1st Week in Taiwan

I really don't know how to begin. This week has been incredible and truly an amazing experience. How many teenagers my age get this opportunity? Although, Taiwan is quite different people all over the world are all similar in different aspects. People are people and a simple smile or thank you goes a long way in your journey especially when you can't speak their language. I LOVE Taiwan after only one week. 

I am so happy my district 7010 chose to send me to Taiwan! This week has been full of trying new things, food, friendship, family, and culture. Change is good :)

So you are all wondering what I have done this week so here we go:

Saturday August 17th: I arrived in Taipei, TPE at 4:40am. Customs that early in the morning was very easy but my bags took forever to come to the terminal. I walked out of the gate to a huge warm welcome to Taiwan from Taipei Yung Dung Rotary club (my host club)

Some of my host family's and because I was the first exchange student to come to the district 3480 Michael Chen (PP Wine) YEC chairmen also game to greet me. I was quite tired but I jumped right in to Taiwanese culture by eating these delicious pork dumplings. We went to my first host family's house. They checked all my paperwork and I unpacked while they went back to sleep to get some rest for the day. Today our apartment building did its ghost ceremony. We took some good to the front lobby and put it outside on tables. They lit these worship sticks and had prayer. This ceremony allows for a full year of no haunting. The food is for the ghosts but if they don't want it we can take it. After all of that we went to my host moms family dinner. Once a week they gather and enjoy family and food. I was so welcomed and the hosts wife kept bringing me all these things to try. At 10:00pm I was so tired, I had been up so long and the time change was killing me. I knew I had to stay up the full day to get over the time change, so I did. I went on the mrt with my host sister Cynthia for the first time. We finally got home at around 10:15pm and I got some much needed rest.

Sunday August 18th: Today was a very busy day considering its only my second day in Taiwan! I first went golfing with my host dad at a golfing range and he gave me a few much needed golf tips to become a 'killer' in golf. After golf my host sister Cynthia and her boyfriend, How Yuan took me by mrt to my school. After that we were running a little rate so we went straight to the rotary exchange dinner for exchange students in the club. I got to listen to two exchange students who went to France and USA from Taiwan who were presenting about their year abroad. It was a great evening of karaoke and food and I was fairly tired because of the time change.

Monday August 19th: Today we greeted a new friend at the airport. Elias Peltola from Finland he is also hosted by the same rotary club Taipei Yung Dong. After meeting Elias we went directly to the centre of Taipei and visited my host moms family. I went to my first night market ever :) with Kelly my host parents niece. I tried lots of things including mango ice and dumplings. I also got to play these fun night market games. I am very tired though as it was lots of walking around.

Tuesday August 20th: Another experience to remember. We took my host dads parents to the mountain house.  We then drove up a very large mountain to have coffee at Mr.Browns and to see the beautiful scenery. The typhoon was clearly coming as outside turned very dark. After a nice ice coffee we drove to a hot spring. It was the first time I have ever tried it but it is amazing and I look forward to going again. Today was very relaxing and fulfilled with excitement of trying new things.

Wednesday August 21st: Today has been the quietest day so far in Taiwan. My host sisters work was cancelled last night on national news because of the typhoon. The typhoon however was just like a normal storm in Canada. I finally got to chat with Elias the exchange student from Finland. He and his host parents came to my host family's house to have lunch. I showed off my skills of 'tea making' and impressed my 3rd host family who are Elias's 1st.  I got to try apple milk today which was a new experience for me. I am enjoying everything so far here.

Thursday August 22nd: Today was a pretty relaxing today. I went with my host dad to his work. After work we went to enjoy and relax. We went to a rotarian's (Frank) coffee shop aka Julius Meinl. I drank a iced latte and a nice hot coffee and some delicious waffles with "honey" I may add (Dad). After our nice coffee break we went home and relaxed some more.  At around 8:00pm we went swimming which is very different here in Taiwan but fun. You must wear swim caps and you swim back and forth in a fast or slow lane. It was much more controlled than swimming in a Canadian pool.

Friday August 23rd: Today I went to Jiufen with Elias and Kelly and her dad and grandma and my host parents and Elias's host mom. It was a beautiful day to look at the amazing scenery of the mountain city. Before going to Jiufen we stopped and ate this amazing lunch at a local restaurant. We tried many new things in Jiufen including this plastic bubble kids toy and some Taiwanese pop/ "Gatorade". After Jiufen we drove to Elias's host family house which will be my 3rd host family. It rained very steadily but we made it safely. We then went together to a great Thailand restaurant and it was great to taste a different cuisine. However,  my day does not stop there.  On the way home Taipei 101 was beautifully lit and the skies were clear so we went up!  It was beautiful and the scenery was outstanding. Grandma Pam, Grandma and Grandpa If you are reading this post please check your mail a special postcard from Taipei 101 is coming! I love my host families personality of always wanting to go and do something with me. Like me I am a battery that never runs out aha.

Saturday August 24th: Today I went to my host district 3480 inbound youth exchange orientation. I finally got to meet my new friends around the world. After the orientation I went to the zoo which was really fun. I even got to see a real panda! Today I got to try KFC and it was quite spicy compared to Canada. I also got to eat spicy noodles for dinner with my host sister Cindy and ice cream :)! Overall, today was exciting and a great outlook on an great exchange year!

Sunday August 25th: I had another amazing day. I went with my host dad on a 30km bike trip to "Bitan". My host dads nickname is 'killer' because it is a joke in the family from the movie summer killer (Western cowboy movie 40years ago). He rode down a huge flight of stairs and he his quite active for his age. We stopped to eat lunch and watch some local baseball. I even saw my first pug today. The local mountain baseball team thought I was like a god because when I came to watch they started to win so they thanked me aha. Tonight I went to a hotspot restaurant  where in the centre of your place is a hot burner that cooks your food. You choose your meat and it is raw so you can cook it with your vegetables at your hotspot. A very interesting and delicious place. 

As you can tell my week has been jammed packed with activities and everything so far has been great. The people here are nice and I look forward to next weeks trails!

I hope you all enjoy my exchange stories of my adventure in Formosa. Don't forget you can also email me at jordan3pind@gmail.com

The power of a smile,

Jordan Pind, 白佐安

For my food fans...