A little while ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a unique experience, the kind that is so unexpected and amazingly interesting it might be best labeled as a “Special Fulbright Experience”. With that hook, let me tell you about making tea. Wait what – don’t I make tea every day? Well, yes that’s …
Making Tea – Skill can also be a limited resource Read More »
I have spent no small amount of time contemplating the habits of what might be considered an “average” Taiwanese person and trying to compare them to that of an “average” American. (Of course, this immediately comes with the problem of generalizing many people to one average, which is unfair. Please allow me the following reflections …
It started with a bang and ended with silence. Or something like that. Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) is upon us! Chinese New Year really is the biggest holiday of the year here – and now I can agree that equating it to feeling of Christmas / New Year in the States is appropriate. …
When I wrote my application to come to Taiwan, I said that I was coming to study tea. My proposal was primarily to conduct scientific study of environmental impacts of tea farming. However, the logistics of conducting a meaningful study of anything related to environmental science appear to be quickly withering away my time in …
Drinking hot water For years I have carried around a hot water thermos, usually filled with tea but sometimes water. Sometimes the water is hot, sometimes it is cold. It ranks just below my phone and my wallet for my essentials when leaving the house. In reality, these habits are fairly strange for an American. …
Of the challenges presented by traveling abroad, I’ve found that classic question of identity is still every bit a relevant and interesting. For example, the little cultural things I didn’t realize that I took for granted but are part of the way that I act: are these habits and viewpoints what make me who I …
This post is more than a week late for its topic, but it is too interesting to not write some about. Last week was October 10. In Taiwan, this is the National Day holiday 國慶日, commemorating the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC) which now governs Taiwan. For short, it’s often referred to as …
As of yesterday, I think I can say that I am officially moved into my new apartment – my home for the next 10 months until the end of my Fulbright grant here. The semi-permanence is thrilling and also moderately troubling. I am already noticing downsides to the place, but I’m trying to quiet the …
Chinese culture has many traditions that are based on the lunar (and sometimes the solar) calendar and although they have now adopted the international standard of the Gregorian calendar*, these old traditions still surface in everyday life. Example 1: the fall moon festival (中秋節) was this Sunday. To be honest, even after celebrating it, I …
To be honest, it had been a long time since I had had really good tea. The kind of tea that is so good that it makes you stop thinking about other things. Tea so good that, for fleeting, existential moments, there is nothing else in the world but the million, minute sensations relating to …