Posts Tagged ‘Taipei’

I realize that I have been posting a TON lately about Asia due to my recent trip.  Unfortunately, I begin this post with my previous sentence because I just want to acknowledge that fact, but do nothing to change it.

Anyway, one of the first things that people ask me when they talk to me about the trip is, “Is it really different?”  Well, yes.  It is very different.  It’s different because there is an abundance of Asians, they speak a different language and they have a different sense of humor (and commercial style on TV).  And, you know, the food is different.

I could really continue on, but I think that when you really boil it down to the very core, however - a city is really just like any other city in the world (or so I think and heard).  People basically go about their day-to-day routine.  Usually this means commuting to work, working, then sometimes taking a moment to relax with friends whether at a bar, karaoke place or going home to veg in front of the television.  Of course, I do realize that it doesn’t apply to tourists there for a vacation or foreigner taking a bit of funemployment.

Regardless of the similarities and differences, there are a few things that I started to see after I returned to the US that I really wish we’d learn to adopt here from Asia…and I’m not just talking about the abundance of video games and anime (which would be sch-weeeeet).

I’m sure, dear reader, that you’re wondering what sorts of things I’m referring to. Well, I’m glad you asked.  Okay, I was going to write it anyway, and I’d like to think that somebody out there is interested…especially when it’s in list form!

1. Cleanliness EVERYWHERE

Everybody I talked to who went to Japan raved about how clean the city is, and I remember wondering: just exactly how clean could a city be?  The answer is very, very, VERY clean.  Everything seems to look the same at first glance, until you start to take a closer look.  I don’t recall seeing tons of garbage, spilled drinks and graffiti on the subway - in fact, I don’t think I saw any at all.  This evening’s MUNI ride, on the other hand, was filled with shady spots on the seats and litter all over the place.  Oh, and you know that rancid city smell of sewage and fecal matter?  Nope - I don’t remember smelling that in Tokyo at ALL.  Even the convenience store bathrooms were sparkling clean.  I could have dropped my purse and jacket on the floor, danced on it and felt okay about it.

2. Night markets

I had always heard so much about night markets before, but it didn’t live up to the actual thing.  And I’ve come to realize that night markets are AWESOME.  They’re always bustling - every night - and filled with food and shopping.  It’s like a boardwalk carnival every. Single. Night.  What better place for street cart vendors to share their wares or to have a cheap date?

3. Seven-story arcades

Sure, there are bars, lounges, karaokes, clubs.  But arcades in Japan are downtown office building sized monstrosities of awesomeness.  There’s every type of game you can imagine, machines to get try your hand at nabbing toys, fancy picture booths and different floors for adults to gamble…and play more video games.  I don’t think I need to delve into it in further detail to explain how great this would be.

4. Hot drinks in vending machines

This probably doesn’t really apply to people in places with perpetual hot weather, but for places that have Jack Frost gnawing at their nose more than nipping at it, hot drinks in vending machines are a great on-the-go bit of warm happiness.  Of course, this would NOT be as enjoyable if people don’t adopt #1 above … cleanliness.  Apparently, in Japan, it’s rude to eat and walk at the same time.  Why?  Because you’d most likely be tossing your trash somewhere it doesn’t belong.

5. Convenient stores that are actually convenient

Everywhere you go it seems that there is a form of 7-11 lurking around the corner.  Whereas the 7-11 here in the US is mostly a place to buy snacks for a road trip, use the disease infested bathroom or get gas, the 7-11 in Japan has everything you actually need.  You can send out letters, packages (imagine no more disgruntled postal workers and ridiculous lines), get money, buy tasty food and also purchase tickets.  Yup, tickets.  We purchased our tickets to the Ghibli museum at the Lawson’s, another convenience store chain.  Convenience stores that are convenient.  Who knew?

Of course, there is still a whole slew of other things that I would LOVE for the US to adopt here - but then, a good portion of that is specific foods.

I think I’d be one happy clam if we just start with these five.  Someone help spread the word to the right people, thanks!

It’s hard to believe that I was still in Asia just less than a week ago. While I was waiting for my plane, I hammered out a few initial thoughts from my trip. Of course, due to the whirlwind of activity from coming back and combatting jetlag, I didn’t really have much opportunity to post anything.

Oh well. Luckily, this is my own repository for whatever I want to do so I can be as late as I want.

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This is it – the end of the long anticipated visit to Taipei and Tokyo, two very different and special cities that reside in my heart. Taipei for the connection to personal family history and my second language and Tokyo for the connection to my personal interests and voluntarily learned language.

When I reflect back on my first initial expectations and hopes for this trip, they were really quite simple. Eat a lot in Taiwan, take pictures, go to the night market. For Tokyo, I wanted to visit an onsen, see the fish market and take in the city lights. It was quite easy to match my fairly narrow-minded and short sighted expectations; and what I really found in each of these cities was so much more.

These past weeks also really made me think about how much my family loves me. My mom, aunts and uncles and cousins all made this wonderful trip happen. Because they love me and know how much it means to me, they went out of their way to provide me an experience that I know will carry with me throughout my life. Beyond just taking some pretty photos and buying souvenirs, I feel that I have a lot to think about regarding my future and Asia.

Gogo took us around for three weeks, tirelessly encouraging us to dig deeper and not just skim the surface. Figure out where we’re going, understand why these places are important – and most of all, he made sure that we had a good time.

My first experience with Asia was actually very unique. Instead of merely visiting, I spent a whole four months in Bejing and traveling around China as a part of a study abroad program. All I had to do was to focus on learning the language, and I stressed about nothing else. I was able to travel around to different places around the country, and it really made me appreciate everything that I have in the States. I also had the priceless opportunity to meet my mother’s older sister and other sides of my family in Xian.

Although that time was amazing and I feel that I learned a lot (unfortunately, not as much Chinese as I really would have liked) I know that a part of me never really wanted to live in China. The whole environment was, for lack of a better word: uncivilized. People spat in the streets without regard, the roads were clogged with vehicles that did not obey the rules at all (each time I crossed the street was quite a stressful endeavor) and people were just impolite. There is no concept of queuing at ALL.

Despite all of these complaints, a part of me still seemed to hopefully nudge me about the idea of working abroad. I contemplated this in Houston when I couldn’t find a direction to head, and I realized that working abroad appealed to me because there is nothing else that you can do to take yourself more out of your comfort zone than living in a different country. You see so much more, meet so many more people and learn more about yourself.

All of these considerations seemed to hit me on this trip. As Gogo said: “Let it all sink in.” Do I want to live in Asia? Could I really do it? In a strange way, when I stepped off the plane in Taipei and Tokyo, I didn’t feel too out of place. In Taipei especially, I could understand everybody. In Tokyo, I was content with listening to people talk and trying to remember as much as I could (sadly, I don’t remember much). All that aside, I found myself wistfully thinking about how amazing it would be to be completely fluent in Chinese (reading and writing) and Japanese.

Why would it be amazing? For me, it would be because I don’t want to be a person of one country, I want to be a person of multiple countries. Communication is my livelihood, and it is also how I make friends and build my relationships with people. I want to be able to continue building bridges, and I want to be a well-rounded person. As my grandmother wrote in her note to Gogo before she passed away: Become a person that is useful to the East and the West.

Yes, I was born in America and it has given me so many opportunities…but I am still a person who has roots in the East. Asia shaped my family, who in turn shaped me. For that, I am grateful, and I want to do more than merely make a living, save for retirement and then forget everything else in the past.

So what are my next steps? It feels daunting, for sure, but I think that the first thing I want to do is to start seriously learning Chinese again.

I don’t want the motivation in me from this trip snuff out from the daily comforts of routine. I want to push myself, and look for opportunities to do more in the future. Does this mean one day moving to Asia? Maybe - I hope so.

But one step at a time.

It’s hard to believe that 2009 is finally coming to a close…likewise, it’s also hard to believe that I’ve been in Taiwan for about a week now.  We’ve been quite busy these past few days since my last update, including a trip to the south cities Tainan and Kaohsiung.

While I’ve been suffering through some health issues (I’m apparently allergic to Taipei…but luckily not the food) it has been a pretty great trip so far.  And now I’m going to go ring in the new year on the rooftop of a building in Taipei with (some of) my family.

Happy 2010, everybody!

It’s still hard to believe that I’m finally here. In Taiwan.

It’s even harder to believe that just a few days ago was Christmas Day (of course, Wordpress is still stuck on Pacific time).  Overall, the weather here is extremely mild, and there is a distinct lack of Christmas decorations. I think I passed by a few lit up trees and people wearing Santa hats to encourage the masses to spend money…but other than that, nothing.

I started off the morning by sleeping in to 10:30am. I thought I would have slept half the day away, or stayed up until 4am twiddling my thumbs. I have to say, I feel very fortunate that my body somehow figured out that it crossed the International date line. Breakfast on the first day consisted of dou jiang (warm soy milk), buns and a rice roll. So ridiculously good.

Then we wandered around the neighborhood and took in some sights.

After watching Gogo get a haircut, we went to the photo studio where I’m getting some pictures done (yikes).  We happened to be around the Chiang Kai-shek memorial, the 228 Peace Park and the President’s hizzouse.

(No drowning allowed!) >: [

(I got yelled at for taking this illegal photo.  Oops.)

And we also came across my mom’s old school…neat!  They had to go to school on Christmas Day.  Sad.

We wandered around some more, and for dinner we picked up a quick dinner.  Four boxes of food was less than $10.

The second day consisted of even more food - we went to Din Tai Fung for lunch…

visited another park, went to church, and I got to meet up Max for some night market shopping at Shi Da Ye Shi.

Fried chicken, stinky tofu, bubble tea milk, this OTHER tea drink with HALF cream (sooooooo ridiculously good) and ice.  YUMMMMM.

Today, we went around some more, first to Wu Fen Pu (the fashion district/cheap clothing area…sadly, I was not successful in my hunt for clothes) then to Taipei 101 area with the tower and mall.

Foodwise, we had amazingly delicious breads for breakfast, gua bao, dou hua and more shopping later.

Whew. Off to the Tainan tomorrow for the LARGEST night market…then back in Taipei again after two days.