Giant Taiwan Post
Jun. 9th, 2008 11:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ximenSo, Taiwan.
I left Seattle Thursday evening. Bohan drove me to the airport, and gave me an envelope with complete instructions for how to get everywhere I might need to go on my first day, phone numbers, a phone, and directions for how to purchase a SIM card from the 7-11 ("Show them this printout.") Then, it was on the airplane and time for a lot of bad movies and failed attempts at sleeping. And then I was in Taiwan.
Following Bohan's careful instructions, I made it through immigration and then customs without a problem. I exchanged the $40 in cash I had with me, and felt a little nervous when I realized I was in Taiwan with only $40. Then I decided I was actually in Taiwan with $1200 NT, which made me feel better, even though it costs $20- 30 NT just to buy a bottle of water. I continued following my instruction sheet, which told me to turn right, go down a hall, turn left, and buy a ticket from the first ticket counter, to Taibei Railway Station. That accomplished, I got to stand outside and wait, and met another guy who is in my summer program. It turns out he's also at the UW and one of the grad students of a professor I like, so I felt slightly less alone. We parted ways at the station, I followed my map to the MRT station, and took the train to my homestay. My host-sister, who has the somewhat unfortunate English name of Cash (it's a pun on her Chinese name) is really nice, and after showing me around she gave me a ride to NTU, which was sort of on the way to her work. I found the ICLP offices with some help ("have you talked to anyone on the fourth floor?" "There's a fourth floor?"), registered, and then had to wait for the test. By the time the placement test had started, I had been awake for over 36 hours, and so about two-thirds of the way through the test I just handed it in, staggered to the train station, and came back to my homestay. My host-father suggested I take a shower and eat before napping (around four), so I took a shower. When I got out, no one was there, so I fell asleep, figuring the light and noise would wake me up in a few hours and I could introduce myself to my host-mother, and call my friend Sandy. Instead, I woke up around 12 AM, looked at the clock, and fell back asleep.
I woke up early Saturday morning, and explored the neighborhood in search of an ATM. Alas, I only found the post office's ATM, which only accepts domestic cards. And it's hot outside! So I came back, and finally met my host-mother, and there was a lot of laughing about how long I'd slept, and then my host-father, full of solicitousness, told me that he'd gone and gotten me something for breakfast. An egg-salad sandwich, since everyone knows Americans eat sandwiches, and every Taiwanese knows that sandwiches are a breakfast food. Seriously, breakfast sandwich places are everywhere. But most of you probably know my aversion to mayo, and this thing was soggy with mayo. With the aid of a big glass of milk, I slowly choked down half the sandwich, and as soon as everyone's back was turned, I quickly wrapped the other half in tissue paper and stuffed it in my bag. Which now smells like egg salad, because it was several hours before I found a place to dispose of it. Fortunately, the rest of my food experiences that day were much better.
This weekend was 端午節，or the Dragon Boat Festival, so my host-family was going to have a big family lunch, and invited me along. We went to a Taiwanese seafood restaurant on the north end of Taipei, with a variety of relatives. I lost track of how everyone was related, but I did have fun meeting all the various cousins of my host-sister, four smart and friendly young women all within a few years of my age. We mostly spoke English, because two of them were about to start a study abroad in the US, and also because everyone is still a little impatient with my poor Chinese. Anyway, the food was excellent: steamed fish, shrimp, some kind of mussels, friend rice with little tiny fried shrimp (sorry to make you read this, Max). Also a few veggie dishes and some Japanese food: fresh sashimi, some sushi rolls, and a big pot of miso soup with chunks of fish. I was so full, and my host-sister kept telling me how little I was eating. How these tiny, skinny girls manage to polish off as much food as my little brother on a good day is a mystery, but I was definitely impressed.
After the giant lunch, we walked around. We were in Danshui, which has the Danshui Fisherman's Wharf, a local tourist attraction. I got to see the ocean, and the fish vendors, and we got some bubble tea. It was great! Then we went home, and relaxed some, and it turns out that the 7-11 has an ATM. So I finally got my rent-money out and delivered, and then it was already dinner time! We ate 粽子 (zong4 zi), which are the rice dumplings wrapped in leaves and filled with sticky rice and different fillings. There were also some veggie dishes. Again, I was so full! After dinner, my host-sister invited me to watch America's Next Top Model with her, so I did. It was located in Shanghai, wich was kind of nostalgic for me, and gave my host-sister and I something to laugh about.
And then, I went to bed.
There's still all of Sunday to post about, but I need to take a break from LJ, and also work on this paper I still have due from this past quarter. So, bye for now!
I left Seattle Thursday evening. Bohan drove me to the airport, and gave me an envelope with complete instructions for how to get everywhere I might need to go on my first day, phone numbers, a phone, and directions for how to purchase a SIM card from the 7-11 ("Show them this printout.") Then, it was on the airplane and time for a lot of bad movies and failed attempts at sleeping. And then I was in Taiwan.
Following Bohan's careful instructions, I made it through immigration and then customs without a problem. I exchanged the $40 in cash I had with me, and felt a little nervous when I realized I was in Taiwan with only $40. Then I decided I was actually in Taiwan with $1200 NT, which made me feel better, even though it costs $20- 30 NT just to buy a bottle of water. I continued following my instruction sheet, which told me to turn right, go down a hall, turn left, and buy a ticket from the first ticket counter, to Taibei Railway Station. That accomplished, I got to stand outside and wait, and met another guy who is in my summer program. It turns out he's also at the UW and one of the grad students of a professor I like, so I felt slightly less alone. We parted ways at the station, I followed my map to the MRT station, and took the train to my homestay. My host-sister, who has the somewhat unfortunate English name of Cash (it's a pun on her Chinese name) is really nice, and after showing me around she gave me a ride to NTU, which was sort of on the way to her work. I found the ICLP offices with some help ("have you talked to anyone on the fourth floor?" "There's a fourth floor?"), registered, and then had to wait for the test. By the time the placement test had started, I had been awake for over 36 hours, and so about two-thirds of the way through the test I just handed it in, staggered to the train station, and came back to my homestay. My host-father suggested I take a shower and eat before napping (around four), so I took a shower. When I got out, no one was there, so I fell asleep, figuring the light and noise would wake me up in a few hours and I could introduce myself to my host-mother, and call my friend Sandy. Instead, I woke up around 12 AM, looked at the clock, and fell back asleep.
I woke up early Saturday morning, and explored the neighborhood in search of an ATM. Alas, I only found the post office's ATM, which only accepts domestic cards. And it's hot outside! So I came back, and finally met my host-mother, and there was a lot of laughing about how long I'd slept, and then my host-father, full of solicitousness, told me that he'd gone and gotten me something for breakfast. An egg-salad sandwich, since everyone knows Americans eat sandwiches, and every Taiwanese knows that sandwiches are a breakfast food. Seriously, breakfast sandwich places are everywhere. But most of you probably know my aversion to mayo, and this thing was soggy with mayo. With the aid of a big glass of milk, I slowly choked down half the sandwich, and as soon as everyone's back was turned, I quickly wrapped the other half in tissue paper and stuffed it in my bag. Which now smells like egg salad, because it was several hours before I found a place to dispose of it. Fortunately, the rest of my food experiences that day were much better.
This weekend was 端午節，or the Dragon Boat Festival, so my host-family was going to have a big family lunch, and invited me along. We went to a Taiwanese seafood restaurant on the north end of Taipei, with a variety of relatives. I lost track of how everyone was related, but I did have fun meeting all the various cousins of my host-sister, four smart and friendly young women all within a few years of my age. We mostly spoke English, because two of them were about to start a study abroad in the US, and also because everyone is still a little impatient with my poor Chinese. Anyway, the food was excellent: steamed fish, shrimp, some kind of mussels, friend rice with little tiny fried shrimp (sorry to make you read this, Max). Also a few veggie dishes and some Japanese food: fresh sashimi, some sushi rolls, and a big pot of miso soup with chunks of fish. I was so full, and my host-sister kept telling me how little I was eating. How these tiny, skinny girls manage to polish off as much food as my little brother on a good day is a mystery, but I was definitely impressed.
After the giant lunch, we walked around. We were in Danshui, which has the Danshui Fisherman's Wharf, a local tourist attraction. I got to see the ocean, and the fish vendors, and we got some bubble tea. It was great! Then we went home, and relaxed some, and it turns out that the 7-11 has an ATM. So I finally got my rent-money out and delivered, and then it was already dinner time! We ate 粽子 (zong4 zi), which are the rice dumplings wrapped in leaves and filled with sticky rice and different fillings. There were also some veggie dishes. Again, I was so full! After dinner, my host-sister invited me to watch America's Next Top Model with her, so I did. It was located in Shanghai, wich was kind of nostalgic for me, and gave my host-sister and I something to laugh about.
And then, I went to bed.
There's still all of Sunday to post about, but I need to take a break from LJ, and also work on this paper I still have due from this past quarter. So, bye for now!
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-09 02:15 pm (UTC)Can't wait to hear more of your adventures in Taiwan!
no subject
Date: 2008-06-09 02:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-10 12:38 am (UTC)Oh hey, how's Aurora doing?
no subject
Date: 2008-06-10 03:49 pm (UTC)Oh, and thanks for the brownies. They're tasty! ^_^
no subject
Date: 2008-06-11 02:39 pm (UTC)I'm glad you like the brownies. I was worried after I left, when I realized I'd left a giant pile of chocolate right there for her to eat. I'm luck she's so picky.
As for the plate, if that's the worst she does while I'm gone, I'll consider myself very lucky indeed.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-09 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-11 02:40 pm (UTC)