Monday, October 29, 2012

Taiwan on the mind

Sept. 26, 2012

It was nice to hear from native Taiwanese about the country and culture. The only frustration for me (and surely for them also) is the language. Communication is so important for me — something that’s come naturally, and then been honed through my education and work experience. So to not be able to feel I’m being understood completely, and to not fully understand what someone is trying to tell me, is incredibly frustrating. Both of our cultures convey much through nonverbal communication. It’s as much how a person says something as the actual words they say. And even English words have multiple meanings — explicit and implied — just like Mandarin sounds have multiple tones. Sometimes take for granted how much we communicate beyond words. Experiences like this make me appreciate my ability to communicate clearly.

This may sound shallow, but I’m really looking forward to the food aspect of our trip. Despite different tastes, there’s something universal about the experience of enjoying a good meal. Maybe I was born with an Asian palate — I have always loved soy sauce and vinegar, salty and sour flavors. I would gladly pass on pastries for an extra helping of salt-and-vinegar chips! I’ve also always preferred rice and tofu to pasta or bread. The only part I’m nervous about is unfamiliar proteins. I grew up on a small farm, so I know where meat comes from, but I don’t enjoy being reminded of that. Today, I prefer my meat rendered unrecognizable from the source! It will be helpful to know in advance if the night markets will have whole chickens hanging for sale, or if our fish will be served fully intact. Just so I can be prepared.

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