I arrived in Kaohsiung on a Thursday afternoon. The pilot flew extra fast, landing 20 minutes earlier than expected. I got off the plane and was instantly shocked by two things: i) the fact that Taiwan's convenience stores have a huge collection of basically everything you can imagine, including boiling hot oden and grilling sausages; ii) how hot Kaohsiung is— even hotter than Hong Kong. It’s funny to say that because I’ve been to Taiwan more times than I can count, but still, it amazes me every single time. I guess that’s the charm of traveling. 

The organization I am volunteering for is the Taiwan Red Cross (Pingtung County). Pingtung might be an unfamiliar place to many, as it is the major agricultural hub of Taiwan and a relatively rural area. It is also home to the indigenous population, including the Paiwan and Rukai tribes. Despite my extensive travels in Taiwan, I barely have any knowledge of this place. A few days in, I observed how Pingtung is so different from Taipei, as well as Hong Kong. It has many small, fragmented farms, not the broad fields you see in Europe. The street view reminds me of Japan, a historical mark from its colonial times under the Japanese Empire. Not to mention the swarm of motorcycles that have little regard for traffic lights, mostly due to the lack of pedestrians on the street (as well as the road design that allows U-turns, which is insane from my POV). I thought I’d adapt well, but the use of both Mandarin and the Taiwanese Hokkien dialect kept my comprehension at a constant 50%. It’s hot, it’s not pedestrian-friendly (as a Hongkonger, walking is my hobby), and it’s bizarrely fun. 

I had grand plans for my LiA; I wrote a 10-page proposal on using “sound-hunting” as an activity that brings people to the present while adding a spark of competitiveness. However, the first day at the Red Cross made me realize how things might be completely beyond my expectations. Firstly, Pingtung has a significant elderly population, and around half speak Taiwanese Hokkien, with some even unable to comprehend Mandarin. This language barrier alone is challenging enough, to say nothing of my activity targeting a younger audience. Secondly, although the Red Cross hosts mental health first aid courses, Pingtung County mostly focuses on disaster prevention and medical first aid training, which requires certified trainers. Thankfully, my colleagues are very supportive and suggested that I observe a few more activities to understand the socioeconomic demographics and target audiences better. 

My first week has mostly been about settling down and adapting to the culture. Through observing and understanding the audience, I believe this is a great opportunity and test for my flexibility, resilience, and resourcefulness. 

Pictures of the first activity I joined (8-hour Basic Life Support training, quite insane rightttt?):

My first dummy "patient" (aka my aunt :)

And of course, a beautiful street view of Pingtung here: 

Thanks for reading!
Contact me if you will be in Taiwan/ or you know opportunities around Kaohsiung!! 

Email: ambersyw@connect.hku.hk

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambersywong/