Shhhh – The Kaohsiung Library.

In typical Carlos-fashion, I had to take a little visit to the public library here in Kaohsiung. I was rather impressed by how modern and awesome it was in comparison to the public libraries I visited in China. 

Notice the book drop!

1. The library is FREE! Yes, you can use a computer and check out books for FREE – just as it should be. Although, here the initial period to check out was 28 days – TWENTY-EIGHT! (Step it up TCCL).
2. People actually go there to read and do research, not just study. The library here does a good job at having events and programming for kids and such. They like making it FUN! It was a little louder than I would have liked, but hey, sometimes having fun is a lively activity.
3. Your books as cleaned when you check them out! Yes, you heard right, cleaned! Once you check out your books they are zapped by a machine to be clean. Some kind of UV rays or something, I dunno.

It was funny because I found myself getting lost inside the Library because it was so cool. I browsed the English children’s book area first and selected a few good books for my host brothers (As requested by my mother Tina). They had some quality kid's titles like “Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom,” some Earl Carle books, Amber Brown, Because of Winn Dixie, and PC Cast. I was surprised to see the whole School of Night series there, PC Cast (Oklahoma author for those of your who wait for the movie to come out).

I then proceeded to impress my host mom with my knowledge of children’s books, what age levels each were appropriate with and how libraries work in the US. Not to mention that fact that I know P.C. Talked to a few locals about the library (They all love it!) and checked out some books. Good work Taiwan with your public library – approved!

Circulation Desk.

Zapping our books clean. Many people touch books, we must clean.

Look familiar youth librarians?

I asked if I could take a picture. She said yes, but apparently meant no. 

The Goose Who Laid The Sour Egg

Goose eggs. What do you think of when I say “goose egg?” For me, it’s usually Veruca Salt and her golden goose egg, but not in Taiwan. Nope, here they love their goose eggs sour!

Finished product.

I took a visit to Bing Dong and some of the locals had a sour goose egg production line going where you could select your regular goose egg and turn it into the delicious (opinions may vary) sour good egg. Here is how you make a sour goose egg:

1. Acquire a goose to lay a goose egg.
2. Take the goose egg and throw it in a mixture or sour spices and who knows what.
3. Once it is fully covered in mud seal it.
4. Let I t sit for 25 days.
5. Ta-da, you have a sour goose egg.
6. Eat that egg.

Step 2.

Magic assembly line.

Description of  a sour goose egg – Black with a slight tint of green, gelatin-looking albumen with a yellow yolk. Taste like a regular egg plus a pickle with mustard. Yum! 

Love Is In The Air & It Smells Like Fish.

What. A. Day.

Ever been to an Ocean Expo/Boat Exhibition (OEBE)? Yes, really? In a foreign country? No you haven’t! Well, I have and it was pleasant! There was Ocean and Boat and clown and food and the Love River!

What made this day awesome was:

1. The Return of jumping photos:

Jimmy is working on his jumping photo pose! Good thing his big bro is an expert.

2. Touring a Taiwan Coast Guard Boat:

 3. Eating seaside on the harbor while listening to Taylor Swift:

 4. A clown that wasn’t scary and funny eventhough I couldn’t understand him:

I see more than one thing wrong with this.

The OEBE was the first to happen in Kaohsiung and it was actually pretty interesting. We say some GIANT boats, ate some wonderful food, walked around to some booth, watched some clown do magic and ended the night with a wonderful stroll and dinner at the harbor. Andy, Olivia, Hank and Mommy (another wonderful Taiwanese family) joined us for dinner and we got two FREE Juice pitchers! Apparently it was to honor the foreign guest and cause we ordered heaps of food! It was great to watch the sun set behind the mountains while a board a Taiwanese Coast Guard boat. 

Kaohsiung love!

Say Hello To Your Sister!

Well y'all, I'm all packed and ready to go. In celebration of my departure we had a cookies and milk party.

I shared photos of my host family and I am super excited because they are awesome. Although, I really don't know much about them except that they want me to do magic tricks - what's not to like! Just look at how happy they look and they aren't even smiling!

And in celebration of my younger brother (pictured above) we took a group picture at the party! Look at how Asian we look! Amazing.

Tulsa, I will miss you for two weeks, but excited to meet your sister KAOHSIUNG!

Say what? SayTAIWAN!

Did you miss me?

Well, the adventures of Carlos in China continues... Although this time there is democracy involved! I have been selected to participate in the program called SayTAIWAN, which is a celebration of the 100 years of Taiwan. Check-out the link to the program here! SayTAIWAN. (My name is there! I'm like famous or something!)

Finally have my plane ticket, host family, and city location figured out. All I have to do is prepare for the HOT & HUMID weather of August in Taiwan. I will be hosted for two weeks in Kaohsiung (Actually pronounced Gao1 Xiong2 高雄), Taiwan. Kaohsiung happens to be Tulsa's sister city - that's right, Tulsa has sister cities! This will be my second Asian sister city to visit and I am so excited. Today, I met with Sharon Hwang from the Tulsa Global Alliance and she told me all about Taiwan and gave me lots of travel information and tips - THANKS Sharon. I'm getting more and more excited as I type, I MIGHT EVEN HAVE TO START USING ALL CAPS TO DEMONSTRATE MY EXCITEMENT!!!

After talking to Sharon I realized I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT TAIWAN! Here is a list of the things I knew about Taiwan:
1. It is an island.
2. Capitol in Taipei
3. Tulsa has a sister city there. That's all.

I am kind of freaking out though because Taiwan is awesome, but they use traditional characters! WHY? WHY! For those of you who don't study Mandarin Chinese, it's kind of like have learned the alphabet (You know, ABC's and such) and then all of the sudden going to a country that only uses hieroglyphics! HIEROGLYPHICS! Can you image that!

Anyway, I am really excited about this opportunity and can't wait to share all my experiences via this wonderful blog. I hope you will read and ride along with me on this roller coaster of excitement, food, people and TAIWAN!

Things I am most excited about:
1. THE FOOD - I hear their fruit is as fresh as it comes! The have awesome sea food (it's an island for goodness shake!)! And the Taiwanese food, oh the food!
2. I might meet the president! Yes, the president of Taiwan!
3. Lucy and Carlos reunion. My friend Lucy from the Gansu Fellowship Program will also be in Taiwan when I am there! Wow!