Here are a few norms I have discovered that will help you understand a little Taiwanese body language and miscellaneous knowledge useful for daily Asian adventures:
1. While Taking photographs: Do not do the typical Western gesture of the “shutter click” with your hands. It’s a little offensive. Still figuring out why. Instead, make the AOK sign:
2. Friends hold hands. Many girls hold hands with their friends. To Westerners, it makes them seem like a couple. Usually this is not the case. The Taiwanese also show affection to friends by touching your upper arms more than usual. I think it’s great.
3. It is polite to deny nice comments. From what I’ve seen, the Taiwanese are very forward with telling you that they think you are pretty, or handsome, or intelligent ,etc. It is polite to lightly deny the compliment with the word “Nali, nali.” It means, no, no..
4. See this post on Danielle Sleeper’s blog for number hand gestures. Great entry.
5. A little Chinese goes a long way. Most Taiwanese appreciate whatever knowledge you have of Chinese. Use it. Some people get nervous when you approach them because they are afraid that they will not be able to communicate well in English. Say as much as you think you can and the situation will work itself out well. Chinglish is better than nothing!
6. If you’re in a hurry, try not to walk behind a group of Taiwanese. I love Taiwan, but I find myself a little peeved sometimes at the slower walking pace here. It is not a terribly bad thing, but my mind is culturally programmed to walk briskly. I often find myself cut off by slow walkers. Find a clear path if you are on limited time!
7. If you want bubbles in your milk tea, make sure you ask for them. Not really brilliant advice here, but I can’t tell you how many times I asked for milk tea and forgot to mention that I wanted tapioca pearls! Also remember to tell them the size and how much sugar! (Bubble tea pinyin: zhen zhu nai cha, sugar: tang)
8. Coffee sizes: Even though “Zhong” means medium or middle, and “Da” means big, “Zhong” is an American small coffee size and “Da” is an American medium.
Here's a Starbucks secret: They use the same amount of espresso in the cups. For a stronger cappuccino , pay less!
9. The best restaurants are definitely not flashy. Fancy restaurants usually worry too much on the scene than the quality of food. It’s familiar in the West too in many cases. Don’t ever be thrown off by hot steam, metal chairs and bad lighting. If you see fluorescent lights and Mom and Pop behind the stove, you’ve probably scored a bingo.
10. Don’t leave the Chopsticks straight up after eating. Rest them horizontally, not vertically in bowls. Vertical chopsticks resemble the incense sticks used to honor ancestors, which is a bit insulting. Use the Chinese spoon to aid you with your rice on plates. Try not to ask for the soy sauce or extra condiments if someone has made you a dish… This means that your meal lacks flavor and it may hurt the feelings of the cook. If it is offered to you, it’s ok.
11. There are waiting lines in the metro stations. It’s not a free for all to jump onto the train. There are waiting lines to organize the flow of people in and out of the trains.
12. Bus Payments: While taking public bus transportation, you sometimes pay when you enter the bus, and other times once you get off. Look for shang “上” and xia “下” on the digital screens as you climb onto the bus. “Shang” means pay as you enter, and “Xia” means pay as you get off.
Over all, learn more about the etiquette of a country you are visiting or going to be living in. It is so important to be respectful to others when you are an outsider. It’s common sense, but many travelers still don’t do their research. You don’t have to know everything about a culture before going there. These are just a few things I have embraced during my small extent here in Taipei that I never knew before. More to come when I think of them. Versatility and adaptation are what make you a satisfactory world citizen.
