大家好！俗话说得好：the days go by slowly, but the weeks fly by. Our second week has already come to an end. The week started with Selina, my friend from Williams, visiting Taipei on Monday evening. After a quick tour of my dorm room, we walked to “Mr. Chef Snow and Tofu,” a delicious dessert place just a few minutes from Prince House. We shared a mango, red bean, and boba-flavored shaved ice. Delicious! After that, we jumped in a cab and went to Raohe, one of Taipei’s most popular night markets (夜市). This was my second time at a night market and at least three times the size of the Shilin Night Market. We began with furnace-cooked dumplings that contained a delicious minced pork filling, continued with 元宵 (little glutinous balls served on shaved ice), and got sugar-glazed fruit to end the evening!
On Friday, we had our second oral presentation. This week, tasked with choosing a marginalized group, I shared the story of the Yami People on Orchid Island. Since the 1980s, the island has housed a nuclear waste storage facility to the discontent of the indigenous group. That afternoon, we traveled north to Beitou, a town known for its hot springs. We visited the Beitou Museum housed within a beautiful Japanese-style building, tried hot spring-boiled eggs, and dipped our feed in a public hot spring. Although we have only been in Taipei for two weeks, it was very nice to escape into a more natural environment, surrounded by dramatic mountains and lush greenery.
I am quickly adjusting to our new pace of learning. The volume of content makes it hard to balance studying new vocab, grammar, and correct pronunciation. At times it feels like a marathon and the finish line keeps moving back. Nevertheless, I think that my proficiency in formal dialogue is coming along. Looking forward to seeing progress in the coming weeks.
Until next week, 悦珉