Saturday, April 30, 2011

Saturday - April 30, 2011: Taipei

Yesterday was a great day! We are staying at Chientan Overseas Youth Activity Center. Our day was very fun yesterday - with lots of great pictures and met many new friends.
We visited National Palace Museum, the Taipei Weekend Jade market and had a dinner with UM Alumni. They showed us their "old town streets" and we had the most amazing dinner followed with shaved ice topped with fresh fruit.

Today we are off to the Meining Workshop, Inc. (Barbie factory) lunch, then meeting up with new UM Alumni friends. Talked to them after dinner and we decided to visit a museum, to see the changing of the guards, then a night market.

Oh the itinerary.....Afternoon and evening - "Free Time" Just trying to see as much as possible in one day! The country is beautiful and the people are some of the most generous I have met in my life!
What a great opportunity! I will share pictures when I have access to upload some.

Off to Taipei

We caught the flight to Taipei. I may need to change the name of my blog since we are traveling extra miles! Toyko was so interesting - I'm glad we had a chance to visit there. Another bus ride and back to the airport we went. After a long day of walking my feet were killing me! Not to mention the luggage I had been toting around the city!

We missed some activities but think we had a substitute product in Toyko. The number of people in the city and the traffic were something to experience. I am looking forward to my stay in Taipei and joining the UM-Flint Study Abroad group.

Thursday and Friday - April 28 & 29th: Update on Taiwan and my adventures

Finally, a few minutes to post to my blog since leaving Detroit on Wednesday. Did I mention my flight was scheduled to leave at 3:30 BUT did not leave the gate until after 6:30PM?

We arrived in Tokyo to find out it was Golden Week, a week-long national holiday, when most everyone takes time off. Our flight to Taipei was cancelled.

AND we had crossed the International Date Line so it was now Thursday night. Delta put us up in a hotel, arranged a bus to take us there and gave us complimentary food. Everyone we had contact with apologized over and over again. We met a new friend, Jennifer, who is in the military and she was same position trying to get home to family.

We stood in line at one hotel, only to find out when we got to the front desk that they were out of rooms. Then we boarded another bus to another hotel - which was not as nice as the first choice. The best I can about that hotel was breakfast was great and the view of sunrise was awesome!

Good Morning Tokyo!
We stayed in Tokyo overnight and had some time so what to do? Stay at hotel? Airport? Go explore? I was on the plane with Ed and Josh, so we decided to eat the breakfast and head to downtown Tokyo. Let the great adventure begin!
Mini-Group SA Trip:  L to R  Ed - Pat - Josh
 We saw Tokyo Stock Exchange (it was closed due to holiday), an underground mall and saw plenty of differences between home and Japan. 1. The people we very friendly and accommodating. 2. They went out of their way to offer help. 3. The streets were clean and the people quiet.

We rode the Sky Bus and had a tour of the city - which was very interesting





Needless to say, counting my blessings. The trip got off to a rough start - but the day in Tokyo was an amazing eye-opening experience. Next stop -- Taipei and meet up with the whole group!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

How to contact me.....

I leave today for Taiwan. I will not be receiving or sending phone or text messages, but will have access to email throughout the trip. I have a SKYPE account -- my screen name is phonenana. I will also check my FB account and try to keep updates on that as well.

I have to finish packing.....leaving for the airport in a few hours!

P.S. There is a 12 hour time difference between Michigan and Taiwan

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Study Abroad Trip Update

"For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I could be angry the portion of the trip to Japan was canceled, but that would be very selfish on my behalf. I would also risk losing the opportunity for happiness. I will continue to pray for the safety of those involved in the tragedies in Japan. I am looking forward to the extra time I will get to spend in Taiwan. This week our last pre-departure meeting is scheduled for Friday.

Update on Japan/Taiwan Trip

"There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster."
Dalai Lama XIV

It is difficult to think that you might not have heard about the massive earthquake, tsunami and severe nuclear catastrophe at Fukushima Nuclear reactor that hit Japan on March 11. Thousands were killed, and millions left homeless. Others were exposed to radiation and life threatening injuries. See the link for new one month later....

http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/132428/20110409/japan-earthquake.htm

If you would like to help support those in need here are some agencies:
The American Red Cross (http://american.redcross.org) 
The Japan American Society of West Michigan (www.jaswm.org)
The Japan Business Society of Detroit (http://www.jbsd.org/ja/events/news.aspx?contentid=29)
The Japanese-American Citizens League of Dayton, Ohio. Donations can be sent to: Japan Earthquake Relief Fund c/o Chase Bank, 40 N. Main Street, Dayton, OH 45243
Michigan-Shiga Sister State Board. Make checks payable to “Michigan –Shiga Sister State Board” and note that this is a donation for the Japan Disaster Relief Fund. Please send checks to: Michigan-Shiga Sister State Board, P.O. Box 4715, East Lansing MI 48823-9998