Over the break, I went to two places, the first of which was Taiwan. I served a two-year mission in Taiwan, so it will always be a very special place in my heart. On top of that, this was my first time returning after the mission, so this was a particularly special experience. I was there for twelve days total, and my schedule was stuffed to the rafters. I spent two full days in Taipei, which included visiting the Taipei Temple, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, a traditional market, a night market, exploring the city, hiking, and a short trip to the iconic Jiufen. From there, I made my way to Taichung, where I went to another two night markets, the Taichung Grand Theater, the Rainbow Village, my friend's university, and attended church. Next on the list was Chiayi and a little bit of Tainan. Here, I went to the Minhsiung Haunted House, a pineapple cake factory, the Hinoki Village, Chiayi Park, Southern National Palace Museum, and the old capital. In Kaohsiung, I spent some time in the sun at Qijin and Xiziwan, and then went and hit up the Maolin Scenic Area. My last stop was Hengchun and Kending, so I spent a lot of time at the beach and other tourist areas.
The instant I got off the plane in Taiwan, I could feel a difference from being in the Mainland. It was almost tangible, it felt so different. The accents, the food, the traffic, the people -- everything was similar to China, yet so incredibly distinct. Part of it may have been that I was finally away from the prying eyes of the Chinese government, but I think what really made feel the contrast was how Westernized Taiwan was. In Taipei especially, nearly everyone spoke English -- and they spoke it well. People seemed to drive faster, probably because the roads were relatively wide. People in the cities did not seem that surprised to see a foreigner walking around their streets, and every sign had at least some English on it. This pseudo-Western quality, along with the nostalgia of returning the land where I served my mission, made me feel at home.
I also have to mention how my friends in Taiwan made me feel. It was wonderful to see everyone again after these three years or so. I can't express enough gratitude toward those that provided housing for me, paid for a meal, or even took the time out of their busy New Year schedule to come and say hello. That said, the thing that moved me the most was seeing the active Church members that I met during my mission. It was a delight to see all of my friends, of course, but it was those who had stayed true to their belief in the Gospel and their faith in Christ that truly inspired me. I am immeasurably excited to go back and visit again!
The second place I went over the break was Beijing. Let's just say, there is a lot to do in Beijing because it's huge. Every day I was there, I walked nearly ten miles just visiting tourist sites. I went to Wangfujing, Sanlitun, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, the National Museum, Beijing University, and 798 Art Zone, all within just a few days. I also ate some delicious famous Beijing food: donkey meat, bean curd noodles, and, of course, Peking Duck. I have to say, there are a lot of people in Beijing, but other than being super squished on the subways, it actually wasn't too bad. Maybe I was there at a good time, or maybe the people there have just become so accustomed to living with millions of their closest friends that they know how to handle it.
Beijing got me thinking on a very different track than Taiwan. Since Beijing is the capital of China, there was vast amount of nationalist propaganda just about everywhere you go. I normally didn't pay much heed to this kind of thing, but the National Museum grabbed my attention. Some of the exhibits there helped me to realize that whether or not Communism is "right," despite all the hardships new China has been through since it came into existence, and despite what the outside world thinks of China, the people that worked to build this country all devoted their lives to a cause that they saw to be worth their while. Whether brainwashed or guided, misled or inspired, China and its people have come a long way since its revolution. And I find it amazing.
Until next time,
-小强
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