All posts filed under: Travel

NEW RIDE, LET’S GET INTO MOTION

Published by nnedi

Why do I love to ride? It’s super convenient and my way of unwinding down. I just love being outside and seeing new places and exploring different parts of where I am without necessarily putting in a lot of effort to walk. With a bike, you can cover more ground moving at a slightly faster rate in a lesser amount of time. On those bad days, If i go out for a ride, those headaches and all of what I was thinking about goes away temporarily. Sometimes, I feel like I am in a movie going through the streets. That strong wind pushing against me maneuvering through the people, the cars, and the pedestrians. But biking is also my main way to commute to places. I know if I am going somewhere relatively close (and close can be different depending on how you may see it). But for example, if the location is close enough, I will walk. If it is kind of close, but not too far, I will definitely ride a bike. If …

Before you come to Asia…

Published by nnedi

From working in a hostel and constantly interacting with tourists until now, I see a lot of things that can be done to make traveling to Asia (and in general) much more comforting and less stressful. Here are some things you can do before you decide to come over to the east. Do some research before you go There’s a ton of information out there about popular places you can visit in a country. From reading blogs, Trip Advisor, travel guides, watching Youtube videos, and even Reddit. Make a list of places you want to visit and make it happen when you arrive at your destination. Try to look up popular food to eat in each location so you can have a taste of a little of everything. Small steps made to prepare a trip before traveling will make the adventure go more smoothly. And hey, if you have a friend that lives in that country or city, ask for their advice too! But don’t also try to rely on them to be your tour …

How to Make Friends While Living Abroad

Published by nnedi

Moving to another city is one thing, but moving abroad is an entirely different thing. A lot of things come to mind when it comes to moving such as the changes in the environment, food, people, culture…it can be a lot for many. Especially if someone moving to a new place for the first time without knowing too much of the location or what to expect. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some simple ways to meet people abroad easily Go on a walking tour I don’t know why it took me this long to go on a walking tour. But I went on my first one in Taiwan and was blown away by it. A walking tour is a great way to learn about the country’s history and getting to know the city on a local level. And because of my experience going on the tour, I was able to meet people and spend time with them for the weeks to come. I even met a local who I am …

How to do a Taiwanese Visa Run in Hong Kong

Published by nnedi

If you live in Asia long enough, maybe you’ll run into having to do a visa run. It gives you the right, the permission to stay longer in a certain country. Certain countries around Asia may require a visa whether its on arrival or bought beforehand. Make sure you look at the details of each country before you book your flight. For different requirements vary based upon the type of passport you have and what country your passport is from. When it comes to traveling to Taiwan as a US citizen, we can fly into Taiwan and get a visa on arrival for free for 90 days. After 90 days, its required to fly out of the country and either apply for a visa in any of their embassies in a nearby country or fly in/out right back with another 90 days of validity in the country. Some people who don’t mind taking the trip every 90 days will do so to a nearby country. For Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines are popular destinations …

Workaway in Hualien

Published by nnedi

What is workaway? Workaway is a platform that allows members to contact one another to organize homestays and cultural exchange. Volunteers or “Workawayers”, are expected to contribute a pre-agreed amount of time per day in exchange for lodging and food, which is provided by the host. Just for a small fee, for a year the user have access to hosts all over the world. Choose a country, set up the profile and message away. This is a great way to learn more about the places one visits and a great way to practice the local language and learn about the culture. Typically, volunteers are guaranteed a place to stay in exchange for 3-5 hours of work a day max 6 days a week. With the platform, users can read the list of available hosts and past experiences of volunteers time spent. Users can also look at what’s expected of the work and the incentives of working with that particular hosts. Some hosts may provide more than just accommodation such as free meals, bike rental, laundry, …

First Impressions of Taiwan

Published by nnedi

Everyone is super sweet! I feel like Taiwanese people really want to know and learn more from me. Some places I travel to, people start a conversation in trying to get something from you whether its to buy their product or some type of services, but the people here seem genuine. When I am lost, people go out of there way to help me even if they are not asked for and are very hardworking individuals. Great balance in their infrastructure and use of space From just living in Hualian and Taipei, Taiwan has a great balance between city and rural life in many of their cities. You could take a hike up one of their many mountains, bike on their designated trails, hang out in a park, go watch a movie, go out, sing it up in a KTV venue all without leaving the city. That food tho… Taiwan is a foodie destination. Known to have the best night markets in all of Asia with a variety of food to try. From Beef Noodles, …

Plans can change, but that’s ok

Published by nnedi

Some may take the time to plan out every single minute of a trip without realizing that something can happen, but you know what, that’s ok. When it comes to traveling, its essential to create options for yourself. Just in case if something goes wrong, there should always be a backup plan. And although my trip was pretty set on what I was going to do, anything and everything can happen. Two weeks ago, I got a message from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office in DC stating that I signed up for both the TUSA Program and the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. Both of these programs are funded under the government, and “technically” I can only choose either of the two. Mind you, I received notification that I got both scholarships in February, but they didn’t notice until this May. Since I planned to stay in Taiwan for a year, I chose the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. But here is where the problem lies: The Huayu Enrichment program is a 9-month program beginning in August. …

How does one pack for a year? Part 2

Published by nnedi

The first post I wrote on packing simply wasn’t enough and I simply didn’t go into full detail of the ins/outs of packing, so dive right here with me on what I pack and how I pack my belongings. The Luggage So what’s nice about international flights is that with most airlines, you can check in 2 bags for free under 50lbs (23kilos) so I always take advantage of that when I know I will be traveling for a long duration of time. In addition with that, you can carry on 2 bags essentially so, for example, a small carry on like a small roll-on suitcase along with a personal bag like a backpack or a purse. These bags must weigh no more than 20lbs each and must meet the size requirements to fit in the overhead bin. In terms of the type suitcases, I prefer to buy hard side luggage bags for they typically last longer and if you place something delicate inside them, the item is least likely to be damaged. And I …

My first blog post

Published by nnedi

In less than 4 weeks from now, I am embarking another year abroad and I cannot be more than excited. When I left China on May 11th, 2016, I felt like my time wasn’t over. It felt like I had one stick of gum left in my pack and someone took half of it. I want my other half back. Chewing the half in my mouth just isn’t satisfying. And I told myself, I have to go back abroad. And here we are two years later about to embark on yet another journey abroad where I’ll be in Taiwan for the next 5 months following by China into the year of 2019 through the summer and I am more than excited. But let’s be honest here, there’s a lot of people who are wooting for me but many others who are confused and not happy with my decision including my own parents. “But Nnedimma, you worked at Google, how can you not take up on their offer?” That’s not my life. As much as I …