Final Note on My Taiwan and Philippines Travels

Overall, I think one of the things I’ll remember most about my time in the Philippines and Taiwan (but especially Taiwan) is just how damn nice people were.  In Korea, people are generally super friendly to foreigners (unfortunately, with the addendum “if you’re white”), but they are also super shy.  Meaning, if a foreigner was lost or needed help, I think most Koreans would have a desire to help them, but they might be held back because they are shy or they don’t think their English is very good. The Taiwanese, on the other hand, were always willing to help, even if they didn’t have the best English.  I was constantly amazed by how friendly they were, even in a metropolis like Taipei.  One vivid memory I have is when I went to see one of my favorite bands, The National, in Taipei.  It was raining and I had brought an umbrella, so I was holding it while watching the band perform.  A Taiwanese girl in front of me turned around and asked if I wanted to set my umbrella down with purses and other things people had set down at the barrier between the crowd and the stage.  I said, "Yes" and she took my umbrella and set it down next to everything else.  After the show, I was waiting while other people picked their stuff up, and the same girl reached down to grab my umbrella and gave it back to me.  So nice!  

Many of the people I interacted with in the Philippines were also super nice.  I can't remember the name of the hostel, but all of the employees of the hostel were incredibly sweet and helpful.  As a traveler, it always helps to feel welcomed when you go to some place new!