My biggest recommendation if you're visiting Taiwan is to buy an Easy Card for public transportation when you get here. There are kiosks at every MRT station and most will have an option for English. You just buy a card and add money, no registration or entering personal details. You can then use it for the MRT, buses, some taxis, trains, and you can even use it to buy stuff at some convenience stores. You'll want to add money periodically, just to be sure you don't have too much excess left on the card when you leave (I don't know if it can be refunded anywhere). There's also an MRT route directly from the airport into Taiwan. It's faster and much more convenient than a taxi or bus. Taiwan has excellent public transportation, SO MANY parks, the kindest people, the tastiest food, and so much natural beauty. I have never felt unsafe here and I consider myself incredibly lucky that I get to call it my new home. I highly recommend a visit here, just remember to please be respectful, kind, and clean up after yourself. Watch what everyone else is doing to make sure you're following the rules, and if you have trouble, ask! It really is one of the friendliest places.
You can refund the $ on your easy card at any MRT station, just go to the information booth. However, if you refund it, your EasyCard will deactivate and you can no longer use it anymore. If you wanna come back to Taiwan (you should *wink*), you don’t need to refund it. You can also spend EasyCard money at many stores and restaurants (just look for the EasyCard logo at the cashier) to use up excess $. But there are so many great EasyCard designs you can always get extra cool ones :3
I'm Taiwanese and I sit on the priority seats when there is no one using it, and I will keep my eye on every person who comes in to see if they need it. Use it if you want, just remember to give it to someone that might need it more then you. And don't judge anyone who sits there even tho they might seem perfectly fine. They might have some issues that we can not notice with our eyes, such as period pain or some silent issue that doesn't allow them to stand for a long time. I have runners knee and tho I might seem young and healthy from the outside, walking properly and everything... it hurts after a long stand. I'm always afraid of being wrongly judge when I'm using the priority seats. I hope everyone can understand there might be some hidden problems for the people who is using the priority chairs and be more considerate :)
Some of the things they say I feel are kinda outdated (mainly in Taipei). I can find water in most restaurants (sometimes you just have to ask), bus is pay on AND off, people are usually pretty open to talking about the TW and CH issue if you’re curious and ask respectfully (they don’t get offended at all!) if anything, I think that Taiwanese people, especially young people, are happy to share about the political situation, thanks free speech and freedom in general! 🇹🇼 toilet paper is more available in public restrooms recently too, but sometimes you have to get it from outside of the stall before you go in. Taiwan is a free country and very safe to visit or live! 🇹🇼❤️
the bus system is sometimes pay on and sometimes off, and sometimes both. It depends on which part of the route you get on/off. There is usually a light at the front of the buses that will indicate which one it is.
Cold water, which foreigners like Americans prefer, is hard to find because they usually serve tea or warm/hot water, and you pay when you get on/off buses but it changes depending on what line and how far you go. Taiwan changed at a pretty fast rate
春水堂 (Chun Shui Tang) is usually credited as the inventor of Boba/Pearl/Bubble Tea around the 1980s (disputable), but the history of the pearl itself dates much earlier than that. Nobody actually knows who invented it, but it can at least be dated back to the 50s, likely earlier. It was generally called 粉圓 (fen yuan) outside of the bubble tea context, and has been widely consumed as toppings in shaved ice or other sweets to this date.
Love it! I also agree! We need to brand and spread the knowledge that Taiwanese invented Boba! South Koreans and Japanese brand everything from banana milk to small snacks, so we need to do the same.
I love Taiwan so much. Every time I leave, I miss it. The locals are so nice and the culture is so rich. Also... Milk tea, my absolute favorite! I wish I spoke Mandarin so that I could eat more lol
"zidan tou lieche" for bullet train ??? In Taiwan, it is called 高鐵 (Gāotiě). You got 子彈頭列車 zǐdàn tóu lièchē from Google Translate, but I have never heard anyone using this word to describe Taiwanese High Speed Railway. Maybe for the Japanese Shinkansen or for the Chinese one, but definitely not in Taiwan.
I love Taiwan so much, the people are really nice and friendly AND the food’s great! Also, I just call them pearls and small pearls instead of boba. One thing to mention tho, the priority seat are for ‘those who need it’.. and arguably many people now starts to understand that it’s OKAY to sit on it when you’re not feeling well or when u need it. But do give it to those who need it even more. Some Taiwan people is currently encouraging people to not judge others when they sit on the priority seats because not all disability can be ‘seen’. The transportation in Taiwan is great too. It takes around 1-2 hours high speed rail from Taipei to Kaohsiung or 3-4 hours by bus (which is like travelling from one city to another in the UK lol)... they have great bento on trains too! Must try! I used to hate stinky tofu too, I tried it by pinching my nose and eating them, and I fell in love 🤤🤤 also if u travel to Taiwan, pls don’t try those mainstream bubble tea u see in other countries like Xingfutang or idk... there’s great brands with great bubble tea everywhere! Experience at different shops 😆 I also personally think that it’s pretty safe compared to many other countries. The police are super nice and helpful and even if u don’t know Mandarin, many people will try their best to help u!
I wish there was more Taiwan content online (unless there is, and I can’t find any), because I don’t have anything to connect me being half Taiwanese with, so whenever I meet someone who is Taiwanese, I’m like “OMG UR ONE OF US? OMG WE ARE PRETTY MUCH SIBLINGS” I hecka love this video so much thank you!
this video: "don't call it boba. they're pearls. why would you call it boba? that means big boobs" also this video: "pearls are the smaller ones, boba are the bigger ones. here are all the kinds of boba available"
The thing is, Boba means 'bubble tea' but in a different chinese dialect (which is found in china, not taiwan). I guess its because most american people call it boba, so they use it here. But yes in Taiwan, say 'bubble tea'.
Sorry for the confusion! Let me clarify: Boba means exactly what you're used to ordering in a boba drink (ie. boba milk tea). If you order pearls, they are smaller versions of boba. Some places use them synonymously, so in many American boba tea shops, boba and pearls will be the same size. If you go to Taiwan, many places will have pearls AND boba, which differentiate between the two. Boba is not a direct translation to "big boobs." It's slang for big boobs, so if you talk about boba in a normal setting, no one will think you're talking about big boobs. But if you point to a girl and say boba, the context is that you're using the slang meaning "big boobs." Lol.. does that make sense? 😅
@@jasminepak you can point to a girl and say the plural of just about anything (assuming you're the type of person to do so) and people will take that to mean boobs. jugs, cans, melons, and on and on and on. but that wouldn't stop you using those words in their normal, non-creepy context, or give them a sexual connotation when used normally. which is why "don't call it boba, that means big boobs" makes no sense, but it goes on to make even less sense given that it's then used to describe all types of boba/pearls/bubbles mentioned after that, including by the girl who said not to call it that. if it's just a matter of differentiating between sizes, with boba being the generic size and pearls being smaller, that's a completely different story, but that's less an etiquette thing/way you're traveling wrong (don't call it boba, it's rude) and more just a technical distinction.
Love this video! I'm actually living in Taiwan now for the time being so this was a fun video for me to watch. I love Taiwanese people.They actually changed the rule about the buses now. You have swipe when you get on and off now. And now if you need a trashcan you just throw it away at the MRT. A lot of people save their trash and throw it away at the MRT.
as a taiwanese american, i was really happy to see this video and learn new stuff! I LOVE VISITING TAIWAN so much!!!! the food, the people, the scenery, etc. wow. this country is amazing and beautiful.
Dumpster fire I guess I should have clarified I’ve been learning for the last 3 years. It’s more to be immersed and be able to use it. I will be attending University while there as well.
It's great you've studied a lot of Chinese already, but it's not a necessity. My parents, Americans, just visited us in Taichung and they can speak a grand total of 5 words. They did just fine getting around town and getting food. What areas are you thinking of visiting?
i remember being in taiwan and we got lost. then this local helped us get to a mrt station, like she really walked us to the mrt station even if she wasnt going to enter
They've since updated the policy of using EasyCards on the bus. Riders now have to swipe their EasyCards when they get on and off a bus in Taipei & New Taipei City. This was done because people (locals and tourists) get confused all the time.
As a local Taiwanese, I strongly disagree with Point 7 about not sitting on priority seats. ANYONE CAN SIT ON PRIORITY SEATS. Priority seats are just designed for people to kindly give their seats to those in need, such as the elderlies, physically challenged people, pregnant women or people holding babies/young children, but it is not mandatory. What she said in the video about old grannies yelling at people for sitting on priority seats is somehow true, but it seldom happens. Even if it happened, you can totally ignore the person yelling at you cause you've done nothing wrong. So I strongly disagree with encouraging people to not sit on priority seats. Just remember that you have the right to choose whether to give the priority seat you're sitting to others or not, but it's not mandatory, and don't force yourself to give it to others when you also need the seat. Having said that, the spirit of priority seats is still a great custom, so even if you're just sitting on a regular seat, you can still give it in when you see people who need it more than you do. :)
So I'm American, but both my parents are Taiwanese and I grew up calling bubble tea Boba nai cha. I think in Taipei they call it pearl tea (Zhen zhu nai cha) because in Taipei they gear more towards mandarin. In the more southern areas of Taiwan saying Boba gets more common because more people speak Taiwanese there and Boba is part of the Taiwanese dialect (not traditional mandarin).
Thank you for making this video because I am a proud Taiwanese and Taiwan is the best place in the world which is so safe and has reasonably priced high-quality food.
I always heard the bubble tea story “a girl was bored at her meeting or whatever, and she decided to dump her tapioca pudding into her iced tea. Then, when other tea shop owners heard about it, they started making it and other variations like the larger pearls and small ones, different teas, etc.
1. You can sit in the priority seats, just be aware of your surroundings and give up the seat for those in need or pregnant women wearing their special button. 2. The not knowing when to tap your card on or off the bus in Taipei was recently changed in July 2019 to always tap on AND off. No more confusion.
You're correct. "Boba" is a Cantonese slang for "big boobs" and was a nickname for Hong Kong sex symbol Amy Yip which some Taiwanese vendors adopted for their bubble tea drinks to attract customers. Since Chinese Americans on the West Coast were predominantly Cantonese speakers, the word "boba" stuck around in the Chinese American community. Those on the East Coast or North Side (Canada) prefer to call it "bubble tea" as the drink caught on at a later date and have more diverse Chinese populations than just Cantonese.
I'm a transnational student and i've been to Taiwan twice for a long period of times, and I looooooovvvvveeeeeeeeeeeee Taiwan! I love the food, the hospitality and the transportation system as well. I'll go there again
On TW buses there’s usually screens up front and at back door showing if you should swipe when aboarding or getting off. It’ll look like: 上車刷票（when aboard) / 下車刷票（when getting off)
Ba-wan, we eat similar like that in Jiufen. The red yeast meatball, so good and unique😋 7-Eleven in Taiwan is lit, few meters away then you find another one shop.
We just got back from Taiwan yesterday. Amazing transport system! It's so easy to stroll around. Also, people are genuinely nice and orderly. They struggle to speak in English but they will really try to help you. And yes, you'd notice how people keep their trash...no trash cans in the streets. I also love the food! It's everywhere. 7/11 in the Philippines is where you buy stuff when you have no other choice coz it's a bit pricey. In Taiwan, it's your everyday hero! Good food and reasonable price. I did notice too that people avoid the priority seats and not everyone who "looks" old would take the priority seat. Here in the Philippines, we offer seats to seniors and they would gladly take it. In Taiwan, I offered it to an old lady and she refused it. I'm not sure if I came across as offensive.
When I moved to Taiwan 18 years ago, bringing your own toilet paper packets was wise. Now, it's unnecessary. I don't recall the last time I went into a public restroom that didn't have toilet paper.
I believe bubble tea originally refers to 泡沫紅茶 which is the little bubbly foams you get when you mix the drinks in a cocktail shaker, but with the rise of popularity of the tapioca pearls, the meaning of "bubble" was misconstrued and evolved to mean "boba". When the boba craze started in Taiwan, a lot of shops actually do use the word "boba" but because of the crude innuendo, people changed to "pearls" instead. My point is, you can call it whatever you want, just enjoy the drink!
I tried my Garmin GPS in Taiwan, nothing. The bloody thing is a Taiwanese product and it doesn't work here. The have a few that will, but most don't. But Google knows every little ally out there. It rocks.
I love this video! However, I think the Taiwanese girl on the right confused the story about lychee (which are harvested in summer but used to be so rare that most of them had to be sent to the palace for a concubine Yang Guifei) with boba. also some brands in Taiwan did call those drinks 波 (bo)霸 (ba)奶茶, “Big boobs milk tea". It originally came from a transliteration of the English word "bubble", though, so simply calling it bubble tea makes sense. (The term boba lived on in order to differentiate between bigger and smaller tapioca bubbles)
Born and raised in Taiwan, half of this stuff is honestly not a big deal. No one really cares if you call it “boba” or if you ask what food is before eating it. These little rules honestly seem more like a fun thing for the foreigners and tourists, fun little rules so they can feel like they’re in a different culture. Doesn’t hurt to follow them! But also no one will care if you don’t.
Watching this video made me miss living there. Worked a 1 year contract as an English teacher. Random people would ask me if they could practice English.
JK JK - Aka the last bastion of free China. The provinces of Taiwan and a small part of Fujian that currently make up the territory of the Republic of China are not controlled by the Communists (Kungchantang). Since the PRC took the ROC’s seat in 1971, the ROC has been an orphan state in the international stage currently recognized by 14 states + Vatican as “China”. Others have trade offices everywhere. Obviously, I would’ve gone to a Taipei gay parade or a strip dance funeral blasting BTS songs! :)
Totally agree with street food! I think if any country offers street food, that is the best way to experience the country's food. If you haven't eaten oyster omlette, ba wan, stinky tofu, hujiao Bing... You really haven't experienced Taiwan. Just like if you go to Thailand, if you haven't eaten boat noodles, pad Thai, satay... You haven't really experienced Thailand.
Very nice video, but the trash trucks are usually in the evening not the morning. so true about the moms pushing the kids to speak English. Also you should have mentioned no tips! it is one of the biggest things here that westerners dont have to do. No tipping whatsoever, it's amazing. Taiwanese work harder than westerners and they dont recieve any tips. Great video, enjoyed it, should continue more about Taiwan, because a lot don't know about Taiwan and it is definitely a gem
@@lyn1940 yeah possibly. when I lived in kaohsiung, my apartment building collected the trash, so idk about kaohsiung when I lived on Sanduo hahaha but in Tainan, it's in the evening. i do remember hearing trash trucks at night in Cijing in kaohsiung though
@@bubbasvn The video did mention that the people had to carry the trash out of their houses to the garbage trucks. Now I'm thinking about it, when I was in Kaoshiung and Changhua both, I saw people taking their trash out by hand to the garbage truck in the daylight. But in Hsinchu, I would hear the garbage truck in the evening and the apartment building took care of it, you just bring your trash downstairs to the center.
@@lyn1940 haha yeah no problem, it's like you said just depends on the city I guess. it's still an interesting feature that Taiwan offers, and something not to confuse with an ice cream truck hahaha
Fyi.. @6:00 Taipei buses changed their rules yet again. If you're using easycard you have to put it on the sensor when you get on and when you get off.
so actually, they changed the bus fee system this year. if you travel with Easy Card, you have to swipe it when you get on and off, the machine would calculate the fee for you. Cash is the same, pay when get on the bus.
It is very true. Boba really does mean big boobs here in Taiwan. So whenever I'm in Europe or America and I see or hear boba I can't help but stare and occasionally let out a snicker
They recently changed the bus payments. If you use an Easycard (which you should! it works for bus, ubike, MRT, and paying in 7-11) you tap your card when you get on and off and like you said it just knows how much to charge. Also, definitely try the beef noodle soup, the pork pepper buns, and the soup dumplings!
I've been to Taiwan multiple times and have gained friends there who are pretty open to talking about cross-strait issues. But most of my friends are Pan-Green so...
I feel like the MRT/Public transport thing is true for most countries except the US, cause in Australia that stuff is common sense and our school was very strict about etiquette and offering up seats etc.
I have visited Taipei three times and never experienced any Taiwanese getting offended when talking about politics or relations with China. For the younger generation in Taiwan, I think they're extremely reasonable when discussing politics, and from my experience, younger Taiwanese almost unanimously agree anyway, that Taiwan is just Taiwan. So just ask, man. Taiwan is also wonderful because of its freedom; not just 珍奶
It's an old school thing in older public bathrooms, but there might be at least 1 western toilet available since there might be people who have disability or such and can't use squat type. A lot of newer bathrooms and in nicer private homes will be western style and you might even find Japanese toilets.
The rules changed for the buses here, You now tap on and off the bus. The buffer zones are really confusing I agree thank god they changed the payment system
I mean... when you say 波霸奶茶 in Cantonese (roughly "boh bah nai cha") it sounds just like "boba". Yes, people also say 珍珠奶茶, aka "pearl milk tea". It's spread all over and both names have been used so 🤷♂️
I believe the reason why bubble tea was call boba was due to the fact that when taiwanese bubble tea got introduced to other countries like years ago(20 years at least for me in my country Singapore), the basic version's name was called 波霸奶茶 which translate to big boobs milk tea or boba milk tea.
I love this, I really want to go all across Asia and I would love to see more of these for different Asian countries as well as African and South American.
3. You can use mrt restroom (if ur in Taipei )this soooo clean in every station and it provide toilet paper and if you wasn’t going to use mrt you can tell the station stuff and they will let you enter and you can use the toilet for free just make sure to exit the same entrance 7. U totally can sit on priority seat !!!!! It’s for everyone to use of corse if elderly came we will give the seat to them but no one really judge u if ure sitting on it (it have change recent years )especially if ur a foreigner taiwanese are kind 8? Some boba store if you tell them I want 珍珠奶茶 aka pearl milk tea they will give u small pearls you have to say boba milk tea to get bigger pearls (50嵐)
Think of it as tissues for personal universal use. Similar to napkins, they don't always provide paper napkins at eateries especially street stalls or hawker centers.
My guess is that zhenzhu naicha vs boba naicha is Taiwanese mandarin vs Mainland mandarin (like American English vs British english). And I was always told never to open gifts in front of people because it makes you look needy/like a beggar.
@@naomiscott1318 I love Taipei. Lived there for two years. The traffic can be a bit crazy and always look before you cross because scooters, cars, and buses will run red lights. Do you know how to ride a scooter? It'll make getting around easy.
@@naomiscott1318 They make a huge difference in Taiwan. I like Gogoro, but they can be a bit expensive if you can't get all of the rebates. They're electric, but with the power of most gas scooters.
Gifts in Chinese culture - ugh. I mean, in some cultures you have to refuse a few times before accepting. But with Chinese, it might be that or it might be that you should keep not accepting, even though you have a flight to catch. And there is no sign which situation is which. You might decline a dozen times and finally accept to end this or not seem rude - a dozen times seems like they really want you to have the gift, right? But no, by the time you get back to America your mother has had a phone call about how rude you were in accepting the gift. And people wonder why I just prefer to travel without seeing relatives.
Buy an easy card which is the public transport card, it can be used like a debit card as Taiwan is still a cash based society. If you don't speak Mandarin the Google translate app with real-time photo translate will save you many times as English translations are not the norm except government infrastructure. Also all MRT and bus stations have bins if you need one. Also the easy card can be used on the extremely useful U bike bike rental system. Also watch where you step as the footpaths are not the same Hight at each shop and sometimes vary about a foot. Scooters and black German cars won't stop for you at pedestrian crossings, scooter go around you and if you are on the roads beware of taxis who pull over without warning and don't seem to follow road rules.
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My biggest recommendation if you're visiting Taiwan is to buy an Easy Card for public transportation when you get here. There are kiosks at every MRT station and most will have an option for English. You just buy a card and add money, no registration or entering personal details. You can then use it for the MRT, buses, some taxis, trains, and you can even use it to buy stuff at some convenience stores. You'll want to add money periodically, just to be sure you don't have too much excess left on the card when you leave (I don't know if it can be refunded anywhere). There's also an MRT route directly from the airport into Taiwan. It's faster and much more convenient than a taxi or bus.
Taiwan has excellent public transportation, SO MANY parks, the kindest people, the tastiest food, and so much natural beauty. I have never felt unsafe here and I consider myself incredibly lucky that I get to call it my new home. I highly recommend a visit here, just remember to please be respectful, kind, and clean up after yourself. Watch what everyone else is doing to make sure you're following the rules, and if you have trouble, ask! It really is one of the friendliest places.
Honestly, makes traveling soooo much easier
You can refund the $ on your easy card at any MRT station, just go to the information booth. However, if you refund it, your EasyCard will deactivate and you can no longer use it anymore. If you wanna come back to Taiwan (you should *wink*), you don’t need to refund it. You can also spend EasyCard money at many stores and restaurants (just look for the EasyCard logo at the cashier) to use up excess $. But there are so many great EasyCard designs you can always get extra cool ones :3
@@Victorian170809 Thanks! I didn't know if they could be refunded because, since I live in Taiwan now, I have no plans to ask for a refund :D
I’ve been there and 100% agree with your advice!
nice advice
I'm Taiwanese and I sit on the priority seats when there is no one using it, and I will keep my eye on every person who comes in to see if they need it. Use it if you want, just remember to give it to someone that might need it more then you. And don't judge anyone who sits there even tho they might seem perfectly fine. They might have some issues that we can not notice with our eyes, such as period pain or some silent issue that doesn't allow them to stand for a long time.
I have runners knee and tho I might seem young and healthy from the outside, walking properly and everything... it hurts after a long stand. I'm always afraid of being wrongly judge when I'm using the priority seats. I hope everyone can understand there might be some hidden problems for the people who is using the priority chairs and be more considerate :)
can u ask to sit in a priority seat? like if u need it
Some of the things they say I feel are kinda outdated (mainly in Taipei). I can find water in most restaurants (sometimes you just have to ask), bus is pay on AND off, people are usually pretty open to talking about the TW and CH issue if you’re curious and ask respectfully (they don’t get offended at all!) if anything, I think that Taiwanese people, especially young people, are happy to share about the political situation, thanks free speech and freedom in general! 🇹🇼 toilet paper is more available in public restrooms recently too, but sometimes you have to get it from outside of the stall before you go in. Taiwan is a free country and very safe to visit or live! 🇹🇼❤️
You can get water, but it's usually a tiny glass and often warm.
the bus system is sometimes pay on and sometimes off, and sometimes both. It depends on which part of the route you get on/off. There is usually a light at the front of the buses that will indicate which one it is.
Jado Bleu they changed it in August I think, now you have to pay on and off on every bus line...
Cold water, which foreigners like Americans prefer, is hard to find because they usually serve tea or warm/hot water, and you pay when you get on/off buses but it changes depending on what line and how far you go. Taiwan changed at a pretty fast rate
@@frostfire827 The policy has changed since a few years ago, at least in Taipei.
春水堂 (Chun Shui Tang) is usually credited as the inventor of Boba/Pearl/Bubble Tea around the 1980s (disputable), but the history of the pearl itself dates much earlier than that. Nobody actually knows who invented it, but it can at least be dated back to the 50s, likely earlier. It was generally called 粉圓 (fen yuan) outside of the bubble tea context, and has been widely consumed as toppings in shaved ice or other sweets to this date.
Love it!
I also agree! We need to brand and spread the knowledge that Taiwanese invented Boba! South Koreans and Japanese brand everything from banana milk to small snacks, so we need to do the same.
Beethoven forever will be burned in my mind because of the trash trucks lol
Tururururuuuuuuu tururu tururuuuu
I love taiwannnnnnnnnn that place is so underrated
Anthea Holmes me too. Taiwan is my favourite country. Its too underrated, yes.
awwwwww thank u guys
Edward Chen i sometimes wish I lived there but I settle for just visiting every year
I love Taiwan so much. Every time I leave, I miss it. The locals are so nice and the culture is so rich. Also... Milk tea, my absolute favorite! I wish I spoke Mandarin so that I could eat more lol
"zidan tou lieche" for bullet train ??? In Taiwan, it is called 高鐵 (Gāotiě).
You got 子彈頭列車 zǐdàn tóu lièchē from Google Translate, but I have never heard anyone using this word to describe Taiwanese High Speed Railway.
Maybe for the Japanese Shinkansen or for the Chinese one, but definitely not in Taiwan.
Guillaume P. Same I’ve only heard 高鐵
also called 高铁 in mainland china!
I’m Taiwanese but I never heard or acknowledged about “boba” was used to be a gift to the empire🤔🤔🤔
SAME
As a bobaologist, I have never heard of that.
波霸奶茶啊~
@@lunar_python8359 樓上是指沒聽過珍奶或珍珠很久以前是獻給皇帝的東西 我是只聽過有可能是春水堂或翰林茶館創辦人發明的🤔
可能是誤會了"貢茶"這個品牌了！
Who's Taiwanese 🙋
🙋
Me!!!
Who speaks Taiwanese? (Hokkien)
+1
TAIWAN NUMBA ONE
Actually instead of "boba", you can just call it pearl for the regular size one, and call it "small pearl" (小珍珠) for the small version :D
I always just ad the "da" if I want the little ones, I've never heard anyone here say boba. Even the English on the menus say pearl.
I moved to Taiwan at age 18 on my own
Currently been here for a year now and love this beautiful island 💜
I love Taiwan so much, the people are really nice and friendly AND the food’s great! Also, I just call them pearls and small pearls instead of boba. One thing to mention tho, the priority seat are for ‘those who need it’.. and arguably many people now starts to understand that it’s OKAY to sit on it when you’re not feeling well or when u need it. But do give it to those who need it even more. Some Taiwan people is currently encouraging people to not judge others when they sit on the priority seats because not all disability can be ‘seen’.
The transportation in Taiwan is great too. It takes around 1-2 hours high speed rail from Taipei to Kaohsiung or 3-4 hours by bus (which is like travelling from one city to another in the UK lol)... they have great bento on trains too! Must try! I used to hate stinky tofu too, I tried it by pinching my nose and eating them, and I fell in love 🤤🤤 also if u travel to Taiwan, pls don’t try those mainstream bubble tea u see in other countries like Xingfutang or idk... there’s great brands with great bubble tea everywhere! Experience at different shops 😆
I also personally think that it’s pretty safe compared to many other countries. The police are super nice and helpful and even if u don’t know Mandarin, many people will try their best to help u!
I wish there was more Taiwan content online (unless there is, and I can’t find any), because I don’t have anything to connect me being half Taiwanese with, so whenever I meet someone who is Taiwanese, I’m like “OMG UR ONE OF US? OMG WE ARE PRETTY MUCH SIBLINGS” I hecka love this video so much thank you!
this video: "don't call it boba. they're pearls. why would you call it boba? that means big boobs"
also this video: "pearls are the smaller ones, boba are the bigger ones. here are all the kinds of boba available"
The thing is, Boba means 'bubble tea' but in a different chinese dialect (which is found in china, not taiwan). I guess its because most american people call it boba, so they use it here.
But yes in Taiwan, say 'bubble tea'.
@@chickensooup bubble tea originated in taiwan in 80s......so there is no dialect issue.
the generic term for this drink is literally "pearl milk tea", however, there are some major chain makes that difference between the size so yea
Sorry for the confusion! Let me clarify: Boba means exactly what you're used to ordering in a boba drink (ie. boba milk tea). If you order pearls, they are smaller versions of boba. Some places use them synonymously, so in many American boba tea shops, boba and pearls will be the same size. If you go to Taiwan, many places will have pearls AND boba, which differentiate between the two. Boba is not a direct translation to "big boobs." It's slang for big boobs, so if you talk about boba in a normal setting, no one will think you're talking about big boobs. But if you point to a girl and say boba, the context is that you're using the slang meaning "big boobs." Lol.. does that make sense? 😅
@@jasminepak you can point to a girl and say the plural of just about anything (assuming you're the type of person to do so) and people will take that to mean boobs. jugs, cans, melons, and on and on and on. but that wouldn't stop you using those words in their normal, non-creepy context, or give them a sexual connotation when used normally. which is why "don't call it boba, that means big boobs" makes no sense, but it goes on to make even less sense given that it's then used to describe all types of boba/pearls/bubbles mentioned after that, including by the girl who said not to call it that.
if it's just a matter of differentiating between sizes, with boba being the generic size and pearls being smaller, that's a completely different story, but that's less an etiquette thing/way you're traveling wrong (don't call it boba, it's rude) and more just a technical distinction.
Love this video! I'm actually living in Taiwan now for the time being so this was a fun video for me to watch. I love Taiwanese people.They actually changed the rule about the buses now. You have swipe when you get on and off now. And now if you need a trashcan you just throw it away at the MRT. A lot of people save their trash and throw it away at the MRT.
Yeah, live in Tainan too, but no mention of it
I'd like to visit Taiwan one day.
Welcome
as a taiwanese american, i was really happy to see this video and learn new stuff!
I LOVE VISITING TAIWAN so much!!!! the food, the people, the scenery, etc. wow. this country is amazing and beautiful.
I’m looking forward to visiting and eventually moving to Taiwan to learn Chinese. My Taiwanese friends are the nicest and cutest.
Southern Ballerina that’s a lovely idea and I strongly encourage you to! I lived in Taiwan to learn Chinese too and I miss the country so much
highly recommend learning chinese before going. not everyone knows english there
Dumpster fire I guess I should have clarified I’ve been learning for the last 3 years. It’s more to be immersed and be able to use it. I will be attending University while there as well.
It's great you've studied a lot of Chinese already, but it's not a necessity. My parents, Americans, just visited us in Taichung and they can speak a grand total of 5 words. They did just fine getting around town and getting food.
What areas are you thinking of visiting?
I miss Taiwan, and I am missing it more because of this! Can't wait to comebackkkk
i remember being in taiwan and we got lost. then this local helped us get to a mrt station, like she really walked us to the mrt station even if she wasnt going to enter
I’m going to Taiwan during the Lunar new year! I can’t wait!! Milk tea everyday!!!
Louise Bezuidenhout there isn’t really an “Asian new year” its more of each culture has a different one :)
Boba is only usually used in America. I think pearl is widely used in Asia.
Bubble may be used more often.
Yeah, Bubble tea is more commonly used
Yeah it's bubble tea in Australia
They've since updated the policy of using EasyCards on the bus. Riders now have to swipe their EasyCards when they get on and off a bus in Taipei & New Taipei City. This was done because people (locals and tourists) get confused all the time.
VYZD846 “swipe” isn’t necessarily the right word, it’s more like a tap in tap out system.
Yep they changed that and so also it is cheaper
As a local Taiwanese, I strongly disagree with Point 7 about not sitting on priority seats.
ANYONE CAN SIT ON PRIORITY SEATS.
Priority seats are just designed for people to kindly give their seats to those in need, such as the elderlies, physically challenged people, pregnant women or people holding babies/young children, but it is not mandatory.
What she said in the video about old grannies yelling at people for sitting on priority seats is somehow true, but it seldom happens. Even if it happened, you can totally ignore the person yelling at you cause you've done nothing wrong.
So I strongly disagree with encouraging people to not sit on priority seats.
Just remember that you have the right to choose whether to give the priority seat you're sitting to others or not, but it's not mandatory, and don't force yourself to give it to others when you also need the seat.
Having said that, the spirit of priority seats is still a great custom, so even if you're just sitting on a regular seat, you can still give it in when you see people who need it more than you do. :)
This is mostly about Taipei. Also, all Taipei and New Taipei buses are swipe (tap) on and swipe off for paying with metro card as of fall 2019.
So I'm American, but both my parents are Taiwanese and I grew up calling bubble tea Boba nai cha. I think in Taipei they call it pearl tea (Zhen zhu nai cha) because in Taipei they gear more towards mandarin. In the more southern areas of Taiwan saying Boba gets more common because more people speak Taiwanese there and Boba is part of the Taiwanese dialect (not traditional mandarin).
Thank you for making this video because I am a proud Taiwanese and Taiwan is the best place in the world which is so safe and has reasonably priced high-quality food.
I love and miss Taiwan! New Taipei, Taipei, and Kaohsiung were the places we've went. I want to go to Taichung next time.
Don't miss Tainan.
Welcome.
I’ve learned a lot in this video. Thank you so much 👍
I always heard the bubble tea story “a girl was bored at her meeting or whatever, and she decided to dump her tapioca pudding into her iced tea. Then, when other tea shop owners heard about it, they started making it and other variations like the larger pearls and small ones, different teas, etc.
1. You can sit in the priority seats, just be aware of your surroundings and give up the seat for those in need or pregnant women wearing their special button.
2. The not knowing when to tap your card on or off the bus in Taipei was recently changed in July 2019 to always tap on AND off. No more confusion.
Hi! The public buses in Taipei/New Taipei are now always tap on and tap off, as of 2019/7/1 🙌🏼 SO much more convenient!!
Love how they talk about the MRT.... and then show a picture of a bus.
How I miss eating out in Taiwan!! I love your video and everything makes me miss Taiwan again and again!!
I went there before and immediaately fell in love of the people, food,city itself and just loveeeeeee taiwannn
Thank you
CAUSE iM TAIWANESE
You're correct. "Boba" is a Cantonese slang for "big boobs" and was a nickname for Hong Kong sex symbol Amy Yip which some Taiwanese vendors adopted for their bubble tea drinks to attract customers. Since Chinese Americans on the West Coast were predominantly Cantonese speakers, the word "boba" stuck around in the Chinese American community. Those on the East Coast or North Side (Canada) prefer to call it "bubble tea" as the drink caught on at a later date and have more diverse Chinese populations than just Cantonese.
I'm a transnational student and i've been to Taiwan twice for a long period of times, and I looooooovvvvveeeeeeeeeeeee Taiwan! I love the food, the hospitality and the transportation system as well. I'll go there again
On TW buses there’s usually screens up front and at back door showing if you should swipe when aboarding or getting off. It’ll look like: 上車刷票（when aboard) / 下車刷票（when getting off)
Ba-wan, we eat similar like that in Jiufen. The red yeast meatball, so good and unique😋 7-Eleven in Taiwan is lit, few meters away then you find another one shop.
Time to pay the power bill? 7-11
Time to pay for my gogoro plan? 7-11
shipping? 7-11
parking? 7-11
snack? 7-11
gas? ...not 7-11
AiZhe NA haha so true
Cool video! I definitely learnt stuff that I didn’t know! 👌🏻👌🏻
i've been to taiwan like 3/4 times and i still miss it 😭
We just got back from Taiwan yesterday. Amazing transport system! It's so easy to stroll around. Also, people are genuinely nice and orderly. They struggle to speak in English but they will really try to help you. And yes, you'd notice how people keep their trash...no trash cans in the streets. I also love the food! It's everywhere. 7/11 in the Philippines is where you buy stuff when you have no other choice coz it's a bit pricey. In Taiwan, it's your everyday hero! Good food and reasonable price. I did notice too that people avoid the priority seats and not everyone who "looks" old would take the priority seat. Here in the Philippines, we offer seats to seniors and they would gladly take it. In Taiwan, I offered it to an old lady and she refused it. I'm not sure if I came across as offensive.
When I moved to Taiwan 18 years ago, bringing your own toilet paper packets was wise. Now, it's unnecessary. I don't recall the last time I went into a public restroom that didn't have toilet paper.
I believe bubble tea originally refers to 泡沫紅茶 which is the little bubbly foams you get when you mix the drinks in a cocktail shaker, but with the rise of popularity of the tapioca pearls, the meaning of "bubble" was misconstrued and evolved to mean "boba". When the boba craze started in Taiwan, a lot of shops actually do use the word "boba" but because of the crude innuendo, people changed to "pearls" instead. My point is, you can call it whatever you want, just enjoy the drink!
They were always called pearls but it was a specific vendor that called it "boba" as a tribute to the Hong Kong sex symbol Amy Yip.
“Ish” can relate
I loooooooooooove Taiwan!!!!!! amazing place I discovered last summer! people are amazing!
I swear saying “google is your best friend” is an Asian thing. My mum has been literally saying it to me since I was 8
I tried my Garmin GPS in Taiwan, nothing. The bloody thing is a Taiwanese product and it doesn't work here. The have a few that will, but most don't. But Google knows every little ally out there. It rocks.
@@aizhena1116 google has been there for me more than most people in my life 😶
I am french, and I can see "Google est ton ami" absolutely everywhere on forum, Facebook groups etc.
Taiwanese breakfast! 🤤
I love this video! However, I think the Taiwanese girl on the right confused the story about lychee (which are harvested in summer but used to be so rare that most of them had to be sent to the palace for a concubine Yang Guifei) with boba. also some brands in Taiwan did call those drinks 波 (bo)霸 (ba)奶茶, “Big boobs milk tea". It originally came from a transliteration of the English word "bubble", though, so simply calling it bubble tea makes sense. (The term boba lived on in order to differentiate between bigger and smaller tapioca bubbles)
Born and raised in Taiwan, half of this stuff is honestly not a big deal. No one really cares if you call it “boba” or if you ask what food is before eating it. These little rules honestly seem more like a fun thing for the foreigners and tourists, fun little rules so they can feel like they’re in a different culture. Doesn’t hurt to follow them! But also no one will care if you don’t.
Watching this video made me miss living there. Worked a 1 year contract as an English teacher. Random people would ask me if they could practice English.
Taiwan is a free and secure country. This is a vegetarian paradise. It is also a paradise for bicycles.
JK JK - Aka the last bastion of free China. The provinces of Taiwan and a small part of Fujian that currently make up the territory of the Republic of China are not controlled by the Communists (Kungchantang).
Since the PRC took the ROC’s seat in 1971, the ROC has been an orphan state in the international stage currently recognized by 14 states + Vatican as “China”. Others have trade offices everywhere.
Obviously, I would’ve gone to a Taipei gay parade or a strip dance funeral blasting BTS songs! :)
Thanks for this. I go to Taiwan in a week and theres some great pointers here. Anyway, guess who going to be practising their squatting this week?
Spent an immersive summer in Tainan, this is so nostalgic
Totally agree with street food! I think if any country offers street food, that is the best way to experience the country's food. If you haven't eaten oyster omlette, ba wan, stinky tofu, hujiao Bing... You really haven't experienced Taiwan. Just like if you go to Thailand, if you haven't eaten boat noodles, pad Thai, satay... You haven't really experienced Thailand.
I got told off for the drinking on MRT - woops lesson learnt! Can't wait to go back
Now on buses, you need to scan your yoyo card when you get on and off. Haha.
So cool!!! I will visit Taiwan this summer and I am so excited! I will stay there 30 Days!
Very nice video, but the trash trucks are usually in the evening not the morning.
so true about the moms pushing the kids to speak English.
Also you should have mentioned no tips! it is one of the biggest things here that westerners dont have to do. No tipping whatsoever, it's amazing. Taiwanese work harder than westerners and they dont recieve any tips.
Great video, enjoyed it, should continue more about Taiwan, because a lot don't know about Taiwan and it is definitely a gem
I think it's different in different places. When I was in Kaoshiung, they came by in the morning.
@@lyn1940 yeah possibly. when I lived in kaohsiung, my apartment building collected the trash, so idk about kaohsiung when I lived on Sanduo hahaha but in Tainan, it's in the evening. i do remember hearing trash trucks at night in Cijing in kaohsiung though
@@bubbasvn The video did mention that the people had to carry the trash out of their houses to the garbage trucks. Now I'm thinking about it, when I was in Kaoshiung and Changhua both, I saw people taking their trash out by hand to the garbage truck in the daylight. But in Hsinchu, I would hear the garbage truck in the evening and the apartment building took care of it, you just bring your trash downstairs to the center.
@@lyn1940 haha yeah no problem, it's like you said just depends on the city I guess. it's still an interesting feature that Taiwan offers, and something not to confuse with an ice cream truck hahaha
That jasmine girl still calls it cough boba I die hearing people saying that word istg
Nice video !👍👍
Fyi.. @6:00 Taipei buses changed their rules yet again. If you're using easycard you have to put it on the sensor when you get on and when you get off.
so actually, they changed the bus fee system this year. if you travel with Easy Card, you have to swipe it when you get on and off, the machine would calculate the fee for you. Cash is the same, pay when get on the bus.
Gosh~ I love two of them... Pls pls more videos two of them..
Thank u
It is very true. Boba really does mean big boobs here in Taiwan. So whenever I'm in Europe or America and I see or hear boba I can't help but stare and occasionally let out a snicker
They recently changed the bus payments. If you use an Easycard (which you should! it works for bus, ubike, MRT, and paying in 7-11) you tap your card when you get on and off and like you said it just knows how much to charge. Also, definitely try the beef noodle soup, the pork pepper buns, and the soup dumplings!
I once went to Taiwan in the night market and I thought the garbage truck was the ice-cream truck because it played music ;-;
Her smile is her laugh. Wow.
My smile and laugh is just.... Nvm. Lmaoooo
I've been to Taiwan multiple times and have gained friends there who are pretty open to talking about cross-strait issues. But most of my friends are Pan-Green so...
Ah...so that's why my mom shuts me up if I ask her what she's tryna feed me🤣🤣🤣
I miss stinky tofu. I'm very Canadian but everytime I go back I got to have it. I'm a Canadian Taiwanese. Greetings from Canada
I feel like the MRT/Public transport thing is true for most countries except the US, cause in Australia that stuff is common sense and our school was very strict about etiquette and offering up seats etc.
follow the crowd when crossing the big roads. the amount of motorcycles (that don't really stop for you) can be pretty scary
I gotta hit up Taiwan ASAP
I have visited Taipei three times and never experienced any Taiwanese getting offended when talking about politics or relations with China. For the younger generation in Taiwan, I think they're extremely reasonable when discussing politics, and from my experience, younger Taiwanese almost unanimously agree anyway, that Taiwan is just Taiwan. So just ask, man. Taiwan is also wonderful because of its freedom; not just 珍奶
woah the bathroom toilet situation is crazy never even knew that was a thing that sucks what the hell and it seems dangerous 😂
It's an old school thing in older public bathrooms, but there might be at least 1 western toilet available since there might be people who have disability or such and can't use squat type. A lot of newer bathrooms and in nicer private homes will be western style and you might even find Japanese toilets.
I love Taiwan! Something I noticed is that you MUST have access to cash because so many places don't accept cards.
definitely a point that should have been mentioned
I hear Boba used in Taiwan all the time now. The Boba just means large tapioca pearls in this context.
I miss visit Taiwan hope I can take my family next year.
The rules changed for the buses here, You now tap on and off the bus. The buffer zones are really confusing I agree thank god they changed the payment system
I mean... when you say 波霸奶茶 in Cantonese (roughly "boh bah nai cha") it sounds just like "boba". Yes, people also say 珍珠奶茶, aka "pearl milk tea". It's spread all over and both names have been used so 🤷♂️
I believe the reason why bubble tea was call boba was due to the fact that when taiwanese bubble tea got introduced to other countries like years ago(20 years at least for me in my country Singapore), the basic version's name was called 波霸奶茶 which translate to big boobs milk tea or boba milk tea.
how come nobody is talking about the chicken testicles???
and boba translation
What more needs to be said?
Do you need more detail? They look more like whitish meatballs. Kind of like the fish meatballs.
back to 90s , they pronounce bubble sounds like boba, and that's why.
Good to know! 👍👍
i knew boba was made in taiwan :D . my group and i in college did a whole presentation about it lol
I love this, I really want to go all across Asia and I would love to see more of these for different Asian countries as well as African and South American.
3. You can use mrt restroom (if ur in Taipei )this soooo clean in every station and it provide toilet paper and if you wasn’t going to use mrt you can tell the station stuff and they will let you enter and you can use the toilet for free just make sure to exit the same entrance
7. U totally can sit on priority seat !!!!! It’s for everyone to use of corse if elderly came we will give the seat to them but no one really judge u if ure sitting on it (it have change recent years )especially if ur a foreigner taiwanese are kind
8? Some boba store if you tell them I want 珍珠奶茶 aka pearl milk tea they will give u small pearls you have to say boba milk tea to get bigger pearls (50嵐)
Christina Yang I always go to the MRT restrooms! Best option if you really need to
I generally don't bring toilet paper with me.
Think of it as tissues for personal universal use. Similar to napkins, they don't always provide paper napkins at eateries especially street stalls or hawker centers.
Awesome video 👏🏻
Now I just need to start traveling.. merghhh
My guess is that zhenzhu naicha vs boba naicha is Taiwanese mandarin vs Mainland mandarin (like American English vs British english).
And I was always told never to open gifts in front of people because it makes you look needy/like a beggar.
My mom mix milk and tea together since 2003 well I guess pearls/boba was not yet invented back then lol it would be great to have it with boba! ❣️
I'm moving to Taiwan so this was very helpful! 谢谢你!
What area are you moving to?
@@aizhena1116 Taipei hopefully
@@naomiscott1318 I love Taipei. Lived there for two years. The traffic can be a bit crazy and always look before you cross because scooters, cars, and buses will run red lights.
Do you know how to ride a scooter? It'll make getting around easy.
@@aizhena1116 i have never ridden a scooter although i want to learn
@@naomiscott1318 They make a huge difference in Taiwan. I like Gogoro, but they can be a bit expensive if you can't get all of the rebates. They're electric, but with the power of most gas scooters.
I wanna go back to Taiwan to eat Milk tea ice cream lol
Gifts in Chinese culture - ugh. I mean, in some cultures you have to refuse a few times before accepting.
But with Chinese, it might be that or it might be that you should keep not accepting, even though you have a flight to catch. And there is no sign which situation is which. You might decline a dozen times and finally accept to end this or not seem rude - a dozen times seems like they really want you to have the gift, right?
But no, by the time you get back to America your mother has had a phone call about how rude you were in accepting the gift.
And people wonder why I just prefer to travel without seeing relatives.
Buy an easy card which is the public transport card, it can be used like a debit card as Taiwan is still a cash based society. If you don't speak Mandarin the Google translate app with real-time photo translate will save you many times as English translations are not the norm except government infrastructure. Also all MRT and bus stations have bins if you need one. Also the easy card can be used on the extremely useful U bike bike rental system. Also watch where you step as the footpaths are not the same Hight at each shop and sometimes vary about a foot. Scooters and black German cars won't stop for you at pedestrian crossings, scooter go around you and if you are on the roads beware of taxis who pull over without warning and don't seem to follow road rules.
It has changedddd ! You now tap the card on and off the bus !!!