I think I'm in a foreign film of New York city in Chinese without Subtitles

Well here I am in central CENTRAL Taibei! My first area! Near Taibei 101 if you want a reference

Chinese word of the week: lihai (pronounced lee hi and means impressive!)

Short version: Food's great

Long version: here are ten things that have happened/things I've realized since being in Taiwan

1. I should've SYL'd more (aka spoke more chinese) sorry Lao Shi's I was so stubborn lol.

2. Totally almost crashed into a Taxi and fell off my bike. Like really surprised I'm not injured. #miraclesandangels. #yaodiyu (family don't read this one... I should've put that at the beginning)

3. Saw a cat on a leash

4. I think my biggest rejections so far was by the stray cats that won't let me pet them

5. The one time I was like "let's go talk to these people" they were the Jehovah's witness missionaries. It was just... awkward.

6. Biking in a skirt actually isn't that bad. Lots of freedom. I recommend it to everyone.

7. Mixed up kanbudao and kanbudong. So accidentally said I was blind.

8. I'm tired

9. Yea

10. still tired.

Also only have a minute left

well wo ai nimen! Nimen shi zui hao de!

Ask me if you have any questions

Zai jian for now

~Mao Jie Mei

Attachments area

I'm Going Home!!!

My wonderful friend Sister Amanda Lee drew this representation of me as a new missionary in Taiwan trying to speak Chinese with my cute asian trainer.

I'm Going Home!!! *to Taiwan

Today's the day! The last time I get to email everyone before I'm off to Taiwan with my sub-par mandarin skills! Hen ban! How wonderful!

Short version: I think I'm getting anxious. Mostly excited. But scared.

Long version: I was having a stressful Monday (I know Mondays are always stressful) but then I started looking outward and serving those around me and I felt much better. So point is if you feel bad go serve someone! Talk to someone, or do something!

Celebration for last MTC email: This is the story of my second day at the MTC. I was feeling really stressed with the language, and my teacher was asking a question and I had to ask people around me what he said. It was "what is the thing that makes you most happy?" I was tearing up because I was so frustrated, but then he calls on me. I awkwardly smile, then someone else goes "she likes cats!" I just nod. He asks why I like cats. Embarrassed and frustrated, I try to speak a little chinese, but end up saying everything in English going something like "I don't know they're cute and fluffy and I found my cat on the street and I loved her but then she died." And then I cried in class. He quickly asked another Elder why he liked the unicycle. Looking back, it was so funny haha.

My dream I had this week: A swimming pool filled with cats, and I crowd surf across the cats. And I'm not allergic. And I don't hurt the cats. 

Well, next time I'll be in Taiwan! Jia you!!! #yaodiyu

Wo ai nimen! Zai Jian!,

Mao Jie Mei

This is the beautiful lady we taught who is from Taiwan! She was amazing to talk to! She said she posted our pic on her Facebook haha.

Awkwrd ever awkrard (Week 7!)

Above: our last day with our sweet teacher Ou Yang Jie Mei. I miss her!

So I've gotten to the point where my Mandarin has dragged my English down so much that I can't speak in English nor Mandarin. Makes things a little awkward.

Week word Mandarin: ganga (gone gah) - awkward. Also wugui is turtle (like master wugui in Kung fu panda!) so if you put that together you get awkward turtle in Chinese. You're welcome.

Short version: We only have two weeks left before I'm in Taiwan. I think I should probably practice Chinese now, or else I'm gonna be really confused when I get there. Hm...

Long version: We got a new Chinese teacher this week. He's pretty good (even though Ou Yang Jie Mei's still me favorite ;)). He asked me- in Chinese- if I studied Chinese before. I turned to my companion and go "what did he just ask me?" I think that sufficiently answered the question. 

I am so sad- this week one of our Elders, Elder Lainhart, is going home for surgery on his shoulder. He was sick for the whole first month, had a cavity filling fall out, and now tore cartilage in his shoulder. He was my pokemon discussion buddy :'(. But I'm glad he has a good attitude about it. He will be back in two months! His optimism and enjoyment of life has inspired me to be happier, and not complain about things in my life! And to always go forward in hope in life!

So in memory of him we took a picture of us all doing his awesome pose. 

Disfruta la vida! wait what uh... I mean

Xiexie nimen!

Zai Jian!

Wo ai nimen!

~Mao Jie Mei

Sister Hickman

The pose of AWESOMENESS

So