Week 1

Taipei has already been quite an adventure. Exactly one week has passed since my arrival on that rather humid day. I had been double-jet-lagged, tired, hungry, anxious, but exited to finally enter Taiwan. I had spent a week in Kyoto, arrived in JFK to spend one night before flying home to Düsseldorf, then after a week home, I finally arrived here in Taipei. At the airport, I felt welcomed, not interrogated. by the customs official. Surprised by how nonchalant he asked me for my purpose of stay, I handed him my passport. He glimpsed at it for a few seconds and without asking me for fingerprints or any personal information, which I expected him to ask me, he simply handed it back and welcomed me to Taiwan in his rather Chinese accent. I was ready and comfortable to enter the island. I picked up my luggage, I ran to the first spot for a taxi and frantically handed the driver a piece of paper with the address of the university written in both English and Chinese characters. He seemed to know where I needed to go and drove me to the place. It was an unexpectedly long drive. After an hour, I arrived at the building for international students. I paid the driver and entered the building. It was noon and I arrived at the right time to register my arrival as a student. Joanna, the secretary at the office, asked me sign a couple of forms and took a copy of my passport. Then, to my surprise, she handed me a schedule of the exam I was supposed to take the next day. In the midst of my state of anxiety and extreme fatigue, I was shocked to have to take an exam the next day, but without hesitance I marked the best possible time to take the exam. After marking the time, she handed me an envelope with a key. This was the key to my provisional apartment, which my landlord had left for me to pick up. I was to stay there for ten days before moving on to something long term. With the key, I left the international student office and looked for a taxi, once again. This time in less of a haste, I found one and asked the driver to take me to the location of my apartment. It was a short drive and the driver tried to converse with me in both English and Chinese. After ten minutes he dropped me at the door of the apartment. At this point, the only thing I needed and wanted was sleep, long sleep until I would wake up the next day. I entered the apartment. It was a small room, about half the size of the room I had at Yale. I took a shower, turned on the air conditioning, and fell asleep, instantly. I slept for fifteen hours when I woke up at five in the morning. I felt energized, ready to explore my area. First, I unpacked my suitcase, sent out emails informing my friends and family of my arrival, and finally took another shower. Then at seven in the morning I went out to get breakfast. I had Taiwanese fruit, which consists of guave and unusual pears, some noodles and green tea. Then I went back to the international students office and met a friend of mine from Yale. The day passed quickly. In the evening we went to the Shida night market, located closely to my apartment. The rest of the week also passed quickly as I would spent my time trying to find an apartment and getting to know some of the classmates I will be in close contact with over the course of the next two months. Today, I finally found a suitable apartment which I am excited to move in this Saturday. Tomorrow is orientation and then classes will begin next week. I am really excited for everything to start.