Why Living in Taiwan is Awesome

After living in Taiwan for about 6 months, I'm in a bit of a "culture-shock"/homesick rut. Since nothing works better to get you looking on the bright side than a gratitude list, I thought that's exactly what I should do. So, here is a bit of a gratitude list for Taiwan, and why I LOVE living here, even though my home country is by far one of the most beautiful places on earth.


Weather
It is warm here in the subtropics! Today is a chilly 16 degrees, while the rest of the week was in the high-20s. As a Canadian, I never thought I would be saying the phrase "chilly 16 degrees" without the same sarcasm we use when saying "a balmy 5 degrees". Here, there is no sarcasm in those words! Ahhh so warm. The humid, non-sarcastically-balmy weather is like a cozy blanket on your skin.
Edit: When I wrote that, it was 16 degrees... by the time I've actually got around to publishing this post, I am thankful for the cool 23 degree weather after a week of humid 30 degree, air-conditioner-needed heat.

This was in February. A beautiful, hot sunny late afternoon hike in Yangmingshan National Park.

Flowers
Learning that these colours exist in nature - what?! Amazing. All throughout the year, flowers bloom in exciting, exotic hues that I have never before seen in nature. It blows my mind. I'm kind of a nature nerd. And what's up with those orange flowers on the trees, which remind me exactly of autumn, but bloom in early spring? My senses are incredibly confused by this. It's all very exciting.

My new favourite flower. It smells amazing, and I wish I could buy a perfume made from its scent. Plus, it grows on trees!

A statue in a tea garden in Pinglin, with a camellia flower placed in his cup. Oh, and rows of tea bushes. Lovely!

Generosity
People here are overwhelmingly kind and friendly. I have had someone try to help me with my Chinese homework in a public library, random people offer me directions at an MRT station, restaurant staff offer to call a taxi for us because it's cheaper than flagging down a cab, vegetable shopkeepers add cilantro to my bag for free, been invited through the back of a restaurant for a tea ceremony when the shop was closed for the holidays, and had a bus driver allow me to sit in the front of a particularly crowded shuttle bus. These things become more evident outside of Taipei, as it is certainly easy to get caught up in the frenetic pace of the city. It is these little things that remind me that I am living on an island, and island people are great people.

My first tea ceremony, during Chinese New Year. We were literally welcomed into this family's home!

Convenience
To have such a large population function in a relatively small space, efficiency is key. This means public transportation options, restaurants, tea shops, banks, convenience stores, markets, you name it - everything is easily accessible and probably within a 10-minute walk from your apartment. Also, you can easily sign up for a city-operated bike rental program called YouBike, and use bikes for free, or for super cheap. I love it.

Taking the YouBikes to the riverside trail. This is way easier than exploring the city on foot!

Novelty

Dude. I freakin' live in Asia. That thought usually crosses my mind at least once a month. Whether it is a narrow street lined with bright flashy signs, or yet another incredibly elaborate temple, or the rain streaming off the typically-Asian clay tile roofs, or the selection of fresh local produce at my neighbourhood fruit and vegetable stands, I am inevitably struck by a sense of wonder that I am actually living here. It is impossible to be bored here. The moment you step outside, it is sensory overload time. Oh, and did I mention the night markets?

Keelung City's Miao-Kow night market during the Chinese New Year holiday