Taipei was the trip I'd been building toward. I'd been studying Mandarin for a couple years, won a few competitions, felt reasonably confident β and then I landed, opened my mouth at the MRT counter, and immediately got a response three times faster than I could process.
Humbling. Also exactly what I needed.
Using the language
By day three, things clicked into a rhythm. Night market vendors were patient and encouraging β a huge confidence boost. I could order, ask for directions, and have short conversations. Reading menus was genuinely easy. Listening was still the hard part.
One moment I'll remember: getting into an extended conversation with an older man at a tea shop in Jiufen about the differences between Taiwanese Mandarin and mainland accents. He complimented my tones. I nearly cried.
The night markets
Shilin is the famous one, and it's worth going once for the scale of it. But Ningxia Night Market near Zhongshan is the local pick β smaller, less tourist-facing, better food.
Must eat: oyster vermicelli (θ΅δ»ιΊ΅η·), scallion pancakes, bubble tea from literally anywhere (the standard is high everywhere).
Day trips
Jiufen β the hillside old street that inspired Spirited Away (Miyazaki denies it, but the resemblance is striking). Go in the late afternoon so you catch it in the golden hour before the lanterns light up.
Yehliu Geopark β bizarre coastal rock formations an hour north of the city. Worth the trip for the Queen's Head rock alone.
Overall
Taipei is the most comfortable city I've ever traveled in as a solo traveler. Safe, cheap, excellent transit, incredibly welcoming to anyone making a genuine attempt at the language. I'll be back.