Americans won't face.

Even Before You Leave the Country

Chances are, if you are an Asian-American on an Asian airline, they will speak to you in the native tongue of the airline. When my Chinese class went to Taiwan, we took EVA Air (a Taiwanese company) and the flight attendants spoke to me in Mandarin; likewise when my SATA (study away) group went to South Korea, we took Korean Air where they spoke to me in Korean. The funny thing was that, both times I was with a pair of my non-Asian friends, and while the flight attendants spoke to my friends in English, when they turned to me, they would automatically switch. Now if you can speak the language that's totally fine; if you can't that is also totally fine (if slightly embarrassing), as they speak perfectly good English. You can take it both ways--if you're really serious about language study, it is a good chance to practice your Mandarin (or Korean) with native speakers, if you really have no clue what's going on though, don't be afraid to say so. I admit, as an ABC it's kind of embarrassing to tell someone that I speak little Chinese but, while the flight attendants might be a little surprised, they are hardly going to judge you for it. So don't be afraid to speak up, whether that be to practice your language skills or to admit to your lack of comprehension.

Eating Out

When you eat out with a bunch (or a few) of your non-Asian friends, expect to be the spokesperson for the meal. In some places, such as busier cities like Taipei and Seoul, there will probably be quite a few places where waiters and waitresses will be more than happy to practice their English with you--even if you speak to them in their native language. For the most part though, they will probably stick with their native language and in more rural or traditional locations they might not even know English. So as I mentioned, expect to be the spokesperson because servers will automatically turn to the Asian of the group should they want to communicate with you. When my Chinese class was in Taiwan, it was okay since our professor was with us for the most part, so our professor did all the talking. In several instances where our professor was otherwise engaged or was not present, the waiters would then turn to one of the five Chinese students. When I was in Korea, I had this one friend who usually did the ordering and, even though she was speaking perfectly comprehensible Korean to call over the waiters and order, afterwords the waiter would turn to me to confirm the order, say that they were out of something, or just to address whatever. Though I found it amusing, it can actually be frustrating for both the Asian and the non-Asian friend so again, either use it as an opportunity to practice your language skills or pass it back to your friend.

Shopping

This was an interesting one. In both Taiwan and Korea there are a lot of these shopping districts with small scale stores usually selling clothes--that are of good quality mind you--for pretty cheap. Clothes can be pretty cheap in Taiwan and Korea. Bags too. Anyways, as I said, this was a pretty interesting experience. In Taiwan I didn't really have much of a problem since I can communicate in Mandarin a lot better than in Korean. In Korea however, my Korean is decent enough to understand prices and to say that things fit okay or were too expensive (hooray for haggling!), but here's the interesting thing. 명동--Myeongdong--is Seoul's famous shopping area and as I was shopping there with my friend one day, a store employee was asking me a question in Korean that I did not understand and when I stared blankly at her, she switched to Chinese. What? Myeongdong gets a lot of Chinese tourists so actually a lot of store owners can speak Chinese (in some cases, better than they can speak English) (strangely enough however, when I spoke to that store employee in Chinese, she answered in English. Huh) Another time, I was shopping in 이대--Edae--by myself and maybe it was because I was alone (Koreans usually do things as a group) or because it was a Thursday afternoon (so the traffic not as busy), so it was easier to tell that I was a foreigner, but most of these store owners would speak to me in English, until I answered in Korean whereupon they made the switch too. (This one poor guy started by trying to guess where I was from, starting with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, then trying Singapore and Malaysia before I decided to just put him out of his misery by telling him I was from America, whereupon he seemed pretty surprised). It was just funny because prior to all that I had been spoken to in Korean, in the streets, at restaurants, at school, and all of a sudden these shop owners just knew. I will say though that at e-mart (which is like the Korean equivalent of Target) I've been able to pass off as Korean (haha) and I've noticed at checkout that they'll ask if I have a rewards card (in Korean of course), a question that doesn't get translated over when they deal with English speaking customers. It all depends on the places you go I guess.

So there you have it, a little glimpse of what it means to be Asian-American in Asia. On the one hand, it can be a great opportunity for whipping out your Mandarin or Korean or what have you and I admit, sometimes I go along with it. I mean I certainly don't say that I am Korean, but I don't tell them that I'm not Korean either. Also in terms of shopping, I have noticed that here in the States I have been followed around by store employees before (I don't know if that is because I look young or like a delinquent or if it is because I am Asian), but that did not happen to me in Korea, while my non-Asian friends have been closely watched and followed while they were wandering around the stores in Korea. As amusing as I make this mistaken identity crisis out to be however, sometimes I do get frustrated and I can't help but think, I don't even look Korean! I'm not sure if it is because I am Asian so they automatically assume that I am Korean or if they just assume that I can speak Korean (there are a lot of Chinese exchange students who come already being able to speak Korean fairly well). The first few times it happened, it made me anxious in fact because my Korean was pretty limited, but once I started learning more and being able to understand more, it wasn't so bad. 

So moral of the day? Practice makes perfect, practice means confidence, so practice practice practice!

To switch it up a little today, instead of Everyday Chinese you get...

Everyday Korean! Konglish Edition

• 콩글리스/콩글리쉬 (formally known as 한국어식 영어) (konggeullishi, formal: hangukeosik yeongeo) - Konglish, formal: Korean (language)-style English
• 버스 (beoseu) - Bus
• 쇼핑 (syoping) - Shopping
• 커피 (keopi) - Coffee*
• 텔레비전 (tellebijeon) - Television**
• 핸드폰 (haendeupon) - Cell phone (Haha, get it? As in hand phone?)

*There is no "f" sound in the Korean alphabet so the Korean "p" ㅍ sound is used instead

**Likewise, there is also no "v" sound in the Korean alphabet, so the Korean "b" ㅂ sound is used

Before You Go, Things You Need to Know

I finished packing! Sort of. I finished packing all my clothes, minus one sweater that needs to go in the wash and a jacket. But other than that I'm pretty much set clothes wise, with still some extra room to spare no less! Actually it doesn't really count as spare room because my multitude of bags are going in there (I have way too many types of bags, but you can't deny that each have come in handy in different situations), plus my shoes (just a pair of flats, a pair of wedge sneakers, and a pair of ankle boots), but I think I am definitely in better shape than when I went off to Korea.

The seat of packing honor (or horror) within reach of all your subjects

I also have my backpack to pack, but after five hours of dealing with that ring of mess up there, I decided that it would probably be best to call it a day. Plus I'm currently sitting here nursing a slight head and eye-ache (or that might be from going to sleep so late last night. Or spending too much time blogging hahaha). Although admittedly I didn't spend all five of those hours studiously packing. In fact I spent a lot of it gazing at everything trying not to be overwhelmed. And also part of it getting a distracted by the fresh lemon lavender scent of some clothes I haven't worn since I came back from South Korea (seriously though, if you're ever in Korea for the long term and need detergent, lemon lavender [레몬 라벤더 세제 in Korean] is the way to go!).

You want the purple one at the front center (And yes, that's LG as in the electronics company)

Anyways, I am getting totally off track here.

Packing. Luckily for me, since I'll be going to Taiwan for the spring term and since Taiwan is pretty much tropical year round anyways, I packed mostly summer and spring clothes which take up a lot less room than winter clothes.

That being said, before you start packing your clothes it's important to look into things like temperature, weather, and...etiquette. Huh? Well for example, in South Korea, short shorts and miniskirts are okay, but spaghetti straps and tube tops? Bared shoulders and shoulder blades are almost...scandalous, if you will. I mean sure if you're an (obvious) foreigner, they might be more forgiving, but in any case it's best to not draw negative attention by disrespecting customs.

In terms of Taiwanese dress code, as far as I could tell, there did not seem to be any fashion faux pas to avoid. In fact several articles I read online said that Taiwanese dress code was similar to that of the United State's or Europe's.

Besides clothes, I would also recommend packing toiletries, like toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap (especially if you're particularly particular about brand and scent), because it's nice to have these things already on hand when you first arrive. That way you won't be scrambling to buy them when there are probably more pressing and immediate matters you have to deal with first. Also you'll probably want to settle down a bit before you start making that shopping list so that you can buy everything in one go instead of having to make a bunch of return trips.

Don't forget your trusty stuffed animals!

Other things to consider are medicine, outfits for different occasions (some formal wear and semi-formal wear), plus the shoes to go with said outfits (but don't bring a whole luggage of shoes!), electrical appliances (chargers, adapters if need be [in the case of Taiwan, their outlets are the same as that of the United States']), and a pair of scissors, for opening packages and the like (trust me on that--just don't put it in your carry-on and package it well so it doesn't have the potential of poking or cutting through your things). That's all for now cause I'm so ready to turn in.

Language and culture books! (Please ignore the fact that none of these are even related to Taiwan)

And your favorite botany books ^-^ hehe

T-12 Days: Let the Packing Begin

大家好！

In a little over 12 days and 12 hours, I will be sitting on the plane to Taiwan! Gulp! Funny how time flies, especially when your days have been passing by as monotonously as mine have been . 12 days, a little under two weeks, about half a month. Seems so far away yet before I know it, I'll be nervously making my way to the airport hoping that I have everything I need, that I'll remember how to speak Chinese, that I will be able to find the shuttle that'll take me to my school...all the fun stuff in other words. But for now, I am still at home, and need to prepare. And what does that entail but packing of course.

Anyone who knows me knows that I dislike packing. Immensely. Despise it. I find it to be a stressful, overwhelming endeavor. Or maybe that has to do with the fact that most of my packing occurs in the midst of finals. I wish schools would give you time after finals ended to pack without rush, instead of kicking you off campus right away, but I digress.

Pack light, all the travel guides (and sisters) will tell you. Well, easier said than done. It baffles me how I'm supposed to pack for six months into two suitcases--with the expectation that I'll be bringing home more, no less! Then again, this coming from someone who is awful at packing. Or maybe it's having to make all those decisions about what to bring and what not to bring that makes this such a terrible experience for me--I pretty much fail when it comes to making decisions too. Haha.

Anyways, my goal is to fit everything I need into those two suitcases and the backpack, which will be my carry-on. Wish me luck! 

下次再聊！(Xià cì zài liáo) (Can I say it like that?)

下次再傾！(haa6 ci3 zoi3 king1)

Everyday Chinese

• 旅行 (Lǚxíng) - To travel
• 行李 (Xínglǐ) - Luggage
• 整理行李 (Zhěnglǐ xínglǐ) - To pack one's luggage
• 留學 (Liúxué) - Study abroad
• 留學生 (Liúxuéshēng) - Study abroad student

Taiwan: An Introduction

Name: 臺灣/台灣 (Táiwān)

Formally known as: 中華民國 (Zhōnghuá Mínguó)

(Republic of China)

Formerly known as: Formosa

Capital: 臺北市 (Táiběi Shì)

(Taipei)

Official Language: 國語 (Guóyǔ)

(Taiwanese) Mandarin

Other Languages: 臺灣閩南語/臺灣語 (Taiwanese)

客家話 (Hakka)

Indigenous Languages

Area: 36,000 square kilometers

Population: 23 million

Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

Taiwan is a little island off the coast of China, east of the Taiwan Strait. Formally known as the Republic of China (ROC) (not to be confused with the People's Republic of China (PRC)), Taiwan was founded in 1912 and was the first democratic republic in Asia. In addition to the island of Taiwan, the Republic of China also consists of the neighboring islands of Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, Dongsha, Zhongsha, and Nansha.

Because of its location close to the equator, Taiwan is a tropical island that remains relatively warm all year round with an annual average temperature of about 22 degrees Celsius (about 72 degrees Fahrenheit). Taiwan generally receives a fair amount of rain, but during the rainy season lasting from March to May, drizzles and rain are a continuous affair. Like its neighbors, Taiwan also has a monsoon season, hence the climate can get rather hot and humid in the summer. In addition, typhoons also occur during the summer from June to August.

Average rainfall per month in various locations in Taiwan (mm) (1971-2000)

Average temperature per month in various locations Taiwan (Celsius) (1971-2000)

The earliest inhabitants of Taiwan, ancestors to the island's indigenous people, were the Austronesian who arrived between 7000 and 400 years ago. It was not until the 17th century that the Han Chinese arrived to Taiwan. Over the next 200 years during the Qing dynasty, the number of mainland Chinese immigrants to Taiwan increased steadily thus leading to the predominantly Han society in Taiwan today.

Because of its strategic location in East Asia, Taiwan was colonized under Japan in the late 19th century and remained under Japanese control for about half a decade. Traces of Japanese occupation can still be found in Taiwan today such as in the older generation Taiwanese who can speak fluent Japanese. Under Japanese rule, Taiwan transitioned from a traditional to a more modern society. It was not until the end of World War II in 1945 that Taiwan was released from colonial rule. Since then, Taiwan has grown rapidly, both economically and socially.

Taiwan is unique for its blend of traditional and modern culture. Taiwan is one of the few places where Traditional Chinese characters are still being used in writing and where visitors can still experience many aspects of traditional Chinese culture. Yet, within the same block, aspects of modernity are also prevalent as Taiwan has a highly technologically advanced society. Being so eco-conscious, Taiwan's cities present an interesting intersection between nature and metropolis. Thus Taiwan, steeped in history, yet advanced in technology, where the traditional and modern, the wildlife and urban life, and the past and the future intersect, offers a unique experience of Chinese culture.

Why Taiwan?

Not to sound like a travel agency (although I think I already did that above), I truly think that Taiwan is a great place to travel. I went to Taiwan last year on a class trip for a little over a week and I loved everything about it--the food, the sights, the atmosphere. But even before that I have long longed to go to Taiwan. Growing up, I was exposed to a lot of Taiwanese music and TV through my mother. I have never been to an American concert, but I have been to Chinese concerts on the few occasions that these artists came to the area. Unfortunately as I grew older, I became further estranged from Chinese culture (it's because I'm a 竹升) and stopped watching these dramas with my mother, opting instead for American TV and, more recently, Korean TV (though I've long since stopped watching American TV). In fact, up until senior year of high school, I was a lot more interested in learning Korean than Mandarin (yes I know, I'm a bad Chinese daughter).

Still that doesn't really answer the question of why I chose to study in Taiwan as opposed to mainland China does it? The simplest, shortest, reason I can give you is that Taiwan uses Traditional Chinese characters instead of Simplified. I have decided since long before I actually started learning Chinese that, if I ever were to learn Chinese, I would learn the Traditional script. Simplified may be easier and look less crowded but I have always found Traditional characters to be far more beautiful and, once I actually did start learning Chinese, to be filled with such fascinating history. Simplified takes away from much of the history and backstory of the character (classic example: 愛 (ài) love, of which its Simplified counterpart is missing the heart--心--component: how can one love without a heart?). And of course, my mother writes in Traditional so at the end of the day, it always goes back to family. 

Moreover (and this may not be a good reason since I've never been to China), I prefer the urban-rural atmosphere of Taiwan to the infamously busy (and smoggy) one of China's. Now I do want to visit China at some point in my life (actually if there's anywhere in China I want to go it's Hong Kong), but when we're talking about studying and living there for six months, I choose Taiwan. And as Confucius said, "Wherever you go, go with all your heart," so to Taiwan I go. ^-^

Sources
Taiwan Tourism Bureau (you can also click the link on the side)

歡迎光臨!

大家好！
Wow, it's hard to believe that it has been over a year and a half since my first foray into the blogging world, but here I am, two months short of two years and already on my third blog!

What does one need so many blogs for? you might ask (someone did ask), in which I would tell you that I like to blog. More than that though, I thought it would be nice to document my experiences abroad in Taiwan (which unfortunately, I never did when I was in South Korea). But even more than that, when I was doing research, there just did not seem to be as much resources pertaining to study abroad in Taiwan as there were for study abroad in South Korea (then again, I've never really been good at the whole internet research thing). So I decided, why not create such a resource? As American novelist Toni Morrison once said, "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." This is my book.

But why the ABC guide? Well besides being a guide that will (hopefully) offer you everything you need to know about studying in Taiwan, this blog is also written from the point-of-view of an ABC--American-Born Chinese. Lots of blogs I have read about studying abroad (or traveling) in East Asia (whether that be Korea, China, Japan, what have you) tell you about their experiences as an "obvious foreigner," but when you're an Asian-American (or Asian-Australian, or Asian-British) in Asia, it may not be as obvious that you're a foreigner. After having spent a semester in South Korea, I can tell you that my experience was different from that of my non-Asian friends', whether it be in the way I was treated, the interactions I had, or the expectations locals had of me. Hence, studying abroad in Taiwan from the viewpoint of the (not-so-obvious) foreigner.

As much as I do enjoy blogging however, sometimes (oftentimes) I'm lazy and busy so I won't update as often as I'd like. However, my goal is to blog at least twice a month (or at the very least, more than once in a blue moon), but I make no promises!

That's all for now, but before I leave, I'd like to impart with you all some useful
Everyday Chinese

• 歡迎光臨 (Huānyíng guānglín) - Welcome
     Used by store personnel as a greeting for customers
• 部落格 (Bùluògé) - Blog
     Loanword from English; used in Taiwan
• 竹升 (zuk1 sing1) - Overseas-born Chinese
     This is actually a Cantonese phrase and quite an interesting one at that. It is used to refer to an Overseas-born Chinese (such as your ABCs, CBCs, BCCs, etc...), but in its most literal translation it means, "bamboo pole." The connection was that someone referred to as a 竹升 lacks knowledge on Chinese culture thus hollow on the inside--just like a bamboo pole. Ouch.
  
  As you can tell, the phrase has a negative connotation, but it does not necessarily have to be used so scathingly. In my family, it was the reason we were bad Chinese sons and daughters: not respecting our elders?  It's because we're 竹升. Answering in English when spoken to in Chinese? These 竹升 will be like that. This was said in the same exasperated/resigned tone one might say what can you do? Kids will be kids. But in this case,  竹升 will be 竹升.