Week Thirteen Top Five
1. Kaohsiung has a great bus system
I normally walk most places I go. If I need to go somewhere farther away, I often end up taking the MRT (subway) because it’s close to my house and I understand the system. However, since busses are free the next three months, I am starting to attempt to take busses instead. I have been pleasantly surprised at the relative ease with which I have been able to figure out bus routes and track busses using my phone. So far, I am enjoying using the bus system.
2. Applying for college as an international student is so difficult
This week, my host sister started to look at different colleges. I thought my college process was difficult but it seems fairly easy when I consider hers. She is hoping to go abroad for college so she is navigating this process in her second language. There are more hoops for international applications to jump through as well, further complicating the process. I am glad I am able to help at least a little with explaining what the websites are saying!
3. I can (sort of) handle a college text book reading
I say sort of because it took Katie and I over an hour to get through a page and we relied heavily on Pleco (Chinese-English dictionary app) and what we call the Wikipedia method (for those of you who are curious, this involves finding the Wikipedia page for a technical Chinese term and then switching the page to the English version. While this might sound sketchy, it is remarkably effective). We were able to understand the main ideas of the reading, although I’m sure there were many nuances that were lost to us. I was happy to see that I am developing the skills to creatively stretch myself beyond the current limits of my Chinese.
4. Eat a food a few times before you decide you don’t like it
When I first ate a sushi burrito, I wasn’t crazy about it. The outside shell holding this burrito together is made up of pieces of seaweed. The inside is full of rice and various other foods including eggs, fried chicken and furry meat. At first, I thought it didn’t taste too good because of the seaweed. However, the more of them I ate, the more I liked it. Now, I would count it as one of my favorite foods here. In fact, I will probably miss it a ton once I am back in America!
5. Finding ways to adapt your holiday celebrations is an effective way to combat homesickness
Advent started this weekend. I always loved Advent as a child and knew that I was going to miss the way my family traditionally celebrates this season. I decided to find ways to incorporate my family’s celebrations into my life here. My host family spent hours helping me find the right materials to make an Advent wreath. It is currently on the kitchen table, along with a poinsettia. Making this wreath and explaining its purpose to my host family helped me appreciate the awesome opportunity I have to find new ways to celebrate this season in Taiwan. I am very grateful for this opportunity to share how I prepare for Christmas with my host family!