Author: Kseniia

There are days when I don’t want to sit at home. When the air of my comfort turns into choking dry sand, I go out and wander. I see dozens of restaurants and small shops on each side of the road. I catch the earthy smell of burning incense from a local temple. Then another one. And another. Burning red temples pop up here and there carefully tied into hidden alleys and corners. Occasionally, I stop and step into one of them. Curious, just like the first time.

I light incense. I have no idea what kind of god protects this place. I just put good thoughts into the fire and smoke. The old lady, the temple keeper, doesn’t stop me. She just smiles and nods carefully. I notice her and apologise. She smiles wider at my apology and laughs at me.

“There is nothing to apologise for! This place is for everyone,” she speaks. Her voice is muffled with age.

My mind catches this phrase and holds onto it. This is a place for everyone. Sometimes, it truly feels like that. When I walk on the streets of Taiwan, I see temples of Gods I don’t know. I see Christian crosses of the God I grew up with. I see shining mosques of the God I hear a lot about. Near all of them, there are restaurant signs in Chinese, Vietnamese, English and Indonesian. Little guests from France, Italy or Spain sometimes join the crown of languages. People from all over the world come here and leave their colourful footprint. Yes, somehow, the country doesn’t turn into a chaotic macabre. It is careful harmony where all colours coexist with each other. Every day, I look at this canvas. I step into it and… We hear news and stories about crimes over nationality in America, Europe and Asia. Nevertheless, there is rarely such news here. How did Taiwan get it right? What is their secret?

The answer might be hidden in the temples. Just like the old lady said, it is the place for everyone. Papers and writings on the walls remind everyone about it. 和平/Peace are the two most common characters. You can find them in many temples. Rituals, legends and beliefs vary in Taiwan from temple to temple. However, many of them emphasize looking for inner and outer peace, on accepting those who are around you.

So is religion an answer? I believe not so much. It plays a certain role. However, in my opinion, it is not the sole reason.

Taiwan is hidden from the world. It is constantly in the dark covered by the giant shadow of China. To break the night, you need to shine. This is what, I believe, Taiwan is trying to do. This country has a strong will to break out of this shadow and shine to the world. If you have a look at the flag of Taiwan, you will see the sun. Taiwan embraces every single grain of acceptance. It wants to build relationships. Governments rarely do so. If they do, it takes years. People, though, come and go weaving the red net of relationships all over the globe. They do it fast. They do it all the time.

Taiwan is like a new girl in town at a party where everyone tries to prove something. Everyone around her is too busy showing off or competing over the last crisp on a plate. While she is peeking curiously, genuinely listening to everyone without judgement. She wants to fit in so badly. Her mind is so clear and innocent. I just hope she will stay herself. I just hope no bad company will spoil her heart.

If you would ask me to describe a Taiwanese person, I would say this. Taiwanese speak Chinese most of the time but swear a lot in English. Two-thirds of them carry iPhones. They dress like Koreans. Many of them enjoy Japanese or Western food. Their favourite holiday is Christmas.

I tutor kids in my free time. Thus, it is quite common for me to chat with them and just ask questions about Taiwanese culture. There are four traditional Chinese festivals celebrated in Taiwan: Chinese New Year, Tomb Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-autumn Festival. They are the staples of local culture. Normally, people take them very seriously and always travel with their entire family as a form of celebration. One day, I asked a student of mine about those festivals, a middle school pupil. To my surprise, he couldn’t name all the festivals. It is as if somebody in the West didn’t know about Christmas. This might seem like nothing, like a puzzling exception. However…

I tend to ask my students questions about their classes in school. It helps me to connect with them. I still remember my days as a school pupil so asking questions helps me to relate to them. Most of the students express their hatred toward the Chinese language. They tell me how they struggle with characters, but find English extremely easy to learn. Even some of my friends, who are proper grown-ups, tend to use English in a conversation, especially written one, because they cannot remember a word.

The Taiwanese government has a strong desire to make the country bilingual. To me, it seems that they see the English language as the key to the international community. If everyone in the country speaks English, foreigners will feel more comfortable, meaning more people will come, right? Indeed. Is it a fair price to pay?

…

Previously, I compared people in Taiwan to smudges of colourful paint. In this case, Taiwan is the canvas. As you keep putting paint over and over again, the original colour just disappears. Eventually, nobody even remembers how the canvas looked before painting.

I hate big cities. I despise their cold convenience and lack of personality. They are made out of concrete and glass reaching into the sky, leaning above people like guards in jail. I feel trapped in cities, feel like I cannot breathe like every day is the same.

Grey.

I was born in a big city myself. I travelled in Europe and Asia. In every city, the ghost of my hometown follows me, erasing the personality of a country. Polluted air. Car noises. The tsunami of people. It is especially true for capitals. Guess which cities I dislike the most?

When I walk around the city in Taiwan, I love escaping into narrow alleys. I enjoy going into small villages and towns because this is where a country truly shines with its true shades. It is the corner of the canvas, yet untouched. For me, Taiwan is a mixture of Chinese and Taiwanese languages. I don’t understand it. It is confusing, but also intriguing at the same time. Taiwan is my favourite narrow street filled with plant pots and tiny coffee shops. Taiwan is the smell of incense.

Is it fair for Taiwan to sacrifice its personality for international love? I’m not the one to judge. I can express my love for little places in Taiwan, but also the people. I can only hope that they will keep this peace in their hearts. That the world will not put black over unpainted edges.