2 months -- Foreigners in Taiwan

I've now been in Taiwan for two months. It's been great and I've been treated very well. I've learned a lot and my Chinese has certainly improved, although I'm still quite the novice.

Although I may have experienced a slight racist experience today, I want everyone to know that I have been treated well here: in many ways better than I deserve.

My coworker and I went out to lunch at a local steak house. This is a nice looking place, although it is affordable (for steak, keeping in mind that there are no cows in Taiwan). It had just opened about a month ago. My coworker and I were led around by the hostess, she first brought us to the left and, despite seeing an open table quickly turned around and led us to a larger table in the back. We were the only ones there.

Later a large group came in and sat next to us... but got up before settling and presumed to change their seat. I was baffled: did they just request not to be seated next to the foreigners? Was there another explanation? I wondered and conversed with my colleague. Later, an older man and his wife sat, briefly on the other side of the room and then had the same reaction. No way! I must have been a coincidence or something we were overlooking. But the feeling was that we had been stuck in the back of this restaurant and no one wanted to sit next to us.

As a white male I've been exposed to very few racist comments. A black girl called me "White boy," with a snear once or twice. I distinctly recall hearing this once with her friends reply saying, "Leave him alone." Regardless, any kind of racism can really make your blood boil. Just thinking that we may have been segregated to the back room and that people didn't want to sit next to us... the idea infuriated me. Of course my ignorance of the situation was more than enough to calm me down, but...

Let me remind you, we were in a steak house. We ordered NEW YORK STYLE STEAKS! I am a New Yorker!

I encourage everyone to rid their lives of racist actions, to the best of your abilities and within reason. I also thought the steak was okay, at best. If you plan on traveling to Taiwan, get your fill of steaks before your trip.