Day 3

So my Singaporean hostel roommate gave me some tips on where to visit in Taiwan. He spent a month backpacking all around Taiwan. He travelled the entire coastline, through numerous mountains, and through the plains. As a backpacker, it was hard not to admire his clearly enviable travel skills. Under his recommendation, I headed out to 淡水 (단쇠, Danshui) to check out one of Taiwan’s northernmost ports with Wendy, the friend I made yesterday.

The port reminded me of Venice Beach without as much weed everywhere. Right by the docks, there was an endless road of little shacks selling trinkets and treats. The view was a delight for anyone who loves visiting tiny beach towns.

After exploring the port for a bit and getting a little grub in, we headed out to 石門洞 (시문동, Shimen Arch). Because we went out so late, it would be our only stop on the North Coast but well worth it. The rocky coast has an old stone bridge. history. As young adults, the picturesque sunset mattered most. As I often say now, Instagram controls travels.

I hope after seeing that photo, you forgive my basic habits. The site did become photo shoot central until the sun fully disappeared. Photos in hand, we made our way back to Taipei.

I didn’t intend on visiting the main restaurants of Taiwan, but it just kind of happened. First one: 欣葉 (Xinye). I got an entire roe crab for myself.

Jesus, take the wheel.

Somehow, I survived afterwards. Managing to slowly crawl back to my hostel, a friend of a friend just made his way back into Taipei from his hometown of 新竹 (신추, Hsinchu). Doris is a good friend of mine in Silliman College back at Yale. She gave me some tips for my adventure and introduced me to her hometown friend, Jay. We went to this artsy little bar to talk. It was pretty sweet. I learned a bit of the underlying reasons for the animosity with Korea. A little more on the history of Taiwan post 2/28. And even more on what I should do before I leave.

Good times came to a slight close so we could head back to 國立臺灣大學 (National Taipei University). We used Uber to get over there. I didn’t even use Uber in the States yet. My first experience, nonetheless, was pretty pleasant.

Day 4

So I didn’t sleep yet because as soon as we arrived, Jay got me set up with internet so I could follow the Game. The one thing I knew I was especially going to miss while not being back in the States because of my gap year was the Harvard-Yale rivalry on the football field. Our boys this year had a shot at the Ivy title with all their tenacity they played with this season. I was basically planted on the edge of my seat the entirety of the game. The 131st anniversary was even a part of College Game Day. As great as the rivalry is, there are a number of things that bother me. First and foremost, the absurdity that is both schools and the number of students that solely attend this game and would not be rooting for Yale and Harvard athletics otherwise. The inconsistency in “fandom” pains me as an avid fan of sports at large but hurts me more so because it is a constant reminder that numerous people are attending for the prestige of it all over the enjoyment of college football. Our team(s) deserve better! Secondly, and this is based off of that first problem, the trash talk coming out of both schools from people who barely watch sports, let alone follow college football. In short, #annoying. Third, and this carries on from the last two, the rivalry is a joke. It is beyond clear that Yale and Harvard share an absurd number of meritable qualities but both are also bastions of the patriarchal institutions of the WASP-made United States. Yale is by far the greater undergraduate program and Harvard by far has a broader and better range of graduate programs. Hell, most kids switch between the two for their undergraduate and graduate years. So many people have friends on each side. That being said, if you want to brandish the rivalry, either do it well or sit down and let the adults do the talking. So many try to mock the other school but, let’s be frank, are pretty shitty at it. I would like to make a policy that only the comedians of each campus should be allowed to do any mud slinging and for those who think they have a good joke or prank, they must go through a committee in order to have their joke be part of the rivalry mainstream.

With all that being said, I am so upset I missed the game this year. The first half was, defensively, worrisome. The third quarter was dominated by Harvard and the fourth by Yale. We were even for the longest time until that last minute and Yale could not contain Harvard’s offense. I heard there were questionable calls, as usual, but we lost this game because of a pick six in the third quarter when Harvard intercepted and ran the pigskin down when we edged their goal line. For shame, we had nothing to block that. However, Yale still leads the rivalry and life, so yeah Harvard sucks, as the saying goes.