Mondo Taiwan 2003 - The Year of the Black Sheep

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Last update (to the index): Thursday, 5/22/2003, 4:26 AM Taiwan time
(see individual pages for times of their respective updates)
The frequently most heard word in Taiwan these days is SARS!!!

WELCOME TO R.O.C. YEAR 92 -- YEAR OF THE BLACK SHEEP

In most of the world, it's the year 2003, but to some people in Taiwan it's 92. No apostrophe -- just 92. Why? Well, the so-called "Republic of China" was founded in 1912 -- year 1 (while Taiwan was actually still a Japanese colony, but that's another story altogether) -- so if you want to figure out what year many people in Taiwan are using, just subtract 1,911 from the year on the "A.D." (B.C.E.) calendar.

Taiwan has its own calendar, its own pinyin (many of 'em, in fact), and many other features that make it unique. Some of these things are good, others are bad, and still others fall in the neither/nor category. This website will discuss many of the things that I find unique, unusual, weird, wonderful, and horrible about the place I now call home. So, if you don't like what I have to say, go ahead and write to me, but be sure you're not simply upset that a "foreigner" is saying "evil" things about "your" country. Remember, I live here too.

WHAT'S A "MONDO"?

You may have heard of movies like Mondo Cane, Mondo Bizarro, Mondo Topless, and even Mondo New York. If not, you might just be wondering what "Mondo Taiwan" is. In English, "mondo" (Italian for "world") has come to mean "very" or "extremely." Via association with the above movie titles and others, it also has the connotation of "unusual."

The "fei1 chang2" in the Mandarin name of this website -- which is derived from the Taiwanese TV shows "fei1 chang2 yu2 le4" (Extremely Entertaining?) and "fei1 chang2 nan2 nü3" ("English" name "About Romance") -- translates to something like "exceptional," "uncommon," or just like "mondo," it can mean "extremely." To a Westerner, Taiwan may be all of these things and more.

That's what this site is -- Taiwan as seen by someone who grew up in a very different place. You may or may not agree with what you read here. That's okay. At the risk of repeating myself, as long as you read my words carefully and know what you're talking about, I welcome criticism of anything on this website.

Many Taiwanese who visit this site may feel angry about what I've written. If you disagree with my opinions, if you think something is inaccurate or untrue, or if you think I've libeled you in any way, write to me. If you think I'm being too negative in my estimation of Taiwan, offer some "positive" suggestions for the site, but please don't deny what you know is true. If I were writing about police brutality, drug abuse, homelessness, racism, or any of the other problems prevalent where I grew up, you wouldn't ask for further proof of the obvious, would you? And remember, I live in Taiwan, so I think it's my right to criticize as well as to point out (and even make fun of) what I think is unusual.

Actually, despite all my negativity toward many things that are worthy of mention on this website, I've seen lots of positive changes since my arrival. Despite the missiles aimed at us, despite experiencing one of the largest earthquakes of the 20th century, despite the nightmarish traffic, the anarcho-capitalism, the endless pollution, and the multiple non-versions of pinyin, Taiwan is full of potential. Politically, things may seem hopeless to many, but with global attention slowly turning a favorable eye upon Taiwan, change for the better is bound to arrive soon.

This is "social criticism, serious and otherwise, from a big-nosed, blue-eyed devil who's lived in Taiwan for over 19% of his life." Welcome to Mondo Taiwan -- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

P.S.: This website is not (necessarily) about sex.

Traffic	Pollution	Architecture	Markets
Culture	Funny	Questionnaire	Links
Sounds	Movies	Danger	Spot the Diff

The "Mondo Earthquake" reports can still be found here.

Click the plus signs (+) next to listings below to find more information related to these subjects elsewhere on the Mondo Taiwan website.
Click the asterisks (*) to find info from other unaffiliated websites.

My "Taiwan Top 10+"

1. Cloud Gate Dance Theater * * * * *
2. Ju Ming *
3. Stinky tofu
4. Cartoonist "Jimmy" *
5. Kenting Beach & National Park *
6. KTV ads +
7. Night markets +
8. Traditional architecture + *
9. Calligraphy *
10. Taiwanese food *
11. The BABES!

My "Taiwan Bottom 10+"

1. Medical care
2. Pollution +
3. Wastefulness +
4. Motorcycles + *
5. Safety +
6. City bus drivers +
7. Media * *
8. Traffic +
9. Plumbing +
10. Aesthetics +
11. Censorship *
12. Complacency regarding quality standards
13. Fairness and accuracy in reporting

Taiwan-related Links

Daily Taiwan-related news in English and Taiwanese on
Monkey Boy's Taiwanese Language Page

Taiwan's English Newspapers:
Taipei Times
China Post
Taiwan News

China Times
(Zhong Guó Shí Bào)
English version

English Radio:
ICRT (International Community Radio Taipei)

Send comments, suggestions, criticism, and complaints to: MondoTaiwan($)mailcity.com