Kicking a football around with some new friends of mine a while back became a more interesting encounter than I’d anticipated. Out lobbing deft (theirs) and daft (mine) passes in the twilight hours, the conversation turned into one of comparative history, aesthetics and value systems. One fellow thought I was too lavish in my praise for the local and shot hard my way: “You’re just one of those guys who loves Taiwan.”
He was right.
It may be unavoidable that we view and experience the world through goggles frosty with anticipated displeasure, grimy with inherited ignorance, or rosy with newfound delight - and there’s so much to appreciate here!
I very much enjoy living in Taiwan and am incredibly grateful for the opportunities and experiences this impressive nation has afforded me. Here, I’ll begin sharing my take on my first of what will hopefully be many exciting, enriching decades living here. And lest I wax too rosily, in the not-too-distant future I’ll be following up this article with a few things that I don’t particularly fancy.
Without any further ado, here are ten things I love about ten years living Taiwan.