5 ways to survive Taiwan's roads

Faster than a speeding bullet train. More powerful than a python as he weaves through congested traffic. Able to fly through red-lighted intersections without a single scathe. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's the scooter driver flying down the road, thinking he is the invincible superman.

Ok, not all scooter and car drivers in Taiwan are reckless. There are the cautious drivers, 'stay with the traffic' drivers, oblivious drivers and, 'let me show you I'm cool' drivers. That being said, here are 5 ways you can stay accident-free.

1. Learn to ‘blend’. You need to change your mindset. Who has the right away and who is right and wrong is not valued. Instead, drivers blend into the available space.

2. Be predictable. Whether you are turning right or making a u-turn, use your turn signal and do it slowly so everyone knows what you are doing.

3. Approach blind spots with caution. This includes driving around trucks or buses, turning into intersections where vehicles are blocking your view and pulling out of any space when you can't see oncoming traffic.

4. Never expect the scooter lane to be free of parked vehicles. It could be a supply truck unloading convenient store goods or a customer who wants to buy a drink from the tea stand. Parking is very limited. So doubled-parked cars that sit on scooter lanes is not uncommon.

5. Never be the first one to pull out of an intersection when the light turns green. A stray scooter, car, bus, or truck could be barreling through that "yellowish-red" light. Also, a driver on the opposing lane might be turning left before the oncoming traffic gets started.

bathroom mirror - what is the purpose of the plug?

Many bathroom mirrors in Taiwan have a plug but no light.  Do you wonder what's its purpose?  Plug it in and flip the switch on (some don't have switches) and a heating unit will heat up the mirror.  This will defog your mirror when you are taking a shower.  Pretty awesome. (Don't forget to unplug or turn it off after you shower.)

National Health Card, Do I qualify? How do I get one?

Want to know if you qualify and how to get a health card.  Go to this website for the all the info: National Health Card

How to replace your lost health card

You checked all your pockets and bags and all the nooks and crannies in your apartment to no avail.  Ok, so you lost your health card. Don't worry, replacing it isn't too hard. It can be done in less than an hour (depending on how busy they are). How do I know?  My health card had once disappear too.

And the best national cuisine in the world is ...

I recently read an article rating the best food in the world. Listed at number one was American fare.  I then looked at the source of the article.  You guessed it, it was written by an American.  My guess would be that if the same article was written by an Aussie, Brit, Japanese or you name it, the top position would probably be their respected national cuisine.

Is that an ice cream truck?

Do you hear music in the air?  Don't think ice cream, instead, think trash.  That's right.  Garbage trucks make regular stops throughout the city collecting residents' and businesses' trash that people bring out to the truck.  This system seems effective since the environment is not the most conducive for leaving trash bags outside. If you live in an apartment, you probably don't have to worry about this because most apartment buildings provide dumpsters for you to empty your trash.  This means you don't have to dance down the street as you chase down a music playing garbage truck.

Stamp or chop?

Did you know that the stamp people use in Asia for an official document, including the ones with their names on it, is called a chop. If you use your Chinese name at your bank, you may find that you are a proud owner of your own chop.