It’s the end of my second day in Taiwan, but so much has happened that it feels like I’ve been here for much longer. Yet there’s also still so much that I don’t know, and that I need to sort out, so it also feels like I’ve hardly managed to get my feet wet. Overall, I’m not even sure where to begin.
My first impressions are that this was an excellent decision and such a great opportunity. I’ve had some minor snaffoos but also feel like I am well on my way to having a good and productive time here. I’ve met a lot of people, applied for a resident visa, found an apartment to live in for at least the next month, read a bunch of papers and have an exciting direction to start on research.
Still much to figure out – everything from where to buy toilet paper and what to do with trash and also actually making friends – but definitely getting started! I have found everyone here really is nice and accommodating: for example, the taxi driver who helped me take my luggage from my hotel to the apartment was really sweet and undercharged me. I only wish I had made him take the extra money, but it still feels like my reactions to everything that is going on are a little bit slow. I’ll just have to look for some opportunities to pay the kindness forward, I suppose.
Tomorrow and the day after are meetings with the rest of the Fulbrighters. I’m looking forward to it, but also looking forward to next week when I can actually get down to work.