on Saturday, August 30, 2008

I got here on Thursday after about 16 hours of flying time, that part sucked. Taiwan, obviously, is quite a bit different from the USA. Culture shock is really setting in now, I don't understand what anyone is saying, but everyone is friendly.
I live with Steven and Helene and their two boys and it's working out pretty good so far. We live in Fengshan, which is a city that borders Kaohsiung. The apartment we live in is actually two apartments combined (they bought the one next door and knocked the wall down) so it's a lot more roomy than I expected.
Friday, Steven walked with me around the neighborhood, and I quickly realized that getting around here is going to be considerabley more difficult than I had anticipated. I got lost pretty quick. I also noticed quickly that most people have a kind of mild neglect for traffic laws here, red lights are more of a suggestion than a command.
Joseph (Steve's oldest boy) took me out Friday night down into Kaohsiung to the mall and we had dinner there. The food was really good (I had beef noodles).
Yesterday (Saturday) we went on a ward activity to the old sugar processing plant on the north end of the city, it was freaking hot and humid, more so than i had ever been in my life. I met about 40 members and a few of them spoke english
Today we went to church. Steven's family spoke, and everyone seemed to like it.
Steve told me that I will be teaching release time seminary at the school that I work at. Of all the people in the world to be a seminary teacher. I have 25 kids in my seminary class, and they're all in Honors English, so they speak very fluently.
Last night we went to a Thai place and it was really good. As we were walking into the restaurant I noticed a billboard of a new musical production that's based on the music of Sting and the Police, (it's a cop/action play), the English headline for it reads: "Sting: the musical 'Every breath you death!'"
Tomorrow is my first day at work, I'm excited. They're giving me a scooter, but I think I'm too scared to ride it with the freaking crazy drivers here. I really love how they can fit an entire family on a scooter.

2 comments:

R. Blondie said...

Very nice blog. I wish you success in teaching at the seminary.It should be an interesting experience. You will probably get accustomed to the weather. Good luck. I am a new blogger
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Karl Mellor said...

Hey Bro, Wish I was there with you. Tell Steven and Helene I said "Howdy". I'm so glad you took this opportunity. I'm sure you'll start picking up the language in no time. I'd start with some study cards. Each day as you try to communicate with people, write down the words and phrases you wish you knew in Chinese. Then come home and look them up in a dictionary or ask Steven how to say them in Chinese. Then write them down on some index cards and take with you the next day and try to use them throughout the day.
Man Dzou, Karlos