I had heard about this phenomenon. I have to say, though, it was one of those things that I had to hear for myself to believe.
On Saturday, Chris and I were strolling through the streets of Taipei when we decided to stop in a restaurant and try out some of our newly learned Chinese vocabulary. We were getting our order across with more help from gestures and pointing to the menu than our language when it happened. The lady at the counter seemed very nice but she looked right at us and said, “Niggah…所有網頁 … niggah…所有網頁 ” (for those of you trying to figure out the Chinese characters, they are totally random, not actually what she said.) At first, we were taken aback and a little offended. Being caucasian ourselves, we thought that maybe she was confused about a new English insult she learned from HBO. As the ordering continued, so did the racial slurs. “Niggah… what would you like to drink?” “Is that for here… niggah… or to go?” We ate our meal in a fog of bewilderment determined to get to the bottom of this blatant (though misused) racism.
We asked our friends who have spent some time here as well as some native Chinese speakers what the root issue was causing such bigotry. However, as it turns out, this word is actually a voice stall in Chinese. They use it the same way that we would use “um” or “like” or “well” in English. That’s their story, anyway. Next time if they tell me that “cracker” is the word for “hello”… I am going to be a little suspicious.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Got Phelps?
Written By: Coach
We all love watching the Olympics. And when I say "we" I mean the human race. Obviously Americans are really into the Olympics because we typically do pretty well overall in a variety of sports. We are also suckers for a heartwarming story like when Carrie Shrug clinched the gold medal for her team on a broken ankle. This year the big story other than the fact that China is hosting the games is...Michael Phelps. Michael, and I think we would not mind if I called him that, is being considered one of the best olympians of all time. It just so happens that Michael is an American but even still I am sure that he is THE headliner for just about any television network worldwide right? Another headline group that is getting a lot of press in the "Redeem Team" AKA the US basketball team who are heavily favored to win gold and put America back into the top spot of the sport we invented. Speaking of sports we invented, baseball usually does not actually get the attention that many Americans may want, probably because we have not figured out a way to load our teams chalk full of MLB All-Stars!
Well folks I really hope that all of you have enjoyed sitting down each evening with your family and friends and watching NBC broadcast previously recorded Olympic events. I hope that all of you have watched so much Michael Phelps that YOUR fingertips are pruny. I hope that all of you basketball fans such as myself have been able to watch every high flying slam dunk that Kobe and company have orchestrated. However, I would never wish on anyone the gold medal of sheer frustration that I wear due to the TV stations of the great country of Taiwan (or Chinese Taipei for you Olympic folk).
Let me explain. Apparently there are only a handful of sports that the Taiwanese truly care about and they are (in no particular order) women’s archery and weightlifting, badminton, baseball and of course ping pong. Now I am not claiming that those are the only sports that have aired here in Asia. We have seen our share of swimming meets, volleyball matches and handball games which actually is a fascinating sport. But we are well into the games and I feel like it is slipping me by. I feel like a kid that has to go to bed while his older brother gets to stay up with his friends and play video games. I am missing out and it is killing me. So the sports that most Americans love like gymnastics, track and field and yes the best sport in the world, basketball has gone totally unwatched by these competitive and patriotic eyes. Oh and Phelps? I have not had the pleasure of seeing any medals won or records broken. I know that eventually it will not matter to me at all and years down the road when people ask me to tell them about my experiences in Taiwan the Olympics will not even come up. However, I also will never be able to tell my grandkids what I was doing when Phelps won all of his gold medals. I will not be able to say that I saw the Redeem Team in action as they annihilated the competition. I could always guess, but the best I could come up with would be, “I think I was watching ping pong.”
We all love watching the Olympics. And when I say "we" I mean the human race. Obviously Americans are really into the Olympics because we typically do pretty well overall in a variety of sports. We are also suckers for a heartwarming story like when Carrie Shrug clinched the gold medal for her team on a broken ankle. This year the big story other than the fact that China is hosting the games is...Michael Phelps. Michael, and I think we would not mind if I called him that, is being considered one of the best olympians of all time. It just so happens that Michael is an American but even still I am sure that he is THE headliner for just about any television network worldwide right? Another headline group that is getting a lot of press in the "Redeem Team" AKA the US basketball team who are heavily favored to win gold and put America back into the top spot of the sport we invented. Speaking of sports we invented, baseball usually does not actually get the attention that many Americans may want, probably because we have not figured out a way to load our teams chalk full of MLB All-Stars!
Well folks I really hope that all of you have enjoyed sitting down each evening with your family and friends and watching NBC broadcast previously recorded Olympic events. I hope that all of you have watched so much Michael Phelps that YOUR fingertips are pruny. I hope that all of you basketball fans such as myself have been able to watch every high flying slam dunk that Kobe and company have orchestrated. However, I would never wish on anyone the gold medal of sheer frustration that I wear due to the TV stations of the great country of Taiwan (or Chinese Taipei for you Olympic folk).
Let me explain. Apparently there are only a handful of sports that the Taiwanese truly care about and they are (in no particular order) women’s archery and weightlifting, badminton, baseball and of course ping pong. Now I am not claiming that those are the only sports that have aired here in Asia. We have seen our share of swimming meets, volleyball matches and handball games which actually is a fascinating sport. But we are well into the games and I feel like it is slipping me by. I feel like a kid that has to go to bed while his older brother gets to stay up with his friends and play video games. I am missing out and it is killing me. So the sports that most Americans love like gymnastics, track and field and yes the best sport in the world, basketball has gone totally unwatched by these competitive and patriotic eyes. Oh and Phelps? I have not had the pleasure of seeing any medals won or records broken. I know that eventually it will not matter to me at all and years down the road when people ask me to tell them about my experiences in Taiwan the Olympics will not even come up. However, I also will never be able to tell my grandkids what I was doing when Phelps won all of his gold medals. I will not be able to say that I saw the Redeem Team in action as they annihilated the competition. I could always guess, but the best I could come up with would be, “I think I was watching ping pong.”
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Ah, Silly Taiwan
Here are a few pictures of some of the funny things we've seen since we arrived...
A guy walking his pig
A weiner dog restaurant sign... we haven't eaten here yet
A street cleaner wearing a reflective rice patty hat
Why, plastic grazing cows, of course!
Random Chinese cow totem pole
OK, apparently t-shirts that were printed with mistakes in English are sold to Taiwanese stores for super cheap so you can find very entertaining shirts all over the place...
Disonsaurs are scarely!
Can you challenge to the yreainess of nature? Can you?
Chris couldn't resist this one... Spin the bottle world champion
Good navigation peace keep... Global Wroks... keep reading, it gets even better
I'm sure that there will be more to come...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Taiwanese Cuisine
So, I am sure that you are all wondering how our tummies are fairing here with us on our little Asian adventure. The answer is... pretty well, actually (sorry to disappoint anyone). We haven't, to our knowledge, ingested any felines, canines, rodents or anything else that might disquiet our delicate American digestive systems. And, as a quick update to our faithful and thoughtful readers, Chris has made drastic improvements in his bamboo-handling skills. He now dines with the ease and agility of a samurai warrior (for comedy's sake, let's pretend that samurais were Taiwanese). We have sampled quite a bit of traditional Taiwanese fare. Some made the winner list and some... well let's just say that some culinary experiences will remain on the "once in a lifetime" list.
Let's start with the winners. One tasty treat that has quickly moved in as one of our favorites is the drink "milk tea". This is an iced drink that is kind of like a cross between southern sweet tea and a chai tea latte. It is cavity-generatingly sweet but with a gingery, nutmegy, some other spice I don't know-y flavor. It is delicious and can serve both as a whistle-wetter and a sweet-tooth satisfier. As one who appreciates multi-taskers, milk tea has officially earned a place on the winners list. As a twist, you can order your milk tea with "pearls". These are tapioca-style beads that they will throw in your beverage free-of-charge for an added texture experience. I myself am not a fan of said pearls but I won't judge anyone who is. Another treat that we happened upon is something that we have affectionately named "egg crepes". We really have no idea what they are actually called because the vendor who sells them speaks as much English as I do Chinese so there is a lot of pointing and gesturing when we order. These egg crepes are dough that has been rolled very thin and then fried in a wok. While it is frying, the chef cracks open an egg or two (depending on your taste) and fries it up with the dough. Then, he pulls it out and brushes on some sweet and sour-type sauce, rolls it up and puts it in a bag to collect all the delicious grease that drips off. Though it doesn't serve as many purposes as the milk tea, it is just as satisfying. There are many other tasty things but let's move on to the once-in-a-lifetimers since we all know that's what you all have been waiting for.
One of the things that strikes me most as funny are the desserts that are served here. Whenever you go into a pastry shop, peruse a dessert menu or are offered candy, there is one ingredient that you will undoubtedly find: red bean paste. In the States, we are used to our red beans being salty, spicy, bland, etc. but I had not ever heard of beans being served as a dessert item. In fact, when I first heard someone talking about it, I had to have them clarify that, yes, they were indeed referring to red beans as being sweet. Not being one to judge, I decided to give them a whirl. And, I'll just tell you. They taste pretty much exactly what you think they would taste like. My brother's description fits them most perfectly: "It's as if you went to Casa Bonita (or any other low-quality Mexican restaurant) and you accidentally spill some honey on your refried beans." And, red beans are not actually the only legume that inspires the Taiwanese to make desserts. We have had cold, sweet split pea soup at lunch on more than one occasion. Anyone up for a taste?
The last thing that I will describe for you is a treat that a parent bought as a gift for all of the teachers. Let me say now that I think that this is a relatively expensive food and a very thoughtful gift for this parent to give us. But, since I don't think that she is reading our blog, I'll describe this Taiwanese delight for you all. It is called a moon cake. It is a flaky pastry about the size of your fist. When you first bite into it, the dough is sweet and you can tell that it has been filled with something. At first, I thought that it was the bean paste inside. However, after venturing farther into the ball of dough, I began to notice that the filling was saltier than the bean paste... and stringier. Our final conclusion is that the filling was indeed... pork. Yes, dear readers, moon cakes are sweet pork-filled pastries. And at that thought, I shall leave you.
Let's start with the winners. One tasty treat that has quickly moved in as one of our favorites is the drink "milk tea". This is an iced drink that is kind of like a cross between southern sweet tea and a chai tea latte. It is cavity-generatingly sweet but with a gingery, nutmegy, some other spice I don't know-y flavor. It is delicious and can serve both as a whistle-wetter and a sweet-tooth satisfier. As one who appreciates multi-taskers, milk tea has officially earned a place on the winners list. As a twist, you can order your milk tea with "pearls". These are tapioca-style beads that they will throw in your beverage free-of-charge for an added texture experience. I myself am not a fan of said pearls but I won't judge anyone who is. Another treat that we happened upon is something that we have affectionately named "egg crepes". We really have no idea what they are actually called because the vendor who sells them speaks as much English as I do Chinese so there is a lot of pointing and gesturing when we order. These egg crepes are dough that has been rolled very thin and then fried in a wok. While it is frying, the chef cracks open an egg or two (depending on your taste) and fries it up with the dough. Then, he pulls it out and brushes on some sweet and sour-type sauce, rolls it up and puts it in a bag to collect all the delicious grease that drips off. Though it doesn't serve as many purposes as the milk tea, it is just as satisfying. There are many other tasty things but let's move on to the once-in-a-lifetimers since we all know that's what you all have been waiting for.
One of the things that strikes me most as funny are the desserts that are served here. Whenever you go into a pastry shop, peruse a dessert menu or are offered candy, there is one ingredient that you will undoubtedly find: red bean paste. In the States, we are used to our red beans being salty, spicy, bland, etc. but I had not ever heard of beans being served as a dessert item. In fact, when I first heard someone talking about it, I had to have them clarify that, yes, they were indeed referring to red beans as being sweet. Not being one to judge, I decided to give them a whirl. And, I'll just tell you. They taste pretty much exactly what you think they would taste like. My brother's description fits them most perfectly: "It's as if you went to Casa Bonita (or any other low-quality Mexican restaurant) and you accidentally spill some honey on your refried beans." And, red beans are not actually the only legume that inspires the Taiwanese to make desserts. We have had cold, sweet split pea soup at lunch on more than one occasion. Anyone up for a taste?
The last thing that I will describe for you is a treat that a parent bought as a gift for all of the teachers. Let me say now that I think that this is a relatively expensive food and a very thoughtful gift for this parent to give us. But, since I don't think that she is reading our blog, I'll describe this Taiwanese delight for you all. It is called a moon cake. It is a flaky pastry about the size of your fist. When you first bite into it, the dough is sweet and you can tell that it has been filled with something. At first, I thought that it was the bean paste inside. However, after venturing farther into the ball of dough, I began to notice that the filling was saltier than the bean paste... and stringier. Our final conclusion is that the filling was indeed... pork. Yes, dear readers, moon cakes are sweet pork-filled pastries. And at that thought, I shall leave you.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Beethoven would be so proud
There have been a number of new sounds that we have gotten used to as we adjust to life here in Taipei. The low hum of hard-working air conditioning units spells not only a much needed respite from the sweltering summer heat but also sweet relief from the big city pollution. The high-pitched whir of small engines warns of scooters carrying entire families that are about to careen across the crosswalk in front of you. The far-too-excited way I greet passers-by on our way to school with, "Zao an"(good morning) which is the first Chinese I've learned since we arrived that I have actually been able to retain.
But, I have to say... there is a new sound here that is my favorite. It is the tinny, mechanical sound of Fur Elise that drifts into our apartment every evening. Though it sounds like the pied piper beckoning children to ruin their dinners with ice cream delights, this sound is actually calling for... our trash. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the garbage truck plays Fur Elise to let us know of his arrival twice every evening. He comes once at six and once at eight, both times greeting us with Beethoven's masterpiece. When the sweet music wafts in, adults and children alike scurry down, garbage bags in hand, to greet the music maker.
Now, I have to tell you, garbage collection here is quite a complicated process. We actually had, and I'm not making this up, an entire orientation on how to dispose of our rubbish. You must divide everything into three categories: actual trash, food waste and recyclables. Then, there are actually subcategories for your recyclables that can only be recycled on certain days. Somewhat in a tizzy about writing down all of said subcategories, our friends leaned over and informed us, "Don't worry. People will be fighting over sorting your trash." Evidently, people make quite a pretty penny by recycling so each apartment building has at least one trash lady who quite politely relieves you of your trash the moment you step out of the building. Sure enough, as soon as we heard good ol' Ludwig calling our name, we gathered up all of our rubbish and headed downstairs to find a lovely gloved woman there to take it off of our hands. What a fine way to end the day...
But, I have to say... there is a new sound here that is my favorite. It is the tinny, mechanical sound of Fur Elise that drifts into our apartment every evening. Though it sounds like the pied piper beckoning children to ruin their dinners with ice cream delights, this sound is actually calling for... our trash. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the garbage truck plays Fur Elise to let us know of his arrival twice every evening. He comes once at six and once at eight, both times greeting us with Beethoven's masterpiece. When the sweet music wafts in, adults and children alike scurry down, garbage bags in hand, to greet the music maker.
Now, I have to tell you, garbage collection here is quite a complicated process. We actually had, and I'm not making this up, an entire orientation on how to dispose of our rubbish. You must divide everything into three categories: actual trash, food waste and recyclables. Then, there are actually subcategories for your recyclables that can only be recycled on certain days. Somewhat in a tizzy about writing down all of said subcategories, our friends leaned over and informed us, "Don't worry. People will be fighting over sorting your trash." Evidently, people make quite a pretty penny by recycling so each apartment building has at least one trash lady who quite politely relieves you of your trash the moment you step out of the building. Sure enough, as soon as we heard good ol' Ludwig calling our name, we gathered up all of our rubbish and headed downstairs to find a lovely gloved woman there to take it off of our hands. What a fine way to end the day...
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Fear of Bamboo
Written by Coach
Have you ever struggled doing something that seemed so simple, so elementary that it drives you crazy each time you try....and fail? It could be anything from shuffling cards to executing a left-handed layup to rolling your "R's". I realize we all have them and most people do not look down on someone else if they cannot pull off such an easy, nay mundane task. I also realize that whenever it happens to me no one really cares...but me!
Before I explain where I am going with this I must tell you of the many fears that crept into my mind before we flew to Taiwan. Will it be safe for Ashley to walk by herself to get groceries? Will we ever taste the distictive "domesticated cuisine" that so many of our friends warned us about? Will we EVER learn any of the language? These are all valid fears that we could only find out the answers to once we arrived. I have to say that I am very pleased so far with the people, culture and cuisine. Everything seems so safe and pleasant so my biggest fears were not realized and adjusting to living here seems like it will be easier than we thought!
However there was one issue that I never really gave much thought while still living in Alabama. That issue definitely showed it's freaking ugly head on the very first night. It all started so well actually, Ashley and I met up with another teacher couple that knew there way around the city. We have a lot in common with them so the bus ride and the walk around downtown Taipei was great. After walking around the city awhile we agreed on a popular sushi place that they like to frequent. We decided to order about 4 plates of sushi and we would all share, good...sampling is the way I like it. This is where the story takes a harsh turn. When the first plate was brought out Ashley and our new friends start digging in. I, on the other hand, realized with horror that whenever chopsticks are put in my hand for some reason I transform into "Buster" the special needs chimp!
I did not panic at first. In fact as I recall I kind of played it off like it was the chopsticks fault. I think I did not panic because no one was really focused on me at first because the sushi was so dang good. But after several minutes of picking up and dropping sushi rolls I suddenly felt that the whole city put a halt on their busy little lives and agreed to all walk by and see the clumsy American on display. My emotions started to change very quickly. I went from frustration to horror to anger to rage. I think the last straw was when Ashley very calmly and quietly leaned over and said, (with some raw fish in her mouth that I am sure was delicious) "It's kind of a baptism by fire isnt it?" Now at this point it was all I could do to resist the urge to throw the chopsticks through the doorway to the restaurant and scoop the rest of the Japanese delicacy with my bare, southern hands and scarf them down in one gulp muttering under my breath, "I got your baptism right here" or something stupid like that. But as you recall we are dining with a nice couple that we have just met and I think that would possibly give out the wrong vibe.
Finally after what seemed like hours the couple took pity on me and asked the waitress for a fork so that I too could have some delicious sushi. Since that unforgetable night we have had several meals and I am SLOWLY making progress. It still frustrates me whenever I look around and people are actually having conversations with others while they eat. I am still totally consumed with this two little pieces of bamboo! So please keep me in your prayers. I feel very safe, the people here are great but I have a long way to go in mastering the art of dining in an Asian country.
Have you ever struggled doing something that seemed so simple, so elementary that it drives you crazy each time you try....and fail? It could be anything from shuffling cards to executing a left-handed layup to rolling your "R's". I realize we all have them and most people do not look down on someone else if they cannot pull off such an easy, nay mundane task. I also realize that whenever it happens to me no one really cares...but me!
Before I explain where I am going with this I must tell you of the many fears that crept into my mind before we flew to Taiwan. Will it be safe for Ashley to walk by herself to get groceries? Will we ever taste the distictive "domesticated cuisine" that so many of our friends warned us about? Will we EVER learn any of the language? These are all valid fears that we could only find out the answers to once we arrived. I have to say that I am very pleased so far with the people, culture and cuisine. Everything seems so safe and pleasant so my biggest fears were not realized and adjusting to living here seems like it will be easier than we thought!
However there was one issue that I never really gave much thought while still living in Alabama. That issue definitely showed it's freaking ugly head on the very first night. It all started so well actually, Ashley and I met up with another teacher couple that knew there way around the city. We have a lot in common with them so the bus ride and the walk around downtown Taipei was great. After walking around the city awhile we agreed on a popular sushi place that they like to frequent. We decided to order about 4 plates of sushi and we would all share, good...sampling is the way I like it. This is where the story takes a harsh turn. When the first plate was brought out Ashley and our new friends start digging in. I, on the other hand, realized with horror that whenever chopsticks are put in my hand for some reason I transform into "Buster" the special needs chimp!
I did not panic at first. In fact as I recall I kind of played it off like it was the chopsticks fault. I think I did not panic because no one was really focused on me at first because the sushi was so dang good. But after several minutes of picking up and dropping sushi rolls I suddenly felt that the whole city put a halt on their busy little lives and agreed to all walk by and see the clumsy American on display. My emotions started to change very quickly. I went from frustration to horror to anger to rage. I think the last straw was when Ashley very calmly and quietly leaned over and said, (with some raw fish in her mouth that I am sure was delicious) "It's kind of a baptism by fire isnt it?" Now at this point it was all I could do to resist the urge to throw the chopsticks through the doorway to the restaurant and scoop the rest of the Japanese delicacy with my bare, southern hands and scarf them down in one gulp muttering under my breath, "I got your baptism right here" or something stupid like that. But as you recall we are dining with a nice couple that we have just met and I think that would possibly give out the wrong vibe.
Finally after what seemed like hours the couple took pity on me and asked the waitress for a fork so that I too could have some delicious sushi. Since that unforgetable night we have had several meals and I am SLOWLY making progress. It still frustrates me whenever I look around and people are actually having conversations with others while they eat. I am still totally consumed with this two little pieces of bamboo! So please keep me in your prayers. I feel very safe, the people here are great but I have a long way to go in mastering the art of dining in an Asian country.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Hitting the Ground Running
Well, we got here on Sunday morning and teacher orientation started on Monday so we jumped right into our new lives here in Taipei. We got to meet a lot of the teachers and get a feel for what daily living is going to be like. Turns out, they are still in need of a fourth grade teacher... anyone interested?
Today we took a cultural excursion up to the mountains to a city called Wu-Lai. There we went to a fish and eel farm which also, for some reason, had two boars and some sort of raccoon / lemur thing in cages. Seeing as how I have never been to an eel farm before, I am assuming that boars and lemurs are standard procedure. Apparently, eel is quite a popular dish among the Taiwanese. However, when we asked another American what his thoughts were, he likened the "delicacy" to mud. Mmmmm.
The main attraction for the morning was when our pastor hand-picked a sturgeon from the water to have butchered for us for tomorrow's lunch. We got to watch them prepare the fish for us which was really interesting. They first pull the fish out and put it in a bucket where it is thrashing around like crazy and they weigh it to see how much it costs (ours was about 9lbs. we think). Then, they take it back to the kitchen and give it several good whacks with the back of a meat cleaver until it stops moving... mostly. Then, they cut off the fins and part of the back bone which is supposed to be good for frying. All that is left is cutting off the head and tail (which are used in soup) and then cutting the rest into nice steaks. It is supposedly the "fish of kings" so we are all looking forward to trying it tomorrow.
After the farm experience, our pastor took us out to lunch for traditional Chinese fare which was quite tasty. We had bamboo, tiger lilly soup and guava juice just to name some of the highlights. Then, we wandered around town and down to the river. Afterwards, we took a very "zoo-light safari" style train ride to see a waterfall which was very beautiful. That brings us to this afternoon where I am attempting to use the Chinese dryer and Chris is at the local park playing pick up basketball with some locals. I'm sure he'll fit right in...
Today we took a cultural excursion up to the mountains to a city called Wu-Lai. There we went to a fish and eel farm which also, for some reason, had two boars and some sort of raccoon / lemur thing in cages. Seeing as how I have never been to an eel farm before, I am assuming that boars and lemurs are standard procedure. Apparently, eel is quite a popular dish among the Taiwanese. However, when we asked another American what his thoughts were, he likened the "delicacy" to mud. Mmmmm.
The main attraction for the morning was when our pastor hand-picked a sturgeon from the water to have butchered for us for tomorrow's lunch. We got to watch them prepare the fish for us which was really interesting. They first pull the fish out and put it in a bucket where it is thrashing around like crazy and they weigh it to see how much it costs (ours was about 9lbs. we think). Then, they take it back to the kitchen and give it several good whacks with the back of a meat cleaver until it stops moving... mostly. Then, they cut off the fins and part of the back bone which is supposed to be good for frying. All that is left is cutting off the head and tail (which are used in soup) and then cutting the rest into nice steaks. It is supposedly the "fish of kings" so we are all looking forward to trying it tomorrow.
After the farm experience, our pastor took us out to lunch for traditional Chinese fare which was quite tasty. We had bamboo, tiger lilly soup and guava juice just to name some of the highlights. Then, we wandered around town and down to the river. Afterwards, we took a very "zoo-light safari" style train ride to see a waterfall which was very beautiful. That brings us to this afternoon where I am attempting to use the Chinese dryer and Chris is at the local park playing pick up basketball with some locals. I'm sure he'll fit right in...
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