To travel is to live

         I remember one night in Taiwan when I was squirming in my bed and couldn't fall asleep. I realized that my Turkish roommate had the same problem. It was 2 am and we decided to go for a ride in the neighbourhood. Not even changing our pyjamas, we took bikes and hit the road. We drifted along the oldest Taiwanese city admiring its rich cultural heritage (there are more than 1600 temples in Tainan). There were no people in the streets, what's more, humidity and the heat didn't disturb us so much as it was during the day. We enjoyed that silent and magical atmosphere without even saying a word. Then we entered one of the numerous 7Eleven shops and bought an Asian snack with rice and seaweed. After filling our stomachs and having a long philosophical conversation, sharing our ideas for life and drinking green tea, we came back to our dormitory and immediately fell asleep with smiles on our faces and with curiosity what the next day will bring. That is one of the un

Once me and two other interns went for shopping in the area nearby the main station. We were pacing the streets, trying to find souvenirs for friends from our home countries.       As usual Tainan hot weather wasn’t favorable for us - after two hours of walking around, we were exhausted and dreamed about finding an indoor place with air-conditioning. We saw a traditional teashop and decided to go inside, as I wanted to buy some tea for my parents. It was a spacious store with different kinds of teas, teacups and teapots on the shelves. There was also a table with a whole set needed to prepare tea and a shop assistant offered to show us a traditional tea preparation. We sat down at a table in front of the man and eagerly was waiting how the process looks like. Firstly he boiled up water and put tea leaves inside ceramic pot. He poured water into the pot and waited a few minutes. After that step the tea is first poured into the tea jug, and then into scent cups or s

     Sometimes making a decision is not a simple task, especially when you have to decide if you want to spend next two months in another part of the world, far away from your hometown. You don’t know what to expect and how to prepare for such a journey.      I didn’t debate with myself too long. I just knew that Taiwan is a place I want to visit and get to know its fascinating culture. When I arrived to Taipei, I felt overwhelmed by city’s noise, traffic and hot temperature and humidity, which I am not used to. Fortunately I am very persistent and flexible person, so I acclimatized myself very fast. I found a host on couchsurfing portal, so from the very beginning I had a chance to hang out with Taiwanese people, visit different places and become familiar with Taiwanese culture and cuisine. After 12 days in Taipei and its surroundings I went to Tainan to start my internship in JiaJia Hotel. Right from the start I was fascinated by Tainan’s history and its soul, I didn’t expect that o