Well, our first week in Taiwan was not what we expected. It was much, much harder than we anticipated! We are still enjoying ourselves, but have been faced with some big challenges. One of the biggest challenges is FOOD. It is really hard to find American food here and when you do, it always tastes a little off. I don't know why! Maybe because it was imported and is old? Lily is one of the pickiest kids I know in the U.S. and now, in Taiwan, she is surviving on chips, french fries, boxed mac 'n cheese, and marshmallows. Anyone who knows us knows how crazy we are about eating healthy and organic, so this is, obviously, an issue. :-)
The biggest challenge that we have faced is our apartment. Instead of getting settled in, we have, after a week of living there, moved out. It is a long story, but it turns out that the weird smells that I couldn't handle all week (and were giving me headaches) were chemicals that were being emitted from the fabricated wood in the apartment. The levels of toxicity in the apartment were above regulation. So, after a couple hotel stays, we are back at the hotel, for good, until we find the right place to live. Didn't see that one coming!!
The biggest challenge that we have faced is our apartment. Instead of getting settled in, we have, after a week of living there, moved out. It is a long story, but it turns out that the weird smells that I couldn't handle all week (and were giving me headaches) were chemicals that were being emitted from the fabricated wood in the apartment. The levels of toxicity in the apartment were above regulation. So, after a couple hotel stays, we are back at the hotel, for good, until we find the right place to live. Didn't see that one coming!!
Our 3rd move in Taiwan. Lily's face says it all!
On a positive note, the girls are doing great. We have learned how flexible they really are. They are even content watching Phineas and Ferb in Chinese while we get things done. Honestly, I think they are handling this transition WAY better than Matt and I have been handling it!
The girls had a chance to visit their new school on Friday and that went very well. Lily's new little friends adore her (and her hair!) and made her feel so welcome. They will start their first day of school tomorrow.
Funny cultural moment...We took the girls ice skating in the city yesterday to escape the fumes in the apartment. When we got there, we noticed that everyone on the ice, kids and adults, were wearing helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrists guards. Matt and I decided to opt out of the protective gear, but Hannah had a very hard time with that! She just couldn't get comfortable with the fact that everyone was geared up and she wasn't. I had to remind her that, in America, you'd never see someone on the ice in full protective gear...we'd think that was silly...but in Taiwan, that's what they do. They aren't wrong...and we're not wrong...it's just different. I saw the light bulb go off in Hannah's head and realized that THIS is why we were excited to bring them to Taiwan. The cultural experience is such an eye-opening experience for them...they are going to grow as people and learn invaluable lessons along the way. We also learned that the Taiwan people skate just as crazy as they drive!!! LOL!!!
Ice skating in Taipei
Lets hope that this coming week goes more smoothly than the last!
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