Movie Conversation & the Farewell Banquet

A conversation with my friend in chinese about going to the movies.

我跟朋友想一起去看一個電影。

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I updated this blog a bit later than I should've due to not having enough time on my hands and bad internet connection. However, I will finally post my final thoughts about this trip and gratitude to all the people that has made this opportunity happen.

This past month has been so extraordinary for me. I've went to so many places, done so many things, and met so many wonderful people in Taiwan. The Taiwanese people such as the language exchange partners and my teachers within the program were all so friendly and sweet. I also got to meet people from all over the world coming to Taiwan studying Chinese like me. They were all older than me and in the classroom, I felt like everyone seems so mature and well brought up compare to what I was use to, which is the rollercoaster of a high schooler's life if that makes sense. The college just gave me a lovely adult-like feel. There's also a sense of freedom here in Taiwan when I go out to walk around that I will surely miss. Although the heat was something I won't be grateful for ever, I have to say I love Taiwan a lot. The nightmarkets, the cheap cheap food, clothing, people, squat down toilets, etc., makes life so worthwhile for me, I will definitely go back. OH! Also, the hotels there are amazing. The ones I went to had either free movies to watch, spas, gym, pools, indoor hot spring type of thing, pingpong, and/or so much more. And around the area (or just everywhere you go), there's always a 7-11 around a corner where you can just walk to. It's so convenient there; I just want to go back & stay there. I don't think there will ever be a day I will ever forget this wonderful trip. It's all thanks to the wonderful high school I'm in for providing such a great opportunity for us, kids, and my parents for paying and letting me go on a wonderful adventure! Much thanks to my parents, my school, Ms.Scoggins, NCKU's staff members, the chinese exchange students, as well as the pals that went with me to Taiwan. Thanks for giving me the opportunity and giving me such great memories to hold dear~.   

...Typing all of that in Chinese is too much for me... 

我遇到了很多人，做了這麼多事情。我的父親母親，同學，老師，中國語言交換夥伴，NCKU的管理部門，謝謝你們。我來台灣玩的很高心。即使台灣十分火爆，我一定要回去台灣。謝謝你們教我中文。我覺得我的中文改善了很多。我一定懷念每個人和每件事在台灣。

The principal is giving me my completion award.

主要給我完成將。

My teacher (Ms.Scoggins), and I giving Sandy a thank you gift as well as a reward for being the awesome exchange language partner ever~.

Ms.Scoggins老師, Sandy, 跟我。

The lovely crew. (:

可愛的人員

謝謝～

Photos of my DYI there

The glass I blew up became a little vase~.

我吹的玻璃變成了花瓶。

I digged some gold and stored it in a little bottle.

我挖一些黃金，並把它保存在一個小瓶子。

The clay bell that I painted.

我畫了一個粘土鐘。

I made paper, used traditional ink to put prints on it and transformed it into a fan. At first it was difficult because I was doing it wrong but the guide lady helped me. 

我做了紙，並使用傳統的墨水打印的圖片就可以了。然後，它變成了一個風扇。

Taibei 101

One of the most famous attractions in taipei: Taibei 101~! I saw it swaying a bit due to some wind.

Really cool~.

台北著名的經典：台北一零一！我看到風吹建設。

Took a selfie up there. (:

我去上邊一個人拍照。

Catching Fish (or trying to)

During our first weekend trip in Taiwan, Ms.Scoggins took us out for a hour drive in a reserved bus to a fishing harbor and we got to see and experience how the fishermen catches fish and collect clams for mass production. We didn't catch anything but some crabs and a couple fish though. 

我們在台南的第一個週末之旅坐一個鐘頭的公車去將軍漁港捕魚和蚶。

Buddha Memorial Museum in Kaohsiung

The last day of our stay in Tainan with the people from the NCKU (chinese learning program) was on a Saturday where we visited this Buddha Memorial Museum in Gaoxiong. It was pretty fun walking around and admiring the big Buddha despite Taiwan's scorching heat at it's finest.

我們在台南最後一天跟NCKU一起坐一個鐘頭的公車去高雄的佛陀紀念館博物館。我看到一個很大的佛。我覺得佛很厲害。可是，天氣很熱。

Chinese Instrument: The Pipa

I had a great time in this room, playing the Pipa. Aviel, one of our most talented language exchange partners, taught us how to play twinkle twinkle little stars on it and it was really fun. Aviel also played a Chinese song on it and it sounded so beautiful. I wish I had recorded it so I could replay it whenever I want to. After playing the Pipa, we just goofed around and sang some karaoke together~. Made lots of wonderful
memories.
我在這個房間裡彈琵琶。Aviel，我們最有才華的語言交換夥伴，在琵琶彈一首傳統的中文歌聽得很好聽。Aviel 教我們怎麼在琵琶上面弹小星星。我很喜歡琵琶。我覺得琵琶是很好聽也很好看。彈了琵琶，我們一起唱卡拉OK。我覺得我們玩的很高興。

The Pipa~ (琵琶)

(My eyes aren't closed, that's how chinky I am. D:) 

Basic Chinese Vocabulary Class

This class was really interesting to be in because I learned a lot of vocabulary about places in Taiwan and the FOOD they have here. <3 I ate a lot of fried squid and mango on shaved ice. So delicious. 

We went to a lot of temples during our stay but I always end up forgetting which ones I went to because they kind of look the same to me. Temples... 

艾美的筆跡和他的記錄

I don't know why, and usually I'm not a rebel but I took a picture of Michelle's notes from the basic vocab class because I didn't write any. :( What's worse is that I took the picture and studied it a couple hours before having to go to the class and take a quiz. (lazy rebels cant go anywhere in life, everyone knows that) 

I got a 100 for the quiz though.

This is a recording of my friend and I practicing a short skit from our chinese textbook about how she goes to school. 

在這個記錄，我問我的朋友怎麼去學校和他覺得怎麼樣。

My Language Exchange Partner Sandyyy

After arriving to my dormitory and seeing a group of Taiwanese people in the front waiting to greet us, I felt so nervous and shy. But that feeling didn't last very long because every one of them were so kind and helpful. I still remember the time when I had to bring my luggage and stuff up four flights of stairs and how my language exchange partner, Sandy, offered to help me. I didn't like having people help me because I know I can do it myself but she insisted to help me and after I let her carry my luggage, she even thanked me for letting her help me. It was very odd but nonetheless very kind of her, as well as everyone else, who has helped us during our stay~.

我來到宿舍時候，看到一群台灣人在前面。他們是我們的。。。我感到肥腸緊張和害羞可是我後來知道他們是肥腸友好的台灣人。我的伙伴叫SANDY。我覺得他很可愛和友好。他的英文不太好可是他跟我一起說得很多東西。我們都吃的，玩的，看的很多東西。

Sandy and I on the 1st day in Tainan.

我和Sandy在台南的第一天。

Motorcycles

One thing about Taiwan is that there's so many people riding motorcycles. I don't think I've ever seen so many motorcycles at one time in my life except in Taiwan. I've learned that motorcycles are very convenient and cheap compare to cars in Taiwan but its also very dangerous. Even if there's a red light for a driver and with people walking across the road to get to the other side, drivers would ignore it and run a red light w/o getting caught. Usually they know what they're doing and no one would get run over but you never know when an accident might occur. So be careful, kids.

台灣有狠多人騎摩托車。我在美國的時候，我沒看建國這麼多的摩托車。台灣有狠多摩托車以為很方便也不貴。可是如果你走馬路，你要小心。

I was walking to my dormitory when I saw this hello kitty motorcycle. It's so cute~. 
我走路看到一輛 Helly Kitty 摩托車。我覺得這是很可愛。

Chinese Painting

Chinese painting is my favorite class. I love to paint. It's really fun and one of the things I love about this class is that you get to open your mind and think. Think about nature's beauty, which we often don't do because each day is so packed with things to do and places to go, a couple glances of scenery just don't cut it. My teacher for this class is extremely talented and so dedicated to Chinese painting. I could really see how much he loves his hobby and I really respect that aspect of his. The class is very nice/harmonic/soothing to the heart. If some students didn't feel very well, the teacher would let them rest in class because "chinese painting is all about relaxing and freeing yourself from things/problems outside of the classroom as you paint". He was also one of my favorite teachers but I think all the teachers in NCKU are extremely nice. 

我最喜歡的課是中國畫課。我也喜歡我的老師。我覺得這有很多意思。這個課是非常諧波和我的同學都友好。我們上課畫風景。你看一看。(對不起。我不知道怎麼寫／說幾個(狠多)中文字。)

Day 1, 2 & 3 of Chinese painting. 

The bottom one is the one my teacher did as examples.

So beautiful <3

Chinese Yoyo Class

I played my first chinese yoyo a couple days ago and the teachers taught everyone some yoyo tricks then later performed for us. It was so amazing. Not recording it would be a waste.

首次我玩中国溜溜球玩，老师教我们很多招数。我玩得好高兴；我们还有录制视频。

Calligraphy Class

I went to a Calligraphy class each week these past three weeks and my experience from it was that it is hard. It's probably mainly because I'm left-handed and the most important techneque in calligraphy is probably patience. Without it, your calligraphy would look like mine or worse. It was a fun class, but kind of long since it a two hour class.

我去了一门书法课，每星期这些过去的三个星期，我的经验是，这是很难。这可能主要是因为我是左撇子和书法techneque中最重要的可能是耐心。没有它，你的书法看起来会像我一样或更糟。这是一个有趣的类，但那种长，因为它一两个小时的课。

My large stack of the calligraphy I did is large.

我所做的书法是我的大叠大。

I really did enjoy this class.

My Class Schedule / Daily Life

I wake up at 6:30am everyday and get ready to go out to eat breakfast. After breakfast, my CHS Taiwan Study Abroad Group of friends and I would take 10-15 minutes to walk to school. At 8 a.m. our daily Chinese class starts and lasts for two hours with a 10 minute break in between each hour. After class ends, we go back to our dorm to rest and eat lunch. Usually at 1 p.m., sometimes at 3 depending on what day of the week it is, we'd have special elective classes.

我每天早上六點半起床。七點一刻吃早飯。吃了早反，我走路走十分鍾去學校。我八點鍾上棵上到九點休十分鍾的休息。九點十分我門上棵上到十點鍾下棵回家。我中午十二點鍾吃午飯。

Monday - Chinese yoyo @ 3
Tuesday - Chinese Daily Conversation @ 1-3 ( 基礎生活會話 - 陳冠竹) ; Chinese Daily Vocabulary Class @ 3-5 (基礎生活詞語 - 張悅寧)
Wednesday - Chinese Calligraphy @ 1-3 (書法 - 黃漢杰) ; Chinese Pronunciation Class @ 3-5
 Thursday - Chinese Painting @ 3-5 (初級正音(上) - 吳俞萱)
Friday - Chinese Grammer @ 1-2 (初級語法(下) - 洪萱鍞) ; Taichi @ 3-5 (4 太極 - 胡明芳)

The Food~

Everyday, I would go out to buy some sort of meal to eat and so, I have to say, Taiwan has a lot of variety, and often, the food here is cheap but it really depends on the restaurant.

每天我去外面吃饭. 台湾的反通常不贵，可是每家餐馆（餐厅）有很多不同的食物.

the usual look for take out boxes

Fancy salad from an expensive cafe (Pear Cafe)
I never knew a salad could taste this good in my life.

Shaomai (燒賣) shaped as a goldfish

Taiwanese noodle soup

Japanese meal including chicken, miso soup, etc.

Green tea & milk dessert from the Pear Cafe
always makes my day when I get to eat it

& much more.

Getting Use to the Life in Taiwan

It's been about two weeks since I arrived here in Taiwan and I've gotten pretty use to my surroundings. My dorm room is a big mess, the food here taste really good to me, and the people around are very friendly. Around here, people do a lot of walking at least compare to where I lived in, back in the America. As for the weather, it's quite humid/hot, which isn't pleasant at all, but right now it's cooling down since a typhoon came.  

我已經來台灣，來到兩個星期了。我覺得台灣很漂亮。我覺得我吃的東西很好吃和台湾人友好。可是台灣太熱。我不喜歡台灣的天氣。
對不起。我的中文學的不好。

Tainan in Taiwan
台南/台灣

my messy dorm
我的飯店

The McDonalds here in Taiwan has so much more than the ones in the U.S. (curly fries, and some sort of soda with star shaped jelly + ice in it)
台灣的麥當勞有很多 東西.超過美國的麥當勞

The garden/pond in front of my chinese school
學校前邊要一個池塘/花園

Taiwanese delicacies/food (so delicious~)
台灣食品很好吃