When I first learned I would be living in Taiwan for 10 months, it was difficult for me to picture the many ways my life in Taiwan would be different from my life in the United States. While several aspects, such as the language barrier, are the biggest and most prominent differences that first come to mind, it is the smaller differences of everyday life, such as the food I eat and the music that I listen to, that remind me how much my life has changed since moving to Taiwan.
Even though our journey together is coming to an end, I hope that you will be able to experience small aspects of Taiwan in your everyday life, going forwards. Whether you choose to listen to Taiwanese music (there’s a playlist on Spotify titled “Taiwan music festival”), try a new flavor of boba tea, cook a Taiwanese dish or watch a Taiwanese movie (Cape No. 7, a popular Taiwanese romance film, is available on Netflix), there are ways that you can continue to feel connected to Taiwan beyond our journey together.
Throughout this journey, I have been thoroughly impressed by your thoughtfulness and, when we last spoke, by the many curious questions you asked me. I know that this curiosity will lead you to wonderful places and opportunities in the future. Maybe they’ll even lead you to Hengchun! While this is goodbye for now, I wish you all the very best and hope that you will reach out if you have any questions about Taiwan or travel, in-general.
As we say in Taiwan when parting ways, “Bye bye!”
