In Taiwan, we don’t have snow days off from school, but we do get the occasional “typhoon day” that carries a very similar connotation for children, here. We are also prone to frequent earthquakes due to the island’s location along multiple tectonic plates within the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” All of these factors combine into a uniquely Taiwanese climate that influences how locals (and now me!) live their lives in this country.
Taiwan’s subtropical climate contributes to a favorable growing environment for many crops, especially ones that are grown in water. Rice is a very popular part of most dishes in Taiwan, and is widely grown on the island. My favorite crops grown in this subtropical climate are the fruits: mangos, passionfruit, dragonfruit, guava, apples, pears, pineapples and papayas. The year-round warm weather also means that people spend a lot of time outside but very rarely do so during daylight hours. The sun sets in Taiwan around 5:00-6:00 pm, depending on the time of year, and many citizens can be found outside after dark at the playground, playing sports or participating in community activities like yoga, dancing or karaoke.
Taiwan’s unique environment also poses many challenges to residents, some of which challenges are deadly. Typhoons and earthquakes are the most common natural disasters that strike the island multiple times each year. Taiwan’s infrastructure is built to withstand these occurrences but, unfortunately, some people still die each year due to flooding, buildings collapsing or other natural-disaster related tragedies.
