VLOG 2

As I spend more and more time in Taipei, I have grown to appreciate and understand Taiwanese beauty standards among females. Initially, the numerous questions I inquired about did not seem so obvious anymore. Instead, it became increasingly apparent how much emphasis was placed on vanity and physical appearances from outside sources, for example, advertisements, social media influencers, as well as parental figures. Furthermore, after speaking with several individuals; classmates and professionals, a common answer among everyone was directed towards a happy attitude or an emphasis on a gentle composure. In comparison to Vancouver, several individuals describe more physical features versus personality traits. After spending time inside a clinic, with the assistance of 王老师 and her little sister, Scarlett – I was given an opportunity to sit down with Nurse Vega and talk about her experiences and opinion regarding Taiwanese beauty standards. As previously discussed, this was an amazing opportunity to inquire about specific procedures more common in Taipei, threadlifts for example. This was the most challenging and exciting part the process, gaining insider information, being able to inquire about professional techniques as well as making sure all cultural and customs were in place. In this process, I was able to specifically ask Nurse Vega about the qualifications about becoming a plastic surgeon. It was quite surprising to find out that many individuals still go through the schooling even though it is hard. However, the doctor disclosed that even though school for locals is not that expensive, only approximately seven individuals are able to be qualified per year. 

A few of the other nurses at the clinic have also discussed the importance of Chinese superstition and cultural values due to the familial pressures to find a “good husband” and honour the family. This is surprising to me due to the Western cultural influence I have. In Chinese culture, it is common to seek out a fortune teller in order to foresee your future. If you have a bump on your nose, this will equally reflect on your life course – “a bump in the road”, therefore in order to change your fortune, you will need to remove the bump. 

In this vlog, the most difficult encounter was trying to translate the Chinese from the interview to English. Even though Nurse Vega spoke clearly and slowly, it was hard to translate the words to the correct pinyin and therefore the subtitles were horrible. 

我的第二个vlog 有很多信息，是因为我有很多问题。因为我在台湾花了越来越多的时间， 我学会欣赏什么是台湾本地人所认为的美。我觉得在温哥华比台湾，很多人喜欢身体特征 (shen1ti3 te4zheng1)。花了一些时间, 王老师和她的妹妹， Scarlett，帮我跟 Nurse Vega 聊天。她告诉我很有意思的故事，而且很多意见。
我觉得第二个 vlog 很难可是翻译和口译，是因为中文 pinyin 有很多含义 (han2yi4 - meaning)。