#37 - Happy National Day to TAIWAN

​This year is my 18th year in Canada, which means that I have left Taiwan for the past 18 years. 

Taiwan is my hometown, although I often have a very interesting feeling toward this country. On the one hand, I was born on this beautiful island and spent my first 16 years of life there. However, I've also spent the next 18 years in the West, and I mainly grew up in the West, received a Western education, and blended nicely into Western civilization. 

​Perhaps, my real memory of Taiwan was only the short 10 years between 5 years old to 15 years old. Nevertheless, I've toured the whole island and the nearby islands in this short span of years. I've had a deep connection with it, mainly because my parents still live there, and so do my in-laws. 

I love the tropical weather, the heated summer days, the time I spent in the oceans, mountains, and all the delicious street vendors. But perhaps, what I've missed the most is the people, the atmosphere of friendliness, the noises, the chats, the excellent services, and the kindness of Taiwanese people. 

It's very different than Canada and is uniquely belonged to the geographic location, mixtures of historical events, and the openness of this island toward the globe.

Taiwan is not a country by the world definition. Perhaps it was never a country that belongs to anyone. It was always an island, from the aboriginal people to the Dutches, the Portuguese, the Japanese, the Chinese, and now the people who called themselves Taiwanese. 

Now, a hundred years later, Taiwan is still not an independent country. 

The U.S loves this ally to battle with China. 
Japan needs this island for strategic sea power. 
China needs this province for geographical purposes. 

It seems that the world is paying more attention to this small island, and yet, no one really cares about this island. 


"Taiwan is not a country," said the big players of the world. 

No, it's not. 

It's just an island with 

• 23 million beautiful souls
• The only real democratic place in the East. 
• The only place embraces equality, fairness, newcomers' openness, minorities, and people with different backgrounds, religious beliefs, and sexual orientations. 
• Extraordinary people, such as the founder of Nvidia, Garmin, Taiwan Semiconductor, the inventor of N95 Mask, Nobel prize winner, an Academy Award director... etc. 
• One of the BEST Free health care system in the world. 

Taiwan is the first to warn the world about the Covid 19, the first to start implementing Covid 19 policies, and donated large quantities of masks for others. The ONLY site has no Covid 19 lockdown economy because of how successful the strategy is. 

• It's a place with a low crime rate, a peaceful society, a democratic system and fair judicial trials, and the 22nd most prosperous country by GDP in 2019. That is in the top 15% out of the 195 countries in the world. Not to mention the 10th place on Purchasing Power Parity, just behind Denmark. It means it's exceptionally economical to live on this island. ​

​"No, Taiwan is not a country," say others. 

Yeah, but it's a pretty good goddamn place to be!