Lets not be friendly

I’m back in Taiwan and still feeling the effects of being home in Prince Edward Island. Since it’s so common to greet and strike up conversations with strangers there I somewhat out of habit said hello to the new neighbour who was moving in next door. Just a simple wave and hello. Naturally he ignored me. I had forgotten for a moment that in Taiwan there seems to be some unwritten rule that you must never make eye contact or acknowledge another expat. I’ve always found it to be the most strange of rules but after almost 10 years here have grown accustomed to all the strange facets of life here.