I am now in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan and have been here for almost a week. Jet lag is gone and I'm settling in nicely! The other 11 Fulbrights in my city are fantastic and we all get along as if we've been friends for years. I share an apartment with 3 of them (Rebekah, Carol and Kevin). We drew numbers to determine which apartment and which room we would have for the year. I ended up with the biggest room; it is quite beautiful with a balcony and furnishings...the only problem is: large roaches. Everyday I've found a couple in my bathroom. But I'm almost used to it and still hope that I can get an exterminator.
We have been busy every day since our arrival, visiting elementary schools (where we've been welcomed as celebrities!) and getting to know the city. Our apartment complex is across the street from the Cultural Center and is surrounded by delicious street vendors, supermarkets and restaurants. The Taiwanese people are unbelievably friendly. And the weather is unbelievably hot and humid. We sweat buckets and then wait days for our laundry to dry in the wet air.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will meet local teachers and visit our potential schools. The last day of the month will be our first day of teaching. Many of us are also looking into Chinese language courses and martial arts classes. I think the year is going to fly by. It is already my 22nd birthday (tomorrow) and we are celebrating tonight with dumplings, crepes and hopefully KTV (Asian-style karaoke). However, Typhoon Morakot may prevent us from going anywhere. The city was shut down yesterday and most things are still closed today. The wind and rain are relatively strong, but we are completely safe and have food to eat.
I look forward to hearing comments and especially questions from everyone at home. It will help me write about what is most interesting to everyone!
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