Meteor Garden (Taiwanese) had me in an intense chokehold when it aired in the Philippines back in 2003—I was absolutely obsessed. I remember begging my family to buy me all sorts of merch, from posters and keychains to photo cards and T-shirts—every member of my family can attest to this. It was such a huge part of my childhood, shaping my early teenage daydreams and giving me my first taste of Asianovela fever before I even knew what that was! So, finally getting to see National Chung Cheng University (Ying De in the series) in person—one of the most iconic filming locations—felt so surreal that I almost wanted to cry.

Honestly, visiting this place wasn’t even on my travel bucket list because I never thought it would ever be possible. It just felt like a distant dream, something tucked away with my teenage memories. But when Barbie Hsu passed away earlier this year, I was so unexpectedly heartbroken. It brought back all those memories of hurrying to go home from school just to watch the latest episode, gushing about Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai, and collecting every bit of merch I could get my hands on. Her passing made me feel so nostalgic that I ended up rewatching the whole series—this time with my husband, who had NEVER seen it before! Watching him react to all the iconic moments for the first time was so satisfying!

During those months after Barbie Hsu’s passing, my husband and I were still trying to decide where to go for his annual birthday trip. We had so many options, but nothing felt quite right. Then he came across a post about a “Meteor Garden Tour”—and he made it happen. He immediately booked tickets to Taiwan and even suggested that we go on the exact day of his birthday because, in his words, he’s happiest whenever he sees me happy.

It was supposed to be his birthday celebration, but he still prioritized me and made sure I got to visit all the places I’ve always dreamed of—from libraries and bookstores to food spots and now this. I feel so incredibly grateful and loved. Sometimes, the things you never planned for end up being the moments you cherish the most. Taiwan gave me that, and so did he. ♡