How Family Mart Saved Me from Sleeping on the Streets of Kaohsiung, Taiwan

I must confess, this story is largely the result of my lack of foresight. But in my defense, my arrival in Taiwan coincided with a looming deadline for my master’s program, so cut me some slack.

My journey into Kaohsiung from Korea was prompted mainly by the allure of the cheapest flight into Taiwan—duh. Plus, I was excited at the idea of exploring a city more “under the radar” than Taipei. True to my thrifty nature, I opted for a flight that landed at the ungodly hour of 11:45 pm. As I boarded the plane to Taiwan, I realized my accommodation reservation technically began the following day. But being the type to roll with the punches, I saw an opportunity rather than a setback. I could spend the night at the airport, catching up on my paper due in six days, and then head to my accommodation in the morning to plead my case for an early check-in.

Settling into a cozy spot near arrivals, I whipped out my laptop and dove into my work. Alas, my productivity was short-lived. A security guard soon informed me that the airport shuts down at 12:30 am. “Well,” I thought. “This is just amazing. Yina, you’ve played yourself again.”

Enter “my savior” in the form of a taxi driver with promises of nearby hotels. Skeptical, I hesitated, unsure of the quality or locations of any of these hotels. He sensed my apprehension and suggested McDonald’s as an alternative—it was, after all, open 24 hours. With the airport on the brink of closure, I seemed to have no other choice. Perhaps a pit stop at McDonald’s would afford me the chance to regroup, either by researching nearby hotels or simply indulging in some fries while tackling my paper.

I reluctantly stepped into the man’s waiting taxi. Six minutes later, we arrived at the nearby McDonald’s. After an argument over the fare, I managed to negotiate it down by about 15%, thankful that I had exchanged some of my remaining Won for Taiwanese dollars at the Seoul airport. As the taxi disappeared into the night, I approached the glowing entrance of McDonald’s, only to find the door firmly shut. Peering inside, I knocked on the window, praying for a glimmer of hope, only to be met with a staff member gesturing that they were closed. The irony was not lost on me; their sign boasted 24-hour service.

At 1 am, frustration mounting, I turned to Google Maps in search of nearby hotels. Two options appeared within a 15-minute radius, so with my suitcase in tow, I set out into the streets of Kaohsiung. However, as I neared the first hotel, a sense of unease crept over me. This was Taiwan, the streets can’t be that sketchy, could they? But weighed down by the night’s string of inconveniences, I made a snap decision to reroute towards the other hotel.

And then, like a beacon in the night, I spotted it: Family Mart, its fluorescent glow a beacon of hope. 

On my way in, I grab a can of coffee from one from the shelves and head for the counter. As the cashier tallied up my purchase, I inquired about their closing hours. His attempt to translate into English was met with a moment of hesitation before he assured me, “We never close.” With a sense of relief, I surveyed the store, complete with spacious tables and cozy chairs and settled in eagerly. Pulling out my laptop, I discovered the cherry on top—free WiFi. It was a dream come true.

So, around 1:30 am, I delved into my paper, intermittently distracted by the curious gazes of passersby looking in through the window. Surely, they wondered why a lone black girl was diligently working away in a nondescript Family Mart in Kaohsiung at such an hour. Undeterred, I plunged into the task at hand. Over the next seven hours, I juggled citations, enlisted the cashier’s help to prepare ramen, savored onigiri, punched out results on my keyboard, and guzzled down Red Bull. Outside, the dawn slowly broke, casting the street into a bustling frenzy.

By 9 am, the discussion section of my paper was complete. With a satisfied grin, I shut my laptop, packed my suitcase, and prepared to head to my hotel. Stepping out of the Family Mart, I offered a heartfelt wave of gratitude to the hero behind the counter. Oblivious to the role his humble convenience store had played in sparing me a night on the streets, he returned the gesture with a smile, none the wiser.