The Roving Reporter
R-O-T-A-R-Y..
Posted by: Amy Reiter
Tuesday, March 13, 2007 10:21 AM
Just about every day we've been here, we've attended a Rotary club meeting. Meetings are extravagant affairs here. Most of the Rotary members are business owners or bosses of some sort, and the clubs meet at a hotel dining room and eat about 10 courses of food, listen to a presentation (in this case, by our group) and donate money to causes like education. Tonight's group sponsored a junior high baseball league.
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Meetings start and end with a bell ringing. People sing R-O-T-A-R-Y and clink glasses saying something that sounds like "campe," emphasis on the second syllable. It's used to say "cheers" and literally means empty your glass.
People here have been so incredibly nice to us. Today one of the interpreters told us she and the Rotary club's president had met for five days straight to prepare for meeting us. And when they do, it's such an occasion! I think I've been in about 500 pictures so far -- and really, I'm not exaggerating. Within a couple minutes of introducing each other, we're posing.
Today we went to the Kaohsiung museum of art, and saw an exhibit called "Formosa Mambo," featuring 20th century artists from Taiwan. Their paintings were really interesting, displaying over and over concerns about becoming a materialistic culture, about personal freedom or lack thereof, about the dirt and grime of everyday life, and about being part of a world culture. At least, that's what the descriptions said a lot of the art was about.
During a break, I wandered around the neighborhood and found an outdoor market selling mushrooms, teas and dried fruits and fish, among other things. It was so neat to see the buying and selling, and the ingredients of dishes I keep seeing on my plates. Because my Chinese vocabulary has about 30 words, I end up miming a lot of what I need to communicate, especially when I'm on my own without a Rotary host. It kind of feels like charades. Maybe I'll be really good at it by the time I get back, but I'd rather be really good at Chinese.
Here's a phrase I'll use until then:
Wo bu dong = I don't understand
Amy
Comments
It will be hard to come back and not be the center of attention like it appears all of you are. I have enjoyed your comments and that of Shanae. Have a great time and pass on my best wishes. Chinese class has only one session left. James
Posted by jamesayers on March 13, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Sounds like you are having a fantastic time! I'm jealous! Take care and hurry home. Keep up the great blog. We miss you!
Posted by erinlindenlevy on March 13, 2007 at 3:55 PM
