These drinks are comparable to less sugary versions of "Brisk" iced tea and Gatorade in the United States. Upon arriving at school, my LETs and students have a tendency to overload me with snacks. Quite literally! I was never much of a snack person, but these folks are quite insistent in sharing their favorites with me! At noon, classes will break for lunch and naptime (yes this is a "thing" in Taiwan!), with homeroom teachers and students having lunch in their classrooms, while subject teachers and other faculty eating their lunch in the faculty breakroom. Unlike in the U.S.A., it is not common to see people bringing their own lunch to work. Instead, I like many others opt for the hot school lunch, which is usually delicious and (for me at least) free! Since my co-teachers and I do not have to work on Friday afternoons, we often go out to enjoy a sweet treat like Taiwanese shaved ice (挫冰 Cuobing) or sweet tofu pudding (豆花 Douhua) at a vendor near the school. One time, we even made a traditional dessert, Aiyu jelly (爱玉冰 Aiyubing) at the school together!
On the weekend, I will often frequent the local cat cafes with friends and grab dinner at a favorite dumpling place of ours, or sometimes at the local night markets where you can get anything from grilled chicken, sausage, tofu and squid to sugar-coated fruit served on a stick (糖葫芦 tanghulu).
I like to pride myself on being the most adventurous eater in my family. My motto is: "Try everything once", and I have followed this motto while living here in Taiwan. Since coming here, there have certainly been foods that I have loved, as well as ones that have left me wondering, “What did I just eat?”.
