Host Family: A Biography.

Family photo on Cijin Island.

Like any family, my host family had it's crazy, it's weird and it's wonderful moments. I thought I would share with you some outstanding qualities of each member so that you can better know who they are. My host family was a normal size (by Taiwan standards), consisting of a mom, dad, older son, and younger son.

Tina.

Host Mom
Name: Tina (English), Ms. Chuang (Chinese, not really it's Chuang!).
Hobbies: Organizing play dates for her children (including myself), declaring "No Chinese" days for her children, being bossy, cooking awesome breakfast, making mango-pineapple juice, planning events, and showing off her trophy foreigner to others. 
Most memorable moment: She came with me to Taipei after the homestay was over and at the farewell banquet gave me a giant huge... She didn't let go until we were both in tears.
Likes: She kept me busy with tours, events, food and play dates.
Dislikes: She really did treat me like one of her children! Did I mention I am twenty-three?

Pictured on far left. You can also see his parents who joined us from time to time.

Host Dad
Name: Mr. Ou (He has the same family name as Obama - He mentioned it often)
Hobbies: Driving us around town, speaking gibberish (I could never understand his Chinese), riding around on an awesome orange collapsible bike and shouting.
Most memorable moment: Driving in the car, he finally decides to play some music and he sings aloud to a song sung by a women way out of his range. Instant love.
Likes: He had a car, which meant we could go anywhere.
Dislikes: Could never talk to him because I could never understand his Chinese. Worst Taiwanese accent on the universe and no English.

Alex the silly.

Alex loved food!

Host Brother 1
Name: Alex (English), Ou Su Yi  (Chinese)
Hobbies: Playing UNO, eating six bowls of rice at every meal, speaking English, translating Carlos' awful Chinese or English to Tina, Angry birds, Touching my computer screen, magic tricks, eating and angering his mother.
Most memorable moment: I taught him the joke about the double meaning of sea food/see food. He used it successfully at various moments during dinner that day.
Likes: Ability to speak English, always knew which food I would like, bad at playing uno and he knew magic!
Dislikes: Too clingy, enjoyed making Jimmy mad, obsession with my smart phone.

We are still working on his jumping photos, but his future looks promising.

Jimmy.

Host Brother 2
Name: Jimmy (English), Ou Jia Mi (Chinese)
Hobbies: Angry birds, UNO, being cute, throwing tantrums, playing paper-scissors-rock, eating ice cream, handing my hand, posing for pictures and being a picky eater.
Most memorable moment: High-fiving each other after our team won a game of basketball!
Likes: Great a jumping photos, was respectful, darn cute and I could understand all of his Chinese.
Dislikes: Suffered a little emperor syndrome at times, got angry at times giving him the nickname Mr. Angrybirds Jimmy.

My host family was wonderful!

Our first meeting.