The Culture Shack, a cross-cultural blog

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 18:50

Hi all! If you like to read about the ever-evolving cultural landscape in Taiwan, you might be interested in my blog, the Culture Shack!

https://thecultureshack.blog/

Cheers!

JOHN

cfimages · by **cfimages** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 20:40

Looks good. That guy in the hat in the first photo of Hongcouverstan looks like very cool.

What made you start it? People don't really blog these days - Facebook etc seems to have mostly replaced blogs for most people.

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 00:46

I like writing. And the Internet is an amazing medium to reach out to people about deeper issues. Why cross culture? It's where I am and probably where most of us are. Why long blog posts? Comprehension takes discipline, it takes devotion, of one sort or another. It's a journey, not a session.

TainanCowboy · by **TainanCowboy** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 06:18

Good stuff Zardoz.
Good info for newbies (and some long-termers), regarding how things are here on the island - helpful in explaining situations they might encounter - i.e. "The Facade" and its importance.
Best to Your Endeavor.

HeadhonchoII · by **HeadhonchoII** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 18:17

Yes I also read this.

Facebook is a real sucky medium for getting anything of substance across and the posts just disappear quickly anyway!

But I see your new blogposts are up from Facebook so it's handy like that.

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John Ross · by **John Ross** » Sun Apr 30, 2017 07:24

Very nice blog indeed. Well written pieces with a good balance of personal anecdotes and broader musings. It's a welcome change to read something on the net that is so nonpartisan. Interesting what you say about Vancouver and the likely correlation between increasing multiculturalism and declining public civility. Similar in Auckland.

Kal El · by **Kal El** » Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:04

I remember reading your Snot Nosed Jack story after you linked to it on Facebook. It was a good read. :thumbsup:

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Sat May 27, 2017 23:47

The latest article from The Culture Shack!
https://thecultureshack.blog/

TainanCowboy · by **TainanCowboy** » Sun May 28, 2017 06:47

Z- Thanks for the heads-up.

sandman · by **sandman** » Mon May 29, 2017 13:36

I like Zardoz because of the red wrap-around nappies and the old-fashioned pistols. But you are John. JOHN! What kind of space-age superhero is named John?

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Mon May 29, 2017 13:38

Inside every John, there's a Zardoz (with red nappies and old pistols) waiting to come out!

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 17:42

Here's one about Hockey in Taiwan, eh?

https://thecultureshack.blog/2017/06/30/hockey-night-in-taiwan/

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:23

The Community Services Center turns 30 years old! Many years of helping people in real distress. https://thecultureshack.blog/

Zardoz · by **Zardoz** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 00:02

This most recent article is about the Haxstrong Charity, a new and blooming charity/movement of expats helping expats in times of need. I hope you enjoy it.
https://thecultureshack.blog/

Just Jennifer · by **Just Jennifer** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 02:58

Great articles on the Center and Haxstrong.

The Center is very special to me. I landed in Dec 1999 and Oriented.org and the Center were my lifelines.

The Center had a playgroup for mothers and their children. It was started by an American nanny. She was about 19 or 20, and she welcomed me when some of the expat moms weren't so welcoming. Before she left she turned over her files to me: places to go, transportation, maps, fliers (it was before everyone was online!)

The Center is where I met my best friend at Kindermusik. Our babies had just turned one and today, at nearly seventeen, they are as close as siblings.

We'd sit on the Center's couch and nurse our babies after class and that's where my friend shared her idea for a playgroup, which became Taipei City Playgroup. Still going strong sixteen years later.

That's were I was inspired to teach Kindermusik myself and taught there for 9 years. My heart was for the moms who landed here with young children and for the women having their Made in Taiwan babies here.

I haven't taught there for 2 or 3 years now but I am so grateful for the work they do.

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