Today we visited Taipei National University of the Arts, and it was a really eye-opening experience. We met two theater students, David and Daniel, who were incredibly kind and showed us around the campus. From the outside, the buildings looked old and worn down honestly, some parts seemed like they were crumbling. It made me realize how lucky we are to have the facilities we do at Bucknell. David and Daniel had to walk around in the rain all day just to get from one class to another.
But once we stepped inside, it was a completely different building. The interior was surprisingly modern, and one of the highlights was visiting the art gallery. There was this beautiful canvas painting that caught everyone’s attention. Even more exciting was the interactive section where we got to paint using the same colors the artist used. It was such a creative and hands-on way to connect with the artwork.
For lunch, we ate at Da Vinci’s Kitchen on campus and it made the Bison at Bucknell feel like a McDonald’s. I ordered pasta and rice, and it was honestly one of the best meals I’ve had on this trip so far.
After lunch, we took the train to the Jade Market, which was fascinating. Everything was so intricate and beautiful there was so much of it. I saw one jade piece priced at $80,000 USD which was definitely out of my budget. One of the vendors talked to Eileen and me about how jade is believed to be a protector, and when it breaks, it means it has fulfilled its purpose by protecting you from harm. I thought that was such a powerful and meaningful tradition and I love that culture is embedded in every part of their society.
I didn’t buy anything from the market but I did buy food from a vendor outside. Nothing better than steamed dumplings. We returned to the hotel afterward, and I was so exhausted I fell asleep early. It was a long but memorable day filled with culture, art, and great food.