First I want to apologize for the delay in post. I have been so busy, when I finally make it home, I just crash. I am about to start my 4th week of teaching and have now been in Kaohsiung for a month. While that does not seem that long, I feel like it has been forever. I don't know if that is a good thing or bad, I am going with good. I have made such great friends here the transition has been super easy.
This weekend though, I think I can now consider myself an official resident in Taiwan. After a stressful week of work with the typhoon hitting and more rain than I have ever seen (not really but I just wanted to make it seem really bad for dramatic impact) and meet the teacher open house ON A FRIDAY we decided to do what we do best and have happy hour. I was overjoyed to find out not only did the place we chose have a salad (that is all I have wanted for the past week) but it was also Jack Daniels night...SCORE! After indulging in a couple of jack and diets, and eating a decent salad we decided to head out to the local night market for a little late night gaming. Just picture the state fair on crack...that is what the night market reminds me of. There are rows upon rows of food, clothes, knick knacks, toys and games. You have to literally push your way through the crowd but it is so much fun!
At the night market the food is not the same as our wonderful state fairs in the states. You can not get a Krispy Kreme burger here but you can get pigs knuckles, pig butt, pig heart, fried squid, hot pots, shaved ice, bubble tea and the infamous STINKY TOFU. The product lives up to its name. The stinky tofu smell engulfs the night market, think of sewage or rotten garbage...basically what it smells like. Despite the smell, it seems like everyone who is native to Taiwan or really south east Asia loves this food. With all of the hype, and the liquid courage, I decided to try it. Being still a little chicken, I convinced John (a fellow new teacher at KAS) to try it with me. We bought the tofu and even had the guy put a little cabbage and hot sauce on it, got our pieces and engaged in eating possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever put in my mouth. It was all I could do not to spit it out in the masses. I think it took me about 5 minutes to force it down my throat. Wet cat food has to taste better than this.
But, even though I will never try it again...I feel like I can finally fit in in Taiwan after eating the stinky tofu.
Great to read another update from you! I'm so happy things are going well and you are feeling like the transition was easy. I have been thinking of you so often!!
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