We are not your oriental trope.

If you follow me on snap chat, you’ve seen my angry moon-face-filter rant this evening about some annoying American guys I ran into at the metro. The group of three were walking towards the escalator at the metro station and as was I. I was in a rush and after accidentally running into one of them I said, “oops, my bad,” not even bothering to speak Chinese since they were conversing in English so loudly. Anyway long story short, they were amazed by the fact that a Taiwanese girl could speak English and started hitting on me, making me super irritated, bringing me to today’s rant.

I have always had a huge problem with the way which western travelers behave in Taiwan when they come and visit. Not even just travelers, ABCs (American born Chinese) back here for the summer can be just as bad. For some reason, our glorification of western cultures have made us a victim of discrimination, even in our own country where we are the majority.

Throughout this post, I had difficulty identifying when to use first, second, and third person perspectives because frankly I sometimes struggle with which category I would fall into. I didn’t grow up in Taiwan so I don’t have a full understanding of what it’s like to be truly from here. Consequentially my own view is limited and I have no right to speak for a large group of people. But at the same time, because I make a conscious, continuous effort to grasp onto my culture and heritage, I feel like I keep a good balance between my eastern and western cultures. My documents say I’m Taiwanese and the way I look says that too. But the way I dress, speak, and present myself say otherwise. It’s very obvious sometimes that I’m not from here even though I’m fluent in Mandarin.

I’m a foreigner too, in my own country, which is what prompted me to write this.

1. Being from a western country does not make you better than the local people.

You travel so that you can learn and understand other cultures from the most grassroots levels. I ensure you that we cannot accomplish that when we speak loudly in public spaces. We as western travelers often feel a sense of superiority and entitlement in Taipei as if having that western influence in us makes us automatically more educated, more well-read, and well, cooler. And for those of you whose Facebook cover-photos proudly scream “THIS IS AMERICA. WE SPEAK ENGLISH HERE,” Hello. This is Taiwan, Mandarin and Taiwanese are spoken here. And some indigenous languages too. Did you know that? But in fact there are lots of Americans living here who don’t learn or know a single word of Mandarin and people are accepting and understanding of that, which is absolutely amazing.

There is a high tolerance in Taipei for bullshit because we understand that in order to be an international, modern city, people of all cultures will come here and we accept them no matter how they behave. We do so willingly and always with kindness because it’s human decency. I admire the spirits of the local people and I wholeheartedly agree with being accepting of different traditions. But I personally have no tolerance for people with a western superiority complex fueled by ignorance.

2. Local women are not here to fulfill your weird fantasies about the orient.

It is not news that Asian women are constantly objectified and stereotyped to have small eyes, high cheek bones, to be petite, shy, conservative, and my favorite — submissive. And when you are not submissive and in fact are strong, confident, and educated, that’s even more fun. Now you’re feisty. Asian women are fetishized, stigmatized, and you can talk about societal progress all you want but this fact has not changed. When you come to a country where everyone is indeed Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, and so on, it does not mean that you have a whole population of women to fulfill and confirm your stereotypes. I find that most people defend and euphemise this objectification of Asian women as simple curiosity.

I could go on and on about my disgusting encounters with the curiosity of western men and how absolutely worthless and empty their actions made me feel. But instead I am just going to say this. Don’t patronize us. Don’t mansplain things to us. Curiosity about our culture is welcomed. Curiosity about our history is welcomed. Curiosity about the struggles our women face — always welcomed. Disrespectful curiosity towards our women? Fuck off.

3. Stop being surprised every time you meet someone who speaks English.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. English is a lingua franca aka lots of people speak it. It’s good to admire the conviction of others to pick up a second language. But to be surprised that people in other countries speak English? Outdated.

4. Don’t appropriate culture. Appreciate culture.

Your $20 Brandy Melville top with the silk red fabric and brightly stitched flowers uses a print appropriated from our culture. When you wear it it’s fashion. When I wear it it’s super Asian. ((@brandymelville @forever21 @hm I am calling you out)). So now that you have traveled so far to come here, to where the meaning behind your knockoff print is so much deeper, appreciate our culture. Understand it not through the relative lens of yours, but as its own single entity. Step out of your shoes and into ours. That’s what traveling should be about.

5. Quiet down. Observe. Learn.

I think we as people who have grown up in western countries or have had the privilege to travel need some serious, serious humbling. I am not excluding myself from this category. We are taught to speak up, to take leadership positions, to be unapologetic, to be ambitious. And when we come to countries where it is in their culture to strive to be respectful, quiet, likable, apologetic, we subconsciously take advantage of that culture and though it may be unintentional, it’s not right either.

As Americans, I think we need to calm down because tbh our country is falling apart so when we are in countries with thousands of years of history and governance maybe we should stop talking and listen.

As people who are from western cultures in general, I think we need to learn to be more intentional with our travels so that we can get more out of it. Show respect in the way the local people will understand. Their way.

Local people are friendly and passionate. But that doesn’t give you the right to step all over them. Please stop mystifying and orientalizing our people and our country. We are not here to be your stereotype. We are not here as background extras in your Eat, Pray, Love adventure. We are not the oriental trope in your hero’s journey.

Sit down. Check that privilege. Listen.

You will learn so much more this way.