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I enjoyed watching this !!!!! Awesome video

You guys crack me up 😂 I was just thinking about y'all, glad to see you!

I had coldstone the other day! So good hahah

Aww...this was great! I have passed this opera house many times as it is in my district. I always enjoy the performances of this style when being enacted on Shrine/temple stages during special holidays. Yes, that bullet train is really good and I will brag a wee bit that I have gotten pretty adept at navigating that station of arrival. Interesting to hear the tidbits of ur past hotel experiences. Yikes!! Thanks for the "show". 🤩🤩

Do your travels take you off the beaten path or do you prefer the security of a tour?

你們好有趣

Thank you so much ! Finally !! A useful video about the renting culture in Taipei. ❤❤❤

I love bread! Which program dif you use to come into Taiwan? TFETP? Teach Taiwan?

60 USD or NTD?

Do you two eat out a lot. 🍽️

😂😂

In the UK you could have been arrested for disturbing nesting birds lol

Team work😅😂😅

😂😂😂

And life goes on.

Yes. Yes I would

OMG, my husband and I wonder the same thing. You're speaking the truth! Policy policy everywhere and when you asked them why, what I got IDK…..

fuckkkk, I miss little debbies so much. I had a friend visit in March of last year and she brought me a bunch

Leah you should be used to high places but now😊

So relieved to know you guys are safe. Please be careful over there. I worry about you. Love you always!

Where you affected by the Earthquake? Worried!!!

I really enjoyed getting to know you guys !!!!!!🎉🎉

Spaniards this ain't Mexico culture

How are you doing now? I'm getting inspired with your story.

Just over $850 each still pretty decent considering the teaching wage. I bet a young teacher with a taste for partying would wax their whole salary!

Wow! That is really nice place

Other Western RUclipsrs who overly praise Taiwanese hospitals get views several times higher than yours, but you are the only one who tells the truth.

I need to thank you guys for another great video educating me about Taiwan. The mentality of CYA you describe in this video definitely helps to explain why my students in English classes are so unwilling to speak up. I think culturally, the Taiwanese are conditioned from birth to be part of the group and not stick out to be the exception. As long as you do what everybody does, typically according to an authoritarian power like parents or teachers or bosses at work, you can safely remain and survive as a member of the group. The Japanese are even more so, I believe. What I am not sure about is whether this cultural trait is more a leftover from the Japanese colonial rule or inherent in Chinese Confucianism. Personally, I am so damn Americanized, I can't stand such idiocy. Taiwan needs to make it their policy to educate children NOT to follow the policy when necessary, i.e., to have the ability for independent, critical thinking. The one egregious case I remember from several months ago is the En En case, the first Taiwanese child who died from COVID all because New Taipei's COVID "policy" at the time caused the buck to be passed back and forth among various emergency services resulting in a tragic delay of the ambulance. One of the most heartbreaking statements the father made was that he had been too 乖 or "compliant" with the government's policy. The same Chinese word is used to describe a well-behaved child, a child who does what he or she has been told by the authoritarian figure, right or wrong regardless. The parents of En En found out that had they disobeyed the COVID policy and had rushed their baby to the hospital themselves immediately, instead of wasting time waiting for the ambulance according to the government policy, the tragedy would likely have been avoided. Afterwards, the New Taipei mayor and his administration tried to deny any responsibility for a f*$%#@ up policy, mishandling of the crisis, and even a coverup, instead of just admitting the mistakes so that they could be corrected. It seems that the mayor was well-schooled in the CYA culture as well. This CYA modus operandi instead of honesty and integrity seems to be a widespread phenomenon in Taiwanese society, especially among the high and mighty. It needs to change if Taiwan is to become a better place. I would start with my own students in my English classes. They need to speak up so that they can really learn English. What this means is that they need to stop the CYA behavior, take the risk to speak up, and be willing to take the responsibility of admitting mistakes so that they can learn from the mistakes instead of just always putting saving face first, which ultimately is what the problem is: the culture of not losing face at all costs. The New Taipei mayor and his administration, just like the Hsinchu mayor 高虹安 and countless other powerful figures in Taiwan all tried to save face above all else instead of saving another boy's life or preventing another case of corruption, etc. The Taiwanese keep complaining that none of their politicians are honest, but a democracy deserves exactly whomever you elect: a government can only be as honest as the people that elected it, not more. If you have a culture of rampant dishonesty and lack of integrity due to the imperative of saving your face, what can you expect from your elected politicians? It were time to change already. Let's start with the kids.

They come with other funny names.

很抱歉不靈活的政策與不變通的人性讓你們有不好的遭遇。 我們直到23年前都還是只有一個政黨執政，遭遇狀況的經驗還不夠，無法靈活變通。直到18年前，孩子們在學校受的教育還是死硬的守規矩，頭髮不能流長、不能染髮、不能留指甲、不能化妝...不守規矩會被打、被記點、被退學。我們還有很長一段路要走。

May i know are you using insurance? Or do you know what insurance cover brain surgery? What your recommendation hospital for neurosurgery in taiwan I have cyst on my brain and probably need surgery. And right now only have cathay insurance , maybe 4 months later i will have National Health Insurance

I’m from Washington state and yes that is the most popular outhouse company around Eric I think it’s clever as hell

Before indoor plumbing you always had a "honey pot" to empty! 😢

Congratulations on your new adventure, beautiful calming views! I never have seen a pelican or a seal in nature!

Exactly, “ policy” because they don’t know what they are doing!

FLAMIN NOT ON TOP

I think the nurse in Taiwan only responsible for meds; the patient needs to hire care giver to do all the works😢

well maybe when china takes over, they'll have better policy or put ppl over policy :D hehe

I'm coming there in a week. Can't wait for the food and I'm going to go to the Hualian City from Taipei for a day. Any tips would be much appreciated.

5 Democratic cities alone put the USA in the top 3 countries for gun violence out of 195. Without those Democratic cites the USA is 189th out of 195 countries.

Hello Lea and Justin, this seems like the most appropriate video to attempt contact. Lol! Quickly: My nickname is Lea and my surname is Fogle. Nope, not making that up. I'm 50, a digital nomad who left the U.S. in January 2022. Fourteen countries... and now vacillating between Vietnam and Taiwan. However, since my background is in higher education teaching, teacher training (Instructional Designer/U.S.; teacher trainer/Peace Corps Response), and working with adults, I'm finding it challenging to find work in Asia. I tried to find you two via Instagram, but no joy. I don't want you to feel ambushed by my getting in contact here, but this wasn't tiptoe worthy. This is all out, "Who does she think she is?" I'd really love to be in touch to ask some questions. Btw, I met my husband when I traveled to Montenegro last year. So, technically not a solo traveler anymore. I know you're wondering about the "technically" part. Anyhoo, I'd be really glad to be able to ask you some things. Appreciate your videos! Cheers!

My sister is in Washington and my newest sister is in Louisville..... I would love to see you soon!!

When I was in college, I had to read this book called Critical Thinking by this terrible thinker named Gregory Nosich. (Cue me scratching my nose and saying in a funny voice, Dr. Nose Itch!). The book literally had the line, "Critical thinking is thinking about thinking in a critical way." Seriously, read that twice. I'm not even joking. It was the most meta thing I have ever read and was completely nonsensical. Great job Nose Itch. And no, I like the way the two of you think about things, process things, and share all that here with your viewers. :)

Leah = perplexed and perturbed. Justin = all travel is a vacation! wait, no its not. Wait, what? Reality= (staycations aside), all vacations involve travel, not all travel involves a vacation. Honestly, even staycations involve travel, even if it is travelling by foot from your bed to the bathtub. ;) You are both so adorable together. Oh my gosh, you are competing about being competitive! Justin = "Hawaii? Why does everything have to be compared to America" Also Justin= "This is like Pensacola, Florida!" Leah = Makes her own definition and parameters of what a vacation can and should be. Justin = Vacationers are douchebags, I don't want to be seen as a "vacationer!' Also Justin= Um, wait, but, um Leah's "vacations" are so darned nice. As an aside note-- I keep thinking your little mics are a snack and I wonder why you aren't taking any bites. ;) Also, no on slow travel. Slow travel is a state of mind. Meaning, if you only have three days, do what you would normally do in a day or just an hour. You can have the slow travel state of mind on a time budget. Again, ya'll are cute.

Oh, and Justin, I hope your shoulder is feeling better and healing well after your ordeal.

What a super fun video!! It was just so lovely watching the three of you have such a delightful time!

Honestly, with the Covid stuff, I do wonder if the global response had been high across the board if such extreme "policies" would have taken hold in countries like Taiwan that were desperately trying to do the right thing. I also wonder if native Taiwanese are treated with such drastic measures or if you are both seen as foreigners who probably came from a western country that didn't succeed with the same level of social cohesion that was seen in many Asian or Latin countries. Just a thought. I feel like there should have been a work around, and I wonder if you ever find a Taiwanese friend that would tell you something different that they would have tried, or if they would just succumb to the policy? I experienced a policy much like the Costco ice-cream story. I was along the coast of California at a little health food type grocery store. They served smoothies, but every smoothie variety was made with apple juice. I really didn't want a smoothie made with apple juice (and honestly thought it an odd, and even gross, choice for some of the smoothie varieties). The worker behind the counter when I asked if I could use a different kind of juice, "noooooo" with the Cali slow sing-song surfer sounding updraw at the end. "We don't have anything but apple juice back here, it's our policy." So, I asked if I could buy a small bottle of orange juice and bring it to her to use instead. The same, "nooooooo". Like, what gives!? Strange policy.

Wait, did I make that up. What happened to the baby?? :)

I just absolutely love how quickly and joyfully help came your way! You both are so chill and happy in Taiwan.

The moral of the story: Move back to the US prepared to drink your own spit and sweat while arguing over the cost and location of actually good tacos. Then quickly realize that although you have both redefined what success is in your life, America hasn't redefined that success. Then quickly realize the actual horrors and issues with van life and tiny house life. Then quickly realize that it's back to hustling because in America its always back to hustling. LOL :) Wishing you both the best abroad or back in the U.S. I know you will figure out the absolute best situations for yourself no matter where you land! And Justin, I must say, I really appreciated your thoughts here. They were complex and real.