Culture & Society

From Surgut, Russia to Taichung, Taiwan

Oct 16, 2019 · Guanxi

By Andrew Samosiuk

 

My name is Andrew. I’m 16 and I was born in Russia. I live in Surgut city, which is famous for its oil production. This summer I participated in the Surgut-Taichung 2019 cultural exchange project. I spent a month in Taichung and took some notes. The main idea of this article is to show that both cities are worth a visit.

Weather

    Weather in Surgut is quite brutal. In the winter time, the temperature is often as low as -50, and in the summer time it does not get higher than +20. Taichung’s weather is much warmer. When I stepped out from the airport, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to stay on the streets for long because it was hard for me to breathe.

Food

Russia’s food is simpler in color and shape. We have many types of cooked food.         I found that the most popular dish in Taiwan is dumplings. In Russia,  dumplings are round and stuffed with meat only. I was surprised when I tried dumplings filled with vegetables and even jam in Taiwan.

Attitude towards video games

In Russia the situation with online games is complicated. Here, in Taichung, the situation is completely opposite. Many Russian parents think that every problem comes from the games. Anywhere I go in Taiwan I see advertisements of mobile phones. I guess Taiwanese parents are more loyal to online games.

Transport

In Russia, motorcycles are not so common. You might see one in one or even two weeks. On the second day of my visit when my group and I went for a walk we saw so many motorcycles, that I probably won’t see anywhere else.

Animals

Flora and fauna are extremely beautiful in Taiwan. In Surgut you’re most likely to see pigeons only. I had lots of fun when I discovered squirrels in the park and even bats at night!

I spent a month in Taichung and none of the differences described above were a big deal for me. Taichung is a gorgeous city. I enjoyed my time there. If I have a chance to visit Taiwan again, I certainly will. If you have time and have not decided where to go yet, I recommend you visit Taichung. Would you like to visit my hometown Surgut? If yes, then you should do so in the winter time, otherwise you would not understand Siberia.   Here are some photos of Surgut, Russia:

 

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