Top Fives from December

I'm a bit behind on posting these top five lists. Here are all my top fives from December!

Week Fourteen

1. I don’t like stinky tofu

I am frequently asked by Taiwanese people if I like stinky tofu. Most foreigners do not like it because of it’s smell and aftertaste. I ate it for the first time in Taipei (thanks Alisa for letting me have a bite!) and discovered I also do not enjoy it. I now know my answer to this frequently-asked question!

2. I can handle a basic conversation about computer science in Chinese

This weekend in Taipei, I had the opportunity to meet with a robotics team at a local high school. This was the first time I have participated in a robotics activity here in Taiwan. While my technical vocabulary is very limited, I was able to sustain conversation about various coding concepts using the Chinese I do know. I was glad to see that my ability to communicate even when I don’t have the right vocabulary has improved!

3. The National Palace Museum is amazing

This museum was hands down one of the most incredible museums I have ever been to. They had an extensive collection and have done an amazing job of preserving Chinese culture and history. I am only disappointed I didn’t have more time to explore!

4. Bopiliao is a must-see place in Taipei

Although Bopiliao is only a few blocks long, Kate, Lina and I spent hours there. This street has been beautifully preserved and has managed to avoid becoming commercialized. It really felt like stepping into the past when we walked down the road and explored the buildings built along it.

5. The Shifen train station is very unique

We went to Shifen to participate in the lantern releasing activity. I had not previously known that the train station at Shifen is still in commission. In fact two trains came through in the short time we were there. Immediately after the train pulls out, everyone rushed back onto the tracks to continue releasing lanterns. I really enjoyed writing out a message on the lantern and sending it off!

Week Fifteen and Sixteen Top Ten

Instead of writing a top five for each of these weeks, I decided to write a top ten for them together because so much of what happened over these two weeks blended together in my mind!

1. Camping in Taiwan was totally not what I was expecting but super fun

When we showed up at the camping place, I was surprised to see we would be camping right next to a parking lot and a hotel, with a heated swimming pool. We had access to running water, showers, and electricity, although we did sleep in tents! While this was not what I was expecting when I heard we were going camping, I was by no means disappointed! The camping trip was a blast, especially the part where my classmates and I made an American breakfast for our host families!

2. Celebrating Christmas abroad was a very unique experience

This was my first time celebrating Christmas away from home. While I certainly was homesick at times, I enjoyed the unique experience to celebrate here a lot! This was an opportunity I don't think I'll have if I study abroad in college so I'm very grateful! I enjoyed combining my family traditions, like watching It’s a Wonderful Life and going to Midnight Mass, with new ways I found to celebrate here, like going ice skating and eating lunch with the Sisters. This was an unforgettable Christmas!

3. Midnight Mass in Taiwan is incredible

I went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. While I already detailed the experience in my blog post about Christmas, it’s worth mentioning again here. It was amazing to see how the Taiwanese Catholic community celebrates Christmas!

4. We can make delicious homemade macaroni

Cooking can be complicated over here. Because cooking ingredients are often expensive and Western ingredients can be hard to find, making American food is a challenge. However, we made spectacular macaroni at Alisa’s house. A huge thanks to her for finding a recipe and tracking the ingredients down!

5. You can go ice skating in Taiwan

I mistakenly assumed it wouldn’t be possible to go ice skating in Taiwan simply because I didn't think there would be enough demand to merit having a rink. However, we found a mall that has an ice skating rink (it was a trek to get there though). I really enjoyed going for Christmas!

6. I can (kind of) carve a turkey

I carved the turkey at the convent for Christmas lunch. I never thought the first turkey I would carve would be in Taiwan!

7. I can understand a kids movie in Chinese

We went to see Coco with one of our tutors in Chinese. I was surprised that I was able to follow the entire movie, even though I didn't understand some lines of dialogue. It was exciting for me to see that my Chinese is improving.

8. My technology related vocabulary has extended

We have been learning technology terms in my morning class at Wenzao. I can now say things like computer virus, software and cloud computing. I am sure this vocabulary will be useful in the future!

9. I’ve adjusted to the temperature to some extent

I frequently find myself thinking the weather is a little chilly only to pull my phone out and discover it’s about 70 degrees. While I certainly haven’t adjusted all the way to the Taiwanese climate and definitely miss snow, I am glad I have become a bit more used to the weather over here!

10. Taiwanese people are quick to help

For my midterm project, I am researching people’s opinions about monks, sisters and priests. I sent my list of interview questions to two friends I met at church. Within a few hours, they had sent me not only their responses but the responses over several of their friends as well! I was so amazed at their generosity!

Week Seventeen Top Five

1. Birthday celebrations for temples are incredible

I went to the reopening of a temple in Pingtung, the town where my host dad’s family lives. This ceremony only happens when a new temple is opened or an old temple is reconstructed. There was a parade that lasted for literally hours. There were also fireworks, live plays and tons of music.

2. New Year is a big celebration here

I was not expecting New Years to be very important because the most significant holiday in Taiwan is Chinese New Year. However, I was wrong! There were tons of fireworks, concerts at various places throughout country and we got the day off school! After participating in the New Years celebrations here, I am even more excited to celebrate Chinese New Year in February!

3. I performed in a play

I acted the lead female role in my drama group’s performance of 桃子姑娘 （The Peach Princess). This play was written by my classmates and combines the stories of Cinderella and Aladdin. I was originally nervous about acting in the play because not only have I never really performed in a play before, but the entire thing was in Chinese! However, I ended up enjoying it greatly. It certainly was an experience I will never forget!

4. Taiwan is home to a large butterfly migration site

We went to see the butterflies at Maolin National Park just an hour outside of Kaohsiung this weekend. I had not previously known butterflies migrated to southern Taiwan for the winter.

5. My writing abilities have improved a lot

With the help of my tutors, I was able to put together the first draft of my midterm paper. I wrote about the findings from the interviews I conducted about people’s attitudes towards monks, nuns and priests. This project has been incredibly interesting for me and I'm excited to present on it in just two weeks.