Welcome back! I have just started my seventh week here in Taipei, Taiwan. The weeks have been flying by, and I remember it like it was yesterday. Arriving here, I was nervous but full of excitement and anticipation.
Now at week seven, I’ve been having fun in my classes, surprising myself with how much I’m learning and applying in my day-to-day life. Asking for directions, ordering food, and having mundane conversations with locals were things I thought would not only be challenging, but also nerve-racking.
The structure of my classes emphasizes speaking improvement and quickly aids in my confidence in navigating day-to-day life. While my classes require heavy preparation, the faculty also strives to enrich our cultural learning and experiences.
Meeting Mazu
Some of the biggest festivals of the year in Taiwan are held to celebrate the goddess Mazu (媽祖). I found this extremely intriguing, having never heard of this highly celebrated figure. While Mazu is a goddess, the Taiwanese relationship with her can seem casual, with loose boundaries.
Mazu doesn’t necessarily have a single form; rather, there are multiple forms, each to which people pray for wealth, success, relationships, and more. The most influential temple for Mazu lies in Beiguang, Taiwan (北港). This temple, built in 1694, acts as a leader to the Mazu temples in Taiwan.
Our travels took us to the Mazu temple in Beigang, where we participated in the main festival. Thousands of people line the streets of Beigang, ready for the parades and fireworks that will fill the air. People grabbed whatever they had, boxes, bags, hats, and more, to hold out to the parade floats.
Why? We quickly learned that the parade floats bear gifts to the public, and that a highlight of the festival is catching them. Many of us started with confused glances, but happily joined in the fun, grabbing whatever we had to use as a basket to catch gifts. One of my classmates was lucky to grab a Dior perfume.
During our time in Beigang, we also participated in the traditional ritual, used to worship deities. In Taiwan, this is called “Bai bai” (拜拜). All 30 of us students bound to the temple with wishes in mind to give to Mazu.
To partake in the ritual, one takes incense in one hand and clasps the other hand. Traditionally, the one praying must tell Mazu their name, where they live, their birthday, and their wish for the ritual to be successful. After a few moments, you place the incense in the censer and leave the temple.
Time with Nature
In my last post, I described Taipei as a bustling metropolis with easy access to the natural surroundings.
After our festivities in Beigang, we took some time to explore Xitou Nature Preserve, a forest paradise with intertwined hiking trails and gorgeous mountain views.
Xitou is also known for its abundance of fireflies and birds, making it a popular spot for birdwatching. After the bustling time in Beigang, our time in Xitou was relaxing but also, in some ways, tiring due to the hiking and humid weather.
We all had fun times, tiredly walking uphill, only to come down and buy Thai tea ice creams from the Family Mart (convenience store). That night, we went on a night tour to view the wooded area swarming with fireflies, and surprisingly, a flying squirrel. It was such a magical time that can only be captured in my memory, since our phones couldn’t capture clear shots of the fireflies.
An Unforgettable Experience
I not only find this trip unforgettable for the cultural insights and for the opportunity to engage with local people, but also for the important time it was for connecting with my classmates. The International Chinese Language Program is open to people of all backgrounds and cultures, and I had the opportunity to speak to fellow students, which I don’t get much time due to our different class schedules.
I find it very special that this experience has led me to have conversations with fellow International relations students, a UT alumnus, New Zealand diplomats, people working in tech, real estate, and many more, who have inspired me to take opportunities, such as my time in Taiwan, and look ahead to an exciting future.
This blog was contributed by Gabrielle Tatum, Global Ambassador for Spring 2026. Gabrielle is a College of Liberal Arts junior participating in an exchange program at the National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan.
