Winter vacation!
Hey everyone!
My winter/chinese new year vacation is in full swing - so far I've had about 2 weeks of it. Still another 3 weeks to go! I spent the first week in Taipei. I stayed with a Rotarian and basically walked my legs off every day. The other two Americans from my school came to Taipei, too...they like to sleep in late, so I left early most mornings and came back around midnight every night! There is so much to do and see in Taipei. And with the amazing MRT (subway!) and my MRT easycard, it is all easily accessible. Its too difficult to think about what I did day-by-day, so here's a general overview...Snake/Turtle street, foot massage (more painful than relaxing!), Longshan temple (a temple that survived 2 earthquakes), Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall (he founded the Republic of China), Danshui, Banciao (2 cities out of the city!), lots of exploring places that aren't normally explored, night markets, hanging out with other foreigners, TONS of shopping, fancy dinners at the Grand Hyatt hotel, dancing to live music until 2 am, meeting famous people (I was mistaken as the South African president's daughter)...the list goes on and on and on! So if you want to know specifics, e-mail me or leave a message! But, I was always safe - and always having lots of fun!
When I got back to Taichung, I had to go to a Rotary Youth Leadership conference. It was basically 3 days of sitting and listening to people talk in a mixture of Chinese and Taiwanese. Taiwanese is a very special language, but for the Chinese-speaking foreigners...its not always fun to listen to because it doesn't resemble Chinese at all. What I did understand was usually interesting or thought-provoking. I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet lots of people my age...that was, in my opinion, the best part of the 3 days.
I got back from that on Monday, and today is Thursday. Tomorrow is groundhog's day! Its "winter" here now...temperatures are getting "cold" maybe around 7 or 8C. But it is very windy, so it can be cold. And all the buildings have NO insulation or central heating and are made purely of concrete. So yes, there is potential for winter-like weather. But no snow...it rarely snows in Taiwan's highest mountains!
Tuesday, I went to the National Science Museum. I got to see an exhibit featuring 50 or so of the Terra Cotta soldiers that were discovered in Xi'an, China. I always thought that they were historically important, but after seeing them up close, I've come to the conclusion that they also artistically important! Yesterday (Wed.), I did a bunch of house-stuff and went for tea time with my host mom in the mountains. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city. And today, I went to the Botanical Gardens and caught up with some classmates for lunch and tea. I'm going to miss not having tea shops everywhere in America. Yes, America is the land of starbucks, but that just isn't the same. :)
Next Monday-Friday, I'll be with the other foreigners AND Taiwanese kids that will go to other countries in the summer. We are taking a 5 day trip to Taipei and to Hualien. It should be fun! I love Taipei!!!!!!!!! Its just like in America - I love the thrill of big cities. So, maybe, I'm a big city person. Oh...Hualien isn't really a big city, but we will get the chance to visit Taroko Gorge (a marble gorge) and see the beaches! Hualien is on the east coast and is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Taiwan. When I get home, it is practically Chinese New Year. For the new year, we will visit family...and get red envelopes filled with money! And then back to school on the 27th and moving host families sometime in early March. Time is going by toooooooo quickly!
Best wishes to all!
Lauren
