Living in Taiwan offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in its rich culture and stunning landscapes. During weekends and holidays, my fellow foreign English teachers and I often embark on adventures to explore the island's diverse attractions. These excursions not only allow us to appreciate Taiwan's natural beauty and cultural heritage but also strengthen the bonds within our teaching community. Sharing these experiences enriches our time abroad and creates lasting memories.

Initial Exploration

During my first week in Taiwan, I had the opportunity to explore Beidou and visit an exhibit showcasing the works of Amanda's students at the Beidou Public Library. After viewing the exhibit, Amanda guided me on a walking tour around town, taking me to several interesting spots, including the famous temple.

Celebrations of Lives

How about celebrating my birthdays with these ladies? Fun, isn't?

A hotpot for Quennie's birthday in Beidou.

Amanda's birthday at one of the three night markets in Tianzhong.

A bowl of dumpling noodles for Amelias's birthday in Tianzhong on September 24.

Christmas Eve 2024

Being away from our families and loved ones this holiday season, we FETs decided to create a meaningful and memorable Christmas Eve together. We dined in at a cozy steakhouse restaurant that was beautifully adorned with holiday decorations — the Christmas vibe was truly in the air!

To make it even more special, we dressed in the classic Christmas colors of red, green, and white. It wasn’t just about the food or the setting — it was the warmth, laughter, and shared stories that turned the evening into something truly unforgettable.

Though far from home, the spirit of Christmas found its way to us — through friendship, celebration, and a shared sense of belonging. ❤️💚🤍

Christmas Party 2023

Some of us FETs / FETAs agreed to have a potluck for our Christmas Party. We held it at Baguashan Big Giant Buddha Statue in Changhua City.

Christian Fellowship

I was invited to join a Christian fellowship in Taichung City one weekend, and I was glad to meet other Foreign English Teachers (FETs) from outside Changhua County.

National Taichung Theatre

Another well-spent weekend with my fellow FETs at the National Taichung Theatre. We explored every corner of the building, learned about its unique design, and picked up some souvenirs along the way.

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

The museum offers the main theme about visual art sand focuses on the collection, research, exhibiting, and educational promotion of modern and contemporary art in Taiwan.

Chinese New Year Holidays

Trip to Kaoshiung City proper and Cijin Island during the 2024 Chinese New Year holidays.

Trip to northern part of Taiwan during the 2025 CNY holidays.

Festivals

Mid-autumn

In order to experience the Mid-Autumn Festival here in Taiwan—having celebrated my first two in Hong Kong—I decided to stay in Tianzhong and see how it’s observed locally. It turned out to be a wonderful decision. I enjoyed watching a live concert featuring local artists, sharing food with other FET friends, and taking in the festive atmosphere. The highlight of the night was the sight of the huge, bright moon shining beautifully overhead—it truly made the celebration feel magical.

Lantern

The Lantern Festival aims to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness. The holiday marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year. Together with another FET, we came to Tainan to witness the different kinds of lanterns shown by the participating individuals and group companies. Glad to see the Philippine greeting "kumusta" which means "How are you?"

Dragon Boat

One of the venues for Taiwan's annual Dragon Boat Festival is Lukang Township, Changhua County, specifically on the Fulu River. (I assumed, 'Fulu' may symbolize the connection between Fuxing and Lukang townships.) The festival features thrilling dragon boat races where teams compete in speed and teamwork. It also marks the beginning of the summer season.

Lunch Meet-ups

After taking a responsible duty to register ourselves as absentee voters at MECO, we decided to have lunch together, take a stroll, and do some shopping. It was also our first time to jam with Lana and Amelia's first time getting off at Tianzhong TRA Station before she and the other 'Beidou Ladies' took a bus to their apartment.

Easter Sunday is indeed a cherished occasion for us Filipino Catholics, celebrated with the joyful Salubong and the solemn Mass commemorating Christ's Resurrection. Following the spiritual observance, Jov, Karla, Hannah, and I decided to dine-in at the Filipino restaurant to comfort in reconnecting with familiar flavors from home-chicken sisig and chicken inasal with sarsa unlirice!

I had a delightful day with Ren and Jeremy! Sharing experiences as Foreign English Teachers (FETs), discussing favorite foods, and delving into health topics must have made for engaging conversations. It's always refreshing to connect with peers who are close in age and share similar life stages.

Visiting Other Schools & Their Townships

Tong-An Elem School at Fenyuan Township where Teshya is assigned and stays at the school dormitory.

Jhushan Elem School, Zhushan Township, Nantou where Angelyn, my fellow "Uragon"(regional trademark of Bicol in the Philippines) is assigned.

Shetou Township is located in the central part of Changhua County, is bordered to the north by Tianzhong Township and to the south by Ershui Township. Shetou is known for its agricultural activities and is also home to Shetou Elementary School where Amanda is assigned.

She also visited my school after our ocular visit for the water run in Ershui.

Photos at TJES

More Adventures

Tianwei Township

Tianwei Township, a rural gem in Changhua County, is just a short bus ride from where I live in Tianzhong. I’ve had the chance to explore it twice, each visit leaving me with a deeper appreciation for its charm. The township is known for its vibrant agricultural scene—locals sell a delightful variety of farm-fresh vegetables, fruits, and home garden plants and flowers. It’s a peaceful and enriching place to stroll through, especially if you enjoy connecting with nature and local life.

Yuanlin City

To get to know the neighboring cities and townships better, I met up one afternoon with Jen, a fellow FET (Foreign English Teacher) who is assigned in Yuanlin. She kindly showed me around the city proper, and we enjoyed a casual stroll while chatting about random topics and sharing some refreshments. It was a simple but enjoyable way to explore the area and connect with someone going through a similar experience.

Hiking

Hiking at Tianzhong Forest Park with these ladies was even more fun and enjoyable, especially since it was their first time joining me.

Night Market

To celebrate the National Day on October 10, I personally went to Beidou just to be with these ladies in order to explore the Night Market and at the same time to welcome Angel, new FET in the township.

Jiji and Che-Cheng Line

The railway line was originally constructed by Taipower in 1922 to support the development of the Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant near Sun Moon Lake. In 1927, the colonial government acquired the route.

On 21 September 1999, the Chi-Chi earthquake caused severe damage to the line. After extensive repairs, operations resumed in February 2002.

In March 2010, service was suspended for maintenance work on seven railway tunnels between Zhuoshui Station and Checheng Station. This project aimed to repair the damage sustained during the earthquake and expand the tunnels' width. The line reopened on 9 July 2011.

Alishan National Forest

The Alishan is an indigenous mountain township in Chiayi County and known for tea plantations, railroad villages, and spectacular mountain scenery. There are few great walks within forest like the Giant Tree Boardwalk, Sisters’ Pond Loop, and Shuishan Giant Tree Trail. I like them all!

The area was logged by a private Japanese enterprise between 1906-1912 and began to harvest the forest in 1912 and finished the construction of the Alishan-Chiayi Railway in December of that year. In 1913, the government started to deliver the timber from Alishan.

"Meteor Garden" Fans

Some Filipinos, including myself, are fans of the TV series "Meteor Garden." "With that, Aloha and I decided to visit the film location at National Chung Cheng University in Chiayi, where we both rekindled the thrill of seeing the remarkable scenes in the school campus of the iconic casts —Jerry Yan (Dao Ming Si), Vanness Wu (Mei Zuo), Vic Chou (Hua Ze Lei), Ken Chu (Xi Men), and the late Barbie Hsu (Shan Cai)

School Calendar 2025-2026 Adventures

Celebrated Teacher's Day on September 28 with a well-deserved hotpot in Beidou.