It has been nearly two weeks since I have been in Taipei City, Taiwan. My experience thus far has been nothing short of spectacular. Initially, I was shocked about the differences between the U.S. and Taiwan.
First, Taiwan is a beautiful country. I currently live in Wenshan District, near the campus of National Chengchi University. Here, there are mountain ranges overcasting the city and exotic trees that I have never seen before. The buildings and infrastructure are densely packed and towering in height, creating numerous alleyways. This contrasts with the more spacious layout in the United States. Many of the buildings in the city areas (Xinyi District, Keelung City) display the current time and temperature which is super fascinating. The streets are squeaky clean, despite there being a lack of trash cans on the streets. The weather is slightly cooler than Texas, however, it is twice as humid. It rains sporadically throughout the week and for short periods at a time, very similar to the weather of Houston.
It’s been a huge culture shock being here in Taiwan. The people are hospitable, welcoming, and accommodating towards foreigners. Most people I’ve met speak English fluently, with little to no accent. In public, people are courteous, respectful, and mindful of others and their surroundings. Taiwan is one of the safest places in the world. People of all ages can often be seen strolling the streets late at night, which is uncommon in big American cities.
The cost of living in Taiwan is extremely cheap, in comparison to the United States. Most meals range around 5-8 USD, which include sides and desserts. The food is aesthetically beautiful and delicious. They incorporate many fruits and vegetables into their dishes. They love using sweet potatoes and pineapples in both savory and sweet applications. Tea is also the most common beverage here in Taiwan. Bubble tea (Boba) originated in Taiwan, so it is often offered and served with every meal. Night markets are huge here, and they sell so many regional snacks and dishes for extremely cheap.
One thing that caught me off guard was the public restrooms. In the United States, toilet paper is always in every stall of the restroom. In Taiwan, most restrooms require people to bring their own toilet paper. I almost committed a fatal error of not checking if there was toilet paper in the stalls. Many public toilets also do not have seats and are bounded to the ground. To use the toilets, one must “asian squat” down.
Crossing the streets and driving here is completely different than the United States. Most people commute using buses or MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), but the streets are filled with mopeds and motorcycles. There are no stop signs, so the pedestrians has full initiative to decide when to cross the street. This is incredibly scary because you have to rely on the oncoming traffic to yield to you. When crossing major roads, there are no buttons to press to signal a cross. Instead, the crossing lights work on a fixed interval.
Most payments are face-to-face and not contactless here in Taiwan. A lot of restaurants and stores only accept cash. If credit cards are accepted, Apple Pay has been the most convenient option for me, as it is accepted everywhere. Easycard or iPass (reloadable cards) is also accepted in most stores and most commonly used to pay for public transit.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to study here and explore Taiwan. Despite only being here for two weeks, my perspective and outlook about the world has drastically changed. From being here, I’ve come to realize the importance of traveling, meeting new people of different backgrounds, and being exposed to an entirely different culture. The world is huge, and there’s so much I want to explore and learn. I am grateful to have taken the first step here in the beautiful country of Taiwan.
