Well, on May 15th, I made it to 3 months being here in Taiwan.
The first 3 months went by really fast, but it also feels like I've been here forever. Time is strange that way.
It hasn't always been easy, but it really hasn't been all that difficult either. The first few weeks were rough only because of the time change and the instant realization of being completely out of my element. But now that more time has passed, and I am more in the groove, I can finally say that I really do like it here. The job is fun (hard at times but that's any job...), and the scenery is great (just look above).
Some things I've realized/learned/witnessed since being here:
• Living without a car is great. Sometimes I wish I could go driving somewhere, but whatever...I did it for 2 years before I can do it again (for a shorter time length this time).
• Parents here complain about everything. I had a student stub her toe in the bathroom my 2nd week of being here and her mom called the school up in arms about why I didn't know about it!? I said, "Probably because I don't follow little girls into bathrooms..." I thought that was funny. I'm very much liked though, that was just a little blip.
• Climbing 54 stairs all the time to get to my room is exhausting sometimes.
• Personality does not take you far where I am. I have tried to smile and wit my way into some of the coldest hearts here, but still nothing. Fine!
• I've discovered my inner photography passion.
• In an effort to be honest, trying to explain to a Chinese speaking waitress that she gave me too much change proved even more exhausting than the 54 stairs mentioned above. Body language was just not working in this scenario. Luckily, minutes later, a Chinese witness standing nearby understood some english and was able to translate between. I was sweating. Woof! I've never had to work so hard for one of God's honesty tests.
• Getting yelled at in Chinese is terrifying. I personally haven't been yelled at, but my kids have...and that scares me.
• Figuring out the transportation system(s) of a foreign country is actually really fun. Trains, taxis, busses, trolleys, streets...
• Also, walking outside and hailing a taxi is super awesome.
• This country is super green. And I don't mean the current global wave of "eco-friendly" green. I mean, literally, very green. (again, see photo above).
• Bike rides in pouring, thick, tropical rain is my new favorite thing. Ever.
• Two hour lunch breaks proves just a tad too long. Not complaining. I'll definitely take it. But I'd rather have an hour and finish the day an hour earlier. But the kiddo's need their nap for their sanity (and mine)!
• The church I belong to is the same everywhere.
• Air conditioning will forever be the greatest invention known to man.
• It's semi-odd to sit in a movie theater knowing you are the only person who understands what is being said, and not having to read the Chinese symbols below. It's even stranger when you laugh all by yourself, multiple times, recognizable as the only blonde white person sitting in the third row, because you're the only one who understands the joke being said.
• The amount of giant bug sightings are growing just as fast as the humidity. Things are about to get very muggy and buggy...
• The food is...interesting...sometimes.
• I'm just going to have to get used to being stared at, especially by little kids. Kids have no shame. I'll be sitting on a bench, and two kids will stand two feet in front of me and just stare for five minutes, uninterrupted. Finally I say "hello" and wave and they always giggle and/or get scared.
• Doing laundry at a laundromat is fun.
• People, especially kids, really are the same everywhere.
• "Oh yeah, I'm in Taiwan."
