Daily Life in Taipei

My daily life in Taipei consists of many things: studying, getting morning waffles and coffee, talking with friends, going to class, taking a walk by the river, and eating Taipei's wondrous foods with friends. It is really fun everyday, as something new happens all the time! We get our pictures taken a lot. Foreigners are a new and surprising "commodity" here in Taiwan, and many Taiwanese will stop what they are doing, take out their camera (or just stare) and take a picture! Haha, we are celebrities!

Usually the weather in Taipei is raining and humid, which forces us to stay indoors most of the time. But on the days when it's warm and sunny, we take trips to the outer reaches of the city, to Danshui, Xindian, hiking, swimming, travelling, etc. The sun is the best thing in the world after weeks of endless rain. Haha.

The use of Chinese is significant and mandatory. Everywhere you go you'll have to use Chinese, in every restaurant, in every building, even at the street corner. Random Taiwanese will approach you to just talk, or even try out their English. Surprisingly, many people can speak English, or at least a little, and they will try their very best to help you or just start small talk. I find that the Taiwanese are very friendly, rarely will you ever find one that is mean or just rude. They go out of their way to help you and to make you feel welcome, which is admirable.

The food, on the other hand, is fantastic! Although there are some strange things: blood, brain, intestines, rectum, testicles, etc... I find it all delicious! Who knew that so many "strange" foods are actually really tasty! The Taiwanese have a way of making food like no one else. They take a lot of pride in their food. It's cheap, it's good, it brings happiness. That's what food should be! Shared with friends with plentiful conversation and laughter.

The comute to places is somewhat of a hassle, as everyone is going somewhere (and it seems) all at once. However, I like to walk everywhere within a reasonable distance. It helps me to learn the layout of the city and see how the locals live. I also take the MRT (Metro Railway Transit) which is basically a subway/monorail. It's really handy and not that expensive, but it's usually crowded. I stopped using the bus, however. I don't trust myself to know where the next stop is and to actually get off. The buses are really hectic, as everyone piles in and it really becomes a crowd. Haha.

But it's all good.