small victories: Highway

Photo Credit*

 
Today I took the highway to school for the first time.

When we first moved in, B made sure I had a car and a GPS so I could make my way safely to school each day on my own. But the GPS never told me to go on the highway -- we figured since the on and off ramps to both places were not technically "on the way."

But taking the highway was SO much better.

I didn't have to deal with narrow streets, traffic lights every other 200 meters, bicyclists, mopeds, other cars parked by the road where there is no shoulder, roadwork detours, or giant 14-wheelers coming at me from the opposite direction and halfway in my lane. After driving on these kinds of roads for over a month, what really started to get to me were the amount of red lights. What could have taken me 12 minutes was taking me 30 minutes with constant stop and go while waiting for the lights to change. Plus I always felt super stressed that I was going to hit something (I did hit a parked car's rearview mirror but luckily our mirror folds in so it took the brunt of the impact) or something was going to hit me. I was about ready to pull my hair out!

So I took the highway today. And even though the distance may be longer, I have no qualms because it gets me there in the same amount of time, if not less. NO red lights, NO parked cars, NO dastardly scooters, and NO giant oncoming trucks. Plus it's better for our car and fuel mileage because I am not always alternating on the gas and brake pedals all the time.

Win!

Here We Are

When our alarms sound in the mornings, they are usually accompanied by the call of a rooster crowing somewhere nearby. (In fact, the rooster doesn't just crow in the mornings. He crows at any time of the day or night, whenever he feels the need to assert his dominance.) The water that runs through our tap is neither cold nor hot, but usually comes out lukewarm, and only the shower faucet is connected to the water heater. I usually make breakfast for B before he goes to school, and if I am at home, around 9 or 10 in the morning, the rooster is joined by sounds of a recorder or an ocarina piping melodies through our windows. We leave our windows open to let the breezes through and keep our place cooler since we only have one A/C unit in the bedroom. I imagine many of our neighbors do the same, for I often hear instrument practice during the course of the day. The first day we met Yang buo buo, he was carrying an er hu--and I still hear him practicing, in spite of his partial deafness due to old age. It cheers me to think of him spending his retired life happily playing music. If we go to throw out our trash in the evenings, I often hear the sounds of piano practice floating through other apartments, and it makes me nostalgic for all the hours I spent practicing similar pieces back at home on our little spinet when I was young.

Apparently today was a big day for bai bai, as we heard the pops of firecrackers in the morning and evening, and the smell of incense burning filled our stairwell when I went up to the roof to hang up our comforter to sun. There are always temples nearby, but because we live in a community, thankfully they aren't near enough for us to hear the echoing of ritual music reverberating in our ears.

Today in church I was reminded that we are here not just to do our work, get good grades, or have a good time. We are here because of the Gospel. Our life change should reflect the redemption of our Messiah, and bring people to Jesus.

I need life change.

Pray that our lives will be like strains of beautiful music that when people hear, they will be drawn to the greatest Musician.

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Pics of our apartment!

Living room. Our pillows don't match but they are functional (and they were gifts from people)!

Eating area plus pantry

My vintage kitchen. Including 80's style tiling. Pretty spacious for Taiwan!

B's study room

Our bedroom. The piano needs tuning.

We had some friends over this weekend for a potluck! It was yummy. Plus my pink Tatung pot can be seen at the right corner there :)

 Friends and family: Come visit! :D

weekend getaway

Last week was the 4-week mark of our marriage – it’s hard to believe that we’ve already been married a month! But on the other hand, since so much has happened in these 4+ weeks, it feels like we’ve been married for forever.

To celebrate our “luniversary” and the finish of B’s first month of med school summer classes, we took a weekend getaway to Kending. It was so fun to be able to hop in our car (which has been affectionately dubbed Lance) and drive the 2.5ish hours to the beachy southern coast (with a GPS of course—the roads are nearly impossible to navigate in Taiwan, to the foreigner).

I love the part on the drive down where one can suddenly see the ocean running parallel to the road. God blessed us with a lovely sunset scene where we stopped by the side of the road to take a picture!

Had to get a pic of our trusty Lance

We stayed at the Formost, one of the more “budget” hotels in Kending but passable in terms of cleanliness. To the Westerner, it might seem a bit grungy at first, with the musty smell and the old mosquito-net-like drapery over the bed, plus the small bathroom that also doubled as a shower. But B said it was a step up from our own home, since the A/C didn’t clunk and the bathroom tiling was updated and clean. I appreciated his positivity.

Our room for 2 nights

Excited to grub at the nightmarket, we searched for favorites among the stands, and found new ones too. I think my favorite find that night were the sweet potato fries.

The next morning we hit White Sands Beach, which was actually about a 15 minute drive from where we were staying. It is probably one of the nicest beaches at Kending, and people can even camp there! Their outdoor bathroom/shower facilities were new and clean, too. 

Picnic/food booth/bar/resting area

Hello, beach!

 After the beach we decided to explore a bit so we drove around to the East coast (it only took 20 minutes or so) to look for good hiking spots. Unfortunately typhoon Tembin hit the eastern shores pretty badly and we passed evidence of landslides and the beaches were full of debris. 

More adventurous people looking at the debris and the muddied waters

 But we were able to visit the southernmost tip of Taiwan, and see the lighthouse that guarded its shores. 

At the Southernmost tip!

Lighthouse at Erluanbi

Even though torn up by landslides, the panorama of the Eastern coast was beautiful

Right behind us is a huge cliff-like dropoff!

 The rest of our time there was basically a repetition of the same activities to varying degrees. It was such a fun, relaxing trip to get away from daily life and enjoy the beauties of God’s creation. Can’t wait to go back again!

This was SO GOOD. Ice cream inside two pancake-like cakes!

happily ever after begins now

Hello!

My unofficial two-month hiatus from this blog is easily explained by the whirlwind of activities involving having the wedding of my dreams and packing our lives away into four suitcases to be shipped off to our new home.

One of my favorite pictures from the wedding, snapped by my dear friend (the professional ones aren't finished yet):

<3s to U! While my sister, matron of honor, looks on

The wedding was beautiful; such a gorgeous outpouring of love and teamwork that made all we ever hoped and dreamed come true. The days of our long separation are past (about two-thirds of our relationship was spent in long-distance) -- God has been so good to us. Just as He has come through in every other aspect, He leaves no stone unturned to bless us and direct us in the path He's taking us on.

When I left Taiwan with my sister for the summer/wedding, we still didn't have a place to live when B and I would return, even though I made several trips to look at a few apartments for rent. But somehow, in spite of being out of the country, within a few weeks of being back in the States we had made a deposit and we were renting an apartment, with just the right specifications we needed. Rent was within our budget, the place within walking distance of the MRT, located in a safe neighborhood, and fully furnished, including a piano (! - definitely a bonus blessing for us!). I will admit that my first impression of the apartment wasn't that great when we first arrived together, but after a few fix-ups, clean-ups, and getting fully unpacked, it is finally beginning to feel like home for us. The place is far from perfect, but as a temporary living space in a neighborhood that's seen a generation grow old, seeing God's hand in putting us in this place, we are happy here.

I found myself praying a whole lot more as we embarked on our new journey -- the needs were many and the unfamiliarity could have been unsettling, but it was good in its new way. One of the biggest answers to prayer was a car. B could tell you a lot more about the details, the lengths gone in the car's inspection and test-drive, the condition it was in, even the bargaining of the price. It seemed too good to be true. But again, by God's providence and the help of the people He put in our lives, the too-good-to-be-true car was ours! Now I can drive in relative safety to work while B takes the MRT to school. We hope we can use this beautiful car to bless others as well!

We've been so blessed by the people God has placed in our lives here. In finding our apartment not quite live-in ready on arrival, we crashed at my friend's place for a week and a half. We are so grateful for their hospitality and generosity in our time of need. Even B's classmates have proven to be more than fair-weather friends--the culture of his class seems to be one like a family, where each man is not for himself but helps the other to pull through their challenges of med school together. It has been heartwarming to hear about and meet them. We are grateful to know that several of them are brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

People asked me if being married felt any different from before. I don't think so. Life goes on with its challenges, pleasures and perils, and we take each day with God by the hand and ample measures of His grace--only we are in it together now. We miss our friends and family back home dearly, but the adventures lie ahead, awaiting us to tell more of the wondrous things God has done.

Lessons from the beautiful island, pt. 3

Being in Taiwan this year has pushed me from growing in the greenhouse to being transplanted out in the open, leaving me to learn how to grow on my own and face the elements without them being climate-controlled. There was a lot to learn and the place God planted me was a perfect place to learn them. Essentially a part of growing up is discovering who you are as an individual; for me much of it had to do with discovering I could make decisions for myself (I am a chronically indecisive) and realizing the issues that I am passionate about.

But these last two weeks have illustrated to me more than anything else the progress I've made. My sister came to visit me and help me pack up/organize my stuff before leaving. Originally it was to help me move back to the States, but since I am coming back, there thankfully isn't as much I need to bring. In spite of the heavy rains and typhoons, I was still able to take her on a few adventures. I bought train tickets, booked hotels, and did other things that I otherwise would not have done alone, which proved to me that I could do it. And after all this time, I took one step forward towards becoming more like a native:

Bargaining.

I never bargained before. Never could. I was always too shy or scared and let others do the talking. But this time, I was that "other" for my sister! And knowing all the shopping we'd be doing, I had to ask for lower prices. This was a big step for me. But I took it. And found it's not so bad after all. :D

The bargains I drive are still quite soft, but hey, one step at a time. The next goal is to learn how to do it in Taiwanese. :)

storyland

Cicadas drone the morning in
Little brook gurgling
In swell with happy tidings
Along with birds
"The rain is gone!" and sun
Heralds open possibilities


Take off to the open paths
The only limit is ourselves
Around we'll go and in turn
Awaken dormant daydreams
Of long-lost friends
Will we find him today?


With wide grins
And panting steps
Take on uncounted adventures
Up a flight of mossy steps
To where those spirited away may fly
Half expecting to see a pair of white ears
Or one long snout.


Instead our wheels turn for us
An active imagination,
Appreciation for the setting
Of stories untold
And we return sun-kissed
Breathless, and happy.

My sister is visiting these next two weeks before I head back to the States. This post is about an adventure we took this morning in Hualien, a beautiful area on the East Coast.

a letter

Dear Ge,

Today, at 10:00 was your funeral.

We came into the sanctuary as the congregation finished the final strains of "Amazing Grace." Though I knew many of the words, I did not join in for the emotion welling in my throat. I've always thought of death of a loved one to be something like the amputation of a limb--your brain still thinks it's there, when in reality there is nothing. Sometimes I think I can still hop over to Ximen and visit you and your family whenever. Maybe have dinner over that low table with hotpot again. But then I remember. You're not there anymore. And there is a huge void, in all of our hearts. Look at all those people who loved you. The space you used to fill is sorely, sorely empty now.

In my short lifetime, I have buried three family members here in Taiwan. This one seems so wrong. It is too soon. My grandfathers' lives were long, full, and ripe--you were only just beginning to come in to the full blooming of your time. Your handsome face smiles at us from the picture under the cross. And how can I keep the tears from falling.

But there is not entirely nothing left. I have many memories of you. They flash in mind's eye as the music plays and the choir sings. Your little white pet bird. I have forgetten his name. You took it out of his cage and let me hold him. And like you, he was sweet. Gentle. Friendly. Little did I know that you both would also share in untimely deaths.

Hangouts with the cousins. A board game I didn't quite understand. Rides on the MRT. A joke about lip gloss. Waiting long at CKS Memorial station for the rare train home--being so tired I used you to prop myself up. You were ever accommodating.

The older you got, the busier you became. Remember that time we were supposed to meet for dinner but you were half an hour late? I have always hated waiting, but instead I chose to laugh it off. It was just amazing to me that you had two cell phones and both of them were ringing. And you never understood why I laughed so much, but you took it in stride and accepted it as part of who I was. And honestly, I laughed because you were so loveable, even though you were so busily preoccupied.
I remember taking your arm that night when we walked back to the car. You stiffened a little, unfamiliar to American ways. But I was happy because I had the chance to see you again before I left for the States.

Often you would ask me about phrases in English, or try using a few with me. I was always shy to use my Chinese but we laughed histerically when I got "Music Ed" mixed up with "musical anxiety" in explaining my major. More than once I have wished that we spoke the same language. I wanted to tell you about my boy problems back home. You knew I was having trouble and gave me your email address, saying I could write to you. I always meant to do it, but I never did. I was afraid of the communication barrier. Now I wish I hadn't been.

The last time I saw you was over CNY. I went over to your place for dinner and you were concerned that my feet were cold. Yes, ever protective and nurturing. SaoSao gave me tights to wear because of it, and they kept me warm all the way home.

Ge, I never knew you too well, but I always loved you. I know one day we'll make up for it and speak the same language.

We all love you and miss you so much.

See you soon, in Heaven.

Love,
mei mei

P.S: If you can, please help the rest of our family come to know Jesus. It is so hard.