I’m grateful I had the chance to visit Ukraine in 2019—before Russia’s invasion changed everything. I’ve had similar feelings about Taiwan. It feels like a place living on borrowed time, quietly awaiting a potential Chinese invasion. One of the central themes of my experience in Taiwan was the striking convergence of Japanese and Chinese cultural and historical influences. I was surprised to hear some locals express openness to the idea of Chinese rule, believing it might bring improvements to infrastructure, governance, and quality of life. Of course, not everyone shares that view. Like anywhere else, Taiwan has its own political factions, each with distinct perspectives and interests. Hearing those views firsthand was eye-opening. Taiwanese cuisine reflects the island’s cultural hybridity—rooted in its own traditions while clearly shaped by both Chinese and Japanese elements. Traditional Mandarin is still spoken here, making Taiwan one of the few places where simplified characters aren’t the norm. While some people spoke English—especially in cosmopolitan Taipei—English menus weren’t common. That said, locals were consistently kind and patient as I fumbled my way through conversations in Mandarin. In one surreal moment, I walked into a 7-Eleven and ran into Kevin, an old friend I hadn’t seen since […]
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