Steve's parents, Jim and Linda, are just wonderful. Jim is a urologist and works long hours from 9-9 each day. MWF he goes to tennis, then golf on Sundays. We hang out with him on Sunday afternoons. Linda is very busy helping manage his medical office and taking care of us! She cooks the most delicious meals, and we are all spoiled by her healthy, yummy, cooking. Because of this I have not had many stomach problems this time in Taiwan. By they way, her grandkids adore her.
I have made friends with a young lady name I-ling who will be studying music education in London this fall. I have been meeting with her and speaking English to help her prepare for her exams. It has been fun.
My friend Grace from the States has introduced me to a woman named Pearl who has two children and lives near Dong Hai University in Wu-qi. She has invited me to lunch with her and her friend Li-wen several times. Li-wen introduces us to unique restaurants and helps us with our strollers. The food has always been delicious and I enjoy the company and girl talk. Pearl even invited us over to her home where she and her husband Porta were gracious hosts. This is a really neat couple. They have lived in Germany and Shanhai. They could not be more down to earth. We may be going to Alishan together in the near future.
We just started attending Taichung Christian church. Many foreigners attend this Mandarin-speaking church (with English audio translation) and we have met some friendly people there. One family (Livingstons) just lives a quick walk from our house and we have enjoyed getting to know them. They invited us out to a park where our two kids played with their four kids and they graciously offered to help us get adjusted to Taiwan. That was so kind of them! We'd like to get more involved with church and hope to serve as a family somehow. I heard that there is a ministry where we can help push elderly people around Taichung park. We missed it today because I thought our kids would get in the way. Actually the elderly love kids! One challenge to getting plugged in is that small groups meet in evenings which does not work for us. And I need to stay with Seraphine in baby room each week and watch sermon on tv. It's a bit difficult to concentrate. We'll see how this works out.
Steve has many friends from Morrison Academy right here in Taichung, where he attended junior high and high school. His classmates (the Websters) took us out to a delightful tea place today with an indoor playground. Lots of friends have come or will be coming to visit in the next few months.
I have many friends and relatives that i have yet to visit in Taipei. We will most likely go the Taoyuan next to visit uncle and the kiddie bowling alley located near the train station.
Steve and I both take classes at the YMCA (Steve Pilates and Tina Yoga) and we are making some friends there. Young and old take classes together here. You'd be amazed at how flexible the older ladies are!
There is a friendly staff at Steve's dad's office. In particular there is a young man name Yong Hao who sometimes drives us around because I still can't find my way around very well. He has driven us to Costco, the doctor's office and the visa office. Parking would be difficult on my own.We are grateful for his help.
There are kind guard gate gentlemen at our apartment and school that greet our children each morning, and many friends from Steve's mom's church who live in our apartment complex. The pastor from his church and his wife and one year old also live in our apartment complex. A neighbor has lent Moses his bike. Our next door neighbor's grandma is running for re-election to political office. She's expected to win.
We don't feel like part of a close-knit community like we did in Irvine, and we don't have many friends, but this is fine. (When I am lonely from 2-4 pm and exhausted from chasing Seraphine around I find a tea shop to explore and buy a snack. There are four downstairs, which means thirty, forty different teas to try? Do I have time to try them all? More about these drinks later.) In fact, Steve and I have started reading the Bible (Message, book of Matthew) most nights as a means for fellowship (what a concept!) and it has been enjoyable. We used to be involved in men's and women's groups separately, plus a family small group and did not feel the need to be reading the Bible together. Are social circles are much smaller right now, but perhaps this is a blessing?
--Tina
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