Hi everyone!
I have 2 days left. While the year has gone by really fast, these past few days have been really slow going. Everyday, I try and get things done like pack a little here, by some gifts there, hang out with the guys here and there, things like that. It's a little weird, actually how little time I have left. When I first got here, counting the days that I had here seemed like a never ending task. Now, I have enough days to count on one hand. Time, you are a tricky
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Today was my last day of school. And it was not as emotional as I imagined. From friends that have already had good bye parties at school, I've heard that saying good bye to the people you spent most everyday with is pretty teary, sad, and nostalgic. But, I didn't feel any of that. And that's because I feel like my class and I didn't become friends like we should have.
I think we are both to blame for me feeling this way. I did come to school everyday and I did sit in class, but I was shy and quiet, and my interaction with them was limited. There were some classmates that talked to me every now and then, but still, that was every now and then. When my Chinese speaking skills picked up, I tried to interact with them more, but whenever there was a stump in our conversation, they would speak in English or just end the conversation. They are partially to blame too. At the beginning of the year, I would often ask them if we could go out to a night market, get something to eat, or just go somewhere to hang out. Every time, their answer was, "Sorry, I have to study," or "My parents don't let me go out." That's understandable, and I left them alone. But then, when I was sitting home and checking out Facebook, I would see them in posted pictures going out to eat, having fun, and doing all things related to merriment. I felt alone, and I couldn't figure out why whenever I asked, they would always say, "No." Was there something wrong with me? Was I not what they wanted or expected? Why couldn't I be friends with them like Alejandro was with his classmates? I often ask Alej and Olivia these questions, and sometimes even other Taiwanese classmates, and the answers are, "They are shy," "You should try speaking more Chinese," and, "They are just dumb." Whatever the case, class is over. I did have good times, maybe not as many as others, but it is what it is. Like Alej said, I have to understand why things are the way they are. In any case, at least I didn't ruin my make up. My days left here are dwindling down to single digits, and to me, that means that I need to start getting things done. So, I created a sort of count down clock that will pose daily objectives to me, this way I can assure that my last week and a half are both productive and memorable. 11 days now!
How fast two weeks goes! My family arrived on may 26th, and have already left. It was really different, having my parents here and them being fully reliant on me, from finding breakfast to asking the price of a tea set, to giving the taxi driver directions to our next destination. My parents said that I have changed a lot, that I walk taller and speak more confidently than when I first left the US. I hadn't noticed the changes until now, but now I remember certain points in my exchange where I got certain... "growing up points"(?) and I guess I just most recently got to level up. Cool:) We went to many places and did many things, so much that I am finding it really hard to recall everything. Here is a brief list: Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall Sun Yet Set Memorial Hall Taipei 101 Danshui Jiufen Fulong Beach Raohe Night Market Shilin Night Market National Palace Museum Taipei Zoo and plenty of really good restaurants. Taking care of my family for the past two weeks has really been... exhausting. I really don't know how my parents do it everyday. What I found most challenging while having my parents here was finding places to eat. I hadn't realized it, but a lot of the things that I eat here are completely different from what we eat back home, so getting my mom, brother, and sister to try new things was sort of challenging. Some nights, the only thing they would eat was ramen from 7-11. Thank goodness for my dad, who did try everything I sent his way, if I didn't have him, I'm sure I would have given up really early in the visit and just taken them to McDonalds. Love you Papa! Other than being a little picky when it came to food, my family was amazing. We walked a lot, and I mean a helluva lot. I guess that because I have been here so long, a 10-15 minute walk has become no problem for me. I can't say the same for my family, though. I'm afraid I broke my mom's poor feet with how much walking I made them do. That is just what exchange has done to me. Made me a walker, not a driver. I hope that this change will stick with me when I get back, so then I can walk the 5 minutes to the grocery store, instead of driving to it. All in all, having my family visit has been a blast! I remembered all over again why I missed them, my brother and sister especially, finding that they haven't changed at all. And, it was great exercise for my Chinese speaking skills, though I feel that my speaking skills have digressed in recent weeks because my Chinese classes have ended. None the less, I was proud of how I handled having my family here, and I miss them a lot now that they are already gone. Thanks for reading, any questions or comments you have are greatly appreciated:) A. |
Amberly PittsI've always been fascinated by Asian cultures, so traveling to Taiwan is a dream come true! I like reading, writing, drawing and trying new kinds of foods. I have a rather large family (two brothers and two sisters), but I love them very much! And I love to play sports and sing:) Archives
June 2012
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