Adventuring into the Language and Food

   That is probably the question that I've wanted to pose on people for, what seems like, the longest time. When I was studying Mandarin Chinese in Hawai`i, I excelled through the classes and really enjoyed the language learning process. I would think to myself: "Chinese is easy!" How now do I feel foolish. Mandarin is a very difficult language, not to mention it being on the most difficult languages on the face of the earth.
   Let me explain it: Mandarin is made entirely of syllables. And each syllable has its own tone. There are fives tones. Each syllable has a corresponding character, but the character/meaning of the syllable will change completely with different tones. For example, the word for "yes" (是, shi) has a falling tone. However, the word for "ten" (十, shi) has a rising tone. But this is when it gets difficult. Shi/是 can also mean "is." So when a native speaker is talking at a fluent speed, and I am trying to listen for each tone and connotation... you can see how it is difficult.
   But the language itself is so amazing! Just to hear people speak it makes me happy that I am here. For 8 years I have wanted to come here to learn, and finally I am here, and that is just remarkable to me.
I have been able to use some of the language: when ordering food, asking questions, greetings, etc. But even with language comes another very important part of the Taiwanese culture: FOOD.
   Lion's head, squid, frog legs, eel, stinky tofu, pearl tea, tripe, blood rice cake, tongue bake, etc. The food here is delicious, and never before have I tried so many different things that, to others might be disgusting, but truly are wonderful. Rice is made with everything, and there are so many different ways to cook it, even making it into noodles! It is so important to the Taiwanese culture, that even some local farmers pray to the gods before working with it; they care for it that much. Soups, dumplings, mounds of rice, fish, vegetables, tofu, and nearly everything you can think of. It's amazing!
   Even still, I have to order food in Mandarin, and it is only by the grace of God if the waiter/waitress knows English. Haha! Ordering food for me is more like: "Um, this... one. Yes." Of course I translate it, but you can get the picture. Hopefully once Chinese classes start, I'll be able to get back into things and just speak normally, like I used to.
   One adventure I had was when my friends and I were coming back from a day at the zoo, and we wanted to try this Burmese and Thai restaurant. One friend, Steffi, had ordered frog legs, just out of curiosity. And they delivered to us this medium sized plate with, I guess, cut up frogs legs with cashews and green peppers, lathered in peanut sauce. It looked delicious! Pretty soon, my other friend, Raphael, wanted to be adventurous too. So he grabbed a chunk off the plate and looked at it. "Wait, does this look like a face to you?" *ahem*. Of course that just grossed out another friend, Stephan. Haha! But I wanted to try it, or at least, some of it. And that some of it, would be the eye ball!
   Taiwan is quite the adventure, indeed!