Hello, Taiwan!

Well, we made it! Some thought our post about moving to Taiwan back in April was just a lofty dream. That we would end up changing our mind in a few weeks, well...look at us now. We are here and experiencing all kinds of crazy things we never could have imagined. 

  

Quickly, for those that don't know the story of how we came to this point, I will give the brief summary. Back in March, I went to the BYU Teacher Fair. I interviewed with a couple of local Utah school districts and was looking forward to an elementary job starting in the fall. I passed by a booth that said teach high school in Taiwan, I stopped quickly just to say hi and tell them that someday my husband and I would like to live in Taiwan. (Blake is studying Asian Studies and wants to live and work in Asia for the rest of our lives.) We made pleasantries and I moved on. I called Blake to let him know how things were going and told him about the teaching job in Taiwan, and he said go back and get that job!

We talked it over for a second and we realized if he was going to major in Asian Studies the only way that major would be marketable after graduation was going to be his ability to speak an Asian language. His language of choice is Mandarin. We discussed and decided it might be a good idea to get a taste of Asian life before graduating and moving there indefinitely and then realizing that we did not like our plan. Blake was also having a hard time learning Mandarin at BYU where there were not many opportunities to speak. So we said what the heck, why not get some Asian experience to see how we like it and Blake can study Mandarin in a country where he can be immersed in the language. What would be the harm of at least applying? I went back to the Taiwanese booth, handed them my resume, and told them that I would love to be considered. I did not think the probability was high. I have a degree in Elementary Education and this was a high school position.

A week later we got the email that I was being considered for the position. After a few phone interviews and a lot of logistical emails, I was offered the job. We were shocked and excited. We started planning and getting things ready. It was all a whirlwind as we prepared all the legal stuff and got ready to pick up our comfortable lives in Utah, near family and friends to move across the world. It was amazing how everything started to fit into place and happen just the way we needed them to. We had a feeling that this was the plan that God had for us and we felt his guiding hand in the whole process. That brought peace to our mind as we moved forward with our decision.

Before we left, we spent time visiting family and friends from Texas to California. We enjoyed building relationships and going on adventures. I was nervous as our time in the U.S. was drawing to a close. I had no idea what to expect. My time in Spain made moving to a new country a little less frightening, but Asia is such a different place. Blake, on the other hand, was beside himself with excitement. He has always been in love with Asia and its culture since going on a trip to China the summer before high school. Going to Taiwan was a dream come true for him. He helped me be excited for all that was in store for us.

The first impression we had of Taiwan was hot. We walked out of the front doors of the airport into a brick wall of humidity. We instantly began to sweat and feel like a sticky film enveloped our bodies. I have lived in Missouri, Alabama and Spain, all places with high heat and humidity and I have NEVER felt anything like this. I have given up wearing makeup and the idea of straightening or curling my hair for a very long time.

We arrived at our apartment and I was pleasantly surprised with the size. We have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment, on the 11th floor of our building  The rooms are small but there is room for all the things we could ever need. A few things that were surprising to me about our apartment was first off,  NO oven. I had a little heart attack when I realized I was opening a cabinet where an oven should be. I realized that my cooking would be changed dramatically. Thanks to Pinterest my life is not over, and I can find new recipes to cook on the stovetop. We also have no dryer. I can handle this because all of my apartments in Spain didn’t have them either. I was a little shocked when I walked into the bathroom for the first time. The sink and toilet looked normal, but the shower was just there. No shower curtain, no separate area, just 2 drains in the floor and a showerhead. The whole room is the shower. It hasn’t been that hard to get used to but just surprising because it was not something we had seen before. 

In my contract of employment it says that we would be given a scooter for transportation. Everyone here drives a scooter. The school has been clear that I am their employee and Blake is not, and therefore cannot accommodate his needs while he is here. But, of course, when we got here, everyone fell in love with Blake. So when they had an extra scooter they decided to give him one too. Scooters are pretty easy to ride. The tricky part comes when you are sharing the road with cars, trucks and about 35 other scooters at the same time. I am getting used to it and I love the wind in my face but I pray practically the entire time I am on my scooter. Also, kind of miss my car when its pouring rain.

The food here is pretty good. From my end, I haven’t really had anything that I have hated, but I also haven’t had anything I would die without. Well, except the fruit. The fruit here is great. Especially mango. I have about 1 a day. They are juicy and fresh. So amazing. Blake on the other hand, loves the food here. He is in heaven. He LOVES the dumplings and pot stickers and we have enjoyed a lot of the noodle soups. Everyday is an adventure when we go to find something to eat. The people who work at the restaurant will hand us a menu and it will all be in Chinese characters. So we usually just order randomly and hope for the best. If that’s not adventurous I don’t know what is. The first night we were here a man brought us a plate of bone marrow (pictured). It wasn't as bad as it sounds. The food here is pretty cheap. On average we can order enough food for both Blake and I for about $5-$7 US dollars. The fruit is the most expensive thing we usually get and still is decently priced. The most we have spent is about $12 US dollars and we got 4 nectarines, 2 pre-chopped pineapple, 4 mangoes, half a watermelon and grapes.

The school where I will be teaching is a lot bigger than I expected. It looks like a small college campus. It is a vocational high school and specializes in getting students into the work force. Some of their areas of discipline include culinary arts, mechanics, and hospitality management. They also have students in regular high school classes. At the school I will teach English honors and English listening and Speaking. It will be a challenge for me with my elementary background, but I am excited to see how things go. There will be 3 American English teachers on staff so that will makes things kind of nice. During the summer months I am working at a preschool that is in partnership with the high school. I work with students ages 5-8. It is fun but a lot of work to keep students this age motivated when they can’t understand me. I should be able to speak some sort of sign language by the time I am finished with all my gesturing, speaking with my hands and facial expressions.

 Before I came to Taiwan I had in my mind that Taiwanese people looked the same. They were all going to be slim and short. Well, since we have been here I have realized that people aren’t ever the exact same. There are people of ALL shapes and sizes. They may all have similar hair and skin color but each have their own personality, style and body type. That being said, Blake and I do stand out. When we are out, people especially stare at my hair and Blake’s beard. Children are the most unreserved with their wonder of our differences. We walked by an elementary school while the students were out for recess one day and a group of kids ran over to us and wanted to shake our hands like we were some kind of celebrities. It made for a good laugh.

The people are incredibly friendly and helpful. We have been welcomed so kindly here. We went to a ward activity at the church on the Saturday night before our first Sunday here. Everyone was so excited to meet us. They all wanted to practice their English and get to know us. It was so fun. The next day at church the Bishop of the ward mentioned Blake by name 2 times during his testimony. We have English translators for every hour of church which makes things nice. We have felt a warm and loving welcome from everyone we have met. I feel very safe here, everyone smiles and waves when you pass by. And something I have noticed is I haven’t seen a huge class distinction among the people. Most people dress in similar clothing and drive similar cars/scooters, not some people with everything and others with nothing. Kind of nice.

We love exploring here. There are elaborate ancient Chinese-style temples all over. Each is very ornate and beautiful. We love riding down the street and looking around to see so many interesting and exciting thing after every turn. I love the architecture and I feel I am a true city girl because I love the tall buildings and bustling people. It is also great to live on a island where there is a coast in all directions not too far away. We have found some pretty neat places already and we haven't even left the city we live in. We have an entire country to explore and we are excited for many more adventures.

Pictured places: Lotus Pond, Cijin Island, Kaohsiung Night Market and neighborhood temples. 

All in all, we have really enjoyed our week and a half here in Taiwan. We are excited to see how things settle into everyday life. With all the excitement of new and exciting things, I do have to say that my favorite part about Taiwan is Blake. He is my anchor and best friend. He is helpful, fun and encourages me to be brave. I have found that marriage is finding someone you can spend all day, everyday with and never get tired of their company, no matter where you are. I would not want to adventure a foreign land with anyone else by my side.