BY PC MAYOR MIKE SNIDER

Many reading this understand that the Mayor of Port Clinton is a part-time gig … well, fulltime work; part-time pay. You probably also know that in my “day job” I manage multiple lodging facilities in the area and during the summer months supplement our staff through the Bridge USA Program which offers me the opportunity to work with college-age kids from all over the world.

As a result of my connections overseas, I and my family have had the opportunity to get a glimpse into how citizens of other cultures live, work and play – most specifically, life in Taiwan (aka Republic of China – not to be confused with the People’s Republic of China – aka China). Yes, the ROC and PRC are two very different places … but that’s for another story.

Just about everything in Taiwan is different than what I know in the USA. Yes, there are the obvious things like language, religion, chopsticks vs. fork, taking shoes off and putting on slippers when you enter a home and some businesses, food, tv programs (especially commercials), bowing, traditions … I could go on and on and on about the differences.

However, with all of these differences, it’s also very surprising how similar we are.

For instance, on my second trip to Taiwan in 2020, I took my dad. One evening before bed, my dad, the father of the home we were staying in, and I were sitting in the living room watching the Discovery Channel (in English with Mandarin subtitles). I glanced over to the sofa to see my dad and Dad Wang looking at their respective phones. Turns out they were both scrolling through Facebook and the day’s posts from their friends/family. Turns out, this is a nightly ritual for both … which continues through today.

Taiwan, China and most of SE Asia just celebrated the Lunar New Year. If you didn’t know, the New Year is a very big deal. The best I can describe it is a blend of Asian traditions if we celebrated Christmas, New Year, Mardi Gras, Easter and the annual family vacation all at once. It’s multiple days filled with food, drink, fireworks, visits to temples and lots of travel to the homes of extended family members.

Last night I had trouble sleeping and found myself listening live to a radio station from Taipei, Taiwan (ICRT FM100). DJ Joseph Lin, whom I communicate with quite often, was doing his normal evening (Taiwan time) drive show called “The Jam.” It was Thursday night (aka the 2nd day of the new year in Taiwan & very early morning for me in Ohio). The format of his show was slightly modified given the holiday celebration. Specifically, Jockey Joe was asking that listeners call in and request songs or talk about food on their table or family traditions associated with this annual celebration.

So, just visualize this … you are in Taiwan on day two of Lunar New Year. Assuming you are a married male, yesterday you traveled to your parent’s home for food, fun and family; now, today you are traveling to your wife’s parent’s home for another day of the same; and, according to tradition you have a few more days of this!

You are tired, the kids in the back seat are tired and bored, and, your co-pilot spouse is either sleeping or providing driving advise. Any of this sound familiar? So, what do you do?

Just so happens, a caller with this exact scenario reached DJ Joey. They talked about the two daughters in the back seat, and dad made a request for a song for each of them to be played on the radio. Sound familiar yet? Dad, looking to be cool, found a way to pass the time and at the same moment be a hero to his two daughters. Of course, DJ Joe played both of the requested songs and his show continued.

About an hour and a half later, another caller caught my ear. Although most of the conversation this time was in Mandarin (the other caller spoke English) there was definitely a familiar sound to me in the background. In the conversation, Joseph asked the caller something like “sounds like you are having a party?!” The caller replied in perfect English, “Yes, with too many kids!” Now, I know that sounds just like a response I’d hear from many of the “more senior” members of my family around the holidays.

To me, these three stories – bilingual Facebook, road trip hero dad and kids house party – demonstrate to me that at the boots on the ground level, no matter the country/culture, we are all very much alike. We are all just fighting to get through the day as we deal with the same issues no matter the time zone.

So, the next time your kids are running around like chicken, traffic has you ready to scream, and your scrolling thumb is numb … just remember – you are not alone. Someone in Taiwan is feeling your pain!