Summer In Taiwan 2023

I’m back in Hong Kong and I am back at my full time job. We usually get a six-week unpaid break and then we get back to work. I spent last year’s summer break in Hong Kong, and I did it without any pay and I must admit it was pretty painful, so this time round I had applied for a summer job. After spending about four weeks doing the summer job I had two weeks remaining before work. I had previously bought a plane ticket for Taiwan. I was really excited because I had not been to Taiwan since maybe fifteen years ago, and I was really excited to be going back. Back then I had tagged along with my friends right after college so I was just following them around, but this time I had the freedom to do what I wanted to do. I was so excited because this was the first international trip I had been on in maybe six years? (I had been to Korea earlier this year during the Easter holidays, but I consider it a technicality due to it being a necessary visit, and also it being a home base.) The last time I travelled to a new destination overseas was Osaka and that felt like it was ages ago. (Six years ago.)

As excited as I was about my trip to Taiwan, it was not the easiest trip that I had ever been on. Actually it was one of the most stressful trips that I had ever been on. The trip started off with me being late to the counter, which eventually lead to me missing the plane. I was late by about fifteen minutes, but there was no mercy no matter how much I had begged. They straight out rejected my pleas. I still had an hour left before my plane flew out, but the counter crew said that my plane ticket was void. This was the first time anything like this had ever happened so I was not aware about the reprimands. I honestly did not expect punishment for being late for a paid product, but here I was experiencing the reality. I had a friend waiting for me at the gate, so my sense of guilt was just building on top of one another. I thought they would at least have some customer service, but no. The man floating around the counter rejected every plea for help and his excuse was “Sir, we are a budget airline. It is your problem”. I was all sorts of pissed off at the guy, but he was so damn passionate about taking on his job role so I had to ask another member of staff. I literally begged them for help, and being the wonderful people they were they did their best to help me buy tickets through an app on my phone. This was all the while where the male staff member was floating around telling them that they didn’t need to help me. I literally had to tell him to F’off. I knew that all of this was my fault and that it was something that I had to deal with, but the lack of empathy just made me realize how cold some people were. Maybe they were going by industry protocol, but honestly, it doesn’t mean you can’t help people. At least that is how I thought.

I eventually paid for new tickets and got through the gates. I had to tell my friend to go on ahead of me, and I told her that I would see her over at Taiwan. What I didn’t realize was that my return tickets would be void as well. I was lucky enough to ask or else my return trip would have been a disaster as well. I had to ask another airport staff member to help buying a return ticket, and his opinion was that I should buy a return ticket from another flight company. I thought he would know best and did as he said. I bought the return tickets and somewhat comfortably got on the plane to Taiwan. Oh but how naïve I was. I was soon going to realize that my return flight e-tickets had never arrived into my email, and for the first quarter of my trip I was travelling in a state of anxiety.

  However, it was a learning opportunity. If I had never made this mistake I would have never known how painful this experience would have been. I always thought travel was a thankful privilege, but somewhere out there, there are sharks hunting for your missteps. Whether you are a budget traveler or a premium client, they will always look for an opportunity to take more money from you. In reflection I know that I am being bitter, and maybe there are certain technicalities within the airline industry that requires this type of system, but man, where is the humanity. I would never treat any of my clients this way if I ever had to.

But in all hind sight the stress was all worth it. As disastrous as I might have described the start of the trip, the rest of the trip was such a blast. I really fell in love with Taiwan and it really made me realize how beautiful the country actually was. The trip during my post college years was only a taster, and this trip was the primer. I would love to come back to this country, and this trip has also influenced me to really take learning Mandarin seriously. There are a ton of photos down below, and it would have been nice if I was able to describe every photo, but this upload has taken so much of my time. I would like to stop here and use my remaining time to focus on my art work. I do think the photos generally speak for themselves, and maybe in the future I can add some of the videos as well.