The street was filled with Taiwanese doing market research surveys, but they never wanted our foreign opinion...Until once, it seemed outside of Blockbusters my opinion mattered.
It was a painful experience as I spoke Chinese to the girls and they answered me in English. Then when she couldn't speak English she pushed the survey paper in my face, only to realize that i couldn't read that either, even though i protested to her that i probably could.
Finally, twenty minutes later, we finished the survey.
“How long have you been here?” said one of them.
“Five years!”
"Why do you stay so long?" they asked.
"I love Taiwan. I will live here forever."
“Why did you learn Chinese?”
“A misunderstanding! - I was under the impression we were in a Chinese speaking country.”
They all laughed heartily.
It was a great country, but...
Showing posts with label Taiwanese and speaking English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiwanese and speaking English. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Taiwanese and Speaking English IV
Occasionally, you got someone who completely ignored the fact you were a foreigner - And it reminded you that you were a hypocrite and you enjoyed the conversation about your foreign status after all.
Roger had been at MTI for a month now and I was preparing to go across, tell him he’d won, and start the conversation about being a foreigner myself. Roger hadn’t paid the slightest attention to the fact that I was a foreigner – even when we were first introduced there no look of surprise, no stupid questions about where I was from, if I had a Taiwanese girlfriend, or if I could speak Chinese.
Since I heard Joe on the phone describing me to another member of staff as the guy who had been in the company a long time, rather than the usual ‘na ge wai guo ren (that foreigner)’…Then he wrote in Chinese just like he expected me to understand it (a little too normal for me because I couldn’t read very well)…Then, a week ago, I heard the news that Roger had studied in Bristol – where I was from – but never mentioned it, and that had been the straw that broke the camels back: did he know we westerners are hypocrites - don’t like to hear the stereotypes, but do expect our country praised by all who visit it.
"You know I am from Bristol?" I said to him.
"Zhi dao le (I know!)"
And that was the end of the conversation and I thought it wasn’t much fun being treated like a normal person after all.
Roger had been at MTI for a month now and I was preparing to go across, tell him he’d won, and start the conversation about being a foreigner myself. Roger hadn’t paid the slightest attention to the fact that I was a foreigner – even when we were first introduced there no look of surprise, no stupid questions about where I was from, if I had a Taiwanese girlfriend, or if I could speak Chinese.
Since I heard Joe on the phone describing me to another member of staff as the guy who had been in the company a long time, rather than the usual ‘na ge wai guo ren (that foreigner)’…Then he wrote in Chinese just like he expected me to understand it (a little too normal for me because I couldn’t read very well)…Then, a week ago, I heard the news that Roger had studied in Bristol – where I was from – but never mentioned it, and that had been the straw that broke the camels back: did he know we westerners are hypocrites - don’t like to hear the stereotypes, but do expect our country praised by all who visit it.
"You know I am from Bristol?" I said to him.
"Zhi dao le (I know!)"
And that was the end of the conversation and I thought it wasn’t much fun being treated like a normal person after all.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Taiwanese and Speaking English II
When you got outside of Taipei city the locals got into such a panic at your white face no matter how much Chinese you spoke they couldn't hear it.
The conversation below was typical every time I went to MacDonalds. It was really annoying if you were in a hurry.
“Meal number three, please,” I would say in ok enough Chinese and, for extra clarity, point at the picture of meal number three.
“Boss,”the terrified counter assistant would shout. “Wai gwo ren (foreigner).” Before shrinking back to behind the fries.
Then it went as it always did: You had to wait for the manager to come out, who supposedly spoke English. He would come out with his one sentence – “What number?” – and you would repeat back in perfectly good Chinese – “Number 3” – and he would repeat – “Number 3” – back to you in English, and unless you answered him in English this to-ing and thro-ing could go on forever. And then he would say – “Drink?” – and you would ask – “What do you have?” – and because his English had run out he would speak to you in Chinese because he knew all along you could speak Chinese.
Fifteen minutes had been wasted. It was communication Taiwan style in anywhere outside of Taipei city center. The people were great, but sometimes...!
The conversation below was typical every time I went to MacDonalds. It was really annoying if you were in a hurry.
“Meal number three, please,” I would say in ok enough Chinese and, for extra clarity, point at the picture of meal number three.
“Boss,”the terrified counter assistant would shout. “Wai gwo ren (foreigner).” Before shrinking back to behind the fries.
Then it went as it always did: You had to wait for the manager to come out, who supposedly spoke English. He would come out with his one sentence – “What number?” – and you would repeat back in perfectly good Chinese – “Number 3” – and he would repeat – “Number 3” – back to you in English, and unless you answered him in English this to-ing and thro-ing could go on forever. And then he would say – “Drink?” – and you would ask – “What do you have?” – and because his English had run out he would speak to you in Chinese because he knew all along you could speak Chinese.
Fifteen minutes had been wasted. It was communication Taiwan style in anywhere outside of Taipei city center. The people were great, but sometimes...!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Taiwanese and Speaking English I
The majority of Taiwanese had an opinion on speaking English: they either wanted to speak it or wouldn't with a gun to their nose. Like, with meeting a foreigner, the number of Taiwanese who would simply act natural the first time was very small.
I remember this one when i stopped and asked directions from a sixteen year old school kid.
“Chong Kai Road, Lane 26. You know where it is?”I asked.
“I’m sorry. My English is not so good. It is a sad story - My parents push me to learn but I had no interest. I’m sorry,” he said before hurrying off into a shop.
Before driving off I tried to think of an indirect question to ask that would provoke the guy into another 10 minute diatribe in English, revealing the whereabouts of the school.
I remember this one when i stopped and asked directions from a sixteen year old school kid.
“Chong Kai Road, Lane 26. You know where it is?”I asked.
“I’m sorry. My English is not so good. It is a sad story - My parents push me to learn but I had no interest. I’m sorry,” he said before hurrying off into a shop.
Before driving off I tried to think of an indirect question to ask that would provoke the guy into another 10 minute diatribe in English, revealing the whereabouts of the school.
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