Often they only offer you a plastic bag if you have many things. So I took this opportunity to speak Chinese. I asked the man at the counter if I could have a bag.
He looked blankly at me and said "I did not understand you."
Before I could even say anything, both boys in front of me, the older woman waiting for her coffee and the man's coworker all said at the same time, "He asked for a bag!" Needless to say I found this rather funny.
What this means is that in a random sampling 4 out of 5 Taiwanese can understand what I say.
In other news...
I think living in Taiwan will forever stunt my English language ability. I say this in half jest, but half seriousness. Mostly I think it will effect my saying "Burger King". The Chinese translation here is "Hanbao Wang" which literally means "Hamburger King". I find myself referring to it as such in English. There is a new one being built near school and I told a friend (an American) the other day: "They are building a new Hamburger King near school." He replied, "What?" Only because I didn't say "Burger King." This is not the first time I have not used the proper name in English, nor will it be the last I am afraid.
