My Weekend with Rotary

Friday, my club joined with Keyles Rotary club had a meeting where we all had to dress formally because it was our District Governors official visit. Keyle came right after school so I made her dress up in some of my clothes, a cute white jean skirt and a maroon top that she looked gorgeous in. I didn't understand much of what the Governor was talking about but I tapped Keyle on the shoulder when he started talking about us and we wete to wave at everyone in the room. For the rest of his speech all I understood was that he spoke about exchange students, inbound and outbound, spoke about Rotary activities, such as swimming, and hiking Jade Mountain, the tallest mountain in Taiwan which I would love to conquer, and something about Canada but I don't know enough Chinese yet to have caught the details, sadly. I gave the Governor some pins from West Kelowna and a Canadian flag pin which he put on right away. Rotary meetings are nice to meet and see everyone but not understanding much is kind of frustrating and tiring. The food at the place we go is also not my favourite, but I can always make dumplings when I get home.
The day after I slept in quite late and was woken up to being called down to the dining room for lunch. Later in the evening we went and picked up my ten year old bestie and headed to a BBQ with many of the Rotarians from my club. There, they had a little buffet set up with my favourite, sweet and sour pork, and had Taiwanese sausages that were very good. I was then told to not eat the black part because it causes cancer. Many superstitions I still need to get used to I guess. Sister, the little one and I all joined a new friend named Frances and some other young kids to a very needed airconditioned area where we got fruit as desert. I love fruit but sister doesn't. I also showed the kids how to kick and punch properly because they had this big punching pad, one of the ones that stands with water in the base, anyway they had no idea what they were doing so I impressed some people a little bit and taught them how to properly kick and punch. I wish we had one of those in the gym of our community, I forgot how fun they are. Xiao Ming, the little girl, then came over for a sleep over and we made pancakes with maple syrup at 12am. We always ask how she likes things but her answer is so-so every time. She also has unlimited energy I swear.
Again on Sunday I slept in a little bit and woke up for the walk to lunch at Nu Pasta, where I had delicious ravioli and a mango and lemon smoothie. We then went back home and watched an Amine in Chinese all afternoon until we headed to a fair at the Art Center which is close to my house. My rotary club, along with many others, had a stand selling food. I introduced myself to more Rotarians and their families as I had the last two days as well. Sometimes it gets a little tiring but I enjoy meeting everyone. I found a bunch of my fellow inbounds there as well and spent most of the night with them as well. We tried games and different foods, including a big ice cream cone which actually looked bigger in the picture. We took cute group photos too, as always. I was given an adorable charm by a friend named Christine and her cousin from her cousins jewellery stand. It is a pink stone in the shape of Taiwan. Its very cute. I was also given an awesome fox stuffy by my bestie that her and Christine won in a balloon shooting game! Keep in mind me and the adorable ten year old do not have a full language in common (yet at least) but I adore her and I think she likes me just as much too. This fox stuffy looks a lot like my dog back home, and I actually was trying to win one in a claw game earlier in the week but those games are made to lose here. I love my new little puppy. When it got dark we played with cool light things that you sling shot into the air and they come floating down looking alike to something from Avatar. My family and I ate at the new dumpling shop later in the evening and had my favourite curry flavoured fried dumplings. I need to learn how to make the curry flavoured ones. When we got home I organized my room even more because my cluttered desk was starting to annoy me so now my room is very tidy. Much different from how my room usually is back in Canada.

Saturday I started the day by having brunch with dad and sister. Me and sister were all matching all day, skirts, coloured contacts, aprins, sunglasses, everything! We then headed to an adorable bakery where they make home make cheese cake tarts with every amazing flavour you could think of. They are so good and I wanna take some friends there later in the year. There was even a grape flavour and I didn't think I'd like it but it was one of my favourites! They also made us the cutest little grilled cheese sandwiches with ham and I crave so many more of them. At the bakery my Rotary club and the families made adorable sock snowmen filled with rice. I had a lot of fun learning how to make them and hanging out with everyone in my amazing Rotary club. A little ten year old girl, the future club presidents daughter, is so cute and very fun to hangout with and try to communicate because we both know very little of each others first languages. She asked when she could come over and I said whenever she wants. It was sooner than I thought but I am totally okay with that because she is the sweetest little thing ever.
 We then went for a short visit at Ama and Agongs house and ate a little dinner because we were still full from the bakery. Every time I go there the cousins are forced to call me 'big sister' in Chinese and they still aren't very comfortable with it. Hopefully after a few more months they will be more comfortable with me in general. Ama and Agong always make me feel very comfortable though, even though we don't speak the same language. Although Amas English is improving, as hopefully my Chinese is too but I need to get more used to speaking it with everyone rather than just practicing. I don't think I will ever feel like I'm learning enough though.
In the evening we joined a Roteract group at a DIY bakery. This bakery only opened a week ago but it was awesome! We all made different types of cakes and cookies. Keyle also joined us and we had fun trying to figure out what to do considering everything was in Chinese. We both made lava cakes and they turned out really well. Again, I would love to bring more friends there but we might need to know more baking vocabulary. I was unexpectedly asked to introduce myself and I think I did pretty well but I still can't really tell the difference between tones. I was asked some questions including where I'm from and if I'm single, but again communication troubles made the questions very few. Either way it was a very fun experience and I would love to do it again and try to make something else (probably lemon pie.)
The day after, I woke up to mama knocking on my door saying we need to hurry because dads already waiting outside to go to lunch. That same little girl came over for a play date after lunch and we had a great day. Her name translates to small rice, but sounds a lot more adorable in Chinese. We played many different games and struggles to communicate all day but sister helped with that. Her parents joined us all for dinner as well. By the end of the day she taught me so much Chinese and was so set on teaching me more. She is probably the funniest, least stressful teacher I've ever had. When it was time to go home she didn't want to but we agreed on one last game of Uno.
Overall it was a great weekend but waking up at

6am on Mondays sucks. Although, tonight I did work out for the first time while I've been here and it felt great. I just hope my legs don't hurt tomorrow. It was almost an hour and a half long work out but it wasn't all that intense so I hope I'm not that sore. Over all a good day even though it had too early of a start.

This week

Chinese class finally begun this week and dad made me a cool name card with pictures of me dog and the Canadian flag. I had fun with the other exchange students, yet I still don't really feel a part of the group entirely, I feel like an outsider almost. That's obviously not what I really wanted but I guess it's same old stuff even on the other side of the world. Although, I do feel I have a couple good friends but they might be a little forced due to the fact we go to the same school everyday but I feel closer to them than anyone else. Chinese class had a slow start where everyone is learning very basic things still, so the second day me and Ghabriel asked for more difficult vocab and assignment and CJ, the boy from USA, joined us because he has been learning Chinese for three years already. We learned a lot more vocab but I don't remember everything in my head, of course I wrote it all down. My favourite was the name of the Rocky Mountains of course. All our teachers are very nice and now say hello to me in the hallways when they see me because they are all from my school due to the fact that this is where everyone comes for the class. 
My English teacher from my normal classes is also a very helpful and willing to help with everything from school problems to just life problems in general. I really appreciate his support and help with everything. My classmates are getting much more used to my presence and inviting me to do a lot more. On Wednesday we had cooking class where we made mango smoothies, that were delicious and this coming Wednesday we will make cheese tarts and fruit tarts, and I will probably provide mango or pineapple. Starting yesterday was two blocks of clubs where I and the two other exchange students were inviting to join photography club. We were helped to understand a lot of what was going on and then one of my amazing classmates translated his introduction to English and parts of his power point had the English words on them so we would get the idea. Having taken a photography course I was able to understand what he was explaining to the others because he put the terms on the power point in English and I had been previously taught them. I also explained some to Ghabriel because he has not done photography before. We participated in some cool activities where we needed to find hints to our tasks, which were mostly reacreating the photo we found, and we got to take a cool photo with one of the military officers at the school. Next clubs meeting we will learn how to develope photos without a dark room! I am very excited for that. We then rushed back to class before the bell went in order to get our card and get some food (dumplings) before they were all gone. We were then surprised by that same amazing student with bubble tea that everyone in the photography group got, although I'm pretty picky about my tea here. Then for the first time at lunch, my classmates sat with us and talked and taught us things until they needed to start class again. I am very happy to be making more friends from my school.
Last night me and dad went on is big scooter to grandma and grandpas house for dinner where I always try to bond more with my shy little cousins. There was a little fair right beside it for the end of ghost month. We saw part of what was a traditional Taiwanese play and then moved over to a not very tradtional concert where the girls were not wearing very much clothing. Then after one of their songs, they pointed out the only white girl in the crowd to ask if I thought they were beautiful...I mean, they were but then I got nothing but stares from everyone else in the crowd. A guy even tried to take a picture of me, not even with me, without permission and when I stepped out of the shot he seemed dissapointed. ASK for permission atleast. Weird night. We then went to a pet store where I played with the cutest puppies ever. I miss my puppy a lot. I also breifly tried a Ubike, bikes that are all over Taiwan and you can get half an hour for free and then pay a certain amount, which I'm not sure of yet, and ride anywhere and just drop off an another station. 

First Real Meeting

Tonight, I went to my first official Rotary meeting with my club, Taoyuan Fortune. At first I was very nervous because I needed to introduce myself in front of the entire club and there are around 40 people in my club I believe, plus the family members they brought with them. I had a little eight sentence introduction memorized in Mandarin but when I get nervous I tend to forget things.. so I was in front of everyone and only said about half of what I intended but everyone was just so happy to have me there that it didn't seem to matter! My hosting Rotary club here in Taiwan is a group of the most welcoming and friendly people I have ever met. Everyone in my host rotary club is willing to help me with any problems or feelings I may face over the year and that makes me feel so much better just in itself. Knowing that I have genuine people who can understand many things that could cause problems or stress and are ALWAYS open to talk is such a relief. Even many of the Rotary kids have come to me and told me that they are there for me and there to talk if I ever need anything.

Although many of the Rotarians couldn't speak English, or spoke very little, we did our best to communicate with the help of Jerry and Christine, the son and daughter of the wonderful couple who drove me there and home tonight. Christine is also good friends with Jasmine, my sister. Their mother, apparently forty eight, looks maybe thirty years old! Jerry will be flying out on Sunday to The United States to attend college, and I'm sure will miss the food here, especially the dumplings.
For the fourth time recently we sung Happy Birthday to one of the members and had yummy cake, but trust me its not as sweet as the cake I eat in Canada. Sweet is not really a prominent flavour in Taiwan, but it is my usual diet... so I often walk to Seven Eleven to buy sweet treats. Which will have to stop pretty quickly considering there aren't as many ways of exercise as I do in Canada. Hopefully my metabolism keeps up with all the carbs too.
Yesterday was my first time at the Taoyuan night market. Jasmine and I had fun shooting beebee guns at balloons, we have pretty good aim, by the way. Dad also bought us matching skirts that I'm super excited to go out in and will definitely make her take photos with me! I also was bought a very nice pair of pants. I am so spoiled.
Anyway, its late and I am starting to get a head ache for some reason, I'll write again soon.😄

University Campus

I met with my Rotary Counsellor today, and he and his family are very lovely. Baby boy  in the family celebrated his first birthday today. Family brought different items for him to choose from to see what he might end up doing as a future career. There were books, fake gold, food and other items that all meaned different things. The book meant he might be a teacher, gold meaning he will make a lot of money and be rich in the future, and a chicken thigh, meant he will never need to worry about having food, he will be well fed forever. He was a little overwhelmed with all the people and just kept going back to his mother. We enjoyed cake and Mcdonalds for lunch. I then went with Jerry, and his family, to Taiwan National Normal University, where Laura needed to wait in a huge line to get school things in order, and I was shown their Language and foreigners area of one of three of the schools campus'. Sadly, the language information building was closed, due to it being a Sunday. Laura said she will get more information for me though. University in Taiwan is significantly cheaper than anywhere in North America, and also have a very large language department with benefits no where in Canada could offer. I won't say this for a fact, but I might also have a very good refference. I am strongly considering applying for university here. My top choice is still Gallaudet, in Washington DC, but it is extremely expensive and hard to get into. There is only one course for hearing students and seems like it'd be a competition to get accepted, but I still want to apply, as well as applying here and possibly Germany, where they have free tuition under certain circumstances. Germany along with other countries in Europe offer free tuition but I need to do more research into the courses and circumstances. I know that for however long you stay for school, you must equal that time living there after finishing your degree. Of course, we will see how I feel after a year here, but I don't see anything ruining Taiwan for me. It is quite wonderful here. Although, I am not used to everything yet, I will say I love it. I also know that I want to travel a lot though, and I would love Germany or other parts of Europe too, but lets not even get started about the general cost of living.

Back to current time, tomorrow I wake up at six again for school, so I should get some rest tonight. Hopefully I will actually recieve some work or something to do from the teachers tomorrow. If not, I will continue trying to teach myself whatever I can throughout the day or week. I guess we'll see. Laura also gave me this really awesome see through umbrella that I absolutely love!

Ghost Festival

Last night, I attened a Roteract meeting and even though it was mostly in Mandarin, I learnt a lot about it, thanks to my host dad quietly translating the speaker for me. My dad is the Rotary representative for the group and they all call him "Uncle Jamie" which I thought was pretty cool and funny. After, we went to a barbeque with the Roteract club and here, barbequing is a lot different than in Canada, even with a big barbeque. They used torches to light the coals and it takes a lot longer to start up than the ones in Canada. It took two tries to get it going properly and then they showed me what they cook on a barbeque. They have toast with BBQ sauce, very thin and small pieces of pork, wrapped in the toast. As well as scewered vegiables wih sauce also. It tasted delicious, and I really want it again. Comparing to Canada though, the pieces of meat were very tiny. Canadian barbeques are huge pieces of meat and probably less drinking involved. Although, here it seems to be for an event or group, whereas in Canada its a very frequent activity just in our backyard. Oh, Roteract also gave me a cake. Along with the other one I recieved earlier in the day, for caring for a dog, that makes it two free cakes in one day! How does that even happen? People here are insanely generous. I was also really craving cake too.
This coming Tuesday is the actual day of Ghost Festival, but since most people are busy working and going to school, its celebrated a few days early so everyone is able to celebrate it. In this festival, we had a box of food and beverages to offer to the ghosts and Gods. We wrote our names on special flags and placed them in our box. Then there are three rotations, where you will light incense and place them first in your offerings, one for each person and all three times to the head of the tables, where there were two jars that hold them srtaight up. One incense for each person in both of the jars. The first jar is for the sky God, the second is for a local God. The incense guide the ghosts and Gods from the water bowls at the front, where they clean before the feast, and all the way down the rows of tables where their are many different typs of consumable offerings for them to enjoy in their after life. A lot of fake money is also burnt to ensure they are fortunate and well off in their after life. Before placing the insence in the jars you must bow your head and the incense three times, after places them you put your hands together and quickly pray before the next cycle begins. When the cycles are over you burn the rest of the money together. When all is done the food and drinks are all taken home to not be wasted. Waste is very frowned upon here.
In the afternoon my sister, father and I walked to a couple pet stores and saw very cool creatures. Eguinas, chameleons, tons of fish, nemos, dorys, puffer fish, even rainbow trout! So many cool types of lizards and snakes, wish I could see them in the wild too though. There were tarantulas, which I had just been trying to explain to them an hour before, and hedgehogs, bunnies, and a dog that I really fell inlove with. She really just wanted attention and love, this pet store took her in when someone found her on the street and have gotten rid of all bugs and have rehabilitated her to almost full health. I really hope, and don't doubt she will find a home once she is completely healthy. We then headed to Ama and Agongs house for dinner with a lot of the family. We feasted with ten different dishes, including one that my dad told me was his grandmothers favourite. I see why, it was very good. Another event that occurs this Tuesday, is Agongs birthday, so tonight was also a little celebration for him, where we sung happy birthday in English and Chinese, and had some cake of course. Sister and I also made him take a selfie with us.
It was also very rainy today and I love rain, it makes everything more pretty and way less hot. I can't take heat very well, but I do notice I'm getting used to it. Everyone wears full plastic rain suites to stay dry, mostly only when on a scooter, there are some pretty cool looking ones. Now, I am gonna study some Mandarin and head to bed. Long, productive and fun day.

School

The last two days of school, honestly have been really stressful and hard to get used to, but today was a little bit of an improvement. Yesterday, frustrated with being ignored, I asked our home room teacher to give us something to do, even if it was all in Mandarin, or just random papers because I can try to teach myself from them. Today, he came to us with papers, translated to english, asking about ourselves, our host families, our interests, and what teachers can do to help with our exchange year. Plesently surprised, I wrote a lot on that paper. Hopefully, I will get to interact and learn more in my actual class, rather than studied on my own, or in the library with the other two exchange students. I have been taking extra sheets of paper from random courses and trying to see which characters I already know or have seen before and figure out what they mean and how they are pronounced. This is difficult but atleast I am finding some way to learn more rather than doing nothing all day. Eight hour days at school would be brutal with literally nothing to do.

I also would really like to meet more people and actually become friends with some of my classmates. They are so focussed on studying though, that it seems thats their focus, not friends, especially ones who can't study with them. I want to help with english or something like that though because then that could be a way to get closer with them. It has only been three days though, I will keep trying to gain closer relationships next week, and through the whole year. I am just exciting to start Mandarin classes. Eight hours on every Tuesday and Thursday starting on September twelfth. That will be a huge help.