Taiwan Travelouge

Journals

02-29-00-1242pm
I�m at the �Point of no return�. I am sitting on the airplane from enroute to Osaka from Detroit. After that I will fly on to Kaohsiung. I can't go home now.
Leaving didn't hit me earlier. I didn't really seem to mind leaving Oklahoma. I wanted to get out and see the world, live a little! I didn't cry at the parting, I wasn't overly excited at the journey, I wasn't anxious. I wasn't anything. Now I am.
On the OKC to Memphis connection I decided I'd miss my mommy. On the Memphis to Detroit connection I wondered if I'd bitten off more than I can chew by going off to another part of the world. Now from Detroit to Osaka, I know I have my mouth full. But by golly, I'm going to swallow whatever it is.
On a plane of about 400 people, there are approximately 10 people who don�t have blonde hair. I�m one of those ten. This is only the beginning of what it's going to be like for the next year or so. I know most on the plane don't speak English, they even give the airplane announcements in Japanese. Like that helps me. I wonder how I'm going to get along the first couple of weeks since I have never left the country before, much less been in a foreign language environment. Unless of course, Tiajuana counts, but I don�t think it does.
I seriously hope I don�t get lost. Somehow I have to find my way from Kaohsiung to Tainan without any unfortunate incidents. It will definitely be an adventure.
There is an American sitting next to me. He is from Tennessee but has traveled all over Asia, according to all the stories I�ve heard from him. So far everything he's told me has been good information. It is all about stuff that I will need to know, or things I would have eventually learned anyway. He tried to tell me the physical difference between Chinese and Japanese, but I didn�t really listen. I don't think he is quite sure himself.
The flight will be 13 hours they said. I hope I don't go psycho after being in an enclosed space for so long. I have always liked flying, but international flights are a whole new experience. I would recommend it at least once though.
The planes wings are so big that the tips of them are able to bend at 45-degree angles. It is not a consoling thought to see airplane wings doing that. I wonder if my brother Joel, the pilot, knows that.
I'm truly excited. I can't wait to see what happens, but still, I have left my world far behind. So long to the world of ice cream and sunbathing. I am no longer in the territory that I have always occupied. I pray I will learn the language quickly so that I can go back home, to be with my family.
I guess I have always liked sticking out, and boy howdy, do I ever now. I'm the only young blond girl on the plane. Oh, I just know I am going to get looks in Taiwan. "What is a young white girl doing alone in Asia?" I don't think I know myself. But I know it's for a good reason, whatever it is. And I feel like this will be the time of my life.

03-02-00-720pmTaiwan
The stopover in Osaka went without incident. It was not a very attractive airport to me. I just seemed like a large plastic maze that you would put your hamsters in.
I drove into Tainan last night with some taxi driver in a car that was not a taxicab. That doesn�t make sense, does it? Well, let me explain. In very bad, broken English he, along with several others, at different intervals, approached me and asked me if I needed a cab. Somehow I was able to relate to them that I wanted to go to Tainan. I guess no matter how badly you say �tainan,� they will eventually be able to figure out what you are trying to say.    I�m still not quite sure if they really spoke English. It seemed more like various sentences that they had memorized because I only heard the same 5 sentences over and over. �You need taxi?� �I take you there!� �You come with me.�
The driver I chose, or rather, he chose me, led me to his taxi, which was not a taxi cab at all, just a normal little car. �What gives?� I thought. I felt as though I had been led as a lamb to slaughter, and by the time I had realized where I was going, it was too late. I started to be very wary of the situation, recalling all the horror stories I'd heard about young blonde women who go abroad and are taken advantage of in the worst way, never to be heard from again. You would be surprised how creative your imagination can be when you are in a strange environment. I said, in my bad Chinese that was lacking in everything except utter fear on my part, "This is bad." The driver, seeming to know exactly what I was getting at and why I was a little anxious about getting into a car with absolute strangers in something other than a taxi cab, pulled out his taxi permit. At least I assumed that is what it was. Actually, I had no idea, because like most foreigners, I couldn't read Chinese! Finally, in a moment of bravery, or complete and total stupidity, depending on who you ask, I decided to get in the car. After all, I thought, no matter what country you go to, odds are it is comparatively safer than doing anything alone in the US. (Although the above statement is true, I would not recommend doing the same to anyone. This was not exactly a safe or smart thing to do.)

I was surprised when we were driving into Tainan, they didn't drive on the wrong side of the road like I thought they would, and the steering wheels were on the same side as in America. Maybe I had assumed Taiwan was like Japan, but it definitely is not.
In Taiwan there is a lane especially for motorcycles. I think I should invest in one so as to blend in with the natives more. I was just recently told that the public transportation isn't as good in Tainan as it is in other cities. If I stay far away from campus then it will be a must. Otherwise it would be a veeeery long walk to the university.
I was impressed with Kaohsiung, what I saw of it. It reminded me very much of San Diego, and a little of Tijuana all in one. The big huge billboards, although in Chinese, remind me of home. Somehow I even see McDonalds billboards. I guess I am not as far from home as I thought. I cannot wait to get out and explore in the daytime. Just looking out the window here in the dark makes me get excited. I cannot imagine what it will be like when the sun comes up.
I called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints previous to my departure for Taiwan. Somehow it was arranged for a couple, Scott and Mary, to pick me up from the Tainan train station. I was dropped off there by the taxi driver. It turns out that I got there safely. And it was cheaper than if I had taken a regular cab, because technically picking up fares in unmarked taxi cabs is illegal. Scott and Mary are the cutest couple and extremely friendly. They are from Washington but came to Taiwan to teach English. I think Scott was born in the United States, but Mary was born here in Taiwan. They are both Chinese.
I can count on two hands how many foreigners I've seen since I got here. And all but one were all at the airport! I have truly stepped into a whole new world. All of my friends in the US teased me about how I would be the tallest person here. Well... They weren't that wrong. I just laugh every time I think of my friend Derek. He's 6'3. He used to say that every time he went into an un-commercial building, i.e. someone�s home, he would bang his head on the top banister if he was not careful. Now I see the truthfulness of it.

03-03-00-648amTaiwan
Everyday brings something new to tell. I think the roosters here crow in Chinese, they don't crow in English.   How do I know this? Probably because I heard one crowing loudly this morning at the crack of dawn. It didn't crow in English. American roosters would still be asleep that early.
It's very nice in Yung Kang. It's a city just outside the metropolis of Tainan, but there is livestock running around. Now if I could get a horse, I would feel right at home.
Fresh goat's milk arrives fresh and warm every morning. Much like the milkman of the American 50's, only it did not come from a cow. My mothers' idea about Asians not drinking dairy has just been proven wrong.
Oh yes, and the garbage trucks sing too. They play music like Beethoven and Mozart over loudspeakers. The idea of famous classical composers being associated with the garbage truck...Hmm... Don't ask me why, but I find it rather amusing. I'm finding a lot of things amusing. I still don�t know why the garbage trucks play music like the icecream trucks. I can't even imagine what interesting adventures will take place later today.

03-03-00-824amTaiwan
I'm going to be staying with a woman, LiShin, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As far as I can understand from the sparsely translated bits I pick up, she was baptized 3 months ago. That's quite a big step. I have a hard time fathoming for someone to make such a dramatic change. I think thing of a more dramatic contrast that that of Buddhism and Christianity.
I had dumplings for breakfast today. They are nothing like the Western idea of dumplings. If you have ever had Japanese pot stickers, they are in close resemblance. If you have not, then I cannot think of an acceptable description. I thought they were called jiaozi because that it what I was told, but they are not called jiaozi here like my Mainland Chinese teacher said, they are something else, and I don't remember the name.   I figure I will have to learn it eventually. My meal was accompanied by warm soybean milk. The thought was just repulsive at first because I had had soy milk in America before. It was not a good experience, but this was rather pleasant.
I went out for breakfast with LiShin, since I had nothing to eat at home. I wanted to order something so I stood in front of the owner to get her attention like you would in America, but the owner just ignored me. I would bet it was because she did not want to play charades with a foreigner when she could just wait for someone (i.e. LiShin) who speaks Chinese to talk to her. So LiShin ordered. There goes the idea of my newfound independence. It turns out I didn�t have any. I was a little annoyed that I was ignored by the old lady behind the counter, but I had no idea what I wanted to order anyway so the annoyance wore off as I ate my dumplings.
Li-Shin is wonderfully hospitable to me. She is a good teacher of Chinese, in the sense that she is patient. If I do not understand something she will say it slowly in Chinese, and then in English, and then go word by word again in Chinese. I think I got lucky staying here.
Do you remember me wondering about whether I had bitten off more than I can chew? And that I just hoped really hard that I would not choke to death before I could swallow? Well, I still feel the same way. I can't believe what I've gotten myself into! Here I am a million miles away from Oklahoma. Great idea Annie�. But I don�t seem to mind. I am already noticing that I am picking up on Chinese a lot faster than I would if I had stayed in the United States. Maybe because The difference is here I can play charades, but that doesn't always work. Sometimes, most times rather, you have to vocalize what you need. And they don�t understand English. So you have to vocalize it in Chinese.
The first thing I need to do is to get an English to Chinese dictionary.
I think I miss my mommy.

03-03-00-1142am
I had my first experience with the infamous squat toilets. I walked into Mickey D's and �ta-da!� I don't think so. That was my main adventure for the day, but there is always more to tell. I had my daily ration of dumplings for the day. That is the only thing I eat because it is the only thing I know is safe to eat. I don�t want to get something weird that I would regret eating. It would seem my choices are limited. Maybe I will decided to live a little when it comes to cuisine, but not just yet. I am still adjusting.
I hear some guy walking by outside my window singing a very loud, most likely very old Chinese tune.
I was at the University�s Chinese language center today. At that moment in time I was not sure where I would be staying for the semester so the secretaries at the Center asked me if I wanted to room with a female Chinese teacher and a male German student. I said, "uhm...no thank you." They were perplexed and asked, "You no want another foreign roommate?" It seems they thought I did not want to live with other foreign students for fear that I would not completely utilize Chinese. I said, "No, I don't want a boy roommate." Apparently my mid-western upbringing is a foreign concept to them. It is perfectly okay to have co-ed habitations. Sorry, I thought, I am not staying in the same house as a guy I have never even met, it is just is not working for me.
I have mentioned getting a motorcycle to several people here. (Actually, a motorcycle to these people is a scooter, they do not have �real� American motorcycles.) Every time I mention it, I think it scares them. They seem to think I am not able to ride one because I am a girl, or a foreigner, or that it is too dangerous. They are right about the dangerous part. The scooters wizz by, darting in and out of lanes of traffic, pulling stunts that no sane person I know would do. If you thought rush-hour traffic in Manhattan was bad, �you ain�t seen nothin� yet.�
It is early morning here but I'm so tired. I still have not gotten used to the jetlag. It is about 10pm in Oklahoma so it is technically my bedtime. Maybe I will just take a little nap. I don't want to, because if I did I would probably end up sleeping several hours. This would not help my jetlag in any way.

03-03-00-1044pmTaiwan
Chivalry is dead. No wait, I take that back, chivalry was never even born here! From what I have seen today, women are objects to be controlled and displayed, and of course to have kids and cook for you. I know I am most likely wrong, and this is a bad stereotype to be propagating, but it seems like this through observation. I have not seen a guy open a door for a girl since I left Detroit. �Ay caramba!
I got more stories to tell today. That would be, �Yes, there is a lot of staring directed at me.� I hear things like"Look at the big white (da bai)!" That would be me. Since I am apparently so big I would like to wack them upside the head, but I am sure that would start an international incident, so I will refrain.
I had dinner tonight at LiShins second sisters� house. Dinner turned out to be more than I could handle. Luckily there are only two feet on a chicken, and somebody else got to them first, before they were offered to me. *GAG* I am promise to myself that I am never going to eat the feet of a chicken, no matter how high a level of cultural acceptance I strive to attain. This I do solemnly swear. Amen.
I found out today that LiShin has lived in America before, so she has a, more or less, good idea what Americans find disgusting or not. She has saved me this night. Thanks to her, I did not have to partake of the fowl feet.
LiShin and I went to the grocery store tonight. It was not what the average Taiwanese goes to. It was like a giant Super Wal-mart, only with a Chinese twist.
I will be finding it easy not to eat beef over here. It is sooo greasy and hunks of fat seem to be the best part to people. No one understands why I cut off �the best part� and throw it away.   I, on the other hand, find large hunks of fat quite distasteful. People do not understand the fact that I like chicken, and that is about it. Why do I like chicken? I can recognize it and I know it is safe. But then when I say I like chicken they will try to give me chickens� feet.... I think I am going to become a vegetarian.
I bought a mattress today at the grocery store... The mattress was $US13 and it is really, really thin, about 2 inches thick. It has got some plant thing on one side. It looks like a big long loofah sponge on that side. The other side of the mattress is made of fabric. You are supposed to sleep on the fabric side in the winter, it is supposed to keep you warm. In the summer you sleep on the plant, the plant thing is supposed to suck up the perspiration and keep you cool in the summer. I have yet to prove this hypothesis. Odds are it will not be too long before I get the chance; it was quite warm today, even though it's only the first of March. I know I am going to die in the summer time. It is humid, 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and this house does not have an air conditioner. I am going to have to make a friend who has one. The Taiwanese summer is definitely not something I am looking forward to.   It is so humid here you can leave bread out and it does not turn into breadcrumbs. Mildew grows nicely though, if you are in the need of penicillin.
The Chinese have more fruit and vegetables than hither to known to Western man. I've never seen 90% of the stuff that was in the open air market, and it is all good! I do not know why they do not market this colorful plethora in the United States.
The oranges are just odd. From the outside they feel spoiled because they are squishy. They just feel spoiled, but you can split it open and just pull them out of the rind. Goodbye to orange fingernails and orange juice in your eye. You don't have to peel it or anything. I have found the treasures of heaven right here. (Yes, I am easy to please.) I assume it would be illegal, but if it was not illegal I would take home some of the seeds and grow my own orange tree.
Oh, I cannot forget to mention the escalators. Apparently they do nott find it dangerous taking baskets full of groceries up and down escalators at the grocery store. So there are levels in the grocery stores (because Taiwan is lacking in space they build up, not out.) There are sometimes 3 or 4 floors in the grocery store, hence the escalators. I would like to know how the guy who has to collect all of the baskets gets them down the escalator without killing someone in the process.
LiShin's car broke down on the way home so we left it at the shop and had to walk home. I think I am turning out to be bad luck for her. Yesterday her car got towed when we went to go visit a possible apartment for me.
I think I could get lost in a paper bag here.

03-03-00-1053pmTaiwan
I went over to Chen Meilings� aptartment today. She is a member in one of the wards here. I really liked her apartment. It was nice, modern, clean and safe. I really liked it. It was nicer than my apartment was while living in Oklahoma! Yet, I feel fine right here at LiShin�s house. She has graciously opened her home to me. It is an older house, probably unacceptable to most by American terms, but it is quaint and LiShin is extremely nice. She has taken me to run most of my errands since I have been here.
I have tried to get used to the food here, but it is not working out as well as I thought it would have. I feel safe eating dumplings (jiaozi) and noodles, that is about it. Some of the vegetables they have tried to give me just taste...icky. Another of my mother's theories: �the Chinese eat healthier and thatis why they are so skinny....� Whatever!! The Chinese put hunks of fat in the soup, and, there is grease everywhere, in everything. I have no appetite ever since I got here. Taiwan has a strict "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy.   I won't ask what is on my plate, and please don't tell me.
I miss having e-mail always available. It looks like I will only be able to e-mail once a day, if that much. I miss my family, but I am not homesick yet. My sister Mel said that �mom isn't taking your leaving well.� I think that is kind of silly since it seemed like she could not wait to get me out of the house.
If I continue to feel the way I do right now though, I will probably go home after this semester is over in May. Hopefully I will become more accustomed to life here. I seem to want to go home even though I enjoy it here. At least now I can say �I did it�, and I won't wonder what seeing the world is like. I might change my mind and stay, I might not, we shall see.
I cannot keep my days straight here. I have to keep asking, "What day is it?" Hopefully I will get used to the time difference sometime.
Everything is very different. I had heard about "betel nuts" before I came.   There was a report about it on CNN before I left. The report said they are the Asian equivalent to chewing tobacco. They are sold at little glass roadside stands. The catch is that there are long legged, scantily clad women in 99.9% of the roadside stalls selling them to the men who drive by. Sex sells things here as well as in America. Taiwanese doctors are just now realizing the fact that betel nuts "may be damaging to your health." Anything that stains your teeth different colors cannot be good for you. They turn lips and teeth bright red. There are also spots of red all over the road. At first I thought Taiwan was just a violent place or there were a lot of traffic accidents. Then, with time, I realized they were all spit stains. I think I liked the delusion of it being evidence of traffic problems better than the truth. Yuck.
I was warned, by some fellow Americans who have lived here a while, that I should be cautious when looking in the magazine sections at roadside stalls because the porno section is mixed right there with all the other stuff that the kids read. Great fun for the kids, I am sure.
The jet lag thing is getting to me. Does it ever go away? I used to think jetlag was a myth told to little children to keep them from wanting to take plane rides. Wrong. I thought I would take a little nap this afternoon. It ended up being 5 hours. That was a long catnap. I would have slept longer, but I needed to go run errands. Before when I flew I only had to get used to 2-3 hour time differences. Now I am adjusting to 13 hours. I hope I adjust soon because I am being inconvenient to LiShin, I am sure.
Hopefully I will get to e-mail everybody I know tomorrow.   I will sign up for an ISP here in Taiwan, but I do not know how to go about that since I do not know the words in Chinese. Does ISP translate?