Last weekend I had the chance to go to Kenting, which is the most Southern part of Taiwan. Kenting is small and has a beach town vibe to it. It's a popular spot for tourists. The largest attraction is probably the beach and water activities which range from boating, tubing, to surfing and swimming. 

I went with my old high-school friend Feeling and her boyfriend. I was extremely grateful for her relatives in Kaohsiung who hosted us for the weekend. Unfortunately it's quite a trip from Kaohsiung to Kenting. Our methods of transportation were limited so we ended up riding motor scooters down the coast to Kenting. I most certainly did not take the risk of attempting to drive the motor scooter because that would cause my mother to lose years of her life moreover it's against the rules. Needless to say the views of the coast (from the backseat) were gorgeous. 

Kenting Beach 

My high school friend Feeling and her boyfriend 

Funny word play. The Chinese character reads "yi" making the sign read "email"

My return to Taiwan has certainly helped me improve my Chinese but that wasn't the sole reason why I returned to Taiwan. When I wrote my scholarship application I mentioned how important it was for me to return to Taiwan to see my host families. The last time I was in Taiwan my host families did everything from taking me to the doctor's office to keeping me full (not an easy task). During the past two months I've been able to see all three of my host families and it's been great. During these few months I've seen my host father become president of the Rotary club, gone to the zoo with my host sister, visited the beach, watched my host sister's dance performance, and gone hiking with my host brother. Out of everything that Taipei and Taiwan has to offer my favorite moments have been spent with my host families. I'd rather eat a meal at their house than go to Din Tai Fung. 

I'm frequently asked why my surname is 林(lin) and I always get a laugh when I tell them it was my first host family's surname. I never thought I'd use the term "host cousin" but in fact I eat meals, go hiking, and hang out with my host cousins. My host uncle even picked me up from the airport. 

I owe so much to my host families. I hope they understand how much I appreciate all of the meals. I can't thank them enough. They continue to encourage and inspire me to learn Chinese. I know that my parents are also thankful for everything that my host families have done for me. I hope that one day they'll have the opportunity to meet. 

Rotary meeting with my host sisters and host father 

Host mother and a wonderful meal

Nothing beats home cooking

My host father and even found me a running partner

My host sister and I kayaking

Mango Ice with my host family

Hiking trip with my host brother and host cousin

Family dinner

Before I came to Taiwan, I had a lot of expectations for the country that I think were heavily influenced by my experiences in China.  After spending several weeks here, I have to say there are some stark differences between Taiwan and China.

For one, public transportation in Taiwan is incredibly efficient.  I was impressed with China's public transportation, but after getting stuck on a standing-room-only slow train from Suzhou to Shanghai for two hours--a trip that should normally take about 30 minutes-- I realized that there was plenty of room for improvement.  On the other hand, I really can't imagine how Taiwan could improve on its public transportation.  A couple weeks ago, I traveled to Kaohsiung  and Kenting in southern Taiwan.  I arrived at Taipei Main Station at 3:00 pm, decided to wait in the ticket line (although, I could have purchased a ticket from a ticket vending machine straight away), waited in line for about five minutes, and then purchased a ticket for the 3:30 train.  I arrived in Kaohsiung, which is roughly 200 kilometers south of Taipei, two hours later.  The return trip was even easier since I used the ticket vending machine and bought an "anytime ticket" that allowed me to hang around the train station until I felt like boarding a train.

Language is another area where I have noticed major differences between Taiwan and China.  Of course, I knew beforehand that Taiwanese use traditional Chinese characters instead of the simplified characters used in China.  However, I didn't know that many words commonly used in China are rarely if ever used in Taiwan.  For instance, Mandarin Chinese is called "Putonghua" in China, but the Taiwanese use the older word "Guoyu."  Likewise, in China the word for subway is "ditie," but in Taiwan it's "jieyun."  For a while, I thought "lese" the Taiwanese word for garbage was completely different from the Chinese word "laji," until I found out that the characters for the two words are the same it's just a difference of pronunciation.  Apparently, Taiwanese understand most of the alternative Chinese Mandarin words, but every once in a while, I come across a word or phrase that that locals do not understand.  Case in point, I once used the word "yao" which is an alternative way to say "one" in Chinese Mandarin, and my Taiwanese Chinese instructor didn't have a clue why I had mispronounced such an easy word like "yi."

Perhaps the biggest difference I have noticed between Taiwan and China is that Taiwan, as a whole, seems very cosmopolitan.  In China, aside from major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen, I got the impression that the vast majority of Chinese had little if any significant connection to the outside world.  In contrast, many Taiwanese including those in far-flung places like the small east coast city of Yilan and Kenting on the southern tip of the island, seem to have strong personal ties to other countries.  Some have studied in Australia, others have worked in Japan, many have family members living abroad.  The simple fact that so many service workers are at least conversant in English (and more than few in Japanese) adds to this sense of cosmopolitanism.

I'm sure that I will continue to make comparisons between China and Taiwan for a long time to come.  I guess that's natural considering the years I spent in China where the relationship between China and Taiwan was a popular topic of discussion

I plan to travel to Alishan this weekend.  I am a big tea drinker and Alishan oolong tea has long been a favorite of mine, so I'm really looking forward to this trip.  I'll post some pics when I get back.

Kristian McGuire, M.A. International Affairs 2014,
Sigur Center 2013 Chinese Language Fellow,
National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan.

We usually dine out with our kiddos during the weekends. As we are big eaters, to avoid the hassle thinking what individual preferences are, and at the same time being as economical as we can, very often we find ourselves ordering a few dishes and sharing the food.

Hubby always enjoy a bowl of pig's organ soup and naturally, he spotted this stall along Jalan Besar after we finished our shopping. Apprently, Mun Chee Kee is pretty popular, with a long history and a couple of outlets in Singapore. This new outlet for example, is nicely setted with wooden tables and benches. The huge, outstanding posters backdrop depicting Singapore in the older 60s, and clearly labeled price menu definitely caught our eyes to step in and give it a try.

Green tea and Lemonade @ 0.50 cents each. Somehow, I enjoy my cold drinks being served in metal cups, giving me that extra cooling feel and enjoyment. ^_^

My personal favourite - Preserved vegetables (梅菜) - $2. Will not miss ordering this one if I am having my Bak Ku Teh. I like my 梅菜 to be sweet to go with the white rice and this definitely suit my tastebud in terms of sweetness and softness. The only minus point is there's too much oil.

Braised Pig Trotters - A pretty sinful dish but its also one of our favourite. This dish also comes with black vinegar but knowing the children and I dislike vinegar, Hubby ordered the normal braised pig trotters instead. Our kiddos love the meat as well as its skin. This is good to share among the family as it would be too much for one to manage.

Finally, the main attraction and a must order dish if you are at Mun Chee Kee. Pig's organ soup - $5.50. We enjoyed the soup which is not too pepperish or oily. A good mixture of toufu, meat balls, mixed organs and vegetables. It goes perfectly well with rice if you are dining alone.

We spent about S$15 for our dinner (including 2 cups of drinks and 4 bowls of rice) and our tummies are full with satisfaction. The stall is well ventilated by ceiling fans and it is located in the heart of Jalan Besar. A nice place to enjoy and share your meal with family and friends.

Name: Authentic Mun Chee Kee Pig Organ Soup
Address: 207 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208893