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August 7th - Travel to Taipei, Tea Ceremony and Farewell Dinner

Today we got up pretty early and I got some chicken nuggets. I really wasn’t that hungry so I only had about 5. Then, I did some final packing and got on the bus. It was a 4 hour bus drive to Taipei. We stopped at a rest stop for lunch and I got some really good pastries. I also got some sushi. I didn’t really like it to be honest. One of the shrimp sushi had American cheese on it and then was covered in brown sugar and I was just not rocking with the sweetness or the cheese. Kind of a bummer because I couldn’t get any other protein source. We got back on the bus and finally arrived in Taipei at around 3 pm. Then, it was time for our tea ceremony. It was another traditional style of the tea ceremony and I really like watching how meticulous they are with it. The tea was a bit bitter in my opinion, but I am not really a fan of tea either way because I don’t like the caffeine or the taste. We were there for about two hours just talking. Jasmine was discussing what she would be eating as soon as she got into America. After we left, we had to go straight to get dinner because the tea ceremony took a bit longer than expected. The meal we got was super good. I had a bunch of shrimp, some orange, chicken, fried rice, and more xiao long bao. I really liked the fried rice. Peter got his gifts from all of us and it was really sweet to see him read the photo album and the card. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel on the bus. We all sang karaoke for the last time on the trip and got back to our original hotel. It is kind of bittersweet to be back. When I got back, I gave Yeh laoshi her present and then headed up to the room. I started to unpack for the last time! Then, I finished some journaling and took a shower. I’m very happy to be going home and I think the first thing I will do is workout. I really miss going to my gym. I also really miss running with my dog on the trails. Jasmine and I are thinking about pulling an all-nighter so we can sleep on the plane. This will be my last blog. Thank you Yeh laoshi, Peter, and Chief for making this the best trip ever!

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August 6th - Sicao Green Tunnel, Anping Tree House, Tainan Confucius Temple, and Old Lin’s Department Store

This morning, I got to eat chicken nuggets again for breakfast, which was very exciting. I ate as much as I possibly could because I didn’t want to have to buy lunch. So after two rounds of nuggets, I head back up to the room. Then, Zoe asked me if I wanted to go the stationary story and I could not resist. I got some new nice mechanical pencils and highlighters for my last year at UF. Then, we got on the bus to start the day at around 1 pm. Our first stop was the Sicao Green Tunnel. It was a boat ride through some mangrove trees. It was really pretty, but it was super low and I had to duck a few times so that I wouldn’t get hit by a branch. After this, we went to the Anping Tree House. I will write my academic reflection on it, so stay tuned! It was really pretty. Our next stop was the Tainan Confucius Temple, which is the oldest Confucius temple in Taiwan. It was surprisingly large and super beautiful. Lastly, we went to Old Lin’s department store. It was an old area that was renovated in 2006 into a department store. I didn’t buy anything, but I started getting really hungry at this time because it was almost 6 so a few of us went to 7/11 to get some food. They had slushees! I got a sprite slushee and a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. Then, we went back to the hotel and got ready for our last night in Tainan.

Academic Reflection

The Anping tree house was originally used to store salt for the Anping branch of the Japanese Salt Corporation. After World War 2, it was abandoned and laid empty. The Banyan trees surrounding the tree house are an invasive species that aggressively expand their territory. Banyan trees thrive in humid areas like Tainan. The roots of these trees also secret an acid that dissolves limestone, making them extremely suitable for rocky environments, or the side of a warehouse. As the trees continued to grow, they formed an effective living roof and wall of banyan roots. Later, architects renovated the abandoned building and built raised wooden paths and steel structures to continue to support it. There are also bridges and stairs to see the entire thing from a bird’s eye view, making it a popular tourist attraction in Tainan.

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August 5th - National University of Taiwan and Ten-drum Cultural Village

I woke up extra early today because I had to pack up all my bags and get down early enough to have time to eat. After breakfast, it was time to go to Tainan. The bus ride was about and hour and I watched some YouTube. Then, we arrived at the National University of Taiwan. At the University, we got to practice some calligraphy with a teacher and then we got to do it on a fan. I did the cursive style of characters. Then, when I was putting my stamp on, I kind of messed it up, but that’s okay. Then, they gave us a little bento box for lunch. I got the option with fried chicken. Next, we went to the Ten-drum cultural village. We walked around for a bit before it was time for the 3 o’clock performance. They had a really good band called Cross Metal and they used mostly drums, but also had a guitar, keyboard, and flute. After this, we got some time to walk around until it was time to board the bus. We took the bus to our next hotel. Which seems to be right in the middle of Tainan. I haven’t figured out my dinner situation yet. I know a few people are going to the night market and some are going to a restaurant, but I am still on the rocks. The night markets are cheaper, but I do like getting to sit down and relax while eating instead of walking and eating.

Academic Reflection

For my academic reflection, I will talk about the city of Tainan. Tainan was the first city to be developed in Taiwan. In 1661, Ming loyalist Cheng Cheng-kung drove the Dutch from Taiwan and established an administration in Tainan. Mainland Chinese immigrants flocked to this city, helping its population grow. In 1683, the Taiwan Prefectural Capital was established in Tainan. Then, in 1885 Tainan became a province and remained the political, economic and cultural center of Taiwan up to the late nineteenth century. Tainan is often referred to as the “city of temples'' because it holds over 200 temples in the city. Tainan is also home to the Kaiyuan Temple, which is one of the oldest temples in Taiwan. It was constructed in 1653 and is dedicated to the Buddhist deity Guanyin.

Citations

https://www.twtainan.net/en/statics/culture

https://facts.net/world/cities/50-facts-about-tainan/

https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002119

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Final Project Link

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August 4th - Free Day

Today was our last free day! Today I got up early to eat as much as I possibly could from the hotel breakfast because I didn’t want to spend money for lunch and I’m trying not to exchange any more money. I’ve budgeted about $500 per day, which will be a bit tricky. Anyway, after breakfast I went right back to sleep extremely full. I finally got up around 12 and decided it was time to get started on some homework. I did my last quiz and the last reading! The time has really flown by, I can’t believe I’m already pretty much done with the class. After this, I went out to try and film some more footage for my final project because I also wanted to get it done today. I walked around for about an hour getting clips that would fit nicely in my video and then I started to get hot. I found this cute store that had some art, key chains, stationary, phone cases and all sorts of other things. It was exactly what I like to buy, but I was on a budget of course, so I bought three small keychains that I want to put on my keys when I get home. I followed the store’s instagram for a free sticker and then asked her in Chinese if I could take the sticker. She immediately assumed I could speak fluently and was describing some sort of QR code keychain thing and I just stared at her with a blank face and then said 好 after a few seconds and pretended to know what I was doing. I made the free keychain and scanned some code and she said 謝謝。再見！So I’m guessing I wasn’t stealing? I was so flustered that I forgot the stuff I actually bought when I walked out and had to go back in to go get it. Then, I walked to the OK Mart next to the hotel to grab some Supau (the Taiwanese Gatorade) and the lobster chips for my boyfriend (I tried to convince him that they weren’t good, but he didn’t budge). I am hoping the bag doesn’t explode on the plane. After this walk, I headed back to the hotel and did some journaling and then Amy came over to do some work. I edited the last parts of my video and did some finishing touches on my script. After about 3 hours, I was ready to do my voice over. It took me a while to find a quiet place with no one around, but I settled on sitting down in the middle of the hallway. It took me a million attempts, but I finally got it done and it’s ready to be posted! It will probably be my next post of tumblr, so stay tuned! Amy, Iris, Zoe and I are getting pasta for dinner and then I have to pack for the next city!

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August 3rd - Fo Guang Shan Monastery and Museum

I’m giving up on the cough update. It’s still here, it’s not going anywhere, and it sucks. It was another early start. I got up early enough to talk to my friends from home. After I talked to both of them, I got a quick breakfast because we only had 15 minutes to eat. The hot chocolate at breakfast has become my new favorite drink. We boarded the bus and had a long ride to Fo Guang Shan. It is a beautiful and extremely large buddhist temple. I will say though, there are lots of stairs. We got to offer a flower and a prayer to one of the big buddhas and then it was time for lunch. This lunch though was very specific and we had a 30 minute briefing on how to eat it. First, absolutely no phones or talking was allowed. Also, masks had to worn at all times besides when eating. We had to walk in silently, bow to buddha, then quietly pull our chairs back. Then, a chant resumed for about 5 minutes. After this, we could eat. Another part was that we had to eat everything we accepted and since I didn’t know what things would taste like and I can’t finish food if I don’t like it, I had two bowls of plain white rice for lunch. You also only get 20 minutes to eat. Another part that confused me was that there was no beverage served. Eating two bowls of plain white rice with no water is slightly difficult. After 20 minutes was up, another chant resumes, bowls are taken away, and you get to leave and finally break your silence. It was quite an experience, but I will say I do not think I would able to eat every meal like that for years on end. After lunch, we headed to the Buddha Museum. The most interesting part of the museum was the architecture in my opinion. I have never seen such a large statue of buddha. There were gold buddha’s, jade buddha’s, wooden buddha’s, and everything in between. We also got to practice some calligraphy, which was super fun. I was exhausted after all the stairs and walking, so I was excited to get back on the bus and head back to the hotel. Tonight, we get to party with Peter! I think we’re starting at some bars and then maybe a club? Not really sure but definitely excited.

Academic Reflection

Fo Guang Shan was established by Master Hsing Yun and his disciples. The main structures consist of four temples: Daxiongbao, Dabei, Dazhi, and the Dashu shrines. Daxiongbao is the most notable and largest of each of these temples. The main god of worship is Sakyamuni. They believe he was born in 563 or 566 BCE as a wealthy prince. When he realized he was not reaching liberation, he decided to give up his bountiful way of life and turned to meditation in hopes to reach enlightenment on his own. After 49 days of sitting under a tree resisting temptation and urges, he became a buddha. He then spread his wisdom and advocated for a life without need for objects and power. In the temple, there are 14,800 holes of buddha statues. The museum we visited used to be a temple and in 2011, it was transformed into a memorial center with 8 pagodas at the front and the world’s tallest bronze buddha statue.

Citations

https://kagyuoffice.org/buddhism/shakyamuni-buddha/

https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002121&id=2206

https://taiwangods.moi.gov.tw/html/landscape_EN/1_0011.aspx?i=87

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August 2nd - National Science and Technology Museum, Din Tai Fung, and Meinong Hakka

My cough literally will not go away, it’s driving me crazy. Anyway, we got up early again today and I had a light breakfast because we were told to save for lunch. After breakfast, it was time for our first activity. We went to the National Science and Technology Museum. This was one of the biggest museums I have ever been to. I really enjoyed the space exploration and the health exhibits. There was also an interesting exhibit about Morakot. I will be doing my academic reflection on this. Then it was time for lunch. I was so excited for lunch and by this time I was starving because I hadn’t eaten much at breakfast. It was at Din Tai Fung. The food was amazing and they served us 8 courses right after another. Definitely the best dumplings I have ever eaten. The chocolate xiaolongbao might also be my new favorite dessert behind cheesecake (I haven’t found a good cheesecake here yet). I ate until I was literally about to throw up. Then, we walked around the mall that Din Tai Fung was in and Zoe and I were so close to buying Longchamp bags, but thankfully we were strong and left empty handed. Lastly, we headed to Meinong Hakka. The first stop was a gift shop and the second stop was a museum. I was pretty tired at this point, but the museum had some cool stamps that I got to use. I am excited for the monastery tomorrow!

Academic Reflection

The museum’s section on Typhoon Morakot was really interesting to me and I wanted to learn more about it, so I will be doing my academic reflection on it. The typhoon hit in 2009 and it was the deadliest typhoon to hit Taiwan in the last 50 years. It killed 673 people and 26 went missing. The main reason that the storm was so deadly was because it was so slow moving. It led to 116.73 inches of rain in 4 days. This led to severe mudslides and flooding. One of the landslides destroyed the entire Shiaolin Village, killing 500 people. The estimated agricultural damage alone is $550 million US. It was not supposed to be an incredibly deadly storm. In fact, it was only a category 2 typhoon with winds at 100 mph. It was a large storm though, with clouds spreading from Japan to the Philippines. It did not even have a distinctive eye, but it was extremely deadly. The benefit that came from this tragedy is the increased research that has gone into forecasting tropical storms in order to prevent an event like this from ever happening again. Now, we can better predict how landslides will damage the ecosystems and towns nearby.

Citations

https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/94/2/bams-d-11-00155.1.xml#:~:text=Typhoon%20Morakot%20(2009)%20was%20one,2%2C965%20mm%20(116.73%20in.)

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/39720/typhoon-morakot

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August 1st - Lotus Pond, Qishan Train Station

I woke up next to my brand new goose. Also, my cough is almost gone I think. So maybe the goose is good luck. I got ready and went down for breakfast at around 9. We had an early start today, so then I went to the lobby to meet up with everyone for the activities of the day. First, we went to the Lotus Pond. There were a bunch of temples on the water. There were also a ton of turtle and fish in the pond. It was very pretty. Next, we were supposed to go to a Confucius Temple, but it was closed today. I’m assuming this was due to the typhoon because a bunch of workers were cleaning trees up, but I’m not really sure. Then, it was time for lunch. It was another all you can eat Korean BBQ kind of thing. It was good, but I was still full from breakfast so I didn’t eat much. Andy ate some really spicy food and then chugged a bunch of yogurt and then ended up getting sick on the bus ride to our next location, which was the Qishan Train Station. Apparently, the town was the number one producer of bananas in Taiwan, so we all got some banana merch. I got a postcard and a keychain that almost everyone bought. They gave us a $30 coupon, which in turn made everyone convince themselves to buy something, so they definitely knew what they were doing business-wise. We had an hour bus ride back to the hotel and then I have a quiz to do and some work.

Academic Reflection

Today, I am going to do my academic reflection on the Lotus Pond Temples. The first temple we visited was the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. The dragons throat is the entrance and the tigers mouth is the exit. In Chinese culture, this symbolizes turning back luck into good fortune. Inside, there are paintings and sculptures that depict China’s 24 most obedient sons. There are also scenes of heaven and hell to promote good deeds among people and to create fear of wrongdoing. Yeh Laoshi also told me the zigzag walkway leading to the temple was because evil spirits are only capable of walking in a straight line. The next temples we saw were the Spring and Autumn Pavillions. These are dedicated to Kuan Kung, which is the God of War. They were completed in 1951. In front of the pavilions, a statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, is deposited riding a dragon. According to legend, Guanyin flew above the clouds riding a dragon, which led to the imagery captured by the temple. The lake is entirely man-made, but since it is always covered with lotus flowers, the name lotus pond stuck. Also, Peter told us it is common for people to buy fish and turtles from markets and free them in the pond as a good deed, which may help their chances to going to heaven.

Citations

https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002121&id=R157

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July 31st - Great Harbor Bridge, Shoyoen, Kaohsiung Main Public Library, Night Market

Cough is maybe getting a little bit better, but still annoying. Today, I finally got up early enough to make it to breakfast. This is the first time I had it, and I think it’s by far the best breakfast offered by any of the hotels. After breakfast, I got ready for the day. Then, we had some class time. We all presented our photo on bad Chinese translations. We had a break after so I talked to my boyfriend and he is requesting some lobster flavored lays (which are disgusting). I also ate some ramen for lunch and took a short nap before the activities for the day. First, we went to the Great Harbor bridge. We watched it turn around, which was pretty cool. Next, we went to Shoyoen, which was a villa which eventually turned into a place for military officials to work and live. There was a bunch of Japanese and western influence on the architecture of the building. Next, we went to the Kaohsiung Main Public Library. It was very pretty architecture and fun to see everyone studying. Then, we saw a subway station with some beautiful lit up columns. Lastly, we went to a night market and grabbed some food. Zoe and I wanted to kill some time so we decided to go to the claw machines and try to win something. After spending about $150 NTD, I saw the perfect opportunity. A large goose stuffed animal had its neck hanging out of the machine. I kept inching it forward and after 10 tries, the goose was mine. I have no idea how I’m going to carry it around the rest of the trip because it’s massive, but I am proud.

Academic Reflection

For my academic reflection, I wanted to talk about the Great Harbor bridge. It costs $10 million US to build. It is also the longest swing bridge in Asia at 110 meters long. It has a maximum capacity of 500 people and each 90 degree turn takes 5 minutes. When the bridge is fully opened, there is a 40 meter wide channel for ships to pass through. It also greatly shortened travel time. A 30 minute walk from the Pier 2 Art Center to the Penglai Wharf only takes 2 minutes now. It is also now one of the most important landmarks to see in Kaohsiung and attracts tourists from all over the world. It was designed with dolphins and shells in mind, but some say it looks like a sail. The port of Kaohsiung handles 70 percent of Taiwan’s container shipping, so it is important that the bridge still allows access to ports. It really is a work of art, and the engineering that went behind it is quite impressive.

Citations

https://www.iaphworldports.org/news/iaphnews/8356/

https://zonta.org.tw/aidm/page.php?ver=en&data_nav=1084&page_type=page&vid=5841&portal=aidm2

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July 30th - Monkey Mountain, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Alien Art Center

Cough still present, maybe slightly better. Today, was an early and miserable start. We woke up at 7:15 to get ready for the hike (which was a voluntary choice for some reason). We took the train and then walked about 20 minutes to the start of the trail. I did not know what I was in for. I thought it was going to be an easy hike to see the native monkeys because apparently, they inhabit the trail pretty heavily. We saw some monkeys as soon as we started and I should have turned back. Unfortunately, I decided to stay with the group. We hiked up pretty far and I was feeling good, but we started to realize it was going to take longer than 1 hour. We kept going and decided we would have to take a shortcut because we weren’t going to be able to do the full easy loop. A man speaking Chinese was trying to direct us away from the trail, but none of us completely understood why. So, we headed off to our deaths. This was arguably the hardest trail I have ever climbed in my entire life. Not only was the ground muddy, the humidity and heat were unbearable. Not to mention, the climbing we had to do because it was so steep. Also, most of us had run out of water at this point because we thought we were going for a casual stroll. My heart rate was a solid 179 as we ascended, and I was trying to be very cautious with it and told myself I would stop at 180 because of my health issues. After about 30 minutes of genuine torture, we found a woman who spoke to us in Chinese about getting to the top. She could tell we were struggling and decided to be our tour guide. She had to be about 50 to 60, so it was very humbling. Each of us were drenched in sweat. I had to take my shirt off and it looked like it was dunked into a pool. We finally got to the top and saw a bunch of monkeys, but as far as I was concerned, I was ready to leave. The woman who was our brand new tour guide said we couldn’t go down the way we went up because it was too dangerous, so we had to go the long way. Finally, we made it all the way back down and I realized I was getting sick from dehydration. I didn’t want to drink any more water, I started shaking, and I started to get very nauseous. I took a Zofran that I brought with me to keep my fluids down and tried to drink my last bottle. When we got back to the hotel, it was already time to start the activities for the day, which included two art museums. They were cool and I saw some pretty art, but the problem is that we weren’t allowed fluids in the museum, so my dehydration was not getting any better. I picked up an apple juice and cookies at the gift shop for some quick sugar, but it made me more nauseous. The fun didn’t end there though because we had to go to another museum, which also did not allow fluids. I was so ready to go back at this point and kept getting worse. Honestly, I don’t remember much of the second museum and I ended up sitting in the bus to cool down. We finally got back to the hotel and I am patiently waiting for it to be time to take my next dose of Zofran. I haven’t been able to eat much or drink, so I’m trying to get some fluids down as I write this.

Academic Reflection

It’s only fair that I reflect on Monkey Mountain (aka Shoushan Mountain). Shoushan Mountain is located in the southwest area of Kaohsiung. It lies 365 meters above sea level and is about 5 km long and 2.5 km wide. The mountain was formed from coral reefs pushed up from collision between the Eurasian and Philippine Plates. It gets its name from the hundreds of Formosan Macaques that inhibit the area. The mountain is also home to some of the earliest archaeological remains ever found in Kaohsiung, dating at about 5,000 years old. The area also served as a military installation during the Qing dynasty. The difficulty is supposed to be moderate, but that has to be for the installed path. I would beg to differ about the difficulty rating for this, but I guess it depends on which way you decide to go. Apparently, from a few blogs I was reading about it, the monkeys are quite aggressive and do attack people if they look at them in their eyes. They also like to steal food. I am glad I got to see it once, but I cannot say I will be going back anytime soon.

Citations

https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002121&id=20

https://www.foreignersintaiwan.com/blog/monkey-mountain-shoushan

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July 29th - Independent Excursion Post Part II, The Impact of Taiwanese Art

This is continued portion of my Academic Reflection from the previous post.

While reflecting on how this relates to my culture, they are surprisingly similar. In specific areas of America, we have plenty of street art. Even in Gainesville, the Norman tunnel is filled of paintings to express emotion or current political beliefs. This is very similar to Taiwan and it is so interesting to see how similar two cultures can be on the other side of the world. This is probably because art is very universal. Our cultures and views towards are differ in some aspects though. I do feel the amount of art is Kaohsiung is much greater than any I have seen in America and I also feel they are a but more welcoming to murals and graffiti. I chose this specific aspect because I have always loved art and when I was walking around last night to the bars, I noticed just how popular it is here. Then, the inspiration struck to do some research and my independent excursion on the street art in Taiwan. I am very glad it is what I chose because I really enjoyed finding and thinking about the pieces I saw.

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July 29th - Independent Excursion Post Part I, The Impact of Taiwanese Art

Still have the cough. Today was our first full day in Kaohsiung, and it was also our first free day. We went out to some of the bars last night and Peter came (our tour guide)! It was fun to see him outside of working hours. The drink I got was called a Melon Ball and they definitely pour heavy-handed. Anyway, for that reason, I slept in a little bit today. Unfortunately, breakfast stops at 9:30, which should be a crime, so I missed food this morning. At around 11, I was ready to get started on my independent excursion. For my project, I decided to find local art around the area, such as statues, graffiti, and murals. I ended up walking about two miles in total as I was touring the city looking for artwork. I will expand on this more during the reflection portion. I also found this really cute bookstore and while it was definitely overpriced, I got some cool souvenirs for myself and my family members. After all this, I was starving, so I decided to head back to the hotel and pick up some lunch. I got some ramen at an OK Mart (they completely stole K-Mart’s brand) and then I headed upstairs to my room. I cleaned out my bag, journaled a bit, and talked to my friends. Tonight, I think we are watching Deadpool in theaters, but I am just hoping it is not all in Chinese because I am pretty limited to 你好，謝謝， 和再見. I am also pretty sure I am going shopping with Amy and Zoe because Amy’s birthday is soon, but I need to be careful about spending any more because I broke the bank a bit today.

Academic Reflection

Taiwan, especially Kaohsiung, is overflowing with artwork. As I walked the streets, I constantly saw different forms of expression like graffiti, huge murals, and statues. The art in Taiwan reflects many different aspects. It varies from individual expression to global views. Taiwan struggles to find one cohesive identity because of its unique history. They have been under different forms of government, ruled by different countries, and influenced by different cultures for hundreds of years. In fact, “few nations face a future more fraught with uncertainty than Taiwan. Even whether Taiwan is a nation is questioned” (Copper, 2009, p.227). The uncertainty of one true identity and a stable future is something that Taiwan has been struggling with for some time. Their art reflects this uncertainty in some aspects by showcasing the mixing pot of cultures that have influenced their art style. China has a big impact on the style, which was definitely displayed as I walked the city. There were statues of traditional Chinese-looking soldiers and paintings of traditional Chinese temples. There is also some Western and Japanese influence. Paintings of cherry blossom trees littered the streets and I saw a huge statue of a character that resembled Bumblebee from Transformers. Graffiti is also common, and while it has long been argued whether or not it is beneficial or detrimental to society, it plays an important part in the art scene. Since Kaohsiung specifically embraces art, it has been named the “street art capital of Taiwan”. Not only does Taiwan have an impressive amount of art to view for free on the streets, but the art also supports the economy. The box office for arts and cultural events in 2022 exceeded $36.3 million US (Wu, 2022). Art museums and shows are a way for people to enjoy an aesthetic experience and challenge their minds to understand the meaning behind some more convoluted pieces. It is an important part of the life and economy here. The art not only displays the impact of the world on Taiwan, but art is an important part of psychology. Art can promote well-being. A study done in 2024 led to the conclusion that artistic expression holds promise as a powerful tool for promoting resilience, reducing stress, fostering social connection, and increasing self-awareness (Smith, 2024). Not only does art display cultural beliefs and personal ideas, but it also is a tool that can improve mental health. Complex activities like painting, drawing, sculpting, and creating music can help the individual process complex emotions and deal with hardship. When people are going through a difficult time, it is often recommended that they find an outlet such as art in order to process emotions and funnel them into a separate facet. Some of the art I saw displayed these complicated emotions. There were hexagons filled with smiling, sad, stagnant, and angry faces on one mural that really stood out to me. It makes me consider what this person may have been going through at the time, provoking thought, curiosity, and empathy with the viewer. So many different emotions can be conveyed with art, and expressing them is important to maintaining mental health, but it also is so beneficial to the audience that views it. Studies have shown that viewing art generates similar patterns of brain activity to other pleasurable experiences, such as food or addictive drugs (Gallo, Giampietro, Zunszain, Tan, 2021). Not only is it pleasant for the viewer, but art can also engage the reward system in the brain, which can reduce stress levels (Gallo et al., 2021). Overall, Taiwanese street art is not only a reflection of the impact of their culture and country, but it is a beneficial outlet and positive experience for all who get to enjoy it. 

Part two will be in the next post because I maxed out this text box!

Citations

https://ed.arte.gov.tw/uploadfile/periodical/2519_Li-Yan%20Wand.Ann%20Kuo.pdf

Copper, John Franklin. Taiwan : Nation-State or Province? 5th ed., Westview Press, 2009.

https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002008

https://taiwaninsight.org/2024/02/26/a-glance-at-taiwans-arts-and-cultural-landscape-in-2023/

https://blog.mrhost.com.tw/8631/taiwans-capital-of-street-art-is-kaohsiung/

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July 28th - Travel to Kaohsiung

Still have the cough. Anyway, today we are traveling to Kaohsiung. We got up early and boarded the bus. It was about a 3 hour drive, but we stopped a few times for bathroom breaks and snacks. On our way to Kaohsiung, we got a really good view of the Pacific Ocean. Peter was saying how if you drew a straight line you would hit Mexico. Before our hotel, we stopped at a train station with a cat as their mascot. His name was Mikan. They had a bunch of merch for him and we got to take a photo with him (which he was not a fan of). We got lunch at this station and I got a bun that resembled his face. Later, Jasmine, Amy, Brev, Zoe, and I all got roped into a parade ceremony and somehow ended up bowing in a temple and giving an offering. We had no idea what was happening and the guy dragging us around did not speak any English. He was just pointing at things and making us bow with gestures. After our ceremony was complete, we caught up with a few other people in the group later and Eli started singing karaoke. There was also a market near the karaoke stage and I looked around but didn’t end up buying anything. We hopped back on the bus and passed Yeh Laoshi’s parent’s house because she grew up here! Then, we went to a different train station to refill our metrocards for the Kaohsiung stations. There was a gift shop for merch for Mikan and I got a cute sticker of the cat for my journal! Then, we got to our hotel. It’s by far my favorite. The beds are comfortable, the showers have doors that you cannot see through, the air conditioning works well, and there are no mystery stains on the floor. All of my complaints from the last hotels have been resolved by coming to this one. Also, there is a Starbucks nearby and I have been wanting a cup from there that’s limited to Taiwan, so I am excited for my opportunity to get it. I think we are all going to get sushi for dinner and then we have a free day tomorrow. I think I’m going to try to do my next independent excursion (which I have no idea what I am going to do) and then go to a movie at the end of the day!

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July 27th - Rice County School, Wuling Green Tunnel, and National Museum of Prehistory

This morning, I still had my cough. I keep thinking “today will be the last.” It’s never true. Anyways, now that my daily cough update is out of the way, I didn’t get much sleep last night. I think it was just hot in the hotel room or something. The breakfast was pretty good, I had some dumplings and soy sauce over rice. Our first excursion was to the Rice County School. We got to see the step by step way rice was made. There was a cute cat there that I ended up spending most of my time with. Next, we checked out the Wuling Green tunnel, but it was mostly just a drive by. Then, we got hotpot for lunch. It was so much food and our bus driver handed me an ice cream cone before we even got our food, so I was full pretty quickly. Then, we went to the national museum of prehistory. This was another aboriginal museum and I think I liked this one better than the one we went to last time. It was much more in depth and there were a lot more artifacts. Next, we went to a local bakery and picked up some food. Then we went to a pharmacy because it seems most people are sick now. Lastly, we went to 7/11 to grab some food and headed back to the hotel. I am excited to go to Kaohsiung, I really want to get back into a big town.

Academic Reflection

I have really enjoyed the hot pot so I thought it would be fun to do an academic reflection on it. The Zhou Dynasty was probably the first prototype of hot pot. Diners had a bronze pot called Ran Lu and a heat source to warm their food. During the Qing Dynasty, hot pot became very popular amongst emperors. Emperor Qianlong would eat hot pot almost every meal. Since the 1990s, Chinese immigration to the US has vastly grown and hot pot spread quickly across the US. In fact, there are two in Gainesville that I have been to. Not only is hot pot good, but it reflects the traditional way of eating in China. Unlike America, where people get their own food. In Chinese culture, it is tradition for large shareable plates to be served and then each person to grab what they want. Hot pot is the same. There is a large part of boiling soup and then meat and sides are brought out to cook. Everyone chooses what they want to cook and eat and the food is shared. I have been really enjoying the hot pot in Taiwan. Not only is it way cheaper than the US, it is also much better.

Citations

https://jiewenw2.web.illinois.edu/about/

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July 26th - Travel to Taitung

The cough is very persistent. It also seems most of the people on the trip also have the same illness now and unfortunately, I think I was patient zero. So if any of the people on the trip have been keeping up with my blog to see how their illness might progress: the cough stays forever. We woke up early today for a bunch of travel. I packed my bags and got some breakfast this morning. A bit of a culture shock to me is the fact that they serve dinner food for breakfast. I had chicken nuggets at 8am for the past 2 days. Not complaining though because I love chicken nuggets. After breakfast, we headed to our train, which was going to take us to Taipei. I haven’t been on a train in forever, and this one was really nice. The ride was about two hours and then we got to Taipei for our bullet train. We grabbed some lunch at the train station and then boarded the train. This was my first time on a bullet train and it was super fun. It felt like we were flying, but it’s crazy because you stay level to the ground. On a plane, you can’t really tell how fast you’re going because you’re so high in the air, but the bullet train is very different. When we finally got in Kaohsiung, we boarded a bus to take us to Taitung. We finally arrived at our hotel at around 8pm. It is another hot springs resort. We’re here for two nights and then we go back to Kaohsiung. I also just learned that my mom is reading these so, hi mom!

Academic Reflection

Today, I would like to reflect on the construction of the bullet train. The high speed rail was opened in 2007, and since then, it has been quite the learning curve. The system costs $15 billion US to construct. The train also hits speeds of 186 mph while transporting people from Taipei to Kaohsiung. The direct train takes only 90 minutes for a 345 km trip. When the article I’m doing my research on was written, it was 8 months post opening. Domestic airlines were cancelling dozens of flights due to low demand, air traffic on competing routes plummeted more than 50%, there was a 10% decline of traffic on the north-south freeway, and tour agencies became wildly more popular as new areas to vacation were becoming accessible. Buses were also seeing fewer passengers, along with the taiwan rail. The price of the ticket is also affordable to most middle-class people in Taiwan. With a price of $45, it is a much more feasible option compared to a flight. The railway was extremely difficult to build due to the complex topography of Taiwan. Building tunnels and elevated tracks is quite expensive and due to the nature of the high speed rail, the tracks have to be straight and level. Only 9% of the track was built on the ground, the other 18% is underground and 73% is elevated, which makes the Taiwan high-speed rail the longest continuously elevated railway in the entire world. Most passengers agree that the high speed rail is an excellent addition to Taiwan’s infrastructure and a fun travel experience. In 2020, the net profit of the high speed rail was $187.5 million US.

Citations

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/taiwans-high-speed-rail-its-been-a-rapid-learning-curve/

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July 24th and 25th - Typhoon Gaemi

My cough still will not go away. Other than that, all is well. The last two days were quite eventful. We had our first typhoon experience (also probably my last). The typhoon was supposed to hit us dead on, but at the last minute it turned South and ended up hitting closer to Hualien. This was extremely lucky because the typhoon got very strong and had some disastrous consequences for the areas that got hit. We were supposed to travel to Hualien on the 25th, but due to the typhoon, we had to shelter in place, so we will not be able to do any of the scheduled activities we had for Yilan or Hualien. The typhoon did not have much of an impact on us. I thought it was going to be very scary and we would at least lose power, but it was just some heavy wind and rain. The power stayed on the whole time and we ended up having a “typhoon party.” We played uno with a bunch of the girls and then we tried to convince the guys to get us McDonald’s. We succeeded, but unfortunately when they walked all the way over there, the McDonald’s was closed. Other than that, it’s been pretty boring to be stuck in the hotel. I got caught up on some homework and sleep, but I’m ready to start the activities again. We officially have two weeks left in the trip and I’m excited to see what the end brings us.

Academic Reflection

Typhoon Gaemi was the most powerful storm to hit Taiwan in the last 8 years. With gusts of 150 mph, it was equivalent to a category 4 hurricane. News sources differ, but according to my research at least 2 people have died and 279 have been injured. 72 were injured in Kaohsiung, 43 in Tainan, 32 in Taichung, and 32 in Hualien. It also caused major flooding and landslides. The typhoon also shocked meteorologists by looping back around and hitting Taiwan’s east coast twice. This is because of Taiwan’s large mountain range that deflected the storm back towards the coast, which had terrible effects for the coastal towns that were in the path. One other disastrous consequence was the oil ship that capsized due to the Typhoon. The MT Terra Nova sank in the Manila Bay carrying 1.5 million liters of oil. This could be the worst oil spill in Philippines history if it is not contained. Not only will the oil spill be terrible for the marine life in the area, but the nine crew members on board still have not been located. This typhoon was a tragedy for the Philippines and Taiwan and we are very lucky that its path deviated before hitting us.

Citations

https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202407250006

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ce98pq4e3d1t

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/07/24/typhoon-gaemi-path-taiwan-explained/

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July 23rd - Travel to Yilan, Wooden Clog Village, and DIY Kili Bay Milk Tea

A bit of a sad update on the illness: I still have my cough. Hopefully it will start to sort itself out soon. This morning, I got to talk to my friends on FaceTime and then I went to the bakery near the hotel for one last round of croissants. I will really miss them. Then, I stocked up on some snacks and water at the 7/11 before I started packing for the trip down to Yilan. I bought these sore throat lozenges at 7/11 with all of my other snacks and they were supposed to be an “herbal remedy” and they were the most disgusting things I have ever tasted in my entire life. I immediately threw away the package. After I was all packed up, we went down to the bus and set on our way to Yilan. Today was the day of the air missile drill, but we missed all of the commotion because we were already on the highway. I’m glad we didn’t have to partake for the full 30 minutes, but I kinda wanted to see what was going to happen in the city during the drill. We kept driving on the highway until we got to this clog shoe museum. It was actually super fun. They had an activity for us at the beginning which was a race on a 3-person clog. My team came in second, but we gave it our best effort (I’m blaming the loss on the fact that the other team had a newer clog). Then, we got to make our own mini clog keychain. I really like how mine came out! We got back on the highway and stopped at a milk tea DIY place. They gave us all of the ingredients and we got to assemble the drink. I’m not a big fan of tea, but it was very fun to assemble the drink and we got a cute little mason jar to take home with us. After the milk tea DIY, we got back on the bus and finally got to the hotel. We checked in and the hotel is super beautiful. I am excited to stay here for a bit.

Academic Reflection

Something that stood out to me for my academic reflection was foot binding. During the clog museum tour, they showed us a clog that would be worn by a woman who had her feet bonded and I would like to talk about it for my reflection. Foot-binding was first practiced in the Tang Dynasty. It was a practice in which young girls from five to eight would get the foot bound by older women in their family or a professional foot binder. The big toe was left facing out, but the other four were tucked under the feet. Then, the toes were tightly wrapped with strips of cloth. After one month, the feet were unbound and injuries were treated, and then they were rebound. Bones would break until the desired size was accomplished. It was common to lose toes from the lack of circulation or infection. The goal of foot binding was to not have feet more than 3-4 inches long. It was a mark of elegance and wealth. Later, it became more widely spread until lower class families would bind their daughters feet in order to increase the chances they would marry into wealth. It was finally banned in 1912, but some continued binding their feet in secret. This practice shocked me when I first heard about it and it still makes me sad. Many women still subject themselves to pain in order to adhere to beauty standards and it’s interesting to take a look back at how drastic these measures used to be.

Citations

https://www.worldhistory.org/Foot-Binding/