Your experience of culture shock in Taiwan

Actually, I experienced culture shock in Taiwan in a very unique way.  The first time I came to Taiwan was in August 1979, exactly 36 years ago, and at the time the culture and attractions of Taiwan had a lot more Oriental flavor.  While I was in Taiwan in 1979 I made a friend here, so in 1980 I came back again to visit with her.  That person is still my friend and, in fact, my current roommate.  In those days, Taiwan was subject to Marshall law, so some things were not permitted here and tourists were instructed not to bring magazines like Playboy or Esquire into the country.  We were also told not to say the word "Peking."  It was 30 years before I came back to Taiwan again in 2010 and that's when I got my full dose of culture shock.  Everything had changed so much, I barely recognized the place.  When I first came to Taiwan, a lot of things that are now big tourist attractions hadn't even been built.  There were no commercial buildings and Taipei 101 hadn't even been conceived yet.  There was no MRT and little bus service beyond tour buses.  The CKS Airport didn't even exist.  In 1980 Taiwan's international Airport was in Songshan.  There were few McDonalds, no Burger Kings or any American chain stores.  In 1979-80 everything was very different, but that was the Taiwan I first fell in love with.  When I came here to live in 2010 I had to revisit Taiwan because it's now a different place, and Taipei center is very much like my home, New York City.  People dress in a more modern way, the American influence is much more profound and even so, English is not as well-spoken here as I'd hoped it would be.  While there are still many wonderful sights to see in Taiwan, over the years it's lost the Oriental flavor that so charmed me all those years ago and has become too westernized.  Now Taiwan's charm lies in its people, it's convenience, accessibility, ease of commutation from place to place and, of course, its wonderful food.  But honestly, I miss the old Taiwan I fell in love with way back in 1979.  Taiwan is a very liberal country but even now there are things considered unacceptable like making too much commotion in the late evening, littering, excessive alcohol consumption and public misbehavior.  The positives are that Taiwan is virtually drug, crime and weapons free.  Like all foreign destinations, it's usually a good idea to follow the lead of the local population.