Final Days in Poland: Wrapping Up an Unforgettable Holiday

Although we came back to Taiwan in early February, various things prevented me from finishing all my blog posts until now, nearly a month and a half later. But anyway, it's fine - especially since all the videos from Poland will be released by mid-April. They are already edited, but I don't want to release everything at once and then be left with nothing.

We rarely go out in Taiwan due to my husband's work, and recently, we've also been sick. I partially lost my hearing, so creating new content hasn't been easy. I'm glad I finished all my videos early, as I'm currently unable to record and edit.

Time flew by - it feels like we just arrived in Poland, yet we’re already preparing to leave. This is the final blog post from our Polish holiday, capturing our last moments before heading back home.

In our last few days, we visited family to say our final goodbyes. We picked up my father and went to his brother’s place. My uncle owns a large forest, and after a meal, we took a walk through the woods. Although we didn’t spot any beavers, signs of their presence were everywhere. My father had left some logs to pick up later, only to find that some had been dragged into the river. Trees had been gnawed down, and the beavers had even built a pond for themselves.

Just across the street, there was a pond still covered in ice. Despite the relatively mild temperatures during our stay, the ice remained strong in certain areas. We tested it by tossing pinecones and branches, but nothing broke through. As we walked, the weather quickly shifted from sunshine to light rain, and we made it inside just in time.

The next day, the weather was even better. My uncle (the one where we stayed at) was busy preparing to smoke meat, which had been brining for two to three days. Since I wake up early, just after my uncle, I had many morning chats with him. That day, I woke my husband up to join us since my uncle had been looking forward to spending time with him.

We watched the meat being hung and saw how quickly the temperature inside the smoker rose. Only certain types of wood can be used for smoking. If you’re curious about the process, I have a full video from our visit two years ago—feel free to check it out! The smoking takes several hours, so we stayed indoors until the sunshine warmed things up enough for us to go outside and exercise.

It’s great having a garden where you can play football, ride a bike, or just be active. In Taiwan, we’re stuck in an apartment, and it takes more effort to go out and do things. The weather there is also unpredictable—either too hot, too cold, or constantly raining. In Poland, summer is short, and while winters have been getting warmer, they’re still not ideal for outdoor activities. That day, the thermometer showed 10°C, though it was in direct sunlight, so it was likely cooler. Still, it felt super comfortable. It’s funny how 10°C in Poland feels fine, but the same temperature in Taiwan makes me freeze!

We decided to play football—even the dogs wanted to join in! Our son had fun riding a bike, enjoying the space to move around freely.

Heading to Warsaw and Preparing for Departure

Since our flight was early in the morning and the airport was a two-hour drive away, we booked a place to stay in Warsaw for the night. We initially planned to leave early to explore the city, but instead, we spent the morning cleaning the car and packing. We still found time to play cards and share one last meal with family before heading out.

Driving on Polish highways is a pleasure. Do you know why? Aside from having fewer cars, the driving culture is much better. The left lane is actually used for overtaking, and people don’t block it by cruising at 90 km/h—unlike in Taiwan. Oh, and our speed limit? 140 km/h. In Taiwan, it's only around 100–110 km/h.

After a smooth two-hour drive, we arrived at our accommodation. It was spacious, clean, and had everything we needed—even some tea and coffee. It was just a 20-minute drive from the airport, right next to a shopping mall, in a busy town near Warsaw. And the price? Only 1800 NT!

We dropped off our luggage and went looking for dinner. We were about 1 km from a shopping mall, but aside from a few coffee shops and one Italian restaurant, food options were limited. Before heading to a supermarket, we checked out an Asian food store. They had a great selection of products from Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, plus a surprising number of Taiwanese desserts. I even spotted mochi flavors I hadn’t seen in Taiwan!

For dinner? Tiramisu from Aldi. Simple but delicious—highly recommended! We went to bed early since we had to wake up before 4 AM for our flight to Austria and then back home. It was dark and rainy, but at least there was no ice, which could have delayed our car drop-off. We made it just in time.

Returning to Taiwan: Mixed Feelings

In the past, I had mixed feelings about leaving. Sometimes, I was eager to return to Taiwan because it felt like home. But this time, I genuinely didn’t want to go. We had such a wonderful time in Poland, and returning meant I wouldn’t see my husband much. His work schedule has been insane. Instead of the normal 9 AM–6 PM job, he often comes home between 9 PM and midnight, works weekends, and even through the New Year. It’s exhausting, and honestly, it’s not a fun time for me.

Taiwan’s work culture is brutal. Overtime has become the norm, and lately, it feels like the only thing my husband does at home is sleep. In contrast, my uncle’s company in Poland is switching to a seven-hour workday. More and more European companies are introducing shorter workweeks, even four-day weeks with three days off. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, work seems to consume people’s entire lives.

Now that I’m back and editing this video, I have to mention something else. Walking in Polish cities was so easy—crossing streets felt safe, and sidewalks were actually for pedestrians. I had almost forgotten how chaotic driving in Taiwan can be. Within a few days of returning, I was reminded: cars parked on sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, drivers refusing to stop for people, and even a grandma running a red light nearly hitting me. What a lovely welcome back!

Speaking of school, Taiwan’s education system seems to be preparing kids for a life of stress. The amount of homework is overwhelming. In Poland, even during regular school days, there’s no homework—let alone during summer and winter breaks! Is this good or bad? Time will tell. But Poland follows Finland’s approach, and Finland consistently ranks among the best in global education.

Language learning is another difference. In Europe, even kindergarteners start learning a second language. In Taiwan, it typically begins around third grade. Schools claim that early English exposure might negatively impact Chinese proficiency. It’s ironic, considering Taiwan aims to become bilingual. Maybe I’m just unlucky, but after years of living in Taiwan, I still struggle to find people who speak English.

And that wraps up our Polish holiday. If you enjoyed this blog post, check out my other travel stories from Poland, where we visited places like the salt mine, castles, and beautiful towns. Thanks for following along on our journey!

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From a Cold to Hearing Loss – A Scary Experience

This post is unlike my usual ones, and while I hope for a happy ending, right now, I’m still in the unknown.  

It all started 12 days ago when our son caught a cold. He had a fever and wasn’t his usual energetic self, so we kept him home and later took him to the doctor. At that time, both my husband and I were feeling fine. However, his condition didn’t improve by Sunday, so we went back for more medication, which turned out to be stronger and in greater amounts. He also had flu and other tests done which turned out negative. The doctor advised us to keep him indoors.  

By Monday morning, I had a fever and muscle pain, but I didn’t feel too unwell. My husband went to work, and I managed through the day with some medicine I had at home. It wasn’t until the evening that the fever really hit me, leaving me exhausted. I ended up lying down with our son, watching cartoons, and napping to recover some energy.  

On Tuesday (March 11th), I had an appointment to process my APRC, so we had to go to the city to get my no-criminal record and complete some other formalities. That evening, our son had a follow-up doctor’s appointment, so I also got checked, and my husband did too, since he started having a sore throat. We all received medicine and assumed things would soon improve.  

At first, my ears were still okay, but gradually, I started feeling some pressure. The weather had turned crazy - thunderstorms, heavy rain, and then a sudden drop in temperature. Maybe this hot-and-cold switch made everyone sick. All three of us had fevers that came and went away to return again, but otherwise, we were doing relatively fine.  

Although it wasn’t the flu or any of the more dangerous viruses going around recently, it definitely didn’t feel like a simple cold. It’s not normal for your temperature to jump between 38°C and 35°C, making you think you’re getting better only for it to hit even harder. My son and husband are still taking medication, and I really hope they’ll be fine soon.  

I thought I was recovering since most symptoms had disappeared except for a runny nose. My hearing felt off, but that wasn’t unusual for me during a cold - it usually improved within two or three days after. However, the persistent congestion made my head hurt. By Saturday, things got worse. It felt like I couldn’t hear anything from my right ear.  

The weather was still terrible, and since the clinic had no parking nearby, we decided to wait an extra day. On Sunday morning, when the rain finally stopped, we went to see the doctor. I was feeling even worse, and now there was this constant ringing in my ear that was beyond annoying. My husband and son got extra medication, but I was told to go to a bigger hospital in Hsinchu immediately. The doctor warned that if left untreated, this could lead to permanent hearing loss.  

Hearing that made me feel like I was about to faint. I had never considered this to be something serious - just an annoying cold symptom that would pass like always. Luckily, we have good friends who didn’t mind watching our son, so my husband rushed me to the hospital. Unfortunately, the doctor wasn’t available during weekends, and we were told to return on Monday morning.  

After more than three hours of waiting and tests on Monday (March 17th), I finally got some good news - my hearing wasn’t severely damaged, and it should return to normal with medication. I was prescribed a lot of medicine to take over the next seven days, and now, I just have to wait and hope for the best. I also hope the side effects won’t be too strong. I’ve had bad experiences with cough medicine before, where after taking it twice, I had to stop because it made me feel awful.  

The issue seems to be fluid trapped in my ear canal, which, if left untreated for too long, could have led to permanent damage.  

We live in Toufen, and unfortunately, the clinics and hospitals here have a really bad reputation. Everyone always advises going to Hsinchu instead. At the clinic, the doctor also told me to go straight there, specifically to Mackay Memorial Hospital, as they are the best for these types of issues.  

Having been to several clinics and hospitals, I must say that Mackay Memorial is by far the best. Everything was in English, and everyone - from the doctors to the volunteers (usually elderly people helping with registration or questions) - spoke English. 

Living in Miaoli, I almost never meet people who speak English. I always have to go to the doctor, immigration office, or anywhere official with my husband to help with communication. But at Mackay, for the first time, I felt like I could handle everything on my own.  

Even though English is my second language, I consider my level quite high. However, medical terminology isn’t something I use often, and my Chinese isn’t good enough - especially when it comes to medical conversations, where my knowledge is basically nonexistent.

 

To sum it up: take care of your health, even when it seems like just a small cold. Don’t assume symptoms will just disappear on their own. Sometimes, even a few days can make a difference between full recovery and lasting damage. I never thought a cold could threaten my hearing, but here I am, hoping for the best.

As of now, I’ve spent over a week without doing any video editing or managing my blog or anything else much. Despite being sick, I still took care of two sick people at home, cooked, cleaned, and went shopping as usual. Maybe the lack of rest and not taking care of myself made things worse, but that’s just me - I always think about my family before myself. It’s already difficult to get things done with a child at home, and now, not being able to hear properly means I can’t work on videos either. Oh, I really hope things go back to normal soon, as I'll be taking the meds. The bad point - I now got sour throat and started to caught...

On top of that, since our son missed a few days of school, I was shocked when he finally went back and brought home all the homework and classwork he had missed. There were about 40 pages to complete. He managed to do some during after-school classes but still sat down at home to finish everything. I didn’t think it was necessary to do it all in one day, but he wanted to complete it for the next day, so he kept working until nearly 9 PM. The amount of work kids have in Taiwanese schools is really overwhelming. He even said he thinks it would be better to go to school in Poland!

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Settling into the Polish Winter Life

As the days passed, we mostly stayed indoors, either at my aunt's place or visiting other family members. The weather hasn’t been very favorable, with only a handful of sunny days - perhaps four in total. But also the true winter days that had snow was only 2. It's just a gloomy spring weather most of the time.

My uncle’s house is near the railroad, so the sound of passing trains at all hours is something we’ve had to get used to. Sadly, we didn’t spot any wild animals around, even though the area is home to hares, deer, and pheasants, as there are many forests around.

Our son has impressed everyone with his diligence. Despite being on vacation, he tackled 25 pages of homework, combining Chinese and math, without needing a single reminder. Every morning or during the day, he sat at the table and worked on it himself. This amazed the family, especially since homework has largely been abolished for kids in Poland. While the older kids seemed glued to their phones and rarely played outdoors, our son completed all his work in just four days!

We’ve been enjoying a variety of traditional Polish dishes. Some highlights include hunter’s stew and tripe soup. My cousin’s kids visited briefly the first weekend, giving our son someone to play with, but they couldn’t stay long since their winter holidays hadn’t started yet.

One of the quirkiest features at my aunt’s place is a bunker in the yard, which is now used as storage. My uncle has also been introducing my husband and son to his longtime hobby of raising pigeons. As a child, I used to follow him to pigeon houses and even to other villages for flying practice competitions. These days, the pigeons are just stay-at-home birds.

This time, my uncle also pulled out a gun he uses to scare off hawks from preying on his pigeons. They even held a small shooting competition! My husband impressed everyone by hitting the center of the target twice, while my uncle, now in his 60s, joked about his eyesight not being what it used to be.

Another thing to not get bored tstaying home - we have been playing cards almost daily.

Another day brought another family to meet. We went to a nearby city. Parking is free for two hours, but you still need to take a ticket and place it in the window. We walked around the city of Włocławek for a while, but the weather was freezing. During our first week in Poland, we rarely went out because of the cold. My hands were super red and painful from the chilly wind.

We visited my great aunt and uncle, who are in their 40s. Their house is quite traditional but very tidy. After spending some time there, we went shopping together. They thought our son needed a gift but didn’t want to choose something he might not like. Later, they invited us to a late lunch at a restaurant with their daughter, who works as a judge in a nearby court. Like in Taiwan, people in Poland also work overtime, and she arrived an hour late to the meeting. Maybe I shouldn’t compare the two countries, but Taiwan definitely stands out with its overtime working culture, which rarely happens in Poland.

The food at the restaurant was nice, though I found it a bit too salty for my taste. We ordered beef tartare, guinea fowl broth, duck breast, schnitzels, and for dessert, coffee, cheesecake, and a trio of small desserts.

As the days pass, more family members invite us to visit, though they’re usually only free on weekends. We’re hoping to explore other places, like the salt mines, one of the world’s largest churches, or some castles. However, the icy roads and dark, short days make us a bit lazy—sunrise is at 8 a.m., and sunset is before 4 p.m., giving us only about eight hours of daylight. Adding to that, people here are used to sitting in the dark, even when it gets dark outside, they don’t turn on many lights indoors. It’s quite a different atmosphere!

On Sunday, we visited another aunt in her cozy home. Despite its small size by Polish standards, it’s perfect for the two people living there now that their children have moved out. We were greeted with homemade food, cake, and fruit alcohol, as cooking is a passion in our family. Our son even got to collect eggs from their hens, making it one of the most authentic countryside experiences he’s had so far.

The days here are short and dark, with the sun rising at 8 a.m. and setting before 4 p.m. By the time we finished our walk, the weather had turned foggy and cold again, so we headed back home. Winter in Poland is certainly a contrast to life in Taiwan, but it’s been a refreshing change of pace for all of us.

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Exploring, Family Visits, and Wintery Adventures

The first night after arriving in Poland, I still followed my usual Taiwan schedule—midnight in Poland felt like 7 a.m. back home. Despite going to bed late, I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn’t sleep anymore. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to adjust to the time difference, settling into a routine of sleeping from 11 p.m. or midnight to about 6 or 7 a.m.

We’ve been staying mostly at home, visiting family, and taking things slow. One of the highlights was visiting my uncle, who has some traditional treasures at home, like an old fireplace and a fully functional vintage kitchen. We even got to cook there! It was such a nostalgic experience, and to top it off, we built a snowman together, cherishing the last bits of snow before winter bids farewell. Even on the fourth day, there was still some leftover snow, but the rainy and slippery roads have kept us mostly indoors.

The weather has been quite gloomy—only one sunny day so far—but it’s still been a great experience. My uncle took us on a long walk to see the river, hoping to spot wildlife like pheasants, hares, deer, or even a fox. Instead, we got an unexpected visitor—a cat! It turned out to be my cousin’s cat, now living at my aunt’s place, and seeing it made me so happy. There are quite a few animals around—a bunny and three dogs, also belonging to my cousin but staying here since she works and her kids are at school. She only kept one cat at home, though it’s not the friendliest—it hisses and scratches both people and other animals.
One of the most fun activities was sledding in the early morning, when it was -6°C. The crisp, windless weather made it feel much better than Taiwan’s damp winters. Speaking of Taiwan, I heard that Miaoli recently hit 1°C—unusually cold for Taiwan!

As the days pass, more family members invite us to visit, though they’re usually only free on weekends. We’re hoping to explore other places, like the salt mines, one of the world’s largest churches, or some castles. However, the icy roads and dark, short days make us a bit lazy—sunrise is at 8 a.m., and sunset is before 4 p.m., giving us only about eight hours of daylight. Adding to that, people here are used to sitting in the dark, even when it gets dark outside, they don’t turn on many lights indoors. It’s quite a different atmosphere!

Our son has been impressing everyone with his diligence. Despite being on vacation, he’s tackling his homework—25 pages of a mix of Chinese and math—without needing any reminders. He sits down at the table every morning or during the day and works on it himself. Everyone in the family is amazed, especially since homework has been mostly abolished for kids in Poland. The older children (10–14 years old) seem glued to their phones and rarely play outdoors anymore.

We hope the weather improves soon so we can venture out and explore more. For now, it’s been a cozy time reconnecting with family, sharing stories, and enjoying the slower pace of life here in Poland. 🌨️❄️

The cold Polish winter has made outdoor activities a bit challenging, but we’re making the most of our visit. One day, we ventured to the nearby city of Włocławek. Parking there is free for two hours, though you need to place a ticket in the window. We walked around for a while, but the freezing weather forced us back inside. My hands were painfully red from the cold wind.

I’m getting more comfortable driving in Poland. I haven’t driven much in the past two years because I find it hard to adjust to the traffic in Taiwan. 

We also visited a cemetery. In Poland, it’s quite normal to visit cemeteries several times a year, anytime you feel like it. Polish cemeteries are always well-maintained, with flowers and candles on the graves. This was the first time I visited my aunt’s grave since she passed away just before we left Poland the last time.

Afterward, we went to see a nearby church and lake. The cemetery overlooks the lake, making it a beautiful and peaceful place. We couldn’t stay outside for long, as the temperature was around 0°C, but the "feels like" temperature was often below freezing.

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