Taiwan. Week #13

Attention! There are much of pink in this post. For people allergic to this color it's better not to look. 

December, 4
Finally got to Barbie cafe! Really, we wanted to go there for 1,5 month and postponed every time. Food is not cheap there (my dessert and drink costed 450 NTD), but I made so many photos, ooh!
Interrior

Toilet is the most chic place

I haven't even opened menu but started to take pictures with it

And that is how it looks inside

Waitresses mostly wear pink skirts and black jackets with brooches. There was even one with pink hair

Every time we got food, firstly, everybody had to take picture and only then happy owner could eat it

And that is what I was eating

Drinking coconut-pineapple soda

I was sooooo full!

At evening I found myself at little French-food party. One French guy was visited by his uncle, got French cheese, sausages and chocolates and treated us. Cheese with baguette, mmm.

December, 5

We had last lesson for one class and everybody supposed to do presentation about things he miss in Taiwan and will miss when leave. Mostly, everybody miss and gonna miss food. But except food, people from Finland miss sauna, Germans - football and trash bins (there is big difficulties with them in Taiwan), Japanese - washlet (that is toilet which, ehm how to say that, has a function of bidet). I declared I miss cooking and all nights dream about macaroni, but I guess the week after coming home I would hate cooking again. 

At 1 a.m. I went out of my room to get water and met my French neighboor, who was going to jog. He said "Do you want to come with me?" and I thought "Why not?" Really, I'm up to everything here: "Do you want to go to Sun Moon Lake? - Let's go! What is it, by the way?", "We're going to party right now. - Wait for 10 mins, I will change!" "Jogging at 1 a.m.? - Sure!"

December, 8

I don't write much about cultural differences between Russians, Europeans and Asians, meanwhile not many people I know can see what I observe. 

So little excursus about gadgets, social media and other hickeys like that. 

• Like in most world countries,  Taiwanese people use Facebook. For some people it can be surprise, but Russians almost don't use it as we have VK. For example, that's how my page looks like http://vk.com/alenkoy_shelkova 
• Main advantage of VK to FB is that we have music (very much music, maybe, all songs that were made by people) and videos (including almost all movies and tv-shows). Yes, that's illegal and sometimes they have law issues about that, but it's not common for Russian people to buy music (sometimes I do in iTunes), movies (I've never done in my life) or soft. 
• As I noticed to listen to music many Europeans use Spotify and Asians KKBOX. I don't know much about KKBOX but idea of Spotify is really insane for me. You can download music only if you have paid account. And you have to listen to advertisment! Really crazy for the Russian person, who can download any song in good quality just made two clicks. 
• Main messanger in Taiwan (also in Thailand, as I know) is Japanese program LINE. I guess, that's because it has many cute stickers. Asian people (even guys) use stickers a lot. And I've never seen Europeans using them, they're too childish for us. 
• Taiwanese often end sentences with "~", I don't know what it means. Maybe, smile, maybe it just looks nice. And when Russians text with each other, they mostly use ")" instead of ":)", I've never seen people from other countries doing that. It looks like "Hi) How are you?) I'm fine))" We can type "))" or even "))))))))))))))". The more of ")" the more friendly is person to you (but for most people "))" is a limit, doesn't mean he's not happy to talk to you)
• Everybody in Taiwan has smartphones. Even people who clean restrooms. In Russia even not all of my friends have them (so they can check their account only from computer, can you imagine that?). So there is difference I noticed: when you meet a person in Russia you exchange your phone numbers, in Taiwan you friend each other in facebook (and if your phones are dead/at home/without internet you write a name in your notes/try to remember/ask your friend to add this person). And when you talk to your friend, for example:

In Russia:

- I met nice guy yesterday

- Where? How? What's his name?..

In Taiwan: 

- I met nice guy yesterday

- Did you exchange your FB?

(btw, I have a question for people reading my blog: do you want me to write about cultural differences about relationship I noticed? Let me know, if you're interested, so I'll have some motivation :) )

• Instagram is extremely popular in Russia. I know it's popular in the rest of the world but many Russians post something every day. Often "I'm bored at my class so I post my face and my face next to my classmate's face and different meaningless stuff". Many girls post quotes, printscreans of their talks with friends. 
• I've never seen a person with a book in a public transport. In MRT everybody's looking into their smartphones: playing games, watching FB feed, chatting in LINE. And not only in MRT. Recently I've seen 4 guys in a cafe, sitting at the same table and playing Jewel mania each on his smartphone. In Saint-Petersburg everybody either read a book (electronic or real) or listening to music. 

December, 9

One more goal reached: Learn how to say ... in 10 different languages. Actually, I liked it so much I learned 11. Plus English and Russian. Now can say all this things in 13 languages. Share my knowledge: