Through the shallow strait, exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland have never been reduced due to geographical barriers, and the friendship between compatriots on both sides of the strait has never been indifferent because of distance. The deep affection for Taiwan Province is difficult to describe in words! Taiwan has given birth to countless talented and beautiful women, pop music, and youth idol dramas, and has recorded countless youth memories of the post-80s and post-90s. For me personally, traveling to Taiwan is not only the realization of a long-held dream, but also a spiritual touch. Before I set foot in this land, I knew very little about this land, but after I really arrived, my inner emotion and harvest coexisted, and the bits and pieces of that journey became my precious memory!
1. Landing from a high altitude, Taiwan's airports seem to me to be slightly old and lack modern ornate decorations. The first time I talked to the airport staff, their voices were gentle and kind, and I felt that this was the right trip. Taoyuan Airport has two terminals, and there are free maps at the tourist information desk inside the airport. The EasyCard sold at the airport's convenience stores can be used to ride the bus, the MRT, or even to make purchases at convenience stores.
2. Taiwan's streets are not spacious, most streets only accommodate two lanes, and vehicles parked randomly on the side of the road make the already narrow roads more crowded! The surrounding buildings bear traces of time, but the overall street remains clean, and there is rarely garbage discarded on the roadside, which shows the civilized quality of the local people from the side. Taipei doesn't have a lot of towering skyscrapers, and most of the houses are dilapidated in appearance, but the perfection of its public infrastructure is undeniable!
3. The inheritance of Confucius temple culture in Taiwan is very good! Participating in exams, seeking marriage, opening ceremonies or political campaigns, people always like to go to major temples to pray for blessings. On the fifteenth day of the new year and important festivals, incense is always burning in front of the temple. Especially in Tainan, the density of temples is extremely high, and temples can be seen in almost every street and alley.
4. Convenience stores are dotted in Taiwan, and 7-Eleven is still the whole family, even if it is a small town, it can be easily found. The convenience store has a lot of food options and can also heat up the food. To my surprise, most of the convenience stores I went to were not only open to the public, but also had very clean toilets! It even surpasses similar facilities in some high-end shopping malls in mainland China. I was so impressed with these bathrooms that I was in such a hurry that I couldn't take pictures when I needed them urgently.
5. On the streets of Taiwan, there are a variety of roadside vendors' stalls selling a wide variety of goods. Roadside stalls in Taiwan are managed by the local police force and do not involve a dedicated "chengguan" team. There are rare clashes between the police and hawkers, but more about mutual understanding and consideration between each other.
6. In Taiwan's cities and villages, the gap between the two is not obvious, which may be related to the long-term stagnation of Taiwan's economy, urban construction is slow, and there has been almost no major change in decades! Because of this, Taiwan's countryside does not look much different from the city in appearance. The changing times have brought about the high pressure of urban life, but Taiwan's rural life is still comfortable, with convenience stores, complete living facilities, and relatively better air quality.
7. Taiwan's Spring Festival has many similarities with the mainland, as well as its unique traditional customs. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, locals rush to the temple to grab the first incense, which is extremely common in Taiwan. The fish in the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is not eaten, but is kept until the New Year, which means "more than every year"! On New Year's Eve, everyone under Taipei 101 gathered together to count down to welcome the New Year and watch the fireworks display. Taiwanese people like to visit night markets, like the lively and festive atmosphere, and fireworks during the Spring Festival are relatively free.
8. Taiwan's trains, limited by geography and seismic zones, the speed of trains is generally not high, the general speed limit is about 115 kilometers, and high-speed rail also has regional speed restrictions. The train fare from Taipei to Taitung costs around 170 RMB and the journey takes about four hours. This may seem slower today, but given Taiwan's geographical characteristics, I think it is very reasonable.
At the station, no passenger information will be displayed on the train ticket, and there is no security check required to enter the station. There is no traditional waiting hall inside the station, passengers wait directly on the platform, and the trains are divided into old-fashioned and new-style, and the new carriage facilities are advanced, which is similar to the mainland high-speed rail.
9. Taiwan's support and care for people with disabilities are reflected in many levels, so I will give some examples! Most of the buses on the street are equipped with a low-chassis design, which greatly facilitates the boarding and disembarkation of citizens in wheelchairs. Braille and voice prompts for the visually impaired in front of the zebra crossing allow them to cross the road more safely. When you go to any hospital, you will be greeted by a friendly greeting from the nurses, who are always smiling and kind, asking if they need help. At the end of the treatment, the doctor provides medical advice and also reminds the patient: "Thank you for choosing our hospital, please remember to take your medication on time when you return home"!
10. In Taiwan's transportation, locomotives occupy an important position. Here, locomotives are the most common, and almost every adult has the habit of driving a locomotive. The per capita number of locomotives has reached two, and the battery swap stations can be seen everywhere on the streets, and the battery can be replaced easily and quickly. The monthly parking fee and battery replacement fee are relatively low, only NT$220 to NT$260, or about RMB 20. Don't look at the large number of locomotives, but during peak traffic hours, there are few traffic accidents and congestion.
11. Looking back at the development of Taiwan's economy, the 1980s was the golden age of its economy, with per capita GDP growing from US$2,398 in 1980 to US$8,325 in 1990, rapidly becoming one of the developed economies. At that time, Taiwan was known as one of the Asian Tigers, and its manufacturing and high-tech industries were particularly developed, especially in the fields of semiconductor and electronic precision manufacturing, which enjoyed a good reputation in the world. In the early 90s of last century, Taiwan Province's GDP once accounted for 45% of China's total, and its economic strength was far ahead of the country's 34 provinces.
In contrast, Guangdong Province has developed rapidly in recent years and has become a major economic province in China, accounting for one-eighth of the country's GDP, and has surpassed Hong Kong and Taiwan in terms of economic scale and comprehensive competitiveness.
12. Taiwan's current minimum wage standard is NT$168 per hour, and the monthly salary is NT$25,250, or about RMB 5,870. Two-thirds of industries have an average income below this standard, especially in service industries such as restaurants, hairdressing and cashiering, with monthly revenues of less than NT$35,000, compared to about NT$40,000 in general manufacturing. The starting salary for part-time jobs is NT$200 to NT$250 per hour, which is about 50 RMB, and employees can also have benefits such as free meals, full attendance bonuses, night shift allowances, and health insurance, which is suitable for both full-time and part-time employees.
13. You can enjoy 7 days of paid annual leave after working in Taiwan for half a year, which will be increased to 14 days for 3 to 5 years, and 15 days for 5 to 10 years. After more than 10 years of service, annual leave is increased by one day for each additional year of work experience, up to a maximum of 30 days. Taiwan also has special holidays such as typhoon leave, women's menstrual leave, etc., if the company does not give holidays in accordance with the regulations, employees can directly complain. Due to Taiwan's relatively small population, enterprises do not have strict requirements for academic qualifications. Many people's careers don't have to correspond strictly to the majors they studied at university, and it is relatively easy to change career fields.
14. In terms of housing, Taipei has the highest housing prices in Taiwan, with an average housing price of RMB 70,000 per square meter in the urban area. In comparison, housing prices in New Taipei City are 36,000 yuan per square meter, while prices in other areas such as Hsinchu and Kaohsiung are 25,000 yuan and 22,000 yuan per square meter, respectively, and Taoyuan is even lower than 20,000 yuan per square meter. Most families in Taiwan do not interfere much with their children's marriage and the birth of children. In Taiwan, it is common for adults between the ages of 30 and 40 to be unmarried and to have a better quality of life.
15. In terms of prices, the cost of living in Taiwan is high for most people, but the local wage level is relatively high, so that the higher prices are still within the affordable range. Garlic is about 22 yuan a catty, sweet corn is 3 yuan a catty, sweet potato leaves are 7 yuan a catty, and tomato lattice is 11 yuan a catty. The price of general vegetables is between 4 and 8 yuan per catty, the price of pork is relatively stable, and the price of front leg meat is about 20 yuan a catty, and the price fluctuates between 18 and 30 yuan. Bento fast food ranges from 20 to 30 yuan, with the cheapest bento costing 18 yuan and the most expensive at 28 yuan.
16. When dining in Taiwan, if you dine in a restaurant, the cost is relatively higher, and the consumption of one person is about 200 yuan, while the cost of seven or eight dishes at a dinner is as high as 2,000 yuan. In addition, the price of fuel in Taiwan is relatively low, with No. 95 gasoline being about 7 yuan a liter and No. 92 gasoline being 6.7 yuan. It should be noted that the price of oil is low, but it should be noted that Taiwan's fuel tax and license tax are high, and the additional taxes and fees make the actual cost of using a car similar to that of the mainland.
17. The retirement age in Taiwan is set at 65 years old for men and 60 years old for women. The amount of the pension depends on the level of premium paid by the individual and the employer he or she works for. Taiwan has also implemented a variety of insurance systems such as agricultural insurance, labor insurance, and health insurance to cover different needs. Insurance plays an important role in the lives of Taiwanese residents, and most people have bought various types of insurance for themselves, among which medical insurance is the main one.
One of the main welfare systems in Taiwan is health insurance, which allows people to receive a high percentage of reimbursement for medical treatment as long as they pay a small fee, and there are very few cases of poverty due to illness. This is also a social achievement that the people of Taiwan are proud of! Taiwan also provides a number of subsidies for specific groups such as low-income households, disadvantaged families, people with disabilities and the elderly.
Maternity benefits in Taiwan. A monthly allowance is provided to families with children aged 0 to 6 years to ease the financial burden on parents. Specifically, the first child can receive a monthly subsidy of NT$1,125, the subsidy for the second child is increased to NT$1,350, and the third child is NT$1,577.
18. In terms of education, Taiwan implements a 12-year compulsory education system, including 6 years of primary education, 3 years of junior high school education, and 3 years of high school education. Higher education in Taiwan is similar to that in mainland China, with many well-known universities such as Tsinghua University, Sun Yat-sen University, Chiao Tung University, and Jinan University.
19. The people I came into contact with in Taiwan were very warm and friendly. Taiwanese women have a soft tone and a cordial attitude, and their daily conversations are filled with interesting, local expressions such as "Do you know what I mean?" "I'll tell you! And so mantras. There are differences between Taiwan and mainland China in the name of some common words, such as "mineral water bottle" in Taiwan is called "treasure bottle", "laptop" is called "laptop", "garbage bag" is called "color bag", and so on.