This list has to be made.
1. Mealtimes. Everything is set on a rotating circle in the middle of the table, so you don't have to reach across the table to grab something when you want it. You just spin the circle and it comes to you! Plus all you have in front of you is a little bowl, and you fill it with food, eat, and repeat. Its size helps you to avoid having eyes that are bigger than your stomach. And of course, chopsticks are fun and the food itself is good for you.
2. Driving skills. Yes, you read that right. You know that American stereotype about how Asians are bad drivers? It's completely untrue. Taiwanese people are great drivers because they can get safely from point A to point B with about half as many traffic laws as Americans have. Traffic "laws" are really in massive sarcasm quotes; "stay in your lane," "wear a seatbelt," and "yield the right of way" are more like suggestions. And I haven't seen a single accident since I got here!
3. Showers. They waste way less time and way less water.
4. Strangers. They're so polite and courteous!
5. Obesity rates. I've seen like three fat people since I've been here.
6. Movie plots. I've always been a fan of realistic movies (a.k.a. not the ones where everyone's happy in the end) and the one I saw yesterday was not only realistic but touching and hilarious to boot.
7. Prices. Things are literally half as expensive here as they are in America. Recession? What recession?
Oh, and apparently I can't be an American because I'm skinny, open-minded and even-tempered, and I don't like McDonald's, soda, or Glee. Hooray!! :D
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Day four!
I thought I had escaped.
After all, he was one of the main reasons why I left the United States. I went to the other side of the world to avoid him and his high-pitched show tunes.
But tonight, as I was sitting in a crowded little Taiwanese Italian restaurant with my host family, I heard the dreaded voice blaring obnoxiously from the speakers above me.
Justin. Freaking. Bieber.
This cannot be happening. Justin Bieber should be quarantined to America - or even better, Canada. Make that Antarctica. I mean come on, it's bad enough that Americans have to listen to that - what did anyone in Taiwan do to deserve it?
On the bright side, if my only complaint about Taiwan is the somewhat bearable presence of Justin Bieber's music, I must be having a pretty good time.
Things I did today:
1. Struggle with an electrical adapter, then figure out that America and Taiwan use the same voltage and amplitude. I'm lucky I didn't kill my phone trying to figure out how to work something I didn't actually need.
2. Get the hang of Chinese pronunciation (finally)!
3. Explain why America is fat. I didn't deny that it is, or at least that two thirds of it is.
4. Visit a night market. Everything is about half as expensive as it is at home! When I come back with some money I'm gonna
5. See a Taiwanese movie in the theater. It was actually really good, and it had English subtitles so I knew what was going on.
6. Finally finish unpacking, and find my glasses that have been missing for months. They managed to follow me overseas with the help of my white jacket pocket.
7. Squat toilet. Enough said.
After all, he was one of the main reasons why I left the United States. I went to the other side of the world to avoid him and his high-pitched show tunes.
But tonight, as I was sitting in a crowded little Taiwanese Italian restaurant with my host family, I heard the dreaded voice blaring obnoxiously from the speakers above me.
Justin. Freaking. Bieber.
This cannot be happening. Justin Bieber should be quarantined to America - or even better, Canada. Make that Antarctica. I mean come on, it's bad enough that Americans have to listen to that - what did anyone in Taiwan do to deserve it?
On the bright side, if my only complaint about Taiwan is the somewhat bearable presence of Justin Bieber's music, I must be having a pretty good time.
Things I did today:
1. Struggle with an electrical adapter, then figure out that America and Taiwan use the same voltage and amplitude. I'm lucky I didn't kill my phone trying to figure out how to work something I didn't actually need.
2. Get the hang of Chinese pronunciation (finally)!
3. Explain why America is fat. I didn't deny that it is, or at least that two thirds of it is.
4. Visit a night market. Everything is about half as expensive as it is at home! When I come back with some money I'm gonna
5. See a Taiwanese movie in the theater. It was actually really good, and it had English subtitles so I knew what was going on.
6. Finally finish unpacking, and find my glasses that have been missing for months. They managed to follow me overseas with the help of my white jacket pocket.
7. Squat toilet. Enough said.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Me Versus an Octopus
So there I was, sitting at lunch in a seafood restaurant by the ocean. A variety of food was set in front of me and my host family, and I had tried all of it - except the purple, eight-legged little bugger sitting smugly in its bowl, just staring at me.
It glared at me, and I looked back. I could feel it daring me to pick it up and eat it. Silly timid American, it seemed to say. She won't go for me. I'm safe.
That's what you think, I mentally said to the octopus. I decided to prove it wrong. I picked up my chopsticks, grabbed the octopus, and bit down on one of its sucker-ridden little legs, fearing the worst.
Actually, it wasn't bad. The suckers had a weird texture, and so did the inside of the head, but I downed the whole thing. It wasn't that different from any other ocean creature. And I felt brave for risking it!
American: 1, weird food: 0.
Besides that, here are some other things I tried today:
1. Zombieism - I ate shrimp brains. They were... umm... interesting.
2. Watching typhoon waves - there's a big typhoon headed for the east coast right now, and my family and I went and watched the waves it's creating in the ocean. It's still pretty far away, but the waves were big all the same. I wanted to shoot myself for not bringing a camera!
3. Riding a bike - I failed. But I'll get better!
4. Downing 6 cups of black tea - mmm, mmm, good.
It glared at me, and I looked back. I could feel it daring me to pick it up and eat it. Silly timid American, it seemed to say. She won't go for me. I'm safe.
That's what you think, I mentally said to the octopus. I decided to prove it wrong. I picked up my chopsticks, grabbed the octopus, and bit down on one of its sucker-ridden little legs, fearing the worst.
Actually, it wasn't bad. The suckers had a weird texture, and so did the inside of the head, but I downed the whole thing. It wasn't that different from any other ocean creature. And I felt brave for risking it!
American: 1, weird food: 0.
Besides that, here are some other things I tried today:
1. Zombieism - I ate shrimp brains. They were... umm... interesting.
2. Watching typhoon waves - there's a big typhoon headed for the east coast right now, and my family and I went and watched the waves it's creating in the ocean. It's still pretty far away, but the waves were big all the same. I wanted to shoot myself for not bringing a camera!
3. Riding a bike - I failed. But I'll get better!
4. Downing 6 cups of black tea - mmm, mmm, good.
New things I've tried so far:
1. Chicken feet - they don't taste that different from the rest of the chicken, and there is actually some meat there.
2. Lots of fruit - dragon eyes, guava, cumquats, etc.
3. A bunch of other foods and drinks the names of which I can't remember - everyone is always feeding me! I tried Taiwanese ice cream (which is made differently than American ice cream so I'm not allergic to it!), clam soup, spicy cabbage, etc. etc. etc.
4. Yoga - felt good, but man it hurt! I don't think I was in a beginner's class, and if I was then I'm just pathetic. :P
5. Acupuncture - it looks freaky but it doesn't hurt a bit. I'm still not entirely sure why.
6. Waiting tables - I helped out at a little cafe yesterday.
7. Preserving fruit - see above!
8. Incognito modeling - people keep taking pictures of me, mostly without asking. I feel like a celebrity! Some people try to be sneaky about it, others don't even attempt to be undercover, and some that can speak a little English will approach and ask.
9. Showering Taiwan style - my parents will not believe this, but I actually took a 10 minute shower. Here, you have to do all of the work because there is no stationary shower head you can just stand under, which ultimately means I waste far less time.
10. Sleeping on a bamboo mat - surprisingly comfortable!
11. Being best friends with an inanimate object - the fan in my bedroom is my constant companion. It's HOT!
12. Chinese - I've only been here for two days, and I can already pick words and phrases out of other people's conversations. I'm starting to get the hang of the pronunciation too, so that when I talk I can sometimes actually be understood! Hooray! :D
13. Eating with chopsticks (and not cheating and using a fork) - I can actually do it now! You have to learn fast when it's the main utensil people eat with.
14. Riding in a car without a seat belt - okay, I know it's dangerous, but there's no law against it here and I had to do it once just to say I did.
15. Beer - it's an acquired taste. But I think I will be acquiring it, because apparently any kind of celebration around here involves alcohol!
16. Foregoing makeup entirely for several days straight - barely anyone bothers with it here, so I haven't been either. It's less hassle really.
17. Zombies vs. Plants - my host dad got me addicted in about 10 minutes.
Well, I think that's all the major things so far - more later!
2. Lots of fruit - dragon eyes, guava, cumquats, etc.
3. A bunch of other foods and drinks the names of which I can't remember - everyone is always feeding me! I tried Taiwanese ice cream (which is made differently than American ice cream so I'm not allergic to it!), clam soup, spicy cabbage, etc. etc. etc.
4. Yoga - felt good, but man it hurt! I don't think I was in a beginner's class, and if I was then I'm just pathetic. :P
5. Acupuncture - it looks freaky but it doesn't hurt a bit. I'm still not entirely sure why.
6. Waiting tables - I helped out at a little cafe yesterday.
7. Preserving fruit - see above!
8. Incognito modeling - people keep taking pictures of me, mostly without asking. I feel like a celebrity! Some people try to be sneaky about it, others don't even attempt to be undercover, and some that can speak a little English will approach and ask.
9. Showering Taiwan style - my parents will not believe this, but I actually took a 10 minute shower. Here, you have to do all of the work because there is no stationary shower head you can just stand under, which ultimately means I waste far less time.
10. Sleeping on a bamboo mat - surprisingly comfortable!
11. Being best friends with an inanimate object - the fan in my bedroom is my constant companion. It's HOT!
12. Chinese - I've only been here for two days, and I can already pick words and phrases out of other people's conversations. I'm starting to get the hang of the pronunciation too, so that when I talk I can sometimes actually be understood! Hooray! :D
13. Eating with chopsticks (and not cheating and using a fork) - I can actually do it now! You have to learn fast when it's the main utensil people eat with.
14. Riding in a car without a seat belt - okay, I know it's dangerous, but there's no law against it here and I had to do it once just to say I did.
15. Beer - it's an acquired taste. But I think I will be acquiring it, because apparently any kind of celebration around here involves alcohol!
16. Foregoing makeup entirely for several days straight - barely anyone bothers with it here, so I haven't been either. It's less hassle really.
17. Zombies vs. Plants - my host dad got me addicted in about 10 minutes.
Well, I think that's all the major things so far - more later!
Friday, August 26, 2011
I made it!
After a very smooth flight I am finally here in Taiwan! While traveling I discovered that it is completely possible to stay up for 24 hours straight with no sleep (I don't recommend it though). Consequently, last night I slept like a baby. More accurately, a dead baby. O.O
Today I got to eat chicken feet (yes, feet), dragon eyes (it's a fruit), and a bunch of other strange things the names of which I can't remember. I met my huge host family and they are all very kind and hospitable to me. They were nice enough to have a little celebration for me last night, and they told me that anything with the word "celebration" in it involves alcohol so I am happy and very sleepy right now. Yilan is in the middle of a typhoon, but I think I can sleep through it just fine. :)
Anyway, more later!
Today I got to eat chicken feet (yes, feet), dragon eyes (it's a fruit), and a bunch of other strange things the names of which I can't remember. I met my huge host family and they are all very kind and hospitable to me. They were nice enough to have a little celebration for me last night, and they told me that anything with the word "celebration" in it involves alcohol so I am happy and very sleepy right now. Yilan is in the middle of a typhoon, but I think I can sleep through it just fine. :)
Anyway, more later!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Last day in the United States!
As I'm finishing up my packing, I notice that I'm really, really tired. Not only can I not concentrate, I'm starting to really worry about things. Like the fact that I'm arriving in Taiwan several days later than I should have been, and consequently missing half of the language and culture camp. I'm practically sleepwalking right now, despite being technically awake. And sleepwalking is something I really need to avoid while I'm overseas.
Some people manage to sleepwalk through life without really being conscious of what they have at all. They have experiences, but don't really take them in. They're just kind of on auto pilot the whole time - they may be physically conscious, but they're mentally unaware of themselves and the big picture of the world around them. And if and when they wake up, they realize that something wonderful passed them by, and they just watched and let it happen.
Ever seen the movie Yes Man? That's definitely more what I'm going for. I'm going to make the best out of this experience, and squeeze every second of exhilarating fun out of every day. I'm not going to be the kid who looks back and wishes she'd done more when she had the chance.
So in the long run, it doesn't matter if I miss a few days of language camp or get to meet the other exchange kids a little late (which I am REALLY looking forward to!). I'm going to make the best out of this experience no matter what is sent my way. I will let nothing and no one ruin or in any way derail this magnificent experience for me, and I don't care if the devil himself is set on making me miserable!
The next time you hear from me, I will be half a world away - I will miss everyone back home, and I can't wait to land in Taiwan!
Some people manage to sleepwalk through life without really being conscious of what they have at all. They have experiences, but don't really take them in. They're just kind of on auto pilot the whole time - they may be physically conscious, but they're mentally unaware of themselves and the big picture of the world around them. And if and when they wake up, they realize that something wonderful passed them by, and they just watched and let it happen.
Ever seen the movie Yes Man? That's definitely more what I'm going for. I'm going to make the best out of this experience, and squeeze every second of exhilarating fun out of every day. I'm not going to be the kid who looks back and wishes she'd done more when she had the chance.
So in the long run, it doesn't matter if I miss a few days of language camp or get to meet the other exchange kids a little late (which I am REALLY looking forward to!). I'm going to make the best out of this experience no matter what is sent my way. I will let nothing and no one ruin or in any way derail this magnificent experience for me, and I don't care if the devil himself is set on making me miserable!
The next time you hear from me, I will be half a world away - I will miss everyone back home, and I can't wait to land in Taiwan!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Well, I leave in two days....
Today feels like any other normal day. Which is strange because in two days I board a plane to Taiwan, where I will spend the next ten or eleven months of my life.
When I tell some people that I'm spending my entire senior year of high school in Taiwan, they look at me like I'm crazy. It seems inconceivable that I would purposefully miss all the highlights of senior year - prom, graduation, college English (well maybe not that one), etc. Not to mention packing up and abandoning all my friends, as one wide-eyed percussionist put it. But the truth is that the so-called highlights of senior year have never meant anything to me, and they're not worth spending another year in a high school where some flourish but I feel stifled. As for my friends, I will miss them dearly. But to stay would only be to delay the inevitable. We will all fly the nest eventually - I'm just doing it sooner than expected. Besides, in the modern age of the magnificent Internet and international video calling, it's not as if we can't stay in touch wherever we go. And I've been ready to go for a really long time.
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