The first day of the trip we started the day at Taipei 101 an economic center in west Taipei city. It is the tallest building in Taiwan with 101 floors as the name suggests. The 101 floors are broken up into 8 distinct sections. Our guide Nick told us that the building was constructed with symbolism in mind because it looks like bamboo which is important symbol of wealth in Taiwanese culture. The building also has large coins on the exterior of the building that which is a symbol of the wealth and the continuously growing economic development of Taiwan. We also have went to a preserved military community which gave us a brief glimpse into the history of Taiwan, the oppression it faced, and how the people lived long ago. We then visited a night market in the city which was quite a unique experience. It was interesting to see and talk to all the locals as well as see the differences between the that and American malls. I would say the night market was more similar to a farmers market than anything else in the United States. We also took the metro back to the hotel which just further integrated us into the city and people. All in all, this day was very important because it laid the foundation for our understanding of Taiwanese history, culture, and their people.
