Most of my friends here are starting their third year contracts and don't have any concrete plans of leaving any time soon. As for me, 2 years I think is a good amount of time to really become acquainted with another culture, learn from it, grow and have memorable experiences. In the past 2 years living in Gwangju, South Korea, I've tried new foods, learned how to read Hangul, made incredible lifelong friendships and realized I do not want to be a teacher.
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| Our crew skiing in Muju |
Adam and I had decided to celebrate New Year’s in the up and coming city of Taipei. The reason I say 'up and coming' is because Taipei was previously known as the ugly duckling of Asia. Many tourists seemed uninterested, merely passing through its wonderous regions. Recently, a few of my friends travelled to Taiwan and came back to Korea with astounding stories and jaw dropping pictures. I then made sure to include Taiwan on my to-go list before leaving Asia for good.
My first impression of Taiwan was that of a traditional country struggling to be modern. There were old deteriorating buildings alongside new cars and expensive shops. I loved the unique ambience of the city and the night life was bustling with markets, street food vendors and small art exhibits.
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| A traditional market game |
I was excited to try new food and experience all Taiwan had to offer; whatever that may be. I wasn't too familiar with Taiwanese culture but I knew geographically it was close to China. Consequently, our first meal consisted of dumplings, fried turnip cake and shrimp. Dim Sum (Chinese breakfast) is one of my favorite meals to eat in Toronto so I could only imagine how much more fresh and delicious it would be having an authentic chef prepare the food in its country of origin.
Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the mouth-watering cuisine but the service and local Taiwanese community was exceptionally kind. Hagling with taxi drivers is one thing. Hagling with taxi drivers in English, is another. Many a times we had friendly locals extend a hand and help translate or make sure we weren't getting ripped off. The typical frustrations one faces when travelling through a foreign country were almost completely eroded and replaced with feelings of comfort and stability. The amicable locals went so far as to offer us rides to our desired destinations.
My first experience hitch hiking was natural and easy. Waiting for a cab near a busy freeway, Adam and I thought it could be fun to test our luck, hitching a free ride. About 2 minutes later a friendly stranger in a minivan who spoke no English signaled for us to come on board. Adam sat cramped in the back between crates of eggs and jugs of milk while I was sitting comfortably up front. We finally arrived safely at our destination; a beautiful hot springs in the country side. We bathed with locals (shower cap and all) and enjoyed a breath taking view of a mountainous backdrop.
The evening ended at a traditional Taiwanese restaurant choosing random meat and vegetables from a menu that looked more like a Latin tome. English was nowhere to be found in this quaint country side village and knowing minimal to no Mandarin made things more difficult. We pointed to a picture that looked familiar enough and hoped to god we weren't about to indulge in any sort of domesticated animal meat! To be sure, there was Adam on one side of the table moo-ing like a cow and I had my elbows bent, hands at my side trying to mimic a chicken. The waitress smiled politely and walked away. "Crazy foreigners" I'm sure I heard her murmur. Our melodramatic performance left us feeling defeated but dinner ended up being pleasantly appetizing.
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| "Meat" stu ??? |
After spending 5 days in beautiful Kenting (the very south of the island) we were headed back to Taipei. We had one last hotel to check into before leaving for Gwangju the next morning on the first of January. A simple error in rooms, ended with a huge upgrade to a family sized suite. Naturally, we invited our 2 friends over to enjoy the perks of a classy suite, equipped with a mini kitchen and massage chair. The 4 of us downed some cocktails and then hopped in a cab. Next stop was Taipei building 101, famous for its annual fireworks display at midnight.
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| The beach in Kenting |
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| Taipei 101 |
The streets of downtown Taipei were jam-packed with locals and Westerners, street food vendors and shop owners all bonding together over the catch phrase, "Happy new year". The crowds outside were electric as were the club-goers inside. We managed to find a local bar with free entry, complimentary champagne and friendly locals who shared their VIP booth with us. 2012 was already proving to be a good one. We were enjoying the ride.
Satisfied with the money still abundant in our wallets, we decided to treat ourselves the next morning to a full western style breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon, potatoes and everything else greasy and delicious. 50 minutes later and still no food in our bellies, the manager assured us our meals would be on the house and I don't think scrambled eggs have ever tasted so good.
The eclectic cuisine, vibrant night markets, beautiful nature reserves and friendly locals make Taiwan a unique and exciting vacation spot for tourists of all ages. Taiwan, once criticized for its ugly duckling status has truly blossomed into a dynamic and exceptional country.
Write more soon!
Signing off,
Gillian Teacha x
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