Michael A. Turton
The
mosque in Fengshan outside of Kaohsiung. A halal butchery is on the
corner. |
Michael A. Turton |
The
mosque in Fengshan outside of Kaohsiung. A halal butchery is on the
corner. |
| Personal Services | |
| Religious services of every type and kind are available in Taiwan. You should have no trouble finding a church, synagogue or mosque. Many offer English-language services. |  A wild dog relaxes on a Taichung street. Feral dogs roam the
cities,
but
rarely bother people. |
| One really great thing about Taiwan, however, is
the general
lack of religious pressure. While Taiwanese are enthusiastic
inventors
and joiners of cults, they are generally politely indifferent to
religion
in others. This is a welcome change from attitudes in the United
States, where non-christians are often marginalized. See my blogged
comments about
how great it is to be an atheist here. |
No
doubt this person's lack of grammar and spelling skills led to that
particular
career choice. |
| Counseling, legal and financial services are available in English, though they are expensive and much in demand. As everywhere, many counselors have dubious credentials and the system for overseeing them is spotty, so beware. Taiwan's lawyers are every bit as ethical as lawyers elsewhere. | 
A
small Catholic Church. |
| Clubs abound, with organizations to suit any taste. The American Club offers a large number of services (If you are having trouble finding something you need, a good idea is to call the American club in Taipei), but it is pricey (to keep out the hoi-polloi like English teachers) and the English newspapers carry announcements of social activities. | 
Not
happy about the lack of English books at the library? Read at the
bookstore! |
| Should you need US diplomatic help, the US embassy in Taiwan is called the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and is staffed by "retired" diplomatic personnel, since we do not officially recognize Taiwan. Nonetheless, it is a full service embassy and can help you with any need, from taxes to adoption. The main phone number is (02) 2709-2000. |  Fighting
the waves at Tapengwan beach in southern Taiwan. |
| Taiwan's bureaucracy has made quantum leaps in the last five years and polite efficient service is available all over the island. Plenty of authoritarian, petty, nasty officials remain, but the vast majority of the people you interface with will get the job done politely and efficiently. Although the system moves slowly, it moves surely, and if you jump through all the hoops, you will get what you want. |  At the Botanical Gardens in Taipei in 1991. |
| Some pointers for dealing with bureaucracy. Be
polite.
Come early; Taiwanese generally do not rise before 10:00 unless death
threatens,
so you will be the first in line. Get procedures done well in advance,
because the system sometimes creaks along. |
A
church watches a truck squeeze through an alley. |
| In any case, it is a good idea to bring a
Taiwanese friend
if you can, because you will not be told what the procedures are; you
will
be expected to know them regardless (mystery enhances the power of
authority). |
 A
gas station attendent smiles for the camera. |