Taiwan is an island of about 23 million people, known for its subtropical climate, beautiful mountains, densely packed cities and farmlands. I live and work in Changhua County 彰化縣 (zhānghuà xiàn) on the west coast, where I teach English at Xishi Elementary School 西勢國小 (xīshì guóxiǎo). Today, we’ll examine Taiwan through several lenses: climate, earthquakes, geography, culture, transportation and education. Each shapes Taiwanese people’s day-to-day lives and collectively gives rise to Taiwan’s resilience, natural beauty, resourcefulness and sense of community.
Having grown up in the northeastern U.S., where I have gotten used to the cold and four distinct seasons, I was struck by how different Taiwan’s subtropical climate feels. Typhoon 颱風 (táifēng) season here runs from early summer into late autumn, and the heat can also linger after summer officially ends, a stretch locals call 秋老虎 (qiū lǎohǔ), or “autumn tiger.”
The island also sits on a plate boundary.
