Culture – Page 2 – DU Abroad

It doesn’t feel that long since I arrived in Taiwan, yet I am already one month in. I am really glad I chose to study abroad with CET Taiwan. They have been helpful in terms of adjusting to life in Taipei as well as supporting me with any problems I have as they arise. I am living in an apartment with a couple other CET students and a local Taiwan roommate. I like my living situation, as I often do a lot of activities with my housemates, such as having barbeque for the Mid Autumn Festival and exploring various neighborhoods. Having a local roommate is also pretty helpful for practicing my Chinese with her as well as understanding Taiwan culture. In addition to a Taiwanese local roommate, I have two Taiwanese language partners that I meet up with once a week and practice Chinese.

So far I have enjoyed my time here in Taiwan, but it was hard adjusting to the cultural differences. I have experienced some culture shock while adjusting to life in Taipei. A difference from America is there are a lot of motorcycles. This makes it hard walking across the street, because I don’t want to get hit by a motorcycle. One thing I didn’t expect is how frequently it rains and how humid it is. I always have the AC on in the apartment so it doesn’t get too hot. I am sure I will get used to the humidity with time, and it won’t be that uncomftorable. I always bring an umbrella with me because I am not sure when it will rain. Due to the humidity, there are also a lot of mosquitos. The first day in Taipei I got a lot of mosquito bites on my legs. Now I always apply bug spray and wear long pants to prevent getting mosquito bites. Another cultural difference is that you are not allowed to drink water on the bus or MRT. Before knowing that rule, I made the mistake of drinking water on the MRT, but my local roommate told me I should put away my water. Also, since there is no dryer in my apartment I have to hang up my clothes after washing them. This just means I have to wait a couple of days for my clothes to dry.

Although it was difficult adjusting to culture shock, there are a couple of things I appreciate about Taiwanese life. Everyday I take the bus to National Taiwan University (NTU), and I have found it to be pretty convenient and clean. Busses come almost every 15-30 minutes, making it a reliable transportation. Besides taking the bus, I also ride the MRT which is the local train system. Compared to America, I find the MRT more convenient since it comes around every 6-10 minutes. There are also other transit systems like the high speed rail, which I have yet to take, that is a pretty fast mode of transportation connecting you to other parts of Taiwan. I also love how hospitable Taiwanese people are. Sometimes I get lost navigating different areas, but Taiwanese people are always eager to help me find where I want to go.

I also experienced what it is like to eat in a Taiwanese restaurant. Although I am learning Chinese, it was still a bit difficult to order in Chinese. It is sometimes hard to figure out what characters mean, especially on menus. I had to ask my Taiwanese roommate how to say what I wanted to order. Hopefully with time I can order in Chinese without using Google translate. The food is pretty good and also pretty cheap. Food in Taiwan is generally cheaper than food in America, so it will be nice to eat a lot of good food while also saving a lot of money.

*My language partner and I eating brunch at a Taiwanese breakfast place*

There are a lot of cultural differences that I need to adjust to in Taipei, but I am sure with time I will get used to it. Although there are a lot of cultural differences, there are already a lot of differences that I enjoy about Taipei. I am excited to spend the next two months studying abroad in Taipei. So far I have met a lot of other students in my program, but I am excited to make a lot more new friends. I am also looking forward to exploring various places in Taipei as well as other places outside of Taipei.

kareoke — *My housemates and I doing karaoke at KTV to celebrate our housemate’s birthday*

I have officially been in Florence for 12 weeks. Time has gone by so fast, but in these 3 months, I *think* that I have created the perfect complilation of architechture, cultural icons, and most importantly, gastronomic endeavors if you had only one day in Florence.

Morning

Start off the day by visitng the Gallery de Academia, which houses Michelangelo’s David. In my experience, it is the best to get the earliest time slot (8:15) and get in line 20 min. before entry. Then, when you get in, head straight for the David. I did this with my parents and we got the most breathtaking view before anyone else had wandered in. After this, head just a few blocks away to La Menagere for breakfast. You truly cannot go wrong with anything here, but my personal favorite is the uova strapazzate con formaggio, bacon, e pane tostato and an iced matcha with vanilla. Wander around the gorgeous space and curated home store after breakfast if you have time! Next, I would suggest going to the Duomo in the heart of Florence and seeing the baptestry, inside the cathedral, and also climbing the cupola! Learning how revolutionary Brunelleschi’s techniques were is truly amazing and makes you appreciate the cathedral even more! Following this, if you love retail therapy like I do, browse all of the shopping that Florence has to offer on Via Tornabuoni and Via Calimala. Alternatively, you could take a cooking class or go wine tasting!

Afternoon

The Uffizi Gallery, which was previously the administrative building for the Medici Family, is an enormous gallery housing some of the most impressive art that was in the Medici collection. I would highly suggest visiting and getting a private tour (it is HUGE and you can feel a little overwhelmed if you go in blind). Following this, walk over to Pino’s Sandwiches on Via Giuseppe Verdi for lunch. The schiacciateria (Tuscan foccacia sandwiches) are undoubtedly my favorite food in Florence! After this, wander across the Ponte Vecchio to Santo Spirito, where you can stop at a wine window – or simply explore all of the adorable shops (I may be biased because my apartment is in Santo Spirito, but I think it is the best!!).

Evening

From Santo Spirito, walk East along the Arno River to Porta San Niccolò and then climb up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo. This is the best spot to watch sunset in Florence, but can get crowded, so get there early to get a spot! Grab a drink from the bar nestled into the side of the lookout or simply enjoy the Tuscan sunset! After sunset, head to dinner at Trattoria Cammillo, Cantinetta Antinori, or Cibrèo. Florence has some of the best restaurants in the world, so you truly cannot go wrong (same goes for all of the food here). If you have a later reservation, feel free to pop into a wine bar or stop and grab an apertivo while you wait.

Nighttime

Following dinner, grab gelato at La Sorbetteria, La Strega Nocciola, or Gelateria La Carraria. From there, you can either head back to your accomodation and tuck in for the night or go out in Florence! Some of my favorite places here are Red Garter for Karaoke or Lion’s Fountain – an Irish Pub that always has American sports on!

If you get the chance to visit Florence – TAKE IT! Even though I still have 3 weeks here, I am already reminiscing about my time spent here because I can say that without a doubt, I have fallen in love with Florence.

Arreviderci,

Caroline

P.S. Check out Katie Parla’s website for the best food recs in Florence & all of Italy!

Category: Culture

My One Month Reflection

The Perfect Day in Florence