Highlights

We started orientation in more of a real way this week so it’s been busier than the first couple of days.  So far it has consisted of a variety of things, some more eventful than others.  But here’s what I consider the most important parts of the last few days (although not all of these things happened during the actual orientating part).

One very exciting thing is that the gas-man came yesterday so I was able to take my first heated shower!  It’s pretty hot here so it’s not like I wanted a hot shower, just something to take the sting out of the cold.  I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to extreme temperatures of any kind, so I had been jumping in and getting wet really quickly and then turning the water off and only turning it on when absolutely necessary.  We can also use our burners now since there is gas for that too.

We also opened bank accounts yesterday, so some people joking that we have off shore bank accounts.  Ah, if only…  Anyway, I’m not sure what all I was signing, but I now have an account and a little ATM card at Bank of Taiwan so that’s fun.

And yesterday evening we went to a different little noodle place which is really close by and the little old man running it was so cheerful and friendly.  I have really appreciated how much people still try to joke with us even though our Chinese isn’t always so great, and this fellow was no exception.  Also, after we were done I successfully asked for my leftovers to be bagged up to take home.  I wouldn’t think so much of that feat except that the second day we were here I thought I asked for my leftovers to be bagged up and the lady thought I wanted another whole meal to go.  It was too hard to clarify over all the noise and she seemed to be extremely busy so I just ended up with a ton of extra food.  And that is why this time I was determined to ask again.  Then this morning on the way to the Teacher Center we passed his restaurant and the kind old fellow waved hello, which warmed my heart.

And perhaps the most important thing that happened yesterday was that I finally went to Mr. Donut.  I saw that the first day we got here and knew that it was going to a wonderful thing.  I wasn’t disappointed.  There were donuts of all kinds (although I don’t think there were a ton of other pastries, but this will do for now anyway). 

What a beautiful thing

The adorable teddy bear donut I selected.  There were whole rows of the darling little guys

Today we went to Lanyang Museum, which was super cool!  We got to wear funny little devices around our necks with a little earpiece so we could hear our tour guide no matter where we decided to wander about to.  The museum was all about Yilan county so I got to learn a lot of fun facts since I knew nothing about Yilan before.  It’s hard to retain all they said, but I do try.  The museum itself is super artistically done and is designed to look like this kind of rock.  You’re supposed to start on the 4^th floor and work your way down and each floor represents and has information about a part of Yilan landscape so the 4^th floor was mountains, the 3^rd was plains, the 2^nd was the ocean and the 1^st was called the corridor of time I think.  It mostly had a timeline and this light-up map of the county with pictures of children on it.  That probably sounds kind of bizarre but it was actually really cool.

This is just the lobby, but I thought it looked cool

This is the wall and each section represents a note of music and the architect put them on the wall to a piece of music.  I think it was called Four Seasons, but I don't remember who it was composed by

After the museum we got to go to the beach for a little bit!!  It was only about 5 minutes from the museum.  The sand is from volcanic ash so it’s grey and the water was super mild.  We just waded a little but it felt so good.  Some of the waves seemed a bit big to me, but I’m pretty sure that is just because I’m not used to the ocean.  It’s only the 3^rd time I’ve been to the ocean and the last time was a fairly negative experience (think: dog beach, a near rip tide, and a very poor swimmer (that was me)) so I’m hoping to make some new, more positive memories of the ocean while I’m here this year.

Looking down the beach

This is the view facing away from the water

Some other Fulbrighters enjoying the water with Turtle Island in the background

And tonight, (I saved the best for last) I tried the most delicious treat ever.  It’s called tsua bing and it’s definitely the taste I’ve been searching for my whole life.  It’s basically a large mound of ice shavings with some toppings (in my case fresh mango chunks), sweetened condensed milk and a scoop of ice cream/sorbet on top.  It was positively delightful.  It’s the sweetened condensed milk that really makes it.  Actually it’s the combination of everything that really makes it.  Be still my beating heart…