hello everyone! we are down to our last day here in Taiwan, I think we are all going to hate to leave. Sunday we went to a river that is a tourist spot with lots of shops and street vendors. We had promised Steph we would try the "stinky tofu." She has been telling us since she came to America that it tastes good. She said it smells really bad but tastes really good. Well she was right about the smeeling really bad part. It smells so bad it turns your stomach. Well anyway we tried it! If you've been to Taiwan and didn't try the stinky tofu, you didn't miss anything. Eric and I took a bite and it was sooooo bad we had to spit it out. It tasted just like it smells. It was the only thing here we were not able to swallow. Sorry Steph, it was really gross.
Sunday night we went to Stephs house one last time to have dinner and say good bye. It was very hard to say good bye to Stephs Mom. We were both crying very much and promised we would see each other again. I am tearing up now just thinking about it. I cannot say enough thanks to her parents for thier hospitality, it was more than i could have ever imagined. thier generosity was very humbling. We have made special friends for life and maybe we can repay them someday in America. Jesse is the same age as Stephs brother and the two of them got along very well. He speaks a little english, but they did fine with the language barrier. Stephs brother was visibly upset when we left and told his parents he wanted us to stay.
Steph and her sister will come with us to the airport to say goodbye. I would give anything right now to not experience the pain I am going to feel saying goodbye to Stephanie. I feel like I am saying goodbye to my child forever.
Monday we met with Vivians family. Vivian is the exchange student we are taking for this year. We were very lucky to get a chance to meet her before she comes to live with us. She was very shy and didn't say much, but seemed happy to come to America. Her mom and brother and her Moms best friend and her son came from 3 hours away to have lunch with us. Her friends son was an exchange student last year in Miami.
They also took us to a very very nice restaurant and brought us all very nice gifts which was very unexpected.I cannot get over the generosity of the Chinese people. Many of you know Miki that I work with at the hospital, She is here on Vacation right now as she is origionallyfrom Taipei and has family here. She also met us for lunch and was very helpful with translating. We went shopping with Miki and her daughter after dinner where Miki also showed her Generosity. Thank you Miki, it was wonderful to see you here and spend time together.
Today is our last day here and we plan on just going to some shops and packing up for our trip home.
See you soon!
Love all of us
4 comments:
I have to agree with you on both the stinky tofu and the generosity of the Chinese people.
How neat that you are hosting an exchange student again! I hope you have another great experience.
Have a safe trip back home.
Wow, it has been amazing following your trip this time hon. Not being with you has been a little hard, but I hope to be able to journal just as well as you when we go to get Jo. I am so glad you really got to do a lot and try lots of new things. Simply amazing country isn't it? I think it will always have a part of our heart. Anyways, Can't wait for you to be home and to maybe talk on the phone.
Oh, J, that made me cry too. You're right, it's going to be very hard to say goodbye. Maybe they can come to your house for a few days sometime. Or maybe her brother will go on the exchange program and you will be able to host him! Or one of your kids there! Wow, the possibilities!
It's been great following your trip to Taiwan. Can't wait to hear more as you re-orient back home. I'm also curious about the exchange student program that you're involved with - we'd love to host an exchange student some day. Can you tell me more?
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