Looking back on Taiwan

Prior to this trip, I really did not know much about Taiwan. It is not really a country that you learn much about in school. If I would ever hear about Taiwan, it was usually when the sticker on something I just bought said "Made in Taiwan". Honestly, I was not expecting that much from Taiwan. However, after spending about two weeks there, visiting many businesses, experiencing a few night markets, seeing the sights, and trying some of the weirdest food I've ever eaten in my life, I was just completely blown away by how awesome Taiwan is. Let's break this down:

The Food:
For anyone that knows me, I am quite a picky eater and I am not really that adventurous with food. I decided that, in order to get the most out of this experience, I would try some food. For the most part, I really enjoyed everything I tried. While a lot of the food was different then the kind of food I can get at home, the combination of flavors was delicious.
Top 3:
-Gua bao (A steamed bun that has braised pork belly, pickled Chinese cabbage, and powdered peanuts)
-Fried Dumplings
-Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings)

Bottom 2:
-Chicken Feet
-Stinky tofu (lived up to its name, I only hope I never have to smell it again)

Honorable Mention - Beef noodles (quite tasty, just wish I would not have gotten the spicy ones)

The Business Visits:
I definitely saw a wide variety of businesses in Taiwan. I've seen small family shops (like Wang Tea Company) to global companies (like KPMG). While all of the companies were vastly different in what market they are in, all of them did have something in common. All of the companies really did seem to care about their employees and all the employees seemed to care about their company. Being able to foster this kind of relationship is good for any kind of business that wants to be successful. I truly enjoyed all of the different business visits we had and I am grateful for the hospitality and the time given to us from each business.

University Visits:
I am not sure what I was expecting from the University visits, but I was happy with what I found. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) had very nice students and were very welcoming and helpful to all of us during our time in Taipei. I was especially thankful to Anne for making sure our last day in Taipei was enjoyable. Tamkang University had some of the most energetic people I met the entire trip. All of the students that hung out with us all day truly seemed excited to have us visiting. Everyone was friendly and they did everything they could to make sure we enjoyed our time there. I wish we could have spent more time with them, but I did make some friends from there that I still talk to even though I am back home (I know you read this Peggy and I do mean you and Jenny, miss you guys!). Finally, the university with the most beautiful campus in the world (and Dr. Peng's alma mater) Tunghai University. The campus was actually quite beautiful and, just like the other universities, the students and staff really did what they could to make sure we enjoyed ourselves. All of these university visits were a lot of fun and I am very glad we had the opportunity to have them.

Taiwan as a whole:
Taiwan is a beautiful country and extremely clean. To this day, I still do not understand how a country can have so few trash cans, but still not have any trash on the sidewalk or on the ground. Everyone we met or interacted with was extremely friendly and did whatever they could to help us. I am very happy I was able to go to Taiwan and experience everything I did. Taiwan was definitely two weeks well spent and I would urge anyone who has the chance to visit Taiwan to do so. I highly doubt you'd regret it.