observations of culture differences & ocean

Friday: Observed today—the culture here is completely different than that in the US. Lifestyle, perspectives, fashion, etc. Good manners does not mean saying please and thank you or eating with your mouth closed (and not talking at the same time). Here, good manners only mean to respect your elders and greet your relatives by their proper name (Jojo=mother’s brother, Joma=mother’s sister-in-law, Ahyi=mother’s sister; Ahbei=dad’s older brother, Ahjie=Dad's younger brother, Ahjim=Dad's sister-in-law, Ahgou=dad’s sister, Ahma=dad’s mom…yeah it’s pretty complicated). Fart or belch as loud as you want and no one will turn around to see who did it. Push and shove your way through crowds without saying “excuse me”. Well, these Asians are overly critical and too honest haha. If you’re not a size 0 or 2, you are “fat.” Girls here are supermodel skinny. Any curves and you are considered chubby. I’ve been called “pang” (fat) by two aunts and have been told that I “you rourou” (have meat aka chubby) by salespeople and cousins. Yeah. To them, looking like Nicole Richie is good.

~One hour subway ride to Danshui—sea wharf town north of Taipei. Claustrophobic on the subway. Wenwen (my youngest cousin and only cousin close to my age) has grown so tall—taller than me!! Zuo chuan dao BaLi cool breeze. Choudofu everywhere – almost ate it because it was not as stinky as usual. Mmm mango/green tea ice cream—could have been a foot long like those super tall ice creams as posted in my fb pics, but I got the smaller size~6 inches! Eat ah-gei (tofu and egg white outside with dongfen inside and pepper) – the popular snack to eat in Danshui – and yuwan soup. Hot trend among teenage girls: black tights with short denim shorts and white chuck taylors)…yes even in 95 degree weather. Can’t. Understand. It. Ride a bike (for the first time in 9 years)—and ok, this was a two-person bike—along the coastline and held on for dear life. My hands had handle prints. So tiring. 4 miles later we had baobing (shaved ice), always refreshing in this hot hot weather. So Taiwanese teens have odd haircuts…and so do the dogs. A little white Scottie is hairless on his back but has hair on his tummy and short legs. Ride boat back to Danshui. More crowded than when we came. Ear deafening fireworks (“bianpao” ground fireworks).

Ah-gei

why, what a nice haircut you got there