Random Tidbits

So I have some random things that I feel like sharing about Taiwan. We haven’t really been able to get out much since we have been super busy with training, and then exhausted once we are done in the evening. We do about 9 to 10 hours a day, and then we have had to a few times to some lesson planning outside of class, which has taken anywhere from 2 hours to 5 hours. So we have been very busy but loving it so far!

First of all, they do not have large outdoor garbage cans like they do back in the States. Taiwan has garbage trucks that come around at regular times that play what we all think of as ice cream truck music! At the moment (Im not sure if all provinces use the same tune or if they switch it up) it is playing Beethoven’s Fur Elise. When the music starts coming, everyone brings out their garbage and throws it in the truck. I guess some foreigners get really excited the first time they hear this and run out with money hoping for a treat! They also seem to come at almost all hours of the day, or perhaps it’s more of an evening thing, because we have heard them as late as 10 at night.

Also, fireworks are a pretty big thing here! And not like, “Oh, it’s a holiday, lets shoot off some fireworks” but on random days. I heard that it is supposed to be done on days that are significant, such as births, weddings, and the like, but it is really quite shocking when you’re not expecting it. The other day on our walk to school we were walking by this guy, and he just lays out this massive roll of extremely loud fireworks right in the street! This is not a small street by any means, at least two lanes each way plus a “anything goes” shoulder. The Taiwanese are all just driving by on their scooters and such not paying any mind while a group of us foreigners just about jump out of our skins. We hear some rather hilarious anecdotes from our trainers, who have all been here several years at least, about foreigners coming from violent areas who freak out. I guess one set of girls who when they first heard the random fireworks flattened themselves on the ground thinking it was guns! Thankfully, Taiwan has an extremely low crime rate so if we hear “gunshot” type sounds, we can say pretty confidently that it is just fireworks.

Anyone who knew me, Amy, back in the States knows that I had a pretty serious caffeine addiction. While, since coming to Taiwan I have pretty much gone without it! (It was going to be a lot more entertaining to say that I had not had a caffeinated beverage since arriving in Taiwan, but unfortunately I did have one on Friday and boatloads today). Although you can get soda at 7 Eleven’s here, and coffee is abundant, it’s not a very common thing to drink. It is not very refreshing in this extremely hot weather, and if you don’t drink it really quick it will be hot in like 10 minutes. Also, Pepsi products are not common, and I have yet to see a diet coke, just coke zero. Basically, if it’s not Coke Classic, Zero, Orange or Sprite, I do not believe I have seen it here.

So I hope you enjoyed my random thoughts for the day! We will be moving out to our branch in a few days so we should hopefully have something more interesting to write about soon!