I HEART Taiwan...

I spoke today in Church. It was on gratitude. And I liked it.

Is it weird that I like to give talks?

In any case,  I really enjoyed doing research on gratitude. So many fabulous talks have been given by multiple General Authorities on this very topic. Yesterday morning I printed off 7 or 8 of them ("them" being talks given by General Authorities) to take with me on my train ride up to Taipei. It was bliss. Remember how back in the day I wrote about my fifth graders, and how I was going to do a gratitude experiment with them? Well, I never got to it (nor do I think they were terribly interested in it). But, I have been keeping a gratitude journal myself, even though I've stopped posting it on my blog. Anyhow, with Thanksgiving this week, I've decided to do the list again...right here...on this here blog.

So really, today I just wanted to write about all the wonderful things I love about Taiwan. Seriously, I really do love it here. And because there are so many things, this blog with now take the form of a list. I apologize ahead of time, but there may be pictures (joy)!

• A bicycle is my main mode of transport. I love riding bikes! Maybe it's because I've always lived close to a bike trail. Or because my brother and I used to pretend to BMX in our back yard. Or maybe it's because my parents both like to bike. My dad taught me to ride a bike, and I still remember the day. I fell over many times, but I finally pedaled a good distance in good ol' Peter Kirk Park. My favorite bike memory was the time mon pere and I got stuck in a hail storm on the way over to my elementary school (let it be known that I also love hail storms). We rode through the hail to the covered basketball courts, and then I think we played State Tag when the storm subsided.
• I live 10 minutes away from the jungle, by bike. No joke. It's pretty fabulous even though I'm not too great about actually going on hikes and such in the fabulous jungle. But I love looking at the lush leaves and vines and being reminded that I live on a tropical island.
• Exotic fruit is the norm.If I really wanted to, I could eat a star fruit, dragon fruit, passion fruit, or any other kind of fruit every day of the week. You could too, if you wanted to pay exorbitant prices, but it doesn't cost me or the Taiwanese an arm and a leg.
• Scooters. They are fabulous. They are fast and zippy,have great gas mileage (I pay 3 bucks to fill 'er up) and don't take up much room at all. And drivers in Taiwan know how to ride with scooters and motorcycles on the roadway, so I'm less likely to die than I would be if I drove said scooter in America.
• Primary.  My calling at Church is to teach Primary. I absolutely love it. I was a bit hesitant at first, but honestly, how could you resist these adorable kids? 

 Ok, so maybe not the best picture, but I haven't got any others. 

And yes, there are about even numbers of kids

and adults in Primary. Those little rascals!

• Sushi is cheap. I mean dirt cheap. I mean so cheap, that I'm too cheap to buy it when I'm in the States. And it's good sushi. My roommate, Connie, and I have now established Sushi Tuesdays so we can have as much of the sushi love as we possibly can before we return to the land of overpricedness. 
•  Taiwanese fashion. Enough said. (I just realized, with shame, that I don't have any good documentation of Taiwanese fashion. Will get on it). 
• The Taiwanese. To be frank, they are amazing! I don't think I've met people from anther country that have been so warm and welcoming, and not to mention helpful. (and I have lived in both France and the Czech Republic). Wherever I go in the country, rest assured I can ask anyone for help, and they'll do their best to help me. For example, one Saturday my friends and I were going up to Taipei on the train. We weren't sure which side of the platform we should be on, so we asked a woman standing next to us. She told us that we were on the correct side and that our train is just a bit late. We thanked her, and then she walked away. Then like 15 minutes later when the train actually came she walked back to where we were to make sure we knew that it was our train. So sweet! And that isn't the first time nor will it be the last. And she was a complete stranger! I'm completely in debt to my dear Taiwanese friends who do so much for me. When they come visit the States, they'll be treated like queens! 
  

I'm sure there's a ton more, but I can't think of any else at the moment. But, there's always tomorrow (and perhaps more pictures)!