Beginning Classes and Social Life

I think it's been about three days since my last post. And, as always, a LOT has happened since then.

There have been two earthquakes in the past couple of days, but they have been almost imperceptible here in Taipei. I know a lot of people in the US have heard of the powerful earthquake that hit Kaohsiung/Gaoxiong [高雄], in the south of Taiwan. It was a magnitude 6.4, or about one-fourth the strength of the 1989 San Fransisco earthquake (a 6.9). The latest count is 64 people injured as a result.

Classes have also been rather stressful. As you may remember, I was placed into intermediate-mid (2-2 level), which proved to be far too easy on Monday. So on Tuesday I switched into intermediate-high (2-3 level), but again I felt that the material was far too easy. I attempted to switch again, but the teacher didn't want me to move up and thus I had to navigate the bureaucracy, have the CIEE people make some calls on my behalf, and so on.

At any rate, I eventually ended up in advanced-low (3-1 level). This class is certainly closer to my level than the other two were, but I think it's still too easy. However, I have gotten tired of bureaucracy and moving around so I think I'll just stay with this one. It's an afternoon class, which is great, and it is high-level enough that I won't feel insulted if I have to stay here. I was really annoyed that, after ten years of study, I was AGAIN placed into an intermediate class, though my Chinese ability (while not fluent or even close) is certainly better than so-so.

CIEE class has also begun, but as it only meets twice a week, I will have to see how interesting it turns out to be.

On the extracurricular front, I have been to two club meetings already. Last night (Wednesday) was the tea club meeting. The club members continuously prepared tea and dispensed it around the table, and we played a couple of ice-breaker games. It looks like it will be a really cool club, and since I love tea I plan to go as often as possible. Tonight I went to the tongzhi club meeting, though it was really more of a dinner to meet people. Everyone seemed really friendly, though I arrived late (due to CIEE class ending late) and so I was rather intimidated by all the Chinese-speaking when I got to the restaurant with River. As with all ice-breaking activities there was food, games, and laughing at the expense of others involved. I had intended to go to the Aikido club meeting on Tuesday but other plans ended up getting in the way of that. What plans? You'll soon find out!