Ordering food

I had to share this photo, I think Peggy took it.  It really captures the process of trying to order something to eat.  In this case, Linda and I were trying to order mango shaved ice, which is incredible, but we didn't want the bucket size that was displayed.  So we were trying to convey that we wanted a smaller size.  Which worked, sort of.

Neiwan and Beipu

Spent the day in Neiwan and Beipu with 8 other FET's, had a great time.


 The mountains in Hsinchu County are beautiful.

Suspension bridge

Old Street in Neiwan

Went to the cartoon museum a famous Taiwanese artist, Liu Xing-Ching, has a museum there.  This one is Great Auntie

Neiwan Station

We had lunch at a Hakka restaurant in Neiwan, and wandered around the shopping area for awhile.

Next, we drove to Beipu

Temple

We wandered around Beipu for awhile, and found a park at the top of a hill.  A Taiwanese family told us the history of the area.  Sometime in the early 20th century, there was a battle here between the Japanese and the Hakka people.  The park is a memorial to that battle.

Stopped at a photography exhibit

Dinner was onion pancakes and then a quiet train ride home.

Tongxiao

...without cable, hot water, Vietnamese food...

Up until Tuesday afternoon, I didn't have any of those things.  At least I have hot water now.  I didn't until Tuesday afternoon, which made me tired and grumpy for two days.  At least the conversation with my co-teacher was funny:

"Anything you need about the new apartment?"

"Yes, I don't have hot water."

"Ahhh, for cooking?"

"No, for showering."

My landlord came to fix it that afternoon, so I'm good.

I took a lot of pictures around Tongxiao the last few days, just to document what it's like:

 Tongxiao Elementary School

"Downtown" Tongxiao

Tongxiao Station




















Banana tree, just outside my classroom












 My classroom

    

There are three 7-11 stores within walking distance of my apartment.  My bank is to the right of this one.











 Post Office.  You can also do your banking here.

 I have to cross this bridge every morning.  Thank goodness the dragons are there to keep me safe :)


















 My apartment building

Bon Appetit

Since I have a kitchen (access to the full one, and a very small makeshift kitchen in my room) I decided to venture out after school and find groceries.  I went a different way, saw some parts of Tongxiao I had never seen before.  Completely by accident, of course.  Is there any other way?  It's actually difficult to get lost here,  if you go too far West, you'll either reach the train tracks or the Taiwan Strait, and I can very easily find my way back to the school up on the hill, or follow the canal that runs perpendicular to my street.  I bought a few groceries:

 Chips, instant noodles, milk, an onion pancake thing that Linda said was good, ketchup, and chicken nuggets.

I have a gas burner.  I'm so proud of myself, I managed to turn it on and not blow anything up.

I made chicken nuggets, which turned out relatively edible.  You try cooking them without an oven or a microwave.  It was kind of like camping.

And I had ketchup, slightly more runny than American ketchup, but very little difference in taste.

They weren't bad, except in true Taiwanese fashion, one nugget had a bone in it. Oh well.    They're probably very concerned at the 7-11 right now.

Moving day

Finally moved today!  I took before and after pictures.

This is where I used to live:








My "closet" used to be on the left side.  Sometime between Thursday afternoon and Saturday night, it collapsed.

Kitchen/laundry room.  No, really, those concrete holes are the stove.

What would Dr. Bardall say?

This is where I live now.  Still needs a little work, but it's a step up.  It has internet access, hallelujah.

It took a nap this afternoon.  And it was glorious.

It's kind of like a dorm room.  I can live with that.  I need a bedspread though.  Or if I knew someone who was really good at making quilts...

Makeshift kitchen with gas burner.  They were very generous, Rose kept bringing in dishes and pots and pans.  I need to organize and get to the grocery store.  I also have a fridge, on the other side of the room.

My cast of characters

No big adventures this weekend, there’s a typhoon happening right now that’s the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane.  It’s not bad in Tongxiao, just very windy.  Although in some places I heard they recorded 90 mph wind gusts. 

      This weekend was the Moon Festival holiday, so no school Thursday or Friday.  Thursday afternoon I headed to Palace of Peggy (Peggy’s apartment, how she ended up with 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms for one person, I’ll never know) and a few other FET’s for a spaghetti dinner.  Everything was so good, and we played Pit for a few hours after that.  Pit is a card game that turns professional, 25-60 year old adults into screaming maniacs.  Good times.  Thursday, a couple of us went to the mall in Taichung, I bought a water boiler, so I can finally enjoy my tea, and a copy of the Les Mis DVD to save my sanity, lol.  Dinner was at Chili’s, kind of nice to enjoy American food once in a while.  Then Tara and Irene came over and played cards and hung out for a little while.  We kept an eye on the typhoon, and I let everyone know how good I am at geography and meteorological sciences, ha ha. 

    Initially, I figured once I got to Tongxiao, I would be on my own.  But that hasn’t been the case.  I have been so blessed with the support network I have here.  We laugh and vent, and talk each other out of going home.  If I hadn’t had the other FET’s, I would have left a long time ago. 

 

My cast of characters for this weekend:

Peggy- Primary renter of “the palace,” although on any given weekend, the other FET’s can be found at her place.  A very gracious hostess, who has opened up her place to anyone who needs to crash for the weekend.  “You want coffee?  Well, it’s in the kitchen, go get it.”

Thomas- Usually found with Peggy and I, has the patience of a saint to hang around with all these crazy women.  A true Southern gentleman.  Except in the mall yesterday.  I did indeed have a fingernail-sized bruise on my arm today.  Told you so.

Mandy- A fellow Wayne Countian, and the world’s best spaghetti cook.  Seriously, that meal was amazing. 

Tara- The quiet, reserved Canadian.  Until she plays Pit.  “You’re cheating!  I don’t know how.  But you’re cheating!”  Also speaks Chinese like no North American I’ve ever heard.  Everyone just kind of watched in wonderment at her explaining the game to Irene.  In Chinese.  

Irene- Not an FET, but a Taiwanese English teacher.  Incredibly kind to people she’s known for a few hours, and has a lot of energy.  “I don’t want to play, it’s too complicated.” (Goes on to win the first two hands played.)

Van- I don’t know Van that well, but she has great expertise in local cuisine.  Thanks for the fruit and cupcakes!

And I can’t forget the other FET’s who weren’t there this weekend, too many good people to list.  But I’m sure we’ll have some kind of bloggable adventure in the near future J

Tomorrow I’m getting up early because I’m finally moving!  I’ll post pictures of both apartments once I get there. :)

I got a singular impression...

...things are moving too fast.  Actually, they're not, I just recently got hooked on The Last Five Years.  Things are moving fast though, I finished my 4th week of school today, although the first week and this week weren't full weeks.  Today we talked about chores in 6th grade, I played one of my favorite poems, "How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes" by Shel Silverstein.  I wonder how many angry parents I'll have tomorrow when their kids start throwing plates, lol.  Tomorrow I'm doing the MEV with the other English teachers in Wenfeng.  It's the Mobile English Village, kind of an afterschool program for area students.  Should be fun. Then a glorious four day weekend.  Glorious because of the possible adventures, and glorious because by Monday, I'll be in my new apartment.  It has the internet.  Which means no more holding my laptop on my knees or sticking my phone out the window to steal my neighbors' wifi.  And access to a kitchen, so fewer meals at 7-11.  They're going to miss me.  I'll also be able to Skype, just remember there's a 12 hour time difference.  So from 10 AM to 6:30 PM EST, I'm asleep.
  Speaking of neighbors, I had an interesting Sunday night.  I went to Taichung all day, that was fun, and got to the train station in Taichung about 4.  Planned for a quiet evening, dinner and laundry, and preparing for the upcoming week.  "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." -John Lennon.  That's always been one of my favorite quotes.  So I got to the platform, only to discover the next train back didn't leave for another hour, 5:15.  And after a 2 minute delay, and then a 33 minute delay, I finally got on the extremely crowded train at 5:45, and got back to Tongxiao about 7.  In this building, there are windows on the exterior of each apartment on the East side, and a little window next to each door on the interior.  Long story short, I came upstairs to find my neighbor's window frame shattered, wood all over the steps, the screen was obviously ripped, it was dark, and I was the only one in the building.  Of course, this would be the night my phone ran out of minutes.  I managed to get ahold of the other Miaoli FET's (you guys are awesome, thanks for keeping me calm) on Facebook.  15 minutes later, the landlord, my co-teacher, and two school administrators determined my neighbor left the window open on the other side, and the wind knocked everything out of place.  Back to your lives, citizens.  My coworkers thought I overreacted, but really, what would you have done?
    This week marks moon festival, a good explanation is at http://www.moonfestival.org/legends/chango.htm.  I've tried a few moon cakes, some savory, some sweet.  I like the ones with taro.


Hopefully, I'm going to the beach this weekend, as long as the next typhoon doesn't interfere.

I didn't get much of a response on my last post, except Candice is being played by Sutton Foster, and Tony will be played by Ben Affleck apparently.

Cast my movie

Short weekend, I spent Saturday at work, and Sunday in Taichung.  Still no definite plans for the long weekend.  Earthquake #2 happened last night around 10:20.  Very minor, a 3.8 I think.  If I hadn't been awake, I wouldn't have felt it at all. 
   I knew before I left I wanted to keep a blog, maybe someday I'll write a book and they'll make a movie out of it.  :) Typically 30 something in crisis mode does something crazy/life changing.  Think Under the Tuscan Sun, Eat Pray Love, Big Fat Greek Wedding.  I've already got the soundtrack picked out, the main theme will be February Song by Josh Groban, of course.  Google the lyrics, they're beautiful and extremely appropriate.  But I have no idea who to cast.  So if you're in it, and if you're reading my blog so you're probably involved enough to be in my movie, who would you want to play you?   I have no idea who I would cast as myself.  And I'm definitely in charge of casting.  So your input is welcome.  Otherwise I'm going to choose.

Food.

Although I had been warned otherwise :)  The food here is amazing.  I don't have a kitchen, so I've been eating a lot of meals from 7-11.  It's very convenient, they'll microwave it for you, and put it in a little plastic carrier.  But it gets old after awhile.  There are other places around here, I just haven't been brave enough to try and order anything.  Yet.  I've got 10 months to work on that.  I have mastered chopsticks, even got complimented at lunch last week by my coworkers.  I eat at restaurants when I can.  Tonight I ventured into the night market, not the first time, and again, I wasn't disappointed.  Ordering food in a place where you don't speak the language is kind of risky.  Night markets are good, as long as you can identify what the food is.  Tonight I had the most amazing corn on the cob, roasted with some kind of spice, cinnamon maybe?  I didn't take a picture, I ate it too fast.  I also had a sandwich and a drink that I think may have been pomelo with lime, but I'm not sure.  It was good though.  Every city has a night market, larger cities have one in each neighborhood.  Eating here is cheap, I think my whole dinner tonight was 80 NT, about 2.60.  I usually spend less than $10 a day on food.  I eat the school lunches, which aren't bad, and they're about $1. 

 

During the work days, before school started, they would order lunch every day.  This is typically what I got.

Breakfast is cereal and tea or juice, and dinner is whatever I can find.  

Foods I have really liked here:

Fried noodles

Lemon chicken

Papaya salad

Kung Pao Chicken

Din Tai Fung

Shrimp cakes (yes, you read that right)

The pizza in Taichung

Fried rice

Pomelo 

Sweet Soup

Chicken flavored potato chips

Mango Tea

Taiwanese Eggnog

Bubble tea

Foods I can live without:

Guava

Tofu

Bitter Melon

So the list of dislikes is pretty short compared to what I've enjoyed here.  So I'll continue to try new stuff, and maybe by tomorrow I'll have the courage to order something from an actual restaurant.  Even if I have to make farm animal noises, ha ha. 

 

A reflection

Today was another Pantou day, worked on MEV's and our skits.  Lunch was at a restaurant, served family style, like a lot of our meals.  I had the most amazing lemon chicken and papaya salad.  A couple of us walked around Toufen, went to RT Mart, and dinner at 100.  And the housing situation hasn't changed, I keep hoping.  Dear Jesus, please let them find a place soon.  Not for my comfort, but the other FET's are tired of hearing about it.

In a few hours, I will have been in Taiwan a whole month.  I feel like I've done a lot in that short time, and I feel like there's a lot of things I haven't done.  I've gotten to be friends with a lot of the FET's, even though we drive each other crazy, there is a very strong support network.  I've successfully navigated the train system.  I did get lost, once, but I made it back to Tongxiao without losing it or taking a cab.  I rode the bus from one town to another, I've been to Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, Sanyi, Miaoli City, Toufen, and  Zhunan.  I've tried to push myself as far as food goes, and I've tried some relatively exotic foods.  Shrimp cakes, taro, seaweed flavored potato chips.  I've learned a few Chinese words.  I can recognize the characters for Tongxiao.  I mailed a box at the Post Office.  I have some pretty awesome plans in the works for the long weekend coming up.  I don't want to say anything in case it doesn't happen, but it's going to be awesome.  My mom posted a few weeks ago that it feels safe to "make your kid mad when they're 8,000 miles away." Let's just say it's feels safe to scare your mother while she's 8,000 miles away, he he.
  I've only been teaching a week and a half, it seems like longer.  Right about now, I should be getting an email from Lynn or Sharon, reminding me that I missed the deadline for interim grades.  Again.  I haven't been brave enough to order food in Tongxiao.  I haven't explored any other cities by myself, or tried anything unusual at a night market.
  I have had a few adventures so far, hopefully more to come. 

Din Tai Fung and a day in Taichung

The weekend wasn't too bad, it goes fast, just like it does in the US :)  Saturday I spent the day in Taichung with Mandy and James.  First stop was Top City Mall, to have Din Tai Fung for lunch.  They're dumplings (too many kinds to choose from!) and they are delicious.  There's a certain process to dipping and eating them, and they put cards on the table to explain.  You take them from the container, dip them in a combination of ginger, soy sauce and vinegar, and "pop" them to release the broth.  Then you put them back on your plate, and finally in your mouth.  It's a messy process.  The first one was good, then it was like "ok, just one more.  OMG I can't stop eating these."
     We went to the science center next, interesting stuff. They had an exhibit where you could put yourself into famous paintings and photographs. Let's just say there should be an age limit, ha ha. After that, we went to Tiger City mall, had lunch at Chili's, where I ate too much, and walked around the mall for awhile. We headed back to the station around 7, and I made it home in one trip:)