Sad to leave Eastern Taiwan..

Our three-day excursion in Eastern Taiwan has sadly come an end. I am from an area that greatly depends on the farming industry, which is very open and uninhabited. This is a distinct feature of Eastern Taiwan, so I can really appreciate rural areas that have many farmlands. The crops that are grown there are very interesting as well. Previously, I’ve never seen a pineapple plant or rice patty in person. Our tour guide told me that most of the crops are planted and harvested completely by hand. Which tells me that the work ethic of the Taiwanese people is something to be admired, because farmers in the United States mainly depend on machinery with GPS, air conditioning, and many more comforts that they go without. We also visited an Aborigine tribe that lives in the hills of Eastern Taiwan. They had a choreographed routine that which included singing and dancing. It was a great experience to be there and witness their culture. They relied on making money from their performances to keep the tribe together. If they cannot raise any money from their singing and souvenirs, then they will be forced to move to the city to find a job and support them. The tour guide also arranged a meal for us to eat while visiting the Aborigines’. The food was prepared by them, and included many delicious plates like fish, harvest rolls, rice, steamed cabbage, and much more. I probably enjoyed this food the most out of all that we’ve eaten so far in Taiwan. But honestly, I’m ready to start eating some sushi in Japan. Taiwanese food is somewhat limited in selection, and the food that I enjoy eating limits it even more. I’m excited for out “free day” tomorrow. I plan to meet with some of the students from Tamkang University and go to the zoo. From what I hear, it’s the biggest zoo in all of Asia. Wish me luck!!!