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| Our shower head |
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| The Food |
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| Me inside our table |
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| My seat |
Friday, October 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
C'est la Vie
This evening I found myself eating dinner and watching the BBC News and a Bundesliga football game. This led to some pondering. Questions like "When did chop-sticks feel comfortable in my hand?" "Why does rice with cooked lettuce, clams, and egg taste so good?" and "Why did I have to come half way around the world to watch a game of soccer?". The answers to these questions may not ever be answered like many of life's deepest mysteries. Chop-sticks are not only comfortable in my hand, they now feel like the "right" way of eating. As for the food I relish everything I eat, and crave certain foods like dumplings or pearl milk tea. Actually its hard to imagine life without them much like it was hard to imagine a life without Monday night pasta. At dinner I generally write in my dairy or "travel journal". I found myself recording and rereading some of this past weekends events which include fun and furry.
Friday night was a trip to the ever popular Ximen district, where masses of exchange students can be found walking about or eating dinner. That night my personal goal was to dine at Modern Toilet, and eat my dinner out of a toilet bowl. Modern Toilet is a restaurant that servers its meals in miniature sized toilets, while their customers sit on toilets. In fact the entire restaurant is based off of toilets. Some find the idea revolting while others find it incredibly amusing. Regardless of your personal thoughts there may be some cultural significance to Modern Toilet. I've read that Modern Toilet is profitable in Asia because bodily functions are culturally accepted for what they are and not generally fussed about.
Either way my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed Modern Toilet. I was seated on a toilet molded to the ground and the table top was glass over a bathtub. There was even a faucet on the wall. My friends and I found that the difficulty of eating at Modern Toilet wasn't the gross factor at all. The hardest part was preventing your dinner from coming out your nose because of all the laughter. The largest mystery of all was what type of toilet was in Modern Toilet's bathroom. The answer is just a simple squatter.
After all the fun I climbed onto a bus to head back home. After watching for my stop for over an hour I realized that the bus I was on wasn't going anywhere near my house. I was left on the bus with nobody but a laughing child who knew I was lost. To make matters worse it was ten minutes before my curfew and it was late. Luck wasn't on my side and instead of a central bus station I was dropped off at a dark and deserted park. I started walking fast in the direction I'd came from. I didn't find any bus stops that would bring me back home though so I called my host family. I was in quite the predicament because I didn't know where I was and had no way of finding out and my host family didn't know where I was. I found a helpful and nice convenient store worker and asked for help. After she talked with my host father for several minutes she told me to wait there. After mulling around the store for a while my host father appeared. Expecting furry or disappointment I was greeted with a smile. I owe my host family so much and I'm grateful that they put up with me. They even flatter me by saying I'm good. I wave goodbye to my new friends and climb into the car to find a grinning host sister and a host mother with a plate of fruit. I couldn't be luckier.
jlpane2930@gmail.com
Friday night was a trip to the ever popular Ximen district, where masses of exchange students can be found walking about or eating dinner. That night my personal goal was to dine at Modern Toilet, and eat my dinner out of a toilet bowl. Modern Toilet is a restaurant that servers its meals in miniature sized toilets, while their customers sit on toilets. In fact the entire restaurant is based off of toilets. Some find the idea revolting while others find it incredibly amusing. Regardless of your personal thoughts there may be some cultural significance to Modern Toilet. I've read that Modern Toilet is profitable in Asia because bodily functions are culturally accepted for what they are and not generally fussed about.
Either way my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed Modern Toilet. I was seated on a toilet molded to the ground and the table top was glass over a bathtub. There was even a faucet on the wall. My friends and I found that the difficulty of eating at Modern Toilet wasn't the gross factor at all. The hardest part was preventing your dinner from coming out your nose because of all the laughter. The largest mystery of all was what type of toilet was in Modern Toilet's bathroom. The answer is just a simple squatter.
After all the fun I climbed onto a bus to head back home. After watching for my stop for over an hour I realized that the bus I was on wasn't going anywhere near my house. I was left on the bus with nobody but a laughing child who knew I was lost. To make matters worse it was ten minutes before my curfew and it was late. Luck wasn't on my side and instead of a central bus station I was dropped off at a dark and deserted park. I started walking fast in the direction I'd came from. I didn't find any bus stops that would bring me back home though so I called my host family. I was in quite the predicament because I didn't know where I was and had no way of finding out and my host family didn't know where I was. I found a helpful and nice convenient store worker and asked for help. After she talked with my host father for several minutes she told me to wait there. After mulling around the store for a while my host father appeared. Expecting furry or disappointment I was greeted with a smile. I owe my host family so much and I'm grateful that they put up with me. They even flatter me by saying I'm good. I wave goodbye to my new friends and climb into the car to find a grinning host sister and a host mother with a plate of fruit. I couldn't be luckier.
jlpane2930@gmail.com
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Shool Fair and Double Ten Day
Last Saturday I found myself waking up at 6:00 to go to school. I was more than skeptical about going to school on one of my free days. Still slightly sour at rising so early I found my school transformed into a carnival ground. There was a balloon entrance over the archway and tents set up in the courtyard. Classes were taking out their windows so they could sell food. The day started with a tug of war competition. After several nagging classmates convinced me I should try my hand at tug of war my mood did a one-eighty. I found myself more than happy to be in school even after our team lost in the competition. Our class was selling cold noodles, and other treats included ice cream, dumplings, cookies, foaming soda, sandwiches, noodles, and other fried delights. I didn't try my hand at tossing water balloons at a human target or invest in inflatable swords although both were available. After walking around I was greeted by a group of schoolmates I haven't met before. They were more than excited to talk to me but the conversation was limited by the language gap. The language gap did not stop them from bringing up R-rated material though. Soon after sampling some food and snapping a picture of them I moved on to my tour of the school fair. My home room teacher was kind enough to show me around after my self tour. I sampled some more food, including green bean noodles cooked inside a tofu shell. During my tour I bumped into exchange students from another district. After short introductions and an exchange of business cards I finish my tour with my teacher in the library and a cup of Taiwanese tea.
Sunday is double ten day, which is Taiwan's national holiday. The festivities include a parade and fireworks at night. All the exchange students have sewn a giant international flag together for the parade. We are also expected to represent our country in the parade. We meet at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall to line up for the parade. It's great to see the traditional dress of so many different nations. Some garb includes soccer jerseys, cowboy hats, Obama shirts, flags draped around necks, berets and kimonos. With plenty of face paint and some body paint the exchange students filed into the parade with our giant international flag. The parade was a blast and heavily covered by the Taiwan media. The Latin Americans in the group brought a tambourine and we're going crazy singing and dancing all the way. Germans were shouting songs at the top of their lungs and a chorus of The Star-Spangled Banner emerged from the Americans. With sticky paint on my body and a rain poncho for a t-shirt I returned home hungry and tired. My host father and I went to Domino's to order dinner and I watched the fireworks show from the apartment's roof. Whenever I find myself in a pizza place I always have an urge to point to the cheese and pepperoni pizza, but I resist because I've had pepperoni pizza my entire life and so far every pizza I've had here has been great even if its topped with pineapple, shrimp, peas, or crab. Actually most of the food here has been good if not great.Yesterday I was eating some delicious dark green treats at lunch and upon closer examination I concluded it was seaweed that I was forking into my mouth. My new discovery didn't seem to effect my appetite because I continued eating plenty of seaweed along with my clams, oysters, and snails.
Comments or questions
jlpane2930@gmail.com
Sunday is double ten day, which is Taiwan's national holiday. The festivities include a parade and fireworks at night. All the exchange students have sewn a giant international flag together for the parade. We are also expected to represent our country in the parade. We meet at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall to line up for the parade. It's great to see the traditional dress of so many different nations. Some garb includes soccer jerseys, cowboy hats, Obama shirts, flags draped around necks, berets and kimonos. With plenty of face paint and some body paint the exchange students filed into the parade with our giant international flag. The parade was a blast and heavily covered by the Taiwan media. The Latin Americans in the group brought a tambourine and we're going crazy singing and dancing all the way. Germans were shouting songs at the top of their lungs and a chorus of The Star-Spangled Banner emerged from the Americans. With sticky paint on my body and a rain poncho for a t-shirt I returned home hungry and tired. My host father and I went to Domino's to order dinner and I watched the fireworks show from the apartment's roof. Whenever I find myself in a pizza place I always have an urge to point to the cheese and pepperoni pizza, but I resist because I've had pepperoni pizza my entire life and so far every pizza I've had here has been great even if its topped with pineapple, shrimp, peas, or crab. Actually most of the food here has been good if not great.Yesterday I was eating some delicious dark green treats at lunch and upon closer examination I concluded it was seaweed that I was forking into my mouth. My new discovery didn't seem to effect my appetite because I continued eating plenty of seaweed along with my clams, oysters, and snails.
Comments or questions
jlpane2930@gmail.com
Sunday, October 10, 2010
School Fair
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| Big Mike |
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| Tug o War |
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| Friends |
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| School's Birthday |
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| Green Bean noodles cooked inside tofu shell |
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Weekend
Friday I was back in school and afterwards I headed over to my Rotary Counselor's house to spend the weekend. My French friend Benoit was under my counselors care for the time being as well. That night we went out to a fundraising dinner. The Rotary Club here is well off and "rolls" with the "big dogs". The dinner included an auction to fund raise for a man running for City Councilman. Participants casually bidded on expensive alcohols and other items while eating dinner. I witnessed an item go for 10,000 new Taiwanese dollars on the first bid, and no that's not even close to ten U.S. dollars.
The following day started with a Rotary District Conference. Every exchange students brought their nation's flag to be sewn together to make a large international flag. I ended up sewing Sweden's flag because the Swedish exchange student wasn't there. The District Governor made an appearance and the entire event was covered by the media. I was interviewed along with my American friend Dan the Man. News broadcasts are up on YouTube but only my wrist watch makes a brief appearance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x2yHJ83iP8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m95W97HFKpU
After the giant photo shoot, exchange students split for lunch and a day out in Taipei. I spent my time with Benoit and some friendly Brazilians. It is common to run into groups of other exchange students in the streets of business districts. I would actually be surprised if I didn't see other exchange students and we usually chat for a while as people flow in between groups or form new ones. There are countless things to do, with easy access via the MRT. Weekends are never boring and often times exchange students will just meet at an MRT station and then decide what to do from there.
After some sushi and Starbucks, Benoit and I returned to my counselor's house. For dinner we went to a European restaurant where I thoroughly enjoyed my spaghetti, some escargot, and the rest of Benoit's lasagna. I did not forget how to use a fork and spoon to twirl my spaghetti although now I find using chop sticks satisfying and not frustrating. ( Most of the time)
The following morning was a trip to the beach. The group included plenty of new faces form the other district in Taiwan and several familiar ones from my own. Upon meeting my new friends I discovered my twin. He is from Central New York, on a Rotary exchange in Taipei, and he is going to D.C. next year to study international relations. We discussed D.C. and trick or treating at the embassies. We traveled by train and when we reached our destination the weather was dismal. We ate lunch form a local restaurant and I had milk tea. I have concluded that I will really miss milk tea and I suggest anyone to try it if they have the chance. We payed to get into the beach which was beautiful despite the overcast clouds. Soon the heavens opened up and it began to pour. That didn't stop most of the group from swimming in the ocean and neither did the lightning and thunder. Wet and sandy we headed back, the only casualties were a pair of sandals. These were quickly replaced thanks to the convenience of the local 7Eleven.(Open twenty-four seven!) The air conditioning on the train chilled us to the bone. Benoit and I cleaned up at my host counselor's house. Then we went out for dinner with my host counselor. This time it was Thai food, which was incredibly spicy and tasty. For now its back to work and apparently I have school Saturday.
Questions or Comments jlpane2930@gmail.com
The following day started with a Rotary District Conference. Every exchange students brought their nation's flag to be sewn together to make a large international flag. I ended up sewing Sweden's flag because the Swedish exchange student wasn't there. The District Governor made an appearance and the entire event was covered by the media. I was interviewed along with my American friend Dan the Man. News broadcasts are up on YouTube but only my wrist watch makes a brief appearance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x2yHJ83iP8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m95W97HFKpU
After the giant photo shoot, exchange students split for lunch and a day out in Taipei. I spent my time with Benoit and some friendly Brazilians. It is common to run into groups of other exchange students in the streets of business districts. I would actually be surprised if I didn't see other exchange students and we usually chat for a while as people flow in between groups or form new ones. There are countless things to do, with easy access via the MRT. Weekends are never boring and often times exchange students will just meet at an MRT station and then decide what to do from there.
After some sushi and Starbucks, Benoit and I returned to my counselor's house. For dinner we went to a European restaurant where I thoroughly enjoyed my spaghetti, some escargot, and the rest of Benoit's lasagna. I did not forget how to use a fork and spoon to twirl my spaghetti although now I find using chop sticks satisfying and not frustrating. ( Most of the time)
The following morning was a trip to the beach. The group included plenty of new faces form the other district in Taiwan and several familiar ones from my own. Upon meeting my new friends I discovered my twin. He is from Central New York, on a Rotary exchange in Taipei, and he is going to D.C. next year to study international relations. We discussed D.C. and trick or treating at the embassies. We traveled by train and when we reached our destination the weather was dismal. We ate lunch form a local restaurant and I had milk tea. I have concluded that I will really miss milk tea and I suggest anyone to try it if they have the chance. We payed to get into the beach which was beautiful despite the overcast clouds. Soon the heavens opened up and it began to pour. That didn't stop most of the group from swimming in the ocean and neither did the lightning and thunder. Wet and sandy we headed back, the only casualties were a pair of sandals. These were quickly replaced thanks to the convenience of the local 7Eleven.(Open twenty-four seven!) The air conditioning on the train chilled us to the bone. Benoit and I cleaned up at my host counselor's house. Then we went out for dinner with my host counselor. This time it was Thai food, which was incredibly spicy and tasty. For now its back to work and apparently I have school Saturday.
Questions or Comments jlpane2930@gmail.com
Sick
Last week I fell ill. I was stuck by a sudden cold and missed school Tuesday and Wednesday. My Cold included a trip to the doctor's where I was prescribed four and a quarter pills to take three times a day. I thought it was a little over the top taking so much medicine but I complied with all the doctor's orders, including his claim that cold water wasn't good for me. There were several other home remedies that conquered my illness as well. I consumed more fruits and vegetables in those two days than I've had in my life. I learned that "I was eating to few before hand". I was also strongly recommended to take a jog to work up a sweat. Much to my concern I was not allowed to consume my precious peanut butter. After asking why I was told that germs like peanut butter and I don't blame the germs, who doesn't like peanut butter?
The highlight of my illness was being able to wear one of the infamous masks to confine my sickness. My only complaint is that Hello Kitty repeatedly appeared on my medicine packaging.
Questions or Comments jlpane2930@gmail.com
The highlight of my illness was being able to wear one of the infamous masks to confine my sickness. My only complaint is that Hello Kitty repeatedly appeared on my medicine packaging.
Questions or Comments jlpane2930@gmail.com
School
At 6:00 AM my alarm goes off, I rise and fix myself breakfast and pack my lunch. It's another school day except its Wednesday, which means I get to wear real pants and a button down shirt. I'm able to avoid the all to crowded bus by taking the student only bus. Before this discovery I would find myself packed in a bus gripping onto the handrail above, with my elbow precariously hanging above someone's head.
As we cross the Danshui River I take in all the mountains surrounding Taipei. Speeding down the highway next to the bus is a motor scooter. Although only designed for two, the people of Taiwan often fit three or four people onto one. This particular motor scooter held two adults with helmets sitting on the motor scooter and a little girl standing in the front, hair loose and blowing straight back. Most moms I know wouldn't place their child on a motor scooter without a helmet and speed down the highway but most moms I know don't own a motor scooter or live in Taiwan.
I've been told that the Taiwanese can read or share their thoughts while on the road. I think this might be necessary since motor scooters regularly weave through traffic and blow through red lights.
Questions or Comments jlpane2930@gmail.com
As we cross the Danshui River I take in all the mountains surrounding Taipei. Speeding down the highway next to the bus is a motor scooter. Although only designed for two, the people of Taiwan often fit three or four people onto one. This particular motor scooter held two adults with helmets sitting on the motor scooter and a little girl standing in the front, hair loose and blowing straight back. Most moms I know wouldn't place their child on a motor scooter without a helmet and speed down the highway but most moms I know don't own a motor scooter or live in Taiwan.
I've been told that the Taiwanese can read or share their thoughts while on the road. I think this might be necessary since motor scooters regularly weave through traffic and blow through red lights.
Questions or Comments jlpane2930@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
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