8 Months is Too Long

To be honest, waiting for another 8 months to visit Taiwan is torturous. I visited Taiwan the summer of 2010 through the short-term exchange of the Rotary program and completely fell in love with the island of Taiwan. Since then, I've just wanted to jump that leap of faith and live there, completely immersed to not only learn the hardest language, Mandarin, but to learn to live like the Taiwanese.


First Impressions during my 2010 Adventure 
1. No Toilet Paper
2. Insane Traffic
3. MRT <3
4. Cycling :)
5. Meal after meal after meal!!
6. Delicious, but not your usual dessert
7. Milk Tea


These are the ones that come to my mind right away :). By the way, I was living in host family in Beitou near the MRT of Xinbeitou. I explored that area the most on my free time, but I was able to access an MRT to travel to other areas in Taipei.


Elaborating my first impressions will only hint at what I experienced...but imagine rushing into the bathroom, your only target the toilet, and after you've done the deed, you realize that there is no toilet paper. In fact, there's no place for toilet paper....so where has it gone? I soon learned that toilet paper is to be carried on the person. They have little packets for them, like portable tissue papers.


Traffic scared the heck out of me. I thought Houstonian drivers were bad.....! It's not that Taiwanese drivers are bad, they are more or risk-takers. There are countless scooters on the road and to make it worse, the stoplight has a countdown. Whenever the light turns to 5 seconds....well...people start driving!   It scared me silly.


Unlike Houston, public transportation is beautiful in Taipei region. The MRT is the Mass Rapid Transit system that carried me from place to place. You don't have to drive. Many people I saw would walk and walk and then ride on the MRT to get to their destination. This is not only beautiful, but eco-friendly because people aren't wasting gas driving in their cars. 


Cycling is a big deal in Taiwan. I cycled with the Rotary District 3480 around the island for 10 days. About 1000 km. (Though I did get injured and sat out for a day and a half...) But you can see many adventurers pedaling away. It's quite and sight. But cyclers, though strangers, all encourage each other their saying "Jai Yo" which means "give gas" or in more understandable terms..."keep going" or "keep fighting". It's so much fun to yell across the street to the oncoming cyclers to encourage them as well because you are all united by the fun but tiring act of cycling.


I don't think I was ever hungry in Taiwan. Most of the meals had like 8 different dishes. And everyone always asks if you are hungry and feeds you if you are. 

As a child of Japanese and American descent... I LOVE ASIAN Desserts! I love red beans "anko" desserts. I love green tea "matcha" desserts. I love the black sesame desserts... yams... and well the list could go on and on. In Taiwan, there are many similar desserts. They have mochi "sweet white rice flour" with a filling, usually red bean paste.  As I was exploring one of the night markets in Taiwan, I stumbled across a delicious green tea shaved ice with red beans on top dessert :). The picture above (google images) is very similar to what I ate in absolute happiness.


If you don't know what Milk Tea is... well you must find a place in your area to try some. I've had some mediocre drinks in Texas... but the real deal is in Taiwan. It is this deliciously sweet tea with what I believe is condensed milk with tapioca balls swimming in the bottom of your drink. (Don't worry... the tapioca balls do not swim XD)!