GIP Trip: My Unforgettable Journey to Taiwan

Sitting in bed with a slice of pineapple cake, I am flooded with memories from my incredible 10-day journey to Taiwan. I traveled with nine fellow GIP travel mates, along with my Mandarin teacher, 创老师, and Tai 老师. The experiences I had during those ten days are indescribable. Living with a host family for a week allowed me to immerse myself in Taiwanese culture, from savoring traditional street food to engaging in local activities like shrimping (we caught shrimp using fishing rods in indoor shrimping ponds). Each moment of the trip was truly unforgettable. The experience was bittersweet: wonderful because of the amazing memories and friendships formed, but also a bit sad because it had to end. Additionally, knowing that my great-grandparents once lived here added an emotional depth to my visit, connecting me to my roots in a profoundly moving way. Visiting places they might have walked and seeing the landscapes they would have known made me feel closer to my heritage. While I know I can return to Taiwan, the special moments we created will always be unique and irreplaceable. The bonds I formed with my host family and the cultural insights I gained are experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

One of the main reasons I chose to come on this Taiwan trip was to connect with my heritage. My grandfather often told me stories about his father and the Chinese Cultural Revolution, highlighting how deeply their family was affected due to their connections with the Kuomintang. In this image, you can see a walking tour we did around the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. During the tour, we saw the giant statue of Chiang Kai-Shek, which sits prominently in the main hall and is guarded by two honor guards dressed in white uniforms. The changing of the guard's ceremony was a highlight, showcasing the solemn respect and tradition associated with this monument.

We also explored the exhibition halls, which house exhibits related to Chiang Kai-Shek's life, including photographs, documents, and personal items, providing insight into his leadership and historical impact. These artifacts brought to life the stories my grandfather had shared with me, making the history feel immediate and personal. In addition to learning about Chiang Kai-Shek's role in Taiwan's history, we delved into the broader context of the island's cultural and political evolution. The tour offered a comprehensive understanding of how its past has shaped Taiwan, and it deepened my appreciation for the resilience and strength of its people.

One of my favorite activities as a group was visiting a sweet potato farm. We got to roast our sweet potatoes in a pit fire that we built ourselves using bricks to create a dome with wooden sticks and a fire inside. Before coming to Taiwan, I wouldn't say I liked sweet potatoes, but after trying my first one there, I realized I had never tasted a good, ripe sweet potato. Even the colors were different! The sweet potatoes in Taiwan are a natural light yellow, while the ones in America are an orange color that looks almost artificial. I also learned that sweet potatoes are one of Taiwan's national dishes and that the shape of Taiwan itself resembles a sweet potato. In Taiwan, people eat and cook sweet potatoes in various ways. In this picture, we slow-roasted them by wrapping the sweet potatoes and bamboo rice in tin foil, then placing them in the fire for around two hours until they were mushy from the inside out. We treated the sweet potatoes as a savory dish, pairing them with the bamboo rice.

I also experienced eating sweet potatoes the sweet way with my host student, Jamie! Jamie took me to a night market and bought me fresh sweet potato balls, which she said were her favorite food item. The sweet potato balls were amazing! They were crispy on the outside, airy on the inside, sweet but not too sweet, and freshly made, so they were hot. I have never had anything like this in America. Now that I've experienced different ways to cook sweet potatoes that I enjoyed, sweet potatoes will definitely be a staple in my diet.

This image shows my last day with my host family, which was by far my favorite day in Taiwan. We started the day by go-karting with the whole group, then enjoyed a delicious lunch around a lazy susan. Afterward, we played an exhilarating game of laser tag with teams of Fuhsing vs. Poly. We ended the day with a beautiful and lengthy gondola ride up the mountains, where we took in a stunning panoramic view of Taipei. We sat for what seemed like hours, watching the city lights and reminiscing about all the activities we had enjoyed together. It was bittersweet, knowing that tomorrow we would part ways. We repeatedly promised each other to visit: them in California and us in Taiwan. I have genuinely never created a stronger bond with a group of people than I did with the students from Fuhsing.