t was April 2023,
I was about to embark on a trip to Taiwan!
Since 2019, up until early 2023, I stayed in Korea diligently attending school, finishing up my studies, and completing an internship before finally graduating.
Honestly, during that time, I wasn’t just focused on my journey to graduation. I was also working on something else…
That was none other than (cue suspenseful music again) saving up for a trip together with Sen Unnie every month!
Who is Sen Unnie?
The amazing, super-cool, all-knowing expert in food and travel.
- So, what did we decide to do with the money we saved? We decided to go to Taiwan!
To be honest, I’ve been to China before, but my Chinese is at near-illiterate levels, and I know very little about the culture.
Even though I tried to prepare for the trip by doing some research, I found that there wasn’t much information readily available through Google. 😭
But then, Unnie introduced me to Xiaohongshu (小红书), a Chinese social media app, and I discovered a whole new world.
Looking for cafes? Restaurants? Travel itineraries? Destinations?
If it’s a Chinese-speaking country, Xiaohongshu is a must. Download it. It’s fun to browse through the feed, and you’ll find great recommendations.
Unnie and I eventually became Xiaohongshu addicts while looking for good restaurants, relying on translation apps as we scrolled endlessly.
Realizations and Thoughts About a Taiwan Trip
Realizations and Thoughts About a Taiwan Trip
Honestly, back when Taiwan trips were super popular, both My Ma and My Sister & My Brother went without me. 😢
To top it off, they didn’t even bring me back any pineapple cakes! Extreme T-family behavior, I tell you.
Since then, I’d heard so many good reviews from friends about Taiwan: how great the food was, how much they enjoyed it, and how it was such a lovely place. I was curious about what made it so special. I also wanted to see how Taiwan compared to mainland China, and what the general vibe was like.
Taiwan was one of those countries I’d always wanted to visit.
However, as part of the Chinese-speaking world, it gave me a vague sense of fear—mainly because, as I mentioned, I can’t speak Chinese at all.
Chinese-speaking cultures are practically uncharted territory for me, which made me feel a bit apprehensive. This trip ended up being a big reminder that sometimes, “you don’t even know what you don’t know.”
Thanks to Sen Unnie (who has studied abroad in China twice, speaks fluent Chinese, and is a Chinese cuisine expert), I got to hear many of her travel stories and experiences of eating amazing food.
One unforgettable moment for me was when she took me to a Chinese restaurant and introduced me to yuxiang qiezi (fish-flavored eggplant). That day, my culinary world expanded exponentially.
With that kind of anticipation, I was really excited about going to Taiwan.
On the other hand, I was also worried about being a burden to Unnie.
그래서 대만 어디로 가나요?
It was April 2023,
I was about to embark on a trip to Taiwan! Cue dramatic music.
Since 2019, up until early 2023, I stayed in Korea diligently attending school, finishing up my studies, and completing an internship before finally graduating (drumroll).
Graduating from undergrad and feeling happy
Honestly, during that time, I wasn’t just focused on my journey to graduation. I was also working on something else…
That was none other than (cue suspenseful music again) saving up for a trip together with Sen Unnie every month!
Who is Sen Unnie?
- The amazing, super-cool, all-knowing expert in food and travel.
So, what did we decide to do with the money we saved? We decided to go to Taiwan!
To be honest, I’ve been to China before, but my Chinese is at near-illiterate levels, and I know very little about the culture.
Even though I tried to prepare for the trip by doing some research, I found that there wasn’t much information readily available through Google. 😭
But then, Unnie introduced me to Xiaohongshu (小红书), a Chinese social media app, and I discovered a whole new world.
Looking for cafes? Restaurants? Travel itineraries? Destinations?
If it’s a Chinese-speaking country, Xiaohongshu is a must. Download it. It’s fun to browse through the feed, and you’ll find great recommendations.
Unnie and I eventually became Xiaohongshu addicts while looking for good restaurants, relying on translation apps as we scrolled endlessly.
Realizations and Thoughts About a Taiwan Trip
Honestly, back when Taiwan trips were super popular, both My Ma and My Sister & My Brother went without me. 😢
To top it off, they didn’t even bring me back any pineapple cakes! Extreme T-family behavior, I tell you.
Since then, I’d heard so many good reviews from friends about Taiwan: how great the food was, how much they enjoyed it, and how it was such a lovely place. I was curious about what made it so special. I also wanted to see how Taiwan compared to mainland China, and what the general vibe was like.
Taiwan was one of those countries I’d always wanted to visit.
However, as part of the Chinese-speaking world, it gave me a vague sense of fear—mainly because, as I mentioned, I can’t speak Chinese at all.
Chinese-speaking cultures are practically uncharted territory for me, which made me feel a bit apprehensive. This trip ended up being a big reminder that sometimes, “you don’t even know what you don’t know.”
Why I Was Looking Forward to the Trip
Thanks to Sen Unnie (who has studied abroad in China twice, speaks fluent Chinese, and is a Chinese cuisine expert), I got to hear many of her travel stories and experiences of eating amazing food.
One unforgettable moment for me was when she took me to a Chinese restaurant and introduced me to yuxiang qiezi (fish-flavored eggplant). That day, my culinary world expanded exponentially.
With that kind of anticipation, I was really excited about going to Taiwan.
On the other hand, I was also worried about being a burden to Unnie.
So, Where Were We Headed in Taiwan?
When people talk about Taiwan, most think of Taipei—it’s the easiest to reach, and flight tickets are cheaper. Many people also visit nearby spots like Jiufen.
But we decided to go to Tainan (臺南市) instead.
You might ask, “What’s so special about Tainan?” Honestly, I didn’t know much about it. But hey, trips don’t always have to be to famous places, and Tainan turned out to be more than worth it.
There are direct flights to Tainan, but they’re not as frequent, and the prices and schedules aren’t as convenient as flights to Taipei.
So, we decided to fly into Taipei, spend the night at the airport, and take a train to Tainan early the next morning.
Taiwan is smaller than I expected, and taking the high-speed rail makes travel super quick.
We bought a 3-day high-speed rail pass, which was Unnie’s idea. Honestly, I would’ve never thought of it myself and was low-key impressed by her plan.
(Traveling with someone else is such a great way to learn and grow, especially when they bring ideas you’d never imagine. I feel so lucky and grateful.
How We Prepared for the High-Speed Rail
The rail passes can be reserved online in advance from Korea and picked up when you arrive in Taiwan. I highly recommend doing this!
Here’s a [link to Taiwan High-Speed Rail’s official website].
I’ve also written a blog post about how to purchase a high-speed rail pass.
In the next post, I’ll dive into the actual travel stories. Stay tuned!
