It's pretty wild here in Taiwan and I'm surprised I've slept at all seeing how at night it sounds worse than a war zone outstide (screams included). So this last week has been pretty great! Because of the New Year, we have had very little teaching appointments because every single person says "guo nian yihou" which means after the new year. New Years here is like all of our holidays combined into like 2 weeks of ultra holiday partying. So this last week we've pretty much contacted and biked around all day every day and this next week we will do the same but no big deal! After guo nian we're going to have so many appointments!! It's all going to be great.
So every Wednesday, I teach a free English class at the church to whoever shows up. I teach the smallest kids... Like 4 years old. And they're crazy! One especially is. Jason. Grrrr.... He runs around in circles and climbs on chairs and refuses to speak English (which kind of defeats the point of coming but hey) and for some reason really likes to go behind me and punch my butt. So during the class it was pretty crazy as I'm sure you can all imagine. And all the other kids were enjoying themselves as well. I was just like hey, all I want to do is teach you kids how to sing Down By the Banks alright? I felt an utter fool but it's ok. It's been a battle every week.
Another thing is that it has actually been very cold lately. Very windy and rainy and the wind almost blows me off my bike it's so strong! So going back up the hill everyday is quite the journey. There's a saying in this area and it's "jia you xinfeng zhanglaomen" which means keep going xinfeng elders. Xinfeng is our area. That hill is mean. But because of that, my butt is hard and my thighs are tight. Even trade I guess. Throughout the week I continued to meet people who knew my family and held me when I was a baby and can't believe how much I've grown up and changed, for good or bad they didn't clarify. So that's been awesome and I'll continue more about that with the pictures. Well I'd say that's about it.
Every morning I wake up excited to get out the door and then every night I think I fall asleep within 5 seconds of getting in my bed. It's actually pretty great. This letter is shorter, but don't worry there are good stories in the photos! :) I love you all very much! p.s. if any of you happen to want to send me anything, send me hershey's kisses, special dark kind. Man those things are tasty. Muah!
After one of our member new year meals. Turns out they have a family band! Noooiiiiice!
"Well we've got a few minutes of extra time, what do you want to do" "I've got some leftover gingerbread house kits left, wanna make those?" "ok"
Finished product! Fell apart literally half a second after this photo.
Tidying up our apartment and found this thing laying around... "What the, how long has that been there?" Anyone know the quote? Here's another "Esme, put your hands in the air!"
Dinner at my grandma's with the fam! So crazy.
Eating a delicious zhuabing for dinner at my marvelous church. A zhuabing is a grilled tortilla thing filled with egg, veggies, cheese, hot sauce or whatever you want. Too good. Anyone recognize the tie? :)
Dinner at my grandma's with the fam! So crazy.
This is a letter from Tess I got in the mtc. Sometimes I look at it because this owl sticker makes me giggle every time without fail. Thanks Tess
Love these things. Thank you :)
One of our New Year meals with a malfunctioning stove thing. This would light up about every 45 seconds. Elder K probably blew that thing out about 80 times haha.
Story Time
The guy on the left I met at the mtc. He was Sean's companion in fact. When I met him and told him I was going to Taipei he told me hey that's where I'm from, my mom will treat you to dinner. And I thought I don't know how probable that is, that I would just happen to run into her... (foreshadowing perhaps?) So last night Me and Elder K arrived at our church after one of our appointments to get some stuff and then head back out. But we saw the other missionaries from our district and they invited us to go to one of their members houses to eat so we thought ok why not. When we got there, beautiful house by the way, the woodwork in it was fantastic, I noticed some of the family pictures and saw this guy! Elder Ni! I realized that I was in his house, being fed by his mom who isn't even one of my ward members but the other ward! I started to talk to her and told her the story of meeting her son at the mtc and she thought it was hilarious. And turns out she knows me already! As we were talking another member came up to me and asked if I was Hai Yang ( my chinese name) and I said yours truly. (I actually said yes) and he said I know your family and your grandma and I knew you! I held you as a baby! So the word spread about who I am and they pretty much all knew me already, well, my baby self. I started to talk to all of them and it was crazy that they all knew me. It's funny how God sometimes reminds you a little (or I guess in a pretty big way) about why you're where you are or why you're doing what you're doing. They also gave me a bunch of numbers of inactive friends who really want to meet me again haha. It's so awesome. I'm not sure if many other missionaries have had this type of experience, where everyone already knows you (members at least haha) and who you are and just gives you numbers of people to visit. I'm really blessed and I'm so happy to be in Taiwan.
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