Culture

Growing up in Taiwan, I’ve always taken convenience stores, or 便利商店 (biànlì shāngdiàn), for granted. They are everywhere—on nearly every street corner in Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung, or even in smaller towns. At first glance, they might seem like just a place to grab a snack or drink, but for us locals, they are so much

The first time I took the MRT in Taiwan a couple of years ago, nothing dramatic happened—and that was exactly what shocked me. No one was shouting. No one was rushing aggressively. No one was eating, drinking, or talking loudly on their phone. The train arrived smoothly, people lined up neatly, and passengers stepped off

When people think about coffee culture, they often think of big international brands. But in Taiwan, coffee is everywhere—and it’s not just about Starbucks. Independent cafés, themed cafés, minimalist cafés, dessert cafés, and specialty hand-brew cafés appear on almost every street. These places are more than spots to grab a cup of coffee. They represent

If you really want to understand Taiwanese daily life, I recommend you start with a traditional market, instead of a museum or a shopping mall. I grew up going to markets with my family. Even now, with convenience stores on every corner a convenience store open 24 hours a day, traditional markets are still deeply