What's The Diff?

What’s The Diff?

Since this is the most common question I am asked I have decided to write a mini list of the things I noticed that made China different from Taiwan.

1. The language. Think Quebecois French compared to Parisian French. The Chinese, like the Quebecois, speak with a harder accent and have an “er” or “nar” sound to a lot of their phrases. The Taiwanese however, like the Parisians, sound almost bird-like, like they are humming a tune. Their language is fluid and musical and cute – not hard and gruff. Funnily enough, I found that when I spoke Chinese in China they understood me much better than they do here in Taiwan. TIE.

2. The cookies. Since I’ve been gone, I have been able to find satisfaction for my sweet tooth and love of cookies at different Subway sandwich locations around Asia. I have taken a particular liking to the peanut butter cookies here in Taiwan because they have these delicious peanut butter chips in them that just explode with goodness and mix perfectly with the crisp yet chewy texture of the cookie. But when I tried to get one at a Subway location in China I was met with disappointment. They do not incorporate those lovely little peanut chips I love so much in the Chinese version. No, they have stuck to just adding chunks of peanuts which I think completely ruins the cookie texture and takes away the sweetness that the peanut chips add so nicely. So there. TAIWAN WIN.

3. Style. I hate to say it, but the Taiwanese are definitely lacking style sense. Even in the big cities like I Taipei I walk around and am constantly cringing at some of the clothing choices these people make for themselves – girls in baggy bohemian down-to-the-floor crotch pants, pink star socks with black shiny heels, hello kitty T’s and my favorite, the opaque tights worn under baggy khaki shorts and some sort of leather laced boot. Now, I’m no style guru, but that just can’t look right. Beijing on the other hand has it going on a little better. At least I wasn’t cringing so much. Most women I saw were decked out in a sort of French fashionista way with their long coats and furs and leather boots. There is a bit more motivation in Beijing though with all that money and all those massive Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci window fronts on display. CHINA WIN.

4. Dogs. Taiwan has an infestation of stray dogs. I don’t know how or why but they do. For the most part I have learned to ignore the itching, scratching little creatures that roam the streets (all except for the two that are always trying to fornicate on the path that take me to work), but it is definitely something that you notice when you first arrive. In China I don’t remember ever seeing one stray dog, and I would remember because Mandy has a soft spot for them and would certainly point it out if she saw one. I brought it up to one of my co-workers here and their explanation was that the Chinese don’t have the stray dogs, because they eat them all! Hmm. I think that’s a TIE?

5. Size. Taipei is the largest city in Taiwan and its size doesn’t even compare to the size of Beijing, or at least how small you FEEL in Beijing. In Beijing the streets are wider, the buildings are bigger, and everything just seems times 10. Some people might enjoy that but after the trip I decided, not me. I like the size of Toronto and Vancouver and all of our smaller Canadian cities where I feel like I can get across the city in a day, or wake up in the morning and walk to my favorite coffee shop and then to work all in the same hour. Verdict? TAIWAN AND CANADA WIN.

Looks like I’m in the right place 