Four Months 在台灣 .

The past month has been positively lovely. I’ve adapted to living in this new country, and I’ve come to be very comfortable here. Sometimes I barely even notice that I’m a foreigner. I can do simple tasks like going to the market to buy fruit and ordering tea at Starbucks. I study Chinese regularly and I’m slowly learning more useful conversational tools. I can understand most of what people say to me…if they speak slowly haha.

The sky has been filled with sun for a good chunk of winter in Taipei. Christmas is 4 days away, and for the first time in my short life I’ll be having a rather green Christmas. Since my host family doesn’t celebrate the holidays, my Christmas plans are as follows:

-Sleep in; take a shower.
-Go out for morning coffee with a friend.
-Check out ice sculpture exhibition with some classmates.
-Skype with parents for Christmas morning their time.
-Perhaps watch Phantom of the Opera if parents’ package arrives before Christmas.
-Sleep surrounded by Hello Kitty merchandise.

I’ve been told that I will switch host families right after Christmas to a place closer to my school. I’ll be living there for roughly a month and then I’ll be moving back with my current host family. This arrangement works fine for me because I quite enjoy my first host family and I don’t mind living with them for the majority of the year.

In December, I went to see many new places. I went to a coffee shop on the countryside, located on a mountain with a great view of the Ocean. I took a bus out of the city to go to hot springs. I explored more around where I live, and found many gorgeous parks and a great place to eat. I ate delicious Thai food with my host family. Rotary brought all of the exchange students to a puppet museum followed by a science museum. They also held a talent show and Christmas gathering for us.

I’d like to wish everyone back home a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. To my mom and dad: I hope you enjoy the one Christmas you’ll ever have without me there to bother you. I hope Toey feels welcome in our home for the holidays. To all of my friends: don’t get too crazy haha. I’ll be seeing you all in roughly 6 months!

Best wishes for 2011!