 |
| Stuffed like sardines on the train |
 |
| Kiddy urinal |
 |
| On the bus |
This week has been crazy. So Monday was the day we looked at the Buddha and everything. On Tuesday we took the train to Taichung. We spent time at this huge department store that is almost like a mall. It is 14 floors and in two different buildings. This place is known for its bathrooms. Each bathroom on every floor is differently decorated. We saw one lined with mirrors. One was all red. One all blue. The bathroom on the children's floor was the coolest. It had tiny toilets for the kids and it was decorated like you are under the sea. It was awesome! On the way back to the bus we bought waffles. Some of the waffles were filled with meat and corn. Mine had a chocolate that was like nutella but wasn't and bananas. Oh we also tried to eat at this restaurant called modern toilet. It was decorated with toilets and bathtubs. So weird. We ended up not eating there but I got some pics before we left. I creeped on a couple cuz they were eating out of a toilet bowl! It was a crazy place.
 |
| Kiddy Potty |
Wednesday was my first day teaching. Over the last 8 teaching days, I have come to really care for the kids in my class. However, they are 9 year olds and they are crazy! I don't know why anyone would want to teach elementary school! These kids have such high energy and I just do not have that much energy. It also doesn't help that the teacher they had right before me, Lauren, is pretty awesome. They loved Lauren and did not want her to leave. So they act bad for me because they want her back. I think after a little time to get over her and time to get to know me that things will settle down a little bit. Not gonna lie, even I want Lauren back. She is really fun.
 |
| Modern Toilet |
 |
| This is the pic where im creeping. Look what they are eating out of! |
So the week consisted of teaching and trying to get used to being a teacher. Not only class time but prep as well. Everything is just so new and different. I enjoy teaching-when the kids are listening. On Friday night we went to a night market. It is almost like a small fair type thing. It has food and games for kids and cheaper clothes and accessories. I was pretty fun. Saturday night I checked out Shopping street which is exactly what it sounds like. A whole street of shops. We also saw some cool temples and took some pictures outside of them. I am loving everything about being here living in the culture. The things im not liking so far are the roaches, and the food. I mean, the food is eatable. It's just like, you dont eat for fun anymore. You only eat until your stomach stops eating itself and enough so that you know you will survive another day. Ok maybe i'm being a little dramatic. But when they eat something called stinky tofu for fun, you know something is not ok. So think about the thing you hate smelling most in the whole world. For some its poo, for some throw up. For me its spit. Spit is my least favorite smell. You know when you sneeze and you cant catch it so your spit gets on your hand or shirt and then you can smell it for a while after. Uck. I gag at that smell. Stinky tofu smells like that. To Rochelle, another teacher, it smells like dog poo. So basically it smells like the thing you hate smelling the most. And people eat it. I have a strict-do not put in mouth if it smells bad- policy. So that is one thing here I ain't ever gonna try.
 |
| Night Market |
One thing I have found that I could eat everyday is chocolate cake. And not chocolate cake in Taiwan in general. No they dont really know how to do chocolate here. Oh and be prepared because if you find something that looks like chocolate and order it, it could be mashed black beans put into dessert. Yum! But anyways this one place by school sells chocolate cake that is delicious. I also found another place that makes these chocolate balls that are more dense than the air filled cake. The balls taste almost like brownies with a hard chocolate shell. (can you tell I have to imagine a lot of flavors here?-Just close your eyes and it can happen).
 |
| Oh hey night market |
 |
| Cake=goodness |
So I don't mean to sound all complainy. Mid all this happening, a lot of fun has happened, nothing major yet, but im a huge nerd so just being here is amazing. Also not gonna lie, riding a bike everywhere is kinda fun. Never thought I would ever say that. But there is something about riding in the midst of cars and scooters and pedestrians and trying not to get hit and trying to make this light or that one, that is exhilarating. Also, once I had my own room and space, I settled in quite nicely. I feel like there is no where else I could be right now, no where else I should be, and no where else I want to be. I know I am supposed to be here, having these experiences good and bad. I am already so much more grateful with what I have been given in life and I know there is so much more to learn about teaching, Taiwan and myself.
 |
| What does this even mean? |
 |
| Yummy waffle from Taichung |
 |
| Taken off the Super 131 Facebook page |
 |
| The one in the middle is my favorite |
Sunday was great. We rode our various forms of transportation to church and then had break the fast. Which was amazing cuz there were brownies there. On the way home we get on the bus next to the big mall I was talking about earlier. There was a stage set outside of it basically on the street with fans gathering around it. We figured it had to be some sort of concert but the three of us are the new ones and we had no idea what was going on. By asking someone we figured out that the performers were coming within ten minutes. The nice girl that told us insisted we had to stay and watch because it was "Five Handsome boys with dancing!" That was enough for me and Rochelle. I'm not sure if Eric had as much fun as we did but we were like giddy school girls. I felt like I was 10 and this was Nysnc. Except I had no idea what they were singing about. They performed a song (which did include some pretty sweet dance moves and flips). The guys were the tallest and cutest guys I have seen since I have been here. After the first song they did an interview. It was about 15 minutes. We decided to stay because when else do you get to see an Asian boyband perform in Asia on the street! We had no idea what was being said but we laughed along when everyone else did (something I learned growing up with Danish family and Mexican best friends). One of them was released from the hospital for this concert, he still had the wrist band and needle thing in his arm! The boys thanked everyone for being there-Thank you is one word I know- and then pointed at the three of us and thanked the "white people" for being there! We waved back very energetically. Rochelle and I are basically peeing our pants from excitement and laughing because we had heard about white people praise but it is so weird actually getting it. After a slower song, which was pretty catchy, they signed CDs they were selling. What's a better souvenir? Needless to say I bought a CD and shook all their hands. One asked if I spoke Chinese, I said no. I think they kinda laughed because we stayed the whole time not having a clue what was going on. I asked if I could take a picture with them and they said wait a minute. I stood off to the side not knowing what to do. Should we leave? Did they remember? The girl holding people back on our side kinda slyly asked the manager/body guard guy and we got a thumbs up to stay there so that was cool. When they were saying good bye they said white people again and we waved to the crowd. Then they brought us out on stage to take pictures! We shook their hands again and said bye. So I have no idea why I felt 12 but it was so so much fun.
 |
| My signed CD |
 |
| Outside a temple |
 |
| Duck head |
 |
| I am an Alien! |
This last week went by super quick with ups and downs. After cleaning the roach problem is getting better. I found the brownie bit things this week. Tuesdays we had physicals at the hospital and I realized that I'm an alien in this country. So weird. This weekend we chilled a lot. Sunday I wanted to cry on the way to church cuz it was raining. My pancho helped a little but I was soaked and it was not a fun experience. I survived though and church is like a safe haven. English speakers, central air, and carpet. Gotta love the Church. So this is Uber long but its like two weeks worth of info so hope that was fun :)
K so everyone that knows me pretty close would call me a minor hoarder. Not like I need to be on Hoarders or anything but I don't like throwing away things that have memories attached to them. Mostly because I have a horrible memory (hence me writing every detail on this journal/blog) and if I see something, memories come back that I would have never remembered if I had not saved this thing (whatever it is). But, since I have been in Taiwan, I have been looking at things I brought and not being able to wait until I can throw it away. Not anything super special, mostly like bottles of shampoo or facewash or random things like that. But sometimes I even look at a piece of clothing and think, "that's not coming home with me". Who am I? It is the weirdest thing every time I think it! I think it might be because I know that when I use something up, it means I will be closer to coming home. Also it is one less thing I have to shove into my suitcases when I pack to come home. Less weight I have to carry by myself. Hopefully this thought process continues until I actually leave..
