Random kindness

I’ve always been amazed by the random kindness of Taiwanese people. This is something that I did not often come across elsewhere… or, at least, I do not have distinct memories of it (this may be due to not noticing such things in my youth).

The other day I was out hiking in the mountains, looking for trails. I passed by a small farm where an older man was gathering some bananas from one of his trees. He loaded them into his little blue truck as I walked past and continued up the road. Soon he was driving by me and speaking to me, although he was quite old and his accent was so thick, I couldn’t immediately understand. He stopped his truck and mumbled something about [hanzi]香蕉[/hanzi] ([pinyin]xiang1jiao1[/pinyin]). I breathed a sigh of relief as he took out a knife because I realized that he wanted to offer me some of his bananas. He cut off two bananas and offered them to me and cut a third for himself. The bananas were more natural… not long and thin like what you might find in an American grocery store, but short (about 5-6 inches), fatter, and had small black seeds them.

It looked much like this, but with fewer and smaller seeds.

The banana was also much sweeter than the variety you find in grocery stores. As we ate our bananas together, we made some small talk, him asking where I was from, where I worked, etc. He said something I didn’t understand at the time, but when I later asked Mrs. Expatriate, I understood that he had said “這個噴藥沒有” (zhe4gepen1yao4mei2you3), meaning “These bananas don’t have any pesticides.”

I finished my banana, thanks him several times, and said goodbye, continuing on my walk. It was a very pleasant exchange and one that, even though it happens fairly often, I have not gotten used to.

Recently, I have run into one of my students from about 2 years ago. She lives not far away and works with her parents making soap and running a small cafe. We stopped into her shop to catch up and were literally treated as royalty. Free samples, free coffee, take this and try it at home, would you like some tea, etc. I had never given them or my student anything such as special attention (at least, I don’t think so) although I like to think that I had been a good teacher. However, time after time after meeting up with former students or their parents, we’ve always been offered free samples, free food, discounts, etc.

Are Mrs. Expatriate and I different? Do other foreigners experience this? I’d really like to know. Is this just as common with other foreigners in different parts of Kaohsiung? Please let me know.


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One response to “Random kindness”

  1. Steve Garvey Avatar
    Steve Garvey

    great post sir……it IS true, Taiwan people are among the friendlieset on Earth

    and now this, if you like things like this, share it around…– Cheers, Steve G, former expat

    The Taisiderata

    – purportedly a message found in a PET bottle wafting down the elevator shaft of Taipei 101 and currently going viral via email chat lists worldwide. Sent to this blog today. Pass it around if you dare.

    by ”userid: expatnonymous”

    Go placidly amid the night markets and the cram schools and remember

    what peace there may be in pearl milk tea.

    As far as possible, be on

    good terms with your neighbors, even if they threaten to take you to

    court for cussing them out in the lobby that day.

    Surround yourself

    with that which is pleasant on Isla Formosa, and don’t let the dengue

    fever mosquitoes bite you.

    Always plan on good sunny weather, but don’t

    forget to carry a fold-up umbrella in your backpack, just in case.

    Be

    pure and clean 24/7, take a shower in the morning or night, whichever

    time frame pleases you, and drink only that which comes in a bottle.

    In other words: don’t drink the tap water!

    Taste of the cho dofu, the frog legs and the slimy snails, and learn

    to use your chopsticks with aplomb.

    Watch your New Taiwan Dollars

    appreciate or fall flat on their faces, and think of the all the money

    you have earned (and hopefully, saved) during your time here. When

    it’s time to return home, you will know it. Until then, enjoy, enjoy,

    enjoy!

    Beef noodles? Go for it? Oyster omletters? Do it. The Mazu Pilgrimmage

    from Taichung to Hsinkang? Go on it.

    As for Kenting, make a beeline for that southern mecca whenever you

    can, because as you know, you only live once and Taiwan is your chance

    of a lifetime. Sure, there’s Lukang and Guifen and Green Island and Peitou’s famous hot springs

    (with ”special services” provided), but you’ve got to make your own

    itinerary for the island and then stick to it.

    Are you counting the days till you go home? Then you’re in the wrong place.

    Take the ferry from Keelung, fly out to Orchid Island or a book a seat

    on the narrow-guage train to Alishan (when it re-opens!) and never say

    there’s nothing

    to write home about on this never-out-of-surprises subtropical island.

    Betel nut beauties got you excited? Snap some photos surreptitiously with your

    cellphone camera, but watch

    out for gangster interference in case you get too close. You’ve been warned.

    Find work as a buxiban teacher, an expat businessman or a Ph.D.

    professor, and don’t forget to file your income taxes on the

    appointed day.

    Even if you are a dunce, do your best to learn some Chinese while

    you’re here, and it wouldn’t hurt to pick up some Hakka and Hoklo, too.

    As for the Aborigines who were here first, get to know them as the wonderful people they are

    and treat them as your brothers and sisters. They are the real

    Formosans, from 10,000 years ago and more.

    And they have stories to tell, stories to tell. Beheadings? Believe it.

    As for the Japanese Colonial Period (1895 to 1945), for better or

    worse, they came, they went, they conquered. Can you say “chotto

    matte”? Or “kukei” or massaji”?

    Just don’t ask the ”comfort women” what they know. It wasn’t all fun and games

    in those days.

    Far away, but too close, there are the Chicoms, as you know, and they

    got 1200 missiles aimed right at Taipei and Taichung. Ignore the

    bastards, if you can, for surely they are on the wrong side of history and someday they will

    see their empire collapse.

    Remember this always, all ye who toil here:

    Taiwan is a free, democratic, soverign nation, and that’s why the

    politicians can stage knock-em-down fights on TV and get away with it.

    This is Taiwan. You lived it. [Congratulations?]

    ———————————————-

    Purportedly a message found in a PET bottle wafting down the elevator shaft
    of Taipei 101

    COPYRIGHT (c) 2008 – by ”expatnonymous” [now safely back in San Diego from when he came]

    Says his name is Steve Garvey….. anybody know him?

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