March 28, 2006
Food tally: Sea cucumber. Apparently, it's some kind of sea anemone. But whatever it is, it's weird. It's not so much that it tastes bad; I just can't get past the texture of it. It's like the whole thing is made of the skin that forms on Jell-O.
Tip: Learn Chinese. I'm convinced people are talking about me all the time and I have no idea what they're saying. I hear Meigua (USA) and Meiguaren (American) a lot.
Word: Did I tell you how to say "shit" yet? Go-sa.
Today was a good day. I came home to host family #4. They have three little kids and 6-year-old Bill loves me, even if he never remembers my name. We went to a bookstore and he held my hand and dragged me around showing me things. Bill and his 8-year-old sister Jady speak almost perfect English. It's amazing. We have conversations about chocolate.
Jady is quite the artist for an 8-year-old. I asked if she wanted to be an artist when she grew up, and she said no. This surprised me because she had obvious talent and she had earlier told me that her favorite subject is art. But she said her father said she couldn't be an artist. I found it interesting.
Jady also takes ballet lessons and Bill takes karate. They remind me very much of my niece and nephew. Maybe that's why they make me so happy.
There is also another little boy, Vincent. Vincent is only 3 and a half years old, so he is kinda scared of me. He doesn't know his English name is Vincent and I can't remember his Chinese name, so we just stare at each other. He does most of the staring.
March 29, 2006
Weird food: Frog legs. They're actually pretty good.
Tip: Bring your own shampoo and conditioner. I can't read most of the labels and I think I used conditioner to wash my hair yesterday. It might have even been shower gel...I'm not sure.
Word: tzuh-su-ah. Toilet. It's a hard one to say but I'll probably never forget it. My team leader, Elaine, and I went into some office building looking for a bathroom the other day. We asked the security guy where it was in English, but he didn't understand. We asked for the bathroom, toilet, restroom and wash room; nothing rang a bell. I tried my hardest to remember the Chinese word, but could only come up
with 'tzuh-so.' So Elaine started rubbing her hands together as though washing her hands, in the hopes of finding a toilet and sink. He finally understood, grinned and said "ahhh!" (plus some other stuff in Chinese). Then he led us to the back of the building and pointed at a hose.
April 5, 2006
Food: Fish skin. I didn't know fish had actual skin, nor that it was edible. It doesn't have much taste actually; it just takes on the flavor of the soy and wasabi you dip it in and that's pretty good. But the consistency is like sea cucumber, Jell-O skin. bleh.
Tip: Go to Taroko National Park. Friggin awesome. The mountains are not anything like we have in PA, man. And you get to see stuff outside of the city. There are rice patties everywhere with workers wearing those Chinese hats. And beetle nut girls. Have I mentioned beetle nut girls? They work in these little shacks selling beetle nuts, which I have been told are "Taiwanese gum." They apparently taste terrible and it's a bit like chewing tobacco.
Anyway, the interesting thing about these girls selling beetle nuts is that they are scantily dressed in order to get the truck drivers to stop. I've seen some dressed in little more than a bra and a short skirt and then there are others that are dressed in long sleeves. More often than not, they are just sitting there, watching TV or playing with their cell phone. I've only seen one actually flirting with a potential customer. Although, someone told me they will do anything. They've seen one dancing around and such. I can't dance, otherwise, I might consider selling beetle nut.
Word: Duibuchi. I'm sorry. Good for when people constantly run into you. It's crowded here. People are everywhere and there is virtually no such thing as personal space. Women are especially pushy. I've been pushed aside, dragged away and grabbed.
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