Funny Things About Taiwan, Part II

1. The toilet paper is in packs, like Kleenex, instead of in rolls.

2. No toilet paper or anything other than what comes out of your body may be flushed down a toilet.

3. Even in the hosptial and in hotels, there are mostly squat-style toilets.

4. Apparently, it's not rude to answer your cell phone at any time: in meetings, patient appointments, etc (this goes for patients, docs and students alike).

5. They click their tounges at small children to get their attention (kind of like baby talk).

6. When speaking of death (or to represent it?), they curl and uncurl the first finger of their hands in a little bobbing motion. This is how the bus driver explained to me that Michael Jackson had died.

7. Taiwanese love beverages: you can find several drink shops on every street. They claim the origin of bubble tea and serve everything from kumquat or sour plum tea to coffee with gelatin and other unusual combinations. Surprisingly tasty (most of them)!

Some funny medical things:

8. A young doctor explained to me that they discard the idea that a BMI of <18.5 is underweight (esp. for women) and the ideal is about 17 (I wonder if there osteoporosis levels are higher). The medical guidelines for being overweight/obese are also not the same (though this is more official and not as cosmetically oriented): 24-27 is considered overweight in Taiwan, whereas in the U.S., 25-30 qualifies as overweight.

9. The social history includes checking for tobacco, alcohol and betelnut use.

10. Cancer is referred to as "C.A." ("shee-ay"), metastases are referred to as "meta," MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is referred to as "mersa," and so on.

11. Mensturating women are not supposed to eat/drink anything cold; the belief is that the cold will cause your insides to contract and make any cramps or pain worse.