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One of the biggest identities of Taiwan is the immigrants. In fact, because Taiwan is an island, nearly the entire population were immigrants. Immigration is a big part of Taipei history as well as Berlin history. The Chinese immigrants and Syrian immigrants have altered the course of the two countries. For Taiwan, the immigration built the country, while for Berlin, the immigration is providing an influx of new culture  However for both these immigration cases, it was not by choice, but by necessity. I have people in my lives that have been affected by both of these immigration.

Many of Taipei citizens were Chinese landlords who fled China. My grandparents fit in that category. They were wealthy landlords in Northeastern China around the 1930s. However, when General Mao and the Communist Party started to come in power, my grandparents were pressured in to fleeing or else they would be executed. The Kuomingtang (Nationalist) and Communist Party were going back and forth so my grandparents would always stay south of the fighting borders hoping that the Kuomingtang party would push back and they would get there land back. As history shows, the Communist Party won China over and so my grandparents had no choice but to continue fleeing south into Vietnam before joining the Kuomingtang Party and fleeing to Taiwan. The influx of Kuomingtang immigrants in the late 1940s, nearly 2 million immigrants, helped set up a government in Taipei. That is the story of how Taiwan became a Nationalist country and how my grandparents arrived in Taiwan. All these Nationalist immigrants did not flee because they wanted to leave China, but because they were threatened to be executed and pressured out by the Communist Party.

Currently in Germany, including Berlin, there are many Syrian immigrants. Due to ISIS, there has been an European refugee crisis, and so Berlin took the lead in efforts to resolve the issue by opening doors for Syrian asylum-seekers. This opening of doors has been controversial due to the Dublin protocol. The influx of Syrian immigrants has posed a slight problem in the sheer number of immigrants coming in. Space is limited and has caused some turmoil with the citizens. Some citizens think they are wasting taxes and are ruining the economy while some think it is important to welcome these refugees. However, the anti-immigrant movement is growing larger and larger, saying that not only are the immigrants not helping the economy, but they are also dangerous to the society, calling some “rapefugees”. Similarily to the Kuomingtang party immigrating to Taiwan, these Syrians had no choice but to flee their own country.

For both these different immigrations, I have people in my life who have been affected and affects me. Since my grandparents were Chinese and fled to Taiwan, my parents, who were born in Taiwan, have a lot of pride in China as well. My father’s life and his parents life were greatly affected as well. My grandparents went from being incredibly wealthy in China to being streetcleaners in Taiwan to support my father and his siblings. They had to start from the bottom in Taiwan and my dad had to work incredibly hard to be able to receive an education in the United States, which is where I received my work ethics.
My highschool German teacher after retiring 2 years ago, went to Germany to relax. However, after seeing the Syrian immigrants, she decided she would continue teaching the Syrian immigrants German so that they could be a part of society in the future. The heart she has for immigrants has affected me personally and is truly inspiring.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/guomindang.htm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/germany-opens-its-gates-berlin-says-all-syrian-asylum-seekers-are-welcome-to-remain-as-britain-is-10470062.html

When considering borders of Berlin, the Berlin Wall comes to mind. This physical wall separated West Germany from East Germany, DDR from GDR, a democratic nation from a socialist nation. Growing up in Rochester Hills has been a major blessing. There were no physical barriers that separated our city. However, despite not having a physical wall, Rochester Hills has an invisible border. This invisible border is the income spread in our city. The physical Berlin wall and the imaginary border in Rochester Hills may seem very different, and rightfully so, but they also have some similarities.

Rochester Hills is one of the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Every northern suburb of Detroit is very wealthy in comparison to downtown Detroit and Rochester Hills is no exception. The median income is $77,764 and the nearly 20% earn over 100k a year. Overall, the city of Rochester Hills is wealthy, but if you break the city up into different sections, you find that certain parts of the city and schools are significantly poorer than the rest of the city. Around 50% of the city earns less than 50k a year. All these statistics are excluding just north of Rochester Hills, known as Oakland Township. Oakland Township and Rochester Hills are essentially one, and the township includes some of the wealthiest of the city, so the city median income is actually larger.

 The Darker the squares, the higher the median income is.

The red lines are the actual borders or Rochester Hills but I included Oakland Township. Rochester Adams is broken up into 3 different high schools. Rochester Adams is on the north west border of Oakland Township and Rochester Hills, where the squares are incredibly dark. Southern and middle area of Rochester Hills has the Rochester High School. The bottom half of the city is significantly poorer. The 3rd school is Stoney Creek High School which is the Northeast section. As the picture shows, it is once again wealthy.

The different area wealth of these schools have some surprising differences. The wealthier schools, Rochester Adams and Stoney Creek have a higher ranked education system and better facilities. The running joke in the city is that Rochester High School (the poorer school) is known as Ratchet High School. These different median income barriers seem to give a glimpse of social classborders and the benefits of living in a wealthier area.

Berlin on the other hand, has a physical wall. However, it could similarly be related to the income barrier of Rochester Hills. Western Germany was, in general, wealthier than East Berlin and the different cars and varieties of products showed that. The border divided the differences in opportunity. The difference in education strength in Rochester Hills is also considered an opportunity. Some students who live in the lower half of Rochester Hills do a lottery system to try to get placed in to Adams High School rather than their nearby Rochester High School.

The main difference of the Berlin Wall and the Rochester Hills imaginary border is the magnitude of meaning. The imaginary border effect is noticeable, but not nearly to the scale of the effect of the Berlin Wall. The physical wall actually separated families and literally divided the country in half. While education is important, having a completely different government and a way of life on either side of the border is something that the citizens of Rochester Hills could not even imagine.

Sources:

http://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/michigan/rochester_hills

http://www.city-data.com/income/income-Rochester-Hills-Michigan.html

https://www.schooldigger.com/go/MI/schoolrank.aspx?level=3

The Berlin Wall (1961 – 1989)

One of the most popular destination in Germany to visit is the capital Berlin, and similarly, in Taiwan, the most popular destination is also the capital Taipei. Nearly 5560 miles away and 6 hour later, two beautiful cities will be experiencing very similar and very different entertainments.

Walking down the streets in Taipei, anyone can look up and see Taipei 101 in the distance. The epicenter of Taiwan and Taipei. One of the most attractive tourist spots in the world. The area surrounding Taipei 101 is very similar to Times Square, but I dare say Taipei is simply more breathtaking. The malls and buildings are all modern and sleek and hundreds of business people and tourist cross the streets. No doubt, the Taipei 101 district is always bustling. In Berlin, the tourists flock to the Brandenburg gate, the remnants of the wall, and really soak in the rich tradition that Berlin has to offer. Two completely different tourist attraction, one is modern and filled with life, the other is somber and beautiful.

Keep walking down the streets and Taiwan, and the smell of food fills the air. Taiwan is foody central. Taiwanese people love their food and boy do they have a huge variety to offer. Taiwan’s food is very similar to China, but the most traditional and famous foods in Taiwan include their beef noodles, which have yearly contests to determine the best beef noodle restaurants, and the crazed Bubble Tea. The restaurants in Berlin are just as important to the city as it is in Taipei. Berlin has more of a variety of food. Berlin has many of the classic German favorites, but also has many cultural influences from other European cities. Taiwan seems to have more hole in the wall restaurants while German restaurants tend to be more comfortable.

Having visited Taipei a plethora of times, the bustling night life still calls out to me. From clubs to night markets, the night life in Taipei is fit for anyone. One of the most well-known things to do in Taiwan, is the night markets. It attracts millions of tourists every year from Europe, North America, but mostly from main land China. The night markets in Taiwan are exactly what it sounds like; a massive market at the break of dawn. The food is especially good and surprisingly cheap, games are plentiful, people are bustling, people are taken on dates, and overall, the environment just exudes positive vibes. It is fun for family, youth, and even the elderly, there is something for all ages and food for everyone.

On the other hand, Berlin is known for the clubs, mostly for the youth. It is nearly 2 am, people in Taipei are just waking up and getting ready for their day, but in Berlin, the lights are flickering, the beats are jamming, people are partying and captivated by the music, and hours pass. Berlin is filled with many underground spots and queues for the best clubs in the city. Music and dancing is much more enticing to Germans while the Taiwanese love their food and games.

Asian and European cities have some similarities, but are so vastly different. It’s difficult to compare the two when the things to do in each country is not the same. However, it is safe to say, both cities have incredibly amazing things to do and see, and it’s difficult to describe them without going there for yourselves.

Sources:

Coldwell, Will. “Nightlife Reports: Clubbing in Berlin.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 15 July 2016. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.

Planet, Lonely. “Taipei 101 – Lonely Planet.” Lonely Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.

Morgan, Kate. “Top 20 Free Things to Do in Berlin – Lonely Planet.” Lonely Planet. N.p., 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.

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