The Taiwanese penchant for living life in fast forward (other than dating), and spending most of it working, is best described as incompatible with the Australian spirit.I spent my first twelve months here chanting in mantra style: “I WILL NOT ADJUST – I will never find a six day working week acceptable - I will not adjust – working at 8am on Saturday is not acceptable - I will not adjust!”
After arriving to Chang-Kai Shek International Airport (recently renamed Taoyuan International Airport) at 10pm on a Sunday evening, my presence was expected in the Kojen English Head Office the following morning at 9am sharp. From here I was whisked to the hospital for a thorough check-up to ensure I had all my teeth, and wasn’t trying to infect the Taiwanese populace with HIV. On this day I learnt there is no time for privacy, let alone empathy in the Taiwanese hospital. Blood testing is done at a long counter where ten nurses work in perfect synchrony – one patient per minute. Patients pressing bloodied cotton swabs to their arms, huddle together on a bench for five minutes in case of faintness, before rushing off – past the hospital staff waving people’s swab tests around like air freshener - and back to work.
The next day I started teaching six day a week.
*
After arriving to Chang-Kai Shek International Airport (recently renamed Taoyuan International Airport) at 10pm on a Sunday evening, my presence was expected in the Kojen English Head Office the following morning at 9am sharp. From here I was whisked to the hospital for a thorough check-up to ensure I had all my teeth, and wasn’t trying to infect the Taiwanese populace with HIV. On this day I learnt there is no time for privacy, let alone empathy in the Taiwanese hospital. Blood testing is done at a long counter where ten nurses work in perfect synchrony – one patient per minute. Patients pressing bloodied cotton swabs to their arms, huddle together on a bench for five minutes in case of faintness, before rushing off – past the hospital staff waving people’s swab tests around like air freshener - and back to work.
The next day I started teaching six day a week.
*
