【Article by Secretariat】

Turn into almost any alley in Taiwan on a random morning. You’ll hear sizzling from a breakfast shop griddle. The faint aroma of burnt soy milk drifts through the air. A lively crowd starts their day. For locals, it’s a daily routine. But for Sara Duarte Vellejos, an international student from Paraguay, it was new and a little shocking.

Sara, now a junior in the English Department at NCCU, still remembers her very first Taiwanese breakfast while quarantining in Yilan. “The hotel delivered this huge hamburger with black tea in the morning,” she recalled with a laugh. “I was so surprised! Back home in South America, sure, we eat burgers, but never for breakfast. In Paraguay, our breakfasts are always sweet and light; salty or heavy foods never start our day.”

Breakfast in Paraguay: Sweet, Light, and Simple

At home, mornings are mostly sweet and gentle. “My family usually drinks cocido, a hot drink made from mate tea boiled with milk and sugar. We pair it with bread and jam, and that’s enough to feel satisfied,” Sara explained.

“In Taiwan, breakfast feels like a real meal,” Sara observed. “Rice balls packed with meats or vegetables, pancake rolls full of corn, pork floss, or cheese, plus savory soy milk or radish cake. These are morning foods here, but at home in Paraguay, we would only eat those for lunch or dinner.”

She grinned: “Where we are, breakfast is about slowly waking up. But here it’s like preparing for battle: meat, oil, eggs, and sauce. Your taste buds are instantly awake!”

Culture Shock at the Breakfast Shop

"One time, when I was ordering near NCCU, the shop owner spoke to me in a very direct tone. I felt like she was impatient with me," she admitted. Although initially shocked, she soon learned that many shops are family-run, with owners cooking, taking orders, and handling payments all at once. Because they’re busy, they tend to speak faster and more directly, a sharp contrast to the smiling service industry she knew.

Looking back, Sara chuckled. “Now I don’t think it’s unfriendly at all. I've gradually gotten used to it, and sometimes I even think that this natural and unpretentious attitude is quite endearing.”

Among all the Taiwanese breakfasts, her go-to favorite is a ham-and-cheese egg pancake roll, accompanied by orange juice. “The balance is perfect. It’s crispy but not dry. The ham and cheese make it hearty, and the juice keeps it fresh. Honestly, it deserves a ‘Best Breakfast’ award!” she said, flashing an “OK” gesture.

From Soy Milk Skeptic to Daily Habit

“I used to dislike soy milk,” Sara admitted, “ but after giving it another try in Taiwan, I’ve grown to love it! Now I drink it almost every morning.”

That shift made her realize how flexible our taste buds can be. “If you give yourself time, your palate can learn. Food is part of adapting to a place.”

Over time, her breakfast routine changed naturally. “I used to have sweet breakfasts every day. Now, without even realizing it, I tend to prefer salty foods in the morning here. I also stopped drinking sweet beverages. The environment changed my habits, just as the kinds of foods changed.”

Not only a change in taste, but also a sign of cultural integration.

Language and cultural barriers have not been significant obstacles for Sara. “Most breakfast shops have both Chinese and English menus. Translation apps are so convenient now,” she said. The key, in her view, is not to be afraid of making mistakes or asking questions. “People in Taiwan are usually willing to help.”

If she were to introduce Taiwanese breakfast to her friends back home, she knows exactly what she’d say: “It’s special. Savory, oily, filling, and so different from our sweet and light breakfasts at home. But it’s really delicious. And the choices are endless. It’s a breakfast adventure every day.”

Sara reflected that she used to think breakfast was just about filling her stomach. After moving to Taiwan, she has begun to appreciate the sense of care that comes with it, embracing the idea that a good day starts in the morning.

For Sara, Taiwanese breakfast has become more than a meal; it signifies her introduction to a new culture. Moving from cocido to soy milk, and from bread and jam to scallion pancakes and rice balls, she feels that each meal brings her closer to her new home.