My trip to Yangmingshan on December 21, 2024, was truly unforgettable. It was my first time celebrating Christmas in a completely new place, surrounded by strangers, with unfamiliar experiences – yet everything still felt so warm and heartwarming.
This time, I was invited by a Taiwanese family to spend Christmas at a small church in Yangmingshan. The trip only lasted two days and one night, but it left me with so many precious memories.
Taipei was already freezing at that time of year. For a girl from southern Vietnam, where the weather is hot and humid, it was honestly a little unbearable. The icy wind brushed across my cheeks, turning them red.
Most of the participants were elderly people living alone near the church. Their children usually worked far away, so they rarely had the chance to be at home. That’s why the church became a gathering place where they could meet, organize activities, and make life a little less lonely.
Besides being taken to visit nearby spots, I also helped with cleaning and food preparation. Although I wasn’t the main cook (since I can’t really cook), the aunts there praised me a lot for being good at simple tasks like washing and cutting vegetables.
During free time, I was even taught to sing a song in Taiwanese Hokkien (台語). I still haven’t memorized it yet, but it was such a fun experience.
At night, after taking a shower, everyone invited me to eat tangyuan (湯圓) – a popular sweet dish in Taiwan. The weather was freezing cold by then, so I could do nothing but sit by the heater, eating tangyuan and chatting with everyone. With my broken Chinese, I wasn’t sure if they completely understood me, but they were all incredibly kind and warm toward me.
Perhaps this was the most special Christmas I’ve had in 21 years. In a foreign land, with a strange cold, and surrounded by unfamiliar people, I felt incredibly warm inside. I felt so much love here.
Like any other trip, I usually don’t set high expectations. When you lower your expectations, the joy of surprises is amplified. This trip has left a deep impression on me, and I’ll probably remember it for long.
I think that’s the meaning of going far. You never know what you’ll experience, who you’ll meet, what you’ll gain or lose.
Everything is completely unfamiliar and unexpected.