Studio Gibli

This weekend my family joined some coworkers of 媽媽 for a volunteer event in Taipei. We first went to lunch at a cute little Italian restaurant with them. Then we went and picked up the elderly people we were shaperoning from the bus stop. We took them to the middle of a park where the main part of the event was happening. We met many people and saw many different cultural activities and people. There were flute players in traditional Japanese dresses, belly dancers, a man on stilts, many things. It was a very cool experience. We walked the elderly people around a square of streets for about an hour, pushing the wheelchairs got quite tiring. One of the older ladies kept asking why we were still walking and if she could go home. Not sure if they knew what they signed up for but many of them enjoyed the whole experience very much.
After that we went closer to Taipei 101 and headed to a Studio Gibli store to get my sister in Canada and her boyfriend Christmas gifts from there. The store was very cute with a lot of statues and stuffies of different anime characters. I bought many cute little things for them that I hope they will like. I made sure they were from the shows they like though. I spent a little over an hour deciding what to get. I really like the character Totoro even though I've seen few episodes of the show (My Neighbor Totoro) I think I will get myself a cute Totoro themed thing soon as well. The family and I took many cute pictures in the store and then headed off to dinner, in the bottom floor of Taipei 101. I can't wait for the day I go to the top floor. 
Monday I tried shaved ice for the first time. It actually tastes very similar to snow, with toppings. There are many options for the different toppings. I got strawberry jam for my topping. If I miss snow this winter I will go there for shaved ice and it'll be just the same except only my mouth will be cold. 

I want to help the doggos

My Rotary district inbounds and I went on a culture trip all day today. We went to three different sites. We went to a small museum about Chiang Kai Shek and his son Chiang Ching-Kou. I learnt a lot, such as what they achieved in their lives and much about their family. I learnt when they both died, fun fact, Chiang Kai Shek 1975, Chiang Ching-Kou 1988. We visited where both their bodies rest. Chiang Kai Sheks' burrial ground and Chiang Ching-Kous' tomb where his body is mummified. Sadly, we didn't get to see the mummy though. 
Second we went to a tea factory and learnt lots about how they make tea. They can make green, or black tea from the same tea tree, which I thought they were completely different plants. Honestly though, all I can think about from that part of the day is an amazing dog I met and fell absolutely in love with. From the second I walked towards the tea factory from the bus I saw him and started to pet him. We called him 小黑 (xiao hai) which means small black, because you will see from the many photos, he is small and black. In Taiwan when they don't know the names they go by size/colour for what they call the dogs. He instantly started following me down the street and all the way into our group photos and into the tea factory! We got him to go outside and when I went to see if he was still there, he was laying there waiting! He followed me into a movie room and fell asleep right under my feet while we were watching the short film. When it was time for lunch he followed us but obviously wasn't allowed to stay in the dining room with us, he reappeared in the glass door multiple times while we were eating and I snuck him some food when I went to the bathroom. The bathrooms are in a different building so he followed me there and while I was in a stall he was whining and even barked. I came out and he went in the stall to see what I was doing... such a weird little doggo. It broke my heart when he followed me all the way to the bus and even jumped on hoping to come back with us... I got out and called him out with me. 爸爸 had to block the door as I got on so he wouldn't hop on again. He followed the bus a little ways down the road and then stopped.. I was so sad leaving him behind and I just hope he has someone who looks over him. He was much cleaner and trusting than most strays but he was also very skinny and hungry. I wish I could go back and care for him and take him home and clean him up and feed him until he looks as healthy as can be. The more I see strays and dogs in need the more I know, I really want to help and care for many stray or hurt dogs in the world. It tears my heart to shreds when I have to watch them all roam the streets and try to survive on their own. I can't get over it. I wish I could've taken this gorgeous dog home with me. He was more well behaved than a lot of dogs you see with crappy owners. 
Last night I also saw three stray dogs in my own road, one had just recently had puppies, you could easily tell and they were searching for whatever food and water they could find. All I could think was oh my goodness, there are brand new little puppies along somewhere right now because their parents and only care takers are out searching for food so they could survive. Who knows what kind of nutrients they are able to get from their mother because she must only eat street scraps. I just want to save them. They were scavaging for anything they could find. I hope their puppies are well and they are all going to be okay, including the three adult dogs. Oh my, I wish I could do something to help.
Anyway, the third place we went was Ximen Reservoir, the first Reservoir in Asia apparently. We all squished on a small boat for 45min one way to a cute island with locals, and their adorable dogs, and to a small temple at the top of a hill. The water was very high due to large amounts of rain this past week. The surrounding mountains were very gorgeous with few homes left because they had been flooded in the past. The one we saw that was still there is completely self reliant. They must get their own water, food and energy. Some natives, especially the elders are able to go into the mountains and survive for 9 days with only a knife. They bring a bag of rice just in case but most with experience don't need the rice. I bet some bad ass Canadians could do that too eh? All us exchanhe students had a lot of fun on the boat singing and fooling around together. After everything we all went to McDonalds for dinner and helped a friend out with some advice.
Tomorrow we have another culture trip to an agricultural school where we will do some DIY projects and learn how to plant rice I think. More updates later this week.