Sorry, I was doing this thing called living life. :)
Actually, not too much has happened since I last wrote...
besides a bajillion things.
You see, it's hard not to do a ton of stuff when you are living in such a bustling and energetic place.
I am under the impression that Asian people do not sleep.
Seriously.
I feel like a tortoise when I only get six hours of sleep (which is becoming the norm for me... Yes, mom, I know that it's bad for me. No, mom, I don't care. Live or life!) and they're suggesting we go to KTV (Karaoke) from midnight to 6 am?!
That's crazy talk.
Anyway...
This weekend (aka Thursday) we are going to Hualien (which I may have said in an earlier post...I'm real excited, deal.) and it's going to be amazing, but only because of one person.
Frieda.
Frieda is my Taiwanese angel.
She has helped us with SO MANY THINGS.
Our whole group fails at speaking Chinese which starts to be a problem when you want to plan a trip. Going to Hualien is kind of a big deal because you have to book train tickets and find a hotel and rent a car with a driver and a bunch of other things. Can you imagine doing that... in another language?
Yeah, me neither.
Luckily, Frieda has helped us with everything.
I know for a fact that this experience would be much less fun and interesting if I didn't have a friend like Frieda here to help ease the culture shock.
I'm so blessed.
In class, we've been working on mystery (which was a hoot and a half! We played Mafia and had so much fun!), romance (SO INTERESTING! Weddings here are COMPLETELY different than weddings in America. Crazy.) and food.
Today was the day we talked about food.
Talk about a conversation starter.
Let me preface this by saying that my class is fleepin' amazing.
Seriously.
They are game for anything I throw at them (and usually it's pretty crazy and off the cuff.), but sometimes it's difficult to have a conversation.
See, in Taiwan, the teachers stand at the front of the room and lecture at the students.
I think one of my students said it best when she said,
"Taiwanese professors are afraid of the question."
Students are NOT encouraged to participate or give feedback (generally), so when I try to facilitate discussion it is sometimes a challenge.
Not today.
We compared and contrasted regular meals in Taiwan and in the US, and it was so interesting!
So interesting!
I love Word of the Day! :)
Then I assigned the students to comment on a photo album I made with pictures of American food, and I've been enjoying their comments all evening. My favorite is:
(Looking at a picture of a plate of brownies)
"There's a flood in my mouth!"
:) so clever!
I.LOVE.TEACHING.
It never gets old. I'm always thinking of things to change or adjust.
It's amazing.
As for sightseeing the past couple of days, I have gone to Gongguan (where National Taiwan University is located. Pretty much a hub for entertainment and eating near Jingmei) for steak (AMAZING.),
thar she blows!
So much city so little time
Holding errthang together...with glitter!
Quite the elevating machine.
Beer float, ma? (I do not endorse putting frozen yogurt into your beer.)
eaten at Modern Toilet (a restaurant where you eat out of toilets) 
Was it the tastiest thing I've eaten? Nope. Was it the funniest thing I've eaten out of? Yup.
and gone to the Shilin Night Market (the biggest, baddest night market this side of the Great China Sea.)
Guess what? CHICKEN BUTT! But seriously... chicken butt.
Deep fried milk on a stick= tasty deep fried pudding heaven
I just keep having fun! For all you blogaholics who need to hear from me every day: Because I will be going to Hualien, I don't know how much access I will be having to the internet. Therefore, don't expect a blog from me until Sunday :) I'm sure it will be filled with beauuuutiful pictures!
With love from Taiwan,
Lauren.
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