NEVER sit in the front of a taxi ... especially if you are female. :)
Today was a very interesting day ... where to begin?
Maybe with where I am presently: sitting in a hotel room in Taipei.
Reason: I'm meeting up with one of my professors from Davis in the morning.
She is here for a conference and invited me to join her.
What I'm doing, besides blogging: snacking on raisin bread, against my better judgment and the taxi driver's careful instructions ^-^ however, it is quite yummy.
So this morning, I got up and started rearranging my suitcases in order to organize everything a little better and to make packing easier. Then I ran to the bookstore to write a couple emails, after which I went to the Language Center to take a Chinese placement exam. Next stop was the Taiwanese Literature office to pick up my course registration sheet and take it to the administration building.
I grabbed a bit of lunch and then went back to my room to pack. After packing and an adventure online with google maps, I walked out of the bookstore with the name of the university I needed arrive at in the morning, the name of the train station I needed to get off at and hotel reservations. Thanks, Mom, for the helpful websites and phone calls. :)
After going back to my room to pick up my suitcase, I bravely went to the street to hail a taxi. I've done this before at least twice, so I didn't think it would be a big deal ... well I thought wrong. Long story short, it took me over 15 minutes to find one and in order to do so, I ended up walking (and running part of the time) down quite a ways, lugging my suitcase behind me.
Finally, after all that time and after becoming hot and sweaty, I got the attention of a driver who pulled over and let me in. But only my suitcase went in the back seat because his little, six-year-old boy was also in the back seat. lol The driver was nice but he kept asking me questions. And of course, taxi drivers don't speak English so I have to sink or swim in river rapids of Chinese. :) He asked me the normal questions like, "How long have you been in Taiwan?" "Are you studying in Taiwan?" "What are you studying?" "How long will you be here?" But then he asked how old I was and if I was married ...
We got to the station just after my train had left ... so I paid the driver and made my way into the station, which was positively buzzing with people since it was Friday and so many people want to get home from work and go places for the weekend. The line to speak to a real person was super long and I was worried about not getting a seat so that took priority over whether or not I got my ticket refunded.
I stood in line at the automatic ticket machines for some time until I was able to buy another ticket. Thank God that I got one! It was a non-restricted ticket meaning that I could sit in any seat from car 10-12 and any train that was leaving today with the destination of Banciao.
I found a seat on the train and ate my croissant sandwich that I had bought while I was waiting in the station. It was really goooood! :)
When the train came to a stop at Banciao station, I stepped into a place that gave a new definition to what I had known as a, "train station." This one was huge! It wasn't just for the high-speed rail, but for other forms of trains as well, including the MRT. I had to ask for help to know how to get out of there! :) I'm sure there are much larger stations in other places, but this was the biggest one I had been in and it was more like an airport to me than a train station. There was a considerable amount of American shops inside: Cold Stone, North Face, American Tourister, McDonalds, 7/11, and more.
Once outside, I got into a taxi. I had put my luggage in the back and sat in the front, as the driver had opened the front door from his seat behind the wheel. Once inside, I regretted my decision. The driver was a talker ... with a very heavy Taiwanese accent, making it incredibly difficult for me to understand him ... and I felt like he kept picking up on me!! Ah!! It was probably the most awkward taxi ride I'd has so far. He, also, asked my age, how long I had been in Taiwan, how long I was going to stay, etc. But what made this guy different is that he gave me a sticker card with his name and number on it. And what's more, when he was talking to me and didn't think I was listening, he kept nudging me with his elbow! I can't tell you how many times he did that! I tried moving my arm out of the way, but to no avail. These are also paraphrased versions of things he said to me:
*"When you're in poor spirits, call me and I'll take you around. I won't do anything bad."
*"Don't eat before you go to bed or else you'll get fat."
*"Before you go back to America, you can come up to Taipei for a couple days. I can take you to see the ocean and eat seafood."
Keep in mind that this is just a sampling of the slightly alarming things that I was subjected to on my THIRTY MINUTE taxi ride to my hotel. I was never so glad to get out of a taxi! The 555th person to comment on this blog post will be the lucky recipient of the second card/sticker that he gave me. :D
Well, I think that's about all I have the energy to write at this point. I really need to hit the sac. Hope you all have a great Friday! :)
~K.
P.S. I've been trying to post pictures with this blog entry but the internet is really slow right now and won't let me. I'll update it with pictures when I have a better connection. :)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
I just googled my name ... and found a ton of entries that had nothing whatsoever to do with this Katelyn at all. lol "Follow Katelyn M. on Twitter!" "Katelyn M. is on facebook and myspace!" "Fire, water vanilla and Katelyn M."(in reference to a school rodeo lol) ... at the bottom I actually found something that pertained to the actual Katelyn M. of this blog. haha Oh well ... at least none of them have the same Chinese name as me. :)
Tonight, I reached into my nail bag and pulled out a nail file that I've had for probably several years but haven't ever really used because of my former biting problem. I smiled when I realized it was covered in butterflies ... ^-^
Glory to God we have survived a pretty strong typhoon! Typhoon Fanapi has finally left the island of Taiwan and is now storming on the mainland of China. We did not personally suffer any losses, but several people I know have. Froggy, Evita and Hanyen all had flooding in their homes and have had to get rid of many things that were ruined by the flood waters. Please keep these young ladies in your prayers as the throwing away, cleaning up and re-buying process continues.
Last night just after 11:00pm I think, people came around and told us we needed to evacuate the cars or there was a possibility that the flooding would prevent us from leaving safely. Alisha and I grabbed some belongings, Lexus and turned out the lights. We drove to the front gate but couldn't get out so we turned around and headed out the back. Once out of the complex, we still weren't out of the clear as the gate opens up to back roads that were also filling up as the rain was coming down like crazy and the winds were strong. There was a place that we could turn left, right or go straight and neither of us knew which way to go. At one point, a gentleman running back and forth between vehicles talking to people told us that he was going to turn left and we could follow him ... it turns out that that road was also blocked.. so the only option out was to turn around. Because the van is rather good-sized, we couldn't just "turn around." We had two choices: 1. Wait for all the cars ahead of us to turn around and make their way back, opening an area for us to turn out in, 2. Back out the whole way down a fairly good stretch of road. We chose option number 2. Alisha started backing the car and then I got nervous because it was really dark and she couldn't see the direction she was backing ... so we opened the side door of the van and I stood up, holding onto to inside and leaning out of the car so I could be her "eyes" in the back. lol That was when the real adventure started. :)
After successfully backing down that road and turning around, we now had the option to turn right or go straight. After just having the experience of backing up, I thought it prudent to check first on foot, rather than go blindly. With my top half already kinda wet, I climbed out of the car and traipsed off toward the tunnel to the right. There was a car coming from that direction. Due to the circumstances, I was feeling brave enough to use my Chinese to ask if we could go out that way. He told me that it was also flooded ... so back to the car I went and told Alisha we had to try going straight because that was now our only option.
When we had first arrived at that crossroads, we thought the straight road was also blocked because we could see cars with their brake lights all on. As we found out once we started down the road, it was because of debris. Because of the high winds, many branches had fallen across the road, keeping us from being able to drive through.
Through this situation there was a driving force: there was no going back. I have to admit, I was slightly terrified. Basically, the only other typhoon experience I have was during Morakot, which was very severe. Knowing the damage that was done and the immense flooding that took place in this area last year, there was an unexplainable amount of urgency in me.
Lexus was in the car with us and quite uneasy himself. He seemed to sense the state we were in and was anxious. In between jumping in and out of the car, I was trying to calm him down and make him lay down, but to no avail. He didn't calm down for the entire night basically, but that's another story.
So, Alisha and I were now headed forward and we encountered the first bit of foliage on the road. There was really no other option, so I jumped out of the car, told Alisha to keep the door open and began clearing the way. At first, it was pretty awesome. I felt like I had just stepped into an adventure story .. There I was, getting soaked by pelting rains, moving branches off the road, jumping into a waiting vehicle; repeat. ^-^ But in all seriousness, I was fully aware of the danger that could befall us if we didn't get out of there. There was so much adrenaline pumping through my body ...
While I was out there pulling branches into ditches on the side of the road and on the side of the river, I thought about the missionaries in Africa and what they do to get back and forth in jungle areas ...
There were more and more branches to move as we went along and they got bigger, too. Some of them were actually small trees with several large, leaf-laden branches that fell altogether because of the shallow root system, I'm guessing. Anyways, a man on a scooter was also making his exit that way and came to help me. By this time I was getting a little tired from the crazy rush of energy that the adrenaline had provided me and from all the activity in the in climate weather. Thank God that I was wearing a jersy skirt and top so they were light weight and easy to maneuver in!
I remember standing on the left side of the road, needing to move a very large chunk of tree to the right side over by the river, and I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. Samson came to my mind and I prayed for supernatural strength at that moment to get me through .. in Jesus' name I began moving that branch across and began to speak in tongues. As that man and I finished clearing that patch of the road, I continued praying aloud, drawing strength from God and praising Him for His goodness. That is a moment, an experience, that I will never forget. 因為神與我同在，什麽都不會怕。
We finally got through the road and decided that we would go to Alisha's old apartment because that way we would have to check into a hotel in our state :) and it was better that way because we had Lexus and couldn't take him inside a hotel.
We stopped at the church to pick up a towel and some water and then stopped at a 7 to pick up something to snack on. I bought some of the same candy that the Bracken's and I had with us last year when we were stranded at the gas station. It seemed fitting at that moment and brought a smile to my face, despite the circumstances. I'm sure I was quite a sight in that 7! Hard to miss a tall, white girl who was soaking wet! haha I kept wondering the whole time how much my clothes were sticking to me and tried to keep pulling at them to avoid walking around wearing a second layer of skin. ;)
After Alisha and I were back at her old apartment, I looked at her and said, "I'm so stupid!" I realized that the whole time we were trying to get to higher ground, there was a rain jacket rolled up in my backpack ... lol ... oh well ... maybe the rain jacket would only have inhibited my progress.
After showering off and laying down, I still couldn't close my eyes. There was so much going on in my head and around me. The scenario from that night kept playing over in my head. I kept thinking of all the things I had wanted to do before we left, just in case. I thought of the things that would need to be done, should there be severe flooding. I prayed that the flood wouldn't go into the house. I could hear the storm outside and it would randomly rattle the window. Lexus was making noise.
Even after Alisha and I headed to bed, poor Lexus was so wound up that he wouldn't sleep! No matter what, he would not lay down or be quiet! He had been to the bathroom and we had given him some water, but nothing seemed to help. I went in there to see if he would lay down and then rest but he still seemed to have some secret source of energy! I thought he would be tired ... but nope. He had the energizer bunny inside!
I made another phone call to my mom to check on the status of the storm, since we didn't have internet connection. Nothing had really changed weather wise but 3 people were considered missing/dead and over 70 had been injured due to the storm.
That was quite an apt reminder that no matter how tired I was, I was blessed beyond measure!
I tried going to bed again and listening to some calming music on my ipod ... finally I started to drift off a little bit ... and then Lexus barked! That time, Alisha and I just turned the lights on a sat up with him for a bit. I decided that if anything else were to happen and we had to leave Tainan immediately, I wanted to be ready. So, I changed my clothes, tightly braided my hair and made sure all my stuff was ready to grab and go. Alisha was already sleeping before I got my stuff together. I don't know how she could sleep with all the sounds but she did! haha
Finally, probably around 4:30ish, I went to bed again. This time, I was able to get a few hours rest. We then got up, took Lexus to the dog hospital to watch him for the time being, picked up Joyce, and drove back to the house to check on the damage. Thankfully, the front gate and the side had flooded, but the inside and the homes had not been reached at all! Praise God! That was such a relief! Once inside, we checked for electricity and water, which were both still on! :) Between the three of us, we made the necessary phone calls and then got online to check/send emails.
Then, I took a nap and woke up around 5:30. I had checked the computer, had some salad and read the old new papers while I waited for Alisha to get home from tutoring. She brought some fried rice back, checked her computer, showered and went straight to bed.
And now, I must do the same for I am still quite wiped out ... while the storm is over, there are many people for whom the effects are far from over. Please remember to uplift them in prayer!!
If all goes well tomorrow, we are going to meet up for a bbq in honor of Moon Festival! :)
Until then,
K
Tonight, I reached into my nail bag and pulled out a nail file that I've had for probably several years but haven't ever really used because of my former biting problem. I smiled when I realized it was covered in butterflies ... ^-^
Glory to God we have survived a pretty strong typhoon! Typhoon Fanapi has finally left the island of Taiwan and is now storming on the mainland of China. We did not personally suffer any losses, but several people I know have. Froggy, Evita and Hanyen all had flooding in their homes and have had to get rid of many things that were ruined by the flood waters. Please keep these young ladies in your prayers as the throwing away, cleaning up and re-buying process continues.
Last night just after 11:00pm I think, people came around and told us we needed to evacuate the cars or there was a possibility that the flooding would prevent us from leaving safely. Alisha and I grabbed some belongings, Lexus and turned out the lights. We drove to the front gate but couldn't get out so we turned around and headed out the back. Once out of the complex, we still weren't out of the clear as the gate opens up to back roads that were also filling up as the rain was coming down like crazy and the winds were strong. There was a place that we could turn left, right or go straight and neither of us knew which way to go. At one point, a gentleman running back and forth between vehicles talking to people told us that he was going to turn left and we could follow him ... it turns out that that road was also blocked.. so the only option out was to turn around. Because the van is rather good-sized, we couldn't just "turn around." We had two choices: 1. Wait for all the cars ahead of us to turn around and make their way back, opening an area for us to turn out in, 2. Back out the whole way down a fairly good stretch of road. We chose option number 2. Alisha started backing the car and then I got nervous because it was really dark and she couldn't see the direction she was backing ... so we opened the side door of the van and I stood up, holding onto to inside and leaning out of the car so I could be her "eyes" in the back. lol That was when the real adventure started. :)
After successfully backing down that road and turning around, we now had the option to turn right or go straight. After just having the experience of backing up, I thought it prudent to check first on foot, rather than go blindly. With my top half already kinda wet, I climbed out of the car and traipsed off toward the tunnel to the right. There was a car coming from that direction. Due to the circumstances, I was feeling brave enough to use my Chinese to ask if we could go out that way. He told me that it was also flooded ... so back to the car I went and told Alisha we had to try going straight because that was now our only option.
When we had first arrived at that crossroads, we thought the straight road was also blocked because we could see cars with their brake lights all on. As we found out once we started down the road, it was because of debris. Because of the high winds, many branches had fallen across the road, keeping us from being able to drive through.
Through this situation there was a driving force: there was no going back. I have to admit, I was slightly terrified. Basically, the only other typhoon experience I have was during Morakot, which was very severe. Knowing the damage that was done and the immense flooding that took place in this area last year, there was an unexplainable amount of urgency in me.
Lexus was in the car with us and quite uneasy himself. He seemed to sense the state we were in and was anxious. In between jumping in and out of the car, I was trying to calm him down and make him lay down, but to no avail. He didn't calm down for the entire night basically, but that's another story.
So, Alisha and I were now headed forward and we encountered the first bit of foliage on the road. There was really no other option, so I jumped out of the car, told Alisha to keep the door open and began clearing the way. At first, it was pretty awesome. I felt like I had just stepped into an adventure story .. There I was, getting soaked by pelting rains, moving branches off the road, jumping into a waiting vehicle; repeat. ^-^ But in all seriousness, I was fully aware of the danger that could befall us if we didn't get out of there. There was so much adrenaline pumping through my body ...
While I was out there pulling branches into ditches on the side of the road and on the side of the river, I thought about the missionaries in Africa and what they do to get back and forth in jungle areas ...
There were more and more branches to move as we went along and they got bigger, too. Some of them were actually small trees with several large, leaf-laden branches that fell altogether because of the shallow root system, I'm guessing. Anyways, a man on a scooter was also making his exit that way and came to help me. By this time I was getting a little tired from the crazy rush of energy that the adrenaline had provided me and from all the activity in the in climate weather. Thank God that I was wearing a jersy skirt and top so they were light weight and easy to maneuver in!
I remember standing on the left side of the road, needing to move a very large chunk of tree to the right side over by the river, and I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. Samson came to my mind and I prayed for supernatural strength at that moment to get me through .. in Jesus' name I began moving that branch across and began to speak in tongues. As that man and I finished clearing that patch of the road, I continued praying aloud, drawing strength from God and praising Him for His goodness. That is a moment, an experience, that I will never forget. 因為神與我同在，什麽都不會怕。
We finally got through the road and decided that we would go to Alisha's old apartment because that way we would have to check into a hotel in our state :) and it was better that way because we had Lexus and couldn't take him inside a hotel.
We stopped at the church to pick up a towel and some water and then stopped at a 7 to pick up something to snack on. I bought some of the same candy that the Bracken's and I had with us last year when we were stranded at the gas station. It seemed fitting at that moment and brought a smile to my face, despite the circumstances. I'm sure I was quite a sight in that 7! Hard to miss a tall, white girl who was soaking wet! haha I kept wondering the whole time how much my clothes were sticking to me and tried to keep pulling at them to avoid walking around wearing a second layer of skin. ;)
After Alisha and I were back at her old apartment, I looked at her and said, "I'm so stupid!" I realized that the whole time we were trying to get to higher ground, there was a rain jacket rolled up in my backpack ... lol ... oh well ... maybe the rain jacket would only have inhibited my progress.
After showering off and laying down, I still couldn't close my eyes. There was so much going on in my head and around me. The scenario from that night kept playing over in my head. I kept thinking of all the things I had wanted to do before we left, just in case. I thought of the things that would need to be done, should there be severe flooding. I prayed that the flood wouldn't go into the house. I could hear the storm outside and it would randomly rattle the window. Lexus was making noise.
Even after Alisha and I headed to bed, poor Lexus was so wound up that he wouldn't sleep! No matter what, he would not lay down or be quiet! He had been to the bathroom and we had given him some water, but nothing seemed to help. I went in there to see if he would lay down and then rest but he still seemed to have some secret source of energy! I thought he would be tired ... but nope. He had the energizer bunny inside!
I made another phone call to my mom to check on the status of the storm, since we didn't have internet connection. Nothing had really changed weather wise but 3 people were considered missing/dead and over 70 had been injured due to the storm.
That was quite an apt reminder that no matter how tired I was, I was blessed beyond measure!
I tried going to bed again and listening to some calming music on my ipod ... finally I started to drift off a little bit ... and then Lexus barked! That time, Alisha and I just turned the lights on a sat up with him for a bit. I decided that if anything else were to happen and we had to leave Tainan immediately, I wanted to be ready. So, I changed my clothes, tightly braided my hair and made sure all my stuff was ready to grab and go. Alisha was already sleeping before I got my stuff together. I don't know how she could sleep with all the sounds but she did! haha
Finally, probably around 4:30ish, I went to bed again. This time, I was able to get a few hours rest. We then got up, took Lexus to the dog hospital to watch him for the time being, picked up Joyce, and drove back to the house to check on the damage. Thankfully, the front gate and the side had flooded, but the inside and the homes had not been reached at all! Praise God! That was such a relief! Once inside, we checked for electricity and water, which were both still on! :) Between the three of us, we made the necessary phone calls and then got online to check/send emails.
Then, I took a nap and woke up around 5:30. I had checked the computer, had some salad and read the old new papers while I waited for Alisha to get home from tutoring. She brought some fried rice back, checked her computer, showered and went straight to bed.
And now, I must do the same for I am still quite wiped out ... while the storm is over, there are many people for whom the effects are far from over. Please remember to uplift them in prayer!!
If all goes well tomorrow, we are going to meet up for a bbq in honor of Moon Festival! :)
Until then,
K
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Night market!!
Tonight I finally got to go to a night market. haha :) I haven't been to one since I've been here this time. After prayer meeting and deciding that it's too dangerous to have service tomorrow due to the typhoon, the six of us went to the night market.
I ate some things that are like small potstickers and some more tian-bu-la! :) I love that stuff way too much! It is not really healthy for you in any way that I can think of. Anyways, long story short - I bought a watch! :) It's simple and cute-ish, so I'm happy. I'll post pics later.
I've been hoping to post more detailed and have pictures to show but that hasn't happened the last few days. Tomorrow!!! :)
Anyhow, it's 2am here and I need to get some shut eye. Don't forget to pray for Taiwan, especially the mountain areas! They seem to encounter the worse difficulties during typhoons.
OH! One more thing ... I was on the phone with Hanyen tonight because she called Alisha while Alisha was driving .. so naturally I answered ... anyways, she told me that they are blaming the typhoon on me!! haha Because last year when I was here, we had that huge Typhoon Morakot, and now, here I am again and we're expecting another huge storm. Those girls are too funny!
Okay, goodnight to all. :)
I ate some things that are like small potstickers and some more tian-bu-la! :) I love that stuff way too much! It is not really healthy for you in any way that I can think of. Anyways, long story short - I bought a watch! :) It's simple and cute-ish, so I'm happy. I'll post pics later.
I've been hoping to post more detailed and have pictures to show but that hasn't happened the last few days. Tomorrow!!! :)
Anyhow, it's 2am here and I need to get some shut eye. Don't forget to pray for Taiwan, especially the mountain areas! They seem to encounter the worse difficulties during typhoons.
OH! One more thing ... I was on the phone with Hanyen tonight because she called Alisha while Alisha was driving .. so naturally I answered ... anyways, she told me that they are blaming the typhoon on me!! haha Because last year when I was here, we had that huge Typhoon Morakot, and now, here I am again and we're expecting another huge storm. Those girls are too funny!
Okay, goodnight to all. :)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Word of the day: procrastination
I have managed to get up, shower, get dressed, make a decent lunch, clean up a doggy potty mess, and look for electronic dictionaries online(which turns out to be a more complicated decision that I expected.)
My school work is sitting in front on me ... but then again, so is some coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup ... choices choices ...
My school work is sitting in front on me ... but then again, so is some coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup ... choices choices ...
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Where is the remote????
Cuz I'm looking for life's, "Pause" and "Rewind" buttons!!
I'm presently sitting in the library after a failed attempt to check out material for one of my classes. :( Rawr ...
I've done some more Chinese speaking today ... lol Great surprise, right? Some helping myself and some of it helping others. It feels great when the words come out right. I'm finding that it seems easier to help others with their language than it does to help myself. When I know I need to go ask a question or something, my mouth feels dry and cottony ... words get stuck and just plain forgotten. However, when someone else is needing assistence, there is less pressure and the language feels easier.
I went to lunch with a huge group today but didn't stay to eat my lunch. I had a class at 1 so I had to take mine to-go. Even though I had to leave early, I'm glad I went. I'm enjoying spending time with the people here and getting more familiar with my fellow exchange students and the regular students here at Zhong Xing.
All of the classmates I'm meeting are so welcoming. Many of them are asking for my contact info and some have already found me on different social networks. Some people who aren't even in my classes are talking to me! haha Last night I was on the first floor of my dorm and a girl who seems a little shy just turned around and started asking me questions. We went back and forth between English and Chinese, but I try to mostly use Chinese. While sitting on the train on my way back to Taizhong on Sunday afternoon, I met four university girls. Two of them are English majors, one is a public relations major and I don't remember Lucy's. Lucy and I talked for almost an hour - just chit-chat, but then she connected with me online, too. Her family is from Taizhong so she will be here fairly often. She mentioned that we should go around the city sometime.
There seems to be an openness in their manner towards me, which is great. I'm exstatic and overwhelmed at the thought of reaching all these people with the gospel. Please pray for boldness, wisdom and tact as I make new friends.
Well, I need to get going ... I might up-date one more time today, after dinner. :)
Until then~
k
I'm presently sitting in the library after a failed attempt to check out material for one of my classes. :( Rawr ...
I've done some more Chinese speaking today ... lol Great surprise, right? Some helping myself and some of it helping others. It feels great when the words come out right. I'm finding that it seems easier to help others with their language than it does to help myself. When I know I need to go ask a question or something, my mouth feels dry and cottony ... words get stuck and just plain forgotten. However, when someone else is needing assistence, there is less pressure and the language feels easier.
I went to lunch with a huge group today but didn't stay to eat my lunch. I had a class at 1 so I had to take mine to-go. Even though I had to leave early, I'm glad I went. I'm enjoying spending time with the people here and getting more familiar with my fellow exchange students and the regular students here at Zhong Xing.
All of the classmates I'm meeting are so welcoming. Many of them are asking for my contact info and some have already found me on different social networks. Some people who aren't even in my classes are talking to me! haha Last night I was on the first floor of my dorm and a girl who seems a little shy just turned around and started asking me questions. We went back and forth between English and Chinese, but I try to mostly use Chinese. While sitting on the train on my way back to Taizhong on Sunday afternoon, I met four university girls. Two of them are English majors, one is a public relations major and I don't remember Lucy's. Lucy and I talked for almost an hour - just chit-chat, but then she connected with me online, too. Her family is from Taizhong so she will be here fairly often. She mentioned that we should go around the city sometime.
There seems to be an openness in their manner towards me, which is great. I'm exstatic and overwhelmed at the thought of reaching all these people with the gospel. Please pray for boldness, wisdom and tact as I make new friends.
Well, I need to get going ... I might up-date one more time today, after dinner. :)
Until then~
k
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Trying new things and making new friends
So today I went to the post office to check on paying a bill and sending a bunch of stuff, then to a tea shop, and to get lunch - all by myself. While it may sound really lonely, it's actually an improvement for me. lol I'm usually too cautious to go and do those things on my own. I've gone to the post office before, but the things I did were more simple. This time I had to try and communicate more, which was a struggle. Especially when the man helping me kept using English. :)
Theeeeen, I'm used to getting tea and other drinks on my own. That's easy! But when it comes to eating, I tend to grab food and return to my "hole" to eat. However, today I braved the storm and sat in the little shop to eat. I was able to ease drop a little and just unwind ... get comfortable in such settings. And the best part about it was that I found a place with pretty good fried rice really close!!! :)
I've tried a new tea that I like quite a lot! It's called, "文山清茶." I'm not sure what the English equivalent is ... sorry. :)
Last night, I went out to eat with the only other girl from the States and the Philippine girl that I met in the airport on my first day here. The girl from the States, B., can speak some Chinese, but this is her first time in Taiwan and she's not very used to ordering food and drink yet. The other girl, S., can't really speak Chinese at all so she depends on English menus or friends when it comes to meal time. Soo, long story short, I ending up helping both of them order drinks and food last night. :) It was really weird to be on the other end of the helping; being the help-er instead of the help-ee. I'm starting to get a little more comfortable in my "Chinese" skin when it comes to things of that nature. I even asked for a discount in a little stationary store! And got it! haha
On my way home, I broke down and stopped by 7. ^-^ Annnnd I bought an ice cream bar.
Last night made me put things in perspective in light of last year - things are so different now. I've changed. I've grown. I've gained a confidence I didn't believe was there. Praise God! I still have a very long way to go with my Chinese levels and with my confidence, but as the Chinese say, "慢慢來."
I had a horrid dream last night that my passport, my identification, my money and some other things were stolen. With my passport gone, I had no way to return home. I was picked up by some agency and accused of trying to illegally enter the US. As I continue to travel around, please continue to pray for my safety. I don't put much weight in dreams at all, but that dream was just real enough for me to ask for your continual prayer support!
Tonight, I met up with my student volunteer, some other Taiwanese students and two German students for dinner. We went to a little place that serves a Taiwan version of Italian food. I was pretty sure I ordered spaghetti with beef, but it tasted like pork. Also, they put corn in their sauce, which isn't marinara. I'm not sure what kind of sauce it was. It wasn't too bad though.
As you might have noticed, the plate has French on it ... not typically a good sign at an Italian restaurant. ;)
I already have meal plans for tomorrow as I'm going to meet up with a bunch of them again tomorrow for lunch. And then, I'm going to grab dinner with a couple of Korean girls from my floor. We'll probably have other people join our party. The more, the merrier! :)
Okay, well I should be studying, which means reading lots and lots of Chinese!!! Ahh!! And I also need to experience taking out the trash, which turns out to be a pretty complicated process here that includes a great amount of sorting. lol
Until later~
k
Theeeeen, I'm used to getting tea and other drinks on my own. That's easy! But when it comes to eating, I tend to grab food and return to my "hole" to eat. However, today I braved the storm and sat in the little shop to eat. I was able to ease drop a little and just unwind ... get comfortable in such settings. And the best part about it was that I found a place with pretty good fried rice really close!!! :)
I've tried a new tea that I like quite a lot! It's called, "文山清茶." I'm not sure what the English equivalent is ... sorry. :)
Last night, I went out to eat with the only other girl from the States and the Philippine girl that I met in the airport on my first day here. The girl from the States, B., can speak some Chinese, but this is her first time in Taiwan and she's not very used to ordering food and drink yet. The other girl, S., can't really speak Chinese at all so she depends on English menus or friends when it comes to meal time. Soo, long story short, I ending up helping both of them order drinks and food last night. :) It was really weird to be on the other end of the helping; being the help-er instead of the help-ee. I'm starting to get a little more comfortable in my "Chinese" skin when it comes to things of that nature. I even asked for a discount in a little stationary store! And got it! haha
On my way home, I broke down and stopped by 7. ^-^ Annnnd I bought an ice cream bar.
Last night made me put things in perspective in light of last year - things are so different now. I've changed. I've grown. I've gained a confidence I didn't believe was there. Praise God! I still have a very long way to go with my Chinese levels and with my confidence, but as the Chinese say, "慢慢來."
I had a horrid dream last night that my passport, my identification, my money and some other things were stolen. With my passport gone, I had no way to return home. I was picked up by some agency and accused of trying to illegally enter the US. As I continue to travel around, please continue to pray for my safety. I don't put much weight in dreams at all, but that dream was just real enough for me to ask for your continual prayer support!
Tonight, I met up with my student volunteer, some other Taiwanese students and two German students for dinner. We went to a little place that serves a Taiwan version of Italian food. I was pretty sure I ordered spaghetti with beef, but it tasted like pork. Also, they put corn in their sauce, which isn't marinara. I'm not sure what kind of sauce it was. It wasn't too bad though.
As you might have noticed, the plate has French on it ... not typically a good sign at an Italian restaurant. ;)
I already have meal plans for tomorrow as I'm going to meet up with a bunch of them again tomorrow for lunch. And then, I'm going to grab dinner with a couple of Korean girls from my floor. We'll probably have other people join our party. The more, the merrier! :)
Okay, well I should be studying, which means reading lots and lots of Chinese!!! Ahh!! And I also need to experience taking out the trash, which turns out to be a pretty complicated process here that includes a great amount of sorting. lol
Until later~
k
Monday, September 13, 2010
My first day of school ...
... and all I wanted to do was sleep! lol But despite that fact, it actually went pretty well. :) Thank God! My professor, as I have mentioned previously, is a wonderful lady and very compassionate. The students received me well, too. I exchanged emails and numbers with a few of them so I feel like I have a life-line now if I need help. :)
There were, naturally, language issues but I didn't cry or run out so we're doing good! :D We'll see how I feel next week after all the reading. ;)AHH!! I feel headaches coming on at the mere thought of it. But onward I march!
Btw, I'm multitasking ... using skype, yahoo messenger and blogging.
This was most definitely my lunch today. It's from a place called, "Mos Burger" which is supposed to be American food. Well, it kind of is in the sense that they are more expensive and that they sell salads and french fries! Actually, I was shocked to see that it looks like they also have criss-cross fries. So, I ordered beef and lettuce that came on, what I didn't know when I order it, rice patties! :) They were good but American places certainly don't offer rice "buns." lol
I picked up my student card today so I'm official aaaaand I can get into the library with ease.
I bought new headphones today!! I love the way they fit and I have no complaints about the sound quality. They are baby pink :)
On a super-possitive note, the internet down on the first floor is really fast which = easy adding of pictures to said blog.
After class, lunch and picking up my student card, I took a few pictures of the surroundings on my way home.
These are some rather large geese that I steered clear of:
Alright well that's about all I have to say at present. I'm going to take my tired self to get dinner and then I think it's going to be an early night. ^-^
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Applesauce, school and mosquitos
... these are the things on my mind. Did I mention that I also don't have secure access to internet in my room??? Ahh!! I'm going crazy! lol Okay, well maybe not crazy, but I just might if this keeps up the whole time I'm here.
Anyhow, my culinary adventures continue! I was on the phone with my mom on my Saturday night which was her Saturday morning. I was telling her that I'm thinking about making pork chops next week. Then she said that I could make applesauce really easily myself if I couldn't find it here. At that moment, next week and pork chops would just have to wait because the thought of warm, homemade applesauce was far more important!
So this morning I got up early, peeled those five apples I listed in my blog about shopping, de-cored them, sliced them and put them on the stove to cook. I could see myself as the little girl watching my mom make applesauce with all of the childish impatience I could muster. Those apples couldn't cook fast enough! When it was finally finished and mom would hand me a bowl of fabulously smelling applesauce, I again had to wait for the bowl and it's contents to cool. The anticipation only heightened my delight when I could, at last, partake of the deliciousness that had been tempting my nose that whole time.
Back to my adventures today, when the apples were soft enough, I mashed them and then added the cinnamon and sugar. With great anticipation, I scooped up a serving, grabbed a spoon and skillfully guided the spoon to my mouth. Delight! Pure delight with a side of homesickness. Childhood memories, the joy of fall time and a mother's love all inside a spoonful of applesauce. There is really no way to explain that to someone. How do you explain feeling full and empty, giddy and homesick, like laughing and like crying, all at the same time? You simply can't.
So, school ... I start tomorrow! :) I actually need to go to bed because it's 12 midnight here and I need to have a good sleep before class. I want to be alert in my 9:00am class! ha! But yes I am excited! Nervous about a new teacher, new students and new challenges that are going to be coming my way in a class taught in Chinese. But! I am confident of this one thing - God is my helper!!
As for the mosquitoes, they are biting me! Well, at least they did a couple days ago and I still have the itchy bumps from the bites! Last year, I don't really remember getting bit ... last year I was still a guest ... this year, they don't care. ;) lol
Awesome things are happening in Taiwan and in the services and in my life! Praise God! Hope everyone "State-side" has a wonderful service this Sunday! :)
Love to all~
k
Anyhow, my culinary adventures continue! I was on the phone with my mom on my Saturday night which was her Saturday morning. I was telling her that I'm thinking about making pork chops next week. Then she said that I could make applesauce really easily myself if I couldn't find it here. At that moment, next week and pork chops would just have to wait because the thought of warm, homemade applesauce was far more important!
So this morning I got up early, peeled those five apples I listed in my blog about shopping, de-cored them, sliced them and put them on the stove to cook. I could see myself as the little girl watching my mom make applesauce with all of the childish impatience I could muster. Those apples couldn't cook fast enough! When it was finally finished and mom would hand me a bowl of fabulously smelling applesauce, I again had to wait for the bowl and it's contents to cool. The anticipation only heightened my delight when I could, at last, partake of the deliciousness that had been tempting my nose that whole time.
Back to my adventures today, when the apples were soft enough, I mashed them and then added the cinnamon and sugar. With great anticipation, I scooped up a serving, grabbed a spoon and skillfully guided the spoon to my mouth. Delight! Pure delight with a side of homesickness. Childhood memories, the joy of fall time and a mother's love all inside a spoonful of applesauce. There is really no way to explain that to someone. How do you explain feeling full and empty, giddy and homesick, like laughing and like crying, all at the same time? You simply can't.
So, school ... I start tomorrow! :) I actually need to go to bed because it's 12 midnight here and I need to have a good sleep before class. I want to be alert in my 9:00am class! ha! But yes I am excited! Nervous about a new teacher, new students and new challenges that are going to be coming my way in a class taught in Chinese. But! I am confident of this one thing - God is my helper!!
As for the mosquitoes, they are biting me! Well, at least they did a couple days ago and I still have the itchy bumps from the bites! Last year, I don't really remember getting bit ... last year I was still a guest ... this year, they don't care. ;) lol
Awesome things are happening in Taiwan and in the services and in my life! Praise God! Hope everyone "State-side" has a wonderful service this Sunday! :)
Love to all~
k
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Breakfast for Dinner
This is what I am eating at the present moment: French toast made by Joyce. And may I say, it is quite delicious! I told Alisha I was going to eat her toast and mine! :)
Cleanliness is next to ... safety
I forgot to relay a detail about the HSR station that I happen to find quite amusing! After you purchase a ticket, you can go through the gate area 14 minutes before your train's departure time. Once through the gate, there are bathrooms, elevators and escalators and that's pretty much it. The elevators are for the elderly, disabled, pregnant or those will large luggage. So naturally I take the escalators. It's not uncommon for the escalators to talk to you so I'm used to that, such as in the airport. Usually it just says something like, "Please hold the rail," or "Watch your step." However, this one added a little something to the message and went something like this, "The handrail is occasionally disinfected. Please hold onto the rail for your security." :D
Friday, September 10, 2010
Kiss the Cook
So I tried my hand at food preparation again today and I think I actually did better than yesterday. :)
I had chicken and wanted it to actually taste good! So, I cut up two small breast pieces and made a marinade for it. :) Thank God for the idea! I used Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, green Tabasco sauce, cilantro(a considerable amount as you can see ^-^) and a small clove of garlic crushed and chopped finely. I put the chicken in it and let it set for a couple hours in the fridge. When I took it out, I poured it all in the pan and let it cook. Muah! It was sooo good! It kind of tasted like Lime-fiesta chicken. Aannnnd it smelled delicious!
I put together a yummy salad!: Lettuce, green onion, celery, two different kinds of sprouts, and green bell pepper. Then, I sliced tomato and boiled eggs for on top. Ground pepper to top it off and then ranch dressing! MMmmmm ... I love salad. And a plus about it, you can't really mess it up! :-)
I drank iced tea, again ... it's kind of a habit. We drink a lot of it around here! Pretty much every day, or maybe twice a day, we make a new pitcher of it.
Afterward, I had some ice cream! I tried both flavors and definitely prefer the coffee to the strawberry.
All in all, dinner was amazing!! :) I felt pretty content with the outcome of this experiment in the kitchen. Wish I could hand samples of the chicken to you guys through the screen ... :D
Well that's all for now~
k.
I had chicken and wanted it to actually taste good! So, I cut up two small breast pieces and made a marinade for it. :) Thank God for the idea! I used Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, green Tabasco sauce, cilantro(a considerable amount as you can see ^-^) and a small clove of garlic crushed and chopped finely. I put the chicken in it and let it set for a couple hours in the fridge. When I took it out, I poured it all in the pan and let it cook. Muah! It was sooo good! It kind of tasted like Lime-fiesta chicken. Aannnnd it smelled delicious!
I put together a yummy salad!: Lettuce, green onion, celery, two different kinds of sprouts, and green bell pepper. Then, I sliced tomato and boiled eggs for on top. Ground pepper to top it off and then ranch dressing! MMmmmm ... I love salad. And a plus about it, you can't really mess it up! :-)
I drank iced tea, again ... it's kind of a habit. We drink a lot of it around here! Pretty much every day, or maybe twice a day, we make a new pitcher of it.
Afterward, I had some ice cream! I tried both flavors and definitely prefer the coffee to the strawberry.
All in all, dinner was amazing!! :) I felt pretty content with the outcome of this experiment in the kitchen. Wish I could hand samples of the chicken to you guys through the screen ... :D
Well that's all for now~
k.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Miracles come in all shapes and sizes
I'm convinced of this fact! Reason: I've stopped biting my nails entirely! Those of you who know me, you know how much of a miracle this is!! I've tried many different ways to break the habit but all to no avail. Then one day, about a week before I left, I just stopped biting ... Thank God! I'm finally not embarrassed by my hands anymore. lol
God is so good! I can feel Him in every step of this trip and am so happy to be in His will.
I'm saddened by the fact that Pandora doesn't work overseas!!! Ahhh!! 怎么辦！？That's one of my favorite ways to play music ... for now, itunes will have to suffice.
So I was looking through my camera and there is a considerable amount of pictures that I have not posted for your looking pleasure. It is my most sincere intention to rectify that this very night. ^-^ I'm not sure if they can all be in order, but I'm going to try to keep it that way. This involves uploading them backwards! 辛苦我了！哈哈。
From Thursday, September 2, 2010:
On my first official day in Taizhong, I woke up sometime around 5 am and couldn't sleep so I got up and took some pictures as the sun was coming up over the city.
I love the view of the mountains in this shot:
This was taken inside the administration building during registration:
From Friday, September 3, 2010:
On Friday, we had orientation. The night before, my roommates asked me to go with them to get some breakfast, so I did. I still ended up buying food at 7 though. Notice the wording on the bread? :D The clear bottle is obviously water and the green bottle is aloe drink. Then there is the raisin bread, along with a tuna fan tuan! ^-^
This is the lunch box that the school very kindly provided for us after a morning of orientation sessions (I didn't eat very much of it):
This is my building!
That night, I took the HSR to Tainan. I was anxious to get "home" and rest. My dinner consisted of Japanese style fried rice and my favorite mango drink!
From Saturday, September 4, 2010:
♪ ♫"-scusa me, but-a you see, back in old Napoli that amore!" ♪ ♫ Everybody now, "Wheeeeeeeeeen the moooooon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore ... " This sign is on the front of Carrefour. This picture is dedicated to my brother: David, this picture is for you :) I miss listening to music and goofing around with you while doing dishes. lol
I saw this t-shirt on an aisle display and made the girls model! It look several attempts at a photo to get one with them both looking at me and not laughing hysterically:
Tea from Alisha's favorite tea shop! The name in English of the shop is, "Magic Hand Tea":
My steady standby - Black tea:
Our dinner: You probably can't tell what this is, so I'll tell you. In the bowl is danbing and luobogao!! Sooo good! And the other thing is some sort of fried flat bread with sesame seeds on top.
I already filled you in on what happened on Sunday ~~ Monday I slept alot! :)
On Tuesday, I went back to Taizhong to meet with my professor. In the morning, Alisha took me to the train station near my old school in Tainan. It takes about two hours by normal train to arrive in Taizhong. This sign reads, "The next stop's station: Taizhong."
After meeting with my professor, I felt so much better. All day Sunday I felt like God was trying to tell me not to worry, that He had it all under control ... but I wanted to say, "God, how can everything be fine? I'm stepping into a situation that I don't think I'm prepared for!!" When I met with her, she kept assuring me that I had no reason to be nervous. She said that when she began studying for her masters in the States, she cried and cried because of the language barrier, as well as educational and cultural differences. While I was listening to her, I took a deep breath and let it all the way out. The situation she described was exactly how I pictured my first day at Zhongxing. But even if it did go that way, now I had confidence because 1) God is with me, 2) I wouldn't be the first one to experience it, 3) it would get better. If my professor can face graduate school under such circumstances, I could certainly face one class under the same pressure. Now, I understand a little better why Jesus was trying to assure me on Sunday. Why is it that concepts are so hard to pound into my stubborn head?? The pressure doesn't feel as great as it did, although the pressure to perform so as to save face for my Davis instructor is still there. ^-^
But, on another note about that Tuesday, I wore new shoes to meet with my new professor ... not such a good idea. lol The shoes were appropriate for the occasion and I like their style, but they made blisters! I wore them for about five hours that day. Nearing the end of the fifth hour, I was walking with my toes curled as to try and avoid further aggravation to the skin of my toes! I took pictures of my blisters so I could show them off, but after second thought and a second look at the pictures, I decided it was too unseemly to post. ;)
One very important feature of my dorm room is the ability to look my belongings. :) If makes me feel better about taking off for the weekend. Now, all the locks I have are TSA approved ... so if someone from the airport wanted to raid my closet for some girly clothes or cleaning supplies, they totally could. For my sake, let's hope that doesn't happen. lol
Public transportation in Taiwan is beginning to scare me less and less as I gain experience using it. The transportation systems here are good and can take you up and down the east coast, especially, with ease. (if you know how to use the system, that is) There is also a deal of English in the stations and in the trains themselves which really help at times. In the high speed rail station, there are announcements made in Mandarin, Taiwanese/Min dialect and English. The electronic signs also switch back and forth from Chinese to English.
So on Tuesday, I got to the HSR station too early to go in the gate right away. With time on my hands and a hungry stomach, I wanted to grab something to eat. The closest thing to me in the station was a McDonalds. haha You laugh ... but you try carrying all my junk about the station and tell me how far you want to walk to get something to eat! lol I did feel funny, though, walking in. And for good reason ... An American walking into a relatively small McDonald's at which people have nothing better to do than people watch is not the best idea ever. :D haha I tried talking to the girl at the counter and ordering my food in Chinese but she responded to me in English. Since she obviously wanted to practice and I was tired, I figured that I would just make it easier on both of us and speak English. That wasn't the funniest part to me, though. After I had ordered my chicken sandwich and had already begun eating, I looked around to see if there was any ketchup or ranch available that I could grab. Well, the two girls working at the counter saw me looking around. The next thing I knew, one of them was walking up to me and handed me a few napkins. lol That was the first time I've ever been served something at a McDonald's.
One thing that the McDonald's here has that I'm not sure if the American ones have is the nutrition(or should I say, non-nutrition) facts on the packaging. This was for my chicken sandwich:
The ride from Taizhong to Tainan by HSR is about 45 minutes. The train is kept clean and is pretty comfortable to commute on. This picture was taken by me, evidently, of my window. I like how you can see the inside of the train and the outside city lights. This was taken when we were already moving:
This is me after a very long day beginning in Tainan and ending in Tainan, with a trip to Taizhong in the middle. Can you see the bags under my eyes? :)
This is my breakfast from yesterday(Wed, Sept 8): it may look like a hamburger, but it most certainly isn't. It's CHICKEN, egg and lettuce on a bun. lol Quite yummy!
Last night on the way home from Bible study, we stopped to get a bite to eat. 甜不辣！The literal translation is, "Sweet but not spicy," however it is usually always some degree of spicy. But oh is it ever tasty! This picture is some tien-bu-la tofu and yam on my little skewer stick:
And this is one of my favorite things to drink, Passion Fruit Tea! However, this cup of tea was especially sweet to the point of making me feel a little sick. Even so, it was pretty tasty:
Since the last few days, I've started tinkering with the piano, much to my amusement. It made me wish I had paid a little better attention in my music classes and my piano lessons. But, despite the tinge of regret, I'm really enjoying playing around. My sister said she would scan in some of my favorite sheet music and email it to me so I can print it out. I'm pretty jazzed about that. Thank God for the conveniences of modern technology!
Today we went grocery shopping at Ai-mart!! This is us checking out and the cashier checking on the price for the bag of yellow onions:
And this is what you can buy there for approximately $35 US:
*Two bags
*Two cleaning cloths
*20 eggs
*Two small cartons of icecream (one is coffee/carmel and the other strawberry)
*5 apples
*7 bananas
*Celery
*7 chicken breasts
*2 bunches of green onions
*1 large head of cabbage
*2 small heads of lettuce
*5 yellow onions
*11-12 small-medium sized potatoes
*5-6 medium sized, green bell peppers
*3 heads of broccoli
*1 small bag of string beans (think that's what we call them)
*1 container of cilantro
*1 container of bean sprouts
*2 containers of another kind of sprouts :) lol
*1 small bag of thin, little, white mushrooms
*3 medium sized tomatoes
Now that I don't bite my nails, I need another miracle in my life ... learning to cook! I tried to cook tonight and I didn't ruin the food, but I definitely need to work on this skill. Looking on the bright side, at least the girls and I didn't die from anything we ate tonight! :-)
In the cup: iced tea
In the bowl: umm like a soup lol ... potato, cabbage, celery, yellow onion, cilantro, those little white mushrooms, bean sprouts, salt, pepper and some other flavoring that Alisha put in ^-^
On the plate: kind of like fried rice, but not haha ... chicken, egg, rice, green onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder
***(As a side note, there is no problem with my ice tea making skills. If I ever offer you a cup of tea that I have had anything to do with, don't be afraid! Chances are, you will not only survive to tell the story, but also enjoy it. lol )***
Joyce's teacher gave her some fruit today and she brought it to share after dinner. The picture below is a fruit that smells like lemon, but it actually not bitter like lemon. I'm not sure what it's called. It has a green exterior, is pear-shaped and this one has a really thick rind. Joyce also shared a fabulous peach! It was amazing!!
We bought Lexus a new toy, too! It's a small tire that's supposed to be indestructible and make his breath smell better. It does feel pretty sturdy, but I don't have my hopes up about that last one. ;-) He seems to like it and its easy to play tug-a-war with so it's a win-win situation!
Speaking of playing, the last two nights, the three of us chicas have played Phase 10! 好玩哦！We've had a lot of fun. Joyce and I won both nights, with Alisha lagging behind only one phase. Alisha was talking about it afterward and she couldn't figure out why it happened that way both times. I told her that was because almost every time she had a skip card, she used it on me so it was justice!!
Okay, well I think you're all caught up now and I'm exhausted! :) I hope you've enjoyed taking a peek into my life the last few days.
~k
P.S. A major shout-out to Jane and Missy for fixing the missions board in my absence! :) It looks great!
God is so good! I can feel Him in every step of this trip and am so happy to be in His will.
I'm saddened by the fact that Pandora doesn't work overseas!!! Ahhh!! 怎么辦！？That's one of my favorite ways to play music ... for now, itunes will have to suffice.
So I was looking through my camera and there is a considerable amount of pictures that I have not posted for your looking pleasure. It is my most sincere intention to rectify that this very night. ^-^ I'm not sure if they can all be in order, but I'm going to try to keep it that way. This involves uploading them backwards! 辛苦我了！哈哈。
From Thursday, September 2, 2010:
On my first official day in Taizhong, I woke up sometime around 5 am and couldn't sleep so I got up and took some pictures as the sun was coming up over the city.
I love the view of the mountains in this shot:
This was taken inside the administration building during registration:
From Friday, September 3, 2010:On Friday, we had orientation. The night before, my roommates asked me to go with them to get some breakfast, so I did. I still ended up buying food at 7 though. Notice the wording on the bread? :D The clear bottle is obviously water and the green bottle is aloe drink. Then there is the raisin bread, along with a tuna fan tuan! ^-^
This is the lunch box that the school very kindly provided for us after a morning of orientation sessions (I didn't eat very much of it):
This is my building!
That night, I took the HSR to Tainan. I was anxious to get "home" and rest. My dinner consisted of Japanese style fried rice and my favorite mango drink!
From Saturday, September 4, 2010:♪ ♫"-scusa me, but-a you see, back in old Napoli that amore!" ♪ ♫ Everybody now, "Wheeeeeeeeeen the moooooon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore ... " This sign is on the front of Carrefour. This picture is dedicated to my brother: David, this picture is for you :) I miss listening to music and goofing around with you while doing dishes. lol
I saw this t-shirt on an aisle display and made the girls model! It look several attempts at a photo to get one with them both looking at me and not laughing hysterically:
Tea from Alisha's favorite tea shop! The name in English of the shop is, "Magic Hand Tea":
My steady standby - Black tea:
Our dinner: You probably can't tell what this is, so I'll tell you. In the bowl is danbing and luobogao!! Sooo good! And the other thing is some sort of fried flat bread with sesame seeds on top.
I already filled you in on what happened on Sunday ~~ Monday I slept alot! :)
On Tuesday, I went back to Taizhong to meet with my professor. In the morning, Alisha took me to the train station near my old school in Tainan. It takes about two hours by normal train to arrive in Taizhong. This sign reads, "The next stop's station: Taizhong."
After meeting with my professor, I felt so much better. All day Sunday I felt like God was trying to tell me not to worry, that He had it all under control ... but I wanted to say, "God, how can everything be fine? I'm stepping into a situation that I don't think I'm prepared for!!" When I met with her, she kept assuring me that I had no reason to be nervous. She said that when she began studying for her masters in the States, she cried and cried because of the language barrier, as well as educational and cultural differences. While I was listening to her, I took a deep breath and let it all the way out. The situation she described was exactly how I pictured my first day at Zhongxing. But even if it did go that way, now I had confidence because 1) God is with me, 2) I wouldn't be the first one to experience it, 3) it would get better. If my professor can face graduate school under such circumstances, I could certainly face one class under the same pressure. Now, I understand a little better why Jesus was trying to assure me on Sunday. Why is it that concepts are so hard to pound into my stubborn head?? The pressure doesn't feel as great as it did, although the pressure to perform so as to save face for my Davis instructor is still there. ^-^But, on another note about that Tuesday, I wore new shoes to meet with my new professor ... not such a good idea. lol The shoes were appropriate for the occasion and I like their style, but they made blisters! I wore them for about five hours that day. Nearing the end of the fifth hour, I was walking with my toes curled as to try and avoid further aggravation to the skin of my toes! I took pictures of my blisters so I could show them off, but after second thought and a second look at the pictures, I decided it was too unseemly to post. ;)
One very important feature of my dorm room is the ability to look my belongings. :) If makes me feel better about taking off for the weekend. Now, all the locks I have are TSA approved ... so if someone from the airport wanted to raid my closet for some girly clothes or cleaning supplies, they totally could. For my sake, let's hope that doesn't happen. lol
Public transportation in Taiwan is beginning to scare me less and less as I gain experience using it. The transportation systems here are good and can take you up and down the east coast, especially, with ease. (if you know how to use the system, that is) There is also a deal of English in the stations and in the trains themselves which really help at times. In the high speed rail station, there are announcements made in Mandarin, Taiwanese/Min dialect and English. The electronic signs also switch back and forth from Chinese to English.
So on Tuesday, I got to the HSR station too early to go in the gate right away. With time on my hands and a hungry stomach, I wanted to grab something to eat. The closest thing to me in the station was a McDonalds. haha You laugh ... but you try carrying all my junk about the station and tell me how far you want to walk to get something to eat! lol I did feel funny, though, walking in. And for good reason ... An American walking into a relatively small McDonald's at which people have nothing better to do than people watch is not the best idea ever. :D haha I tried talking to the girl at the counter and ordering my food in Chinese but she responded to me in English. Since she obviously wanted to practice and I was tired, I figured that I would just make it easier on both of us and speak English. That wasn't the funniest part to me, though. After I had ordered my chicken sandwich and had already begun eating, I looked around to see if there was any ketchup or ranch available that I could grab. Well, the two girls working at the counter saw me looking around. The next thing I knew, one of them was walking up to me and handed me a few napkins. lol That was the first time I've ever been served something at a McDonald's. One thing that the McDonald's here has that I'm not sure if the American ones have is the nutrition(or should I say, non-nutrition) facts on the packaging. This was for my chicken sandwich:
The ride from Taizhong to Tainan by HSR is about 45 minutes. The train is kept clean and is pretty comfortable to commute on. This picture was taken by me, evidently, of my window. I like how you can see the inside of the train and the outside city lights. This was taken when we were already moving:
This is me after a very long day beginning in Tainan and ending in Tainan, with a trip to Taizhong in the middle. Can you see the bags under my eyes? :)
This is my breakfast from yesterday(Wed, Sept 8): it may look like a hamburger, but it most certainly isn't. It's CHICKEN, egg and lettuce on a bun. lol Quite yummy!
Last night on the way home from Bible study, we stopped to get a bite to eat. 甜不辣！The literal translation is, "Sweet but not spicy," however it is usually always some degree of spicy. But oh is it ever tasty! This picture is some tien-bu-la tofu and yam on my little skewer stick:
And this is one of my favorite things to drink, Passion Fruit Tea! However, this cup of tea was especially sweet to the point of making me feel a little sick. Even so, it was pretty tasty:
Since the last few days, I've started tinkering with the piano, much to my amusement. It made me wish I had paid a little better attention in my music classes and my piano lessons. But, despite the tinge of regret, I'm really enjoying playing around. My sister said she would scan in some of my favorite sheet music and email it to me so I can print it out. I'm pretty jazzed about that. Thank God for the conveniences of modern technology!
Today we went grocery shopping at Ai-mart!! This is us checking out and the cashier checking on the price for the bag of yellow onions:
And this is what you can buy there for approximately $35 US:
*Two bags*Two cleaning cloths
*20 eggs
*Two small cartons of icecream (one is coffee/carmel and the other strawberry)
*5 apples
*7 bananas
*Celery
*7 chicken breasts
*2 bunches of green onions
*1 large head of cabbage
*2 small heads of lettuce
*5 yellow onions
*11-12 small-medium sized potatoes
*5-6 medium sized, green bell peppers
*3 heads of broccoli
*1 small bag of string beans (think that's what we call them)
*1 container of cilantro
*1 container of bean sprouts
*2 containers of another kind of sprouts :) lol
*1 small bag of thin, little, white mushrooms
*3 medium sized tomatoes
Now that I don't bite my nails, I need another miracle in my life ... learning to cook! I tried to cook tonight and I didn't ruin the food, but I definitely need to work on this skill. Looking on the bright side, at least the girls and I didn't die from anything we ate tonight! :-)
In the cup: iced tea
In the bowl: umm like a soup lol ... potato, cabbage, celery, yellow onion, cilantro, those little white mushrooms, bean sprouts, salt, pepper and some other flavoring that Alisha put in ^-^
On the plate: kind of like fried rice, but not haha ... chicken, egg, rice, green onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder
***(As a side note, there is no problem with my ice tea making skills. If I ever offer you a cup of tea that I have had anything to do with, don't be afraid! Chances are, you will not only survive to tell the story, but also enjoy it. lol )***
Joyce's teacher gave her some fruit today and she brought it to share after dinner. The picture below is a fruit that smells like lemon, but it actually not bitter like lemon. I'm not sure what it's called. It has a green exterior, is pear-shaped and this one has a really thick rind. Joyce also shared a fabulous peach! It was amazing!!
We bought Lexus a new toy, too! It's a small tire that's supposed to be indestructible and make his breath smell better. It does feel pretty sturdy, but I don't have my hopes up about that last one. ;-) He seems to like it and its easy to play tug-a-war with so it's a win-win situation!
Speaking of playing, the last two nights, the three of us chicas have played Phase 10! 好玩哦！We've had a lot of fun. Joyce and I won both nights, with Alisha lagging behind only one phase. Alisha was talking about it afterward and she couldn't figure out why it happened that way both times. I told her that was because almost every time she had a skip card, she used it on me so it was justice!!
Okay, well I think you're all caught up now and I'm exhausted! :) I hope you've enjoyed taking a peek into my life the last few days.
~k
P.S. A major shout-out to Jane and Missy for fixing the missions board in my absence! :) It looks great!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Chinlish - Englese - Confusion - Take your pick
Our brains are funny things indeed. While I do notice a possitve difference in my Chinese now versus last summer, there are still moments when my language gets totally mixed up and my brain doesn't quite shift gears all the way. For example, these are things that have either come out of my mouth or have crossed my mind:
*"What do you want to 吃?" (eat)
*"God, 帶嶺 them to the place you want them to be." (guide)
*"我愛你, too." (I love you)
*"Jesus, I pray for Joyce's 同學." (classmate)
Sometimes I get stuck on a word and it takes a minute to jog my brain. Anyhow, hope you have enjoyed these little bloopers. If any more crop up, I'll try to write them down and share them. We'll call them, "Chinglish of the Day." :-)
P.S. Here's a picture I found that I found you all might enjoy! Please take note of the little green and red signs near the bottom of the picture. :)
Whew!
Wow, a lot can happen in a matter of days, or hours for that matter.
Today, I started out in Tainan, then to Ligang, to Kaohsiung and finally back to Tainan. David, Joanna and their two adorable little girls came to Tainan this morning because David preached for us. After lunch, the Zhang family graciously agreed to take me with them to Ligang and Kaohsiung so I could see everyone. All three services were amazing! In each one, it seemed like there was a part that was speaking directly to me and the situations I'm facing. I love how God can speak through the preaching, no matter what the language may be - He knows the need. It's so humbling to realize that God takes time to reassure me again and again of His many promises. I felt so refreshed in my spirit after today's three services, although I was growing a little weary in body.
After church in Kaohsiung, David and Joanna took me to the train station. Joanna came inside and helped with the ticket and finding the platform so I wouldn't get lost and have to sleep in a train station all night long. lol :) If you're reading this, Joanna and David, thank you so much.
Their two girls are so sweet andsmart . The littlest one, endearingly called, "Mei-mei," said the following to me today in the car, "我坐，爸爸坐，媽媽坐，姐姐也應該坐！”/"I'm sitting, Dad's sitting, Mom's sitting, Big sister needs to sit, too!" I couldn't believe what I had just heard coming out of her mouth! She is hilarious! She is definitely not one to sit idly by while others get away with things they ought not. While the driver and any front-seat passengers must wear a seat belt, back-seat passengers in Taiwan are not required to wear a seat belt. However, because Mei-mei is only two, she still has to be fastened into a car seat - hence her strong feelings about the fact that her sister should sit down, too.
Sooo, exciting news!! Well, for me it is anyways. :) On Friday, I finished orientation and meeting people from my department so I got to go "home" to Tainan. Since most of my time last summer was spent there, there is a sort of home-i-ness about it. I left the dorm with my backpack, a purse and a small suitcase that I was pulling behind me. On the sidewalk, I was able to attract the attention of ataxi driver (Go figure ... a tall, white girl walking down the sidewalk with luggage wouldn't attract any attention at all ... no way.). Thank God I was able to communicate with him that I needed to be taken to the HSR station. Upon finding out that I can speak some Chinese, the questions began to pour in. We chatted for about the first 10 minutes of the drive. Finally at the airport, the meter read, "235NT," but he only charged me, "220." Then he pointed out which way I should go into the station. I'm glad he was kind.
So, there I went, bravely into an HSR station for the second time in my life and the first time by my self. But Jesus was with me. 因為神與我同在，不要怕！I started to use an automated machine to purchase my ticket but I don't think it had an English translation so I decided not to mess with it and just go to the counter. I waited in line for a while and then, the moment came: I had to walk up to another person I didn't know and ask them for some service in Chinese ... ah! And of course, in situations like that, getting tongue tied isn't exactly uncommon. But, Hallelujah, I got the right ticket and was off to find the platform. When Sis. B and I took the HSR from Taipei to Tainan, we were blessed to get a train that was leaving soon, but we almost missed it because it was set for a speedy departure. With that in mind, I was a little paranoid about getting to the platform right away as I didn't want to loose my money and miss the train.
Then I had to ask yet another person which direction to go in order to find Platform 1. I got there in plenty of time before the train came! :) Thank God! When I need to speak to people in Chinese but feel shy or awkward, I often take comfort in the fact that I will probably never see that person again! lol Perhaps the best way to practice is to be forced. Traveling alone forced me to take care of doing all the talking myself and to do it all in Chinese. Alisha was waiting for me at the HSR station and took me home, right after we picked up some to-go food and drink. At the end of the evening, I felt quite accomplished at having completed my first "solo mission." :D
Today was an awesome day all around. It was so good to see friends from last year! I miss you all when I'm in my Cali home! It was also great to be with another "leg" of the Bracken family tonight. I sat with Tiffany and the kiddos during service and got to do some chatting afterward. :) I needed that.
I have been too busy to put pictures up and haven't really wanted to sit down and make myself go through the ones I've taken ... but there is no foreseeable reason why I can't put a few up tomorrow. Hope I can ~
Until then,
kate
Today, I started out in Tainan, then to Ligang, to Kaohsiung and finally back to Tainan. David, Joanna and their two adorable little girls came to Tainan this morning because David preached for us. After lunch, the Zhang family graciously agreed to take me with them to Ligang and Kaohsiung so I could see everyone. All three services were amazing! In each one, it seemed like there was a part that was speaking directly to me and the situations I'm facing. I love how God can speak through the preaching, no matter what the language may be - He knows the need. It's so humbling to realize that God takes time to reassure me again and again of His many promises. I felt so refreshed in my spirit after today's three services, although I was growing a little weary in body.
After church in Kaohsiung, David and Joanna took me to the train station. Joanna came inside and helped with the ticket and finding the platform so I wouldn't get lost and have to sleep in a train station all night long. lol :) If you're reading this, Joanna and David, thank you so much.
Their two girls are so sweet and
Sooo, exciting news!! Well, for me it is anyways. :) On Friday, I finished orientation and meeting people from my department so I got to go "home" to Tainan. Since most of my time last summer was spent there, there is a sort of home-i-ness about it. I left the dorm with my backpack, a purse and a small suitcase that I was pulling behind me. On the sidewalk, I was able to attract the attention of a
So, there I went, bravely into an HSR station for the second time in my life and the first time by my self. But Jesus was with me. 因為神與我同在，不要怕！I started to use an automated machine to purchase my ticket but I don't think it had an English translation so I decided not to mess with it and just go to the counter. I waited in line for a while and then, the moment came: I had to walk up to another person I didn't know and ask them for some service in Chinese ... ah! And of course, in situations like that, getting tongue tied isn't exactly uncommon. But, Hallelujah, I got the right ticket and was off to find the platform. When Sis. B and I took the HSR from Taipei to Tainan, we were blessed to get a train that was leaving soon, but we almost missed it because it was set for a speedy departure. With that in mind, I was a little paranoid about getting to the platform right away as I didn't want to loose my money and miss the train.
Then I had to ask yet another person which direction to go in order to find Platform 1. I got there in plenty of time before the train came! :) Thank God! When I need to speak to people in Chinese but feel shy or awkward, I often take comfort in the fact that I will probably never see that person again! lol Perhaps the best way to practice is to be forced. Traveling alone forced me to take care of doing all the talking myself and to do it all in Chinese. Alisha was waiting for me at the HSR station and took me home, right after we picked up some to-go food and drink. At the end of the evening, I felt quite accomplished at having completed my first "solo mission." :D
Today was an awesome day all around. It was so good to see friends from last year! I miss you all when I'm in my Cali home! It was also great to be with another "leg" of the Bracken family tonight. I sat with Tiffany and the kiddos during service and got to do some chatting afterward. :) I needed that.
I have been too busy to put pictures up and haven't really wanted to sit down and make myself go through the ones I've taken ... but there is no foreseeable reason why I can't put a few up tomorrow. Hope I can ~
Until then,
kate
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