Laundry and Bathrooms

First, I want to THANK EVERYONE for their feedback on this blog. Honestly, I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate hearing encouragement from everyone. I love reading the comments, especially as it helps me to feel connected to everyone. I remain in awe of how truly small the world can be and what a blessing it is to live in a modern society where I can remain updated on my friends and family’s lives in such a real-time way.

Tomorrow is the girls’ first day of school and Terry’s first day of work. Some may look at 6 hours alone in a foreign country with sheer terror; however, honestly I am soooooo looking forward to it! It has been quite difficult to obtain all of the small necessities for the apartment, and our pantry is still bare. Terry and I still have half of our closet on the floor as we did not purchase enough hangers, and I still have 3 loads of laundry to do as I have only been able to do one a day.

The units here in Taipei (and, as I’ve discovered, in many parts of Europe) are a washer/dryer combo. So, after the laundry is done being washed, it is then put through a drier cycle. As of yet, I’ve been too timid to try the dryer…I’ve heard from many that the heat is so high that the clothes shrink or become too worn. So, I’m limited to my very small wash-type room and whatever hangers I’ve been able to spare to hang things up to dry. Did I say dry? Oh yes, being that we’re living in a tropical climate, the humidity is quite high. Back home, I would be able to hang my clothes out for 2-4 hours and have them mostly dry…here, it takes a FULL 24 hours, I’m finding. So, yes, one load a day…and small loads at that. This is just another adjustment I will get used to in time…and be able to manage appropriately.

We had our first encounter with a Japanese toilet today. For those of you like me who had NO idea that Asian countries are REALLY into their toilets, let me enlighten you. They take moving their bowels very seriously here, and also take the cleanliness part very serious. We were eating breakfast and Elaine explained that she had to 'go'. So, upon going upstairs to the restroom, I had discovered that the restaurant had only the Japanese-style toilets. So, I had to help Elaine gingerly position herself to urinate...without urinating on her shoes. I am happy to report that we were 'mostly' successful, and that no extraordinary washing/germ-proofing was necessary from the result. As a matter of fact, Elaine thought it so novel and fun that she proudly announced to Brianna that she should try it, a proposal which Brianna gleefully accepted. When I went to then help Brianna as well, Elaine was quite disappointed that she could not 'watch'. I'll give it until they have to do it on their own before the novelty wears off!

I ventured out for my first lengthy solo trip today. I had to go to the girls’ school to purchase their uniforms (see yesterday’s post) and to pay for their school lunches. I had 2 glorious hours alone…well, alone with 1 million friendly people very close by. I grabbed some discreet headphones and headed out, very thankful for the blessed solitude that the music would provide. I wasn’t disappointed. By the time I entered the subway, even though I initially got on the subway headed the wrong direction, I was soooo relaxed. I quietly got off at the next station and changed directions. It didn’t take long to get to where I needed to go and do what I needed to do; however, having those 2 hours by myself…in my own time, without 3 other people to negotiate with…ahhhhh heaven! I headed for home, noting how hot it had become, and stopped along the way for a latte as I knew I’d need the caffeine pick-me-up to face what was inevitably waiting for me at home.

This afternoon, although still stressful with our furniture (Ikea) delivery and more immigration details to take care of, was by far the least stressful. While Terry tackled the task of scanning and emailing our immigration docs, the girls and I gave him such MUCH needed space and headed to the park across the street from our home. At first, there were a few kids about Brianna’s age playing at the park (mostly monopolizing the slides the girls were salivating over); however, Bri and Elaine were definitely NOT feeling brave enough to slide over to say hi. So, we occupied ourselves with the par course just outside the park. As an aside, I have to say that I’ve tried to find other children around our neighborhood, or families in general, to see what it is that they do. I must say that I find either high-school aged students, or very young children…there aren’t that many families with kids Bri and Elaine’s ages running around. HOWEVER, around 5pm or so, they started coming out. It took about 15 minutes; however, it seemed that 3-4 other families and their children (ages 5-10) came out and the energy level picked up about 10-fold. Even though the weather was arguably the hottest we’ve experienced yet, you wouldn’t have known it to see these kids play. They were jumping, running, playing games…I felt so relieved to see the community come out and just…hang out. Once Terry came out for a few minutes, Bri felt brave enough to ask one girl to play with her on a piece of equipment which required 2 people. Even though the interaction was small, and Terry did 90% of the talking…I was quite proud of Brianna for coming out of her shell and realizing that the language of play transcends all cultures J.

Which reminds me…as an update to Brianna’s determination from yesterday…I am quite pleased to announce that Brianna ordered breakfast for our entire family this morning. She beautifully spoke her Mandarin and ordered exactly what we needed. Terry helped her with a few small points; however, she completed the task we asked of her…and now I must find a way to call the Hello Kitty restaurant to reserve space for us. While Brianna was very disappointed that we wouldn’t be going there for dinner tonight, she seemed appeased at the 7-day window we promised her. Unfortunately, even though I remembered to bring the camera with me, I absent-mindedly left it in my pocket while I concentrated on observing her first monumental accomplishment here.

So, tomorrow is my first day alone here, and I must say I’m quite exhilarated thinking about it. My mind is full of lists of things I need to purchase, and places I have to go to find them…I have a feeling that my mental checklists far exceed the number of hours I have available tomorrow. Oh well, I have the comfort of knowing that no matter how much I have to tackle, it will be infinitely easier without the entire family being dragged all over the Shilin area of Taipei with me.

Thank you all again for your encouragement. It’s been very unexpected and so very much appreciated. It really helps motivate me to remember to bring the camera EVERYWHERE, and also to make the time to document our journey.

Exploring the world I live in

Each passing day seems to be filled with new adventures. It seems very odd to me to be writing about each day we spend here, and perhaps in our near future it will get quite boring (probably more for those of you who actually ready this than for me in writing it!). But, for right now, our days are so rich in experience that I find it difficult to condense it in such a way so as not to scare people away!

Being jet-lagged, our days start very early for Taipei standards. We were out the door by about 8am and were looking forward to discovering a local market-place which is very well known for its farm-to-you goods. What we found was that most stalls had barely opened when we arrived (around 8:10 or so) and the alley was lined with small trucks waiting for their turn to deliver that day’s merchandise to the appropriate stall. It seems a very short day indeed for the market as we were told that while the market operates every day, it closes for business around noon.

The best way to compare the local market is to a typical ‘Farmer’s Market’ in the US…on steroids. It’s about 5-7 blocks of all kinds of locally-grown veggies and fruits; freshly butchered meats; fresh fish; housewares; kitchenwares…just about everything (including the kitchen sink!). I LOVED the variety and even found many comfort fruits and veggies, so thankfully I can still prepare many foods I am accustomed to, which will be helpful for when the girls are feeling picky! All was going well until we passed by the fresh poultry section. Let’s just say that the girls became uncomfortable with the sight of not only whole chickens hanging to dry and soaking in large vats, but more importantly, the rows and rows of live chickens in cages in each stall waiting to be selected for the night’s dinner. We didn’t linger very much to say the least! On a personal note, I view the experience as one of life’s lessons that our meat does not come in yellow and pink packages but actually comes from live, breathing beings. I am hoping it makes them more in touch and aware of the world they live in.

We wrapped up our morning trip to a local breakfast place we stopped at on a whim. We were all sooo glad we did! We ordered our favorite breakfast food, which consisted of a Chinese doughnut (not sweet), rice ball with bafu and the doughnut inside, some kind of pastry with an egg in the middle, and something new…a curry dumpling. Yummy! What was most encouraging about the trip was that Brianna has taken a special interest in breakfast. She’s quite comfortable with the names of the food that we like now (for breakfast anyway). Terry has given each girl a carrot…each person who can order a full meal for our whole family in Mandarin, may choose any restaurant they desire the next time we eat. Brianna is well aware that Taipei has a famous Hello Kitty restaurant (http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-in-towndesserts-hello-kitty-sweets.html). She has been really upset with us as we were hoping to take the girls there as a treat before school started…but, alas time has not allowed. So, Brianna sees this as her guaranteed way of having us PROMISE to take her there. She sat at breakfast with a pad and pen in hand and quizzed Terry on each item and how to say it, as well as how to order (‘I would please like 2 of these’). I’ll keep you posted on her progress…I think she has high hopes of making tomorrow the day!

After breakfast, we made it to the girls’ school to choose their uniforms. While there, the girls got to meet their teachers, a few classmates, and take a tour of the school. I’m pleased to report that they are both rather excited about starting on Thursday. All was going splendidly until I realized that I did not bring an abundance of cash and apparently the uniform shop doesn’t accept credit cards. Ay ay ay…all that time spent and I now have to go back tomorrow (although I am truly ecstatic about going out by myself tomorrow)! I’m still amazed at how much cash is exchanged here…it doesn’t seem to me that credit or debit cards are in abundance here, but perhaps that is because most of the businesses seem to be rather small, run mostly by individuals and families. In fact, as we walk to the subway station, one person with a vat of oil, a butane tank and a small griddle constitutes a business…and people will line up 10-deep for the fabulous food. It’s amazing to me how business is conducted, and how efficient it is.

It seems that with everything so close, many people never travel farther than a 2 block radius. Travelling 5-6 miles here in Taipei (using public transportation OR private car/taxi) seems just as far as someone driving from one end of the Bay Area to the other. After these past 3 days I am beginning to understand why. With everything you need here, why travel farther? It seems that those with restless spirits don’t stay too long and it’s not uncommon to find people working at food stands which have been in the family for 3-4 generations.

I am finding it an adjustment to remember to bring my shopping bags with me everywhere I go. Taipei, contrary to popular beliefs, has become amazingly clean and efficient in its recycling and waste management. When I purchase an item, I am asked if I would like to purchase a bag in which to bring my items home, or if I have one of my own. I wonder what would happen in the US if everyone had to buy a bag before checking out? Granted, the bags are the equivalent of $0.01; however, I find the concept of paying for the bag refreshing…but something to get used to as I have now learned. Also, I am learning to be cautious of what I buy. For those of you who have recently moved, you feel my pain in settling in to the new apartment. It seems we need EVERYTHING from silly trays to hold our toothbrushes to a phone so that people may call us. I discovered that buying everything I need is going to be a slow process as I found that our purchases are quite heavy! Either that or I will quickly have muscles of steel!

For that reason, most places in Taipei deliver (above a certain $ amount). We went to Ikea (yes, that's Terry and the girls in crazy hats which Ikea gives out!) and discovered that, for a fee, will not only deliver our furniture (and miscellaneous household items we purchased), but will also assemble it for us! We also found that McDonald’s (which is 3 doors down from us) will make deliveries as well…when was the last time you saw fast food get even faster!!

I am finding that with every passing day, I am getting braver with my Mandarin and am no longer afraid to purchase something on my own, or try to communicate. Yesterday, I took the girls to get their nails painted. After the past few days traipsing around behind us, I thought they needed a ‘win’. The women who helped us spoke about as much English as I speak Mandarin, which isn’t saying much. Yet, after trial and error, I was able to communicate that we just moved to Taipei and that my husband is working here. I also was able to ask them where a decent beef-noodle soup place is (one of Taipei’s more famous dishes). Believe it or not, I was able to understand where I needed to go to find it. This evening, I asked Terry to go with us to find it, as I feared that I couldn’t read the Mandarin to find which stall served this dish. Lucky me, my memory served me well, and their directions were spot on. We found the place with no trouble and the soup was quite good (although not as good as Terry’s mom, who makes the best beef noodle soup!). Best of all was the amazing look of pride on Terry’s face when he realized that I was able to do all of this without him by my side.

Given that Terry is starting work in 2 days, it was important to me that I somehow give him the confidence that the girls and I will be ok while he’s away. I continue to discover that the Taiwanese people, for the most part, are VERY friendly and truly want to be helpful. They seem so appreciative at my attempts at Mandarin. This gives me a stronger desire to learn more. Each day I am learning new phrases, and the numbers which were so scary for me at first (e.g. ‘the cost of your purchase is $475NT’) are a bit less so. I recognize how far the journey is going to be; however, I am so comforted that I know I can find my way there.

First Day in Our Apartment

I guess this is a good place to start my blog. It’s our first full day in the apartment. We checked out of the hotel today. While the Grand Hyatt is a beautiful hotel with many luxurious amenities, hotel living is simply not comfortable for a family of four. Our room came with a king-sized bed and an extra twin-size bed…so we slept with Elaine in our bed the first night and Brianna last night. Brianna was much easier to sleep with than Elaine, as Elaine thrashed around and wound up horizontal on the bed between 3 and 5am.

We’re slowly getting over our jet lag with moments that are mostly good and some that, well…we’re just hoping to get past J. Overall, bed-time is around 7-8pm and we wake up around 5-6am. I would LOVE it if we could keep that schedule…it’s quite nice to get up in Taipei while the city is still sleepy. There are a few street vendors open and making the most delicious breakfasts and some cars on the road; however, it’s mostly quiet, and the best part…it’s not crowded and it’s cool.

We’ve been blessed with some decent weather thus far. The high feels around the low 90s. Today by far was the hottest and most miserable. Thankfully, Terry recognized that we were all fading and agreed with no hesitation when I suggested we go home and cool off. It rains on and off, and it’s mostly overcast. I have a feeling that when the sun is out with no clouds, people will be partying in the streets and calling in sick…much like I perceive people would do in Seattle. It’s also been windy here, which helps with the heat. The most difficult part for all of us is the thick air. With the humidity so high, not only does our skin feel sticky, but our clothes feel hopelessly stuck to our skin. It seems that most of the clothes I love wont’ do well here. I am NOT going to be buying new clothes; however, I can see a few pieces that weren’t necessarily my favorites before coming here moving up on my list J. It’s a relief when the rain falls and thus far, it’s not been too heavy. When Terry and I were here in August, it wasn’t pleasant getting soaked when it was hot out. I wasn’t looking forward to the girls complaining about wet feet…thankfully the weather has been very welcoming which has helped to make this transition easier.
For me coping with the sheer number of people here will be an adjustment. I am not one who really prefers crowds and I find I have to get mentally prepared to face a crowded shopping mall at Christmas. Here, it’s like the maddening, Christmas frenzy every day. People are constantly coming and going and the cars pay no attention to the pedestrians. Terry and I have been holding the girls so close that I’m amazed that their hands don’t have bruises. Aside from bringing the girls to school, I think I will make every attempt to go out during nonpeak times. Our anticipated trip to the night market this weekend will be VERY interesting as the last time we were there, it was crazy. I found it simply too much for me…the blazing heat and all those bodies being herded like cattle through stalls of street vendors who shout at passersby in Mandarin to come and buy their wares. I found myself falling line like most cattle and followed the longest lines…which was frustrating as I tend to be quite impatient, but typically was rewarding as the food here is truly amazing.

The food….ahhhh the food! At first I anticipated that I would lose weight here as I have to spend quite abit more and look quite hard for my ‘comfort foods’; however…I find the food here to be too good. Much of the food on the street is ridiculously inexpensive and the portions are just right. Of course, I don’t think that my hips or belly would agree with my personal favorite foods. The milk-pearl tea is fabulous, and so are the pan-fried onion cakes (that have egg on the bottom). I am finding that everyone in our family LOVES Taiwan breakfast; however, we’re struggling a little bit to find dinner-food that agrees with everyone. Granted we have not really had an opportunity to really sit and enjoy dinner as we've been going to bed EXHAUSTED and super grumpy at 7pm, so perhaps I am expecting a bit too much. Tonight, we went to Taiwan's most famous dumpling place, Di Tai Fung. Their pork dumplings are something that everyone agreed on. Even Brianna, my most picky eater, ate 6 dumplings on her own! So, perhaps there is hope yet.

That's it for now...the girls are in their own beds, boxes are everywhere, 'stuff' is all over the floors and not put away yet as I ponder how to arrange the apartment (and wonder where I'm going to put all our crap...will it all fit?), but we're HERE. And now I can rest.