JUMP INTO A FILM in JIUFEN, TAIWAN

"It's a restless moment. She has kept her head lowered... to give him a chance to come closer. But he could not, for lack of courage. She turns and walks away." (In the Mood for Love, 2000)

I've been in Taiwan for nearly three weeks now, and it still feels unreal. Maybe the sudden realization that I'm living in a different country, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, hasn't hit me yet. Maybe I've been so busy trying to get my life together over here that I haven't had the chance to think about this change. Or maybe, I had already accepted my move back when I was still home.

Living abroad the past few weeks has been a crazy experience. Every day felt like a vacation. I found myself exploring new places every single day. One of my favorite spots my parents and I travelled to was 九份 or Jiufen. This little town, about an hour outside of Taipei, was bustling with tourists in nooks and crannies. The small hills opened up to stores and food vendors - and even traditional costume rental places. While this store wasn't quite open for business yet, our friend managed to convince the 老闆 (owner) to let me try on a 旗袍 (qipao) and fulfill my 2000 Taiwanese/Chinese/Hong Kong film fantasy. Basically, I felt as though I was in a moving climbing up and down those stairs and looking at the view over yonder.

It's a mystical place, y'all. A very mystical place.