Beginning to Feel Comfortable

Our homework assignment was to bargain for
something while speaking only in Chinese.
 For this necklace, I got the price down from
 $NT 190 to 180...  which is really only about
thirty (US) cents less...

Peaceful shortcut to the University.

Chinese medicine culture class!

You can't really see but I have a burning herb on my right
hand and  acupuncture on my left  arm near my elbow. 

Probably the greatest thing I've had here thus far.
  Cold coffee in a can.  $NT 15 = $.50

So, we ended up not having to take the placement exam yesterday, but instead we're taking it Monday.  Until then we'll be in a group language class where we'll be taught basic things to help us get by.  So far we've learned how to buy/bargain things and how to discuss the weather.  Our assignment for today was to go to the night market last night and bargain.  In Asia it is totally okay to say "tai gui le" aka "too expensive" whereas  in the US that'd be totally rude.  Shop owners either try to bargain, walk away, or laugh and walk away.  I bargained for the necklace above and bought a dress but couldn't get it priced down, but it was gorgeous so I needed it...

Yesterday I finally ventured out alone which wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be!  By the end of the day I was able to walk to and around the night market by myself!  It's actually pretty nice to walk around alone because you can take your time or walk fast; you can check out whatever stores you want and eat wherever you want.  

Today we had our first culture class.  A doctor came in and showed us different types of Chinese medicine such as food therapy, kung fu, and acupuncture.  He explained how different foods can heal certain things.  He told us how a woman had lost her sense of hearing and had gone to every doctor but no one could help.  Then, she found him and he told her to drink a certain type of soup every day for three weeks and it opened her ears up again!  The doctor also told us which foods would help cool us down or warm us up.  After that, we got to practice some kung fu in the classroom.  Then, we got to try acupuncture!  I have a close up photo but I figured it'd make you guys sick...  It didn't hurt til he decided to wiggle the needle around...

We then had a small break and language class at 2.  The class is very difficult and yesterday I got really nervous because I couldn't keep up, but today was way better.  Our professor, Song Laoshi, is amazing.

ZaiJian!

Love you all, Kar