Host Family Move and Paperdoll

Wednesday November 14^th, 2012

Short sleep, increasing stress, full day at school? Yep. This called for an iced coffee! Though I’m starting to suspect that the drink lacks the ‘coffee’ part because I don’t feel a thing of difference when consumed. Wanted: another source of back-up energy. Reward: a non-wobbly, teetering or passed out Andrea. XD

When walking into class, I noticed most of my classmates were fiddling away with their paperdolls. I spotted a cat design, Captain America, a Mickey & Minnie Mouse duo and a bunch of Naruto characters. Still set on creating an adorable Motochika, I left my blank doll alone because I had not yet gotten the opportunity to buy any materials, therefore couldn’t do anything.

Yet a girl came up to me and gestured to my cut out pieces. Based on her body movement, broken English and Chinese I realized something that made my blood freeze momentarily. The paperdoll…was due today.Oh…SNAP! I explained to her that I didn’t have any needed supplies (markers, craft knife and glue). She helped me fish around classmates to borrow the materials, so whew! I did get ahold of the stuff (thank goodness) but the marker color choices made a barrier. There was no orange and even more drastically, a lack of purple. EGASP! I can’t make a Motochika without two different colors of purple! Nooooooo! This forced me to throw out the Motochika plan (sorry baby) and quickly come up with a new character that I could draw with the accessible markers.

I was panicking! Who could I create with the markers in front of me before school ended today? That’s such a short time! And all the characters popping up in my mind were complicated designs. Oh geez, oh geez. Not good, not good! My mind flew past lists of shows and characters in attempt to find someone easy yet special enough to stand out from being classified as something I made up. Then it hit me! I thought back to my room and the previous paperdolls I already made (I didn’t draw them, I pieced printed patterns out). Going across my bookcase I mentally saw Date, then Yukimura…Inuyasha…Shizuo…Izyaza. HUH?! WAIT! I looked at the markers in front of me and saw yellow, black, red and purple/blue color. YES! Houston, we no longer have a problem! I had found my model!

To those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, this won’t make much sense and will be boring. For those who have watched ‘Durarara!!,’ join me in fan giggling. XD Yes I crafted a huggable Shizuo! With his nice simple bartender outfit and short hair, he was a breeze to complete before the day was up. When I managed to finish the coloring and stepped back to view the work, it just didn’t quite feel like Ahizuo. Something was missing. One yield sign later that’s ready to beat a wild Izaya with, made Shizuo juuuuuuuust right. XD BEHOLD!

Beginning stage...

Colored stage...

Nearly finished staaaaaaage...

Masterpiece stage!

Ain’t he cute? I think he turned out quite well. I’m very proud of Shizuo’s turnout and just loved the creation process. It’s been too long since my last papercraft. ^_^ And he just looks so cool! The Shizuo back at my house in Texas is slightly preferable because the paperdoll shape is more realistic but this one I can say that I did all of the character design myself! I likey! ;D

Exiting the MRT and walking the ten minute distance home, I realized it was the last time to do so. Sure I can visit my family again but it was the last walk home when living with them. Kinda sad to think about. So I just had to enjoy the feel and scenery of the stroll one last time. It was nice. :)

Packing my belongings was another kicker that brought the realization of switching down upon me. The empty room both was saddening but also very welcoming. It just called out, “Come! Make yourself at home!” Oh room, how I wanted to do so. How I wanted indeed.

With the packing complete, I went downstairs in search of some beloved family members. Auntie Jenny (or Chen Mama) was cooking dinner herself in the kitchen. Though I offered assistance, there wasn’t really anything I could do. Instead Chen Mama gave me a bubble milk tea that she bought earlier to munch on. It was a kind surprise of her to buy that for me and Yavanna (who joined us later). And thoughtful of her to get half sugar in my drink. She psychically knew what I preferred apparently. XD

AT LAST! An opportunity arises! A chance to be helpful to my family though it may seem small. Setting the table! Yeah it does seem minor but the fact that I can do something for them makes me really pleased. I just wish I could do more.

Before the meal began, my host mother surprised me a bit with an act she never did before. She prayed. I knew she was a Christian but we haven’t prayed together before. That alone was cool. What was touching was Chen Mama praying for me and my host family switch. How thoughtful! How sweet! How caring! I felt so honored for her words even if they were in Chinese. The language barrier can’t hide her overflowing compassion. Yet another reason why I adore this family.

Originally I thought the host family switch would take place before dinner, leaving the meal to be enjoyed with the new family. But I was wrong. So I was gifted with one last dinner before the switch. And delicious it was! Chen Mama sure knows how to cook!

Afterwards I gave the Chen family a card I had prepared. It stated my appreciation towards all their generosity and kindness for hosting me. Another small act of mine, I know, but I hope it gets my sincere feelings through. The translation between languages was easy because they could read English better than hearing it, so at least they could understand what I wrote. Yay! ^_^

Chen Mama prepared a bag of goodies for me to enjoy at my second host family’s house. Inside was two big apples (YUM!), a bunch of ‘Nature Valley Fruit & Nut’ bars (Oh yes!) and one baking mix bag of Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownies to bake for my new family (L.O.V.E.). Oh, the Chen family are all just so considerate. I owe them so much. Really.

The time to leave inevitably had to come though. I was pleased to see my second host father and Braden, the exchange student from Pennsylvania whom I was swapping families with. Yes there was a change of plans in the switching that I shall explain later. Everyone sat down and chatted shortly before we loaded up my luggage in my second host father’s car. The goodbyes surprised me because I was conscious of the conservative Taiwanese culture and was going to keep it to a waving of the hands. But Chen Mama and Yavanna both had open arms for a hug. GASP! HUGS! With people I love! Yes, please! :D It was a good way to end my stay at the house, on a nice note.

Then onward it was to the future. First was to take Braden to his new host family (my first host family) and for me to pack my things at that place. It turned into a ‘PACK AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT’ thing. Everything was just stuffed with half-hearted organization. There was no time for neatness but at least the protection of delicate things was kept in mind. When finished, the large suitcase, gym bag, backpack and box was transported downstairs, out the apartment and across the street to wait for my second host father and his car. While waiting we found out…I had forgotten two whole drawers of clothes in the room. Oh snap, crackle, pop! A sprint across the street, down the alley, up the five floors and back into the bedroom was in order. I grabbed a big plastic bag I set aside for recycling and used it for a quick transportation device. How in the world did I overlook those drawers? It must have been the desperate rushing to finish as fast as possible. Yeah, that’s definitely it.

Everything turned out fine though. All my things got in the car and both my second host father and I were on our way to my new home. Its location is at ‘Nangeng’ which is really far away from my previous houses. Also it’s a far distance from my schools. I even have to take a bus for 20+ minutes just to get to the MRT to take the subway to school. It’s different but will still get me to my destination. :)

The second host family home is an apartment on the building’s third floor. It’s a smaller and has only one floor but that adds a sense of coziness to it. The bedroom that originally was for the family’s two sons was given to the exchange students. One son is studying at college in Southern Taiwan and the other is currently on a Rotary Youth Exchange to Texas. That’s right, Texas! I actually met him, Tommy is his name, before I left for Taiwan. Nice guy. He’s at Klein Oak High School, just FYI. The one bed is big enough for two people so I assume the brothers shared a bedroom since I don’t see any other rooms available. A cool thing in the room is that there’s a TV. Sweet! I’ve never had a TV in my room before! I must be sure not to abuse that. ;P

In the house there’s a Papa, Mama and a grandmother who speaks Taiwanese. Oh geez. It’ll be difficult understanding her but perhaps I’ll learn some Taiwanese. The mother and father speak pretty good English so we can at least communicate with each other. Yay! We went over the Rotary first night questions (a.k.a. rules) successfully and ended the night with…um…something. Ok it wasn’t a bad thing. My family brought out two bottles of wine, one plum wine (10% alcohol) and the other was brown sugar plum wine (15% alcohol). They seemed very eager for me to try a taste of the beverages so I just couldn’t say no. Only a little was poured into my cup but still…whoooooo-wee! I am just not an alcohol person. The liquid just stung my throat with burning, the taste made my eyes squint and lips pucker up slightly. There, I tried it, I can at least say that. But I don’t have any desire to do so again. If the plain plum wine didn’t have any alcohol, it would make a very tasty juice. ;)

Even though I had a very small amount of the wine (hence no way of getting tipsy), my host mother said I would sleep very well with the alcohol consumed. I don’t know if it was the itsy-bitsy alcohol intake or the day’s events or both but I just melted into bed. In no time at all I was unconscious.

And as abruptly as I fell asleep, this Taffy shall also end abruptly. Bye! :)