Time after time again, I'm reminded of how nothing comes close to unconditional family bonds. Trips to Taiwan never stray too far from the norm - huge, round table dinners accompanied by warm greetings paired with lukewarm beer; the sound of street food vendors and motorcycles at every corner; all to perfectly accentuate the hustle and bustle of Taiwanese culture.
During a family dinner, I noticed my older cousin had a rubber phone case designed and labeled with "Milkshake" in bold lettering.
Pointing, I exclaimed, "What a cute phone case!"
Without hesitation, she smiled, took off her case and handed it to me.
"You can have it."
What stunned me wasn't the sole act of kindness or generosity in itself, but rather, the easily overlooked differences in conversational skills and culture, built upon the simple foundation of being family. Suddenly, the differences seemed minuscule after all, and I proceeded to happily explain my career path in detail, to the best of my Mandarin and Taiwanese-speaking abilities.
Everyone around me listened intently.
