Written by Aiden Loya (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Student Correspondent for CET Taiwan, Fall 2024
The hardest part about stepping foot in a different country with a different language is navigating Google Maps. Moving to Taiwan was a dream come true for me. I knew this journey would bring so many opportunities and challenges to navigate. Little did I know that one of my biggest challenges would be something as seemingly simple as navigating Google Maps.
My daily commute to class can consist of taking in the most gorgeous views of Taiwan, getting a realistic look at Taiwanese life, or choosing the quickest, most twisty route with no view.
Setting up your life in a different country involves many aspects: learning which supermarket chain you prefer (7-Eleven, Family Mart, or Hi-Life—I’m partial to Family Mart since it’s the closest to my apartment), discovering your favorite study spot (mine is the NTU Main Library), and finding hobbies you and your language buddies enjoy (we like hiking and trying new restaurants). However, by far one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make within my first week here was choosing how to get to class.
Each route offered something different. On the most direct route, I could get to class earlier and have more time to review the lessons we covered the day before. This extra study time is essential, especially since each class covers so much.
The route that offers a glimpse into Taiwanese life has the most breakfast options, for which Taiwan is famous. On this route, I can quickly grab an egg sandwich and soy milk or 蛋餅 (dànbǐng) and 豆漿 (dòujiāng). Additionally, getting to know the shop owners better is a bonus, as it allows me to introduce myself to my surrounding Taiwanese community.
Finally, there’s the scenic route. Walking in the shadow of Taipei 101 and seeing the sunrise over the mountains provides an incredibly satisfying experience. Walking to class on this route keeps me motivated to study Chinese. It reminds me that I made it! Taipei is the coolest city in the world, and I get to study here.
Setting up my life in Taiwan during the first week was, to be honest, pretty simple. Having the CET team help with this transition was crucial. With their assistance, I was able to immediately start immersing myself in Taipei and Taiwanese culture, leaving the only major decision for me to make: how to get to class.
