Taiwan Scene sat down with Daniel for a chat about his Taiwan experience.

Q: Why did you choose Hualien?

Daniel: Hualien was just on my list as a tourist, as a place to visit in Taiwan. So my friend lent me his bicycle and I cycled over Hehuan (mountain) to Hualien, and it was here that I met my wife and settled down.

Q: Can you describe the pros and cons of working in Taiwan?

Daniel: On the plus side, it’s great to be able to meet the local people and make friends here, to interact with people living in Hualien and all around Taiwan. I guess the major con is that I am actually too busy to enjoy Taiwan. I don’t get as much time as I’d like to go hiking and camping, which are two of my passions.

Q: What was it like in the early days of your business?

Daniel: At first, it was tough. I’d just opened the shop, people were just passing by and I think people just sort of found me. They passed by, saw the shop was new, came in. Of course, when they saw it was foreign barber, they were pretty shocked. It's not easy to trust someone to cut your hair, especially they don’t speak the same language, and not from the same country. So it was really difficult in the beginning. But then slowly, slowly I built my reputation through word of mouth and I started getting really busy. Then a local blogger called Jumpman (跳躍的宅男) wrote about my shop, and since then business has been non-stop.

Q: How has working in Taiwan changed your aesthetic with regard to hairstyle?

Daniel: Asian hair is completely different to Western hair. So that changes the way I cut and style. But it’s been a positive thing for me, because after cutting hair in England for 10 years it’s given me a chance to advance my skills and learn new things. My style has become something a fusion between an English and Taiwanese style.

Q: How many haircuts have you given in Taiwan?

Daniel: I couldn’t even begin to count! Thousands!

Q: How does Taiwanese barbershop culture differ from that in England?

Daniel: Well, of course the way that people speak and behave are different, which creates a different sort of atmosphere. I think Taiwanese people are very open, very friendly. They are not too shy. I think they are really great people to work with. My shop has become a very special blend between the two cultures.

Q: What do you miss about living in the UK?
Daniel: Probably the weather. I like the seasons, which are different in Taiwan. I miss my friends back home, of course, but that’s kind of a good thing because every time I go back I appreciate it all the more. I think this is one of the benefits of living away from home. When I return to the UK I really make the most of my time there.

Q: What places in Taiwan do you like best?

Daniel: So far I really like the Jade mountain hiking trail （Yushan National Park) , that’s really good. And I also love the hot springs in Taiwan. I think after a hard day’s work (or long trek) you can relax in the hot springs, it’s really amazing.

Q: What makes Taiwan a great place to live and visit?

Daniel: For me, Taiwan has got the best of everything. It got the beaches, got the mountains, got the rivers, got the hot springs, got the food. You have friendly people. You’ve got the culture, temples. And there’s always a surprise here. 

No matter how long you stay here, there’s always more to experience. Taiwan has got the best of the world in one little place.

Q: How would you market Taiwan if you were made Minister of Tourism?

Daniel: I would probably market Taiwan as a Jigsaw puzzle, by which I mean it has many pieces but you need to put them together. So you come here, you can tailor-make you own trip from all the things you like. I’d just promote all the gems in Taiwan, all the special places, and how to link them up to have a great travel trip.

Q: What is your recommendation for travelers coming to Taiwan?
Daniel: Well, of course you’re going to want to spend time looking around Taipei. Then I suggest coming straight down to Hualien, maybe renting bicycles and taking  a three-day bike trip along the east coast down to Taitung. It’s a really lovely cycling area. If you’ve got more time, I recommend Jialeshui, Kenting and Hengchun in Pingtung county. But if I had to boil it down to just three spots, I’d say Taipei, Hualien and Taitung.

More information about Cutting Edge Barber Shop:

Daniel Bullivant’s original shop, Cutting Edge is located in Hualien. Click here for address, hours & more information.

In February of 2017, Daniel opened up his second Taiwan shop, the Craftsmanship Barber Shop in Taipei.  Click here for address, hours & more information.

About Taiwan Scene

Taiwan Scene is the online journal of MyTaiwanTour.

We publish stories introducing readers to the culture, scenery and travel possibilities of our homeland, articles to help travelers make the most of their time in Taiwan, and occasional interviews with movers and shakers from Taiwan’s ever-expanding creative scene.

Prolonged exposure to Taiwan Scene may instill in readers a profound desire to experience Taiwan personally. If these cravings persist, please contact us immediately. 

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Original content can be found at the website of Taiwan Scene.

♦ LIVING IN TAIWAN: A British Barber in Taiwan

This article is reproduced under the permission of Taiwan Scene and terms of Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Unported License (“CCPL”). It presents the opinion or perspective of the original author / organization, which does not represent the standpoint of CommonWealth magazine.