Long weekend three

Long weekend two

Here are some more pics of the weekend! The details are in a previous post. ;-)

Long weekend

We had a fabulous long weekend. Not only was it a five day weekend but we also got to spend it in Taichung with Charles and Patricia. They bought a house in Salu, just outside of Taichung. A barbeque on the "stoep" outside was the perfect start!
We did the three and a half hour trip to Taichung by train. We didn't book in time to reserve specific seats and we were squeezing into the extra space by the water machine at the back of a car. We were perfectly content with our arrangement to take turns sitting in the 'half seat' when an elderly conductor motioned for us to follow him. We were shown to seats at the front of the train and we got to sit there undisturbed for the whole trip! The picture of James squeezed into an itty-bitty seat was our best shot at comfort before the lovely man arrived.

Charles and Patricia drove us around and showed us the Little Europe section of Taichung. A much different vibe from Kaohsiung; arty, quaint, cobblestone streets, beautiful sidewalks and trendy shops with brands I recognised everywhere. We arrived at about 11:30 a.m. in the morning and I was intrigued by the beautiful girls sweeping the sidewalks. Every shop attendant is expected to tidy up the section of sidewalk outside her shop and these girls are not afraid to work in heels. They get down to it. Check out the girl in zebra tights!

Little Europe had a Cape Town feel to it. It was the first time ever in Taiwan that I felt that familiar relaxation kick in of understanding the vibe of a place. Truth is, I don't understand it, but it just seemed so familiar. Later, I heard that Taichung has the highest crime rate in Taiwan, maybe that's why it felt so familiar...That night they took us to a traditional Hakka restaurant which was definitely something to write home about. Gorgeous interior and killer Kong Bao chicken. YUM! After eating way too much, we had mochi with peanut sprinkles. LOVE THAT MOCHI!! Mochi is chewy, soft, glutinous rice which is pounded into flour, mixed with various ingredients and molded into shapes. So chewy, in fact, that people die every year in Japan from choking on it!

On Sunday we went to Hsinchu because Charles might pastor a church there. We met a couple from Canada after the service, Nate and Emily, and they took us on a tour of the surrounding area. Really classy people!

We spent Monday night at a retreat center on the Adventist College campus near Puli in the Sun Moon Lake area. If you know what the entrance to Neethlingshof wine estate looks like in Stellenbosch, you'll understand just how beautiful this place is. Massive gardens with tree lined streets connecting the college, church and dorms. It was so quiet I could hardly believe I was in Taiwan. All the meals were prepared by the center and served in a lovely, albeit basic dining room. The only option when you eat there is a vegetarian diet with soy milk, juice and water for drinks. We were eating chocolate on the sly, and if I ever go there for an extended period of time, I'll definitely pack some cheese, dark chocolate and coffee. For anyone who really needs a break from all the noise and rush from living in the city, this place is ideal. The only recreation they cater for is a gym and a 50m swimming pool. I have a brochure, so call me if you need more info.

Speaking of swimming, Maureen rescued a puppy out of the Love River canal that runs by Bagel Bagel. She actually got into the slimy, mucky, vile water. She was admired from afar by the fire fighters who were supposed to catch the poor little mutt. You go girl! It's a young, female pup and soon posters of her will be posted everywhere to give the owner a chance to claim her. She might have been discarded into the canal on purpose, in which case the owner won't come forward. She's a little dog even at five months, so it shouldn't be too hard to find her a home if an owner doesn't come forward. If you are interested, please give me a call and I'll let you know if you can have her. We're fostering her for the moment (I named her Selah) so drop by to have a look!

I'm going to post a bunch of pics of our weekend in Taichung. Eblogger doesn't allow me to choose the order of appearance of the pics, so they won't be in chronological order, but you'll get the drift. Bye!

Together for the Gospel

Since James and I have gotten involved at our Bread of Life church here in Kaohsiung, we have been blessed beyond anything we could ask for or imagine. Not only have we been given a group of friends in a foreign country, but we have been challenged, encouraged, included in and blessed by learning more about Jesus with them.

When I arrived in Kaohsiung, February 2003, I wasn't here to be a missionary. I was excited to be in a foreign country and away from anything that remotely reminded me of accounting. I was thrilled with the strangeness of the smells, the visuals, the sounds of the languages and the promise of discovery. A month before I left for Taiwan, a friend of my father's, Gerhard (aka Tanne), accurately described what I already knew my motivation was for coming when he said, " Imagine that you will be learning something new everyday in Taiwan. Every time you take a new route to work, it'll be an adventure." We were swimming with Yerma and Lenka, his two beautiful daughters, in the sea at Arniston, SA. He was exactly right.

Now, three and a half years later, I can say that I know the route to most places in this city, let alone to work, and that I could NEVER have imagined that Taiwan would be this meaningful a place, for the joys that I have discovered while living here.

Today is a day that I want to remember. I had a day packed with joys that I couldn't have designed or orchestrated to so fully gladden my heart as it did.
I woke up next to James, my adoring husband and best friend ever. We went for a walk at the park near our house with Thandi and he listened patiently to my excited ramblings about the Together for the Gospel conference talks that I recently listened to. He shared a bottle of water with me even though I have been snorting and sniffing like a rhino with congestion for the past 3 days. My brother and my dad can testify to the long road I take to get to the point of a story, and James patiently waits for me to realise that I have digressed and sometimes helps me get back on track. He always knows just where the crucial break away from my main point was, so he gently pulls me back with a,"you were saying..."

Then I headed off to a paper painting class that I'm enjoying to no end. I popped into a small coffee shop en route and sat down to a delicious egg salad toasted sandwhich and watched a little Chinese girl across the street. She was on the second floor, visible through the floor to ceiling window. She was lying on her tummy, blissfully coloring with her feet dangling over her bum.
The class was rewarding firstly due to the company of girls that attended and secondly, the joy of creating something. Chicks can chat and chat and chat and then suddenly stop chatting and talk. I mean talk about things that really matter. It's rare, but very wonderful, when chicks cut to the chase and actually talk about God. I'm of the opinion that guys can do that much more easily than girls can, just because we enjoy chatting so much more than them. Anyway, I had a chance to really talk to a friend of mine. We stood outside the painting class for an hour and would still be standing there if we didn't mind sweating it up in the humidity or missing dates we had made for the afternoon. YAY!

During my lunch date I was introduced by my friend to a jovial man from the Dominican Republic, that I now consider a new friend (thanks Jam!). Incredibly interesting time with them. In a nut shell, very little chatting and A LOT of talking. Double yay!

At home, tonight, James and I listened to John Piper's talk at the Together 4 the Gospel conference. Good grief, earth shaking, soul stupifying stuff. That one man can contain such a PASSION for God's glory, Jesus Christ, and NOT explode, is amazing. Any man, who is considering preaching or has already preached a thousand sermons, would do well listening to Piper.

My final joyous moment was finally getting it right when I crochet, to crochet a couple of rows without losing a stitch at the end, and figuring out where the hidden, little, tricksy stitch that I kept missing was hiding all the time. The cherry on the cake that doesn't really count as a joy, but was noteworthy, was Thandi doing her bee's wax within ten meters of our building during her late night walkie and saving me a longer walk to the park! Yay, yay, yay!

'n Lang brief oor 'n kort jaar!

Na een jaar van getroud wees kan ek net sê die leer kurwe was skerp opdraend!

Aangesien 'n jaar verby is, dink ek dis hoog tyd dat ek vertel wat ek en James aanvang hier in die Ooste. Ons het terug gekom van Bali af, na 'n week lange honeymoon, en in sy piep klein flat ingetrek. Ons het daar gebly tot Desember en toe na 'n groter woonstel getrek binne stap afstand van ons kerk af. Ons buurt bestaan uit geboue wat gemiddeld 25 vloere elk het en ons woon op die 7de vloer. Ons het gelukkig 'n kort geboutjie voor ons, so ons het darem nie 'n baksteen muur wat ons in die gesig staar soos soveel ander mense nie. Ons het 'n twee slaap kamer flat, met die hoof slaapkamer en badkamer op die tweede verdieping. Die huur is R2 800 per maand en dis regtig in 'n prime area. Lewenskoste in Kaohsiung is aansienlik goedkoper as Taipei, grotendeels omdat die verblyf so goedkoop is. Ons flat is seker so R700 000 werd (volgens 'n vrou wat die flat oorkant ons sin wil koop) maar min buitelanders koop eiendom. Net Amerkaners, Kanadese en Britte kan eiendom in hul eie naam koop. Die res van ons moet 'n Chinese mede-eienaar hê.

Die hysbak geryery is wat my die meeste herinner dat ek nie in SA is nie. Vanoggend was Thandi (ons brakkie) missing, en toe kry James haar binne in die hysbak op die 12de vloer. Stoutert. Sy het haar beentjie soos 'n mal ding rond gegooi toe ek vanoggend in vrede probeer lees het, so toe gooi ek haar en haar beentjie by die voordeur uit om bietjie op die landing te jol. Dis toe dat sy op haar avontuur in die hysbak gegaan het.

Ek en James werk albei by dieselfde skool en in Julie het hy die bestuurder geword. Dis 'n baie lekker opset omdat 5 uit die 6 buitelanders wat daar werk christene is. Dit tel vir baie in Taiwan. Ek het onder andere, 'n klas 4 middae 'n week, vir twee en 'n half ure met 5 studente, almal tussen 6 en 8 jaar oud. 'n Half uur van elke klas is storie tyd en ons het alreeds deur die hele kinder Bybel gewerk. Een dag vertel ek 'n nuwe storie en die volgende klas moet hulle my dieselfde storie oorvertel voordat ons aanbeweeg.
Hulle is gewoond om geloof te praat en te dink omdat hulle daagliks mense sien geel papiere in swart dromme brand om die spoke te dien. Die spoke is voorvaders, so vroeg in hul geheues as hul oumas en oupas. Ek het al gehoor van mense wat christene word en dan deur hul ouers gevra word," Wie gaan my aanbid na my dood as jy nou besluit om 'n christen te word?" Dis belaglik wat die geloof hier is, maar dit word met oorgawe geglo en slaafs nagevolg. So dis met verbasing dat ek sien en hoor hoe goed die kinders die Bybel in ENGELS verstaan. Hulle slimste vrae en aanmerkings (ek het seker al die bestes vergeet, maar nou ja):

1. Teacher, why does the bad king always bai-bai to an idol? (bai-bai is Chinese vir bid)
2. I like Moses, he is very smart.
3. All the people are very naughty. Very BAD. They bai-bai to a cow. Moses is so angry, he shouts AAAAAAGH! and break the stones with the ten rules. But it's ok, God do again and people are good. They listen to Moses. He is the teacher.
4. Why Moses can't go into God's country? (Die outjie het amper begin huil toe hy hoor Moses mag Kanaan net gesien het, nie fisies in gegaan het nie.)
5. Goliath say HA HA HA, who is the boy with sling shot? David say, me and God will cut off your head, ugly man. You have power but God has the BIGGEST power.
6. A cow can't take away my bad things, so Jesus die and wake up.
7. Is Jesus coming to Tiawan? When?

Hulle love die name van die mense. Wanneer ons spanne name moet gee wil een span Elija wees en die ander wil Jonah wees. Die kort lettergrepe maak hulle bly. Die kleinste seuntjie, Ryan, toe hy nog vyf was, het my verbaas toe hy onophoudelik begin lag het vir Petrus. Hy het aanhou sê: "Peter is so funny." Toe Petrus eers sê dat Jesus nooit sy voete sal was nie, en later vra dat Jesus hom van kop tot tone was as dit beteken dat hy mag deel hê aan Jesus se koninkryk. Ook, die "Peter is so funny" het uit gekom toe Peter die eerste persoon was wat by die leë graf IN gehardloop het. Die res het net in gekyk. Ek dink Ryan love Petrus se gung-ho persoonlikheid.

Verder het ek en James 'n tweede brakkie vir so twee maande aangeneem en probeer rehabiliteer na 'n rowwe eerste paar maande in die ou brakkie se lewe. Nou is sy 'n gesonde 5 maande oue hondjie wat te lekker bly by 'n Chinese familie met die rare verskynsel van 'n tuin. So sy gaan bos. Ek het lang trane gehuil om haar weg te gee, maar nou ja.

James doen nou aansoek by 'n klomp law schools in Kanada en hy sal volgende September se semester begin swot. Dis verskriklik opwindend om te dink ons trek soontoe, maar dis nog vaag omdat ons nie seker is watter skool hom die beste finansiele hulp sal bied nie. Beurse is baie makliker bekombaar in Kanada as in SA so hy gaan wag en sien. Ek is regtigwaar nie kieskeurig oor waarheen nie, ek gaan dit love waarookal ons beland.
Sodra hy 'n aanvaardingsbrief van 'n universiteit ontvang het, kan ons my werkspermit en resident visa se aansoek inhandig. Dit neem 6 maande om te proseseer so alles hang af van wanneer die universiteite hul studente laat weet. Ek en Thandi sal dalk later as hy opdaag in Kanada. Sy het haar airline approved hok en als vir die trip so ons is reg. Ek dink sy gaan 'n mus benodig, maar dis vir later.

Vir nou sien ons net vreeslik uit na die SA trip in Desember. Ons sal kersfees in Jhb wees en daarna in Kleinmond. Ek kannie wag nie!

Laat dit goed gaan, en laat weet my hoe dit met julle gaan. Dis vrek ver van die huis af hier en ek voorsien nie dat ek nader gaan kom nie. Ek werk dit stadig maar seker deur, dis regtig nie 'n maklike ding om te besef dat ek nie huistoe gaan kom nie.

Gaan nou slaap! Het 'n rowwe dag by die dieretuin gehad saam met 'n klomp crazy kids.

BAIE liefde
Liezl

what a zoo

Can't wait for tomorrow! The school is going on an outing to the Kaohsiung zoo and it's always hillarious. The children go nuts when they are allowed to leave their bookbags at home, wear their little sun hats and run around outdoors screaming and yelling for joy. Here are some pictures from last year's trip. They tell a bit of the excitement that the kids experience.

Apart from the Johannesburg zoo, the zoo in Bali is very impressive. We went there on our honeymoon. It was an accident really. We were on our way to the airport and stopped at a silver jewellery factory. It turned out that the zoo was close by and we had time to kill before our flight back to Taiwan. It was amazing! We saw a snow white peacock! Can you imagine that? Also, we saw an Indonesian Komodo dragon, which was very interesting. The staunchest, meanest looking lizard you can imagine. Much smaller than 'Die Huisgenoot' made them look in an article when I was in primary school. 'Die Huisgenoot' is an Afrikaans tabloid magazine that is unabashedly sensasionalist. If it's gory, if it's vile, if it shocks, and if it's someone like you, it's in 'Die Huisgenoot'. They took pictures of these lizards on a beach without any object to give readers an idea of scale, so in my mind's eye they were 6 feet tall. Turns out, not really.

I'll take lots of pics tomorrow!

Carmen

James and I went to the Cultural Center to see a flamenco dancing version of Carmen. It was very colorful and the dresses that the dancers wore were spectacular. It included a lot of foot stomping and hand clapping with a singer that sounded just like a member of The Gypsy Kings. It was very professional and of course the dancers knew exactly what they were doing, but I found it lacking something. Usually, when I watch live performances, I get waves of goosebumps from the sheer enjoyment of seeing something that well synchronised. This show however, had few such moments because although there were many dancers on stage at any one time, there would only be one or two really dancing. The others would stand around clapping. It's great for the first 30 minutes, but after that I really appreciated the few times when all the skirts were twirling simultaneously and they were filling the stage with movement and color.

More later!

Maureen's Pepper

Maureen is a jovial Canadian friend I met at Chinese class. We both stopped attending the class, but we see each other regularly at the Bagel Bagel park when we walk our dogs. She has Dexter, George, Jasper, Jack and I have Thandi. She calls Vriendjie, Pepper and she regularly feeds her dinner, protects her from dog snatchers, buys her red collars and provides shelter if need be. Maureen and Chad are doggie crazy in the head, too, so we get along just fine! They are known in the neighborhood as the wai-guo-ren who care about dogs. Even the homeless man that sleeps in the park and has three of his own dogs, greets her when he passes her by. She's a bit of a celeb. I got asked the other day if I was the girl with four dogs. I had to disappoint the man. He had not yet heard of me.

This is Pepper, aka Vriendjie, Thandi's best friend. She lives in the park permanently and manages to play with at least ten different dogs throughout the day. She has a very social but gentle personality and has made the park her home. She has so many owners and gets taken care of by many people in the 'hood. Somebody paid to have her spade, which is the biggest favor you can do for a stray. I really salute the community around that park in particular for their efforts. In a country where SPCA doesn't exist and dogs are mistreated or abandoned without reason, these people have really been loving towards Pepper. She's a very lucky dog!

Happy birthday James!

Happy birthday bokkie!
Today, one year ago, we were on a Malaysia Air flight to South Africa for the wedding. I can't believe time has flown this quickly!It has been a very packed year and I think both of us were on a very steep learning curve. Our hardest times were in the first six months and after 9 months things really became easier.
I am very thankful to be married to James. We have grown together so much, especially by reading the Bible together and I'm quite certain that if it wasn't for that, we would have fallen out of the bus completely. There were times when I had to read a certain chapter out of Leviticus out loud, unable to skip anything - because James would know immediately that I was cheating - that I got so impatient I wanted to scream. Then, suddenly, the worth of sitting there with him, reading aloud the Word of God would hit me like a ton of bricks and my moody, selfish desire to shut the Book and check my e-mail would disappear. I'd get up afterward feeling joyful and prepared for the day ahead of me and know that 30 minutes ago that was impossible.
Nothing beats reading the Bible - especially together.

2 Timothy 3:15-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Crochet class

Here is Elizabeth teaching me how to crochet. Grip, technique, how tight or loose, consistent stress on the yarn, switch hands, turn the needle a little towards you and all the while get into the habit of counting stitches as you go. Very stimulating indeed.

Funny how something as traditional as crochet really appeals to me and to some of my friends. The thought of having a gorgeous afghan on our bed that I made, or giving someone a baby blanket especially made for the little one, gladdens my heart to no end. If I had known what I know now, I would have swallowed my pride in high school, and ditched biology for home economics. It's so much fun being a girl, but you have to know how to use certain girly tools.

My ouma Rietsie is a knitting, crochet and sewing boffin. How I wish I had paid more attention to how she did things when I was still living in South Africa. Just like my mom's cooking. How is it that I don't know how to cook what I ate so many times? Pathetic! I want to learn, learn, learn!

Also joined a paper painting class on Saturdays. Leanne is our teacher. She is from Taiwan and married to Cliff who comes from Canada. She teaches for free - the members of the class only have to pay for the materials. It's a joy! Some girls finish in 30 minutes flat and walk away totally satisfied with their handiwork. Others scrutinize and rethink and redo and frown their picture into being. The meticulous and the broad stroke girls all get something out of it. It's great.

It's 1:25 am - I should get to bed!
L*

City shots and friends

I took pictures from my scooter of sights in the city on the way to Elizabeth's house. After three and a half years of living in Taiwan, I don't really notice the odd sights anymore. Much like a local, I also stop 5 feet before the white line at a traffic light, if that means I can wait in the shade. Here are the pictures, I took them quickly as I stopped at lights, so this is a ride down Mintzu Road, Kaohsiung city.
1. Cooked ducks next to a four lane road - for eating
2. Elizabeth's street near the cultural center
3. The yellow 3C electronics shop & water tank
4. Elizabeth and her husband, Stephen
5. Girls hiding from the sun in 30'C

Meet Thandi and Vriendjie

Yesterday I had so much fun. Since I don't work until 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, I had time to have my morning walk with Thandi, do the laundry and spend time with my very good friend, Elizabeth.

Thandi and I have a morning drill. I wake up at about 8 a.m., throw on some shorts, grab my hat and release the poor little prisoner from her nightly cell. It never fails to lead to some joyful yelps and a celebration of the new found space in which she can run circles around the livingroom table at full speed.

We bought an expensive crate for her when she was just a puppy for a couple of reasons. She was destroying our books, snuggling on the couch and she chewed the vinyl off our sofa's armrest. Our landlord's sofa I should say. After that, we decided to keep her under lock and key when we aren't around to limit the damage. So she sleeps in her airline approved, double decker, made in Italy, dog cage when we are at work or upstairs in our bedroom. She has accepted it now and quite happily "goes to bed" when told to do so. She has a water bottle attached to the swing door, so she can lick a little ball that lets water trickle out slowly.

Mam:
Mamma sal dit love om te sien hoe ek haar leash aansit elke oggend. Sy sit mooi en dan lig sy haar poot vir "Dankie" sodat ek die leash oor haar een been kan hak. As ek met die een been klaar is, sal sy die ander optel vir "Dankie" sodat ek dit oor die ander kan hak, dan wag sy totdat ek die hals agter toe gedruk het voordat sy opspring en verder rond hol in ekstase!

She has a friend at the park that I have christened "Vriendjie", which means little friend in Afrikaans. They are replicas of each other apart from the fact that Vriendjie is black and Thandi golden brown. Vriendjie is as an affectionate dog as Thandi and also licks and licks and licks and licks to show affection. If we had a yard I would have taken her home in no time.

Dogs stories galore, I know, but I love them!

hello!

Hello almal.
Dis wonderlik! 'n Dagboek wat ek kan deel met julle sodat julle nie so ver voel nie. Ek gaan in Engels en in Afrikaans skryf, want sommige stories kom net nie lekker uit in Engels nie. Yay,yay,yay!
This is my first entry, so I'm just testing the waters. Blessings!