Bringing the Best of Britain to Taiwan

As a Brit who has lived in Taiwan for more than 11 years, I now call Taiwan (and Tainan in particular) my home. Going back to England now is "going on holiday", while coming back to Taiwan is "coming home". 

I love Taiwan with all its glorious food, warm and friendly people, fisticuffs in the legislature, eccentric driving habits, blood red betel nut stains on the sidewalk looking like something out of CSI Miami, inane variety shows, cross-dressing TV hosts, psychopathic taxi drivers, scooter boys, and betel nut girls. But, of course, there are still many things I miss about England; fish and chips, a nice cup of tea at 4 o’ clock, cucumber sandwiches, the Royal Family, wet and windy summer days on the beach, people stripping off as the temperature soars above 22 degrees C, postmen wearing shorts even on the coldest and snowiest winter mornings, David Beckham’s left foot, to name but a few. However, of all the things I miss, British sweets are without doubt the thing I miss the most. Of course, we can buy sweets here in Taiwan, but not real old-fashioned English ones; not the ones I remember eating as a child. So, one time when I was back in England on holiday a few years ago, I brought some sweets back with me so that I could satisfy my sweet tooth craving whenever it struck me.  Friends in Taiwan tried them and liked them too, and so they told their friends, who then told their friends, who told their friends, and so on. Before you know it, I was bringing back sweets not just for me, but for a whole bunch of other people too.

In the meantime, I was clowning around in front of a whiteboard in one of the biggest English language cramschools in Taiwan (Global Village) masquerading as a teacher and doing my best to explain the intricacies of English grammar to a bemused class. (Little did they know that I was but one page ahead of them in the grammar textbook)  All good fun. But not something to do for the rest of my life. So, I left Global Village and started work as a freelance editor helping students and teachers around Taiwan improve their manuscripts for publication overseas. Now, don't get me wrong, I get a real kick out of editing and helping people get ahead in their studies and / or careers. Also, it really helps me to keep abreast of new developments in the academic world (particularly in the engineering field). However, sometimes the English used in the original manuscripts is so inpenetrable that solving the Da Vinci code would be child's play by comparison. Honestly, some of the papers make my brain sizzle like a burger on a barbeque grill, and the language I use in releasing my frustration is enough to make the air around me turn blue!!!. Definitely not a good thing for the old blood pressure!!

So, in recent months, my mind has been exploring other avenues of gainful employment. Time and time again, I have returned to the same conclusion: "I don't want to be sat in front of a computer screen day after day. I want to be out and about, interacting with real people, face to face. I want to feel like a real part of the community I now call home." So - here's the plan - I am going to combine my love of sweets with my desire to really establish myself in Taiwan by setting up a business aimed at "Bringing the Best of Britain to Taiwan" - starting with sweets, and then moving on to include all of the things which remind me good old Blighty, e.g. souvenirs, tea, biscuits, Prince William and his new bride, Shepherd's Pie, bowler hats, pin-striped suits, and so on.   

This blog is going to chart my adventures as I set about trying to make my plan come true. In it, I will share my experiences - warts and all - in preparing for launch and in building the business; on-line at first, then at local fairs and markets, and then in a real bricks-and-mortar store. I'll be introducing to you the things I hope to sell, giving you the opportunity to buy them for yourselves. telling you about my experiences in getting out on the street and selling my wares, and so on. I'll no doubt also be lauching into general rants and raves about all sorts of things which catch my eye in Taiwan and abroad or which suddendly pop into my mind for no apparent reason whatsoever. 

It will be a personal account of my time here in Taiwan and my attempt to truly settle into a country and community which I now call home. I hope you will join me in this journey by following my blog and posting your comments. I would love to hear from you.