Written by Aiden Loya (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Student Correspondent for CET Taiwan, Fall 2024
What does one do when faced with a mountain of souvenirs to bring back to America? Right now, I’m tackling the challenge of fitting each item perfectly into my suitcase, ensuring nothing gets damaged and figuring out who else I can buy gifts for while I’m still in Taiwan. Being on 寶島 (bǎodǎo), the “beautiful and bountiful island” of Taiwan, has felt like a dream.
Every day, I’ve been intellectually challenged both in and outside the classroom, immersing myself in culture and language. If you’ve been on the fence about studying abroad in Asia or focusing on Chinese, set your doubts aside and take the leap! Living in Taiwan for three months has been one of the best experiences of my life. With that, here’s a curated list of things everyone must do when visiting Taiwan and East Asia more broadly.
Attend Taiwan Pride
One of the largest Pride events in Asia, Taiwan Pride brings together government organizations, NGOs, and companies with booths to support and spread awareness. The event features both a parade and an all-day market that draw large crowds. Over 200,000 people attended Taiwan Pride this past year!
Learn to cook a Taiwanese dish
Food is central to Taiwanese culture, and almost every memorable experience I’ve had here has started at a food stall, café, or restaurant. CET even hosted a cooking event where we learned to use a wok and practiced Chinese cooking vocabulary.
Travel Taiwan and beyond
Taipei has a lot to offer, but if this is your first time in Asia, exploring the countryside or visiting nearby countries can expand your worldview. Roundtrip flights out of Taipei on airlines like EVA Air, Starlux, or China Airlines are often under $300.
Hong Kong to Taipei route is the world’s busiest, with options ranging from luxury airlines to budget carriers.
Spend some time by yourself
CET and CLD provide a lot of support, making it easy to stay busy with friends and activities, but it’s also rewarding to take a random bus or hop off at an unfamiliar MRT station. Wandering on your own can push you out of your comfort zone and help you see the city in a new light.
Learn an Indigenous Taiwanese language
This past week, I had the opportunity to learn a bit of Atayal, one of Taiwan’s indigenous languages. The history of the Atayal has been shaped by the Japanese occupation and later by the KMT government. While native languages are now encouraged more than in the past, they still face many challenges. Learning the history, culture, and language of Taiwan’s tribes is essential to their future success.
Long story short, CET Taiwan has been a journey. Even though I’ve studied Chinese since middle school, my language journey feels like it’s only just begun. Until next time, Taiwan. 再見臺灣 (goodbye Taiwan).