Last Saturday, we had an event called NCCU Olympics. It was basically a tournament in football, baseball and dodgeball. Unfortunately, there has been a strange pattern - almost every Saturday when I wake up in the morning, it is raining. It wasn't any different last week. So we only managed to play 1 1/2 football games. At that point, football was canceled to protect the football pitch and the participants were all so wet that nobody turned up for the other sports. NCCU Olympics was over, but the rain unfortunately wasn't. In fact, the weather has been really bad every day of this week. The temperature dropped to about 18 degrees, which in Taiwan means one thing.. "So cold!!!". So mid-November is the first time I wore a sweatshirt here. It's also been wet and rainy, and generally not too pleasant.
All my evening activities (judo and guitar) have been canceled this week. Judo because of some important judo exams, guitar because of mid-terms at the university. At least we went to have a dinner together with the judo people. In a Italian restaurant, no less. So I also took more than 2 months to go out for western food here (not counting ice cream in Mc Donalds). On Monday, our IMICS program decided to go ice-skating. Unfortunately, as we arrived at the ice arena, we learned that it was closed to public because of some speed skating event taking place there. So we ended up going bowling instead, which was also great fun.
Other than a few more meetings and dinners and a "4 beers for free Czechoslovakian night", the week has been fairly uneventful until today: I was walking to our project meeting, and a Taiwanese girl was walking in the other direction (I've never seen her before). Just as we passed each other, out of nowhere she said: "Mám ráda nakupování!" and kept walking. This is Czech for "I like shopping". I was too shocked to say anything and ask her, where did that come from? Was she talking to me? Did she even know that I was Czech? Or was she just practicing for a Czech class? Either way, I've encountered way more Czech language in Taiwan than I would ever have expected.
The Taiwanese people were fairly excited about the biggest event of the week - the detention of former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian - I believe he is currently in prison, being prosecuted for corruption and money-laundering, and recently went on a hunger strike.
I finally gathered enough pictures to be able to introduce my classmates (with one exception), ie. IMICS first-year students.
From left to right is:
Lenka - from Slovakia. The first person I met in Taiwan. My guardian angel for the first few weeks and a mischievous older sister ever since. We annoy others by chatting in Czech and Slovak during class breaks. Sometimes, she speaks Spanish to me and is surprised that I don't follow.
Maria Jose - a representative of the Taiwanese Chile community. Does not approve of scheduling project discussions on a Saturday evening (I got used to it pretty quickly)
Ryan - from Canada. The miraculous Matrix-like speed of his hand, the reflex to jump in the picture so quickly and the facial expression all come from his years of working as a professional juggler, circus performer and actor.
Lilian - from Taiwan, is undoubtedly the nicest and sweetest person from our group. Week in and week out, she has to explain that "the light bulb has not arrived yet", therefore we see all the presentations in purple color only.
Eddie - from Taiwan, a bowling champion, we are always classmates and almost always teammates, also an excellent companion to go drink beer with.
Not present at the bowling event were, from left to right:
Micky - from Taiwan. The first time we met, she introduced herself as "one of the Walt Disney characters". I guessed Cinderella. Just yesterday she promised to join me in the guitar class. Who knows, maybe we will start a band together one day!
Lucy - from Taiwan. Helps me survive boring classes with her incredible pencil-twirling skills - I could watch that for hours. Loves to draw pictures on the board during presentations.
now for our incredible "Night Market team"
Lily - from Mexico - the adoptive mom for Len and I, the happiest person I know, who speaks a charming mix of English, Spanish and Chinese. She wants to become Taiwanese, even though she hates Hello Kitty, pink color and tiny cutie-cutie dogs. Other options are Thailand and Praha.
Len - from Taiwan, inseparable from Lily. Always glamorous, works as an English teacher, is learning Spanish and German and when it comes to Chinese, he teaches me excellent phrases like 吃豆腐, 炒魷魚, 炒飯, 數饅頭.
Cecilia (or Lenka) - not our classmate, but a Taiwanese student from the Russian department, who is diligently studying Czech and plans on studying there in a few years. Also my language exchange partner (a real one, not what the Nov 9 post might suggest).
Kai - from Canada, hasn't joined any of our activities this week, so I don't have his picture. Last time I checked, he was still on a mission to move away from his girlfriend without upsetting her too much.
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A Squid - is not my classmate. I had it for dinner after the bowling, and it looked excellent and tasted even better. Highly recommended.
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