5.01.2012

taiwan! day #3

today felt like forever in the hospital.  we felt like we had to ask any question that came to our mind, even if we kind of knew the answer, so that we would make ourselves busy.  so the first half of the day went pretty slow.  after lunch, however, we were able to start helping with cares like bed baths and such.  it is so difficult to not be able to communicate with the patients.  i also feel like i can't pick up on body language even, because they are from a different culture.  i never realized how truly difficult it is to speak chinese - and i am usually embarrassed to try, because when i do, the people often don't understand what i am saying.

the nurses treat us like royalty.  every day they treat us to some new drink or dessert.  there's no way to refuse, because you don't want to seem ungrateful or mean, so you just smile and eat whatever it is they put in front of you.  today it wasn't bad - a lemonade drink with jello inside of it, and cheesecake.  {yesterday it was green bean dessert soup.  slightly foreign to my taste buds...}  and it was someone's birthday today, and i knew how to sing happy birthday in chinese!  i was so excited to be able to sing with them.  the also turned off the lights in the break room, and turned on their pen lights so that the birthday boy and girl could "blow out the candles".  it was genius!

this was breakfast. and looking at it kind of makes me sick.

this is where i go to the bathroom.  fortunately, our apartment has an actual toilet, so i haven't had to #2 in number one.... but i am going to get really good at aiming.  i will no longer have fear of peeing in the woods while camping back home....



we went to a baseball game.  the chants were hilarious, because we didn't know what everyone was saying - so we just shouted nonsense with the crowd.  and everyone in our group danced to poker face and did some booty shakes and made it on national television like 200 times.  it was quite embarrassing.

this was dinner.  i have no idea what it was.  but it was hung hao.


 this is a meat truck.  sanitary?  i think not!



2 comments:

Lindsay said...

Paige!!!! I am loving reading your posts! It sounds like you are already having a great time and it reminds me SO MUCH of China!!!!!

Tabitha said...

Kinder chocolate is the best-one of my favorite treats in Canada. Good to know it is in other parts of the world as well! :)