Written by Nikole Nguyen, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Student Correspondent CET Taiwan, Summer 2018
大家好！I’m Nikole, one of the student correspondents for CET Taiwan, Summer 2018. I’ll be excited to share my experiences in Taipei with you! I’ll be posting some (hopefully) helpful blogs about living in Taipei and studying under the CET program.
After a 23 hour flight, a misunderstanding with our driver, and a beautiful 30-minute car ride, my father and I finally checked into our hotel in Taipei at around 8:00 PM. We spent the entire day after getting used to life in the city–taking the train, riding the bus, hitting up popular eateries and department stores.
It’s 4:00 PM now (I’m writing this on June 2nd), and I’m going to use the time to reflect on the things that I wish that someone had told me to do prior to arriving in Taipei, of which there are a huge number. Listed below are, in my opinion, the most necessary things you should do if you want the most efficient and cost-effective arrival into Taipei as possible.
Arrive as early as you can (visa permitting). This is only if you are financially able to do this. You’ll get the most important things out of the way if you do. In a day, I was able to get around the Taipei metro, set up an EasyCard, purchase a SIM card at Chungwah, and shop around for necessities in the Taipei 101 area. The more exposure you get to the city before officially moving in to your CET housing, the easier it is to adjust.
Exchange currency at Taoyuan Airport. I had mistakenly done part of my exchange in an American airport and was charged $9.95 USD, which is almost $300 NTD that could’ve just gone to my exchange. When I did the rest of my exchange in Taoyuan Airport, I was charged a mere $30 NTD, which is just $1.00 USD. I had done mine in cash, so regarding that, your mileage may vary. I’ve heard of even cheaper rates if you go to Taiwanese banks, so, if you’re able to, don’t be afraid to expand your horizons and explore other options.
Get a SIM card. Just do it. Don’t ask any questions. You won’t be hit with surprise fees from your carrier, like I was, and the rates for unlimited data are amazing (about $1000 NTD a month, or $33.33 USD a month; compare this with AT&T’s international data plans, which are a ridiculous $60 USD a month for only 1 GB of data). If you do plan to get a SIM card (hint: you should), unlock your phone in advance. Prior to leaving, you should at least ascertain that your phone meets the requirements set by your carrier to be unlocked, so that you can do it while overseas if you must.
If you can’t use an international SIM card, consider purchasing a cheap phone as well as a SIM card (something I know one of my CET classmates did) and using it as a cheap alternative to a WiFi hotspot. You could also bring/purchase a portable WiFi hotspot as well. Go for whatever is more pleasant for your wallet.
Try to put off purchasing an EasyCard until you meet our residential director. An EasyCard is a card that is loaded with some cash that is used across Taipei to pay for YouBike and the metro stations. You will receive a Student EasyCard from your residential director Andrew when you arrive, and it will be pre-loaded with $1000 NTD. Not only that, but students also receive 20% off on all MRT rides. I’d made the mistake of purchasing an EasyCard as soon as I’d arrived; you shouldn’t have to do it.
Bike/Take the MRT over the taxi whenever you can. MRT is reliable and cheap (most rides are about $20 to $30 NTD); taxis are around $300 NTD whenever you have to take one. If you take some time out of your day to learn to navigate the MRT, it’ll save you hundreds of NTD and lots of time. The best way to start is to plan your trip using the Taipei ExploreMetro app, which will give you ETA as well as the cost of your trip.
Watch where you shop. I made the mistake of trying to purchase necessities at Taipei 101, which is basically the heart of the city. I burned through more cash than I feel comfortable sharing, which could have been used at local markets and department stores to get ten times what I had gotten at Taipei 101 (not an exaggeration). If you need to buy groceries, do your research first–look at Google Maps reviews, determine a route to get there and get back, and figure out what you need to get and what places will most likely have it. My personal recommendations are RT Mart in Xindian and, if you have reliable transportation and a membership, the Costco in New Taipei City.
Be adventurous. I mean this with some caution and common sense. This doesn’t mean taking unwise risks or putting yourself in a dangerous situation! But walking around the city, going into different shops, trying different restaurants–all of these things do help you become better acquainted with Taipei. With some friends, I was able to find a small and beautiful temple in Ximending; with my father, we found a local imported tea store and a tiny Italian restaurant with $100 NTD dishes, we trekked Yuanshan and the Shilin Night Market…there is no shortage of things to do and see in Taipei. The more new places you visit, the more familiar the city becomes; before you know it, Taipei will feel like a second home to you.
For more from Nikole, visit https://xiaotruc.wordpress.com.