This past May, I had the pleasure of studying abroad in Taiwan with a group of fellow students from Radford University, this program was called Radford in Taiwan. Leading over this trip was Dr. I-Ping Fu, who had done this trip more than once with her students before COVID-19 happened. Because of the hard work and dedication of Dr. Fu, our group got to see and experience things I had only dreamed of before. We got to go around the entire island and do so many things in the three weeks we were there.

Because it’s nearing the time again when this trip is being planned for the summer, I decided to write an article talking about the highlights of my study abroad trip to Taiwan and why I recommend it.

The Food

It’s not unusual to hear people say that food outside America is better, it’s common knowledge to most people who have knowledge of the food quality and whatnot in other countries. But that still didn’t prepare me for the absolutely glorious food I had while in Taiwan. There were so many different local cultures and cuisines that I got to experience, it became hard to keep track of all the delicious foods I ate. Dr. Fu and our travel agent found the best places for our group to try authentic food and let me just say, American food had nothing on the food I ate there. Even vegan food was otherworldly. Until that trip, I hadn’t even known that Taiwan has one of the highest vegan populations in Asia. Their vegan and vegetarian food was better than any vegan or vegetarian thing I’ve ever tasted, the flavors were amazing. And don’t get me started on the deserts, who knew shaved ice could be equally, if not better, than regular ice cream?

Overall, not only was the food healthier than anything I’ve eaten in America, but it was also just simply tasty. There wasn’t a single thing I ate while in Taiwan that I didn’t think was delicious, even the stinky tofu I tried and the seafood I ate (before Taiwan I was a firm seafood hater).

I believe a key way to understand and experience another culture is through the native cuisine, and I definitely think Dr. Fu did a great job at giving us that experience.

The People

One of the most refreshing things I got to experience in Taiwan was the genuine hospitality and friendly behavior of the Taiwanese people we met. As someone who is an introvert and not very social, the people I met throughout the trip were the nicest people I have ever met. It makes sense why Taiwan is one of the best countries to live in, even for foreigners. People were so accommodating to those who didn’t speak Chinese and those who struggled when speaking Chinese. People gave us free things simply out of the kindness of their hearts and gave us deals just because they wanted to.

I thought it was so heartwarming to meet people who simply wanted to conversate and join in pictures, and just have a good time with us even though there might be a language barrier. I normally don’t like meeting new people, it gives me anxiety and I’m not a fan of small talk, yet I found myself happily chatting with people in my broken Chinese throughout the trip.

I think a major part of what made this trip enjoyable was the interactions I had with the natives.

The Activities

I realized very early on during the trip that the amount of things to do in Taiwan was unlimited it seemed. I got to do so many things that I probably wouldn’t have gotten the chance to try out if I hadn’t come to Taiwan for this study abroad program. I got to pick tea leaves and learn about the way they’re processed. I got to learn and experience professional tea ceremonies. I got to experience my first night markets, many of which were crazy fun nights. At Taipei 101 I got to ride on one of the fastest elevators in the world. I got to visit a zoo where I saw animals I never even knew existed. I even got to try calligraphy with a trained professional and received my very own name seal that had my Chinese name on it.

So many of these activities were specifically chosen by Dr. Fu and I am so grateful to her for that. A lot of these activities are popular in Taiwan and really give you the experience of a native. While some of the activities I was not cut out for, particularly the tea picking because I’m an indoor type of girl, I am still glad I got to experience all the things that I did. I even enjoyed the mundane things like riding on the bus and getting breakfast at the hotel in the morning. Everything just felt otherworldly, and I enjoyed it all.

The Sights

As a person who is a fan of pretty things and taking pictures of pretty things, I felt like Taiwan had an abundance of pretty things to look at and take pictures of. From visually appealing food and gardens to aesthetically pleasing architecture and skylines. There was just so much to see and so many pictures that needed to be taken. I’m surprised I didn’t run out of storage with the amount of pictures I took in a day.

I don’t regret it though, even with my lack of storage. Part of experiencing new things is also capturing the moment so that you can look back on it and smile. And that’s exactly what I do even today.

I hope that my great experience and the highlights of Taiwan will encourage people to think bigger and get out of their comfort zones. I will forever be grateful to Dr. Fu and our travel agent for how they planned our trip. It is something I will always remember. This trip is part of the reason I plan to move and work in Taiwan once I graduate.

It was eye-opening for me and made me see that there is so much more out there in this world then the little bubble we stay in. It reconfirmed my desire to strive for bigger and better things.