Letter: Good riddance, Scott

As a foreigner currently residing in Taiwan, I often find myself fascinated, intrigued, mystified and exasperated by Taiwanese culture and thinking. Sometimes I love living here; sometimes I desperately want to return home. But on the whole living in Taiwan has opened my mind more to the world, which is why reading Scott Austin's letter (Letter, June 25, page 8) has made me feel so mad.

Who hell does this guy think he is? Saying that at the end of his contract "he will leave and never return," like Taiwan should fall to its knees and beg for him to stay and enlighten it with his infallible knowledge and wisdom.

Scott, you may have all that wonderful teaching experience behind you (as you felt you needed to state over and over again in your letter), but if you do return back to the US you're just going to be another misfit who can't fit in. Here in Taiwan being an English-speaking foreigner makes you "special" and needed, but back in your native US, people are going to treat you a lot differently -- that's if they even acknowledge your presence.

I am sick and tired of all these loser expats continuingly insulting Taiwan and its people because it's not exactly the same as their own native country. Well, newsflash people, Taiwan is a different country, in a different continent, so not surprisingly things are going to be a bit different than what you might find in your own hometown of "Hicksville, America."

It is not Taiwan's fault that it wasn't colonized by the British, so it doesn't have a residual English culture. And if it did have an established English culture, then it wouldn't need the likes of Scott to come here and teach English. The whole point of being an English teacher is to teach people who want to learn English, not to teach people who can speak it fluently already.

Here's something for Scott and all those people who share the same bigoted attitudes as him to think about the next time they are whining on about the state of affairs in Taiwan. Can you imagine the uproar if an Arab or a Russian or a Taiwanese wrote a piece in the New York Times criticizing the people of America for not accommodating foreigners enough or rubbishing the American way of life, which to be fair has had a much more negative impact on the world than Taiwan ever has.

So sometimes employers here screw you over on the odd contract, and shame of shame people jump red lights. Big deal! Who cares?

Just of all the lovely race trouble, gun violence and drug addiction that's waiting for you in America and elsewhere. So bon voyage and good riddance Scott Austin, I hope the weather's nice in Hicksville. Taiwan won't be missing you.

Adam Coates

Taoyaun