I love these people.
Where did I leave off? This semester is coming to a beautiful fruition. Chinese was not an easy feat, but it was a complete win. I studied hard and set a nice foundation for the next round. It just gets harder, as far as character writing goes. Speaking Chinese is the fun part, you never know what might come out sometimes. For the most part, I pronounce my tones pretty well. Yet, there are times where I wonder if I said a completely embarrassing phrase by accident because I didn’t drop the end of the word quick enough. It’s truly an art form and I’m totally the artist eager to include it in his repertoire.
Anyways, I studied for this exam with an extracurricular music lesson, not assigned by Hu Lao Shi. I learned how to do the cup routine from Pitch Perfect for a presentation that my amazing friend, Daphny, had for her English speaking class as a “Show and Tell.”
Let me give Daph a quick introduction. This native of Taiwan, but visitor of a few other countries, is an absolute beast of a scholar. She commits to her 15-18 hour school week (I lost count), presidency of the International Student Association, basketball player, tutor for the language center, and a FULL-TIME friend. There is hardly ever a time where I can think, “Oh, I bet Daphny’s busy.” It’s beautiful, and inspiring, and I can sop up tears about it, but we are not going to do all that tonight.
Yes, so I finish with my exam with nice proficiency and speed and bolted out of my room just in time to limp (due to my handicapped foot) across campus and make it to her classroom. I was just able to hear the concluding statements before I entered. It was like a movie how it presented itself. So, she sang and I played the cups for her class. Of course, I couldn’t go without vocalizing myself some kind of way. I decided to speak a majority of my introduction in Chinese. So, that led to a longer-than-usual Q&A session. It was great.
So, the next day was a proficiency exam to progress to level 3, WINNING! Next, the class stuck around after the teacher left and we snapped headshots and put money in for what turned out to be an amazing combination: a 90 minute massage at a heavenly spa (friend told me) in one of the nicest malls in town along with a monochromatic cup that had all of our faces on it in a funky cartoon motif. Along with our Chinese names and beautiful statement, the entire cup transforms to color when there is warm water inside! The things you can so easily come across here. I swear, it’s like I’ve been in a box, but Asia amazes me in every category possible.
The next day, we had our farewell lunch at a lovely restaurant in the center of town. We exchanged gifts, and had our 10-day farewell. Now, before this lunch, I forgot to mention that my molded splint for my foot breaks in half, so I had a scheduled appointment to see him as soon as it was over. When I saw him, he said I don’t need to wear it anymore and to take it easy on my foot! WAHOOOO!! I get to avoid bumping everyone in the head with my larger-than-average casted foot, plus it’s not a Kodak type of moment either. So, after taking a few breathers this weekend and packing, I’m about to embark on a week-long adventure to Okinawa. I must say that this past semester in Taiwan was the life! It was a crash course on ‘self’ first, but now it’s taking that fortified conception and setting a foundation to launch my goals and talents. Next semester is going to just top this one and then some. I can’t wait to continue learning and living. I can’t thank FEA enough. You saw something in me and it’s made me realize even more who “me” actually is. You’ve granted me with a gift that has opened up an entire new understanding of this world. It’s indescribable, it’s a feeling and a heightened self of sense that everyone needs in his or her life. It should be required on a curriculum, like math or anything else (it is THAT vital!). #BLESSED