Alright, where to start? I finally got to leave the MTC! (But to be honest I am going to miss it a lot, I had some good times and some fun memories there. Especially the people in my district and zone.) We got on a bus and left for the train station! Wait what? Train station?? Yep, that's right, we didn't know we where going by train to the airport so it was quite a surprise when we found out that we had to not only get on an already late train, but also get off that train (with ALL the luggage for 50 missionaries) in one minute!! It was so crazy but we made it!! All the calling and boarding went well. We made it to San Francisco no problem! The flight to Taiwan was so long! SOOOO long! I was the middle seat of the middle aisle [XXX XOX XXX] (I'm the O) But we did get to fly on a Dreamliner which was so cool! It made it seem like we flew a whole night even though it never even got dark outside!
Okay. Taiwan. First impression: This place is hot. And humid. And sticky. But it is also so pretty and the most bizarre place I have ever been. Oh also, I Kan bu Dong and Ting bu Dong everything. (I can read but not understand and hear and not understand everything.) Our mission president picked us up from the airport and we went to the temple square in Taipei because that is where he lives and we spent the night. We ate a thing called a Jua Bing. It is pretty much an omelet wrapped up in a crepe. It was so good!! (But also the only delicious thing I have had so far.) We had to go to bed pretty quickly cause we arrived so late.
My view through my window my first night
The next morning we woke up extra early to go to the Grand Hotel. It is so big and so Asian! It is actually really close to the area that the mission was dedicated so we parked there and walked to the dedication site. President Jergensen gave us a little bit of the history of the mission and then invited us to take some time to dedicate ourselves in service for the Lord. It was a really unique and spiritual moment.
Grand Hotel
After we got back to the mission home, we got all of our new study material and gathered our belongings before we went to a quick conference. We all got our new trainers and areas. I had to say goodbye to the friends and family that I have grown to love these last two months so that was pretty hard. My trainer is Elder Liao, he is a 24 year old native. Our area is Tao Yuan. It is a city a little to the southwest of Taipei (I think).
After we got a ride from the Bishop from Taipei to our home (our very messy apartment) I put my stuff down and then tried to understand why my companion was saying we had to go. But I just gave up and followed him.
Now for biking. Oh sweet biking. Okay, I'm going to try and set the picture. Imagine New York City. Actually, there's not enough freeway exit and entrance ramps there. It's probably closer to Los Angeles. Crazy. But wait, don't forget that lines here are just a suggestion. You don't actually have to follow them. The way responsibility works here is that you are only responsible for what is in front of you. (You could really live without rear view mirrors) Bikes here are considered cars too. We don't have special lanes or sidewalks. We just ride in the middle of the street! It is CRAZY!!! I guess the best description I can give is that I literally live Toad's Turnpike from Mario Kart 64 everyday! Hahahaha! Oh and don't forget that my companion is a 24 year old native! So I'm trying not to die and he's just having a jolly time yo-yo-ing while he bikes! I could barely keep up!
Turns out he had scheduled a lesson for about an hour before I was even supposed to get to the apartment so welcome to the field I guess! I don't understand a word here. It is insane.
That first lesson was kind of rough and the next day was about the same. We had lessons and I started getting thrown into finding. Then I watched general conference again at our church building here.
That's about all the cool stuff that has happened. To be honest though, before I left the MTC there were 3 things I prayed for in my first area. 1) I wanted an American trainer 2) I wanted to be in the country and 3) I wanted to have other companionships in my apartment. But now I am living in the middle of a city alone with only my native companion. This is so hard and I haven't had a day without tears in my eyes. I don't know if I can do this. I feel so alone all the time. My companion doesn't speak English well at all so I never have any real conversations. He has left me when we are biking a couple of times and I don't know the area at all so I get pretty scared. I have been trying really hard with all the food but I still don't like to eat here so I haven't been full in like a week. I am really really struggling. I can barely make it from hour to hour. I like the ward but I also feel completely alone when I am with them cause my companion just goes and plays and talks with all of them and I don't understand the culture or language. The zone leader is pretty awesome though and he has been helping me these last two days and I really need your prayers.
Love you all so much!
Love you all so much!
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