Ah I see, that post was really mainly intended for pganini.
By the way, I have lived in Taiwan and visited numerous times and have a positive impression about the island and its people. Yes, Taipei (and other large cities) are very polluted but there are also some very beautiful areas. Moreover, I found the people quite friendly - more so as you move out of the big towns. When I was there I made a number of friends - from taxi cab drivers to fairly high level government officials - just by chance meetings. These people were kind enough to invite an ordinary stranger like myself into their home and treat me very graciously even though I had little more to offer other than my friendship.
These people were kind enough to invite an ordinary stranger like myself into their home and treat me very graciously even though I had little more to offer other than my friendship.
Well then, you were very lucky. Not everyone who comes to Taiwan is as lucky as you:
Thai Workers Riot Against Unfair Firm
The management personnel stopped one Thai worker from using a cellphone and reportedly hit him with an electric prod," the Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC) reported.
Thai workers living in cramped conditions in dormitories. The lack of basic freedoms led to a riot yesterday at worker dormitories in Kaohsiung.
In addition to the bans on alcohol, cellphones and Thai television in the dormitory, the Thai workers were required to use tokens in the dorm store, but they allege they were short-changed when exchanging the script for real money, it added.
Taiwan imports more Thai labor than any other place in the world, you'd think they could treat them better. And here's a story from a less credentialed source which nevertheless details treatment some Filipinos received in Taiwan:
Cheaten, Beaten, and Forcibly Removed
I'm not saying Taiwanese are evil, but they are almost carbon copies of the people on the mainland, they are no different. How could they be?
And regarding your experience with them, you should know that they are keenly aware of how much more valuable Americans are to them than Thais and Filipinos. In my return trip this time around I have found them to be incessant re-evaluators, not a problem until your "value" comes up $0.00, then you get the prod and the forced removal.
Anyway, I am just offering an alternative view, even though I know being pro-Taiwan is clearly in favor here. But that is one of the excellent qualities of this forum, sharing alternative views.