我在法國的朋友叫我留在台灣，不要回法國 ｜外國在臺灣｜Living in Taiwan as a foreigner

Wodidodong and Wodidaha. Wodidodong, it's a new type of society. I don't feel like I'm a foreigner, I feel like I'm Taiwanese. You can go to Big Avenue, where it's very busy, and you just go on the side and you are like in a village. The street names were not translated, there was no pinning. So it was easy to get lost. Before I knew it was a military area, and now it's a business area. Be careful, it's addictive. My name is Romain, I'm from France, from a city called Lyon. I came to Taiwan, I thought I would stay only two years, I've been here for 24 years now. I'm married to a Taiwanese, I have an 11-year-old daughter. At home we speak three languages, French, English and Chinese. I'm in the wine business, I'm a beverage director for a Japanese restaurant. We import directly our wine from France. We import about 30,000 bottles a year, and every wine has to be exclusive. You cannot find it anywhere else in Taiwan. Let's go back to memory lane. Why did you choose to come to Taiwan? Because I used to be a winemaker, I studied wine. And I was tired of being in the vineyard. And one of my French friends had a wine shop here in Taiwan. So I said, look, I'm coming to help you, I want to discover Taiwan. Because I've been traveling a lot, but never in Asia. So it was interesting to come to see him, and I really appreciate it. When you first arrived in Taiwan, what surprised you? It's a new type of society, because it's very, very different from Europe. I've been almost everywhere in the US. But I think Asia is a very, very different culture. It's very, very, very different. What are some of the things that Asians do differently to French people? It's very safe. You forgot your phone, you come back 10 minutes later, it's here. I'll tell you one story. Once I was in a taxi. I was with my daughter, I had a bag, and I forgot my phone in the taxi. The taxi driver drove around to find me, to give me back my phone. That's not something that will happen in Europe, I don't think so. You see, you can leave your daughter, it's an area, it's a safe area. But she can go to work, to school. We are not worried at all about something happened to her. In France, no, you would walk her to school. What I like about Taiwan is, first, Taiwanese are very sympathetic, very nice people. It's kind of clean, very convenient, not too expensive. The weather is quite good, it's a little bit hot and humid. Sometimes it rains a little bit too much. But I really like Taiwanese people, they are very friendly. You don't really feel any racism here. I don't feel like I'm a foreigner, I feel like I'm Taiwanese, actually. France is a beautiful country, but it has changed a lot. It's not very safe, you pay a lot of tax. In France, you pay 47% of tax. Here in Taiwan, me, I pay 5%. So I'm happy to pay my tax here. I love French food, I miss French food. But I think Taiwan is very lively. Let's say Taipei never sleeps, there's many things to do. It's also a nice place to meet people from all around the world. Of course, plenty of Taiwanese friends. I think the transport system is very, very good. Taxis are not expensive, it's easy to go around. I don't know, I like Taiwan. Sometimes you don't feel like you are in a big city. If you stay away from a big avenue, you don't feel like you are in a big city. But what I love also about Taiwan, you see, we have less buildings. And it takes me 20 minutes by bus. And I'm in downtown in 20 minutes. And here I feel like I'm in the mountains. It's so green. I can go in the mountains, walk around. It's cool. Some streets in Taipei are too busy. But it's very interesting also, because you can go to a big avenue, where it's very busy, and you just go on the side, and you are like in a village. There's flowers everywhere. There's plants on balconies. And it's a totally different world. So this is very, it's a contrast. And it's just like 100 meters away from a big, big avenue. So this is surprising, yeah. In France, French people, people say they are lazy, but we work efficiently. Here in Taiwan, you make long hours. You work quite a lot. What advice would you give to anyone or any Taiwanese who wishes to go to France? Of course, you want to visit Paris, because Paris is a beautiful city. But I would say, don't stay too long in Paris. Go to the countryside. Go to visit other cities, because they are very beautiful. And Paris is very touristic. And there's plenty of beautiful places in France. What advice would you give to anyone who wishes to come to Taiwan? Be careful, it's addictive. One of my best friends in France, he came here once, and now he's been here maybe 14 times already. He loves it here. And sometimes my wife says, Oh, Romain, let's go back to France. Let's live in France. And he always says, No, no, Romain, stay in Taiwan. You're very good, very well here. Stay in Taiwan. 24 years in Taiwan, how is your Mandarin? I cannot write. I try, but I still try, but it's not very good. I can live a normal life, go to restaurants, order food, go around, find my things. And of course, with my work, I have to speak most of the time in Chinese, in Mandarin with customers. What is your most difficult challenge that you've overcome, or yet to overcome in Taiwan? Well, of course, you are far from family, so you don't see, you don't get to see them so often. Usually I go back to France with my family every three years. I go back to France more often for work, but it's different. And, but now with internet, it's very easy to have a video call. And so we can talk almost every day, with my sister, brother, mother. Could you walk us through how you found your feet, from the moment you arrived in Taiwan to the point where you found your feet? Yeah, it takes some time. I think it takes, like, at least to understand the culture, understand where to go, because when I arrived here, the street names were not translated, there was no, there was no pinning. So it was easy to get lost. And so, I don't know, to understand the culture, to appreciate the food too, took me maybe two years, maybe three years, to really start to feel like a fish in a boat, or in a tank. I think it improved a lot also, but there's more and more skyscrapers. It grows like mushrooms, actually. And when I arrived here, the 101 was only at five floors. So it's huge now, and there's plenty of buildings around. The area has totally changed. Before, I knew it was a military area, and now it's a business area. It looks more like, I guess, like Tokyo, Singapore, or Seoul. Do you have anything else to tell Taiwanese people? Thank you for letting me be living here, and I love you, Taiwanese. Thank you very much for giving us your time, sharing your life experience here in Taiwan. Thank you, Bowie. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. I hope you continue to progress here in Taiwan. I think I will. Thank you. Thank you for watching. Whether you like it or not, please let us know what part of the video we can improve, and see you in my next video. Thank you for watching.