Tuesday 7 August 2007

Taiwan trip Day 3 - 8 (June 27 - July 2)

For these days we went to Tainan to see my aunt, went down to Pingdong to see my grandparents (from my dad's side) for 3 days, met up with people at church, then went to one of the biggest night markets in Kaohsiung.

My cousin from Tainan:

Visiting my grandparents was definitely an unforgettable experience. It reminded me again of what a privileged lifestyle I lead in Canada. Taiwan is a really hot place, but for the sake of saving money, my grandparents don't turn on the AC and are sweaty all the time. To enjoy a hot shower, they have to boil water on a stove and bring the water into the bathroom. They don't have a heater for water. There are just so many things I take for granted. My parents live in a more rural area and people generally live a very modest lifestyle. Perhaps because of this, they're pretty good problem solvers for many things. When something doesn't work, even small things, they'll think of ways to fix it where I would have just bought a new one. This makes for some pretty creative solutions. To many of them, life is simple. They just solve problems that's in front of them and forget about some of the smaller details. It was nice to be in that environment for a while. It helped to put my life into perspective so I can re-prioritize the things in my life.

My grandparents were really glad that my brother and I went back. I can feel how much they cared about us the way they were preparing the meals for us. It was really heart warming. Listening to them and sometimes hearing their stories reminded me of who I am and the where I come from. I won't forget some of the valuable lessons and principles that they've taught me.

My aunt in Pingdong:

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