Well, I have officially switched to my last host family. They are so sweet! I have 2 younger host sisters, one is 16, she's going to Hungary next year, and one is 15. The dad is super nice and always asks for certain words in English and the mom has offered to teach me to cook Taiwanese food if I'll teach her to cook Canadian food. My room is so big! It's got foam on the floor, so it's really comfortable and a big window so I can see all of Taipei outside. I now live on a mountain, it's really beautiful, but a little inconvenient because the bus down the mountain only comes once an hour, so I'm eaither really early to school, or really late.
On Sunday, there was an earthquake, which is no big deal, I'm pretty used to earthquakes, they're really fun! But there was another one yesterday which was big enough that a mountain actually moved, I didn't see the before and after pictures on the news, but my friends were telling me about it. And it also triggered a landslide that lasted 52 hours and they believe that 4 people have been buried underneath. I saw people digging through it on the news. It covered a highway, so now there's lots of traffic.
Other than that, I'm okay. It's a cold and rainy day, ah! I miss hearing Dad say that! It's cold and rainy here pretty often. Tomorrow it's supposed to be warm and rainy and the inbounds are going to the zoo for culture class. It's weird. On Monday, the morning was cold, the it warmed up around noon, like warm enough that I thought I was going to melt then a few hours later, it got really cold again. The weather here is stupid, why can't it just stay the same?
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now! Still don't know my address, I keep forgetting to ask, sorry!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Sky is Falling!!
Hey, I just have to tell you about this! So I was reading Holes today in school, and you know how Stanley ends up at Camp Green Lake because some shoes fell from the sky and he got blamed for stealing them? Well, walking back to the appartment from the bus stop, almost home from school and all of a sudden, this sandal lands right in front of me. I looked up and the other one was falling towards me, so I moved and it didn't hit me. I had to laugh. It was someone from the same building as me. But the sad thing is that this isn't uncommon here. I remember on some my first few weeks here how I'd be waiting at the bus stop with other people and they'd be eating or drinking something and when they were finished, they'd just throw their garbage on the gound! It's discusting! Just this morning when I was waiting for the bus there was a girl there drinking milk and eventually she decided she'd had enough and poured the rest of the carton out then threw the empty carton on the ground! These people are like animals, it's sad how I'm getting used to this. I've never done anything like this, either in Canada or Taiwan, I know better than that.
This is why we aren't allowed to eat or drink on the subway, because people will just throw their garbage on the floor. Betel nut is also really gross. It's basically this red gunk that people chew and store in their cheeks when they're not chewing it, then when they're done, they just spit it out on the sidewalk. It's amazing how much of this people can fit into their mouths. I've seen people spit their entire load out and it truly is discusting. This is why you'll see red smears all over the sidewalks and roads here. You're also not allowed to chew betel nut on the subway because it's discusting enough when you're not on the subway. It also stains people's teeth red, so you can always tell who's been at it.
I thought, Taiwan being an advanced country, that they'd have a little more manners than this. I can't wait to get back to human civilization in Canada!!
This is why we aren't allowed to eat or drink on the subway, because people will just throw their garbage on the floor. Betel nut is also really gross. It's basically this red gunk that people chew and store in their cheeks when they're not chewing it, then when they're done, they just spit it out on the sidewalk. It's amazing how much of this people can fit into their mouths. I've seen people spit their entire load out and it truly is discusting. This is why you'll see red smears all over the sidewalks and roads here. You're also not allowed to chew betel nut on the subway because it's discusting enough when you're not on the subway. It also stains people's teeth red, so you can always tell who's been at it.
I thought, Taiwan being an advanced country, that they'd have a little more manners than this. I can't wait to get back to human civilization in Canada!!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Biking in Danshui
Since Taekwondo is over (see movies on YouTube! 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-CIFyS0IW4 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyV-ZknR9jY) we only have a few more culture classes left before the semester is officially over, even though no one actually leaves until June. So today we went to Danshui, or a few MRT stops away from it, rented some bikes and rode to Danshui.
It was so much fun! We should have been doing this a long time ago. I mean, pedalling down narrow street, trying to avoid the scooters and the lanterns hanging above us. It was so beautiful! Then we got to the ocean and for the majority of the ride, we were riding parallel to the ocean and had a nice breeze to cool us down. Most people got sunburned, but it was worth it! I'm not as bad as some people, but I still used quite a bit of aloe vera when I got back. Now I'm so tired!
One of the Rotarians owns a restaurant in Danshui, so we ate lunch there. He's so nice! He keeps telling us to go to his restaurant and he'll give us free food, and he doesn't lie! I think everyone ate for free and people were saying that they've been there before and have eaten for free. I wish all Taiwanese Rotarians were like this. But I only have 2 months left to survive. Tomorrow is my 8 month anniversary! Ahh! It's all going to quickly! I still have quite a few gifts to buy, so if you have any suggestions, email me: jazz_bond123@hotmail.com
See you in approx. 2 months!
It was so much fun! We should have been doing this a long time ago. I mean, pedalling down narrow street, trying to avoid the scooters and the lanterns hanging above us. It was so beautiful! Then we got to the ocean and for the majority of the ride, we were riding parallel to the ocean and had a nice breeze to cool us down. Most people got sunburned, but it was worth it! I'm not as bad as some people, but I still used quite a bit of aloe vera when I got back. Now I'm so tired!
One of the Rotarians owns a restaurant in Danshui, so we ate lunch there. He's so nice! He keeps telling us to go to his restaurant and he'll give us free food, and he doesn't lie! I think everyone ate for free and people were saying that they've been there before and have eaten for free. I wish all Taiwanese Rotarians were like this. But I only have 2 months left to survive. Tomorrow is my 8 month anniversary! Ahh! It's all going to quickly! I still have quite a few gifts to buy, so if you have any suggestions, email me: jazz_bond123@hotmail.com
See you in approx. 2 months!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
3480 District Conference
This weekend was the district conference for my host Rotary district, 3480. The exchange students had to be there the entire time, which was a bit of a waste. We had to be at the Taipei Grand Hotel at 9:00 on Saturday morning, so I, once again, did not get the chance to sleep in. We had to set up another country fair, so Joe, the guy in charge of the inbounds, told us to bring everything we brought from our countries to give away, so I filled my backpack with stuff and when I got there realized that we had 2 tables that were supposed to be enough for every country represented here. Once we had set up, we sat around for 3 hours until lunch, then the outbounds arrived and we talked with them for a bit. There's one boy, out of 40, going to Canada, and he's going to my sponser district! I'm so excited!
After that, we waited around some more until 6:00 when we changed into our Taekwondo uniforms and warmed up for our presentation. Again, another miscalculation by Rotary, there was already a band on the stage, so we didn't have enough room to do the routine we had planned, so we had to change it around a bit. Long story short, the person holding the wood I was supposed to break accidently broke it before I had the chance. One of the French boys fell when he swung his leg forward to kick his piece of wood and another French girl broke her wood with her head. I didn't take a video because something is wrong with my camera at the moment, but I'm waiting for someone else to, so many people took videos! After the demonstration, we all had to pose in the fighting pose and wait for people to finish taking pictures, then the district governor and his wife came onto the stage and they took some more pictures! My legs were sore after that.
For the Kung-Fu, all the exchange students did that. Only the people who were willing to put the time and effort into Taekwondo did the first performance. There wasn't enough room on the stage for all the exchange students, so people ended up falling over and it didn't go well. But, of course, the district governor and his wife came up afterwards to take more pictures.
After Kung-Fu, the people who did Taekwondo had to change back into our uniforms (they have our chinese names on the from and say Taiwan in Chinese and English on the back!) and pose for more pictures with our coach and in groups. Then we could go home.
This morning, I actually ended up skyping my parents and sister and cat before going to the second part. Actually, no, that's a lie, after I skyped my family, my host dad took notice o my coughing and dragged me to the doctor's office where I got mediation for a cold. I told him that a cold is no big deal, every Canadian gets at least one cold per winter, but he was freaking out!Justgive me kleenex, and I'm pretty sure I'll make it. On the plus side, I got weighed and realized I lost 5 kilos since December!
District conference wasn't so bad, we didn't have to be there until 1:30 and I went with my host sister this time. Then we just had to listen to rotarians talk for about 2 hours, clean up and then it was over.
My host family took me out for dinner because I switch to my 3rd and final host family on Saturday. I gave them their gifts and they gave me money to buy clothes, because apparently, I don't buy enough Taiwanese clothes! Then they signed my memory book. I'm going to miss this family. A lot. Then we watched the National Geographic channel and now I think I'm going to take a shower. The bathroom is free, which is rare!
Stay in touch, I'll let you know my new address as soon as I do!
After that, we waited around some more until 6:00 when we changed into our Taekwondo uniforms and warmed up for our presentation. Again, another miscalculation by Rotary, there was already a band on the stage, so we didn't have enough room to do the routine we had planned, so we had to change it around a bit. Long story short, the person holding the wood I was supposed to break accidently broke it before I had the chance. One of the French boys fell when he swung his leg forward to kick his piece of wood and another French girl broke her wood with her head. I didn't take a video because something is wrong with my camera at the moment, but I'm waiting for someone else to, so many people took videos! After the demonstration, we all had to pose in the fighting pose and wait for people to finish taking pictures, then the district governor and his wife came onto the stage and they took some more pictures! My legs were sore after that.
For the Kung-Fu, all the exchange students did that. Only the people who were willing to put the time and effort into Taekwondo did the first performance. There wasn't enough room on the stage for all the exchange students, so people ended up falling over and it didn't go well. But, of course, the district governor and his wife came up afterwards to take more pictures.
After Kung-Fu, the people who did Taekwondo had to change back into our uniforms (they have our chinese names on the from and say Taiwan in Chinese and English on the back!) and pose for more pictures with our coach and in groups. Then we could go home.
This morning, I actually ended up skyping my parents and sister and cat before going to the second part. Actually, no, that's a lie, after I skyped my family, my host dad took notice o my coughing and dragged me to the doctor's office where I got mediation for a cold. I told him that a cold is no big deal, every Canadian gets at least one cold per winter, but he was freaking out!Justgive me kleenex, and I'm pretty sure I'll make it. On the plus side, I got weighed and realized I lost 5 kilos since December!
District conference wasn't so bad, we didn't have to be there until 1:30 and I went with my host sister this time. Then we just had to listen to rotarians talk for about 2 hours, clean up and then it was over.
My host family took me out for dinner because I switch to my 3rd and final host family on Saturday. I gave them their gifts and they gave me money to buy clothes, because apparently, I don't buy enough Taiwanese clothes! Then they signed my memory book. I'm going to miss this family. A lot. Then we watched the National Geographic channel and now I think I'm going to take a shower. The bathroom is free, which is rare!
Stay in touch, I'll let you know my new address as soon as I do!
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