T-life hostel…….its one of the best hostel that you will ever find, there is always a lot of customers, few helpers and a couple part-timers. Everyday is expected to be unexpected, the atmosphere here are always friendly but contain a hint of playful spices.

OH, i forgot to introduce myself. i am a young backpacker who’s a newbie in all of this and are always learning. I came from a rare country that people seldom see anyone coming out for backpacking. Although people do know about the infamous star in my country- wu chun. *That is how i usually explain about my country*

*Everything are random here and you are always welcome to join*

I am a customer back in 2 years ago which i stayed in this hostel for 3 days only and notice that there is this culture of volunteering for living. As a collage student, this is my best way of travelling where there is no need to pay for living cost. That is the reason that two years later, i came back to T-life hostel as a helper, i was originally volunteer for only 9 days but because of being too comfortable here, i ended up staying for 11 days.

       (IM THE LEFT ONE) *Manager on right

In T-life, what i do, is every day, i wake up around 9+am and have breakfast. By 10 am all the volunteer will gather on the living room with a few others helper and will start to discuss and distribute our job today to clean up. By schedule, we will have to work from 10 am-2 pm but on another circumstance, if we finished early, we are free to do whatever we want and go where ever we want.

On my first day here, i was explained about our general job by our hostel manager Rebecca. Then i followed two of the senior helper (any helper that come early than you) which both of them turned out to be french,one of them who only came 2 days older than me and we just clean up the hostel. One of the french guy was a common volunteer and been volunteer for more than 2 years traveling. He taught me about tricks of cleaning and it makes my life here so much more easy. Then right after 4 days he gone to other part of taiwan to explore. yes….people come and go just like that, but we might meet again if possible. But that is what makes everything interesting.

Most of the days of our work, we finished at 12 and never later than 1 pm, but after that we usually just hang out at the living room and go for lunch together with everyone. After we’re back we usually just laid back and rest (sua fei). Only during when i need to buy stuff or have the young explore heart only i go out because just by staying here makes me calm down so much and it is so relaxing.

(Our favorite spot for chilling and wasting time 😉 )

Now, here is the important and interesting part. Sometimes but depending when, there might be event that is being organised where we all go out to play or have fun in the hostel. But even almost every night, everyone usually hangout here on the living room and if anyone feeling thirsty, they are able to grab some “refreshing” drinks from family mart(24 hours) which is only 1 min walk from the hostel or when they are hungry, there’s a lot of shops that are available since we lived beside dong hai night market too.

For girls that are thinking whether this place are suitable to live in or not since there is so much socializing going on and who knows when you might encounter people who are weird. Fear not, t-life hostel are composed by two block of building where one side is mixed room/Block and the another room/block are only available for girls, even the boss who looks like weird uncle( guai shu shu)*gary* are not allow there. Everyone have a key pass that allow them to assess to Volunteer who cleans the place are only allow to enter when it is 11am when everyone are out so they could only clean up the place.

For anyone that do come by to Tai Chung in taiwan. If you want to stay for a night, Don’t hesitate and just take up your phone and call them up with their T-life hostel number.  You can find their phone number just by searching T-life hostel in google and you will be able to get in contact with them and ask if there is any bed available.Better be quick, they are quite famous, especially during weekend, they usually have full house. Come and join in as there will always be people who are around for a quick talk or for a quick drinks in the living room.

*Due to some other people who are out, this is not the full member/volunteer of the hostel*