Good first impressions
Time went by fast — the one-and-a-half hours seemed too short for me to make myself believe I was almost in Taiwan. I peeped out the window to see the view as the plane was making a landing and the buildings were becoming clearer. Finally, I arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
When people arrive in an entirely new place, they probably make a lot of comparisons — as I did. I flew from the prosperous city of Shanghai, leaving from Shanghai Pudong International Airport. While Taoyuan was smaller and less magnificent, it felt gentle and warm.
After arriving, we went through immigration processing and I was surprised the staff there communicated with me. Their consideration comforted me a lot. In China, the staff would hardly chat with you while they were working because of regulations.
At the exit, we were welcomed by students from Shih Hsin University. Just imagine how happy and delighted you would be when — as a stranger — you see a friend meeting you at the airport.
Later, we reached our dorm building, which was specially designed for Chinese exchange students and teachers. As the first newcomers of this building, we were under special consideration — a splendid dinner. Everything was well prepared and I was quite satisfied with my new dorm room — a double room. The first night was so comfortable and sweet. I was just like a typical spoiled expatriate.
In the following days, three of us traveled by ourselves. We were touched by the many Taiwanese we met and what we saw. When we got on the bus, the bus driver chatted with us. There was no one eating or drinking or talking very loudly.
When I was trying to find a seat, I found people smiling at me. I did not worry that sudden braking would send me tumbling me down because the bus was at a stable speed.
Looking out the bus window, I was watching the buildings with various types of architecture, combining the classical and modern together. It is a great human legacy and it is good to see that Taiwan can preserve it and balance it so well. They not only meet the needs of building function, but also satisfy the needs of the city, which are diverse and distinct.
And convenience store chains are everywhere, such as 7-Eleven. Many are nearby, sometimes even inside a building, MRT station or a railway station, making it easy for commuters to pop into a store to grab a meal on their way home.
I feel fortunate to be living here: A place I feel at home in, even though I am so far away from home.
I have also been impressed by the people here. Even a mere smile or “hello” would make me feel moved and inspired. Every time I pay for what I buy, the clerk would say “thank you” with a big smile. Every night when I come home, the doormen welcome us, waving their hands as if they’re our family members. They have warmed the hearts of hundreds of exchange students.
It seems Taiwanese do not work for money, but to enjoy life. I have been moved by this harmonious society. Unlike the sterotype of strangers in a strange land, in this city I can tell the whole society cares about us and I am no longer an outsider.
The first seven days made me consider living here forever rather than making me feel homesick or culture-shocked. I look forward to the following days and I will cherish every minute I spend in Taiwan.
Zeng Yanxi
Taipei
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
If you had a vision of the future where China did not dominate the global car industry, you can kiss those dreams goodbye. That is because US President Donald Trump’s promised 25 percent tariff on auto imports takes an ax to the only bits of the emerging electric vehicle (EV) supply chain that are not already dominated by Beijing. The biggest losers when the levies take effect this week would be Japan and South Korea. They account for one-third of the cars imported into the US, and as much as two-thirds of those imported from outside North America. (Mexico and Canada, while
I have heard people equate the government’s stance on resisting forced unification with China or the conditional reinstatement of the military court system with the rise of the Nazis before World War II. The comparison is absurd. There is no meaningful parallel between the government and Nazi Germany, nor does such a mindset exist within the general public in Taiwan. It is important to remember that the German public bore some responsibility for the horrors of the Holocaust. Post-World War II Germany’s transitional justice efforts were rooted in a national reckoning and introspection. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps not