Greetings from Taipei

[Hobart]

I read that something that irks the locals is to not pretend you are a local if you just moved there or are a tourist. So instead of saying Aloha, I opted for Greetings...

Anyway, I am from the Washington DC area orginally but have lived for the past 9 years in Taiwan. I am Caucasian and fell in love and married here and have one 2 year old and and another child on the way.

When I move back to the USA for the first few years I want to be in place that is part Asian and part USA, that way I can find my favorite foods and my Taiwanese wife would feel like she fit in as well. I wanted my Eurasian children to feel like they fit in too as I heard that Eurasian children are more the norm and no one gives them a second glance as being out of the ordinary. Finally, I was looking for a place that is close to Taiwan in flight time as I have a business here and will need to fly back every month or two in a first few years.

Anyway, I have loads of questions to ask and I will start posting some of them.

[blueyecicle]

Re: Greetings from Taipei

Welcome Hobart...I am from Oregon and absolutely useless but welcome anyways I have a 2 year old as well. Such hand fulls and well worth it!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Greetings from Taipei

I read that something that irks the locals is to not pretend you are a local if you just moved there or are a tourist. So instead of saying Aloha, I opted for Greetings...

Amusingly perceptive, Hobart, and a safe way to start - but I don't think people will be upset if you start to learn and use the Hawaiian language; what seems to be the problem is when people pretend to be what they are not, in order to blend in - especially in using the Island patois known as "pidgin." Those of us who don't come by it naturally (meaning, didn't grow up with it) just come across as painfully embarassing (to say the least) if we try; then we stick out more than if we would have, defeating the purpose.

Anyway, I have loads of questions to ask and I will start posting some of them.

Be sure to search around old threads as well - you might find some of the topics have been discussed, dissected and debated many times. But also, fascinate us with your own unique stories about, links to, and interests in all things Hawaiian, please.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Greetings from Taipei

I read that something that irks the locals is to not pretend you are a local if you just moved there or are a tourist. So instead of saying Aloha, I opted for Greetings...

Anyway, I am from the Washington DC area orginally but have lived for the past 9 years in Taiwan. I am Caucasian and fell in love and married here and have one 2 year old and and another child on the way.

When I move back to the USA for the first few years I want to be in place that is part Asian and part USA, that way I can find my favorite foods and my Taiwanese wife would feel like she fit in as well. I wanted my Eurasian children to feel like they fit in too as I heard that Eurasian children are more the norm and no one gives them a second glance as being out of the ordinary. Finally, I was looking for a place that is close to Taiwan in flight time as I have a business here and will need to fly back every month or two in a first few years.

Anyway, I have loads of questions to ask and I will start posting some of them.

Hobart...Aloha. My fiancee is from Taipei and living here in SoCal with me.
If you don't do Hawaii as a place to live, there is a HUGE Asian community here in Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley...Arcadia, where my fiancee was living when I met her, San Gabriel, El Monte, Temple City, Alhambra... So many Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Vietnamese etc...

Arcadia is probably 95% Chinese and Taiwanese for instance and is a beautiful area with amazing schools. hey, it's not as nice as Hawaii, but with it's proximity to Pasadena and LA, it may offer more in the job dept.

***EDIT***

Oh, sorry, I just re-read your post...nevermind the job thing...The fly time is gnarly...13 hours, but so much Asian culture here, restaurants, supermarkets etc...may be worth checking out. If you visited here, I could show you the San Gabriel Valley area. Prices are similar to Hawaii. It's probably 15 square miles densely populated with Asian people, and the nicer parts like Arcadia and San Marino are pretty amazing (oh, and expensive too)

[Whitepoint3rchum]

Re: Greetings from Taipei

Hehe, when I first introduced myself I believe I used 'Greetings' for just that reason. Anyway, welcome to the boards.