Jan Calle Ortiz

It all started during our first meeting with everyone going abroad for the summer, a few of whom would become my best friends. I was excited to learn more about the program during this meeting. I knew a few classmates who were also going, and it was a perfect opportunity to get to know them better and establish friendships.

After the meeting, we had a Zoom orientation, where we met a wonderful person named Candice. She helped us find a place to stay for the summer abroad. She found a very affordable accommodation with many nearby amenities, such as 7-11, restaurants, laundromats, bikes, buses, and most importantly, Wenzao 大學! Whenever we had questions, we would reach out to her via LINE or in person; she acted as our advisor and guardian. Personally, she was someone who was always there for me throughout my experience in Taiwan.

Once the Zoom meeting finished, I remember my classmate calling me to book our flights for the same day and time. We both purchased tickets that cost around $2,300 USD. It was pricey because we bought the tickets only a month before our departure. However, if you know you are 100% committed to going, it's better to book in advance; tickets are usually much cheaper, around $1,200 to $1,500. I recommend EVA Airlines!

As the departure date approached, I had mixed emotions, excitement about being in another country and sadness about leaving my family for a few months. This was a new experience for me; I was doing it alone alongside people who had also never been to Taiwan.

On June 7th, I left America at midnight. Before my departure, my whole family came to say goodbye, trying not to cry since this was a first for our family. We had never traveled alone, especially outside the country. I remember my aunt telling me she was proud of me for studying abroad and that the memories I would make during the trip would always stay with me.
This experience was out of my comfort zone, but I’m glad I went. After saying goodbye to my mother, father, and siblings, I felt a bit sad but remembered that I was doing this for them and myself. I wanted to improve my Chinese speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, and this was the perfect opportunity. After saying goodbye, I met up with my friend inside the airport. We chatted until we boarded the plane, and it turned out we had a lot in common, making our conversation feel natural.

One important recommendation is to bring cash at least $1,000 to $2,000 USD as emergency funds (I’ll explain more about why later). Also, consider bringing a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, like a Capital One card. For comfort, I suggest choosing a window seat so you can rest your head against the side of the plane.

Upon reaching my seat on EVA Air, I was provided with a pillow, headphones for entertainment, and a blanket. The flight was about 15 hours, but it passed quickly. We departed at night, so I was tired and ended up sleeping for around 9 hours. The cabin crew was attentive, waking me for meals, which included dinner, breakfast, and lunch, plus snacks and beverages. After my first nap, I still felt half sleepy, so I slept a bit more. When I woke up again, we were just 30 minutes from Taiwan. I was filled with excitement to start this new chapter in my life.
We arrived in Taiwan on June 8, and remember that Taiwan is 12 hours ahead of New York. After, I went directly to a bank to exchange some money. I exchanged $500, keeping the rest safely in my bag. At that time, $500 USD was worth 15,925 TWD. Before leaving the airport, it’s wise to get a local SIM card, which will be helpful as Taiwan often uses apps like LINEPAY. A three-month plan with unlimited data cost around $60.

After setting up, we passed through security and bought high-speed rail tickets (HSR) from Taoyuan to Zuoying, where we’d be staying for the summer. The ticket was $42 USD. While waiting for the train, we stopped by 7-Eleven, which was very convenient as it has a wide selection of food and drinks. I grabbed a bottle of water and a snack for 60 NTD (around $2 USD), which was perfect for the journey. Once on board, the train ride to Zuoying took about two hours. Exiting the station with our luggage, we were greeted by Taiwan’s heat and humidity, a reminder to wear breathable clothing on your first day. We ordered an Uber to our accommodation, as we were unfamiliar with the bus routes.

On the way to our new place, we met with Candice and the landlord to discuss rent. For my friend and I, rent was $150 USD per month for three months, with everything included water, electricity, and laundry. Air conditioning was separate, with costs deducted from our $150 USD deposit. Our location was convenient, with a 7-Eleven across the street, a nearby park, various restaurants, a stationery store, and a bike station.

Our first task was to buy essentials like mattresses, pillows, and laundry detergent. After setting up our room we took a nap, exhausted from the journey. By evening, my friend and I were ready to explore, so we went out to eat. We were lucky to be near a street lined with a wide range of food options fried rice, beef noodle soup, dumplings, shaved ice, skewers, and even familiar fast food spots like KFC, McDonald’s, and Subway, all within a five-minute walk. That night, we enjoyed delicious chicken skewers.

The next day, we went out for breakfast at Mr. Leo’s, a local spot serving sandwiches and tea. Afterward, we visited a temple about 10 minutes away. There, we met two friendly people who spoke some English and were eager to chat. They asked about our background, our reasons for coming to Taiwan, and our names. They kindly gave us a tour of the temple, shared information about the gods and zodiacs, and introduced us to the monks. It was the Dragon Boat Festival (端午節), and we were given a Chinese card with a saying and a gold medallion with a zongzi (rice dumpling). They showed us how to pray to Buddha and even gifted us a backpack and vacuum bottle. It was a warm welcome, and they invited us to visit again.

After taking some photos at the temple, we explored the nearby mall, which had a food court, supermarket, and clothing stores. I found the food in the mall a bit overpriced and not as tasty as the street food. We also stopped by 7-Eleven to buy an iPASS card, which works for bikes, buses, and trains in Kaohsiung. The bike rental cost 10 NTD for the first 30 minutes (about $0.10 USD). In order to use a iPASS card to rent bikes you will need a Taiwan phone number, so we used the app called YouBike to rent bikes and headed to our first night market in Zuoying District. The market was vibrant, with stalls selling a variety of foods, bubble teas, clothes, and more. While it was a bit crowded, the atmosphere was thrilling. After exploring, we biked home, a quick 10-minute ride, and it became clear that biking would be our primary way to discover Taiwan, creating lasting memories together.

On our second day, we had breakfast as a group before meeting the rest of our study-abroad group. We rode our bikes through the city, passing by temples, and stopped at a gas station for water and ice cream pops. Eventually, we arrived at Love River, where the Dragon Boat Festival races were happening. The atmosphere was lively, with crowds cheering “加油!” as teams rowed with speed. Street vendors had set up shop, selling everything from jewelry and food to traditional zongzi (rice dumplings).

Our group also joined in on the fun by participating in a step counting competition which I won, earning a small massage item as a prize! Later, we bought tickets for a Love River sightseeing cruise (about 150 NTD or $5 USD). The cruise offered close-up views of the dragon boat races, allowing us to admire the rowers’ coordination. We took lots of photos, including some by a dragon boat when we got off the boat. The evening ended with a beautiful view as a colorful, illuminated dragon glided across Love River, it was beautiful. On the way home, we stopped at a tower, which provided a fantastic view of Kaohsiung at night. Seeing the city alive with lights was the perfect end to an unforgettable day.

After the festival, we started school. I had breakfast with a friend, and then we went to a stationery store to pick up supplies. The store had everything we needed, so I grabbed a pencil case, folder, mechanical pencils, and a book for class. The walk from my apartment to Wenzao was just 10 minutes, perfect for a quick commute! Once there, I stopped by Candice’s office to collect our monthly stipend, which we used for rent and food. She also gave us Wenzao lanyards, allowing us to carry our phones around our necks.

After visiting her, we bought our textbooks for class, which cost about 900 TWD (roughly $30 USD). Afternoon classes ran Monday through Friday from 1 PM to 4 PM. We had two teachers: one taught from Monday to Wednesday, and the other taught Thursday and Friday. They were both fantastic funny and engaging! I learned a lot, especially through the exercises where we created paragraphs using new vocabulary. This was great practice for me, as I struggle with forming sentences. We also collaborated on stories with classmates, used flashcards, and practiced responses to questions with the vocabulary we’d learned.

Homework was manageable for a beginner class, mostly character writing and sentence building using vocabulary from each chapter. After class, our group would often head out together for dinner. Our first meal as a group was Japanese food it was delicious. Most nights, we’d end up at 7-Eleven, where we’d do homework, talk, or play card games. It became a second home and a bonding spot for all of us, as we lived in different apartments. After hanging out, we’d walk home together. The city felt incredibly safe, even at night, and was always full of life.

This was our routine for the next three months. After school, we’d explore a new spot, like malls, museums, shopping districts, restaurants, libraries, and parks. Buses and bikes were our main transportation, and Google Maps guided us to all these places.

We visited E SKY Mall, Costco, and IKEA, where we tried dishes that aren’t available in the U.S. I tried mostly desserts since they all looked incredible. One day, we went to see Inside Out 2 at the theater, which wrapped up a fun day. We also tried all the fast-food spots we knew from home, as they offered unique menu items. Each train station and 7-Eleven had its own theme, like Snoopy, Bugcat, or Hello Kitty. We also visited the Dome of Light at Formosa train station. The beautiful lights there had a Bugcat theme with a photo booth and sticker machine that printed our names in Chinese on Bugcat stickers. During our time in Taiwan, we explored temples, beaches, mountains, theme parks, karaoke  (KTV), tried countless bubble tea spots, and even spent an evening cooking and watching movies at a friend’s house as a group.