I’ve been trying out so many different study methods to keep up with the pace of HTA because the classes are so much more intense than I thought. Previously, I really liked learning stroke order and hand-writing characters because it helped me understand radicals and remember characters faster, but with 50 new words a day, and around 20 of those being new characters, this method is now impossible for me.
Every Friday, we explore new places near Taipei with National Taiwan University students. We went to Bitan this time, and I really liked it. It reminded me a lot of my home city, Caracas, because Caracas’ mountainous landscape accompanied by its tall buildings was really similar to Bitan. Walking through it, I felt oddly connected and nostalgic, it’s been the place that stood out the most so far.
Me and my friends paddled a swan boat through Bitan’s rivers, it was super fun! We got to see parts of the landscape we couldn’t see before, and later we checked out a marketplace selling cute jewelry and clothing.
On Saturday, we went to Yingge, and I loved it! It was my first time making a ceramic plate, something I’ve been wanting to do for ages. I decided to make an ocean themed bowl, and I decided to color it blue. Apparently, it’s going to take a few weeks for it to be ready, so I’m really excited to see how it turns out.
At Yingge, I tried a dish that I’ve been wanting to try for years: century egg. I had no expectations for what it would taste like, I just knew I wanted to try it, and I really liked it. It was unlike anything I’ve tried before, and with the sauce and the tofu, it was super delicious.
Week 2 was super fun, my Chinese is a lot better than when I got here, and everyday communication is getting easier and easier. I’m excited for the upcoming trips, and hopefully I find the best study method for this program!