I've been living here since 2 years. Happy to live here, I appreciate eastern culture in many ways and I need a break from germany...
My wife is Taiwanese and I have a little son. I was taking care of him most of the time and plan to learn chinese soon.

About the phoenix, yes, it was also mentioned in an article that the phoenix is kind of the "western" garuda.
Although we have to bear in mind that our so-called western culture originating in ancient greece has its roots in the east as well, in sumer, in india...
By the way, are you "westerner"? Where do you live?