Norah Week 1 - Why Taiwan Will Always Be My First Pick


Norah Week 1: Why Taiwan Will Always Be My First Pick – 08/26 [8:56PM]

I’m Taiwanese American. My parents and sister moved to America a while before I was born, so I’ve never actually lived in Taiwan before. But to me, being Taiwanese is still an important part of my identity. Almost every year, I travel back to Taiwan to meet all my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. However, it isn’t just because I can see my family that I enjoy going to Taiwan; it also gives me a chance to be immersed in my culture and language.


Food is a major way in which I can connect with my culture, as I love being able to eat as much authentic Taiwanese food as I want and better understand Taiwanese culture. Every time we go back to Taiwan, I look forward to the beef noodle soup from the restaurant that the Nvidia CEO likes going to, the bento that costs less than $3 from a store nearby with all the side dishes I would ever want, and the boba.



There’s also so many convenience stores and even a night market around where I stay in Taiwan. The metro is very easy to use, so I can go wherever I want by myself. It feels freeing, which is something I can’t really feel here in America because transportation isn’t as convenient. Also, photo booths. There are so many photo booths all throughout Taiwan, and they’re usually relatively cheaper than the ones you can find in America. It’s so fun to be able to take photo booth pictures with friends and family. Whenever I look back at the photos we took, I get reminded of how much I love being surrounded by Taiwan culture. I really love being able to experience this lifestyle unique to Taiwan where everything is so easy to access.

And above all, I like being surrounded by my family’s language. My Mandarin is honestly not that good, but I enjoy hearing the people around me speak in Mandarin, ordering food in Mandarin, or even listening to my aunts gossip in Mandarin. I love going to Taiwan and all the memories I hold there. So, whenever my parents ask me where I want to go for vacation, my first choice will always be Taiwan. While I enjoy going back for the family, the food, and the convenience stores, what I really like is being able to feel truly connected to my roots.


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