台灣，真的讓我大開眼界 ｜有人告訴我：放棄吧，你永遠不會懂｜外國在臺灣｜Living in Taiwan as a foreigner

It's very different. For French people to adapt here, sometimes it's very complicated. I'm like, what is this country? People always snacking and always eating. Ladies eat like men. Being a foreigner and doesn't speak the language, because my Chinese is very, very bad. I will always remember one day my Chinese teacher said to me, you need to let it go. I was like, wow, this is heaven. I love it. Hi, everyone. Welcome to Taiwan. Today we are in Taipei. Let's start the video. So my name is Johan. So I'm originally from the French half, so from the southeast part of France. I have been here for seven years. So I'm a cheese and wine importer. I've always been attracted by the Asian culture. When I used to live in Dubai, I used to work for a Japanese restaurant. So I've been to Japan. I was always fascinated by the Asian culture. So for me, it was a great opportunity to come to Taiwan. When you arrived in Taiwan, what surprised you most? I arrived here, it was raining. But what I love here is all these convenience stores. I was always surprised because back home, I'm from the countryside. So I'm from a very small village. Everything closes at seven o'clock. Here, you can do anything you want. At night, you can go to pay your bills. The most interesting part of the culture for me is that they are very foodie. They love the food. I think French and Taiwanese have a lot in common. Food-wise, we are very foodie. France is a well-known gastronomic country. I'm in the food business. So for me, when I arrived here, I saw people eating all day long. I was like, what is this country? People are always snacking and always eating. Ladies eat like men. They eat a lot. You've seen that. You say, where did you put that? Honestly, they go into the night market at midnight. There's all this food culture, which for me was amazing. Being in the food industry, for me, I was like, wow, this is heaven. I love it. I love the food here. I think it's great. I once spoke to a friend. She said she went to France and she's kind of relaxed. She's starving. Is that right? French people don't eat much? We eat, but we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We always have something sweet at the end. Dessert is very important for us. So yeah, we eat. But we eat our own portion. You know what is very different with Taiwan? Taiwan is all about sharing. This is what I learned here. It's really everybody together and you share the meal. In France, we are very individual. You have your own portion. You don't share with the others. I learned that the way of French we talk sometimes can be seen rude. But we're not rude. It's just we say the things. We are very direct people and very straightforward. In Taiwan, it's very different. You don't do that. You need to form the way, but it's not what can be seen as arguments. It's not really tolerated. It's very different. For French people to adapt here, sometimes it's very complicated. Because we would have seen, oh, this person is so rude. For me, the communication is a bit different. Yeah, I mean, you know, being a foreigner doesn't speak the language. Because my Chinese is very, very bad. I really try hard. I mean, I came here, I was already a certain age. I was not a student. And I came here to open my company. I went to the university. I tried. I took these intensive courses where I was going before work. But I will always remember one day my Chinese teacher said to me, you need to let it go. You will never get it. Yeah, she told me. After four months, I said, I'm sorry. You pay me, but keep your money and do something else. You will never. You will not. I don't know. I mean, she was like, I think, kind of a bit fed up at some point. Doing always the same things. And it was not, you know. We were stiff. Yeah, we were stiff. After four months, it's the same kind of level. So she said to me, yeah, better you. Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong. I know a few words. I mean, I can a bit. As time goes on, you will pick up many. Yeah, and thanks to my son as well. You know, being here. Obviously, you know, you get some sense. So yeah, that's good. But no, it's very tough. And also watching some Chinese movies. Yeah, that's help as well. Always say that. Watch movies. I remember when I learned English in the UK. So I was watching a lot of movies in the UK. You mentioned you had a son here. How is it like raising a son in a country where you can't speak their language well? It's very interesting, especially at home. So you need really to make some compromise. Actually, at the beginning, my son was sometimes, you know, speaking to me in English. We speak English together. But then after when he was six, I mean, every year I was trying to go back to France. So at least he would stay one month in France. So he would practice with his cousin, which is around the same age, and with my family. And my mom was coming here as well every winter. But yeah, it's difficult. It's not easy. But then we're very lucky that now there's a new French school in Taiwan called Le Lyft. So he's been, you know, since first grade now. So he's been four years there. And he's amazing. A lucky boy. Lucky boy. His French is very good. And his Chinese and English, yeah. You mentioned your mom came here. Yeah, every Christmas. What surprises her? How was her reaction coming to you? For her, yeah, she loves to come here because it's totally, you know, it's a culture shock. We say, you know, everything is, you know, starting from, you know, the chopsticks. You know, obviously in France we don't have that much. Can you use the chopsticks? Yeah, I mean, I used to run a Japanese restaurant back in Dubai. And I've always been quite fascinated about Asian food. So now I'm pretty good. I'm pretty good with chopsticks. But my mom, no. Still not. So my mom always carry when she's here, you know, she has a set of cutlery to go to the restaurant because she still doesn't get it. So I don't think she will ever get it. So being here nine years, what has Taiwan taught you? A lot. Patience. Really. I learned a lot about myself and be patient. You know, when you're in the country where you cannot sometimes explain yourself, and there's a lot of lost in translation, you really have to take account. So, yeah. You know, when I arrived here, I was living for eight years in Dubai, which is, you know, a very fast-paced country and everybody speaks English. So make the things very easy. So coming here, yeah, it was a bit difficult. I had that myself and I found a way how to survive and how to set up a business. As long as there's will, there's always a way. Yeah, I think so. You can always, you know, find a way to make it through. Let's go back to memory lane. Why did you choose to come to Taiwan? So I decided to come here to start opening my own business because I see a real opportunity in the food and beverage industry in Taiwan. I think people are very curious and, you know, they are very foodie. They love to eat. Then after we came back to live here in 2017. Cheese and wine. Yeah, correct. So we cannot sell wine online. Unfortunately, this is a Taiwanese law. But, yeah, we have lecomptoir.tw, which is our online platform where you can buy cheese online. And, yeah, we have a retail shop called Lecomptoir as well, which is in Breeze, Cheney, in the department store. So of course, yeah, we do have a lot of franchise. So basically we import farmhouse cheeses. So nothing, you know, industrial. So very from a small farmer. So, yeah, we have a lot of French cheeses, but as well Italian, from the Netherlands as well, a bit from the UK. And we work a lot with five-star hotels and Michelin-star restaurants. So, yeah, we have a B2B, more wholesale business as well. All right. All these links will be from the road, the link and the address of the store. Thank you. Check it out in the description below. All right. Do you have anything else to tell Taiwanese people? It's good. I mean, it's very convenient. People are friendly. So, yeah, it's easy. I mean, the life, I think, is very easy in Taiwan and it's very safe. You know, for my kids, you know, growing up in a safe country is very, very important. So, yeah, for me, I'm very, very appreciative, you know, being here. I'm a driver here. So can you guys be more relaxed when you're driving? I found it sometimes very challenging, you know, being here and driving every day. Sometimes it's unbelievable being on the road. But, I mean, again, you need to adapt yourself to find the way. But sometimes it's a bit too much. So that's why I'm telling you that if people can be, you know, more calm when they're driving here, it will be such a relief. And thank you very much for giving us your hand. Thank you very much. Enjoy your stay here in Taiwan. Thank you. Thank you very much. Please let us know what part of this video and see you in my next video. Thank you for watching. Click the link below in the description to get yours and stay one step ahead of hackers.