Tidbits from Taiwan

Yes yes, another two weeks have gone by, its true. Lets just expect that from now on so when a post comes out on time (every week like I should), then we will allll be very pleasantly suprised. Yip yip. Let me just begin by rejoicing for the long past college tests I have been lovingly prodded into taking. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I took the SAT, not once but twice this year, the SATII, not one of them but three, and oh yes oh yes, I did take the option ACT three times, thats two more than required. Its been jolly good fun. Good news is I am not getting that gagging sensation anymore, like the one when know you only have 5 minutes left for 15 questions. The impossible is possible. These questions do have answers. Enough...

My Host Mom was wonderful and got us tickets for Riverdance! Yehaw! It was cool, some nifty tap dancing always makes life more enjoyable. I missed my monthly rotary meeting because of it though, too bad. Next month...

Phillip and I have a new sport outside of lifting weights: meeting people. It gets a little more complicated than that, and we threw in some rules to spice it up, but the general jist is its fun.

Lets see...I went bowling with my classmates on the hill near my school. Good fun. Playing still more chess at school with the buds. Classes are fantastic now, learning about Chinese History and Chinese Characters [different parts, where they came from, etc]. Talked with some Mormons in the MRT station...not any other small news.

We had the big Chinese test that we were all "preparing" for. All but three of us passed. It was pretty simple, sitting in a room talking about who we are to some Rotary Members, but I have some serious suggestions how they might improve the way in which we are tested. Thats okay.

Ah yes, Felix, one of the Germans...lets start a new paragraph just for this exchange-memorial. He broke our heart, left us for another country. He has gone away and may his plane be aerodynamically sound to arrive at his destination. He was a happy camper, but not happy enough to want to stay a whole year. Felix, whatever crazy German Partei you may be at, party hard alter, party hard, have a good life.

On to a lighter scale, after the test this weekend my host family and I, along with two other families, went to WuLai Hot Springs in some gorgeous mountains, nice trip. Seriously great view. It also rains at the perfect moments, looking out at the pond and fog from indoors where its nice and warm. I walked around the main street while my host family settled in their rooms (I shared a room with Henry, my 11yr Host Brother) and found a great wood carving shop. Now, tell me, I got three nice painted [pottery like, not sure if its real] tea cup for NT$45, thats $0.50 each. Thats a deal right there. Then I passed by a stand by the side of the road while it was pouring rain by this time, and they were selling what looked to be roots being steamed in a metal pan. They were friendly so we chatted for like 20 minutes while they gave me some free roots to munch on (a LITTLE similar to Sweet Potatoes) and they suggested a great mountain in HuaLiang with not too many cars and a beautiful view. I might just have to go there now. Interesting guys, they asked me lots of questions about being an exchange student. [Small note: my chinese is getting good enough now that that entire conversation was in Chinese - Yip YIP!] Afterwards, a great Japanese dinner with like 5 courses and tea. We headed back to our rooms, and everyone wanted to go take a bath in their personal hot springs (one in each room, though there was a larger public one). I however wanted to play chinese chess and drink some tea (I know, getting addicted, but its everywhere here, hard to resist). So Steven Lin and I played some chess (he beat me) and then headed to bed.

Next morning (Sunday, 12-11) in WuLai we got up late (my plans to head to the other mountain again for the Buddhist holiday were cancelled due too many people cancelling because of partying late or activities with families, plus WuLai would be about 2 hours away from the mountain for me) and after breakfast headed down the mountain. On the way I spotted a nice looking temple, with an easily noticable massive golden goddess standing ontop. I headed inside for 15 minutes and talked to some friendly female nuns who gave me free incense to go with an incense holder I bought.

At 4:30 I met with Mr. Dwight Clark, a happy and very amiable semi-retired Quaker who founded VIA [Volunteers in Asia] in 1963. He was in Taiwan for just a few days for among other things, a ALC Program reunion. He was wonderfully interesting, and he told me about his life, beliefs, and how his work started. He also talked with me about my Dad, Grandfather, and how my dad had a great laugh (still does, cept now its a jolly chuckle). My Dad was, through Dwight Clark's Program, teaching English in Taiwan, around 40 years ago, while studying Chinese. We discussed life and the future for about an hour then departed.

I had dinner with my host family and the same two families with us in WuLai. We had some seriously fresh and tasty Sushi and lots of transparent noodles. At one point a very large, very sharp, and very much alive crab was wheeled in to be presented before us, after which it would be eaten by the same...heh. See pictures for that one. Anyways, scrumptuous dinner.

Still working on applications and staying awake. Hope every one's well. Till next week's blog (cross your fingers).

Hey Matt, sounds like you've got quite the life over there. How are the ladies? Hopefully you have'nt broken all their hearts. I saw you Dad today, 12/9 here, so I finally got the blog address. I'll be lookin in on ya from now on.

Yash "The Battle Ship" Flaten
yashinator@gmail.com

hey kiddo just finished my final final exam and was thinkin about you. its gonna be real funny when you get home and can talk w/dad while the rest of us won't have a bloody clue what you're saying. love you loads and wish you were here for my golden haha. but i'm prooud of you buddy hope it keeps going phenomenal for you.