Learning how to cook and
savoring great dishes are
what Ms. Morita (right) enjoys
doing when spending time
with friends.

Right before Teacher's Day,
Ms. Morita (first on right in
back row) represented the
parents' committee and
presented their school
teachers with presents in a
show of appreciation.

An Aomoria native expresses love for the vitality of Taichung

Words and photos by Morita Mikako
Chinese text translated by Chen Wen-xu
English text translated by Ann Lee

Two years ago, my husband and I moved to Taichung after he was sent by his company to work here. Taichung's fair weather, together with its beautiful flowers, palm trees and many other shade trees lining the streets, really impressed me. I was also quite surprised with the city's abundance of modern architecture. With our relocation, we realized that we would be moving from Aomoria County, which is located near northern Tokyo and has a laid-back lifestyle and pace, to the heavily-populated Taichung city, where apartment buildings and department stores are everywhere. This was one shock we had to adapt to.

It seems that the Taiwanese people are really fond of snow and, let me tell you, the snow scenes in Aomoria are really amazing. Usually, after a day's snow, the streets, forests and mountains are all covered with pure white, so pristine that it looks like those pictures you see on a postcard. That's where I'm from but, ever since I moved to Taichung, its streets have really given me an impression of diversity and vitality.

Touring the charming Art Museum
I've long heard that Taichung is a city that puts great effort into promoting its culture and art. Personally, my favorite place to visit is the Art Museum, because there are parks, trendy stores and a nice walkway surrounded with plenty of trees. This is definitely the best location for spending my free time. When evening arrives, the street lights brighten up the city and Taichung becomes a really romantic place.

I am very enthusiastic about painting and I like all kinds of styles. Since arriving here, I've taken classes at water-ink painting studios with my three Japanese friends. I've learned that this painting style requires a lot of careful technique and some talent, and our teacher has been very attentive while teaching us.

Although I still have language-barrier problem with my good friends in Taichung, I am really enjoying my time here. The whole group of us often take bus tours to go out of town, or spend time dining out together. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my local friends.

Living in Taichung allows my family and I to enjoy experiences of all sorts and, at the moment, we are continuing to take in the charm of this city, as we hope to meet and befriend even more great people.

(The author of this article, Ms. Morita Mikako, was born in Japan's Aomoria County and is now the chairwoman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for Japanese students at Taichung's Angel [An Jun Er] Kindergarten.)

Left: Taking calligraphy lessons is one of Ms. Morita's (second to the left) favorite hobbies in Taichung.
Right: Ms. Morita is the chairwoman of the PTA for Japanese students at Taichung's Angel Kindergarten. She is the perfect bridge for communication between parents and the school.