# Twenty five years in Japan, sayonara **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 14, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163 "2013-01-14T13:37:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/1 "2013-01-14T13:37:02Z")
The TokyoFamily will not longer be TokyoAnything. We’re going, going and soon to be gone. Our kids are down with the grandparents while we sell the house, pack up the household and move to Taiwan. We’ve talked about this for a while, but the timing was right. We’ve both found jobs there and an apartment. I’ve been to Taiwan for visits to her family a dozen times, but never more than a week. Don’t speak Chinese and can’t understand Beta-chan and her mother when they chat in my wife’s language. Fortunately, my kanji study will carry over somewhat. What a change. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/2 "2013-01-14T13:44:36Z")
Don’t let the shoji hit you on the way out. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/3 "2013-01-14T14:31:40Z")
Are you dissatisfied with Japan, or just wanting to go to Taiwan? ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/4 "2013-01-14T14:52:56Z")
We like Japan, and this is mostly for the kids. We wanted them to grow up in one of our countries, and Taiwan won the coin toss. Well, we were more interested in going there. The economy is still bad here, and my company sells higher end products, so we would have had to make major changes anyway. Originally we had talked about it happening in 2012, and finally made it now. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/5 "2013-01-14T15:36:18Z")
So, name change? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/6 "2013-01-14T16:34:01Z")
Now you can try some authentic stinky tofu! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/7 "2013-01-14T19:25:08Z")
Hope things work out well! Was it you who had a house built a few years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/8 "2013-01-14T19:28:00Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > So, name change? I’m thinking TaipeiGuy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/9 "2013-01-14T19:59:50Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m thinking TaipeiGuy. Shouldn’t that more properly be **TaipeiPersonality**? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/10 "2013-01-14T20:06:01Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Shouldn’t that more properly be **TaipeiPersonality**? 😛 Oh God, can I throw things at you? Actually, I love puns and that’s one of the most perfect I’ve seen on this board! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/11 "2013-01-14T22:28:11Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Shouldn’t that more properly be **TaipeiPersonality**? 😛 Yes. Do it! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/12 "2013-01-14T22:41:50Z")
I don’t normally nudge people to make changes they don’t initiate but I also think OP should be required to change his handle to **TaipeiPersonality** Oh…and best of luck in Taiwan **TokyoBayer**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/13 "2013-01-14T22:47:53Z")
Taiwan uses traditional Chinese characters, as opposed to the simplified ones of mainland China. Which is more like kanji? Everyone is assuming Taipei. Is that actually where you’re going, or one of the other cities? My impression of Taipei from stopovers is that it’s often gloomy. However, I’m usually there in the early morning and I still have never left the airport, so I don’t have a good sense of it. The pictures in the flight magazine make it look like an interesting city. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/14 "2013-01-15T04:11:42Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Hope things work out well! > > Was it you who had a house built a few years ago? Thanks. Yup, that be me. It’s too bad, selling the house because we designed it. TaipeiPersonality would be nice, but unfortunately, we’ll be living on the east coast. Winters are gloomy. Lots of rain, with nothing to do but spent time on the Dope. 😃 Maybe I’ll change my name to ThePosterFormerlyKnownAsTokyoBayerAndBeforeThatTokyoPlayer. Ummm. Maybe not. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/15 "2013-01-15T04:13:28Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Taiwan uses traditional Chinese characters, as opposed to the simplified ones of mainland China. Which is more like kanji That right. It will be easier to switch, I hope. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/16 "2013-01-15T05:30:01Z")
I think your name is well-enough known around here that no matter where you move, it won’t matter. Didn’t **Paul in Saudi** become **Paul in Qatar** upon moving to Qatar; and IIRC, now that he’s back in Saudi, he is staying **Paul in Qatar**? But we all know who he is. Same for **Cairo Carol** ; I don’t believe that she is in Egypt any more, but to the best of my knowledge, she has not changed her name. In short, it may be best for you to remain as you are–that way, we all still know who is posting under the **TokyoBayer** name, regardless of the location implied by the name. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/17 "2013-01-15T06:26:27Z")
Taiwan is a great place. I’m sure you’ll like it. Your wife speaks Taiwanese natively, no? That’s a whole nother kettle of fish. you’ll have to figure out if its better to go Mandarin or go with the family talk. YMMV but Mandarin worked for me. If you’re on the east coast, where? ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/18 "2013-01-15T06:36:48Z")
I enjoyed my time in Taiwan, I hope you settle in well. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/19 "2013-01-15T07:29:01Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Taiwan is a great place. I’m sure you’ll like it. Your wife speaks Taiwanese natively, no? That’s a whole nother kettle of fish. you’ll have to figure out if its better to go Mandarin or go with the family talk. YMMV but Mandarin worked for me. > > If you’re on the east coast, where? Yilan. Apparently Taipei wasn’t wet and dreary during the winder enough for my wife. 😛 Like my of her friends, my wife spoke Taiwanese as her first language until she went school and then learned Mandarin. Her grandparents were the people who mostly took care of her until school. She’s native in Mandarin and fluent(?) or almost fluent in Taiwanese. Her younger sisters didn’t spend as much time with the grandparents so they don’t speak Taiwanese as well. My wife and I speak Japanese, as my Chinese in nonexistent and she’s not that great at English. I’ll have to learn Mandarin but I doubt this will just be a summer project. I think I’ll keep the TokyoBayer thing. If I really were a Type A personality, I think I’d switch just because it’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163/20 "2013-01-15T21:46:40Z")
If it’s so dreary… How about **TaipeiBNegative** as a handle? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-five-years-in-japan-sayonara/647163.md?page=2)