7-11.
In America, 7-11s are really sketchy. They are the places you go when you’re underage and want to buy cheap substances that you are too young to purchase legally. Counters at American 7-11s are monitored by about three video cameras because people like to rob them. And slurpees. Ew. American 7-11s are not pleasant places.
In Taiwan, 7-11s still have Slurpees. Still Ew. In Taiwan, 7-11s are everywhere. Essentially 7-11s are to Taiwan what Starbucks’ are to America. They are clean. Really clean. You can do a great number of convenient and useful things there. Like pay your bills. And buy concert tickets. There is a 7-11 right next to our apartment building. Very convenient.
The subway.
In America, subways are dirty. And there's often the need to closely monitor the whereabouts of your belongings.
In Taiwan you call the subway the MRT. And the MRT is not sketchy. In Kaohsiung the MRT is brand, spankin’ new. Although way more expensive than the 12 NT$ bus ride, MRT rides are still very cheap: approximately 25 NT$ a ride (a little less than 1 US dollar). The thought of being robbed on the MRT is a little laughable. As far as cleanliness goes, I normally opt to use the toilets in the metro stations before using public toilets in other places like restaurants. That’s how clean they are. Hard to believe, but true. Here’s a picture if you require further proof (I took this picture at the "terminal station" which is why there are no people). Look at those shining floors!
Also, in Taiwan MRT employees are friendly. There are yellow vested men that stand on the platform and enthusiastically watch out for travelers, wayward tourists and would-be miscreants. Aside from the fact that these yellow-vested men sometimes mistake me for a wayward tourist, which I find alternately sweet and irritating (I’m thinking maybe it’s the hair… just a guess), these employees are very comforting.
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