So I haven't written in a while.
I've been busy, and I haven't had access. My parents went to the States for 3 weeks and I had to teach all of the classes at my Mom's english center, and while I did that I improved my parents apartment, I made four big trips to Ikea and would spend the nights watching the World Cup and eventually the Tour de France while putting together shelves and tidying things around the apartment.
When my Dad came home I purchased a VPN(it allows my internet connection to be protected, but more importantly it makes it look like my computer is in the US, so I can experience the freedom of the internet).
Right, so new things - I ate at a Cantonese Dim Sum place with a friend from church and I had roast pigeon, which the very idea of eating pigeon is gross to us because they are dirty street birds in America, but here they are a delicious addition to lunch. Oh man, I'm a pigeon convert, a dark rich tasting bird. Fabulous.
I got a full body massage, and when I say full body...I mean my entire body, places that I never dreamed a massage therapist would dare touch. With that graphic but necessary description out of the way, it was fabulous, it felt like a million dollars afterwards, and considering it was only 40RMB(under $6) I will probably go back again with relative frequency. It was lovely.
We had a heat wave for a couple weeks, and I'll tell you. I thought I would die. I would past out and die of heat exhaustion. We had temperatures of about 35C for two weeks, it would move between 33 and 35C but the humidity is what killed, it hovered around 85% the entire time. Even the Chinese were complaining. I've started carrying deodorant with me everywhere, and applying it every hour. The Chinese don't seem to sweat as much, which I find wholly unfair. So in order to not wreak everywhere I go, as soon as I leave the house in the morning, I'm constantly applying deodorant.
Next anecdote: I was out with a Chinese friend and she was asking if I knew anyone that would like to buy a car seat, because they aren't using it anymore, and they only had it for when they lived in Australia, but because they are required to use it here, they don't. This friend is actually very western and understands that many things the Chinese do don't make sense to westerners. However, this totally blew my mind. Just because it wasn't required, would never mean to me that I wouldn't use a car seat. As soon as she told me this, I noticed that whenever I saw small children, whether babies, toddlers etc riding in cars here, they were either in their mothers arms(usually in the front seat) or bounding around free and seatbelt-less in the back. And it occurred to me, this country spoils its children rotten for the most part, they bound around like little emperors and empresses, but when it comes to something basic, like protecting their mortal safety there is a huge disparity. Crackers here are triple wrapped to ensure they don't break enroute. But not children.
Tonight I went to Hong Kong to go to a fireside of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, he is a General Authority in the LDS Church, and he spoke to the members of the Church in Hong Kong, it was relayed to four different locations and I watched at a satellite location. A few of us from Shenzhen were there and we spoke about it on the trip back. Elder Uchtdorf kept referring to Hong Kong as China, and though he is technically correct, Hong Kong is so different from Mainland China, and in turn Taiwan is quite different as well. We all hoped that he would be able to visit the Mainland some day and see the dramatic difference. Hong Kong and China are similar in the way that New York and Las Vegas are similar.
Either way, I enjoyed my trip and not getting stared at for an evening. I loved being in an actual church building again. I always felt like the interior of our chapels were so bland and boring. But being in one after meeting in a converted private house was really nice. The atmosphere and the feel were great.
I'll write again soon. I'll try to take more photos too, not just on my phone either.
I went to Taiwan for a little less than four days. I went to attend a Single Adult conference for my church. I met a lot of AMAZING people, at fantastic food, and I left wanting to see more of Taiwan.
Within 24 hours of being in Taiwan I saw people being pulled over for speeding on the freeway, rest stops with western toilets and free toilet paper, and a McDonald's menu with apple slices and a bagels with Cream Cheese. It's like another world across the Formosa Strait.
I met people that knew about Minneapolis because of the Minnesota Twins baseball team!!
As I participated in the Conference I met people of fantastic faith, and I strengthened my own determination to life righteous principles.
Along with me assigned team I engaged in a service project, cleaning at an experimental school. As I spent time in the surroundings, I realized the difficulties that many of the students their must face. How they are highly dependent on others to engage in rudimentary activities. It helped put into sharp focus that I am not really different from them, I too depend on many people(many unknown) to meet my families' needs and my own. Our world is so connected. The more independent and metropolitan we are...actually the more dependent and helpless we are in times of crisis. When cities loose electricity or become isolated due to weather or any other catastrophe it is painfully obvious how dependent and useless many of the "modern conveniences" are without electricity or access to clean water. I love that we need to engage in serving our neighbors, whoever they are to truly learn their worth and our own. Only by truly giving do we receive.
When I was in Taiwan, I was able to spend time with people that are of the same faith. This not only gave me renewed strength and love for my God, but a stronger desire to serve those around me and be a better example. Many find the life choices I make weird, unnecessary or old fashioned. But I can say without a doubt that they make me happier and freer from mortal vices. Sharing my testimony with new friends, and learning more about the unique struggles that people of Taiwanese and Chinese heritage have while trying to live the Gospel gave me a greater understanding of the place I live and of the difficulties that face come from our own culture and those that we love. 
As a die hard fan of stinky tofu, I had been told a great deal about the superiority of Taiwan's Stinky Tofu. On a fateful Saturday evening at a small night market in LuGang, I learned why it is famous. Stinky Tofu(pictured above right) is deep fried in smaller pieces than in Hong Kong, and served with a cabbage salad on top with the traditional tomato/vinegar slightly spicy sauce that it is served with via impaled sticks in Hong Kong. Above left is a photo of the booth that I bought different types of Cow Tongue Cookies at...don't worry the cookies don't actually have cow tongue in them. They are just vaguely shaped like cow's tongue. (btw, if you are open-minded enough cow tongue is actually pretty good when prepared well). Well, hopefully I will make it back to Taiwan soon, especially since now...HK stinky tofu just makes me miss Taiwan even more.
