the outsider's 'inside' information

I'm realizing that there are certain topics of conversation common to all expats here in Taiwan, and probably for most of Asia. When expats congregate, I get the sense that sometimes it becomes a clandestine insider-trading operation. We eagerly swap stories, contacts, survival tactics, and more. Don't get me wrong- it's not that the friendly locals wont help us out. But I suppose when you're living in Asia, you quickly realize how different the likes and dislikes are between East and West.

Take hair for example. I know this doesnt apply to the brothers as much, but girls have lengthy discussions about where to go to get a hair cut (notice i said hair CUT, not just your regular hair WASH). The truth is, if you walk into any random salon, given the language/stylistic differences, you may very well walk out looking like an Anime character. :)

Food is another one. We talk about where to go to get certain novelty food items such as hummus, cake mix, and salsa. Good cereal is also always in high demand. My friend's latest quest was to ask around for Rice Krispies, (if anyone knows, do tell!) And we also talk about the strange combinations of food that we see on menus. RICE burger buns? Corn soup at McD's? Sweetened popcorn at the movie theaters?!

Then there are the local creatures. It seems that we all have war stories about ginormous mosquitoes, cockroaches, and other friendly inhabitants. We share stories about how they managed to creep up on us when we least expect, how we've tried to outsmart them (and failed), and eventually, how we make peace with them.

Other topics that expats bond over include, scooters (getting licensed, accidents, swaps, etc), medical care (where to find a decent doctor that speaks English), squattie experiences, visa runs, and lack of bargaining skills at night markets.

I suppose this is all part of the fun of expat living; we bond through the shared experiences of survival in a foreign land. It's an adventure indeed. :)