Touching Down in Taipei
My first few days in Taipei - up until moving into my dorm
Arrival
I have no concept of how long I traveled for or how long I was awake as I crossed time zones from Lihue to Honolulu to Tokyo to Taipei, but I know that finally walking out of the airport in Taiwan felt like walking into a sauna. I knew it would be hot, but I forgot how intense the heat and humidity feel, even late at night. I immediately turned tomato red and had to whip out my portable fan while waiting for the driver to pull around.
After being driven (about 40 minutes) to the hotel Fulbright booked for me, I checked in, dropped off my bags, chugged water, and then made a late-night pilgrimage to the nearest 7/11 to pick up some old favorites from when I studied abroad. The 7/11 had a Hello Kitty theme, and wandering around the pink bow-covered aisles evoked nostalgia for my daily excursions to 7/11 the last time I was here.
Thursday - 1st full day in Taipei
I ventured into the heart of Ximen in search of an umbrella (the most essential item to own in Taipei). I ended up stopping in a little stall lined with colorful umbrellas. I chatted with the shop owner and asked which umbrellas worked for both rain and UV (on a hot day, walking around with an umbrella is a lifesaver). I ended up buying an adorable little umbrella with lemons on it. While preparing the umbrella, she asked me if I was from France. The last time I lived in Taipei, I was constantly asked if I was from Spain, so this is a new one for me (I’m sure my French ancestors are posthumously delighted). It was nice to practice conversing in Chinese again. I hope that more vocabulary I’ve forgotten will return to me.
As I walked back to my hotel, my umbrella was given the opportunity to prove its worth as it started POURING. It continued to downpour for the next few hours. I braved the rain again to head to the Fulbright office and pick up some documents needed for my ARC (alien resident certificate) application. It was lovely to finally meet the people I have corresponded with over email for the past few months. I also met a fellow Fulbrighter who will be pursuing a Master’s at the same university as me (different department). We decided to grab dinner together and ended up on tiny stools with our knees bumping the underside of a table holding a sushi conveyor belt.
To cool off, we found some mango xue hua bing for dessert. It is similar to Shave Ice but made of thin sheets of condensed milk and usually topped with fresh fruit.
Friday - Immigration Office & Shabbat
I spent Friday morning at the Immigration Office submitting my ARC (alien resident certificate) application. I’ll return to pick up my ARC in a couple of weeks (once I have it, I can enroll in health insurance and open a bank account).
An old friend invited me to her friend’s apartment for Kabbalat Shabbat, so I headed there in the early evening. We gathered on a private rooftop patio, lit candles, sang prayers, and welcomed Shabbat with a stunning view of the sun slinking below the city skyline. One girl remarked later that the slight breeze swirling around us felt like the spirit of Shabbat greeting us. After blessing the wine and the challah (someone made it in an air fryer), we ordered cheese pizza (#kosherstyle) and chatted for hours on the roof. I always like to find a way to welcome Shabbat, whether that involves resting on my own, attending a Shabbat dinner, or spending time with people I care about. Over dinner, we discussed life in Taipei, a little philosophy, and the idea of “bashert” (Yiddish for “fate” and can also refer to the person you are “fated” to be with). My grandma always told me it was bashert that I would graduate college (she was right). I firmly believe everything happens for a reason, and it is bashert I am back in Taipei.
Saturday - reunions!
Saturday was a day for reunions! I met up for lunch with an old Taiwanese friend, Willy. We ended up at a place called “Xiao Luo Buo,” which specializes in “Luosifen” (rice noodles cooked in stock made from river snails, pork bones, and a variety of spices).
I chose a tomato-based broth with beef. The tomato flavor balanced the bitterness, and I enjoyed the slightly spicy aftertaste. I would definitely eat it again! My friend let me try some of his 炸蛋丝 (Zhà dàn sī or fried egg floss), which had a nice crunch. It was fun to catch up, as we had not seen each other since I left Taiwan in November of 2022. We grabbed some boba, and he took a few photos of me (he works with digital media professionally, so he’s a super-talented photographer) while we walked around. You can find his photography account here for more of his work.
We split up when it was time for me to head to my lash lift & nail appointment. I am a firm believer in putting my best-dressed foot forward (especially for new beginnings. When walking back to the MRT, I passed an old bakery I used to love, so I had to stop by and pick out some taro mochi.
Then, it was time to reunite with one of my favorite people! My friend Colin, who I studied abroad with here in Taipei in the Summer of 2022, met me in Ximen, and we caught up! We walked around Ximen for hours, ended up getting 小籠包 (Xiǎo lóng bāo, aka soup dumplings) from a little stall, and then chased it down with some cold beers at a little bar outside. It was a blast reminiscing about the last time we were here and discussing the upcoming year at NCCU.
Sunday - Move-in Day!
The big day arrived! I did not realize everyone on campus was moving in, so we were stuck in traffic for almost half an hour with our poor Uber driver heading to the top of the mountain where my dorm is located. Colin helped me move my 3 suitcases (a perfectly reasonable amount of luggage for 2 years abroad) into my dorm. Dorms in Taiwan do not come with mattresses, so we had to purchase a mattress, sheets, a summer blanket, and a pillow on campus. We also picked up the card needed to run the AC in the room. I only have so many arms and would have been STRUGGLING without his help, so I am very indebted.
Colin and I walked down the mountain and had lunch in the town across the river. The “mountain” is not a figure of speech; the campus is situated on the slopes of a small mountain, and my dorm is at the very top. It is a journey to walk the entire way up or down, but the campus is stunning and full of vine-covered buildings and beautiful trees.
Reflections
The recurring theme in my nightly journaling is that I feel like I am in the right place for me. I need to keep making an effort to settle in and rapidly work on improving my Chinese, but I am excited about what’s to come!
I will figure out a posting schedule once I start classes to keep you updated. If you want to stay up to date with all my posts, feel free to click the Subscribe button below and input your email so all of my posts will be sent straight to you.
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Love this recap!! Hooray for successfully moving in!
Fabulous! Love reading about your experiences.