Second week in Taiwan

Wow, sorry everyone, it's been crazy over here. 

So, finally! I'm going to post about what I've done so far...and maybe post a few pictures too.

Maybe. ;P 

Alright, here goes: 

After orientation, which was good, exausting, and a blast at the same time, we rode the HSR (High Speed Rail) to Chiayi City, and met my office workers for the first time. (there is a picture of everyone on Facebook if you want to see us all.) Because this weekend was the Mid-Autumn/Harvest Festival or as the locals call it, the Moon Festival, we had an extra day off. 

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is an official harvest festival celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese peoples.^[1][2] The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar and Vietnamese calendar, during afull moon, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar, within 15 days of the autumnal equinox.^[1] The holiday is also celebrated in Korea [Chuseok] and Japan [Tsukimi].

Mainland China listed the festival as an "intangible cultural heritage" in 2006 and a public holiday in 2008.^[1] It is also a public holiday in Taiwan. Among the Vietnamese, it is considered the second-most important holiday tradition."

[taken from Wikipedia.com]

(Which would have been a lot of fun to really see, but I got sick and ended up stuck in the house for the weekend.)

Anyway, while I didn't get to see the locals celebrate the Moon Festival, I did hear the fireworks being shot from all the local temples in the area. (There are a lot of them.) It is...loud, and obnoxious, and pretty impossible to hear anything of it but the American Fourth of July. (wow, did I just say 'American'?!? I think I am pretty American, but Taiwan has been rubbing off on me. ;P)

This week is our office week, so all I have to do is sit in the office, type this up, and relax. I am really enjoying this week, let me tell you!

I believe though, that you have all had more than enough of me rambling all over the page about all this stuff, and want to see some pictures. 

Alright, alright, here you go!

:D

Those are both taken from my hotel room in Taipei Taiwan, at about 7am in the morning. 

Dr. Chen's health class, and my notes + scribbles. I was getting sorta sleepy, and started drawing so i could pay attention. I love Dr. Chen's health class, because he knows so much about health, and what is good for you and what is bad for you, but the unfortunate thing about that day, was that it was close to the end of the week, and I was having a hard time sitting still. Too much sitting took a major tole on my temper that week. Ugh. 

One of the Taipei night markets. They are even more amazing than I thought they would be. And the prices! Most clothing here is under $20 US, and that's even considered expensive here! (that's about 300 NT) Anyway, it was a blast, and I could never say how much fun it was to shop and only spend 100 NT in one day! (That's just over $3 US) 

My first experience with a traditional Chinese dinner. It was really amazing, and hilarious, because ont of the teachers from a previous year who had come back, ate the duck's brain. Sooo funny! 

Last look at Taipei till October! The country may be smoking hot, and miserable for a Westerner to live in, but the mornings are so worth all the nastyness. It is SUCH a beautiful country!!

Still the same day as the previous picture, this was my last day at the HTC building for the orientation. (was i EVER so glad!!) It is just me and Gabriel sporting our Indian/Taiwanese style bloomer...pant...skirt thingies. 

We arrived in Chiayi!! It felt so good to be home, this picture is thanks to Samuel Chen, one of the teachers at our school. (he's also the one who can fix all my computer issues when i inevitably break something! Yay!!)

My first experience with Anime. :D

My first attempt at cooking. Incidentally, I was still sick when I made this, so I put so much garlic into the recipe that I believe I smoked my ears out. (they have REALLY strong garlic here. burnt the roof of my mouth with the garlic, not the heat, the first time I ate the stuff.) It was really good though. 

 

My Birthday lunch yesterday!! It was a blast, I didn't have to pay...lol, almost the best part but not quite...it was also Fae's, (the girl in the red dress in the picture with the two ladies cutting the meat.) Fenny's and Samuel's birthday this month so we all went out and had amazing food. (oh, and I ate a bunch of leggy shrimp that everyone was surprised that I liked. :D What can I say, I'm full of surprises.) 

Oh, and we went shopping at the night market in Chiayi last night, and let me tell you...I found literally no clothes with Chinese on it, just some very funny English. The first dress, I have no idea what it says, and the shirt that Fae is holding cracks me up totally. 'I love you in your outside' which I believe meant that the cat would ruther the fish be out of the bowl. It is just too funny!!

Anyway, that's all I have for now, no more pictures to show, or things to talk about, so until next time!

Shalom

Yeshua be with you this week!

~Marissa H.