The first time I heard about the country, Taiwan, I was an ignorant teen who didn't have much knowledge of the world or its affairs. So, when a friend told me that he was going to this country for a semester exchange program, my first thought was, 'but where is this, and why wouldn't you go to a western 'developed' country for an exchange program!'
The same friend when he came back after the exchange, proclaimed that it was his favorite country in the world (after our own, of course) - and this is a view he continues to hold to this day. This made me intrigued, and perhaps that was what made me curious and sowed the seeds in me about wanting to visit this country someday.
I love being by myself, so when somehow circumstances came together to give me an opportunity to travel alone to Taiwan, of course, I took it up! And while I do not have a 'how a solo trip changed my life' story; it did give me a lot of insights about myself that I never thought was true. This visit was somewhat of a 'dream come true'; something I never thought would happen to me ; yet sometimes life surprises you in the nicest ways.
I am always concerned with identities, especially about my own. Over the past few years, I have made a lot of effort to understand and discover myself; and have been taking pride in the fact that I have managed to understand myself a fair bit. I am now in my late 20s, and I had thought that whatever I had thought and believed about myself was true and based on a fair bit of evidence, and also, somewhat permanent. It was exactly this assumption that was challenged while I was traveling by myself.
But first, about Taiwan! I had high expectations, which were rightly fulfilled. It helped that I already knew a local there - an old friend from university - and in large parts, it was her and her family's welcome and hospitality which made me love the country so much!
From the minute I landed, I never felt lost - mostly because the country is extremely welcoming to foreigners. As a female traveling alone, I am conditioned into not trusting anyone, but I felt my fears going away as I made my way through the airport, trying to find the right ways to reach the capital city. The warmth and the help given by everyone there threw me off for a bit at first - what is the motive behind that!, I found myself wondering the entire first day. After spending 5 days in the country, however, I realized that there isn't always an ulterior motive if people are helpful and nice, and that, the world is perhaps nicer than we like to admit. I have never felt more welcomed in a country like I did in Taiwan. If India believes in "Atithi Devo Bhava"; I am sure Taiwan has their version of it as well! (And perhaps other Asian countries; which I haven't had opportunities to visit)
My friend and her family were perhaps the epitome of the hospitable nature of the country. I was in Taiwan during the Chinese New Year - a time typically reserved for the family - but they not only welcomed me but included me in all their local traditions; as if I am someone they have known forever. So there I was, participating in their local Tao temple tradition for good luck, playing a traditional Chinese gambling game (beginners luck; I won, but while we were playing without any money!), learning to eat with chopsticks, and meeting extended friends and family of my host friend - who treated me like their own too! Despite not knowing the language, never once did I feel out of place. The entire time with my friend and host, I felt as though I was back home, with a close friend, but of course with a massive language barrier! :)
Taiwan is a beautiful, modern, culturally rich country. It seems like a country which is unapologetic and so comfortable in its own skin, that it is hard not to fall in love with it. I felt that, it was Asian enough to feel like home, yet developed enough to feel like 'foreign' - a term we in India tend to often associate with the developed countries of the west. While there, I often wondered why is it not a more sought after holiday destination - it is close to India and it is relatively cheap - but perhaps it is our collective ignorance about the rest of Asia that prevents us from thinking of it as a mainstream holiday! I'd definitely love to visit the country again, because while 5 days gave me enough time to soak in the culture; yet there are parts of the country I couldn't visit, something which I hope to do in the future.
The experience of traveling alone gives you confidence, yes, but for me, it was also about getting to know myself outside of the context of a familiar setting. I realized that I have always seen myself in the context of what my family, society, and culture expects me to be; and it is fair - because it is exactly that which has molded me. And yet; outside of everything familiar, it was as if a new side of me was able to express herself; one who didn't feel constrained by what she is 'supposed to be'; rather, was just able to, be.
Perhaps it wasn't the country, perhaps it was just the experience, one may argue. But the warmth and the safety I felt from people there was definitely unmatched, in my experience so far.
It was a country which made me feel safe and liberated and more like myself - well, what's not to love!
