The losers eat the porridge...Today's Christmas in Taiwan, although I'm not sure what day it is for all of you... For Christmas this year, I went to class, yay! Our teacher said that it's only fair, as during Chinese New Year in the States, people still have to go to work. Ok, fine. Taiwan, in line with mainland China, seems to think that the 24th is the celebration, and the 25th there isn't really much happening... except sleeping off the parties on the 24th. Yesterday (the 24th) I went to church with my homestay family (and grandma and cousins and aunts and uncles)... none of them are Christian, but they print all the programs for a church close by, so we were invited to their potluck and following service. The food was tasty, but the cousins decided the service was boring, and we left early to come home and play silly games where the loser had to eat a spoonful of eight treasure porridge （八宝粥）mixed with mustard. Mmmm.... I didn't lose, so I'm not exactly sure how bad it tasted, but I didn't really want to find out.
Pictures with the cousinsYesterday was also one of the Hong Kong cousin's (him and his younger sister are here studying, I think) birthdays, so we ate chocolate cake and blew out candles. Then the santa and party hats came out, the family gave grandma gifts, and we had a marathon picture-taking session. Poor grandma didn't really know what was going on, but it seemed important to everyone else that her santa hat was on straight and that she was looking at the camera. All of the different relative combinations also had family pictures taken... me and the cousins (there were nine of them last night... I'm not sure exactly how many there are total yet) also got our share of picture time, but ours were more creative.. We got the boys to be reindeer with red ribbon reins and their new gloves as antlers. :) To finish the evening, there were, of course, performances. Because most of the uncles and aunts are deaf, we got more creative performances than singing (although there was still singing - I sang in Chinese). One of the uncles juggled oranges, danced, and told some very long story about cutting down a tree that I didn't entirely understand... My homestay Mom danced, U.S. 50's style, and the cousins did stupid human tricks.
After the party, my homestay sister and I went upstairs to go to bed, but she got a phone call from a friend around midnight and headed out to another party. I opted to stay home, and I played santa and delivered presents to my homestay family while they were all still partying... :) This morning, my homestay sister told me that I didn't miss too much, she went to a bar with friends that was free for Christmas, but it was smoky, and most everyone was drunk.
On the 23rd I also went to a Christmas costume ballroom dance party. I was a cat. There was dancing, and it was a unique cultural experience of ballroom dancers social dancing. I think I'm starting to like their waltz, and the ballroom salsa and cha-cha are fun, but I still giggle at ballroom tango and can't quite fit the ballroom rumba with their music. In time, in time...
For my Christmas present this year, I would really like to take out my trash. In Taipei, there is a trash truck that comes by, playing music that sounds a lot like an American Ice Cream Truck. I get all excited for ice cream, and it just doesn't happen... Supposedly the trash truck comes by my street around 7, and again around 10, but never at exactly the same time every day. You have to use special trash bags, only sold behind the counters (the first time, I bought the trash bags on the shelf). And then, I've been told that I'm supposed to listen for the trash truck, and when I hear it, run out with my trash real quick and throw it on the truck. So far however, I've been unlucky, and I'm starting to wonder if I should just take my trash to school with me where there's a trash can I can put it in. I don't want to give up on the trash truck quite yet though, as everyone else in Taipei seems to be able to successfully dispose of their trash, so it seems like a challenge I need to overcome... And today, it's almost time, so wish me luck.
After the party, my homestay sister and I went upstairs to go to bed, but she got a phone call from a friend around midnight and headed out to another party. I opted to stay home, and I played santa and delivered presents to my homestay family while they were all still partying... :) This morning, my homestay sister told me that I didn't miss too much, she went to a bar with friends that was free for Christmas, but it was smoky, and most everyone was drunk.
On the 23rd I also went to a Christmas costume ballroom dance party. I was a cat. There was dancing, and it was a unique cultural experience of ballroom dancers social dancing. I think I'm starting to like their waltz, and the ballroom salsa and cha-cha are fun, but I still giggle at ballroom tango and can't quite fit the ballroom rumba with their music. In time, in time...
For my Christmas present this year, I would really like to take out my trash. In Taipei, there is a trash truck that comes by, playing music that sounds a lot like an American Ice Cream Truck. I get all excited for ice cream, and it just doesn't happen... Supposedly the trash truck comes by my street around 7, and again around 10, but never at exactly the same time every day. You have to use special trash bags, only sold behind the counters (the first time, I bought the trash bags on the shelf). And then, I've been told that I'm supposed to listen for the trash truck, and when I hear it, run out with my trash real quick and throw it on the truck. So far however, I've been unlucky, and I'm starting to wonder if I should just take my trash to school with me where there's a trash can I can put it in. I don't want to give up on the trash truck quite yet though, as everyone else in Taipei seems to be able to successfully dispose of their trash, so it seems like a challenge I need to overcome... And today, it's almost time, so wish me luck.
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