Memories from My First Holiday Experience Across the Globe
Written by Kaelie Piscitello
“Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow” was a Christmas song lyric that rang through my head often this holiday season. Though I love to travel and experience new places, I’m a homebody and love to spend lots of time in Massachusetts with my family, especially during the holidays.
So, even though I am thrilled and grateful to live in Taiwan, I grew very homesick this November and December when I spent my first full holiday season away from home. Luckily, all the other Fulbrighters were in the same boat, and we rallied to make this year’s holidays memorable despite the changes.
My students also had positive attitudes about learning more about American holidays, and their happy, bubbling energy and excitement brought happiness to my day when I went to school on New Year’s Eve and Thanksgiving. (I took a personal day for Christmas, and I couldn’t imagine working it.) Though I yearned for my traditions at home, I had fun bringing some with me to Taiwan and starting a few new ones, too.
Thanksgiving
In November, Fulbright hosted a Thanksgiving meal for all of the Fulbrighters two weeks before Thanksgiving, and they even managed to find us real turkey! The meal was fun because it was the second time all of the Taiwan Fulbrighters were in the same place all at once! At the dinner, the coordinators displayed photos of each cohort on the screen doing our welcome activities and exploring our sites.
The following weekend, my roommate and I went to a Thanksgiving party hosted by her co-teacher. The hosts also found a real turkey and served apple pie! I loved meeting more Taipei residents at this dinner and getting to know them in a relaxed atmosphere.
Many people back home asked me if I had school on Thanksgiving, and the answer to that is yes. The answer to the second question that often follows the first (“wait, don’t they celebrate Thanksgiving there?”) is no, Thanksgiving is an American holiday. So, it was on me to make the most of it at work. I hosted a small event for my students where they wrote what they felt grateful for on a poster in exchange for candy. I also hosted my Countries Around the World club and made my family’s devilled eggs and stuffed celery recipes with my students!
On the evening of Thanksgiving, a group of Fulbrighters came over to my place for a Friendsgiving potluck. One person came prepared with two roast ducks, an excellent substitution for turkey. Another person brought pumpkin pie! I was so excited for the pumpkin pie because I did not know the next time I would eat it, but there it was on my dining room table! What a great way to end the Thanksgiving festivities and begin the holiday season!
Christmas Events around Taipei
Before Christmas, my friend from home and I visited the Banqiao Christmas Land light show. We loved looking at the lights—they looked so pretty! Christmasland featured a large stage in the middle that rotated between a movie playing with characters saving Santa from a person who tied him up in a rope. The stage also occasionally presented a QR code leading to a personality quiz to discover the character you’re most like. I found out I’m most like the wise owl.
The Christmas tree in the middle was huge!! It lit up a brilliant purple and had pretty yellow stars decorating it. It rose all the way from the subway station to far above us, two stories up. The venue hosted a cute Christmas train driving around families and the light displays.
In one part, you could wander through light-studded halls and sample Taiwanese holiday food. They also had kids’ rides, including two carousels. Though I heard that Christmasland seemed more glamorous in the past years, I still enjoyed my time there.
Christmas Eve
Before Christmas Eve, my boyfriend arrived, and we baked my family’s Italian chocolate and lemon balls in my toaster oven. My apartment, along with most other living spaces in Taiwan, does not have a real oven. So, the toaster oven has become my best friend for all baked goods.
On Christmas Eve, I continued another Italian holiday tradition—the Feast of the Seven Fishes. I visited a fish market on Christmas Eve morning to purchase fresh seafood but went too late in the day and couldn’t find any. So, I bought fish from my local small Carrefour instead. I made seafood pasta with Taiwanese favourites: shrimp, squid, and small clams! I also found smelts! I didn’t think Taiwan had smelts, so I felt very excited to cook these.
After dinner, I attended the Kuting Sacred Heart of Jesus Church for midnight mass. The priest saying the mass was from Portugal, and I loved having an international mass experience during the holidays. When I returned home from mass, my boyfriend and I finished the evening by watching Elf.
Christmas Day
On Christmas Eve, my boyfriend searched high and low for roast beef and all the trimmings and finally found it at the Super Fuxing Store. Then, he got to work and cooked a roast beef meal over 2 days.
All the Fulbrighters came over after they finished work, and we had a great meal. Many brought appetizers, desserts, and drinks with them and we had just the right amount of food for everyone.
When everyone went home, my boyfriend and I watched The Grinch. We spent much time this Christmas watching old movies, including Charlie Brown and A Christmas Story. I thought I would feel sad this Christmas, but spending it with great food and people made the day unique and memorable.
The next day, my students and I had a Christmas celebration in my Global Explorer’s club. We painted Christmas ornaments and decorated gingerbread houses from Carrefour. I had a blast sharing these traditions with my students. My office also ordered KFC for lunch to celebrate! Oddly enough, I had never eaten KFC before this, but it felt like a fun way to celebrate the holiday.
Happy New Year!
2025 started out with a bang! I had the opportunity to view the fireworks at Taipei 101 and they were spectacular! Leading up until midnight, I stood around Sun Yat Sen Memorial with my boyfriend and roommate. We watched the concert in front of the memorial and drank champagne.
The concert had a great lineup, and Rosette, a phenomenal singer from Canada who performed the Lady Gaga song Shallow, blew me away with her amazing voice! I also enjoyed watching the Korean K-pop girl group APink’s dancing. Just before midnight, all of Taiwan’s Olympic gold medalists also came out to celebrate.
It felt odd to hit midnight knowing my friends and family would stay in 2024 for another thirteen hours, but watching this fireworks display was the chance of a lifetime. I’ve never seen fireworks fired off all sides of a building. The display lasted around six minutes and was unforgettable.
After midnight, my boyfriend and I stayed near Taipei 101 and went to an outdoor DJ party near the famous TikTok bar, Draftland. We jumped up and down with a big crowd to the APT song and ended the night as I usually do in Taipei, at 7-Eleven.
Wishing all Postcard Getaway readers a happy and prosperous new year!
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