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taiwan hearts FOOD

When I asked some teachers this summer in a week long English camp to list the top ten things to do while in Taiwan they listed number one as "eat" and number two as "eat some more." 

When I asked my kid brother what I should make sure to take our cousins to do and see, the first 75% of his list was all about food!!

When I show my students a picture of an armadillo, the very first question they all ask is either "how do you cook it?" or "does it taste good?"

Anyone who has been to Taiwan knows that Taiwanese people LOVE food. 

Every city, every county, every village has a food that it is famous for.  And, please do not return back to your hometown and tell people you didn't try the famous foods of the place you just visited.  This is a major faux pas. 

Oh, and instead of bringing back "My grandma went to LA and I all got was this t-shirt" gifts, all you have to do in Taiwan is bring back a box or bag of famous snacks from the town you visited and everyone will be happy.

Yes, it is true, the Taiwanese LOVE food.

When Sandy posted a youtube video on stinky tofu, I just had to go check it out.  I was pleased to find that there are actually a total of six videos on (bizarre) foods in Taiwan.

Part 1: Stinky Tofu
Part 2: ShrLing Night Market
Part 3: Herbal Foods
Part 4: A Food Court in 101
Part 5: Foods from Tea
Part 6: Aboriginal Foods

If you wanna know more about Taiwan, you can learn quite a bit (not just about food) through this Travel Channel show broken into 6 parts.  But, if you only have time for one . . . you gotta watch the first one on stinky tofu--THE national food of Taiwan--that "stinks even worse than it sounds." :D

But, my two "gripes" with this show are (1) he never leaves Taipei County and (2) they are mostly all unusual foods (not the things we eat on a daily basis). :)  But, the name of the show is "Bizarre Foods: Taiwan" so number 2 makes sense.  Oh, and he never tried the 1,000 year old egg that was on his plate. . . he is weak I tell you, weak.

All kidding aside, I would love for someone to make a show of this quality about the GREAT, unique foods ALL of Taiwan has to offer.  I would buy a copy of that DVD for sure!!

What's the most bizarre thing you've ever eaten?

on mopeds at night

One of the great new things people visiting Taiwan get to experience is riding a moped!!

Saturday night, Larina (a former student and good friend) and I drove Tiffany and Rebecca to Kaohsiung City by moped.  The girls took this opportunity to film just how crazy it can be!

Don't worry mom, Janice, and Grandmothers . . . I promise I am taking good care of them.  And that they remain very safe. :)

what is Kaohsiung like?

Well, check out this 4 minute video to see every day stuff you are likely to see in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan--a harbor city on a tropical island. 

Even thought I live in Kaohsiung County and not city, these are still things I see daily.

(If the song is too much for you, turn down/off the volume.)

Dragon Boat Races (video)

I found one of Sam's videos from last year and some of mine from 2004. 

So, below you can see and hear what Dragon Boat Races are like--at least here in Kaohsiung, Taiwan! :) 

Here is Sam's video:

Video from the beginning of a race:

Video from the end of another race:

If you want to pretend you are actually here watching, you will need to go find a steam room or some place where you can feel extra sticky from all the humidity. :)

one of my students sings on tv

On March 19 of this year, one of my students (whose English name is Rachel) appeared on TV to sing a song as part of a contest show. 

You can watch her in the following youtube video and see a little of Taiwan TV culture at the same time. :)  She even gives an acapella encore.  And the audience even claimes to get "chicken skin" or as we say in English "goose bumps."

She has an awesome singing voice in my unbiased opinion.

worship in taiwanese

I've enjoyed the video clips of worship that are on this missionary blog: First Term on the Field.  So, this past Saturday night, I decided to capture a little worship in Taiwanese to share too. 

Nothing, not even babies, makes my heart leap higher for joy than listening to people worship the King of kings and Lord of Lords in their own language!

Did you hear it:  "gwa ay jew gwa bay ging by nee"? 

It means: "My Lord, I come to praise you!"

This video is actually of a group of Taiwanese Believers from Taipei who came down south to share the Gospel in Kaohsiung County alongside Grace Family Church for three days. 

Taiwanese sharing Good News with other Taiwanese in Taiwanese--How awesome is that!?!?

Ging by nee, Lord!!

erhu at the park

This is a short video or me playing my ErHu at the park this past Sunday.  The pastor's wife is singing in Taiwanese while I play.

Christmas in Taiwan (a video and a mosaic)

Merry Christmas!! 

Christmas Day will soon be over for me.  I wish you all a wonderful day as you celebrate our Savior today!!

This morning before I left to go celebrate at a fellow missionary's home, I took a few pics of Gilby and me with my tree:

1. gilby, me, and my tree, 2. gilby decides it is time to kiss me,
3. me and my tree, 4. merry CHRISTmas!

Christmas is not a holiday in Taiwan, so most people do not celebrate and it.  Christians usually have some kind of activity at church for Christmas, but nothing like we are used to in the West and not necessarily on Christmas Day.  So, for the most part it is work and school as normal.  However, every year so far, I have been blessed to be able to rearrange my classes, so that I don't have to work on Christmas Day.  Day after Christmas?  Yes!  But not the actual Christmas Day. 

This year, I went to our mission team leader's home.  We had a traditional Christmas meal, and then played games for hours!  It was fun and full of laughter.  However, I do miss my family.