Pig's Blood, On the rocks please.

You know how every year you look forward to the state fair because even though it is super crowded and smelly you love the fried food and excitement?

You are in luck because in Kaohsiung you can have the experience every night! Today I visited the Ruyifeng Night Market where there are snacks galore and shopping that would tire Tyra Banks herself. Edric, Lucy (Kiwi friend from the Gansu Fellowship program) and I hoped in a taxi and off to the night market we went. My host mother Tina met us there to share her knowledge about local snacks (I thought she wanted for me to eat “snakes” – not happening!). 

Getting some noodles and local snacks because heading to the night market.

Let me just say that everything that was available to eat usually isn’t a part of the animal I would ever consider eating. I started that night off really risky and pushing it to the limit with this seasoned pig’s blood! PIGBLOOD! They mold into what looks like a fudge bar to fool you – Edric said he prefers it natural or ‘on the rocks,’ as Lucy and I put it. It was the taste of thick pasta jello with slight taste flour. Not a fan, but hey, I ate pig’s blood – soon I’ll be biting bat’s heads off too! Just remember the name and remember it well – Zhu Xue Gao, which kind of rhymes of ‘bu hao.’

We look happy because at this point we still don't know what we are about to eat.

The rest of snacks were delicious. We had shrimp filled flat cakes (Don’t’ remember the Chinese), some gluttonous flavored balls, tomatoes filled with dates, quail eggs and a salty sprite made drink. All wonderful, and the night ended with a wonderful ride through the city on the back of my host mother’s motorbike. Awesome.    

Quail eggs.

Flavored balls.

Magical - No Really, they know magic!

Turns our my host brothers are extremely talented! Jimmy (age 8) and Alex (age 12) greeting me at the train station with a beautiful sign that read "Welcome Carlos" - beautiful rainbow bird included!

Immediately my horrible Chinese listening and comprehension is evident as Tina, my host mom, starts shooting me with Chinese sentences to which I nod and pretend to understand. As the day goes, by I start to train her that she should talk to me like I am a five-year old - speak slower I tell her, cause I have no idea what you are saying. By the end of the day though we are managing to have actual conversations where I am still nodding, but this time I actually know what she is saying.

Magic! Remember when they asked me if I knew magic? Who cares - they do! Yes, both of my host brothers appear to have a 'magic teacher!' Yesterday evening before our BBQ they got they magic box out and showed me there magic! Amazing! I hope to learn some of these tricks, but it looks like you need more than just a set of cards to do some of the tricks.

Attended a BBQ last night where I met some of the other participants! Had lots of meat! All there was to eat was meat and it was wonderful. Duck meat, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, clams (meat?), meat, meat, meat! Overall the first day was wonderful and I actually slept through the night!

Happy Birthday Gangsta Man.

Waiting at the airport can be a wonderful place to people watch. I present the Birthday Gansta:

White male, about 27, shaved head, sporting some black denim shorts that could possible by considered capris and a white T. He is rather excited as he takes breaks to puff his electric cigarettes in between his obnoxious comments and chatty activities with the other hopeful passengers. "It's my birthday," he says to invoke a sense of sympathy from his counterparts in the cold, blue & brown stripe carpeted terminal. No one even raises a brown in an attempt to avoid conversation, but he continues to leave his bag unattended and walks around making remarks to appear interesting to the others. "I've had two beers..." crickets chirp because once again no one cares, but some how his faded black, full arm tattoo of a man with horns and what appear to be bad dreadlocks seems more threatening. He sits.

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!

Taiwanese Mind Readers!

Having contact with my host family has turned out to be quite entertaining! My little Taiwanese brother has been the family representative and has emailed me quite a few times. So far I know that my mom's name is Tina (English names that is), little brother named Johnny (Age 8), emailing master little brother Alex (Age 12) and my farther (intentionally - Yes, he called him my farther) who doesn't have an English name (I will be sure to give him one, I'm thinking Dumbledore).

Alex's English is rather impressive for a young kid of only 12 years, but sometimes weird things happen thanks to the wonderful process of translating. Prime example:

Alex is casually asking me about what I would like to do in Taiwan and where I would like to go, when all of the sudden I read the following sentence - "By the way, my mother wants me to ask you, are you good at performing arts and magic? (WHAT!) May we see your show when we're on the bus."

MAGIC? PERFORMING ARTS? This family must be a family of mind readers because I happen to be great at magic and performing arts. My juggling show will surely impress them, guess I should start practicing. If only I could get my wand to work!

Hey, wanna play?

Finally, my host family has contacted me! I got a wonderful email the other day that read as follows:

"we will go to play at 8/16 tuesday do you wan t to go with we"

That's all, no signature, no name, not a thing. I think I am going to like these people! AH! From this email I got two things.

1. They love to play! Playing - probably one of the top things on my favorites list.

2. There must be more than one family member for the word 'we' was used!

Can't wait!

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!