Chopstick Diaries

finding oasis

2010-05-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

Hey there. Yea, I know, it's been a while since the last post. I'm not sure if anyone is reading this, but lately I've been too inspired NOT to write an entry. :)

But before I share what's been on my mind, some housekeeping updates: I will be starting a photoblog soon dedicated to my photography. I'm trying to get more serious with the camera, so hopefully you guys will enjoy some eye candy to go along with my ramblings real soon. If you want a sneak peek of what Ive been working on, check out my galleries here.

Ok, back to the real important stuff. :)

This post is dedicated to my church, Oasis Bread of Life in Tian Mu. Some of you may know that one of the hardest thing for me when I came to Taiwan was leaving my church back in NYC, New Life Fellowship Church in Queens. Lately I've also come to really appreciate my church family here in Taiwan and I'm just incredibly blessed to be a part of both communities.

A few weeks ago, I met a really cute kid at church named Super. (Yes, that's his name!) I wish I had a picture to show you guys, but seriously, he's is SUPER CUTE! He's almost two, and his mom was getting baptized at our church that day. Before the 'dunking', Pastor Jeff shared Super's story with us. It turns out that Super's dad died about a year ago leaving his mom alone to take care of him. The family's never been to church before, but strangely, a few months prior, Super's dad appeared in his mom's dream and asked her to take Super to church. Not sure what to make of the dream, she dismissed it and continued the best she could. But apparently his dad wasn't quite satisfied with that, and he appeared in her dream again. Long story short, she found her way to our church and decided to get baptized.

One of the most moving moments of the service was when all the men in my church gathered around Super and his mom. With hands outstretched and hearts open, these brothers prayed blessing and life over Super and and his mom. They prayed that the men that surrounded him that day would become father figures in his life and that he would never feel a shortage of the Father's love. They prayed that Super's mom would come to know the unending providence and faithfulness of God. They prayed that the church family would become their family. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

Fast forward to today, Mother's day. Brian asked me a few weeks ago to help with worship for the hospital ministry. Along with Pastor Jeff and a few others, his team had been going to the veteran's hospital for the last few months to pray for patients and offer counsel. It was my first time joining them, and boy am I glad I went. We held a small sunday service for any patients that wanted to drop by and P.Jeff even preached in mandarin! (Preach it, P.Jeff!)

There was a moment during the service when I surveyed the room to take it all in. Patients in worn hospital scrubs clinging to their IV line, young and old in wheel chairs next to nurses and tired-looking family members. A few hospital volunteers, looking just a little lost, next to some pastors murmuring 'Hallelujah' with every point in the sermon. At that moment I couldn't help but think about how this is a true reflection of what the Church really is - a bunch of sick and screwed up people in need of a miracle. P. Hawko of my college church said it best when he said that the church is God's teaching hospital- we are all in need of healing. P.Jeff ended his sermon with this nugget- Jesus is the way home.

Oasis [əʊˈeɪsɪs] n. A place of peace, safety, or happiness in the midst of trouble or difficulty.

You guys rock my socks off.

the outsider's 'inside' information

2010-02-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

I'm realizing that there are certain topics of conversation common to all expats here in Taiwan, and probably for most of Asia. When expats congregate, I get the sense that sometimes it becomes a clandestine insider-trading operation. We eagerly swap stories, contacts, survival tactics, and more. Don't get me wrong- it's not that the friendly locals wont help us out. But I suppose when you're living in Asia, you quickly realize how different the likes and dislikes are between East and West.

Take hair for example. I know this doesnt apply to the brothers as much, but girls have lengthy discussions about where to go to get a hair cut (notice i said hair CUT, not just your regular hair WASH). The truth is, if you walk into any random salon, given the language/stylistic differences, you may very well walk out looking like an Anime character. :)

Food is another one. We talk about where to go to get certain novelty food items such as hummus, cake mix, and salsa. Good cereal is also always in high demand. My friend's latest quest was to ask around for Rice Krispies, (if anyone knows, do tell!) And we also talk about the strange combinations of food that we see on menus. RICE burger buns? Corn soup at McD's? Sweetened popcorn at the movie theaters?!

Then there are the local creatures. It seems that we all have war stories about ginormous mosquitoes, cockroaches, and other friendly inhabitants. We share stories about how they managed to creep up on us when we least expect, how we've tried to outsmart them (and failed), and eventually, how we make peace with them.

Other topics that expats bond over include, scooters (getting licensed, accidents, swaps, etc), medical care (where to find a decent doctor that speaks English), squattie experiences, visa runs, and lack of bargaining skills at night markets.

I suppose this is all part of the fun of expat living; we bond through the shared experiences of survival in a foreign land. It's an adventure indeed. :)

The end of a decade

2009-12-27T04:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

(By the way, am I the only one that still has a hard time believing that the first DECADE of 2000 is OVER?!)

December Recap:
This month has been filled with blessing after blessing. To start, BFF Christina came to visit my side of the world (yayyyy!). It was five glorious days of non-stop eating and laughing. I'm always reminded of God's goodness when I think about my close friendships. There's something about connecting deeply with someone that knows and loves you that fills your soul.

The eating didn't end there. I had the pleasure of attending many many holiday parties, including my office party (where I won a trip to KaoHsiong!) and Aidan's cool new bachelor pad for more amazing food by chef/model/hostess Jamie. I brought my camera along and snapped these in between bites of mac 'n cheese and chili.

So sexy, eh?

How about photos of the MONTH?

2009-11-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

APOLOGIES friends, taking a picture every single day turned out to be way too hard. (scroll to previous post to see how this whole thing started)

Why, you ask?

1. I realized when I started taking pictures of my tuna sandwich after a long day of work that it was pretty hard to be creative when you're super tired.
2. Im still figuring out photoshop- sorry! post processing takes me ages.. and it all just piled up at the end.
3.I got tired of lugging my camera around everywhere.

Mea Culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa. :)

BUT, what I think i will do from now on, is to blog my best pictures of the MONTH. That's certainly a lot more manageable (and probably a lot more interesting than the picture i took of my laundry room...)

To taste, meet karen. And meet Johnny. They love each other, and I got to take pictures of them. :) What an honor.

Congrats you guys!

a year in pictures

2009-09-09T07:22:00.000-07:00

Here we go people! On this very auspicious day of 9.9.09, I will attempt to begin a little photography project of taking a photo a day for an entire year!

This image journal of sorts is inspired by a friend who's supposed to be snapping away with me (ahem, kevin..haha). We thought it would be a fun way to record our year in pictures and to also brush up on our photography skillzzz.

Each picture will be a response to the question 'What is important to you?"

So stay tuned and enjoy! In fact, if you want to join us it'll be even more fun! Just imagine how cool it would be next year to say 'Hey, wanna see how my year was in pictures?'

Make. every. day. count.

A seasonal post

2009-07-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

Isnt it interesting how seasons just... happen? Winter, spring, summer, fall; they're very much beyond our control. And if you're anything like me, life can get so busy that you have moments where you walk to work and suddenly you realize' Hey, its ______ (fill in the blank with a season)!'

In Taiwan, the summer heat is a force to be reckoned with. You find yourself making pit stops at every 7-11 just to get a few moments of air conditioning and a cool drink before you head to your real destination. You wake up a few times a night because you're just too hot and sweaty to stay asleep. Umbrellas are everywhere, you carry sunblock with you at all times, and let's not forget the multitude of sweaty teenage boys without deodorant. Joy.

A recent devotional talked about how the rhythms of seasons teach us about our spiritual lives and the ways of God. Parker Palmer writes, "Autumn is a season of great beauty, but its also a season of decline as summer's abundance decays toward winter's death. In my own experience of autumn, I am rarely aware that seeds are being planted. I am easily fixated on surface appearances... yet if i look more deeply, I may see the myriad possibilities being planted to bear fruit in some seasons yet to come."

As I'm winding down to the end of my first year in Taiwan, I'm sensing these changes in season. My body is mostly adjusting to taiwan's summer (I'm hoping to lose the few pounds that I gained from eating out so much!) But lately my spirit has been more like autumn in New York- windy, a bit messy, some rays of sun in the midst of growing shadows, an undeniable chill that hangs in the air. I am learning not to fight the 'deaths' that God brings into my life, and I am learning to hope in the seeds that God is working on beneathe the surface. There is a time for everything, as beautiful and messy as it may be sometimes, and it comes down to trusting God's timing for every season. Summer will not last forever, neither will autumn. God is not finished with me yet.

I'm also remembering Jeff Littleton this week, one of the YWAM leaders that I met briefly in Penang during my DTS. As I received news about his recent passing, I couldnt help but feel a deep sense of loss. Its strange if you think about it- I've only met the man once, spent probably less than an hour with him, but during those few moments when he prayed over me, it seemed like he had a back stage pass to God's heart and he showed me what God REALLY thinks of me and who I was destined to become. Undeniably real, warm, trustworthy and just full of mature, secure, love- I dont think I've ever met a man that embodied our Father's heart so closely. This fuzzy-haired little old man KNEW God, and whenever you meet people like that all your defenses and false pretenses fall to the ground because you know they can see through all your junk but still love you anyways. Thank you Jeff, your words continue to give life and hope to so many around the world. We will all miss you, but in the mean time, enjoy and rest with our heavenly Father above- you're finally home!
To read more about Jeff, check out his memorial page.

FYI: I'll be going home in Mid September, YAYYYY!!! Cant wait to pig out and see all you crazy new yorkers. Miss you all lots. SEE YOU SOON!!

day to day to day

2009-05-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Some people have been asking about my day-to-day life here. The thing is, every day for me is kinda different, and I'm enjoying the change of pace from the classroom along with the surprises of living in another culture. So instead of boring you guys with my daily routine, I'll just include some tidbits and observations I've made about living in Taipei so far.

As much as I miss my NY bagel, people here take breakfast pretty seriously. On any given morning, I will pass by close to 10 breakfast shops on my short walk to work. I can order an egg sandwich, rice ball (fan tuan), dumplings, turnip cakes or egg pancakes (dan bing) and have it packed and ready to go in a handy little plastic bag in less than 2 minutes- along with a spill-proof cup of soy milk or milk tea. Price tag? usually just over $1 US.

I used to make fun of my mom because she carried around an umbrella all the time in the states. She used an umbrella as protection from the rain AND the sun. Weird, right? Well, imagine my surprise when I see a whole country of women doing the same thing- and for good reason. The sun is pretty brutal here and for fear of getting darker, many carry around sun umbrellas. I might consider getting one. :)

Every foreigner here has at least one taxi story to tell. You can never really know what to expect with taxi drivers here. Some will want to debate politics with you (trust me, BAD IDEA), others will ignore you and talk on the cell phone the whole time, some will try to impress you with the little English that they know, and then some might even try to sell you stuff (I've gotten offers for different types of honey). The best was when this one driver was totally convinced that he personally knew Buddha, Jesus, and other major deities and then told me that in my former reincarnated life I was actually a Buddhist monk. I guess that's better than being a cockroach or some other animal.

There are designated seats for elderly, pregnant women, and the disabled on all major public transportation, and believe it or not, people generally adhere to it. It's really nice to see people giving up their seats for others in public.

7-11's = one stop everything. Convenience and speed is valued in Taiwan society, and that is never truer than your neighborhood Seven Eleven. In one trip, you can pay all your bills, add money to your transportation card, get cash from the ATM, get lunch and pick up some last minute cold medicine or mango slurpee. As Evan says, 'Done, son.'

Boy or Girl? Karen and I made up a silly game to see who could figure out the correct gender of some of the more androgynous looking people we would see on the street. Trust me, its a lot harder than you think. Asian fashion is just that different and confusing sometimes. Plus, the guys are just so skinny here!

My Chinese is improving, but. . if I wanted to, I could get through a whole day without speaking a word of Chinese (There's quite a large number of expats here and most of the youth can understand English). I might get a lot of strange looks from the locals, but Chinglish is rather acceptable in most places. :) Care to join me?

2009-04-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest photography project. My coworker Lisa and I gave Naomi a photo shoot as a birthday present (Lisa's blog has more details about our day). Great fun and great practice!

Thoughts on culture

2009-04-16T07:14:00.000-07:00

Something I've been thinking about from time to time as I'm feeling more settled in Asia is the idea of culture, specifically Chinese culture, and how it intersects with my faith.

The National Tomb Sweeping holiday just passed a few weeks ago, and for the first time in my life, I went over to my grandparents house and took my place in the family tradition of honoring the spirit of my ancestors. This is a rather foreign concept to me, ancestor worship. No one in my family ever explained why they did this or even who my ancestors were, but it seemed as if this has somehow become a family tradition that trickled down from generation to generation (without me knowing!). Being in Asia is giving me a chance to learn about such things, but it also raises many questions about the role of tradition and belief.

'Dont eat the food yet Winnie, you have to let your ancestors eat first.'
Uh.. strange, I thought they died a long time ago...
'Go and to set up empty chairs for your ancestors,' my grandmother commanded, 'then go burn paper money with your cousin outside the front door."
Whatever you say, Grandma.

Though I suspect the rule really is if Grandma wants it done- its done, I wonder about the meaning of these rituals through the context of my personal faith. From the point of view of an observer, I noticed that it wasn't a spiritual exercise as much as a sign of respect and remembrance. My aunts and uncles lined up according to age and took turns bowing three times before the neat display of food and incense. My eldest uncle, who recently became a Christian, called me to stand before the table with him as he prayed to Jesus over the souls of my ancestors. I fidgeted awkwardly, not quite sure of what to do, but asked God to remember my family and to continue to draw them to Himself. There was a brief moment of silence, followed by my grandmother's call to eat lunch and to clear away the table. And that was that.

Pastor Jeff from Oasis recently mentioned a conference he went to where the speaker explained that there are parts of every culture that needs redeeming. Every culture holds some beliefs that are neutral, some that are Christ-centered, some that are humanistic, and some that are just plain demonic. The work of our lives is to identify which is which and then to walk out God's truth in the areas that are lacking. For Americans, a problem area might be a strong sense of independence and rebellion- after all, history shows that we are a country born out of rebellion. For Chinese people, it might be the overemphasis on family- so much so that children are often crushed under the weight of their parents expectations or demands. We all need a little redemption. We all need to understand how culture impacts the very core of who we are.

At the end of the day, I have to believe that God designed culture to enrich our time here on earth. I went to a Thai water festival the other day that kind of gave me a glimpse of heaven- ok, a very fun and wet heaven where Jesus would have water fights with his buds because Jesus knows how to have fun. Though culture isnt beyond the reaches of sin, imagine what your culture can be like if it is fully guided by God's truths and principles. It's played out in the way we love people, the way we remember our ancestors, the way we treat money, the way we value education and performance, the way we operate as a family, and dare I say, the way we 'do' church. Christ can transform culture. Of this I'm sure.

six months

2009-03-03T05:39:00.000-08:00

It's a quiet evening in Taipei after several whirling weeks of work and activity. I just came home from a hot pot dinner at the restaurant down the street and took a nice long shower. There is a soft drizzle against my bedroom window- a sure sign of Taiwan's early spring- though I'm still snuggled in my pink comforter as if my body is still bracing itself for New York winters. An occasional bark escapes the wandering street dogs, and the quiet hum of my dehumidifier keeps me company, steadfastly preventing mold from growing in unexpected places. I realize that the sounds and sights of my new home are slowly growing on me. The language is no longer awkward nonsense coming from my mouth. I recognize my neighbors. I know what to say when I meet them. And I know how to order drinks: grapefruit green tea, half sugar, no ice, no bag, thank you.

The feeling of 'home' however, didn't come until this past sunday at Oasis, a bilingual church in Tien Mu. Its been hard spiritually these past six months, wandering from church to church and never making any real connections with people outside of work and family. But thanks to all of you that were praying for me during this transition, it was during sunday worship that I really felt a sense of belonging. It was the similar feeling of recognition I had when I stepped into Newlife Fellowship back at home-I can be myself, I can worship freely, I am among family, I am safe.

My heart is a bit heavy tonight. After hearing some sad news from some close friends within these last few weeks, I am remembering how hard it is to struggle with the kind of sadness that stays with you, the kind that makes feel like you're about to unravel and fall to pieces. We do what we can, at those moments, and even if those others around us can't really help us, we offer the little that we have. One friend asked me just to allow him to be sad. It was hard trying to hold back all the words of encouragement that I wanted to share with him, though I suppose deep down i knew nothing I could say would really make any difference. But I told him my heart was sad with him. He is loved. I will be praying.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Ps 27:14

"I am Predator"

2009-01-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009 everyone!
Apologies for the delayed entries, I spent the new years in the Philippines and its actually been quite busy since I've returned. How was the Philippines, you ask? It was four fabulous days of beach, cheap beer, good food, and adventure with good friends. The dollar goes a long way there so if anyone is looking for paradise on a budget, I'd highly recommend the Philippine islands. We were at Puerto Galera, a smaller, lesser known beach about three hours from Manila, famous for their exotic diving sites. I didn't get my scuba certification this time but I definitely hope to in the future. Anyone want to go scuba?

_______________________________________________________________

One of the highlights of my job is meeting so many different kinds of people who are incredibly enthusiastic about learning English (quite a change from my students back home!) Like most language learners, a fun part of learning a new language is the ability to rename yourself. Here in Asia, I'm finding that students get real creative with this new naming opportunity. So far, I have a Yoyo and a Yuyu in my upper level class. Ikea and Man (who's a girl) are in the other class, and let's not forget Together, Banana, and Papaya in my high school English club.

After consulting other fellow teachers, I've compiled a list of some of the most interesting student names they've come across:

Mango
Coke
Dynasty
Feeling
Handsome
Tomorrow
Muse
Snake
Loofy
Milk Butter
Demon
Club
and last but not least, Predator.

"Hi my name is Winnie, I'm a new teacher here. What's your name?"
"Hi Winnie. My name is Predator."
Im smiling and nodding still.
"What is your name again?"
"I am Predator"
Still smiling, but a bit confused. No more nodding
"Your name, is Predator?"
"Yea! nice to meet you!"
Im baffled but still smiling.
"ok, nice name! nice to meet you!"

It turns out that Predator actually changes his name every week depending on the new words he learns each week. I guess he learned about Predators that week!!

Lesson learned- i suppose this is why maybe its a good thing that our parents didnt let us name ourselves. Why NOT name yourself after your favorite fruit?

Next entry coming up: Chinese New Years in the motherland- How it's REALLY celebrated

Entry 1: Asia Survival Guide vs1.0

2008-12-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

Hey guys!

Thanks to all who are checking out my blog for the first time! The idea has been in my head for a while but I've finally put it all together after four months of dilly-dallying (and adjusting to my new home, of course, but more about that later).

Before I go any further, some credits are due: much thanks to LISA for taking this awesome photo with her leftover cranberry from Thanksgiving. You are brimming with talent! check out her blog here for more photos. Also, to Andy L. from NLF back home who got me pumped about blogging and gave me oodles of good ideas. You are a genius. And to you back home who's reading because you're wondering what the heck I'm doing in Taiwan :) - I miss you lots! Thanks for checkin in, let's be in touch ok?

Ok, on to official business. After four months of making many cultural blunders and other wild experiences in Taiwan, I've decided to compile a list of helpful advice for anyone who would ever consider moving to Taiwan or any Asian country in the near future.(I wish I had something like this, that's for sure.) So if you signed the contract and bought the plane ticket already, here is what else you should know (in no particular order)...

(Winnie's) Asia Survival Guide vs1.0

1. Find out about local temperature before you come. I am freezing right now cause I thought Taiwan was more or less tropical. I was very wrong.

2. Always carry tissues. You never know what to expect when you go to the bathroom.

3. Speaking of toilet issues, being flexible is important, and I mean that literally. Squatties arn't for everyone, but practice makes perfect. :)

4. Don't pet stray dogs. They bite. If they are fornicating loudly in the streets, look away, walk to the other side of the street if necessary.

5. Carry hand sanitizer or some kind of nice smelling substance with you at all times. If you are stranded on a bus with sweaty teenage boys, you will thank me.

6. When meeting people for the first time, lose the sarcasm. It doesnt win you a lot of Asian friends. Unfortunately, they wont think you're funny, they will just take you seriously and then try to make you feel better (even though you were fine to begin with).
Ex. Me: the weather is just great today (while there's a thunderstorm brewing outside)
Local: yes, we've had better weather this time of the year usually. Would you like some cake?

7. That said, realize that you bring many non-Asian cultural norms with you wherever you go. Rethink your expectations and be conscious of your speech and actions. More than once I've put my foot in the mouth because I didnt take the other people's culture into consideration!

8. ALWAYS LET GRANDMA WIN AT MAHJONG. No exceptions. :)

9. Similarly, never talk politics with cab drivers that are actually driving you. People get very heated about certain issues and you dont want to be stuck in a car with them if it gets ugly.

10. Last but not least, dont go into a fit of self-hate or shock if you find yourself conforming to your surroundings. So when you hear yourself saying things like, 'Ok LA', or 'hAAllo'instead of 'hEllo', or gesturing victory signs in every picture, IT IS OK. Acceptance is vital to your survival. Enjoy it, in fact. The quirks about the strange yet endearing country might be the very reason why you came in the first place.

Be on the look out for Entry #2: Reasons why children should not name themselves...