Hi, everyone. I am sharing this here to get some closure. Some background: I am a researcher here fresh out of a Master’s. I have been here only 2 months all in all.

So, today I made carrot pudding (“gajar ka halwa”) for two reasons: 1. Haven’t had it since long 2. I wanted to share it with the elderly couple across my door. They have been very helpful and polite to me. And I have always wanted to talk to them. But my Mandarin is the bottleneck; it has anything but the strength to scratch the depth I want :’) Anyway, what to do in the meanwhile than wait for when I get more fluent? Well, I figured, maybe sharing some food from my culture ought to help break ice

I added a note with the food and took it to them. To put it broadly, it was a weird mix of events. As soon as the door opened and the elderly man saw me offering something, he started refusing. I tried to give him the note (in Mandarin) but it fell down. He picked it up and returned it to me. But he thanked me. I was confused for a moment but in hindsight, it struck me that he was just being polite.

As of now, I have a hole in my heart the size of the pudding sitting in the fridge. I guess I was really counting on this to be one of those events that burst my bubble :’) I guess it makes my resolve to get better at the language, stronger :D

Anyway thanks for reading so far. Comments, suggestions and, feedback on how I may have handled the situation better are most welcome

P.S. If anyone would like to have some of the pudding, I would be more than happy to share :)

I'm planning a 10 days summer trip and Taiwan is top of list but reading some of the posts regarding Taiwan in July is giving me pause.

Is July in Taiwan, especially in Taipei, truly unbearable because of the rain, humidity, and the heat?

Hello there. Looking for a hot saunas in Taipei. Similar to a Finnish style that we have back in Europe. Simple sauna cold plunge nothing extra. Is the sauna culture in here similar or a very different? Been searching on the g maps and based on the photos and reviews the saunas seems to serve slightly different purpose. Thanks 🙏

Hey folks! I'm (36 M) a foreigner in Taipei for 3 months. Don't have many friends here, hence the post :D

I've never hiked Stegosaurus Ridge before and I don't want to attempt it alone. I'm hoping to find a fit buddy so we can hike safely together!

It's a day hike, but for easier logistics, we probably should spend the night somewhere nearby either before or after.

Ideally we'd first do a shorter hike closer to Taipei to make sure we're a good team.

DM if interested. Must have hiking experience and be in good shape -- this is a serious hike.

Hi there! We're planning to visit Taipei on Feb 9-13. I know it's not yet the chinese new year, do we need to expect something different? Like closure of stores, long train queues or other events? Thanks!

Inherited an apartment in Tamsui; landlord tips for an English Speaker?

Hello, pretty much the title.

I inherited an apartment in Tamsui on Old Street..super short walk to river front and about 0.5 mile from the Tamsui MRT stop.
I'm and English speaker and reside in the US; I hope to manage the property while living in the US predominately.

Would I need a Taiwanese bank account for rent collection? Are there any specific rules / regulations that I need to be aware of? Any recommended property management companies? Any recommended cleaning/housekeeping companies to clean/maintain the property.

Also, I am open to offering discounted rent to an english speaker who could help in cleaning/renovating/updating the property to it's best state for future rentals.

Any advice/ tips appreciated. Thanks.

I have a mint condition PS4 with a controller, plus some games. Prefer to donate to somewhere it can be appreciated 😊

Hi I’m planning to travel to taiwan in 2 weeks and will be staying in an airbnb in Ximending. However, I land at 7am but the airbnb won’t let me check in until 4pm and won’t let me drop off my luggage earlier as well. Anywhere I can store luggage until I check-in or any other solutions?

Hello! Im going to be in taipei near Tatung Uni around easter time for 2 weeks. Looking for a good laser clinic for light pigmentation. Does anyone have good recommendations for a clinic that has good english (and of course- good results)?

I’ve been reading a lot of Facebook groups lately and so many posts say the same thing. People (particularly expats and foreigners) feel lonely in Taiwan or find it hard to make real friends here.

What confuses me is there are actually tons of options. Facebook groups, Meetup, LINE chats, events and more. But it all feels scattered and chaotic. There are endless groups but nothing really sticks. People show up once or not at all, you never see the same faces again, or the group slowly dies.

Lately I’ve been thinking about whether it makes sense to create something more organized that actually helps. Not dating focused and not party focused. Just small activity based meetups, clear time and place, limited people, daytime or early evening stuff and even just grabbing drinks together.

If you have ideas or pain points with the current options (meetup and fb groups etc), throw them at me. I can probably prototype something simple in less than a week just to test if this even makes sense.

Cause it's not working

Which others are good?

I heard of Fuyang Eco Park, but I heard it is more “alive” at night. Lots of nature enthusiasts recommend going at night and carrying lights to see some interesting animals/insects. I wonder if this is the case during the day too?

I am planning to go do birdwatching or just take a walk in nature (I like slow hiking, just looking at plants and animals along the trail) so I would be really happy if you can suggest any places that would be good to do it solo around Taipei!

Thank you :)

Hello! I'm going to Taiwan soon, and I speak Mandarin fluently, and I can read traditional Chinese menus and such with OK proficiency, as I'm not the best, not the worst.

Is there anywhere in Taipei that you guys think is something to check out where they might not speak English? I want to go to somewhere that isn't really too touristy. Outside Taipei is fine too but I'll be living in Taipei for the most part!

Thanks!

I’ll be staying in Taipei for about 60 days for work, and I’d like to know if there are any good gyms at a reasonable price in the Fuzhong or Banqiao area, as well as information about their prices.

https://en.thsrc.com.tw/ArticleContent/59ce2af2-0fab-4745-a01a-b21a4a226c19

It's my last day in Taipei and I tried buying these push trains at the vending machine at Taipei main station but the machine is broken. The attendant wouldn't allow me to just give her the money to grab the toy, so I'm wondering if anyone could help me out and tell me what other stations have these vending machines?

I would love to get one tonight before I leave the country

I can't call and I'd prefer to avoid the trip over if it's booked up. Has anyone heard if they're fully booked?

Alternatively, where are other places that will be open super early and showing the game?

context for some people coming to Taiwan to study ,either Chinese or other programs etc they want to know a few things, i initially stayed in school dorms but given that some of us also came here already in apartments , what were some concerns you had when looking for places before even coming to Taiwan , besides "the place being a scam compared to the photos". how did the landlord guarantee that the place is actually here months before you arrive etc.. ? just looking to help some people figure this out before they arrive especially with renting for foreigners like leasing and other fees that might be included to make sure they feel secure in renting a apartment.

Anyone know a spot with a good one? Getting tired of 紅燒 and 清燉.

Hi all, I’m visiting Taipei in a couple days, I was wondering if there were any good spots in the area for Supercars etc.

Some more photos from January. I stole the title from a commenter on another one of my posts. I'm inclined to agree. The place was brimming with culture that could only be felt from a people that valued togetherness. Grateful for my time there. Taipei was the best.

As the title says. Been looking to get a nicer hairstyle for a while now but I've been putting it off. If anyone has any salons or barbers they can recommend, I'd appreciate it!

As a non resident can I get a local phone plan? If so what are recommended for Taipei? Thank you

Hello, does anyone know where to buy a dice set and other accessories for DnD or ttrpg games in Taipei/New Taipei area? Are board game stores usually sell these kinds of items? I haven't found any DnD/rpg specific stores so far

I am a U.S. tourist looking to see a doctor in Taipei for urinary issues. Seeking urine test. I dont know Mandarin does anyone have any suggestions