The First Week

Ahh!! I can’t believe I’m finally here. I’m no longer an outbound, preparing to go – this is the real deal.

So far, I have been in Taiwan for 4 days. Each day is so full that I haven’t even had time to unpack. (Well, I could’ve unpacked on the first day I got here, but I slept instead).

Before I get into it, here is an excerpt from something I wrote the night before I left, mostly for myself, trying to figure out where I was emotionally and how I felt about going.

This time last year, I was lost. I didn’t like who I was, and I didn’t know who I wanted to be. I wasn’t happy with my life and I felt helpless to change it. Since then, I have grown into a person I enjoy being, a person I continue to learn about and discover every day. I am beginning to feel comfortable with who I am, a feat that seemed so far out of reach a year ago. And with this self-discovery, I have become aware of the incredible kindness and amazing hearts of the people around me. I have begun to see the world around me in a way I never have before, and with this new perspective I can appreciate it so much more.

But however lost I felt last year, I must have done something right to end up here today!!!!!!

The theme of this post: 1 thing I learned for each day I’ve been in Taiwan

Day 1: Taiwan’s food is cheap

I arrived at 5am. We drove home, and then I slept, and later in the day my host brother took me out for lunch. Everything was under 50 TWD (about 4 CAD cents?).

Day 2: You have!! To make!!! Mistakes!!!!!!!!

On Day 1, I didn’t speak very much Mandarin at all, because I was worried about being understood or mispronouncing things. On Day 2, I tried to speak more, and the results showed on Day 3!! I can now speak simple sentences and answer simple questions.

Then, when I went to my first Rotary meeting, and I didn’t understand anything they said, even things they said directly to me in Mandarin. I said “bu mingbai, baoqian” (I don’t understand, sorry), and then told me to sit, but I didn’t understand that either, until my host mom pulled me back into my seat. So even if you avoid making mistakes, they’re going to happen anyway. You have to be okay with it! I’m still working on this one.

Day 3: Kids don’t care if you speak Mandarin

I played badminton with my 7-year-old host-cousin for 2 hours and he talked the whole time. I think at one point he said he won, and another time he was explaining the rules to me, but for all I know he could’ve been saying the floor was lava and the birdie would catch on fire if it touched the ground. When I tried to stop and practice writing Chinese characters, he said “xiuxi” (rest), but he meant rest from studying- so we could play more badminton.

Day 4: Always be prepared to do anything, on any day

Even if they tell you, “today there are no plans, you can relax”, or that you won’t meet anyone new, always be prepared!! This morning, my mom told me I would spend the day with Amma (grandmother) and my host-cousin (the 7-year-old), so I only brought my Chinese flashcards and a book, ready for a slow-paced, relaxing day of playing badminton and getting scolded by a 7-year-old. The morning went as I expected, but in the afternoon I ended up meeting 3 other exchange students, going to the beach, doing karaoke, and taking a Zumba class! And a Rotarian bought me a shirt! If only I had had a maple candy that I could have given her as a thank you. I guess the lesson here is always have maple candies on hand.

Day 5: Don’t make promises you can’t keep

              Today, I asked some Official Rotary Members if I could visit other clubs, as that was one of my goals for exchange. They said I’m not allowed to go to any club meeting except my own. That was a shock – in Canada, exchange students are encouraged to visit other clubs. When I made that my goal, I stood up and told my sponsoring club I’d come back in a year and tell them about all the clubs I visited. Let’s hope they forget about that.

The moral here is, what goes in one place might not be okay in another, so don’t make assumptions. In my District in Canada, visiting other clubs shows your commitment to Rotary. I think doing so in Taiwan is considered imposing on the other club. So flexibility is also important – I can change my goal to dedicating time for my Rotary club.

              So far, Taiwan just gets better and better. I really need to unpack, but that’s not that much of a problem. I’ll get to it. And if I don’t, then at least I don’t have to pack up in a year!

              Thank you to the Rotary Club of Mississauga West and Miaoli Zhongyan su for making this experience possible. I don’t know where I’d be without them.

~Serena

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