October 4 - 19, 2022 - Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaoshiung, Taiwan - People, Food
Can you feel home sick for a place you never really lived?
I definitely did.
It’s been 4.5 years since I last visited my mother’s home in Taiwan, thank you Covid.
The people heard me talking to my mother on the phone or colleagues in China over MS Teams, have pointed out that something in my voice, expression and even posture changed when I switch from German or English to speaking Chinese.
So, I think it’s fair to call the beautiful island of Taiwan my home.
My second home.
The Island of Joy.
Wonderful Family
The main reason for making me feel so much at home, is definitely my lovely family.
It is really thanks for my mother who took us to Taiwan nearly every year, starting at my tender age of 3 months.
That’s how we grew so close to my late grandmother, who we called Ama and the rest of the family.
My Aunt, who I call my second Mami and my cousin, who really is the bigger sister I always wished for, definitely make every stay truly memorable.
It a serious joke, that I spend a “first day” with my aunt, starting in the mornings and then spend a “second day” with my cousin starting in the late afternoon.
An exemplary day last week looked as following:
Wake-up, short Yoga session
Running errand with my Aunt: post office, bank
Research visit for my book to the household registry office
Breakfast / Lunch at local noodle shop
Trip to the hot springs of Nanliao with my aunt
back to Hsinchu
Dinner No. One with my aunt
Night market Dinner No. Two in Taichung with my cousin
My Aunt and I recovering from a busy morning
The Friends
Taiwan is also the place where I get to meet old and new friends.
There are the many friends of my cousin, who are just like family.
There are friends like Ginny whom I met 10 years back during my exchange semester in Seoul, South Korea.
There are friends like Elaine, who was my room mate 8 years back in Shanghai, who now lives in Adelaide, Australia. We managed to call each other.
And then, there are my work colleague friends, Becky and her team from GF Piping Systems, whom I finally met in person.
People, I felt instantly warm with.
… and then there is Taiwanese food.
A heaven for the belly
14 years ago, I went to Taiwan for the first time of my life by myself.
At our Swiss high school we had to write a final thesis.
And I picked the subject of analysing the differences between the food you get in Taiwan and the one you could get in a Chinese restaurant in Switzerland.
Naturally, that entailed a month of field research.
And up to this day, every time I make my way to Taiwan I have a list in my head of all the dishes I want to eat during my stay.
Hot pot is only one of the many things on my list
And then I leave the island of joy with the widest smiles there is and a very very very full and happy belly.
Xiexie dajia, it won’t be 4.5 years until I’m back!
Next stop: 48 hours Singapore.
A little note on the writing of my grandmother’s memoir:
The working title on my debut novel is called:
“Ice Cream on a Winter Day 冬天吃冰”.
This was the most vivid memory my Ama would talk about, every time I visited her in her late 80s/ early 90s in Taiwan.
During the last two weeks (after coming out of quarantine), I spent hours with my family digging through the cellar, sitting at the household registry office and listening to the stories of my family and the employees my grandma supported in her life.
I am painting the outline of a wonderfully gentle, kind, joyful and strong woman, who despite hardship in life, always cared for her loved one’s.
There are many open questions, I would have loved to ask her directly.
Yet now, all that’s left are a few pictures and the stories and memories, that others have kept.
So I ask you:
Is there an elder person in your family or surrounding, you find inspiring?
Go and visit them. To listen and to learn.
And maybe, just maybe, think about what memories and treasures YOU want to leave for your future children and grandchildren to keep.
And tell them to keep them.
For a researcher, it’s simply heart-breaking to realise, that most of the family pictures were thrown away in all the years of moving.
Especially, when the loved ones pass away.
…
At the very least, there is still the treasure of oral history.
Lucky me.
As always very fascinating to read your stories...specially with your family in Taiwan. Thank you for sharing it
Very lovely story again and the delicious food pics immediately made me hungry 😋🙏🏻🤗