The Chinese only arrived in large numbers after 1600, when the Dutch East India Company established trading posts and forts on the island. After they defeated the Dutch in 1662, they gained control over the island and stayed until the end of the 19th century when the Japanese took over. They also left their mark on the island, remaining in control until after World War 2, when they were succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang.

How can I begin to write about my trip to Taiwan except to use the Portuguese word “Saudade”? “Saudade” is a word that envelopes so many emotions: nostalgia, longing, yearning, love, friendship, desire, etc. No other language has a word like it. Taiwan was once called “Formosa”, another Portuguese word which means “beautiful.”

I was last in Taiwan when my husband, Richard, served in Vietnam between 1968-1970. Our family was not allowed to go to Vietnam, so I went to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, with my two young children. We were 180 wives with no husbands.

Since then Taiwan has changed so much that I did not know the place, but all for the better. It is a wealthy and vibrant island with hard working, polite people. They especially stress the importance of a good education for its youth.

I wanted to see my older sister, Amy, because her third son Michael had written to tell me she had been ill. It had been many years since I last saw her, as well as her three sons and their families. I did not want to linger over my decision for fear I might change my mind. I booked my ticket and left four days later. None of my family members could go with me, so I was quite nervous about flying half-way around the world alone. I had never gone anywhere without Dick, even on short trips. I closed my mind and refused to think negative thoughts, especially about the typhoon that was pounding the southern part of the island causing devastation and death.

I finally arrived in Taipei on China Air Lines around 9 PM. I was on the road for over twenty hours and was so tired that I did not even remember when my nephew Michael picked up my luggage, or the drive to my sister’s apartment.

Amy had surgery last year. She was fine, although she still had some breathing problems and coughed constantly. It was wonderful to see her again, and we made up for lost time. It was especially exciting to be speaking Chinese. Amy had thought of everything to make me comfortable. She even gave me a cell phone to make overseas calls and pocket money to spend. She also had a full-time maid and a chauffeur.

The next night a French banquet was given in my honor so that I could meet the family and Amy’s close friends. I had forgotten about all the protocol – the exchanging of gifts and the toasting that was exchanged back and forth before the meal was served. The liquors of choice were mostly “Johnny Walker Blue” and “Chivas Royal Salute.” I sipped on my half glass of white wine while I noticed with admiration and total awe the amount of liquor being consumed. It brought back memories of when I was a child in Beijing, and the many banquets my parents hosted with their Mahjong games. My mother was considered the perfect hostess and could drink to and toast each guest throughout the long meal – but I never remember seeing her drunk. My sister certainly was as perfect a hostess as my mother.

While I was there, my oldest nephew Ricky, along with his wife and family, were vacationing in Massachusetts. Their three daughters have all graduated from the best schools in the United States and Europe. They were returning the day after I left Taiwan, so I was sorry to miss them. Amy took me to see their home located in Yangmingshan, a very exclusive area of Taipei. The houses and land there were amazing. The kitchens were equipped for either western or Chinese cuisines.

I took a tour of the manicured grounds and petted the three horses in their stables. Their youngest daughter currently lives in Amsterdam and competes in horse shows in Europe. I was very impressed with everything.

My second nephew, Andy, is the CEO of several companies. He and his wife, Bonnie, have two children. Tiffany, who is 22, has a perfect figure, creamy white skin, and is very beautiful. I thought of Scarlett Johansson when I met her. She was leaving in two days to go to Hongkong and Shanghai to look for a job. She took me to the night market – a very popular tourist attraction. The market sold everything from shoes to trinkets and served every kind of food one could desire. Their son, Ian, is twelve. He told me he has too much homework, but it’s necessary because the education system is very competitive. Andy takes time on weekends to play tennis and be with his family, because during the week many of his evenings are spent hosting overseas business guests. The whole family has luncheon and dinner together every Sunday.

Bonnie, my niece, and I had a delightful day together. She is very pretty and full of life. She speaks perfect English, and worked as an airline hostess for China Air Lines for seven years. She took me to a famous Chinese restaurant for lunch, where I ordered many dishes that I remembered from my childhood: drunken chicken, red-braised pork with skin that melts in your mouth, little steamed buns filled with pockets of succulent meat and juice, and specialty dishes from many different provinces. These are called “Shia Fan” dishes, which means dishes that make the rice go down; they were so delicious, so well seasoned, so amazing that I wanted to remember the flavors forever. For desert, I ordered rice flour balls stuffed with black sesame paste.

She then took me to a massage parlor where I had an hour-long massage. I was totally satisfied with my day, but Bonnie had one more surprise for me. She was taking me to her favorite hair dresser to get my hair done. Before the girl washed my hair, I had another 15 or 20 minute massage of my head and shoulders. Bonnie was finally satisfied and I was ready to go home and take a long nap before the big dinner that night.

Michael, the youngest son, is an attorney-at-law for Baker and McKenzie. He is not married and lives close to Amy, so he came over every morning to have breakfast with us. What a charmer! I felt fortunate to see him so often. He is a gourmand and usually ordered the dishes and wines for the banquets and luncheons.

Michael and his friend, Gogi, who is a very well known fashion designer in Taipei, picked me up one Saturday morning and took me to the flower and jade market. I have never imagined so many variety of flowers, especially orchids. Then we went to the jade market, where I admired the great variety of jade, rings, pendants, and statues. These two markets are several blocks long and are only open on Saturdays and Sundays – during the week they are transformed into parking lots.

We also visited “Taipei 101,” the tallest building in the world. Visitors can watch the multimedia show before riding the world’s fastest elevator to the 89th floor. The elevator has a high pressurized speed of over a thousand meters per minute. The observatory is equipped with high power binoculars, drink bars, image services, and prerecorded multimedia guides in eight languages. Visitors can observe the detailed structure and the heaviest wind damper which weighs 660 metric tons. Looking out the window one can see all of Taipei and its famous landscape. To reach the 91st floor one must take the steps from the 89th floor. You will feel the strong winds and see up close the spire to the building’s 508 meters high sphere. You can watch a theater film that shows the building’s construction and last New Year’s celebration with a fireworks display which eminated from all parts of the towering structure.

I also took a day-long tour of Taipei and surroundings with six other passengers - two from America, two from Australia, and one from Japan. We visited some of the must-see historical sights. The first was the Chiang Kai Shek memorial park. Around the park, a 1200 meter corridor is built. A Chinese window taking the form of a lantern is seen on the wall every 4.5 meters. There are two ponds that take up 3000 square meters. It is surrounded by stones and landscaped with artificial hills, stone-paved paths, and arched bridges. In the ponds a great number of bright-colored carp swim back and forth. With an area of 250,000 square meters, the Memorial Park is a paradise for animals, plants, and birds. One can see the butterflies flying among the flowers and bees busily collecting honey.

We then moved on to Chih Fu Temple. The main god of this Temple is the God of the Land, Taiwan’s most popular god. This god has evolved into human form and understands all the hardships of the human being. He has the power to influence people and is always ready to help when needed. He has a healthy face, silver hair, kind eyes and laughing lips. The day to worship the “God of Land” is called “Ya,” which means to “welcome fortune.” It is held on the second and the sixteenth days of the lunar month.

The best visit was saved for last – the National Palace Museum. It has a permanent collection of over 650,000 Chinese artifacts and other pieces of art – the largest collection in the world. In 2008 it was the world’s 15th most visited museum. In 2001 the museum underwent a major overhaul that cost $21 million, making it more spacious and modern. The displays are rotated once every three months. If you were to see all 650,000 pieces, it would take you more than twelve years.

Finally, my trip came to a close. I’m now back in Tucson with my loving family. I am again enjoying the glorious sunsets, the majestic mountains, and the quaint cacti. I will be playing tennis and duplicate bridge, cooking and baking, and enjoying the friends I love.

This simple life is good for my soul. I can truly say I would be satisfied if all my worldly goods consisted of a good tennis racket, a bridge table, an efficient stove, and a comfortable bed on which to lay my head.

I will always treasure my memories of Taipei and keep them stored in my heart to relive and savor: the distinctive food specialties of each province, the toasting before the banquets, the red envelopes with money for tipping, the gifts that are exchanged, and the protocol for each event.

I will also remember the kindness of my family and friends, the polite waitresses and service people in their neat uniforms, and the emphasis on education. I have fulfilled all of my senses – from the exotic fruits and vegetables, the variety of sea food, fowl and meat (especially the exceedingly tender and flavorful kobe beef),  the beauty of orchids and other strange flowers, and the exquisite art and paintings.

I was also very impressed that everyone spoke Mandarin, which has unified all the Chinese people.

What a journey! What a vacation! What memories!

Thank you, Taiwan.

We were sent to Nanking and then on to southern Taiwan to live with my sister Amy. The next three years were so traumatic and so sad, that I cannot remember the place we lived in, the bed I slept on, or what I ate. I do remember that we were given private lessons in English, French and Chinese. It was tough and we missed our friends from the French School. Our parents had gone into hiding and none of us knew where they were.

When I was sixteen, I read in the daily paper that the French Embassy was looking for a French speaking social secretary. It was on a Thursday that I rode the train from Kaoshiung to Taipei. I took a pedicab and went to the Embassy. The Ambassador hired me and told me I would be picked up by a chauffeur on Monday to start work. He would be paying me in U.S dollars. It was so much money that I was totally speechless. I was going to be FILTHY RICH! After I left the Embassy, I realized that I had no place to live and almost no money. Once again I bought a newspaper and saw an advertisement that read, “Mrs. Wong, wife of a member of the Legislative Yuan, is looking for an English teacher for six hours a week and will provide room and board.” I took a pedicab to her house to see if I could land that job too. She hired me and I moved in that night. How lucky I was! My life has been a series of fortunate occurrences that always seemed to pop up when I needed them most.

I loved my job in the Embassy. I felt so sophisticated that I started smoking French Gauloise cigarettes and drank champagne with the staff every afternoon at the end of the workday. The Ambassador trusted me and I was allowed to carry the diplomatic pouch to Hong Kong every month. I took advantage of these trips to have tailors make me Chinese “chongshan” dresses in satin, brocade and Chinese silk, and for shoemakers to hand-craft matching shoes.

Julian Freychet, my thrifty French co-worker, suggested that he put away 60% of my salary in the safe for future needs. He said I was spending every dollar I earned on more beautiful outfits than I could possibly use in Taiwan. He was right, of course, and I am forever grateful that he taught me to be less wasteful and to save something for the future.

During this time, I met an American named Jack McKeehan, who took Mandarin Chinese classes from me. I became totally infatuated with him and he with me. He worked for “Western Enterprises,” which was a front for the CIA. Soon he was able to speak basic Chinese and even to write. He told me that when his time ended in Taiwan, he would marry me and take me to Knoxville, Tennessee. I did not know quite where that was, only that it was in America. I was so excited because I had always wanted to go to America, which is called “Mei Gwo” in Chinese, which means “beautiful country.”

On my birthday, he gave me a record player with 12 albums of country and western music. I loved it so much, and still remember some of my favorites. Songs like, “Seven Lonely Nights,” “Send Me the Pillow That You Sleep On,” “If You Loved Me Half as Much as I Loved You,” and especially, “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” The last song is still my favorite and always will be.

After I had worked six or seven months with the Embassy and felt very secure in my job, I decided to go back south to pick up my few belongings. On our return to Taipei the small plane in which I was a passenger crashed on takeoff and all four of us on board were injured. I remember seeing a gaping hole on my left leg and my back was so painful that I couldn’t move.

Taiwan was quite primitive at the time and nobody knew what to do with us. We each lay on a bed in a big cold room, where we were given minimal first aid. I decided to try to reach Jack by phone to tell him what had happened to me and to ask him to contact my twin sister, Lu. She was working as an airline stewardess and was hard to locate. When Jack answered the phone he said, “Don’t let anyone touch you, I will take care of you!”

That evening Jack marched into the room, pushing aside anyone who was in his way. He was wearing fatigues, combat boots, and a cocky cap. He was so handsome he literally took my breath away! He said, “Come on, let’s go. I have a stretcher waiting and we will fly back to Taipei where Dr. Marino will take care of you.”

The next morning I was in the McKay hospital. Dr. Marino took an X Ray and found that I had six cracked vertebrae. He placed my head on one table, my legs on another, and started to wrap my body with thin gauze. When that was done, the gauze was covered with wet plaster of paris. It took three days for the plaster to fully dry. I was wearing a body cast from my neck to my hips and it weighed over 40 pounds! Consequently, I could wear only large mens’ shirts over elastic pants. I never looked in the mirror because I knew how grotesque my body must have looked.

I continued to work with the French Embassy and Jack continued to take care of me. He never left my side unless he was out in the islands of Quemoy and Matsu. He was not embarrassed to take me out to restaurants and movies, and he had his cook prepare special foods and drinks to keep me healthy. I loved him so much that I gave up all my friends to be with him. I did not even spend time with my twin sister!

Six months later, Dr. Marino told me he was ready to take off my cast. He told me that my back had healed perfectly and I was as good as new.

I started wearing my lovely Chinese dresses and shoes, felt beautiful and confident, and was my happy self again. Jack, however, changed his attitude towards me. He was extremely jealous and frequently accused me of flirting with other men. His behavior became so extreme that I became afraid and knew his behavior was not normal. However, I was so in love with him that I was willing to accept his abuse and his false accusations. I spent every minute with him when I was not working and he was my only friend. Still, I worried about his attitude and after several months I began to have doubts about marrying him.

On July 14, Bastille Day, the French Embassy was having a big celebration. Men were asked to wear tuxedos or dress uniforms, and ladies dressed in evening clothes. I told Jack he could probably pick me up around 9 PM. However, at nine the party was still in full swing so I called and told him to pick me up later. He became furious and banged down the phone. About fifteen minutes later, he charged into the party, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. He grabbed me by the arm and said, “Let’s go!” I was so embarrassed that I nearly cried. I told him to leave because I was expected to stay until the party was over.

That night I told him I could not marry him. I knew I would be losing the man I loved and the best friend I ever had. I would also lose my chance of seeing America. But I was afraid of how he would act towards me after we got married when I would be all alone with him in a strange country. My decision took him by surprise, but after a prolonged discussion he finally agreed. We kept on seeing each other, but on a different basis and quite soon it was time for him to return to the United States.

At that time I was also taking Spanish lessons. I thought that since I already spoke French and English, Spanish would be easy. Jack had always taken me to the Spanish Embassy for the lessons and picked me up when they were over. Even though I was not going to marry him, he still did not want me to take a pedicab alone, so he introduced me to a friend of his who was also interested in learning Spanish. He introduced me to this quiet, handsome man named Richard Newman, who, of course, has been my husband now for what seems to be a million years.

Jack was leaving the next morning around six a.m. I told him that I could not bear to go to the airport to see him off, so we said goodbye the night before. During the time that I was going out with Jack, I would often say to him how I wished there was an armed forces radio station in Taipei. To listen to good American music, we had to tune in to the Philippines and the reception was very bad. I woke up around three a.m. still wet with tears, when I heard some loud banging on top of my room; Jack was installing an antenna so that I could get better reception from the Philippines. My heart was broken and I knew I had lost a man who truly loved me.

About twenty years later, when we were on home leave, I told Dick I would give Jack a call. He was a lawyer living in Knoxville, Tennessee. He told me that he was divorced, but his son was living with him.
When Jack was in Taiwan, he did magic shows for charity, and I would often be up on the stage as his assistant, wearing a short, shiny outfit. I asked him if he still practiced magic and if he still remembered how to speak and read Chinese. He told me that he was too busy to practice magic, and that he had forgotten his Chinese. He said, however, that he sometimes carried a Chinese newspaper around to impress people. He also told me that he was bald, because a few days before at a charity function one hundred dollars was offered to any man who volunteered to have his hair shaved off. I thought that was very cool and impressive. He asked me if Dick and I could visit him, but I declined. That was the last I heard from Jack.

Dick and I became very good friends. He picked me up twice a week for Spanish classes and we went out on dates. I also invited him to be my escort anytime there was a reception at the French Embassy. Dick told me something I did not know. He said that my twin sister, Lu, and I were famous in the American community. They knew we spoke many languages, that one was an airline stewardess and one worked for the French Embassy. I was surprised to learn that.

Dick was completely different from Jack, he wanted me to have friends and enjoyed meeting them and he never doubted anything I said or did. I did not feel tense or worried about his reactions and every time I was with him it was relaxing and fun.

Dick had only a few months left in Taiwan, but he promised that he would come back and marry me. Even though I was only seventeen years old, I was also very realistic. I thought that once he returned to America and started dating beautiful American girls he would forget all about me. I read many American magazines and I was always amazed at how beautiful, blond, and blue-eyed the girls were. I was sad to see him go, but we promised that we would keep writing to each other. He never forgot his promise and the letters kept coming.

Several months after Dick left, an older man came to the French Embassy looking for me. He told me that he had worked under my father for many years and that he had been nominated by the Taiwan government to go to Athens, Greece, as the Chinese ambassador. He needed a social secretary who could speak French and English. He offered me the job and would give me a week to think about it. I was jumping up and down for joy and said “Yes” immediately.

At last I would travel, not as an ordinary citizen, but as a diplomat. I would see Europe and visit all the wonderful countries I studied about. I would climb the Acropolis, visit the Roman Empire, explore the medieval castles in Spain, and finally on to France, land of my dreams. I would find the perfect spot by the Mediterranean sea, speak French while eating baguettes, brie cheese, and truffles, all washed down by good French wine. I was intoxicated with excitement!

The next month, I kept the tailors and shoe makers busy making me beautiful Chinese outfits. Julian Freychet gave me all the money he had saved for me and I was amazed at how much it was. Everything was going my way.

I lived in the Chinese Embassy in Greece. I had my own little maid and Embassy servants served our meals in silver domed trays. I went to diplomatic parties and photographers followed me everywhere; I don’t think they had ever seen a young Chinese girl before. Miranda, the daughter of our landlord, invited me to go to a movie with her three days after I arrived in Athens. I wore a Chinese dress with slits up the thighs and caused a huge commotion. Four Greek soldiers followed us to the movies and then back to the Embassy. They handed me a note that read, “Young lady from the East, we hope you will call us sometime.” They had all written down their names and telephone numbers. I still have that little piece of paper. What a sweet memory!

Dick and I kept up our correspondence and he wanted to come to Greece to visit me. I kept making excuses. I was too afraid to make a commitment. I felt he wanted to get married, but I was having too much fun in this wonderful country. Greek man looked like gods, they were so handsome. I was loving the attention and enjoying the diplomatic parties. The Ambassador did not allow me to go out on my own, but there were many diplomatic parties to attend. He also promised to send me to Paris after I had completed two years with him.

Dick, however, persisted for over a year. Finally, he said he had enough money saved up and he was coming to visit me. He told me in his letter that I needed to make a decision, to say “yes” or “no” to marrying him. He said he needed to know so that he could move on with his life.

I went to the Ambassador to tell him that I had a friend coming to visit. He asked, “What is his name?”. I replied, “Richard Newman,” and the Ambassador said “What kind of a Chinese name is that?”

I made my decision in a very childish way. I thought to myself, if he looks handsome when he comes off the plane I will say “Yes.”

We were married in the Chinese Embassy and the Ambassador gave me away. I wore a red Chinese dress for good luck. Even though I had only known Dick for four or five months, in my gut I knew he was a good man and would be a good husband. Once again, my instincts were correct, and we have been happily married ever since. We have two wonderful children and two grandchildren. We lived in thirteen countries on five continents.

I am so blessed because I feel like a citizen of the world. I enjoy all peoples and all cultures. Lucky me! I have based my life on the “Yin Yang” philosophy, “Balance” and “Opposites”, and I also know that “Happiness” is not given, it must be earned.