week of being back～

嗨 welcome to taiwan 2024 where i start my master's journey at national chengchi university!

part one & two 8/30-31

"pretty clouds"

"yeah fluffy"

(if you know this interaction, you're a real one)

nice easy morning flight and i do admit, it would've been fine to be a bit later because i ended up sitting at the gate for at least 50mins. BUT you never know with traffic, checking bags, document checks, TSA, etc. also all the nearby arrival/departure boards were down so that was fun. the flight took off on time and was almost 12 hours exactly until we landed at taipei taoyuan airport (to which they are adding a new terminal). i was welcomed by 91 degrees fahrenheit. i could feel it in the plane even as we descended. after deplaning a lot was actually similar to last time – aside from covid stuff that is. this could be appearance only maybe? i'm honestly not sure. leaving the terminals you can grab SIM cards but i messed up a little and so i am currently relying on wifi 😭 (wait for an update). you also grab a card that basically says you have no food (meat especially) or any plants. then right before you talk with a customs agent, you just kind of give it back. idk it seems kind of easy to fool? not that i did ofc. with the agent, they do the small talk and you get a face and double fingerprint scan. then i went out to baggage claim, got everything onto a trolley which saved my life for sure but also on the trolleys, you press down to disengage the break. idk for some reason it was not ergonomic for me. also don't judge me for amount of luggage – this is two years we're talking about! i just kind of wandered to the front of the airport looking for a taxi service (i did not want to go out and try hailing with it being so hot just to come back in) and lucky for me, i found a counter where i just told them where i wanted to go, prepay and then a car pulls up for me. yeah other methods could've been cheaper but i just needed to get where i needed to go.

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where i am before moving to school is shenkang district. it's kinda charming. i think we flew over as we descended. 「慢慢來」 (man man lai) and 「小心」 (xiao xin) were both spoken to me by airport people and the taxi driver and i forgot how home-y they sound to me. the way the freeways are built, they kind of hug the city so i think we went in a big curve to get east of taipei proper. on the way, i saw a truck labeled for dintaifung and random housing with domed tops and other more western architecture. shout out scott: saw a rest stop (i didn't really use freeways last time) and thought of the udon rest stop hahaha. i finally got to the hotel and it's really cute. they get a lot of customers for the zoo it seems. thank goodness check-in was easy. and yeah, without the trolley now, i faired way worse dragging all my stuff up to my room (i went in batches after the elevator).

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right after arriving, i got a call from my friend from UO who is here for the year too. she also had problems getting her SIM so we were just kind of catching up and ranting haha. i ran to seven for dinner and snacks for the morning.

random car stuff of possible interest:

• a lot of the rearview mirrors in the taxis are electronic like it shows what’s behind you but on a screen?

• the freeways are a lot of luxury and toyota haha

part three: highs and lows 9/1

ok so i woke up around 5ish and forced myself to try another 2 hours (thanks jet lag). my dad got the carrier stuff all sorted for me at least (let's see if i can get past the ARC as-is haha. no seriously). called home and just kind of hung out in the morning, tried to coordinate lunch with a friend etc. dreading the 95 degrees that would await me outside. eventually, i got out and did what i decided to do: get my two big bags to campus, figure out the room, AC, wifi etc. and check out the layout of campus a bit. sounds easy or straightforward at least. think again. i was on campus for at least double the time i thought i would be. but i don't know that yet, so i get an uber to campus and we are met with stop-and-go up a large hill. the uber driver wanted out and i don't blame him so i'm dragging this giant 65lbs bag + 16lbs just for kicks up this mountain. (why do i always have to pick schools on literal mountains?) anyway, this very nice uncle sees me, obviously alone and struggling. he helps me with the bags to a point where we can take a shuttle up. i had just missed one and the lady said "it won't be long (for the next one)" and so i just kind of instinctively got on the next one because i wanted this to get done. that was the WRONG choice. that was a different shuttle and took us down the mountain, undoing the nice uncle's hard work 抱歉抱歉 (sorry!). the driver stops at the bottom of the mountain and says essentially "this is the last stop. get off". i ask about the shuttle to the dorms and he says he didn't know. get on the "huoche". or at least i could swear that's what he said which means "train". confused, i get off and there's a bunch of people waiting for this other shuttle and finally it's the right one. but stop-and-go up the mountain again just from the other side and with a bunch of other people. and to polish it off, i was standing this entire time – yay. i finally get to the right dorm, get my bags, help some international people with what people are saying (which did make me feel a bit better or was it just ego???) and get to my room. i check it out and collapse onto the standard wood-based bed frames, so frustrated i toted around way too much unnecessary stuff. the staff didn't even need much to get me my card – just my name, ID number and 1000NTD. hydrating, i call home again just because it's cool to see new living situations. the view is just mountainside trees.

sculptures in the dorm quad if you will, a funny/not funny at all sign, a very close river park

i called with my friend too about lunch and she's running a bit late and the walk to the place isn't that far – the problem is that i exhausted myself for a second time waiting to leave by buying my bed, sheets, an AC card and dragging that all upstairs. i forgot a duvet but oh well i'll take whatever's left after this feeding frenzy of students and family in this little on campus shop which is super convenient (i was thinking i was going to have to buy from basically taiwanese costco). on the way back to take the bed and everything back, i trip on literally just uneven ground and skin my knee. honestly, i'm more sad about my pants – those knees have seen plenty.

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finally after unboxing those things, i headed down the mountain and met my friend at a seven for hydration and then lunch! we went to a noodle place that on google claimed to have beef noodle soup but the menu has changed 😭😭. i got another favorite: zhajiangmian. the worker commented we looked hot/sweaty and suggested we move to the spot next to the AC and refrigerator hahah. catching up was nice and then we looked around some stores. fortunately and unfortunately this is a new section of the city to me. so i don't have go-tos yet but i'm also not set in my ways (@taiwan 2022 ahahah) but also not knowing where to eat is annoying. i was beat and my friend had to prep for her interview tomorrow so we called it a day for now.

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bused back to the hotel and i will certainly relish the last night for a while in an actual bed.

part four: unpacking and bad ideas 9/2

so i enjoy my last morning in the hotel with snacks from seven and take an uber to the dorms. they translate the signs to the "dorm hillside" which actually translates in my brain to "the dorm mountain" because there are some serious grade shifts and stairs. i get my final bags to the dorm and then it's time to get registered. i walk down the mountain the back way which is quicker on foot (going down at least). it's still a good walk to main campus area. i'm in search of the admin building and it's all pretty smooth just that the high today was 96F feeling like 99F with humidity. after the smooth part, i stood in a line (with no AC) for like 30-45 mins just to pay my fees. and then no way i'm walking back, so squished tight into a school shuttle. i should just get used to it and walk it because these shuttles are like on the half hour at best, usually on the hour. (stark difference to last time where it was like 10-15min). anyway, made it back and just sat with AC for a bit ahah. i almost didn't unpack but like what even is that? so i did and surprisingly pretty quickly. i did realize i needed a bunch of stuff from the store though so i ran over to the dorm nine store to look and got some stuff. then, after more unpacking and thinking, i realized i needed a proper store. insert carrefour – what costco aspires to be. i bused over at the worst time (learned my lesson). school had just ended and buses were full to the brim so naturally, i got caught in the folding doors a little oops 😅. got there and first things first, i kinda skipped lunch so i went to the food court for linner. curry rice + miso!

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ok so you know those cart escalators in like city Targets? try this. it's just the escalator material on a flat diagonal and the cart wheels catch on the grooves and you just jump on behind. if you've seen this kind, comment. i'm serious because i've only ever seen them here.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/f148f6_cedfaf8cacce4b849f75361ebe275897/360p/mp4/file.mp4

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the trip in total was like 2ish hours and i kinda forgot that i would have more stuff after so i'm trying to get an uber but making it hard because the area is busy – how the heck will they find me? it's finally sorted but that was unneeded stress. also, my locating message was "i'm in seven across the street" but there are so many sevens! i love them, but in this specific instance, not really. finally back and the sun has set so i unpack new purchases and chat with my friend on LINE – oh also the NCCU buddy group chat. now writing and tomorrow i get to meet my "host family" (quotes because i don't actually live with them). also, the program provides lunch. not that i can't get myself food. it's just hard to motivate when you know your reward is climbing a "hill/mountain" after AND it's high 90sF ahhhhhh

part five: housekeeping and socializing 9/3

today i didn't have anything to do until 12:00 but i was hungry so ran to the sort of "food court" in the dorm across from mine for 蛋餅 (defined as "an egg pancake [thin pancake rolled up with omelet inside, popular in taiwan as a breakfast dish]) and then back to the dorm messaging with people back home because this is some of the overlap time. also trying to figure out the wifi situation in the dorms with a classmate. he's so nice to say he didn't have stuff going on and could help me later setting it up after my event. so coordinated that a bit.

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of course i get to main campus early and since i've got time, i go in search of school merch. and i find it! for some reason it's relatively small and understated. one (that i didn't buy) was funny saying "nccu" on the front but on the back it said “product description” and included “is cold” hahaha. it's really not that to anyone from the US. i mean relatively maybe being by the mountain is "cold" or maybe it's an inside joke idk yet haha. i mean we were blessed by wind today...

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anyway, i get to the event and it's my first big social thing since i've gotten here really. i sit down and chat with the student next to me and our "host family" person sits across. it's interesting that based on my. limited interactions, it seems that a lot of the grad students are here to "get away from work", yet now we are peers. anyway, the hosts are retired or active faculty so that's cool. we tried a group photo of everyone everyone, but then the photographer resorted to table by table haha. chatting was nice – learning about each other etc. the meal was very nice too. it's this kitchen in the admin building which i imagine would be expensive if it was not on the school. i wonder about the normal menu....

i'm center center. host is two to the right!

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after, i walked to the bus and went to an electronics store to grab a router. i will preface, i already freaking paid for the wifi, but my room is too far from the common room to reach public school wifi 💢. but the wifi i get from the router isn't more money? i don't know but i'll take it. some people can do their work in those tiny cubes in the shared study halls but not me. half the time is because i forgot something for one class or more likely it's just too tiny and quiet. if you know me at all, i need music in the back – instrumental, anything. ok, let's get back on track. i bought the router and met my classmate at the cc (computer center). he knows a lot (relative to me – not a high bar) about wifi and routers. he'd done this process the other day and so he was kind enough to help me. we got that set up pretty quickly actually and the staff helping are so nice. accommodating with english sometimes etc. that goes for all staff actually. we also small talked in chinese which was fun. then, we took the shuttle up to the dorms and went our separate ways. i plugged in the wifi and kinda panicked because it wasn't the password i thought it was...thank god for photo receipt lmao. chilled off and then headed in search of 牛肉麵 (beef noodle soup) for dinner.

the chinese on the mirror running horizontal specifies the "it" is the world so the world will never change....the vertical says to be healthy and happy!

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找到了！i found it! i accidentally ordered a 大 (large) instead of a 小 (small) and i feel so bad for leaving some meat. but get this, it was only $4USD! it was a standard hole in the wall, specializes in one thing kind of place. news/tv playing and people squished in. it's only a short bus ride over the river by muzha market.

and so, stuffed full, i get on the bus back and once i was back on campus, i was like "ok let's do a mountain climb test run" (at night so dark, 83 degreesF and even a little wind). after i did it, i'll just say, "who the heck does that in daytime?" it's pretty doable at the beginning, lower grade but then it's the stairs at the end that kill. in conclusion, if i can only barely do it at night, i will not be doing it in the daytime anytime soon unless absolutely necessary. there are only really dorms up here so lesson learned is: bring all my class stuff or anything else i might need when i head down.

part six: free day 9/4

so it was a good thing i didn't get into the "field trip" to da'an to learn metro etc. nothing against da'an – i actually really like it. just that it's my first day that's truly just mine. that being said, i didn't do much. r&r for a good bit thanks to mom's sneaky gift.

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i met with a cohort-mate (is that a word?) from 2022 for lunch which is really what got me out. for the record, i was going to go into the city anyway to see what the bus lines are it's just interesting because all my old playgrounds are far far. anyway, he's pescatarian so we had set on a place last night but then, i was checking hours and it was closed for public holiday, so plans shifted earlier. it was a nice catch up but we're both a bit solitary and kind of just acquaintances. our timelines are the same – 2 year master's so i'm sure i'll see him again at some point.

101 from halfway down from the dorms, 101 in all its glory

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then on the way back, i had some errands, and one "want". context: UNIQLO T does collabs and they did one with freaking studio ghibli! i had been eyeing this one design but it wasn't available in US stores. the collab started in singapore and now here! they unfortunately didn't have the design in a tee only a pullover but i just had to because the worker lady told me that they don't restock 😭. so don't come for me. i'll wear it in winter. and the fabric is more breathable than standard US (perhaps they factor in the weather or maybe i'm just delulu). i bused back (really direct if your timing is good) and went to seven for more pocari (electrolyte drink) and breakfast for tomorrow because i have a relatively early event. then, last stop was watsons for band-aids and the magical japanese liquid that makes my bug bites much less itchy and might help them heal? idk, like i said magic. another magical thing: i didn't have to wait for the shuttle up. i was the last on hehe. also, first "assignment" was posted – just a basic introduction but getting the school vibe.

stupid bush blocks the english but yeah, front gate

part seven: i go to the hospital 9/5

today was an earlier start (but not as bad as tomorrow haha). we had general international orientation down on main campus. it was as you would expect: do this, don't do that, we have these services, these clubs etc. really not much to tell except they fed us after. but something (i already forgot oops) made me think – "huh the hospital might want my passport" so instead of going right after as planned, i went back to the dorm, took a break and grabbed some stuff.

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for the record, i went to the hospital all intact and they DID want my passport– i just needed to talk to somebody earlier than i had planned. to be honest, probably good i did this now anyway because if school had started, i might've combusted. so i go to the help desk and they're like ok take a ticket and talk to the counter. they take my information and then they say something i didn't quite catch about filling something out. i go back to information and one of them gives me the intake paperwork with english. then i have to go back to the counter – they give me a room number and number in line. it takes me a bit to find the room because people are literally everywhere. i don't know if this is standard at hospitals but in outpatient, the skinny hallways are lined with seats and people waiting for their number to be called. the doctor stays in the room with a nurse and you go in when your number is called. problem is, when i get to the room, it already shows the number after me. it takes a while for the nurse to come out and i ask what's up. she takes my ticket and the forms i had filled out and i'm just waiting, seeing people come and go (even though i was there first lol – i don't blame them english on the forms and all). also, the sign in is so interesting. you have a national health insurance card (if your a resident past 6mo) and each room has a screen in front with a slot for the card. once you put the card in, it reads it and puts you in the queue. AND announces it. honestly between that, calling out numbers and other chit-chat it's pretty overstimulating. another "weird" thing is that i saw beds from afar being transported and i was in outpatient...i don't know. i've not seen that before is all.

card slot is just there on the bottom right

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eventually, i am called and things are settled in a way that makes sense to me, him and my doc in the states. then you go outside the room and wait for the nurse to process some stuff. she tells me to go downstairs with another ticket thingy and bless the information desk, i went back there confused and i had to go back to the counter to pay. aiya then after paying, the counter lady said something about going over somewhere else to do idk. the microphone things through the glass aren't good. i assume that "oh i paid for the visit, i can just leave". and leave i did. only once i returned to my dorm and looked – i mean really looked – i was supposed to pick up the meds then and there. who am i to know that where it takes pharmacies back home so long to fill. also when i was in taiwan before, i picked up prescriptions for my friends before so i know independent pharmacies are a thing. i don't know what my logic was really, but i guess i'm going back tomorrow!

part eight: fire, cpr, earthquake and hospital (again) 9/6

ok so that's some dramatic flair. today was just our required lecture/experience with the above. there was a powerpoint on dorm rules and information and then a fireman came and talked us through and showed so videos on the science of fire and everything. we learned the emergency numbers here 119 (opposite of the US) for fire and ambulance, 110 for police. after that, there were CPR dummies to practice on and then this truck that has an earthquake simulator in it. there's four chairs (like you're in class) and then it starts shaking, showing the magnitude of the "earthquake" on a screen. to be honest, it sort of felt like a carnival ride or something. of course the real thing wouldn't. this picture is from the website (i forgot to get one). it's the red thing on the left.

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after, i went in search of lunch. i still haven't properly seen all of the town we're in. i'm mostly food motivated haha. anyway, i got a recommendation from my senior for a salad kind of place. i was feeling like a lot of veggies so there i went. but wow my chinese for menus, food etc. is terrible. it's the type of place you pick a base and then pick toppings. thank god the menu had the chinese and english. i scanned in the english and tried so hard with saying the chinese. like i don't know the tones and some of them i definitely just took a guess based on the phonetic of the character. the lady serving me was certainly guessing based on the first character i said. of maybe saying it all was not necessary? anyway, i got what i wanted and it was very yummy – not chinese or taiwanese really at all but last time i was missing fresh veggies and now i have a place!

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then off to the freaking hospital again because i didn't understand the last part of yesterday. it's not that long of a bus ride but the hospital stop is also where you can catch the mrt so it is fuller than full. i go ask the nice informations lady what to do with my ticket and she points it out. i'm not sure how i didn't get that yesterday. there's a giant sign for outpatient pharmacy. maybe i'm just conditioned that medication takes at least a few days to process. nope, i just go up and say "this is from yesterday" and the counter lady just goes and gets it. i'm in and out in like 10 minutes or less.

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back to the dorms i go with a full sling bag, pocari and the boba i bought as a treat for finishing/figuring out the hospital (with a lot of help). and i finally start the application for the ARC (alien resident certificate). it's so freaking annoying because the website to apply won't take files bigger than like 500KB which is so tiny. so i'm compressing files, making so many copies of stuff at different sizes for a good couple hours – like the sun has set by the time i finish. it finally goes through and i go to the closest cafeteria in dorm 9 and get dumplings because i was not about to walk down the mountain and back again after the frustration of the afternoon. besides look at this view (yes, that's 101).

there you have it: a week of a new student in taiwan. i know this was a longer one, but let's see how i'll figure out how to do this once school starts!

♡蘇晨