Days 26-End

Days 26 - 29.  These days are all grouped together due to the small amount of activities done during them.  Day 26 began with research in the labs at Academia Sinica.  The entire rest of the day was spent in my room writing both a paper and the final presentation for the study abroad experience.  The presentation was a combination of our research experiences and our cultural experiences while abroad.  Day 27 was spent presenting our final work in the morning, at an amazing buffet in the evening, and waiting around the hotel for our new rooms in the middle.  The evening buffet dinner was the formal end of program dinner.  It was in a shopping complex on the 12th floor.  The buffet itself was filled with wonderful foods of all different varieties.  Both Western style and Eastern style foods, drinks, and desserts were all available.  The wait staff and cooks made the experience highly enjoyable with their quick and efficient work, and skill and performance on the part of the cooks.  The dinner was a wonderful capstone to an incredible trip.  Day 28 was our final free day before flying home on day 29.  I spent the day shopping near Taipei 101, and was able to find a large assortment of stores both familiar and unfamiliar.  I had a great time exploring the area on my own and made many satisfying purchases. My evening was spent packing and preparing for the long flights home.  I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends again, as well as beginning the Spring semester in just a few days.  As amazing as this experience has been for me, it was strange to be traveling and not share the experience with my family.  I was able to find them all some great gifts and am very excited to see them all again.

Days 24 & 25 ~ Free Time and National Taiwan University

After arriving in back in Taipei the night before, day 24 was spent resting and catching up on papers and other projects that had been put off during our travels around the island.  I only left my room to order and pick up pizza from Pizza Hut.  Day 25, the beginning of our final week in Taiwan was spent at National Taiwan University listening to research seminars given by graduate students and our program instructor.  We then had a tour of the research labs and went to dinner with the grad students.  A heaping plate of stir fried cabbage and two veggie and pork buns later the group split and a few of us headed back to Shilin Night Market to do some shopping to try and find a few final gifts for friends and family.

Days 22 & 23 ~ More Chemistry, Culture Park, Sun Moon Lake, Taipei

Day 22 was our last day in Taichung.  The entire day was spent in the research labs finishing up the last touches on our chemistry experiments in order to bring them back to Taipei with us.  After saying goodbye to the friends we made in the grad students we worked with, we spent the evening on our own, packing, shopping, and eating at the night market near Tunghai University Campus.  That evening I found a fruit stand loaded with fresh local fruits, and had a great dinner of that only.  On this trip I have had a surprising lack of fruit, especially considering that Taiwan is a tropical island.  After satisfying my fruit cravings, it was a relaxing evening spent packing and preparing for a busy day the next day.  Day 23 was spent traveling back towards Taipei.  On the way we stopped at Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.  This is the largest Indigenous culture theme park in Taiwan.  We spent a few hours eating food and riding the roller coasters at the park on our way up to the top of the park.  Gondola rides take visitors from the top of the park down to a small lake resort town on Sun Moon Lake.  This is one of the few natural lakes in Taiwan, and was very beautiful.  The lake itself wasn't overly large, and was filled with large boats giving tours and rides to tourists.  The shops surrounding the lake area were the same type of touristy shops seen all over the tourist sites we've previously been to, but it was fun to look and compare prices with the stands in the larger cities.  After a boat tour and American style lunch we were back in the vans for the long drive back to Taipei.  We made one unexpected stop at a large Buddhist temple off the highway on the way to Taipei, but arrived back at our hotel late in the evening, and ended the day with a quick bit of research in the zebrafish labs with our purified and separated chemical extracts.

Days 20 & 21 ~ Chemistry, Night Market, and Acupuncture

The majority of days 20 and 21 were spent in the chemistry labs at China Medical University working to separate and purify fractions of a Chinese herbal extract to be used in later experimentation at the lab back in Taipei at Academia Sinica.  The notable exceptions are the evening of day 20 spent at the night market with students from Tunghai University, as well as an afternoon of acupuncture on day 21.  The night market we went to in Tunghai was less crowded and filled with more food varieties than we saw in Taipei.  Octopus, frozen banana sundaes, and avocado milk were just a few of the many different foods available.  After finding a delicious supper in the night market, many of the students split off to go to a Taiwanese night club.  Instead of going clubbing, I went off with some of the Tunghai students to a popular shopping area closer to campus for some fun conversation and clothes shopping.  The acupuncture on day 21 was a wholly unique experience for me.  Because traditional Chinese medicine is a large part of the culture here, acupuncture therapy had its own bay in the major hospital, something I've never seen before.  Our doctor was able to give us both an overview and demonstration of the specific acupuncture points he would use for specific ailments.  Afterwards he worked with each one of us individually, targeting specific areas of stress or pain.  I suffer from severe and frequent migraines, so I ended up with three acupuncture needles in my head, two in my neck, and one in my arm.  The placement of each of these needles is precise and careful.  I was surprised at the distinct lack of pain I felt.  From watching other students I could see that the needles he used were extremely small, thin, and sharp.  This allowed for needles to be inserted quite far into the body without causing any pain or severe discomfort.  I only felt pressure with the needles in my body.  And while I am often skeptical of traditional medicines and favor Western medicine, I must admit that after the acupuncture therapy, the targeted areas felt significantly less tense and stressed.  Overall my first experience with acupuncture proved to be an interesting and enlightening one, and I will definitely consider it in the future for potential ways to avoid a migraine.

Days 18 & 19 ~ China Medical University, Tea, and Calligraphy

Day 18 began with a visit to China Medical University (CMU) about an hour bus ride from Tungahi University in Taichung.  We were introduced to the instructors and graduate students we would be doing research with, as well as were given an introduction into Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) through both one of the professors at the university and through the TCM museum on the campus.  After an extensive tour of the museum, we had dim sum dinner with the professors from CMU.  Dim sum is a meal style involving many small dishes and finger foods served with tea.  Everything from meat buns to chicken feet were placed on our table.  With excellent service and savory dishes, my first dim sum experience was a very pleasant one.  The next day began with tea and calligraphy classes taught by an instructor at Tunghai U.  Our instructor made the whole experience a very calming and relaxing one with both his quiet demeanor and deliberate actions as well as the incense burning and music playing in the room.  We tried three different varieties of Oolong tea grown in Taiwan all steeped and poured in the traditional style.  After we drank the tea, the calligraphy demonstration began.  Our instructor started by demonstrating how to hold the brush and create the different brush strokes.  He then set us free to try it on our own.  Calligraphy was very difficult for all of us, our writings looking like a child's first attempt.  The brush was surprisingly difficult to use, and the different stroke styles were difficult to create.  None of us had the spatial awareness required to write a balanced character.  The entire afternoon and evening was spent in the labs at CMU working on chemistry experiments.  We worked with Linda, a student studying cosmetic chemistry.  

Days 16 and 17 ~ Kenting National Park, Ocean, Tunghai

Day 16 began with a guided tour of Kenting National Park in the very southernmost tip of Taiwan.  We made various stops along the way to see famous geological landmarks and historical sites within the park.  Because the national park has been established only recently, there are small villages and even a nuclear power plant within the park boundaries.  At the very southernmost tip of the island stands a bright white lighthouse surrounded by walls and a steep ditch.  This is the only guarded lighthouse in the world, and was established in 1883 by the Qing Dynasty.  The walls were built to prevent raids by local aboriginal tribes. After our tour of the park, we went snorkeling at a local reef.  I have never been snorkeling, but the experience was definitely something I would do again.  The fish were beautiful, darting in and out of small tunnels in the reef.  We even saw an octopus sleeping in its hole.  After snorkeling, we headed to the local beach for some time in the sand.  Its winter in Taiwan right now, but our whole group was so excited to see the ocean that we jumped right in.  We were the only people in the water. After watching the sunset on the beach, we stopped by a local fruit stand for coconut juice straight from the fruit, and then we were off to dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Bossa Nova.  The food and atmosphere were both excellent.  Day 17 was spent driving north to Taichung city, specifically Tunghai University.  That evening we met the students in the Zebrafish lab our instructor has connections to, and had dinner at a hot pot restaurant with them.

Day 15 ~ Research Aquarium Tour, Paintball, and Hotspring

Day 15 began with a tour of the research facility and specimen library at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium near Pingtung.  We were able to go behind the scenes and view the coral-growing tanks and strategies, as well as the different animals studied by the scientists at the aquarium.  We were able to see three different sea turtles of varying age being held in the aquarium for medical purposes, as well as surgeon fish and grouper being studied for research purposes.  We were also able to view the coral dividing and growing sections of the aquarium.  We then moved to the specimen library portion of the aquarium tour.  The building was filled with all varieties of rare and exotic sea life.  With the afternoon free, we spent a few hours playing paintball before heading to a hot spring in the area.  This hot spring had three special pools, two filled with Chinese medicinal herbal extracts, and the third filled with small pedicure fish.  This pool was kept colder than the others to allow the fish to thrive.  The fish would swarm any feet that were placed in the pool, rushing to dinner.  Their mouths felt like rough patches of sandpaper gently and quickly tickled against your feet.

Days 11 - 14 ~ Road Trip South

Days 11 through 14 consisted of traveling down to the southern part of Taiwan, ending at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Pingtung.  We left Taipei the morning of day 11 and began our trip heading south and east along the coast.  Our first stop was Yeliu Limestone Geopark to explore the different varieties of rocks.  After driving for a few more hours we ended the day with a quick tour of a local whiskey brewery and a hot spring hotel in Yilan city on the northeast coast of Taiwan.  The second day was spent driving through the mountains heading south towards Hualien city.  Here, the roads became extremely windy and narrow, hugging the edge of the mountains.  There was no space between the mountains and the ocean here for a road, so the road simply followed the curves of the mountains along the entire drive.  We all became very carsick by the end of the day.  After a long day of driving, we ended up in Hualien city, specifically at the Buddhist University.  We were given a tour of the Buddhist temple on campus.  This building served as both an overview for visitors of the goals and outlooks of the university and Tzu Chi, the charitable foundation that is also directed by the same founder of the university.  Tzu Chi works to provide education, disaster relief, medical aid and development, and other society-enhancing features to any groups in need in any area of the world.  Day 13 was the longest day of driving.  We cut directly west across the island on the one central cross island highway.  This road passes through the mountains, and follows the curves and elevation of them.  Lunch was spent high up in the mountains at a small restaurant featuring a special, locally produced peach honey.  By the end of the evening, spent at a small hotel in a resort town high up in the mountains, we were all carsick and exhausted.  At this point, we were 3/4 of the way through the mountains.  The final day of the road trip began early with us finally coming out of the mountains and turning south towards Pingtung.  On the way we stopped at a local fresh fruit market and had excellent fresh fruit smoothies.  It was a refreshing stop.  We ended the day with our arrival at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in the city of Pingtung.  As a part of this program we were able to see behind the scenes and view the different behaviors of the fish and coral reefs at night versus during daytime.  We spent the night sleeping in the aquarium tunnels watching the fish swim above our heads, finally concluding our road trip south.

Days 9 & 10 ~ Research, Papers, and Free Time

Day 9 was a very quiet day for me.  I began and ended the day with research work in the lab, and spent my time in between the two, working on a paper in my room reflecting on my experiences in Taiwan thus far.  It was nice to have a day to myself.

On day 10, I was able to spend the entire day as I wished.  After turning in our papers, Mary and I went exploring and errand running.  We stopped at Taipei 101 to compare prices from a few stores at home with a few of the stores in the 101 mall.  We explored the area around Taipei 101, spent a few hours shopping, and then headed back to West downtown to find gifts and hand made goods for friends and family back home.  After killing half the day, we went back to our rooms for laundry and to pack for the 4 day road trip that would eventually see us in the southern tip of Taiwan near Kenting National Park.

Day 8 ~ PingSee Lantern Festival and Tofu Dinner

The morning of day 8 was quiet, we were all able to sleep in after being out late the night before watching the fireworks from Taipei 101 for the new year.  In the afternoon, the group ended up at a large arts and crafts store featuring art and small gifts that resembled the art we say the previous day at the National Palace Museum.  I was able to find some postcards there to send to family and friends.  After the store, we headed up out of Taipei into the mountains to draw on and light lanterns with our wishes on them in anticipation of the new year beginning.  After winding through the mountains on some very narrow and harrowing roads, we wound up in a small town packed with people.  Food vendors lined the streets, and people painted on large paper lanterns next to the train tracks that ran through the center of the main road of the town.  Two people were able to share a lantern with four sides total.  I shared one with Mary and we definitely had room to spare on our lantern.  Lighting them and pushing them into the sky was done quickly and efficiently with the help of local officials who tried to keep things moving along for everybody.  The lanterns were beautiful, and the idea was fun, however, burned out lanterns littered the trees and hills in the surrounding countryside below the town.  We knew where our wishes would actually end up, hanging from the trees.  The drive back down the mountain was just as scary as the drive up, and landed us in an unfamiliar area of Taipei, an area known for its congregation of tofu restaurants.  The food was definitely interesting, and while it wasn't my favorite of the meals I've had since being in Taiwan, it was impressive to see all the different ways tofu could be prepared and incorporated into a dish.  We had at least 9 different dishes featuring some type of tofu on the table, not including rice.  After dinner, we headed back to our hotel and called it a night.  

Day 7 ~ National Palace Museum, ShiLin Night Market, and New Year's Fireworks

Day 7 saw the group spending the morning on research in the zebrafish labs.  After, the whole group traveled to the National Palace Museum.  This was a large group of beautiful buildings filled with so much historic Chinese art it would take years to see the entire collection.  Artifacts ranging from jewelry carved from the tusks of rhinoceros to ornately carved wooden furniture, to immense paintings and pottery were on display.  Each had its own story and piece of history to tell.  The audio guides we were given explained the context and the artist behind the piece, making the whole experience very interesting.  Had I not had the audio guide I would've moved through the museum much faster and learned a lot less.  After the museum and a crowded bus ride later we ended up at the ShiLin Night Market.  After visiting the Rahoe Street Night Market the previous evening, I was prepared for a packed, chaotic, and noisy evening.  I was plesantly surprised with this night market actually.  The ShiLin Night Market had way more shops selling clothing and goods than the Rahoe Street market.  I enjoyed finding gifts for my family and friends, as well as doing a little bit of shopping for myself.  Once we had walked through the entire market, we ended up back on the subway to our spot for watching fireworks from Taipei 101.  We got to our designated spot about two hours in advance, and by the time midnight rolled around the area was packed.  The fireworks show was shorter than I expected, but still beautiful.  The crowds were massive, but surprisingly calm and relaxed compared to what they may have been at home. The people were also very quiet during the fireworks themselves.  The whole event was quiet and not a big spectacle.

Day ~ 6 Research and Rahoe Street Night Market

The majority of day 6 was spent in the cancer research lab at Academia Sinica in Taipei.  The researchers and graduate students there: Leo, Archer, Victor, and Shelly, spent the day walking us through various experiments we will be doing later in our trip, as well as getting to know us.  After a hot pot lunch at a local restaurant with the group, we spent the afternoon in the lab learning different protocols.  We viewed cell culture, cell fixing and staining, as well as some tests and techniques involving lab mice.  The whole experience was very interesting, and gave the whole group a glimpse into the daily work and lab life of a researcher.  After, we spent the evening with the same people in the Rahoe St. night market.  Here, I spent the evening with Archer, Victor, Leo, and their friends trying different foods and exploring different alleys in the market.  I tried stinky tofu with honey mustard, fried squid, candied fruit on a stick, fried sweet potato balls, tapioca, and green milk bubble tea.  The market was stuffed with people, it was difficult to move around, and it was so noisy we had to communicate using gestures rather than words.  The whole place was loud, chaotic, and filled with bright lights and great food.  It was definitely a fun end to a great day.