Danshuei, Taiwan

Asia - well, an island off the coast anyway. It's been a grand three days since our arrival. We are definintly in a different part of the world then the Philippines - culturally, environmentally, & mentally. The contrast is sharp in many respects and I believe that all of us have enjoyed the new surroundings - it has been refreshing after some hot and challenging days in Tondo, Manila. Interesting that geographically the two locations arn't so far apart.

We are located in Danshuei, Taiwan - nearly an hour northeast of Taipai by train or auto (check out the map here) We speak no Manderin Chinese (they just call it Chinese - well the other people who aren't actually Taiwanese call it such) and have no clue as to how to read the thousands of possible characters (what we think of as letters).

As I sit here and write the entire internet browser as well as computer language is in Chinese. We can only function based on clicking on what look to be familiar icons or buttons... There have been some interesting stories already related to that. It's not that I am complaining - it's just rather amuzing. There is also Taiwanese techno music playing in the background of this mainly gaming interet cafe...

Our residence for most of the two weeks that we are in Taiwan is an aparement or large flat directly opposite the campus of Tamkang University. The University has a student population of somewhere between 22,000 - 26,000 students, thus we are essentially located in a college town, or at least this part. Many students, as well as Taiwanese in general, we have been told, know some English, but may be hesitant to use it. We have been able to manage fine with English and poor attempts at learning some simple Chinese. However, we have also been helped a great deal by a few of the fellow YWAMer's here to find places to eat (i.e. decipher the Chinese menus) and become somewhat adjusted.

Our schedule thus far has not been busy. We have been taking opprotunities to check out Danshuei and adjusting to where we now find ourselves - trying to get a feel for what it may be like to live here long term. Over the course of the next few days we will be visiting some church planting YWAMer's 2 hours south by train and then coming back here to do some youth ministry, evangelism, hanging out at the YWAM sponsered coffee house/English classes, and some other various activities to which I am not aware since I tend to not remember our schedule...

And, seeing as how I don't recall what time exactly we signed into this internet cafe for an hour (nearly $1USD for that hour) I had better post this so that I know it makes it to the blogsite and is not lost in a heap of Chinese chracters.