Still in a Nook

Finished packing my suitcase for tomorrow’s departure back to Singapore… I’m really gonna miss this place. The cool climate at the moment. The weather has been wet for the past few days, often raining through the night and cooling the temperature in the day even more.

The people. I think I’ll have a hard time adjusting to the cold and often uncaring people back in Singapore lah. Some Taiwanese people say that Taipei people are quite rude, but you know what? They’re the nicest people that you can find.

Earlier today while my Taiwanese friends Ziyan and Hoonjae, were on a bus with me, we found ourselves confused by the bus route and were wondering aloud about where we should alight. This dear auntie sitting at the side (we were standing) called to us and asked where we were going. She then told us that we missed our stop, followed by road directions from another lady who was sitting behind and heard our conversation. So warm.

And every shop will have the nicest owner and assistant that are not pushy or overly fake. Instead of that awkward silence that we always face when we step into a shop without customers, the shopkeepers always welcome you and ask you to ’slowly pick what you want’, even if they are bent over counting stock or having their lunch break behind the counter. I was so used to their warm service that I thought that a shop assistant was kinda rude, until I mentally compared her with an average salesgirl in a shop in Singapore. They were about the same.

Taipei commuters are wonderful too. It was such a relief to find civilised commuters in a city for once (Hong Kong is another actually). EVERYONE keeps right on the escalators, even the elderly. Ziyan told me that the campaign for keeping right went on for a long time, but I think it was worth it really. So much time and lifespan saved.

I love this city, its unglamourous alleys and grubby drains… everything. It’s a city where you find genuine care for the elderly and young instead of just doing it because the society demands for it.

Well… the ONLY thing that I won’t miss… will be the Taipei traffic. I’m still not used to having scooters zip past me while the green man is on >_<

So byebye Taipei… I will be back… :D