No matter
where in the world you go, some things remain constant. People need to be able
to get where they are going, and they need to eat. Going to Taiwan I knew food
and transit would be very different from what I was used to, but what I was
surprised to see is how different the fundamental approach to each of them was.
It is no
secret each culture has its own distinctive cultural dishes. I was excited to
try some of the unique cuisine Taiwan had to offer, and expected to see some
very unfamiliar dishes. So what caught me by surprise was not the food itself,
but the way dining was conducted. In Taiwan, grocery stores were very scarce,
and preparing a home meal was relatively uncommon. Eating out at restaurants
was certainly much more common than it was in America, but the standard meal was
purchased at a convenience store or from a street vendor. Eating was often done
on the go and extemporaneously without the significant break in schedule
devoted to an American meal. Not only was the food different, but the entire
experience of eating.
Transportation
in Taiwan was different than I could have ever expected. In America, whether I
need to travel a few blocks away or across the entire state, I use my car. I am
very used to a very personal travel experience where I am free to decide my
pace and schedule. In Taiwan, so many transportation opportunities presented
themselves. I rented public access bicycles, took the subway, trains, busses,
taxis, and even a high speed rail to travel near and far. Public transportation,
while not quite as private, was surprisingly clean, affordable, and efficient. Motor
scooters seem to be the most popular method of private transportation, and even
that changes the whole dynamic of traffic and the daily commute.
These factors
and a few others led to a busy, bustling sense to the whole country, even
outside the large cities. With so many mountains on such a small island, space
was at a premium, and people were everywhere all the time. Shops were tucked
into even the smallest spaces that could occupy them, and the streets were
constantly crowded with people on the move. And the lifestyle there supports
that.
It is
very interesting to see how even with all the differences, some things remain
the same. Even if food needs to be made very cheap and quickly, it is made
flavorful and appealing. There is a sense of comfort found with cooking, no
matter the culture. Even though the population and geography make
transportation difficult, people adapt to get where they need to go. Taiwan has
so many options when it comes to transportation, and the amount of versatility
allows a method for every circumstance.
Seeing
differences in such familiar fundamental things, and even similarities in
different things, helps to make me appreciate the size and diversity of the
global community, but also help to recognize it as a single community. People,
no matter where you go, are people. They have the same wants and needs, the
same sorts of lives. But everyone is still an individual, and lives in their
own culture their own way.
-----Jonathan Sebastian
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