Two Months Update

I haven't posted here in a while, so I guess it's high time for an update.  In a few days, I will have been in Taiwan for two months.  And yes, the mandatory "it has passed so quickly" line is due here.  And the past two months have passed extremely quickly, but at the same time I feel like I have been here for so long...  I think I have mentioned this conflicted time-sense in a previous post, so I'll just say that it's weird and move on.

I admit that when I think of how much time has already passed, I am a bit distressed by how little Chinese I have learned.  While I know I have learned a lot, both spoken and written, I feel that if I continue at this rate for the remainder of the year, I will not be fluent by the end.  But I try not to dwell on this too much, and to just launch myself into learning more and more each day.  

Today, for example, I studied the Mandarin Phonetic System, often referred to as "bo po mo fo".  It is kind of like a Mandarin alphabet, and is useful for learning pronunciation.  It is also what Chinese speakers use to type.  Below you can see what the alphabet looks like.

So not only will I learn the characters assigned to each Mandarin word, I will also learn a new alphabet!  However, I suspect learning the new alphabet will take less than a month, while learning the characters will be an ongoing process throughout the year.

After being here for two months, I am really starting to miss some things from Northfield.  One thing I really miss is being able to hop on my bike and just go for a ride around town, without having to worry too much about traffic.  This is not so easy here, where cars and motorbikes are constantly zooming recklessly over the streets.  Another thing I miss being able to stay out past ten PM...  while I understand the reasoning behind my ten o'clock curfew, I can't help but miss not having to worry about the time when I'm out with my friends at night.

I also of course miss the people I left behind in the US.  I think of my family and friends often, and at times wish I could be with them, but at the same time I remember that I will see them again  when summer comes.  However, I think that leaving Taiwan will be much harder, because I really have no idea when I'll see the people I'm leaving again.  I already have made some very close friends here, and when I think about parting ways with them at the end of the year, I can't help but dread it a bit.  

I'm beginning to realize this post is sounding rather serious, so let me reassure you that I'm still loving  it here in Taiwan!  The people are still friendly, the food still great, and the scenery still unique and beautiful.  Not sure when you'll hear from me again, but until then, zaijien!