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The Drifter Journals

Drifter's Thoughts : Daily Necessities in Asia by Jon Gedge

7/16/2012

4 Comments

 
shop front on strrets of kaohsiung selling fake paper money taiwan
As we all know, the joys of being in a different country do not come without hardships, and sometimes just trying to get the simple things done can be the most frustrating part. Contributing blogger Jon Gedge writes about finding the light at the end of this inevitable tunnel.
Today I am going to get my haircut. 

This seems like an easy task. I always like it cut the same way it’s growing, shorter, but not too short because then my hair stands up and I can’t brush it down, yet not too long where I’ll have to return to get it cut again in a few weeks. Normally it’s a quick errand you fit into your busy schedule of running around in this sometimes fast paced, crazy world. 

But when you’re traveling, sometimes the simplest of tasks at home can seem like a mountain of an obstacle in another country.

nightmarket scene on the streets of kaohsiung taiwan
Last night I was thinking of what to eat for dinner. The fridge was mostly empty, with just the typical easy foods, like sandwiches and some leftover pasta from a couple nights before. Yet I was tired of eating those same old foods when just outside my apartment the options for good traditional Chinese food are endless. Different shops lined up from street to street with bright lights inviting everyone to enter. Families packed into crowded corners of the restaurants, with owners scrambling to find extra seats, all of them bringing  hungry appetites with happy faces, anticipating the tasty food they would soon acquire.  

Yet there we were watching from a sad, dark distance, like two hungry helpless street dogs licking our lips, seeing young and old enjoying their savory dishes.


kung pao chicken and a bowl of hot rice at a taiwanese restaurant in kaosiung taiwan
“Wow, that looks gooood,” Jay said. 

Sadly, looking at the posted menu, we only saw Chinese characters that we didn‘t understand. 

“We don’t know how to order here,” I said. “Let’s find a place with pictures.”  

Pictures of food are our savior and the only means to eat a decent meal out, a picture of duck or chicken on top of rice, or a bowl of noodles with pieces of beef, simmered until the meat is soft. We have, in a sense, become picture hunters, hunting for restaurants that have photos that we can point to with our hands and nod in agreement to, with wide smiles. 


To the Chinese restaurant workers, we probably sound like cavemen from a foreign land, our English words sounding like grunts, while we nod our heads because we want delicious “FOOOOD!” 

chinese lanterns in front of le chilli house a restaurant in kaohsiung taiwan
Although a short time has past, we now have our favorite hunting grounds that we visit regularly. The restaurant workers now recognize us, and know what foods we enjoy. Little by little, life has become easier. Even though I am in a country different from what I am accustomed to, I feel the normality of life getting easier day by day.

Days don’t always seem like being in a battlefield, where I have to be on my toes. No longer am I scared of walking, or riding my bike on the busy street, with cars and motorbikes flying by me at arms length. I don’t bother caring about loud fireworks popping at random parts of the day. Sure, I can't speak Chinese, and I don’t know how to buy everything I want, but in reality I have been getting by just fine. 

Now for my next battle:  What do I say to my barber today?


And now we ask you: When living in another country, how do you deal with not being able to get seemingly everyday things? Or what hardships do you imagine you might face if you ever made such a move? Comment below and let us know!
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Contributing Blogger: Jon Gedge

Picture
Jon grew up in Honolulu,
 Hawaii, and has worked as
a community volunteer in 
the cities of Altamira and 
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
and Kaohsiung,Taiwan.

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4 Comments
debbie
12/27/2012 02:43:29 pm

Hello Jon, how are you? nice blog!

Reply
Bex link
6/11/2013 06:37:50 pm

Nice post. Me? I worry about the public transport when first arriving in a place. I'm off to Hong Kong soon and worry: will it be safe? (I land late at night).

Reply
James link
1/15/2014 04:40:28 pm

We once found ourselves starving in Beijing. One of our group insisted on going to a restaurant full of locals rather than one with a picture menu. While they tried to figure out the menu, I grabbed the waitress, led her on a tour of the restaurant and pointed to the dishes on other tables that looked good to me. Done and DONE.

Reply
Ben
3/26/2014 10:00:56 am

I have moved from Australia to Tainan, Taiwan and had planned ahead for the foreign haircut situation - I brought my own hair clippers with me! However, one night I decided to have a trim and the clippers broke halfway through the procedure. It was close to 11pm. I had a half shaved head and a very important meeting to attend in the morning!!! Taiwan convenience to the rescue! Thanks to the stores that are open all night, right near our house, I was able to go and buy a new, cheap set of hair clippers and finish the job. In no way would this be possible in Western Australia, most shops shut at 5pm and we no convenience stores, not even 7 eleven

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