My Asian Adventure

This has been the most life-changing experience that I've ever undertaken. By coming to Taiwan, I got the chance to visit Hong Kong, live on my own, and develop relationships that will last a life time. I'll never forget all the people that I've had the opportunity and pleasure to meet. This trip started with a lot of doubts. I thought, with my health, it would be difficult and that I had made a bad decision. I quickly realized how fortunate I am, and began to see this as an opportunity to better myself and get stronger. Throughout my journey, I've had help from countless individuals, and even found it in myself to continue, persevere, and flourish. I'd like to thank everyone for making this journey what it was - a remarkable experience.

I've had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong, and spend a week there to explore the city. I got to try a lot of different things that I've long dreamed to do; living the Hong Kong drama life. Also, I got the chance to meet more of Judy's family: James, Janet, (Phil, I met in Wpg), and Leila, and they're all great people, they made my time in Hong Kong even more remarkable. James made this trip unforgettable, and I'm glad we met. I'll never forget speaking Cantonese, and hearing his reactions. Hong Kong is such a beautiful place, and I got to experience in first hand. I can't wait until the next time I return.

Next I had the fortune of travelling to Taiwan. I'll admit, at first I hated it, and wanted to return to Canada. I saw a lot of cockroaches and creepy-crawlies, and in general disliked it; culture shock at it's finest. I quickly overcame all of my reservations from the first day, and began to appreciate Taiwan for what it is, a beautiful country. We got to see so much in the first week, and have Astrid to thank. She made me quickly change my mind about Taiwan.

After another week, I left for Zhanghe, but wouldn't start for a couple of weeks. During this time I got to take part in a summer camp with other AIESEC-ers and university students. During the three day camp, I was responsible for teaching the children about the Ocean and South America, through Finding Nemo and Up, respectively. I learned z lot from the research that I did, and a lot from my peers. It was such a great time, and I'll keep all of the little cards that they wrote for me forever. It was awesome, bringing in a little Disney to Taoyuan.

Returning to Zhanghe, I had the opportunity to teach incoming grade seven and eight students, as well as the school's Handball and Basketball team and a Kindergarten class. At first, I thought I was teaching eight classes per day, but found out that I would be teaching eight per week, a week before classes began. As you can imagine, it was a frenzy to condense so much in half, but I did it! The first class was a little bit awkward, and the projector and space didn't align with my vision. I edited my lessons a bit based on the first day and the teacher's recommendations, and the rest is history. I got to sing and dance with my students, share Canadian culture and items that are important to me, and most importantly inspire and be inspired.

I'll never forget this journey, and thank my mother, Judy Chan, Lucy Tseng, James Ho, Astrid and Lavie Hsu, and everyone who I got to meet; everyone had a part in making this trip possible and absolutely fantastic. My mother for letting me come all the way across the world, and showing me unconditional support throughout my journey; Judy Chan for being the best partner, and travelling partner, and going through with this journey; Lucy Tseng for interviewing me choosing me as the right candidate; James for everything he did for Judy and I in Hong Kong (not just for getting us milk tea); Astrid and Lavie for housing me TWICE and showing me the little places that we went to.

I can't believe I got to spend two and a half months in Asia. If you told me this when I started my undergrad and my AIESEC journey, I would have laughed at you. I would never have thought that I'd take such a leap like this. I'm glad I did. I've learned so much about my self, and have learned to be much more independent than ever before. Yes, there were low points too, but they've all made me stronger and a better person. I've met so many great people, and am glad to call each one my friend. I'll always remember my first Asia experience, and it'll be something that I reflect upon throughout all of my life's adventures. I can't begin to describe what a phenomenal trip it has been. I am both sad and happy to be returning home. Sad for obvious reasons, and happy to put all that I've learned here into my life back home, and share my stories with everyone who wants to listen.

Sincerely, with the utmost gratitude,
Jeff Chu (3.14)

P.S. I will be back.

Timeline:
Hong Kong: June 15-20
Taipei (Astrid and Lavie's): June 20-29
Taoyuan (Summer Camp): July 1-3
Taipei (Teaching at Zhanghe): July 20-Aug 14
Taipei (Astrid and Lavie's): Aug 22-28
Return to Canada: Aug 28

JUSTIN BIEBER - TW Adventures 3

Haha, some of you may be wondering why this post is titled "Justin Bieber". Astrid and I, and now Lavie too, have this running gag - when someone's acting remotely childish, we call them Justin Bieber, bwhahaha. We just got back from picking up Lavie from 台北火車站 (Taipei Main Station). 今天她日本从返回 (She got back from Japan today), Aug 25, and told us about her stories of exploration and anime (Otaku!!!).

Before Astrid and I got to 台北火車站, we stopped to grab a quick dinner. She took me to a little restaurant that had two dishes. 1. Pig Intestine and Noodles, and 2. 臭豆腐 (Stinky Tofu). The pig intestine noodle soup was pretty good! The broth it was in was something new to me, and I'm glad I got to try it. The Stinky Tofu was good as well (and didn't stink - yay!); it had sharper flavours than the one at Shilin Night Market. We left, and; surprise, surprise; we got a tea. But today, we got a lemon tea! It was a nice contrast to the milk-based beverages I've been having lately. We both ordered a (I forgot the first two character) 柠檬茶, 冰少和半糖 (lemon tea, with a little ice, and half sugar). The little shops around Taipei have so much to offer; I love it. In fact I was telling Astrid how I'm going to miss walking down a street and ordering from a street-side vendor.

After hanging around, we found Lavie, and welcomed her back home. She told us of the many anime stores and temples that she got a chance to roam around in. We talked about how big the anime stores are in Japan in comparison to Taiwan, and Winnipeg (I had to tell them how sad it is back home). While sitting on the bus to get home I coaxed them both to go to McDonald's for ice cream, bwhahaha. Between the three of us, we got 兩個冰炫風(Oreo)和兩個薯条(中包) (two Oreo McFlurries and two medium fries). Bragging moment: telling them that 冰炫風 is a Canadian invention.

A funny side story: while the three of us were at McDonald's, a little boy came in with his family, running around and screaming, to which Lavie whispered, "Justin Bieber". I looked at Astrid and laughed; she always mentions how she hates kids. After a while he ran up to me and I instinctively said hello and smiled. He said hello back, and ran off. When he had to leave, he peeped at us from behind a table (that's how short he was, we could only see his eyes and the top of his head), said he had to go, and said byebye. I said byebye, and he ran off with his family. After our interaction with the child Astrid whispered, "cute Justin Bieber". Haha! It was such a cute moment; I love children.

Walking up the stairs with Lavie's luggage was quite a mission, but I got our squad to repeat after me, "I am big and strong." I'd like to thank them for humoring me. That really makes the difference! Or at least provides a comedic effect to lugging luggage up 4 flights of stairs.

I am big and strong,
JC(3.14)

Fashion Monster - TW Adventures 2

Yesterday, Aug 25, I went to two of my favourite malls in Taipei. The first being 台北地下街 (Taipei City Mall), and the second, the mall connected to 台北一O一 (Taipei 101). I don't really do too much shopping at either locations (I usually just get food, as you'll see below); I just like being in both environments for different reasons. The first location because it speaks to my inner Otaku, or nerd. The second because it speaks to my aspirations; success and prestige. I love both places equally, as they compose to large portions of my personality (the first being what I want my house to look like, and the second what I want my closet to look like).

The day started with me and Astrid heading to 台北火車站 (Taipei Main Station), as she needed to prep for an upcoming convention. Along the way, she took me to get a Taiwan 甜甜圈 (doughnut). Being the sugar-fanatic that I am, I really enjoyed it. The picture below does not do the 甜甜圈 any justice! It's really similar to the Sugar Loop from Tim Hortons. It's a bit more crispier, though. I had a Homer Simpson moment, just staring at it. Mmm, 甜甜圈. Astrid said I should limit myself to one a day, which was unexpected (we had a talk about being more healthy the day before, haha!).

After I devoured that sugary goodness, we sat around and waited for the mall to open. I initially was planning to buy a Shenron, the dragon from Dragon Ball Z, statue. But the statue had a little sticky that read "no box". As you can see through the link, there are A LOT of breakable parts. How they could commit such an atrocity, I do not know. Anyway, we left the store, and I kept turning to the store, yelling how much I needed it (I don't). On the plus side, there were cardboard cut-outs of two anime characters from one of my favourite animes, Sword Art Online.

Sugoi kawaii desu!!! (I'm sorry...)

We then went through the station, and found a giant room, filled with people sitting on the floor. We joked about how crazy it was. It looked like a giant chess board, with multiple pieces scattered across the board. We both have different theories, mine being that "Chinese" people don't like the colour white as it's associated with death, And Astrid's that white shows more dirt, so people opt for black, even though it's just as dirty.

We left the mall, and I left Shenron behind. Astrid then led me to get a beverage, and then to get 日本菜 (Japanese food). Initially, I wanted to get a drink with chrysanthemum in it, to try and be a bit more healthy and switch it up. They were out, and in a moment of panic I got a 珍珠奶茶 (pearl milk tea) with no sugar or ice. Here's a tip, always get a little bit of sugar in your bubble tea. Trust me. I thought I was being a bit more healthy, but it wasn't worth it, haha. Anyway, back to the important stuff, the really good Japanese food (yay). It was a nice and cozy restaurant, and the whole menu looked amazing. Astrid and I got the same dish , as per her recommendation, and I must say, it did not disappoint. What was cool about this dish, is that it came with an cooked egg to add to your dish. It was a fun experience, I've never cracked an egg while eating at a restaurant before. It was really good, and judging by the pictures, came with the most greens (yay health)!

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Astrid had to go since she received a parcel. I didn't want to prolong her return home, so we decided to go our separate ways. I went to 台北地下街 (Taipei 101) to get my coworkers some 礼物 (gifts). After my purchase, I roamed around the mall. It's funny because I don't enter the high-end boutiques that populate the mall; they're too intimidating.

Gucci, Gucci,

Louis, Louis,

Fendi, Fendi,

Prada

Basic b****** wear that s***, so I don't even bother!
(A Kreyshawn song that pops into my head whenever I browse this particular mall)

I didn't buy anything from this mall, for good reasons. 1. I cannot afford such an expense, 2. I do not carry enough cash, 3. I don't really like high-end boutiques. They're more of a fun-dream I have. I mean, it would be cool to be able to afford something here (and when I say afford, I mean having enough disposable income). It's funny because they also have a Roots (which is still out of my budget). I remember the first time I saw it; talk about unexpected!

Instead of overspending on fabric, I opted to buy overpriced food (yay!). I got a 抹茶紅豆牛奶冰 (red bean, matcha milk tea, slush).

It tasted pretty good. The red beans provided a nice change to the bubble tea pearls that I've become accustomed to in my drink (bubble tea). It was also a good mix, red bean, matchs, and milk. The picture looked good, I recently learned how to say 紅豆 (red bean) and 抹茶 (matcha), so I thought, why not? When in Taiwan, do as the Taiwanese do! The only problem with the drink was that it was too good, I drank it too fast, and the my drink became a mix of ice and red bean.

Before I left for home, I took a pic of 鼎泰豐 (Din Tai Fung).

(I will be back)

Later days, Taipei 101,
JC(3.14)

On a Brighter Note - Zhanghe 14.5

On the morning of Aug 22, I went to La Morning, my breakfast spot. Usually I try something new or get a slice of thick-bread and peanut butter (which is quite filling on its own if you're not too-too hungry. Since I figured that it was my last day at Zhanghe, I thought I'd change the game. This is what I ordered:

On top we have, 花生 (peanut), underneath 巧克力 (chocolate), and to drink 鮮奶茶 (condensed or evaporated milk tea).

When I first learned what they were, I knew I had to try what I did. So, on the final day, I put the two together. She asked puzzled "你要兩個嗎?" (you want two?). "對" (correct) I replied. Mind you, this was the same person that i had to admit I spoke English to a few days earlier. Anyway, this was the outcome, a Reese Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sandwich:

It tasted good, not as good as I had thought when the idea first came to me though. Both the peanut butter and chocolate spreads that they use are really rich, and didn't mesh too well. But, it was fun to do, hehe.

I walked out after finishing, and received a nod of approval from the woman, a 謝謝 (thank you), and a byebye. #AchievementUnlocked, she figured out what this crazy Canuck was up to. I suppose - not all decisions we make are boneheaded, haha.

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Later in the day, after that fiasco in Zhanghe 14, I connected with Astrid. Together we sat at Ok Mart for about an hour, and chatted about music. Last night she went to see Imagine Dragons. Because "Radioactive" is so popular in Taiwan (you hear it everywhere), it was stuck in my head all day. We'd be talking and I'd slip "Radioactive" lyrics into the conversation, haha. I also found that she loves lyricism, one of her favourite lyric being "I'm sorry, mother... I'm sorry I let you down", from their song "Amsterdam". And it really resonated with me too, but for different reasons. It was nice to talk to someone so passionate about song meanings and lyricism.

After our chit-chat, and other tasks, we went grocery shopping. And after that, I treated Astrid to some cheesecake. Here's some pictures of what we got:

Am I still hungry?
JC(3.14)

Lesson Three: Thank You - Zhanghe 14

Apparently, today, August 22, is the date that was given to my director at Zhanghe, of when I would be leaving. So, without any pick up or assistance, I made my way to Astrid’s, where I would be staying for the duration of my stay in Taiwan (until the 28th). I packed, and repacked, and repacked again in a frenzy; my luggage and bag seemed to weigh too heavy. Lugging it across the school yard was hard enough, and I had the genius idea to walk to the 捷運站 (MRT station).

Big mistake. This normally wouldn’t have been a problem, but I had about 20lbs on my back, and another 50lbs in my luggage - even after I cut ties with a lot of my meager possessions. To make matters worse, the sun beat down on me, and I did not have a water bottle; I wanted to be as light as possible. 大, 大, 大 (big, big, big) mistake.

Feeling dehydrated, tired, scared, and defeated, I struggled along. I made it about half way, taking little breaks along the way. I felt the same way I did when I wrote my post in 香港 (Hong Kong) about dehydration and being prepared. I tried to turn on my phone’s data, nothing. I didn’t have anyone’s numbers since my phone broke, and, for the first time in a long time, I felt alone.

I felt like giving up, passing out, and letting someone else figure out what to do. I was in a back alley, and even if I was able to contact someone, how would they be able to find me? Leaning against a wall, I stood there, motionless, and left a little puddle. An elderly woman walking by, noticed the defeated boy, and came up to ask me if I’m okay.

The language barrier was a persistent communication problem, but I was able to spit out that I’m headed to 永安捷運佔 (Yongan MRT station), when questioned. She actually helped me lug my luggage, and I noticed that she had a bandaged on the hand she was using. I felt terrible, and tears filled my eyes. Seconds earlier, I was thinking about all the stories you hear about locals helping someone who is distressed, I never thought I'd be telling one of those stories.

We made it to the station and she spoke to a taxi driver and caused a commotion on my behalf. Ultimately giving up on the taxis, I turned to the station, I then said I wanted to get water at the nearby 7-11. She quickly ran off and bought me a water bottle. I tried to over pay her back for all her help, but she refused. She then helped me into the elevator, but stayed outside, I reached out, and she did the same, I cried and said thank you - she inspired me to push on, and forget my worries. The doors closed, and I wept in the elevator; I’d never see her again, and she saved me.

I love you, wherever you are, I owe you more than I could ever repay.

Love,
JC(3.14)

Roaming Around - Zhanghe 13

Today, August 21, will be my last day at Zhanghe Junior High School, weather permitting. I woke up, and went to La Morning, like any other lazy day.

I came back and did some laundry, while getting things ready for when I leave. Later in the afternoon, I went to the office to clean my desk. Thank God someone threw out the banana that I forgot about. There were about six syrup maple leafs (I dubbed them Golden Maple Leaves), and I left them to whoever wanted one, with a sticky that read 加拿大唐 - Jeff(朱永強) (Canadian Candy - Jeff (my Chinese name)). When I sat back down, the person next to me handed me something, and I'm not quite sure what it is - haha, our relationship. Regardless, I said 卸卸你 (thank you), and she she said 不客氣 (you're welcome), but sounded a bit sad. Maybe she knew I was leaving. I stayed until the last person, getting to say goodbye to everyone that was there. I still don't really know what their names are, but I'll miss them. They too, became 我的家 (my family), and I'll miss their antics, saying good morning, and byebye at the end of the day.

I had planned to go on another foodventure (this post isn't about a foodventure, so it doesn't need to be capitalized), but opted to stay around Zhanghe, since I don't know when I'd be back. I went to get dinner, and took pictures of all the usual places that I went to. I didn't try as many as I thought I would have.
1. Meet Tea

2. Chicken Tea

3. The 便當 (bento box) place

(I kept forgetting to take a picture of it, but it's at the end of this street, in the middle of this photo)
I went to the bento box place first, and tried different side dishes, with 甜酸肉 (sweet and sour pork). Instead of retreating to my room like I usually do, I decided to have dinner outside, in the Zhanghe courtyard. It was relaxing, and something I wish I had done more often. It was a nice way to enjoy my meal. I even got a green elastic instead of the usual brown/red one. #Symbolism

After my relaxing dinner, I went to Meet Tea. I wanted to try something new, and read over the menu. The boss, Rick, whom I talked to before in English, noticed and read my mind. I asked him what he recommended, and we agreed on something with 鮮果 (fresh fruit). I also got some 糖糖圓 (mochi balls). I was told that I would have to wait 5minutes for my tea because they had to make fresh tea. If I had known, I wouldn't have made them go through the troubles! But they're very kind. While, I was waiting, I struck up a conversation with Rick and learned a lot about him. He actually owns Meet Tea, and a clothing store in Taipei. I thought that was really impressive. We talked a bit longer, and I wanted to get a photo with him, but he had to talk to someone about the business - that's the life of an entrepreneur I suppose. It was nice a nice chat though!

It was getting late (20:30), but I didn't want to go home yet. I, instead, decided to walk around the street, taking in as much as I could. It was nice to see it at night, just as it is to see it during the day. But, here, day and night are two different things. Different restaurants flip, from 早餐/早餐 (breakfast/lunch) to 早餐/晚餐 (lunch/dinner) - it's nice to experience both. I waked to 中和廟 (Zhonghe temple), and peeked in to see what it looked like. It was beautiful, and gold shimmered from wall-to-wall. It also had a strong incense smell, I liked it.

I didn't want to overstay my welcome in the temple, and didn't really know what to do, so I left. Outside I noticed a group of seniors practicing martial arts. It was sort of like taichi mixed with swords. It looked relaxing and very fluid. I awkwardly stood aside and tried to follow some of the movements that they were doing. Their movements were very fluid and precise. It did feel really relaxing, and it is something that i want to practice when I return to Winnipeg.

It was a perfect night; the moon was out, it wasn't too hot, and there was a nice breeze.

I'll miss you Zhanghe,
JC(3.14)

I went to Japan! - FOODVENTURES 3

Okay, I didn't go to Japan, but on the 19th and 20th of Aug, I went to 台北地下街 (Taipei City Mall), yes... twice in two days. I have a problem. Anyway, the mall is filled with amazing anime/hobby stores and has a great selection of Japanese and Indonesian restaurants.

It all started one afternoon, when I was lounging around my room. I woke up pretty late, and I was sure my 早餐 (breakfast) spot, La Morning, was closed. So I was pretty bummed out, I felt like I wasted a large portion of my day, in 台灣 (Taiwan), how could I?

I decided to go to the mall, and check out some anime-stores. As you may know, I am a HUGE Otaku (anime-lover)! So I travelled to the mall, it's one of my favourite places, and it's good exercise (it's a pretty long mall, at least the longest one I've been too). It's a lot of fun to go into each store, and peek at all the goodies that they have. Everytime I go, I must remind myself not to spend. Each time I find something I hadn't noticed before, it's amazing, and I love all the Otaku stuff. So of course, going there was the only logical thing to do.

On both days, before taking the MRT, I popped into the bakery across from the bus stop, since the buns would be fresh. On the first day, I got a Danish 紅豆 (Red Bean) bun and a Longan bun.

The Danish 紅豆 (Red Bean) bun is, from all the buns I've tried, my favourite. I bought the Longan bun because they're my favourite fruit. This bun had nuts in it, and it was okay, but I wouldn't get it again. On the second day, I only got one bun, because on the first day, I ate too much, and was full after dinner. So, again, I wanted to get a quick bun, and try something new. I got a Rum, raisin, and walnut bun.

This bun was pretty good, and I felt like an adult getting something with rum in its title. It was kind of dry though, but it's good to try new things, and maybe I'll get something soon! Here's a picture of the bakery,

(right when I pulled my phone out for a shot, she walked over)

Now, on to the good stuff, my imagined trip to 日本 (Japan). After walking around the mall for a bit, I got hungry and was really craving 拉麵 (Ramen), a Japanese noodle-soup dish. So, after peeking at various restaurant menus, a girl noticed me looking, and gave me a menu and an order-ticket (where you mark what you want). The menu had pictures, and I prefer restaurants that have the little order-ticket, as someone that doesn't really speak 普通話 (Mandarin). On the first day, I ordered a 拉麵 (Ramen), with 雞 (chicken).

Holy mother of... It was huge, and delicious. They also gave out free tea and soup.. paradise. . If I didn't have a strict rule of not getting things twice, I'd order it again, and again, and again. After I finished, I was completely satisfied. Although this meant I wouldn't be able to try other Japanese food, I was happy and full. On the second day, I returned, but with a different approach. 1. get a smaller dish, 2. try new things. So, on the second day, I got a rice and chicken plate that was on their "snack" section. I don't think they know what snack means.

This too, was delicious. Again, I'd like to thank their picture filled menu. Again, I got 雞 (chicken), but cooked in a different way, and it was goooood. The dish also came with a wide assortment of side dishes; veggies, tofu, and more veggies. It pretty much filled me up, but I still had room for a teenie-weenie bit.

After dinner, and a little bit more window shopping (why must everything be so expensive and amazing? - I want my future house to look like some of the stores; their displays are amazingly cool) I decided to get dessert. There was a little shop that sold Japanese-inspired pastries. I decided to get something, new, I had tried the fish-shaped pastry before. I got a stick of sweet, warm, goodness.

It was sort of like a Japanese-churro, but with less sugar, so I didn't feel too bad/unhealthy eating it. It's definitely on my recommended list, a long with pretty much everything else at the mall, haha.

As you can see, a lot of the decor at the mall is inspired by 日本 Japan. It's cool hanging out at the mall, it's almost like going to Japan (or so I imagine), while in Taiwan!

Here's one of the first pictures I have of the mall, before I started teaching.

That's a picture of me standing next to Mayuri Shiina, Rintarou Okabe, and Makise Kurisu from Steins;Gate, my favourite anime, haha.

Now, I know Japan has more to it than it's anime and food, but those two components are really emphasized at the mall.

Window shopping at its best,
JC(3.14)

Farewell Dinner - Zhanghe 12

On the 16th, as I was walking across the court yard to the gym, 我的家 (my home), the principle came up to me and asked if I could go to dinner on the 17th. Without a second's passing, I excitedly agreed. I didn't care where we'd be going, I was just happy to be included. I didn't know where we were going until we got there. We ended up going to... *drum roll please* DIN TAI FUNG 鼎泰豐. I've been there once before with Judy, and didn't think I'd get the chance to go back. I'm glad I did. And, I'm glad that I got to go with whom I did.

Lynn and I.

Justin, the Director of my group, and I.

Rebecca, the Principle, and I.

Kevin, Rebecca's son, and I. (I didn't get the chance to take a pic with Kiki, her daughter :().

FOOD!!!

This doesn't even begin to cover all the food that we had. There were 雞肉小籠包, 猪肉小籠包, 蝦肉小籠包, 和菜肉小籠包 (chicken soup dumplings, pork soup dumplings, shrimp soup dumplings, and veggie soup dumplings), 燒賣 (Siumai), 餃子 (dumplings), 雞肉炒飯和蝦肉炒飯 (pork fried rice and shrimp fried rice), 牛肉麵 (beef noodle soup), as well as an assortment of 菜 (veggies). It didn't stop there, we also had dessert. As you can see there was a lot of 紅豆 (red bean) items, and other pastries. Not only was there a lot of food, but it seemed to keep coming, haha. I did my share, and am proud to say, we finished everything. Satisfying would be an understatement. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by these people, and a couple more I didn't get the chance to get a pic with.

I'm going to miss all of you,
JC(3.14)