Evangelism in Yizhong Night Market（一中）

Chris Steiner using rope trick while being translated by Jesse

Wednesday, instead of having classes all day, we took the students out to practice what we have been teaching them all semester about evangelism (3:30-7:30pm).  Unlike the U.S. many people are very open to talking about faith and actually interesting. The group of girls in the photo above have never heard the story of Jesus before. There was many people who heard about Jesus for the first time, while others could hear a clear explanation of what Jesus really is about vs the wrong ideas about him they have. Pray for the Salvation of Taiwan.

Taiwanese Canadians and Skateboarding!

Photo by Michael Macdonald

I actually didn't land the photo above but I had a good time skating! Sunday Night Michael (Canadian that lives in Taiwan), took a couple hour trip to Taichung to skate with me. He has a 6 year old son that shreds on a skateboard and is better then lots of my friends behind the camera. After skating the skatepark we did a little street skating. We skated from 5:30-10:30 and his son was still pushing after the long day. Below is a video he put together from the skatepark sesh. (everything in the skatepark is actually huge compared to how it looks in this video. It is made for bikes)

Check Out the Brunner Twins

The Twins from skatefairy on Vimeo.

This video was composed by Ty Evans (who also filmed many videos related to the Crailtap companies) of two young brothers (12 years old) that rip on a skateboard. I couldn't even ollie yet at their age.

Taiwan Skateboarding

I have been trying to connect with the skateboarding in Taiwan on the weekends. Thought it can be difficult. Friday night I was able to skate to Feng-Chai Night Market, where I was picked up by A-Hon on a scooter, he then drove me almost 30 min. to go skate at a skatepark on the other side of Taichung. We skated from midnight until 3 am.

All weekend I have been trying to connect with more skaters but it is difficult (partly because of language barrier). So Sunday I spent the night skating by myself just exploring Taiwan. I found myself getting caught in a heavy rain at least 30min away from home. I then realized I really don't know how to get home.  Eventually things started to look familiar but I just couldn't figure out where to go. I eventually gave in and tried to ask for directions. Good thing too, because I live in the opposite direction then what I was going.

Today I decided to not go that way again. But the opposite way from my apartment. I have traveled this way a little bit before. So I decided to try to do more exploring. I eventually found a playground with many cool things to skate on. I really wanted to skate, but I know in America if I skateboarded on this stuff I would probably have police telling me to stop or security. So I wasn't going to. However I decided to ask the people in the park if it was ok. Even though their English wasn't very good it sounded like they said it was fine. So I began skateboarding all over on the playground. However instead of people being upset that I was skateboarding I found myself being watched (admired) by a small group of about 5 people in the middle of the night.

Then I heard someone else skateboarding. I then was able to skate with this girl (26 years old) and a guy (27 years old) for a few hours on the flat ground. They asked me to teach them how to ollie better and to show them some things. We exchanged phone numbers in hopes to skate with again together.

(Once again I didn't bring my camera but next time I'll get some pics for you)
(I am really excited to get some cool photos there. I can't wait to show you.)

Idols Tour Taiwan

Here is a very interesting article about a bus giving idols (Matsu gods) a tour around the island of Taiwan.

Click here to read article: Taipei Times

Trip to Taipei Part #3

On Sunday we went to a bilingual church then spent the rest of the day in a night market in the middle of the day.

I was supposed to meet up with a guy I have never met before to go skateboarding with. However he lost his cell phone so it caused some complications trying to meet up.  Also during this time we lost one of the Korean guys. We searched for him all over the Taipei main metro area and called him in Korean over the loud speaker. Eventually after about 30min. he was found.

Later that night Betsy treated us out to a great meal at her workplace, T.G.I. Fridays. Then we rode the train and bus to Taipei 101. Taipei 101 was the tallest building from 2004 - 2010.  The photo above was taken without a tripod at 1/6 shutter-speed. I had to lay on the ground to be able to get the whole building in view/stabilize my camera the best I could. They enjoyed taking pictures of me laying on the ground being so dedicated to getting the picture I wanted.

After we went back to the Hostel, Clay and I decided to go exploring again. Betsy directed us to a temple a couple blocks down the street. The photos below were taken between 12-1am.

We spent a little more time in Taipei Monday morning then took a 2 hour bus ride back home. I don't if every Taiwanese are really good at being tour guides or if just Betsy is. It was a really fun weekend and I can't wait to see more of Taiwan!

Trip to Taipei Part #2

The next day (Saturday) we rode a bus for an hour or more up into the Young Ming Mountain. The first part was very pretty looking, with sidewalks and flowers.

Then we walked down a road that zip zagged back and forth. We took some short cuts through the woods. At one point we took a super long path. They all enjoyed taking breaks on the way up while the Koreans enjoyed listening to music on their walk. I think I was the only one who enjoyed the hike.

When we finally got to the top we arrived at this Hindu Temple playing wonderful sounding music, however it is very evil music. Then if you look the other way there was a nice very of other mountains and the city.

We then went to a field of white lilies. While there we ate at a restaurant. They had this bizarre looking red fish with blue dots all over it. There has been fruit and different kinds of animals I have seen here that I didn't know existed.

Tour Guide Betsy (student) then took us to a hot spring. For some reason I always picture hot springs being like a bath tub in a rock you sit in. However this was more like a hot river.

After a long bus ride back down the mountain, we took a boat across a big river. We rented two seater bikes to ride together, playing rock paper scissors to determine your riding partner.

We found a place with lots of little crabs you can catch. Right away the Korean guys started catching the crabs.

Crab vs Clay

Tour Guide Betsy

The rest of the night we enjoyed our time shopping in the Night Markets having fun.

My "Hostel" Life - Trip to Taipei Part #1

This past weekend I went to Taipei with about 7 other people. When we arrived we walked down this creepy looking street to the place that we would be sleeping for the weekend. The Hostel cost NT900 ($30 US) for 3 nights. I slept in a room with 10 other complete strangers. However everyone I met there seemed very nice. I got to meet many interesting people.  I was able to practice my Japanese with an older man and also met a really good artist.

The first night there we went out to eat, then back to the Hostel to sleep. But Being in Taipei for the first time keep me very eager to explore my surroundings. So I went out with the 2 Korean guys students to take some pictures and explore the area.

Feng Chia Night Market

Tuesday we had a half day for SYME because of the Tomb-Sweeping Holiday. A large group of us decided to go to the Feng-Chia night market. It is the largest one in Taichung. Many people are crowded here every night.

It almost felt like being at a fair. There was tons of different kinds of food to eat and games to play. Most of our time spent there was eating. I was being offered food constantly throughout the night.

(photo above) A group of us hanging out eating. (photo on left) One of the teachers kids eating giant sized corned dogs.

We all played some basketball arcade game (6 machines in a row). One of the girl teachers was doing insanely good, but then we noticed her machine wasn't working right.

A Student (from Korea) a playing Baseball Game

Eventually the food became a little more interesting starting with having some fried squid.

Taiwan is famous for its "Stinky Tofu". You can smell the horrible stench while walking by places that serves it. Eventually one of the Taiwanese girls convinced us to try it. Thankfully we didn't buy it from the worst smelling stand.

Skateboarding in Taichung

Skate shop logo

I finally made it out to the skate shop to buy a skateboard because my other one got misplaced in Seattle. It was about a 45min walk from where I live however a teacher offered to drop me off there. I had to work through trying to communicate with the workers, who spoke very little English, until I was able to buy all the parts I needed. Skateboards in Taiwan cost NT4,800 which is about $165 US. A little more expensive then what I am use to paying. But they workers were very kind and friendly.

They called a friend of theirs that spoke some English to come talk to me. They then bought me a cold green tea drink and took me skating with them. We skated at a school with very smooth marble floors, with about 10 other skaters. He said that out of the huge city in Taichung there is only about 100 people that skateboard.

Even though I couldn't talk with the other skaters we had a good time. He taught me some words in Chinese that have to do with skateboarding and we also talked about each others beliefs a little bit.

(Sorry I didn't bring my camera to take pictures I wasn't sure the extent of skateboarding we would be doing, but next time I will take some photos to share.)

One Week in Taiwan

This is the street I live on

I have been in Taiwan for a whole week now. The first few days of SYME school (tues.-fri.) was a little confusing but I am starting to understand how the day is run. This first week I was observing other teachers how they taught. Now this next week I will begin teaching a few classes.

I am living with 2 Koreans and 2 Taiwanese guys. When we are in our apartment there is a lot of translating back and forth between us.

Sunday I went to a bilingual church. I had to listen to the preaching being translated through head phones into one ear while listening to the Chinese in the other ear.

Temple located near by

This weekend is Tomb Sweeping Day. It is a national holiday in Taiwan. Many people will go to their dead relatives graves and clean up the area. However they also worship their ancestors and pray to them asking for their blessing.