Monika Lindner

Nika is a a Lodz-native turned globe trotter with visits to 15 different countries in the last few years. After spending two years in London and a summer in Dusseldorf, Nika started her Asian adventure with a move to Taipei at the beginning of 2017 year.

Back at home, Nika started her work-life as a case officer for regional administration. She experienced first-hand the difficulties a city faces in these fast changing times. But she also got to participate in the rejuvenation and technological development of Lodz.

Now in Taipei, she feels very much reminded of that time. Taiwanese city governments struggle with similar problems but at a different scale. One of the biggest issues in Taiwan is transportation. Nika is impressed by the ease of cashless payment systems such as easycard or icash, which give seamless access to public transport as well as serving as a payment option in many stores and restaurants.

However, the larger scale efforts such as subsidized bike-rentals and electric scooters, are even more impressive. With subsidies of up to 50% for a modern scooter, Nika did consider a test-drive more than once.

From the Smart Building 101 Towers rainwater collection to the solar panels throughout the science parks, Taiwan is certainly investing in the future. It seems fair to say that attention to eco-friendliness and efforts to create ever more energy efficient buildings is also a high priority for any local administration here in Taiwan.

However, while Nika is happy to think of the early days of her career in local administration offices, she has since turned to photography and travel reporting on Instagram. Her newest business venture is an agency that specializes in corporate travel support and providing local support to Polish companies by forming the link to business partners in Taiwan and the region. More information here.

Nika is crazy about cats and even crazier about meeting new people and learning everything about different cultures. Her day is not complete without making a new friend, discovering a new local spot and trying at least one new local dish, no matter how it’s looks like and how smelly. 😉