Stinky Tofu

They say you can't go to Taiwan without trying the stinky tofu. I recommend you don't and just say you did. The only thing I ate that tasted worse than the stinky tofu was the ox intestine. The Taiwanese people love stinky tofu...I have no idea why. Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puGoEzbDadI

Recap Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xEr-TyKRd0&feature=player_embedded

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

I am sad to say that this will be my last post for this trip. I have so much more to talk about and share, but I could go on forever. This was a remarkable experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I learned so much about international business, other cultures, and myself. I now have a new outlook on several things. I feel like the blinders have been removed. I cannot imagine going through life and/or business without an experience like this. I recommend it to everyone.

So….planes, trains, and automobiles. Yep, I think I covered that on this trip. I traveled from the far north to the far south of Taiwan, as well as a day and night in Tokyo, Japan. Planes, trains, and automobiles………….

This was my luggage for almost three weeks.
A carry-on and a small duffel bag.
I had to pack light because we were moving
around so much. I stayed in approximately 10
different hotels. I had to do a lot of laundry.

Commuter bus

Light rail train (subway)

Bullet train

Ferry

Taxi

Yacht

This thing was pulled by a speed boat, which I was on.

Jeep

Tourist bus

Tour boat

Shuttle bus

Plane

Tour bus

I'm sure I am forgetting at least one or two other forms of transportation. It was hard to keep track.

I want to end this by thanking Dr. Peng. He is a remarkable (and patient) man. We were extremely lucky to have done this trip with him.

Kenting

At the southern tip of Taiwan is Kenting. It is very tropical and relaxing. More of a tourist area. Well needed after two long weeks of a busy schedule. It was a great time to hang with my new fiends, get to know them better, and just have fun with them. I spent the two prior weeks with my fellow students, but we were always on the move and tied up with activities. 

A video of our Jeep ride through the mountains:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YkpsS9H6qk

The resort

The beach

In the mountains

Feeling the breeze

Tubing

Snorkeling

As you can see, these two days were more relaxing and all about culture.

Surgical Masks

In Taiwan and Japan, I saw several people wearing surgical masks in public. They wear them when they have a cold so they don't infect others. Some of the people in Japan may have been wearing them because of the threat of radiation after the disaster, but for the most part they are thoughtful and don't want to spread their sickly germs.

At a Sushi bar in Taipei

Pedestrians wearing masks in Tokyo

Jade Yachts

The visit to Jade Yachts was another of my favorites. We got to see some amazing yachts, watch production of the yachts, and the presentation by the vice president was very good. He talked about their strategy of setting a goal, planning an approach to accomplish the goal, determining the tools/resources available, recognizing threats and evaluating risks, following through with their plan, and finally learning from their mistakes. He also talked about social responsibility, which was refreshing. It was evident from the presentation and discussions that most Taiwanese business strategies are very similar to those in America. With all of the companies we visited, I did not see much that was unordinary in their business strategies. Nevertheless, there were still some differences in business practices. Where I saw the biggest difference between Taiwanese and American business practices was in the cultural environment.

In most cases, Americans are anxious to make business transactions happen as soon as possible. They are also reluctant to mix business with pleasure. Personal relationships between business partners are regularly avoided to prevent conflicts of interest and to avoid “bad blood” as a result of terminating the partnership. In Taiwan, as in many other Asian countries, personal relationships and trust are extremely important between business partners. A potential business partner must be acceptable on a personal level before being considered in a business deal. It is not uncommon in Taiwan for three or four meetings to take place between two companies before one word about a business deal is mentioned. The first meetings will involve meals and recreation, and only personal things will be discussed. They will learn about each other, their families, hobbies, etc. 

This is a Jade yacht

....just kidding. This is a Jade yacht

 

Takes about 2 years to build

Floating in style

There are many customary gestures that are important when building personal and business relationships in Taiwan, such as business card exchanges, gift giving, and proper meal and drinking manners. Each must be done properly to show respect and build trust. Failure to properly adhere to these customs can severely offend someone and permanently ruin any chance for a personal or business relationship.

Lunch with the big-shots.

Confucius Say….

…”he who has eyeballs that roll also has head that rolls.” Or at least that is what my middle school teacher would tell me when he would catch my eyes wondering onto another student’s paper. The temples in Taiwan are amazing. The colors are vibrant and the details are indescribable. Many of the temples are Buddhism. The Confucius Temple is obviously Confucianism. There are also many temples along the coast line where fishermen come to pray for good luck and safety. 

Confucius Temple

The one on the left is a column with amazing
detail. The one on the right is a dumb tourist.