Taiwan: Number 11

Tea

To think of a Taiwan without tea is like thinking of Kansas City without BBQ, maybe worse. Tea is as essential to the identity of Taiwan as anything else. It beats out temples, it beats out night markets, it beats out lanterns, and it even beats out rice. To me, Taiwan is tea.

Am I overstating the importance of tea to a culture? No, I don’t believe I am. Kids drink tea from the time they are able to walk. Every morning and afternoon working people drink tea. You go for a haircut, you are offered a tea. You go out to eat, tea obviously comes with the meal for free. Drive down any street for more than a minute and you are likely to pass a tea shop or 10. At 7-11 there are maybe 6 different options for pop compared to the 100+ options for tea. It’s not an obsession. It’s a way of life.

Okay, so what’s the big deal about tea? It’s just tea. America has tea, and it didn’t change my life. Well, let me tell ya. American tea is like kansas football when compared to Taiwan. It’s no good and nobody cares. Taiwan has perfect conditions for growing all different varieties of tea. High mountains, a humid and sunny climate, and soil that will grow anything. Some varieties of tea only grow here such as oolong green tea. Bubble milk tea originated minutes from my apartment.

Original Bubble Tea. It's yummy milk tea with chewy Tapioca type balls in it

That brings me to my next point. Milk tea. Oh! It’s what rain is made of in Heaven. Every sip is a little bit love entering your body. It tastes like happiness. When I leave Taiwan, my life with be empty. I will have a void. A void that can only be filled by Milk tea.

I have a tea at least 6 days a week. Nearly all of them were purchased at The Tea Shop by my school. The tea girls have not only provided me with a delicious boost of caffeine but have also taught me most of the Chinese that I know. I’m basically fluent in Chinese at a tea stand. I can order 20 or more different types of tea. The level of sugar and ice you want. All in Chinese, no English needed.

So how long will it be before I miss Taiwan tea? About noon of my first day back. That’s why Tea is number 11 on my countdown.