Friday

9 AM - Day Market ... sensory overload :-)
11 :30 AM - join A Capella choir (mom rested at home)
1 PM lunch ... We used the afternoon to do prep on the evening's dinner
4:15 PM Mission's prayer meeting
5:30 Dress for party and help with last minute set up
6 PM Guest arrive promptly (I know a college that had a reputation for begin late. The students there should take note of these Highschoolers *hinthint* :-) for Mystery Dinner

The Mystery Dinner went so good! A bit stressful at times for those of us in the kitchen, but it was pulled of masterfully and I have a bunch of pictures and hopefully my first video worked! The kids that came are my Aunt's highschool Madrigal choir so they sang three songs and I recorded one. Hopefully I'll get it up here with pictures soon.

Weekend plan: Visit Taipei with Cynthia and her parents. Sunday - mountain drive and/or Jade market

So I'll be busy, but I'll try to write. Leave me notes and I'll respond asap. :-) I'll get pictures up first of next week, Lord willing.

Good Night!
Moi

Thursday

Now remember, our Thursday was U.S. Wednesday. We are a day ahead since we crossed the *loud speaker voice* "International Date Line!"

Thursday: we slept through the night, which we are told is rare for jet lag. We went to breakfast with Mrs. Sheppard and her youngest daughter, Kealyn. We ate at Mei-0-Mei (the name of the owner). Dad, it was eggs and bacon and green chilies wrapped in a really thin tortilla like thing. Then there were pork dumplings, and we drank milk tea. It was good and creamy.

Then Mrs. Sheppard took Mom and I with Kealyn to the Folk Park. There was a big pond and big goldfish. Kealyn liked to feed the fish, but she dropped in one pelet at a time. All the fish would come swarming to where they saw the food and they would try to race each other to see who could get it first. :-) Then we had to go so she dumped the whole box in at once. The fish practically jumped out of the water, climbing over each other in their vain attempts to eat it all!! It was hilarious! Mom and I were not expeting to see that, so we gasped and started laughing!! Good times at the fish pond. ;-)
Lunch was ate at Aunt Melody's. She has three co-workers over for lunch too. they are all teachers in the music departmet. then aunt melody took us on a walking tour of "the Village", which is what the missionaries call their part of town mostly because they remember when it was a villiage. Now there are skyscrapers. :-) that was fun, although a bit intimidating I found.
We made it back to Morrison in time for Chapel. the main part of the service was a time when the highschool students could give testimonies about Spirit Week, which happened last week.
Most of the kids at Morrison are Christians, but some are not. Every year in the Fall, Morrison holds "Spirit Week" where some of the classes are cut to make room for special classes on religion, Christ, Christianity, God, etc. They have chapel every morning (where as regularly chapel is once a week) and a speaker comes in who encourages the believing students in their walk with God and the others he witnesses the gospel too. His message was especially clear, all the teachers have been saying. Anyways, the kids were able to share about their impressions from that week during chapel. It was neat for me to hear those impressions and hear how they all cared for one another. The kids either felt love for the brethren, or love for the unbelieving. They pray for one another and encourage each other to walk the life daily, lean on Christ, and be do-ers of what they believe, not only say-ers.
After that we had dinner and then ... oh, boy! Aunt Melody took Mom and I out to get our hair washed. Doesn't that sound wierd? It is a realy commong thing out here. They massage your neck and shoulder first to relax (Theresa, they use Eucalyptus oil for the massage!) and then they lather your hair with shampoo and the scrub your scalp for over 5 minutes! They you lay in a chair with your head in the sink and they rinse you hair out and add a conditioner of some sort. They also wash your face with an oil or gel at this point. Now these guys are good! No water get into your eyes, or on your shirt, not even one little soap sud. Pretty cool, huh? Then the lady dried my hair and Aunt Melody told her to style it. I have pictures of this whole episode and I'll post some when I get it all up and running.
Then we walked home, happy and relaxed to bed.

Morrison Academy

We arrived at Morrison on Wednesday afternoon. It takes about 2 hours to reach the campus from the airport. Aunt Melody lives down "Faculty Row" which is the ally running behind the soccer field and sports tracks. There are a bunch of faculty housing on that street, some dorm housing, etc. Aunt Melody lives at the end, on the left, second floor (in case you want visit :D). She lives across the street from Jeff and Ronda Sheppard (from Moscow!). Mrs. Sheppard took Mom and I to the Folk Park on thursday and we talked a bit about Moscow, the people, and how things change. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Wednesday: was relaxing. Mom and I unpacked, showered after the trip, and tried to stay awake. At the end of this day we will have had a 33 hour day (the longest in my life!). A. Melody wouldn't let us go to bed until after dinner, so she took us out to a restaurant where we ate Teppanacky (sp?). I ate with chopsticks which Cynthia showed me how to use. I got a good start, and a pretty good dinner, and have been practising at lunches and dinners since then. After that, we went to bed!! yippee! :-)

Carrying One Another's Burdens

Thank you, all, for the prayers that were given on our behalf. Mom and I were able to nap at least three times on the plane (new record for our family!), we had no worries flying so long over so much water (there were some worries before leaving U. Bill's and A. Nonie's), we had no trouble getting through customs, and our bags were one of the first on the belt, and we were never stopped, nor questioned, nor asked to open our bags!! Yay! Praise God!!

Aunt Melody saw us when we left security and she squealed! lol She has been so glad for our visit, so thankful. At every prayer, she gives thanks for us. That makes me glad to be a tool for God's use in her life, as well as making me feel a little bad about not visiting sooner. But the Lord has opened this trip up to us in a marvelous way... so much has been laid before us!

computer trouble

hi!

We're here with minimal access to a reliable internet server. Mom and I have got on every day and the computers have crashed in the middle of emails, blogposts, etc.

Just to let you know. ... we remember you.

Seattle

Mom and I arrived safely in Seattle thanks for U. Steve's driving. "We drove and drove and drove some more ... that was my vacation." ~DisneyLand commercial :-)
We got to go see Mom's cousins, Meghan and Missy, and their families before dinner. We got a good sleep last night. Yay! This morning Aunt Nonnie made oatmeal with blueberry syrup. It was so good and not too sweet. Then Uncle Bill and Aunt Nonnie took us with them on their walk around the mall. We ran errand, picked up my new glasses (they came with no problems! phew!). Later Mom took us all to the IHOP. I had breakfast (of course) - two eggs, two pork sausage, hash browns, and cinnamon rolls that were fried French Toast style. This afternoon I slept, then had dinner, and Meghan and Missy brough their families over for Apple Crisp.
Now Mom and I are packed and finishing things up before we go. The shuttle takes us to the airport at 1am. After 12 hours we'll see A. Melody! Yay!!

- pictures to come when I reach Taiwan -

Tomorrow morning Mom and I depart for Seattle via my A. Debbie and U. Steve. There we will spend one day with her aunt and uncle before flying to Taiwan.

Please pray for traveling mercies. Pray for a safe trip home for my U. Steve and A. Debbie. Pray that we will get over jet lag quickly. Pray that we will be a blessing and an encouragment to my Aunt Melody. And also to her school, Morrison Accademy. Please pray for my family at home.

Thank you for your prayers.

Packing

Although Mom's been packed for a few days now, I just started this morning. Boy howdy, it sure can take a while! I've made lists and "To Do"s and "To Buy"s and I really hope that I don't forget anything. *yikes* There is so much to remember that I'm starting to lose it. I've been running up and downstairs between my room and the kitchen, my room and the laundry room, my room and mom's room. lol
I have three volumes of Dad's Encyclopedia Britanica in my room. One is "H" for Hong Kong, one is "T" for Taiwan, and one is "F" for Formosa. I also have the altas volume open to Taiwanese page. I've done a bit of reading out of the E.B., but mostly it has just sat on the floor. I've gotten farther through "Formosa: A Study in Chinese History". Even if I don't get very far or finish any of them, the tidbits of knowledge will help me to appreciate the culture of Taiwan that much more. And A. Melody has lots of books that she said I could borrow when I get there! Thank you! :-)
I shall say my goodbyes to all the Moscow peeps at Disputatio tomorrow. I may be in town on Saturday, but you never know who I'll see. We leave Sunday morning around 8 or 9.

Off to Xanga. *heh heh*

Taipei 101

The tallest building in the world today is Taipei 101, located in Taipei, Taiwan (in the Hsinyi dist. if anyone cared to know). It is also known as the Taipei Financial Center.

It became the tallest building at it's completion in 2004 when it surpassed the Petronas Towers in Malaysia. The building was begun in 1999, topped in 2003 and completed in 2004. The design reflects the traditional Chinese pagoda with the eight tiers of eight stories (eight is a number symboizing fortune (the opposite of our unlucky thirteen)). The topping spire is a massive 60 ft design of Taiwan's native bamboo plant.

A 18ft, 882 ton, ball-shaped damper located near the top counteracts swaying during earthquakes and typhoons, and it located on level 88 and is visible from the restaurant and observation decks. This system is designed to send the swaying motion of the quake or typhoon up through the structure to the swinging sphere, providing a stabilizing force.

There are 101 floors above ground level with 5 underground. The building holds the record for height: ground to structural top - 1,671 ft, ground to roof - 1,474 ft, ground to highest occupied floor - 1, 441 ft. It also houses the fast ascending elevator which speeds upward at 37.3 miles per hour.

Genesis 11:4 "And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built."

" But what did these vain and presumptous men intend? How did they expect to raise this lofty mass against God, when they had build it above all the mountains and the clouds of the earth's atmosphere? What injury could any spiritual or material elevation do to God? The safe and true way to heaven is made by humility, which lifts up the heart to the Lord, not against Him."
Augustine, The City of God, Book XVI, chap 6 on the tower of Babel

"You see how the god blasts living things that are prominent and prevents their display of superiority ... you can see that it is always the largest building and the tallest trees on which he hurls his thunderbolts. It is the god's way to curtail anything excessive... This happens because the god does not allow anyone but himself to feel pride."
Herodotus, Book seven. This is how the Persian's pagan perspective looked on the gods who ruled the fortune of man.

Itinerary

Note: I've added details to the itinerary and changed things as A. Melody has updated us. Fun times! Please keep in mind that I did this really late at night so forgive my errors in spelling and typos. :P

Sept. 26 - Mom and I depart Seattle 4:05 AM *snore*
Sept 27 - Arrive in Taipei 7:40 AM / rest day at A. Melody's home in Tai Chung (A. Melodysays that we may not go to sleep - she is going to get us off jet lag ASAP) / dinner at a teppanyaki restaurant. cool!
Sept 28 - Ronda Sheppard take mom and I to Mei-O-Mei for breakfast and Taichung Folk Park / join music teacher lunch/mtg / HS Chapel and tour of Morrison / A. Melody makes Pad Tai noodles for dinner / early bed time. yay!
Sept 29 - morning trip to fruit & vegetable market (also "cheap clothes lady" and Columbia jackets) cool / visit A Cappella Choir / prepare for party and decorate (my kinda thing) / mission prayer mtg at A. Meldoy's house / Murder mystery dinner with Chamber Singers
Sept 30 - day trip to 1) Sanyi, and old Chinese wood carving village, 2) Cynthia's house in Longtan 3) Shimen Dam with Michael, Nancy and Cynthia Lu, 4)back to Tai Chung
Oct 1 - breakfast at local Chinese breakfast shop (dan-bings?! Boy, mom and I are going to have such a good culture experience with all this new food!) / Chinese church / lunch either potluck at church or out at restaurant / afternoon trip into mountains near Tai Chung & visit an earthquake memorial (a school that was badly damaged in the 1999 earthquake - I remember reading about that quake) / go to mountain tea shop / visit Jade market / dinner at home then movie night with singles and Sheppards at band teacher's home
Oct 2 - Ronda Sheppar and Beckie Johnson take mom and I out for foot massages while A. Melody is teaching (I think we might be getting the better deal lol)/ relax at home / A. Melody shows us how to make Tai or Balinese food (yes! I love cooking!) / dinner at home. perhaps in the evening we'll walk to get tea at Crazy Sue's tea shop (what a great name!) afterward we'll play a board game
Oct 3 - Home day /dinner out at "The Shacks" (A. Melody describes it as a hole-in-the-wall joint. cool!) w/ Sheppards and singles
Oct 4 - Lunch highlight: Dumplings! and beef noodle soup (I'll have to remember to write down all the recipies. :) / dinner at Dwight and Beckie Johnson's house (the downstairs neighbors in A. Melody's duplex / This evening we get foot massages (boy, we'll be so pampered!)
Oct 5 - pack for trip to Taipei / get settled in Wan Fu Guest Apartments and eat lunch / go to Dan Shui; walk along boardwalk and eat Taiwanese snacks (A. Melody tells us that we must try pomelo and moon cakes. What fun names!) shop for trinkets (at "tourist traps" as Grandad would say. Don't worry, Grandad, we'll barter. :D / eat dinner in Dan Shui / go to Shr Lin Night Market with A. Melody's friend Rachel Sawatsky
Oct 6 - morning visit National Palace Museum which holds the largest collection of Chinese art in the world / lunch at the Grand Hotel (known for its fabulouse Chinese architecture) / afternoon: visit Chiang-Kai-Shek Memorial and Taipei 101 (the world's tallest building) / dinner at famous restaurant and stay over one more night
Oct 7 - travel to the east coast (we'll be taking the scenic view from which we can view a scene ... ok, it's really late and my puns are bad at this time of night. lol) / drive up into the Taroko Gorge and hike around in the mountains, stay over at an old aboriginal (Taroko tribe)stone protestant church which is run by German sisters
Oct 8 - head home to Tai Chung by way of the mountains / stop at Starbucks in the mountains (just cuz it's there!) / home for good night sleep before next trip
Oct 9 - bus to airport in morning/ fly to Hong Kong - arrive at 3:45 / check in to Caritas Bianca Hotel / see the city at night / do a little shopping
Oct 10 - goto Stanley Market (aka, more shopping!) via subway, Star Ferry, and double-decker bus (boy, are we well-rounded travelers, or what?) / take tram Victoria Peak if a clear day (if not go Wednesday) / dinner at Victoria Peak, or at Dan Ryan's / evening: maybe take in a concert or movie?
Oct 11 - Museum of History (of Hong Kong) / lunch at Sam's Deli / more shopping on Nathan Road and/or women's market in Mong Kok / Indian restaurant for dinner where A. Melody's friend, Andrea Rusk, will joing us
Oct 12 - Breakfast at Dim Sum restaurant - morning free for activites / lunch near hotel - take shuttle back to airport / afternoon flight back to Taiwan where A. Melody gets off and Mom and I transfer planes. 6:20 pm depart Taipei / 1:45 pm arrive in Seattle (earlier than when we left Taiwan - Do I like the international dateline?)

People

"Getting to know you" ~ The King and I

These are some of the people that I'll be seeing on my trip and about whom I'll be talking. Thus, the introductions... Folks, please meet:

Me - I've spent 3 months in Mexico, traveled to Hawaii for a week and to Greece for 17 days.
Mom - beloved mother who homeschooled me and taught me all I know about homemaking. This trip is her birthday present.
Aunt Debbie - Mom's older sister from Portland, OR
Uncle Steve - A. Debbie's husband
Uncle Bill - Mom's Dad's brother (thus my great uncle) who lives in Seattle, WA
Aunt Nonnie - Uncle Bill's wife
Aunt Melody - Mom's oldest sister who is a missionary in Tai Chung, third largest city in Taiwan. She has been a missionary for over 22 years, teaching music in Morrison Academy for 19.
Jeff and Ronda Sheppard - A. Melody's neightbors across the street. Jeff lived in The Big Haus while attending University of Idaho before he married Rhonda.
Cynthia Lu- A. Melody's boarding student. Cynthia is a junior in Morrison. Her parents, Michael and Nancy, will take us around to see some sights. Cynthia, I believe, is either Taiwanese or Chinese and she grew up in Los Angelos, CA.

Formosa

"To the Japanese, the island was 'Takasag'. Later the Chinese name 'Taiwan' was adopted. In 1590, Linschotten, a Dutch navigator on a Portuguese vessel, sailing along the west coast of the island was so impressed with the lush beauty of the coastal plan that he located the island on the chart as 'Ilha Formosa', the Beautiful Island."
Formosa, W.G. Goddard

One week from today Mom and I will be making the first leg of our travel to this Beautiful Island. We'll be visiting her oldest sister in Taiwan for 2 weeks.

This blog is for me to share with friends and family the joys of traveling and visiting other cultures. I shall post this week, and I hope to post often in Taiwan.