Day 12 – A big tree and some tea

Today we got on the bus at 7:30am to go to the Xi Tou Natural Education Area (here’s a link to their website http://www.exfo.ntu.edu.tw/sitou/eng/01about/default.aspx). Climbing up the mountain to see the Giant Tree was quite an experience. Putting the leg exhaustion aside, the air was fresh and the view was amazing. It rained as we walked, but I love the smell of rain so it was ok. When we got to the Giant tree some of us were disappointed with what we saw. The tree wasn’t that giant and it looked kinda dead.

The Giant Tree is the one with the split top and no leaves. After reading about it online, I learned there is a large boulder in the middle of the Giant Tree which explains why it’s split.

After seeing the tree some of the guys wanted to keep climbing to see the Overlook and Astronomical Observatory, but us girls were not having any of that. Instead, we chose to eat some popsicles (mine was red bean) and then went see the University Pond.

The next place that we went was a tea farm in Chuxiang. When we got there, there was a large lunch prepared for us by the tea farm owner’s wife. This food was by far the best Taiwanese food that I’ve had since arriving in Taiwan. There was a huge pot of fried rice, sweet potatoes, some sort of baked pears, corn soup, and delicious fried chicken. After we were done eating we got to play dress up. They gave us long sleeved jackets and hats to wear while we picked tea leaves. We were in the tea field for about an hour. Greta told me that the farmer said that collectively we pick about $150NT worth of tea leaves. When we went back to the room where we ate we learned about how tea is processed. I was surprised to learn that all teas are made from the same tea leaves, and it’s the way the leaves are processed that determines the flavor and color of the tea.

We got to taste test 5 different types of tea; red, eastern beauty, oolong, high mountain, and four seasons.

The tea farmer said the best way to make tea is…

1. boil water to 100 degrees celsius
2. let tea leaves brew for 6 minutes
3. remove tea leaves and let stand for another 6 minutes
4. slurp the tea (loudly) to better taste the flavor 🙂

I will say that waiting the full 6 minutes to let the tea cool down was too long for me. I prefer my tea to be hotter than what is was after cooling down that much. Wishing you happy tea making from Grace in Taiwan.

 

Day 11 -Nothing Happened

I blissfully slept in till 11am today. Thank you, Typhoon Nepartak! We waited all day long to see some crazy typhoon action but were (pleasantly?) let down when nothing happened. When I say nothing, I really mean nothing. All day we had clear skies with only a light wind if any at all in Taichung City. I guess this is better than being blown away, right? Thank you everyone at home who were praying for our safety!! Unfortunately, many cities in southern Taiwan were destroyed by Nepartak. Please keep those who were affected by this typhoon in your prayers.

My day consisted of watching Gilmore Girls (miss you mama!), eating my snacks, and napping. It was nice to just have a chill day in the air conditioned room. Tomorrow we will be going to a nature center and then to a tea farm. I’m super excited to be getting out of the dorm again!

This is probably the shortest blog I’ve ever made, but that’s all I have to say. So for now, goodnight from Grace in Taiwan.

Day 10 – It’s here!

Today started as a normal day with Mandarin class in the morning and then management class at 1. Due to the incoming typhoon our management class ended an hour early. We took this time to get some final typhoon “survival snacks”, which for me were apples and a loaf of bread. At 5pm, Rebecca ordered us Pizza Hut pizzas for dinner. We all ate together in the lobby of our dorm building. Around 7pm we were notified that our classes would be cancelled for tomorrow. I was excited to be able to sleep in, but at the same time, I was disappointed to miss the martial arts class that was scheduled.

Here is a picture of the radar for the incoming typhoon. 11pm- windy but no rain yet.

This blog post is short but it’s finally here, the Vlog from Day 4 (aka pigs blood cake and smokey cookies reactions)!!! 🙂

Day 9 – Ocean Experience

Today we had our first Enterprise Visit at Ocean Technologies CO. LTD (here’s a link to their website http://www.octece.com). This company manufactures Electro-Discharge Machines (EDM). The EDMs have the capability to drill tiny holes into metal with extreme precision and accuracy. These machines are used by a variety of different companies which include Swarovski, Nissan, and BMW. This visit gave me insight into a part of Supply Chain Management (management, production, and sales). It was really interesting to see the different departments within the company and the processes that occur on a factory floor.

The woman pictured with our group, wearing the red polo, is one of the company’s shareholders. She was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all the questions we had about Ocean.

This picture was taken on the production floor where EDMs were being put together.

On the way back to campus we stopped at The Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Gardens. This historic residence is the most complete traditional home in Taiwan and has an area of 11,000 sq. meters. It is located just south of Taichung City and is about 30 minutes away from campus. The home originally belonged to General Lin Wencha, a Fujian army commander, before it was passed down to his descendants. Unfortunately, in September of 1999 an earthquake badly damaged this historic home. It took the Taiwanese government approximately 20 million USD to restore this piece of history.

The wives and daughters of this wealthy family were not permitted to leave the house. This courtyard portion of the house is where the women and girls would spend most of their time.

During the tour we were given a sample of traditional Taiwanese tea in a small room in the house. While we were there Greta bought us all a passion fruit popsicle. Thank you, Greta!!

Before we went back to campus we ate dinner at Pomodoro Italian Restaurant. The meals were very large so I split one with Laura. Together we shared tomato vegetable soup, salad, french fries, spaghetti basil chicken, creme brulee, and cheesecake. Yes, that is a lot of food and yes we were both very full at the end! While we were there I also got to try some pigs foot and red wine. Greta insisted I try her pigs foot, so I did. It wasn’t bad but I think I preferred the duck that I had before. The wine, on the other hand, was not as enjoyable. I only had a sip and that was all I needed to find out I didn’t like it (the restaurant gave us all a free wine tasting). I’m just glad I had coffee to wash that taste away.

Ok, now let’s talk about the typhoon coming our way. Apparently, it’s a pretty big one and it is going to be here tomorrow night and last all through Friday. To prepare, we were told to buy bottled water and food to last us until Saturday. I’ve never been in a huge natural disaster before so I guess Taiwan is giving me another first. Thanks, Taiwan. On a positive note, the AC is back on and is working well 🙂 Woohoo!! I will try to give another update on the typhoon on tomorrow’s blog but for now, goodnight from Grace in Taiwan.

 

Day 8 – Bye Bye AC

We have officially been in Taiwan for a full week. Instead of doing a normal blog post I will be making a list of 7 Things I’ve noticed about Taiwan.

1. The sound of the cicadas are ridiculously loud, all the time!
2. Most of the food in Taiwan consists of “meat wrapped in dough” -Sophie Brightman
3. Dogs wander the streets with ease and are well behaved *very few are ever leashed
4. The hill to the dorm building is my workout every day
5. My dorm room becomes a sauna without air-conditioning *last night the building lost all air-conditioning power 😦
6. Ice doesn’t exist in Taiwan *I’ve only had 1 drink with ice the entire week
7. Typhoons are accepted as the norm :0

Side note: I don’t think that I fully appreciated the air-conditioning before it was gone. I’m praying that they get if fixed before tomorrow night!!

If you are wondering what my day looked like today, here it is:

• Mandarin Class
• dumplings for lunch
• Management Class
• Night Market
• Bakery

Day 7 – Tea Time in Taiwan

Today was a pretty simple day that started with Mandarin class. We learned how to introduce ourselves; name, age, nationality, and our families. Last semester in our Intro to Taiwan class we learned the same thing, so it was easier for me this second time around. For lunch Amanda and I went to a vegetarian shop which turned out to be a noodle shop. I got the spicy noodle bowl and it was yummy.

Our afternoon excursion was to a tea house. 

Before we entered the tea room we had to remove our shoes. This action did not produce a pleasant smell as all 16 of us had to fit around one table in one small room. The tables were very low, so we sat on small cushions on the ground. A variety of tea party finger foods were then brought to us; the first being a sweet pumpkin hashbrown (tasted like sweet potato), and then crispy sweet potato balls. We were also served small pieces of fluffy brown cake. Cake in Taiwan is not as sweet as in America, it has more of a pound cake taste. My least favorite was the sesame seed pastry (flakey with black sesame seed filling). The three teas that we sampled were Orange, Roselle, and Oolong.

• Orange Tea – sweet at first then a sour/citrus flavor
• Roselle Tea – Sour and fruity
• Oolong Tea – light and tasted just like the oolong from home 🙂

Greta said that the teas for sale at this tea house were too expensive and that we would take a trip later in the week to buy tea.

After tea, we walked around the city looking for the Early Bird Diner. This American-themed diner was recommended to us by a student who went on the COBE in Taiwan trip last year. Since it was the 4th of July we thought it only right to eat ‘merican for the night. On the way back to campus, after enjoying some comfort food, we stopped at the Top City Department Store. This mall was very high end (Cartier, Prada, Gucci, ect.) but had an H&M store on its lowest level. The girls all enjoyed this stop, I don’t think the guys appreciated it as much.

Apparently, there is a typhoon brewing and it is heading towards Taiwan. But don’t worry. The large mountains on the eastern side of Taiwan will block most of it from hitting us, hopefully. So for now, goodnight from Grace in Taiwan.

Day 6 – I’m Lucky

We only had one planned activity today, and it didn’t start til 3:30. That means I got to sleep till 10am!! After such a busy week it was great to catch up on sleep. When I did get up I decide to do my laundry. The washer was 20NT and the dryer was 10NT for 30 min. This means that the total cost was only $1 USD. For lunch, we walked to get sha long bao (steamed bun with pork inside) at the market near the campus. We ate them in the 7/11 (air conditioning + tables) where I also got a boxed milk tea. It is fun to just sit and watch the locals walk by the 7/11. Many of them wear face masks, the kind that surgeons use, and have funky hats.

After we were done with lunch we went to the Jade Market. Greta warned us that not all the jade would be real and to be careful not to spend too much money for something that we didn’t know was authentic. Going in I knew I wanted a small jade necklace. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money so I stayed with Greta so she could help me find something. The first few pieces we saw cost about $1100-2000NT. These were way over my budget, but a reasonable price for jade, so I figured that getting a necklace would be out of the question. Our group wasn’t meeting till 7pm so I decided to look around and practice my Chinese. In class, we learned how to ask “How much is this?”, and how to say “that’s too expensive”.

I was having fun listening to the numbers they were saying and responding accordingly (“too expensive”), but then I came across a pretty pink stone bracelet. I tried to play it cool when I asked “How much?” (if you seem less interested the price will be lower). She said it  cost $300NT. I really liked this bracelet but I couldn’t see myself paying $10 USD for regular pink stones [I know I’m a cheapo but it’s my mom’s fault ;)], so I moved on. I was determined to find another bracelet that was cheaper. That’s when I came across one that not only had pink stones, but also an elephant charm!! This time, I played it reealyy cool. I probably asked the price of 5 other items before I came to the pink elephant one, and each time the prices when down. When he said that it cost $200NT, I knew I had him. I offered him $150NT in Chinese and he accepted. I was so proud of myself. 🙂

I was on my way back to the stairs to leave when a small table caught my eye.

It had small jade pendant necklaces on display, so I stopped to ask how much they were. The largest one with a really pretty green pattern on it cost $1150, once again “too expensive”. Then she showed me a smaller one that cost $900. I think she could tell that I was ready to leave, so she told me to type in a price on her calculator. I figured that low balling it at $300 was a safe bet to get out of there, but was extremely surprised when she accepted!! I was super excited with this purchase and went to find Greta right away to tell her. Greta was also very surprised and wanted to know where I got it. She and the woman I got my necklace from then began talking. She also told Greta that the jade she sold was from China and was pure and natural [no dyes and not man made]. The woman wanted to know where I was from and told Greta she was impressed with my Chinese. I then asked Greta to share with her that I was adopted from China and that I lived in America. The woman thought this was the most amazing thing, saying that I was lucky. She then proceeded to give me a jade charm as a gift. I was so surprised and thankful that I gave her a hug right then and there! Here is a picture of us together with me holding the charm.

With a thankful heart, goodnight from Grace in Taiwan.

Day 5 – Taiwan is Beautiful

I woke up at 7am today and it wasn’t even painful. I thank the lingering jet lag for this miracle. Today was jam packed with activities so I’ll jump right in!

Our first stop of the day was the Chung Tai Chan Monastery, located in the mountains to the east. This Buddhist monastery was built in 1992 and opened in 2001. While visiting we took a tour guided by one of the nuns (female monks) and learned about the history of the monastery and some of their beliefs and teachings. I was astonished by the size and extravagance of the temple. Photos were not allowed to be taken inside, but here are a few of the outside.

During the tour we were requested by the nun to bow to the Buddha statues to show respect and reverence. I appreciated the beauty and artistic craftsmanship of the massive statues, but I refused to bow before an idol made of stone. In Isaiah 44:9 it says,”All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.” I was not the only one in the group who chose not to bow, but I feel it was still a test of my faith none the less. I am so thankful to serve a God that loves me so much that He sent is His one and only Son to die for me, and save me from my sin (John 3:16). I know that nothing I do in this world would ever be enough to deserve the salvation that Jesus has freely given.

The next place that we went to was the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Villiage. This sounds like an authentic historic spot, but it is actually an amusement park. We were all confused by this at first! It is similar to a Busch Gardens theme park but it’s smaller. While at the park I got a mango ice cream cone and it was sooo good! Tasted like fresh mango puree was drizzled in it. I would also like to mention that I rode a roller coaster that not only went upside down, but also let my legs dangle at the bottom [this is a pretty big step for me]. At the park there was also a cable car that connected to Sun Moon Lake. The views were amazing.

From the lake, we took a boat back to where our bus was parked. This was the first time I’ve been cold while in Taiwan (I didn’t know it was possible haha). The bus then dropped us off at Ponderosa for dinner. It is very similar to the American Ponderosa except that the buffet is smaller, and there are more Taiwanese types of food. I was very hungry so I only chose foods that I recognized; pasta with red sauce, french fries, and broccoli. I also ate a bunch of fresh fruits that were on the buffet; pineapple, watermelon, apples, oranges, and a piece of guava. It was really nice to have fruit and broccoli during this dinner. I’ve noticed that there are not a lot of vegetables in Taiwan like there are in America, and I miss them.

I have been in Taiwan for almost a week now and it feels like I’ve been here forever (in a good way). I am becoming more adjusted to the city and the culture, but I’m still trying to get used to the weather. So for now, goodnight from Grace in Taiwan.