Taiwan, China?

I arrived in Taiwan two days ago, my return to Asia after a summer in the United States of America. This will be my second year of study both in the Friends-Global Program, and in the eastern hemisphere. Last year I studied: history, language and culture of China while living in Hangzhou located in the Southeast of the People’s Republic of China; and this year I am participating in a yearlong program entitled Comparative Religion and Culture (CRC). CRC travels to Taiwan, Thailand, India and Turkey, beginning September 9^th, 2008 and running until May 2009. I am thankful to have the opportunity to study in Taiwan but, having already fallen in love with mainland China, I am finding it difficult to know how to address the people of Taiwan and cannot yet understand how much of my knowledge of China, Chinese customs and the “Chinese mindset” apply to the Taiwanese.

China became a home to me, and created a loyalty within my heart, a phenomenon I believe most homo sapiens experience once deep learning takes place (Once something ceases to be foreign). This is what is argued by groups working towards peace in human conflicts that employ dialogue between not only politicians but citizens as well (could give examples). A manifestation of my new loyalty was cheering for China in the Olympics even when seemingly unpopular with human rights groups that generally hold sway in my life. And the sting that I felt when every complement I issued towards the Chinese Olympic presentation in front of my father (explain later) or my liberal friends was countered with a fact that usually either pertained to the young girl who “sang” in the opening ceremony while the true voice came from a girl who was not featured because she was deemed “not cute enough” to appear or in regards to the Chinese gymnasts that might not have been sixteen - the minimum age stated by the International Olympics Committee. I felt more loyalty towards Chinese athletes than I did towards the American athletes who I tired of the coverage solely being on, hoping instead for an event without Americans in it (some other time explain my feeling of patriotism). My root-for-the-underdog instinct was instead a root-for-the-under-featured instinct. In the medal count I was always comparing the Chinese to the Americans, stating that of course it was only the Gold medals that count.

Many times in conversation during the summer I said “we” when referring to “Chinese people”. Taiwan is, by regulation, part of China, but not part of my China. When I refer to China I don’t have Hong Kong or Taiwan, or Tibet; which have their own identity, political or economic force, and government, in mind. However, according to Beijing - which until a war or the United Nations says otherwise, ultimately decides – they are all part of China. I do have the tendency to state party policy as absolute truth, part of my loyalty to China. Part of the curriculum, and my nature of being overly sensitive to the possibility of offending someone (before I know them), is cultural sensitivity. So I am faced with the question of how to refer to the people of Taiwan. (If writing a paper include info about the foreign influence waves and how that affected Taiwan, and then the moving of the Gumingdong to Taiwan and perhaps the subsequent immigration waves.) I am also quite interested about the influence that Christianity has had. A good place to study this impact maybe FuRen university students and their points of view, whether students are usually Jesuits, whether they all are Christians.

So, how do we learn anything? Go to the source, I would like to send a questionnaire to our “Buddies” at Fu Ren Catholic University. Our Buddies are Taiwanese Fu Ren students that speak English well who have volunteered to help us with questions about where to do something nearby, to be our friends, to answer questions etc.