I’ve always found it interesting to see the way people behave when they fall into a routine or act under the sense of familiarity. How everyone falls into place and syncs their strides when in a comfortable environment. My first week in Taiwan was nothing like that. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb in the crowd of locals. I mean I can’t really blame anyone except myself for constantly looking lost trying to navigate back to the dorms and on the buses.
But in the past six weeks that I’ve been living on this wonderful island, I’ve been able to find my own pattern of familiarity and routine that has helped me adapt to life in Taipei significantly. I’ve found that one thing to have really helped me during this time of acclimation was film photography. Photography has allowed me to view this incredible city and all the things that make Taipei run in a different light. It’s forced me to see aspects of the city for what they truly are, making adapting to life in Taiwan much easier for me. Because of this, I wanted to share some perspectives of the places that I frequent and have developed a routine for in Taiwan.
This is a lane off of Yongkang Street, which is a popular tourist district in Taipei. Our internship is held at Tamkang University’s Taipei campus, which is just a block away from Yongkang Street. I take the route in this image nearly every day for lunch as there are many famous beef noodle soup and tea shops on Yongkang Street. Because of this, I now use the Korean restaurant in the picture as a landmark to help guide me back to the office when our lunch break is over.
Captured is a busy street near Tamsui MRT station. Because of the daily commute to work, I have to go to the station every day. I’ve grown fond of this street in particular because of how often we pass by it. One evening after getting back to Tamsui from my internship, my fellow OPIT Taiwan participants and I decided to grab dinner at a vegetarian restaurant on this street. It was then that I walked by POYA, a local cosmetic and convenience store. It has since then become one of my favorite places to shop!
Tamsui, the district we call home, is known for its proximity to the Tamsui River. Tamsui Old Street is directly on the Tamsui waterfront, which overlooks the scenic river, and many people travel from all over the world to see the remarkable landscape. Despite passing by the wharf every day since Tamsui MRT station is located right on the Old Street, I’m still in awe every time I witness this view.
On an average day, I pass by 2 different schools: an elementary school with a big cat figurine while on the bus and a middle school walking from the Dongmen MRT station to our office. At both of these schools, you can see their bright green fields and red tracks, a core memory for many Taiwanese adolescents. These schools are now major landmarks of my daily routine, and I look forward to seeing them on my way to and from work.
The main road near our dorm is Tamsui’s Zhongshan road. This road is vibrant and incredibly lively. On this road sits a local temple that is a beacon of tradition for me when I think about Tamsui and Taiwan in general. Religion plays a major role in Taiwanese people’s lives, something that I only realized after living here. This particular temple altar was a temporary setup for the Dragon Boat Festival on Zhongshan road.
Life in Taiwan was initially really intimidating for me. However, since developing my own routine and figuring out my favorite places, I’ve found living in this city to be so much more enjoyable and exciting. All thanks to my hobby of film photography.
By Candy Zheng
Overseas Professional and Intercultural Training Program
Taipei City, Taiwan, Summer 2023