Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Amanda Russell Loves Stinky Tofu?
Amanda Lee Baker-Smith-LaChance-Petite is an American teacher in south Taiwan. She tells the Yunlin Post newspaper:
Dear Editor:
I want to tell you why I love cho dofu. I'd seen Western friends try it, and their reactions were enough to warn me against it. But my Taiwanese students and their mothers were joyfully and noisily leading me to the cho dofu stand, the stand where square, golden slices of stinky tofu fried in vats.
We sat at small adjacent tables, and I could smell it; I joked with the kids that it smelled great. They all vehemently agreed, the moms smiled, and I continued my kudos. Soon, the plates of fried stinky tofu arrived.
I negotiated with Jack, one of the oldest students. We agreed that I would eat one full piece. He and I shook hands, and I stared at the food, searching for the smallest piece. It was delicious. Really. I don't know why Westererns, to a man, are afraid of eating this. It's yummy.
The first bite was small, and while I made ugly faces to amuse the kids, it wasn't that bad. In fact, it was good. Several minutes later, I had my second bite. It, too, was fine. Dipped in a red sauce, there was a hint of the stinky scent, but overall it was flavorless and just a very strange texture in my mouth. I started to think I was somehow cheating; this was stinky tofu, but it wasn't SUPER stinky tofu. Was I getting the real experience?
Only a little tofu was left, what amounted to two small bites or one big bite. I decided to get it over with and put the entire piece in my mouth. Very quickly, I did it. Oishii! Delicious! I passed the test with
flying aromas!
Sunny, Jack's mom, grinned at me from across the table. “Do you like it?” she asked.
“Fantastic!" I said. Sunny laughed. “You are not a normal foreigner. You have guts and you are not afraid to eat our local food and love it. Bravo!"
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/eye-on-taiwan/2012/04/10/337375/When-all.htm
Dear Editor:
I want to tell you why I love cho dofu. I'd seen Western friends try it, and their reactions were enough to warn me against it. But my Taiwanese students and their mothers were joyfully and noisily leading me to the cho dofu stand, the stand where square, golden slices of stinky tofu fried in vats.
We sat at small adjacent tables, and I could smell it; I joked with the kids that it smelled great. They all vehemently agreed, the moms smiled, and I continued my kudos. Soon, the plates of fried stinky tofu arrived.
I negotiated with Jack, one of the oldest students. We agreed that I would eat one full piece. He and I shook hands, and I stared at the food, searching for the smallest piece. It was delicious. Really. I don't know why Westererns, to a man, are afraid of eating this. It's yummy.
The first bite was small, and while I made ugly faces to amuse the kids, it wasn't that bad. In fact, it was good. Several minutes later, I had my second bite. It, too, was fine. Dipped in a red sauce, there was a hint of the stinky scent, but overall it was flavorless and just a very strange texture in my mouth. I started to think I was somehow cheating; this was stinky tofu, but it wasn't SUPER stinky tofu. Was I getting the real experience?
Only a little tofu was left, what amounted to two small bites or one big bite. I decided to get it over with and put the entire piece in my mouth. Very quickly, I did it. Oishii! Delicious! I passed the test with
flying aromas!
Sunny, Jack's mom, grinned at me from across the table. “Do you like it?” she asked.
“Fantastic!" I said. Sunny laughed. “You are not a normal foreigner. You have guts and you are not afraid to eat our local food and love it. Bravo!"
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/eye-on-taiwan/2012/04/10/337375/When-all.htm
Monday, April 09, 2012
Tackling road safety in Huwei, a letter to the editor by Ainesley Crabbe in Huwei
Hi, my name is Ainesley Crabbe. I'm a 40-something year-old British man,
currently in Huwei, Taiwan, where I teach English. I recently wrote this letter to the Taipei Times and they published it on April 9, 2012.
Tackling road safety
Dear Editor:
A law targeting the use of mobile phones while driving (“Law targets
all use of mobiles while driving,” April 6, 2012, page 1. http://www.taipeitimes.com/) will provide
another example of both the common disregard for the law and its
arbitrary application, which is so prevalent in Taiwan.
I am sure most readers will have witnessed this, whether it be when
trying to use a pedestrian crossing or casually observing the police
as they drive around, lights ablaze and three to a car.
The proposed legislation is common sense, yet it will, in all
probability, reinforce the general attitude toward the lax adherence
and enforcement of the law.
If the authorities were serious about this matter, they would propose
a blanket ban on the tinting of car windows (How can the police
apprehend offenders otherwise?), consider more serious fines or
punishments (How about a NT$10,000 fine and/or loss of one’s license?)
and incentives for the police to actually start enforcing the law
(Perhaps a percentage of any fine imposed). And while they are at it,
they might also like to think about banning TVs in the front of
vehicles.
I know it is “convenient” to be able to watch one’s favorite South
Korean drama while waiting at a red light, but seriously, if safety
were paramount, a lot more could be done.
If the authorities in Taiwan are really interested in road safety,
there should be a coordinated campaign of road safety education
combined with tougher penalties that are more rigorously enforced.
Sincerely,
Ainesley Crabbe
Huwei, Yunlin County
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2012/04/09/2003529863
currently in Huwei, Taiwan, where I teach English. I recently wrote this letter to the Taipei Times and they published it on April 9, 2012.
Tackling road safety
Dear Editor:
A law targeting the use of mobile phones while driving (“Law targets
all use of mobiles while driving,” April 6, 2012, page 1. http://www.taipeitimes.com/) will provide
another example of both the common disregard for the law and its
arbitrary application, which is so prevalent in Taiwan.
I am sure most readers will have witnessed this, whether it be when
trying to use a pedestrian crossing or casually observing the police
as they drive around, lights ablaze and three to a car.
The proposed legislation is common sense, yet it will, in all
probability, reinforce the general attitude toward the lax adherence
and enforcement of the law.
If the authorities were serious about this matter, they would propose
a blanket ban on the tinting of car windows (How can the police
apprehend offenders otherwise?), consider more serious fines or
punishments (How about a NT$10,000 fine and/or loss of one’s license?)
and incentives for the police to actually start enforcing the law
(Perhaps a percentage of any fine imposed). And while they are at it,
they might also like to think about banning TVs in the front of
vehicles.
I know it is “convenient” to be able to watch one’s favorite South
Korean drama while waiting at a red light, but seriously, if safety
were paramount, a lot more could be done.
If the authorities in Taiwan are really interested in road safety,
there should be a coordinated campaign of road safety education
combined with tougher penalties that are more rigorously enforced.
Sincerely,
Ainesley Crabbe
Huwei, Yunlin County
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2012/04/09/2003529863
