Nic & Melanie

MOVING

2009-04-29T13:00:00.001-03:00

Just wanted to let you know that this blog has MOVED... to: http://newlywedjourney.wordpress.com/

The site is easier to use and I like the format! I moved only two posts, so it's new and fresh. Enjoy!

One semester down...

2009-04-27T01:06:00.002-03:00

Finishing up the last few assignments for my first semester has brought me great relief. For the past 15 weeks the hours between 9am -3pm used to be full of reading and writing papers, along with trying to make healthy meals and keep this apartment clean. Now I have five weeks of freedom before the start of summer classes. I really don't know what I'll do with all the time on my hands. The first thing though will be to catch up with friends and on emails. It's been far too long!

Keeping the Jones' At Bay

2009-04-18T08:14:00.002-03:00

Keeping the Jones’ at Bay

Elated to have just been united in holy matrimony, Mr. and Mrs. John Doe delicately feed each other their elaborate chocolate, mocha, and lemon wedding cake. Covered in fondant icing and stacked four layers high, the couple indulges in its decadence. Guests are wined and dined with four course meals, while live music plays. When the celebration finally winds down, guests leave dreamily, with candy, coasters or candles in hand. The appearances of this celebration mask the truth that soon faces our couple, basking in wedded bliss.

Upon returning from tanning on the beaches of the Caribbean, touring across Europe, or cruising through the Greek Isles, said couple will return home to feel the pressure of the Jones. Why live in a one-bedroom apartment when you get a mortgage for a three-bedroom house? Of course every newlywed couple needs the latest coffee maker and a flat screen high definition T.V. How will we stay entertained without a Wii and memberships to the local gym? Sometimes it feels as if the Jones’ are shouting expectations through a loud speaker. If our couple heeds the luring call of consumerism, they may soon find themselves reviewing their latest bank statement wondering why they have more “month” than money.

After a long day of teaching English to tired, Taiwanese children, my knight in shining armor arrived at my school to whisk me off to our castle. Nic and I hopped on our grey scooter and headed to our one bedroom studio on the 23^rd floor of our apartment building. It was payday and we had had our prized New Taiwanese dollars stacked neatly in red envelopes; in the Chinese culture red is considered to be associated with luck and wealth. That night I would cook dinner in our over sized toaster oven in our make shift kitchen. Then, it was date night.

The recent world economic situation can only make matters worse for the average American newlyweds. Everyone is aware of the joys and stresses that newlyweds face. Not only are two lives merged, usually two financial situations are combined. In a country where 20% of divorces occur in the first five years of marriage, and the number one topic that sparks a fight between couples is debt, it seems that the Mr. and Mrs. Doe are fighting an uphill battle.[i] Paying for a wedding can set the average couple back $21,000 - $24, 000. [ii] When you consider this expense combined with the $37,600, which is the average debt for graduate students, we realize the possibly hazardous situation that newlyweds can find themselves in. [iii]

Upon returning from our own tour of Europe and paying off student loan debt, Nic and I decided we would not chase after the Jones’; we determined not to become a statistic and to make a change. A McMansion with a two-car garage is an impossibility for us right now, but we are satisfied. A TV isn’t a fixture in our home, but from our perspective via the Internet, it looks like that Jones’ have recently found themselves in a precarious situation.

When newlywed couples lock themselves into a 30-year mortgage in a three-bedroom house, they are often stuck with monthly payments that strip their bank accounts bare. The average principal amount owed on a mortgage is $69,227. [iv] Most personal finance books discourage the purchase of a brand new car. Cars devalue the minute you drive them out of the lot. The average automobile loan in the United States is for five years. Today’s average car owner owes $4,221 more than the vehicle is worth at the time it is sold. [v]

I hurriedly pulled our most recent account balances off the computer and jotted them down in our little green notebook. There were still a few things left for me to do before “date night” began. Running over to our wooden closet, I opened Nic’s underwear drawer and dug through our stacks of red envelopes that sit neatly in an old soap box. I pulled out envelopes labeled “vacation”, “Roth IRA” and “Masters”. I counted the New Taiwanese Dollars in each envelope and scribbled those totals in the notebook, while Nic grabbed his iBook and shoved it into his backpack. We drove off on our scooter to the closest Starbucks. I was the first one to notice the line. It extended across the first floor of the building and back towards the stairs. The frustrated, exhausted visages of impatient customers, juxtaposed against the stressed and frantic looking faces of the baristas, greeted us at the door. Nic and I gave each other that look; the look that asks whether this date night was a good idea, the look that suggests that we should have stayed home instead. After a brief discussion, we decided that our purpose for being there was most important and we would wait out the line.

Nic worked his way past the crowd of Taiwanese men and women and upstairs to wait for a seat at a table. Thirty minutes passed as I stood, waiting, shifting my weight from one foot to another. I finally placed our order, and at about the same time Nic was able to secure us a table. Another thirty minutes later I walked up the stairs, caramel macchiato and decaf skim mocha in hand, to my husband who had his ibook out and ready to go. I pulled out my green notebook and we got straight to the task at hand; setting our financial goals, reviewing our budget and planning our expenses and savings for the next six months.

According to a recent study, 70% of couples talk about finances on a weekly basis. [vi] This may lead the reader to wonder why all the problems centered on money? Research suggests that it’s how couples are talking that is the problem. Conversations based around money can too quickly become emotional, reactive and therefore quickly heated.

Some might find it ironic that we chose Starbucks as the venue for our financial date night. After all, isn’t the infamous “latte factor” an expense that we would avoid like the plague? Restaurants and coffee shops are, for us, special occasions. In our opinion, the cost of a coffee is well worth a stable financial future. To our elation and surprise, after thirty minutes of waiting in a long line of Mandarin speakers, we were let in on the secret of the masses, it was buy one get one free night.

Discussing the details of our envelope-budget, we matter-of-factly discussed any possible areas where we might be able to slash our spending. Money is not an explosive issue in our relationship. We discuss our finances often, whether on dates or on an afternoon run. Student loans are no longer an option for us; we are committed to saving $10,000 to pay for my Masters’ classes as I take them. Months ago we carefully crafted a rigid budget that allows us to pay this expense. Before we receive our red envelopes each month we know exactly where that money will go. When the envelopes are empty, our spending for the month is done. Everything that is left is poured into the envelope labeled “Masters.” Working in Taiwan, teaching English to the masses allows us to work part time and still save enough to pay this seemingly colossal expense.

Examining the day to day finances of the average American household really opens ones eyes to the reality that the Jones aren’t as happy as they appear to be. About 43% of Americans spend more than they earn each year. [vii] Specifically, the average American spends $1.22 for every dollar that they earn. [viii] Credit cards have encouraged spending beyond our means with the mantra of “buy now, pay later.” The psychological effect of using plastic, rather than seeing the cash move out of your hands, affects spending habits. Even for the disciplined user that pays off the balance every month, the average credit card purchase is usually 112% more than if cash were used. [ix] If Mr. and Mrs. Jones have at least one credit card, they are likely to have $10,700 in credit card debt. [x] On top of that, they also pay $1,200 in credit card interest annually. [xi]

Dreams of exploring Beijing, isolating ourselves from the crowds of tourists and scaling the Great Wall, have lingered in our minds for months. Consistently stashing some cash away each month has made this trip do-able for us. Hashing out the financial details of this trip, airfare, hotel, visa costs and daily spending, concluded our date night. Three hours after parking our scooter and battling the lines of locals, we had broken down our budget, planned for an adventure vacation, shared our dreams for the future, and set up a plan for the next six months.

The Jones’ continue to shout their expectations, however, we turn a debt-free ear. We may not have the same surface level luxuries of the Jones,’ but in our opinion, our lives are rich. Has it been worth it, all the budgeting, scrimping and planning, you might ask? How about you ask the Jones.

[i] Lawler, Mary K. “Transitioning Through Divorce: The Six Types of Divorce,” Oklahoma State University. 14 Apr. 2009.

[ii] “They’ll Never Know: Eight Hidden Ways to Cut Wedding Costs,” Smart Money June 11, 2008. 14 Apr. 2009

[iii] Wines, Leslie. “Should Schools Warn Students About Debt,” Boston. October 24, 2007. 14 April. 2009

[iv] Khan, Kim. The Basics: How Does Your Debt Compare? 14 Apr. 2009

[v] Bensinger, Ken. “New Cars That Are Fully Loaded – With Debt – Americans are Rolling Over Loans, Often Ending Up Owing More For the Vehicle Than It’s Worth,” L.A. Times. December 30, 2007. 14 Apr. 2009

[vi] Todorova, Aleksandra. “The Six Financial Mistakes Couples Make,” Smart Money. June 11, 2008. 14 Apr. 2009

[vii] Khan, Kim. “The Basics”

[viii] Khan, Kim. “The Basics”

[ix] Bannister, Paul. “25 Fascinating Facts About Personal Debt,” Bankrate. September 20, 2004. 14 Apr. 2009

[x] Money 101: Lesson 9: Controlling Debt.

[xi] Bannister, Paul.

(This is a piece that I recently wrote for Master's writing class... it's an experiment with the Creative Non-Fiction Genre. Enjoy :)

Karaoke

2009-04-18T06:11:00.003-03:00

In Taiwan, Karaoke is huge. Buildings, such as this one, called "KTVs" are the homes of Karaoke.

This afternoon there was some sort of event in the park next to our apartment building. I don't even know what was going on, but could here a Karaoke version a song from Momma Mia.

Kids...

2009-04-14T23:10:00.005-03:00

I decided to take some more pictures of the children I teach. Here are the little ones... they look cute, but don't be deceived. :) They can be little rascals!

This is typical.

This is Genny - his brother's name is Nemo! :)

Brothers- Mickey and Cody

Our God Conquered the Grave

2009-04-12T13:31:00.003-03:00

With the passing of my grandmother just under two months ago, Easter means more to me than ever. Sin and death are conquered. We have hope. Death has lost its sting. It makes me smile.

We Can Cry Out to Jesus

2009-04-09T23:42:00.004-03:00

This past week has been one of reflection for me. I often think about Grandma, how I miss her, wish I could hear her voice, try to recall her voice, and think of precious times that we shared.

This week in one of my classes we were discussing superstitions. Students shared with me more about Ghost Month here in Taiwan. The grip that death and ghosts have on some people here is really sad.

Today is Good Friday. In a few hours, people in Bermuda will be flying kites, eating hot cross buns and fish cakes. I miss that. I have been reflecting a lot on Good Friday and Easter. Jesus conquered death. We can be free from fear of death, we have hope for the future. Jesus closed the gap between us and God. We can cry out to Jesus. I was really blessed by this song this morning.

To everyone who's lost someone they love

Long before it was their time

You feel like the days you had were not enough

when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains

Keeping you back from your life

You believe that there's nothing and there is no one

Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless

Rest for the weary

Love for the broken heart

There is grace and forgiveness

Mercy and healing

He'll meet you wherever you are

Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on

They lost all of their faith in love

They've done all they can to make it right again

Still it's not enough

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains

You try to give up but you come back again

Just remember that you're not alone in your shame

And your suffering

When your lonely

And it feels like the whole world is falling on you

You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus

Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers from being alone

Wiping the tears from her eyes

For the children around the world without a home

Say a prayer tonight

The Mosquitos are Back!

2009-04-07T23:05:00.002-03:00

We really have no idea as to how these mosquitos are getting into our apartment, but every few months they show up. They are gigantic, human devouring mosquitos. I despise the mosquitos; they eat me while I sleep. There is a solution. There's a plug-in, similar to air-freshener , that makes them disappear. Good bye mosquitos.

Fire!

2009-04-07T02:58:00.001-03:00

This morning I was working on assignments, as normal, when I smelled smoke. I looked around the house, everything seemed normal, so I went back to work, typing away at my laptop. The smell of smoke got stronger and stronger. I took a break from typing at looked down. There was smoke rising from my laptop charger. Turns out it was melting somehow (ibooks chargers are infamous for this, so I hear) and as I moved it sparks started flying. Well, I have experience of technological fires (last year I put out a fire in a microwave) and have learned from this experience to unplug the item from the source! So I did that, and then unplugged it from my computer. The cord has melted and it's "safe to say" that my laptop will be out of commission until we can find a new charger! We'll look around here first, if we are unsuccessful, then maybe order one online...thankfully, Nic has a laptop so the work will continue.

Culinary Adventures

2009-04-07T02:29:00.005-03:00

Although we both work until about 9pm at night, we have been trying to eat at home in order to keep in our monthly budget for food. We will be reworking the budget this month as cooking meals at 9:40 at night is overwhelming, especially since I am usually exhausted from working on Master's assignments and then teaching for 4 hours. Taiwan is really convenient for this new plan as we have the night market right next to our place and we can easily pick up fried rice, noodles, chicken or anything else.

Last night was one of my final nights to make dinner before we change up our meal plans. I decided to make Shake and Bake chicken legs for a treat. They didn't turn out so well.

It was scary

Yikes

This is a photo of the chicken legs. For some reason, purple, lumpy blood oozed out of my

chicken. I'm sure it was thawed out - it just didn't look healthy at all. I hope this doesn't make anyone feel sick. I still feel a little woozy thinking about it.

So instead Nic got McDonald's (he's going to hate me for telling you all that... :) and I got Gi-pi, otherwise known as extremely unhealthy fried unidentified part of a chicken.... and fries.

Gi-Pi

Fries

On a more upbeat note, here's a new Taiwan discovery. Yellow watermelon. That's right folks.

It's yellow and it's a watermelon (there is pineapple closest to the camera - but behind that is watermelon). Have you ever seen anything like this before?

Tomb Sweeping Day

2009-04-04T03:01:00.005-03:00

People at their relatives tombs

Today is Tomb Sweeping Day in the Chinese culture. That means that it is a public holiday, so no teaching for Nic and I today. It has been really nice to have a whole Saturday off. Usually we both work on Saturday mornings. This morning I cleaned our whole apartment down... (which is really easy and takes about an hour since it's a one bedroom studio!) and then made pancakes.. which were a great success! For some reason, every time I have tried to make pancakes here they have stuck to the pan and it's become a big mess. I have tried and tried and tried again.. and today, the effort paid off with beautiful, fluffy pancakes! I am feeling much better today after visiting the doctor yesterday and taking the medicine he gave me. I only have a "common cold" but here they give you lots of medicine - 5 pills, 3 times a day! It really helps and I have a lot of energy back now! Nic went for a 10k run today! He was out there for a good hour but is enjoying the free time to exercise. I have been on a "running hiatus" the past few weeks due to getting back into school work after being in Bermuda, then getting the flu, and now this cold... but by next week I'll be back at it.

Now on to Tomb Sweeping Day. I asked my students what they thought about Tomb Sweeping - those who participate in the traditions of visiting relatives tombs didn't seem thrilled about it. They said it's a long day as they have to wake up early and go to many different locations to cover all of the tombs.

Here is a description from Wikipedia: "For the Chinese, it is a day to remember and honor one's ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, (joss) paper accessories, and/or libation to the ancestors. The rites are very important to most Chinese and especially farmers. Some people carry willow branches with them on Qingming, or put willow branches on their gates and/or front doors. They think that willow branches help ward off the evil ghosts that wander on Qingming. Also on Qingming, people go on family outings, start the spring plowing, sing, dance, and Qingming is a time where young couples start courting. Another popular thing to do is fly kites (in shapes of animals, or characters from Chinese opera)."

Ancestor worship is a big part of the culture here and we are learning more and more about the details of that as we are here.

Only 4 more weeks...

2009-04-03T02:09:00.003-03:00

Yesterday before work I opened my planner in order to figure out how much time I have left to work on the big projects for my Master's classes. There are only four weeks left! My reaction was not one of panic but of pure elation. Only four weeks stand between me and finishing my first 15 credit hours in the 33 hour program. Our Beijing trip will be the break between this semester and the summer semester... when I will, hopefully, take another four classes (12 credit hours). Technically you can only take 3 classes... and I have tried to request an overload... but am waiting to hear back on that... waiting, waiting waiting.

Paintball, Colds and Beijing

2009-03-31T11:53:00.003-03:00

On Sunday we went into the mountains and played paintball with our church youth group and another youth group. What an experience! It was a lot of fun to get to know the kids a little better. I'm still recovering from the game though; I got a huge bruise!

In other news, I am also battling a cold, again. It's somewhat ridiculous. I had the flu two weeks ago, and today I am feeling pretty run down with a sore throat. I don't know if it's the germ-y kids, Taiwan, or my busy schedule that has my immune system down.

God is still good though and we keep pressing on!

In our free time we are planning a trip to Beijing that we hope to take in the end of May. We will be there for about a week, found tickets and now just need to sort out our hotel.

Life is certainly keeping me really busy. My 15 credit hours and 22 hours of work make sure that I'm constantly doing something important. I'm excited for life to "calm down" a little bit.... I'm not sure when that will be. I'll get a few weeks off before summer classes begin and I'm hoping to take another 4 classes then. By summer I'll have 27 of my 33 hours towards my Masters completed. It's great to be meeting goals and I love a challenge. I do really look forward to some lazy days with friends and family in the future though! :)

Things I'll Miss From Taiwan

2009-03-26T11:46:00.004-03:00

The location of our apartment is very convenient here in the city. Right below our apartment building is a laundry lady (who washes, dries and folds our laundry since we don't have a washer or dryer in our studio), a convenience store, a restaurant and then a 2 minute walk from our place there is: a hardware store, a DVD rental, a plethora of tea shops and a night market for great food. We probably buy fried rice from one vendor at least once weekly. For the longest time we both ate pork fried rice but now we're really enjoying beef fried rice. Yummy. So on a rainy weekend or a cold Saturday night we can walk down to the market, buy fried rice or noodles, then I will go and get a freshly made apple juice from a juice/tea shop, and then if we want we can pick up a movie on the walk home.

I like the fresh apple juice. It's delicious.

Rain, rain, go away

2009-03-24T12:58:00.003-03:00

Well, the sporadic rains have been continuing and I think the poncho may become a regular part of my wardrobe.

Today I was offered cherry tomatoes as a snack twice. I don't particularly enjoy cherry tomatoes. I will eat them in food, but not on their own, in a snack like fashion. Well today, that happened, twice. :) It's really hard to turn food down when it's offered by locals.

On the topic of food, Nic and I went for dinner last night with co-workers to a great local Cantonese food place. It's the type of food that you would consider to be "Chinese" - like sweet and sour chicken and chicken with peanuts. Nic and I are now pros with the chopsticks and eating rice dishes with chopsticks is normal. I also have grown a new love for snow peas. They are very common in stir fry type dishes and come as a common vegetable with chicken dishes. I love them!

It's time for the... PONCHO!

2009-03-23T13:05:00.003-03:00

That's right, it's poncho time in Taiwan. The hazy and muggy air finally dissipated this afternoon and the spring rains came, slowly, but surely. We hear that we can expect daily downpours from now on, which makes our ride to work on the scooter more exciting. Unlike in Bermuda, where you have rainy days and then sunny days, in Taiwan you have a rainy season and a dry season. We just enjoyed about 6 months of dry weather, and now comes the rain.

I'm sure that we will give the motorists in Taiwan a smile as they see the foreigners in their big, light green ponchos. Some might say that I look like a honeydew melon.

Kids and Daken

2009-03-21T12:49:00.005-03:00

On Saturday morning I teach a class of about 10 boys and one girl. Sometimes they are little monkeys - or they really act like them, but other times they are cute. I love when they smile. I've posted some pictures of them below and of Nic's hike today in Daken... he went back and climbed to the top of the ridge. It was a more "polluted" or "foggy" day today so the pictures aren't super clear, but I'm sure you get the idea.

Ian Lin - The one in the red - He has two English words perfected, "I'm sorry." Then he bows. It's hard to get really annoyed with him.

Kevin - His toothless grin makes me smile

Shawn - Sometimes he's a little too hyper - having a hearty laugh in this photo

The studious ones.

Typical Shawn face

Missing Grandma

2009-03-20T12:55:00.004-03:00

Mrs. Olive Corriea, or Grandma, or G-ma - my favorite, was called to be with Jesus 4 weeks ago today. I often think of her and am inspired to live like her. I miss her a lot. I wish I could get on Skype and call her and give her an update on Taiwan. I wish I could have spent more time with her. I wish I could just tell her one more time how much I love her and how special she was to be.

Sometimes I think of her and cry. Other times I think of her and smile. Those times are more frequent - and for that I am thankful. I read the following at her funeral. It was a letter that I wrote to her before Christmas when she was struggling with congestive heart failure and had been hospitalized. I'm glad I was able to share my thoughts with her then.

How Do I Say Thank You?

Dear Grandma,

I want to let you know that I am praying for you as you go through this difficult time. Last night when I heard what had happened and didn’t really know what condition you were in I cried and cried. I am so glad to hear that you are breathing easier now and that you are resting. I want to let you know that last night Nic and I prayed for you. I prayed for your healing – that God, our great physician, would heal you. I prayed that He would be your comforter and rest. I prayed that He would be your peace. I prayed that He would give wisdom to the doctors and that they would give you the best care. I prayed that God would keep you safe and take good care of you. I know that He will and I trust Him with that! I wish I could come and visit you, but since I can’t, I thought I would write you a letter to tell you how much I love and appreciate you. Some people think great thoughts about others and value them so highly, and only after that person is gone do they express their gratefulness for that person and the role they played in their life. Well, I don’t want to wait until that time Grandma. I want to let you know now how much you mean to me, how much I have learned from you and how much I love you. So here is a list of things that you have taught me; either directly through time spent with you or watching you, or through my mom – who, obviously, learned directly through you!

Put God First
You have been an example to me of putting God first in your life. I can see this by your priority of spending time reading the Bible and praying in the morning. You also show by your example your commitment to God through your church attendance. I know that you hold firm to his word and that you live what you read. Your reading through the Bible yearly has also been a challenge to me.

Prayer
I will never forget how, as a young child, I would spend the night at your house, and you would kneel and pray by the side of your bed, for what seemed to me to be the longest time. As I have grown and matured in my faith I know that your prayers have reached the heart of God. I know that God has worked through and in our family due to your prayers. I also have a great peace knowing that you pray for me. Not only do you tell me you pray, but I know that you do pray, you pray often – and that blesses me beyond words.

Hospitality
Not only have you shown great hospitality to our family, as your home has been the meeting place for many family meals, but also to strangers, believers who are new to our church and need an “adopted” family. You have shown me how, even in the simple ways, we can reach out and welcome others and show them love.

Make Home a Haven
Grandma, your home is a resting place and a place of great refreshment. Not only is it always smelling clean and fresh, and is organized, and everything is in its place, but also, there is always something available, food, tea or cake to nourish anyone who may stop by. I know that I, along with the rest of our family, I have been so blessed by the way that you have made your home a haven for those you love. You have taught me the importance of keeping my home clean and organized so that life is more enjoyable. You have taught me the benefit of blessing others with a meal to eat. You have taught me the importance of being faithful in the seemingly small areas, such as keeping my home, so that in that faithfulness I may also be faithful in other areas.

Service and Giving
You are always willing to lend a hand, to bring a meal, to help someone in need and you have taught me the value of serving in secret. I also know that you have taught me not to hold tightly to material possessions but that there is joy in giving. In a world that says happiness comes from how much we have, you have shown me that there is joy in blessing others. I have been the recipient so many times of your benevolence and I can’t put into words my thankfulness for not only what you have given me, but the truth that “it’s more blessed to give that to receive” which you have taught me through your actions.

The Value of Work Hard
Through your life you have taught me the value of work. You have taught me to work, as unto God, to be faithful in what I need to do and to do the best that I can. Your example at the Friendly Store and Lindo's as you pressed on as long as you were able was an example of commitment and perseverance. The work that you do at home produces such great fruit in that it provides the haven I wrote about earlier. You have taught me to not be idle but that there is value and reward in work.

Contentment In All Circumstances
In all that you have gone through throughout the years I never hear your complain. You always put your trust in God, you know that He provides, sustains and is our comfort. You never blame him but you trust him to meet your needs and be your comfort. It’s so easy for me to complain about a silly bruise or a sore muscle, but in all you’ve been through you quietly endure and that speaks volumes of your character.

Trust God and Don’t Worry
Throughout high school and college I always knew that I could come to relax at your house. Often, sitting around the table, I would share about what was going on – sometimes feeling stressed or worried about the future and what it would hold or how I would accomplish the tasks in front of me. You were a caring listener but also taught me not to worry; to do what was necessary and trust God with the rest. I also want to thank you for the time you helped me put my wedding invitations together. I remember how overwhelming that task seemed, and you sat there and struggled with me as I sought to tie bows. Thank you!

Loyalty and Love for Family
We all know that you have been the glue that has made our family so close. You taught us that being there for our family is so important and that we should bless each other and love each other always. You taught us the value of time spent together and of enriching each other’s lives. You taught me to value and appreciate my family for who they are and for what they do for me.

Grandma, these are things that I have learned from you. I hope that I will always remember these values and that they will be evident in my life. I pray my life will shine as brightly as yours has; that my family, children and grandchildren will be as motivated and inspired by me as I am by you. I pray that my life will shine, and that as the years pass I, too, will be found as faithful.

I love you so much, Grandma and will continue to pray for your health, for your body and for your comfort and rest. I wish I could be there to show you I love you or do something to bless you, but I hope that these words can express how much you mean to me.

I love you so much!

Days and weeks pass, and I'm sure the months and years will too, but I know that I will never be the same because of this incredible woman.

Busy... but we're back!

2009-03-20T02:00:00.002-03:00

It has been a roller coaster month. One month ago today, my Grandmother, a woman that I love and cherish passed away. Dealing with the thought of this possibility had plagued my thoughts for months, and suddenly the nightmare became a reality. God is so faithful in small ways and in the huge, seemingly impossible ways. He provided a way for both Nic and I to go home to Bermuda for a week to celebrate the life of Mrs. Olive Correia and to be with family.

Now we're back in Taiwan. We're also really busy. I am nine weeks into my first semester of my Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction - with a focus in literacy. On top of the five classes that I am taking, which keep me really busy, we both teach about 22 hours a week, are trying to build and maintain relationships with our brothers and sisters in Taiwan and then of course build other friendships and continue to learn and explore this amazing culture.

Teaching, studying, working on assignments and the daily tasks of everyday life have kept me pretty busy. Oh, and upon return to Taiwan a flu attacked my immune system and knocked whatever energy I had left out of my body. Thanks to prayers from family and friends, my energy is back, I was sick for less than a week, and I've decided to begin writing again. I want this to be a venue to share our hearts with family and friends, and also a way for me to document this journey that is "Taiwan."

Last night Nic and I read My Upmost for His Highest and were encouraged that in living this life of faith sometimes we don't know where we are going, but we love the One who leads us!

Earthquake and Education

2008-12-02T02:59:00.002-04:00

Well this morning Nic and I experienced our first earthquake - and hopefully our last! It wasn't a bad one at all - we could feel that we were moving though and nothing fell or moved in our apartment, would could see our fan swaying back and forth. It was an eerie feeling! We looked at each other and said - Is this an earthquake? It was definitely an experience.

In other great news, I received news this morning that I was accepted into the Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Literacy program, through the University of Missouri. I will be working on this Masters Degree online but it should be great for me in helping me to progress in my career, to help increase earning potential in the future, and to keep me updated on the world of Education as I am taking a brief hiatus. I also believe that as an educator I should always be seeking to further develop myself and to learn more. I am very excited about this opportunity at this time in life. God is good and He has opened this door. Now I need to figure out how many classes my schedule will allow me to take at a time - I'm hoping to be finished the program in a year and a half. Classes will start on January 20th officially so I should be enrolling in the courses shortly!

The temperature has warmed up bit, which has been a nice change for us, especially as it can be cold on the scooter, particularly at night.

That's the update from Taiwan for now. Ooh - and we decorated our apartment for Christmas! It was great - I made cookies, we drank hot chocolate, decorated and listened to Christmas music. :) Check out the photos on Facebook.

Ok - that's it. For now. :)

Cultural differences - sights, sounds and smells...

2008-11-17T03:09:00.002-04:00

The past few days I have been meaning to post about something that is a noticeable difference between our western cultures and the culture of Taiwan.

In Taiwan, it is completely culturally appropriate to pick one's nose, and flatulence and burping in public are not considered taboo. It is one thing I have yet to adjust to. It's bizarre to see old people just really into picking their nose as they walk down the street, or to have a student "pass gas" loudly in class and no one turns their head or laughs.

Oh Taiwan.. the sights, smells and sounds. ;0)

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Banana Bread

2008-11-04T22:44:00.005-04:00

Sometimes it makes me smile to see how God can bless us in the little things.

Nic and I had heard that we could bake anything in a toaster oven that you can bake in an oven. We decided that we wanted to get a toaster oven. For a few weeks we put it off, thinking about what kind to get and decided where to get it. Well, on the day that Nic was leaving his job to go get our toaster oven, (helmet in hand) his co-workers asked him where he was going. He proceeded to tell them about our desire for a toaster oven. One of his co-workers told him that the ones were were looking at were made cheaply in China and that we should look for a better quality one. It just so happens that his father owns an electronic shop. He called his father who said that they were out of stock on the toaster ovens but that they owned one that was 6 months old and had only been used a few times. He would be willing to sell it to us at half the cost of a new one.

All that to say, God blessed us with a toaster oven the size of a microwave for half of the cost of a smaller one.

So for Nic's birthday I was able to make chocolate chip cookies in our new toaster oven!

The cooked in exactly the right amount of time - the toaster oven is perfect!

Here are the cookies!

I was also able to find Banana Bread that tastes just like home made banana bread at the grocery store.
Heated in the toaster oven with some tea, this treat has been such a fun blessing to us! :)

Discipline and Budgeting...

2008-10-27T02:44:00.004-03:00

Today begins week three of my journey to being a runner. This morning at 8:30 I began and was able to successfully run 5 minutes, walk 1, run 5, ... for thirty minutes... which means I ran 25 minutes and walked 5 total. That's something eh? December 6th I will reach my goal of running for 30 minutes straight. I'm pretty excited about this and can already feel the benefits... although I was also feeling side stiches and some shin pain this morning too! Going to the park earlier also meant that I was able to see more people exercising - there was a huge group of women (maybe 30) doing aerobic dance in the park and then another large group of women doing what seemed to be ballroom dance practice. It was so funny, especially when they pulled out their Chinese umbrellas. I really need to take the video camera into the park. I also watched a few people doing Tai Chi. I have always been told that exercising gives you energy. I don't know why then that from 1-3pm I always feel super sleepy - especially on days that I exercise. Hmmm?

Mondays are busy for me. I run, come back, eat breakfast, shower, review my meal plan, go to the grocery and then bring back all of the goods on the scooter. It's quite the adventure. Then I have some down time before making dinner, then cleaning up..a bit more down time and then.... it's off to work. Today we had French Bread and home made Broccoli Cheddar Soup. It's note quite Panera, and it probably didn't help that I used skim milk.... :) But it was good all the same. http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/search/label/Soups (scroll down for the recipe... I also want to try her Chicken Taco Soup).

Since I am hoping to hear back soon from the University of Missouri about whether or not I am accepted into their Masters of Education program, Nic and I are trying our best to save as much money as we can so that we can pay off my Master's degree without any debt. We have made a budget that we are working hard to stick to, and are using the "Envelope System" to help us stick to it. (You can read a little about the envelope system here: http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/index.cfm?intContentID=3461 and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/09/AR2007060900050.html) It's basic but keeps us from being tempted to dip into our savings. In a world where the economy is unpredictable and many newly weds start out trying to imitate the lifestyles that their parents have achieved after 20 years of hard work... Nic and I are doing our best to be smart, work hard, live simply and to think about the future!

I must admit that I am pretty excited about this coming weekend. We have a special birthday in the family, (Nic will be 28!) and we have saved our "recreation/ going out" cash for this event - so we should be able to really enjoy it! Dessert... here I come!

I am thankful for this time now when we are in a country where we don't have easy access to the conveniences of life so that we can learn to be wise with our earnings and to grow in self-discipline! So far, so good!

Cultivating a Thankful Spirit...

2008-10-21T23:34:00.003-03:00

There are days in Taiwan when it would be very easy to be unthankful about things that are inconvenient.

-My "kitchen" is a table and there's not much room for food prep!
-I have no oven.
-Things like to burn and stick on the hot plate...
-It's hard to find known ingredients at the grocery.
-Known ingredients are hard to pick due to the fact that it's all written in Chinese. (Do I want tun with Japanese sauce or a tuna spread?) grr...
- I teach on Friday nights and on Saturday mornings now (I was just assigned a Saturday morning class from 10:30-12:30)

But when I have days when I want to complain or be unthankful, I remember how blessed I am to have running water. How blessed I am to have transportation to the grocery store, how blessed I am to have a job to be able to buy groceries. I want to have a heart that's thankful; the turns to God in the moments when I am tempted to complain and that thanks Him for his blessings in my life. I know that there is always something in life that I will be tempted to complain about - and I don't want to be "a complainer." My hope is that this amazing experience of living in Taiwan will help me to become a thankful person!

Updates on goals: I have been following this running program.

I am currently on Week 2 of this program. I ran 3 minutes and walked one minutes repeatedly today repeatedly. It's slow moving but if I'm dedicated I'm hoping it will pay off! I think some of the people like to watch me run - the foreigner running in the park. I would probably seem more normal if I were stretching on the monkey bars or slapping my body and stretching. ;) On another funny note - in the grocery store people look at my cart a lot! They slowly stop and try to see what the foreigner is buying. You just have to smile and keep going! :)

Ok - today we have Taco Potatoes for lunch. I'm trying to decide whether to boil and put the taco stuff on the boiled potato or if I should boil and mash and then put the stuff on the mashed potatoes. Hmmmm... How I look forward to my toaster oven.. that's our next purchase... which will happen before next Friday. :)

Update ... Goals... and Every Day Taiwan

2008-10-15T12:15:00.006-03:00

Grandma
Thanks for praying for my Grandma. She did have a heart-attack. This is her third heart-attack, but she is the most amazing lady I know, so she is a trooper and from what I hear is resting and is well-taken care of. Praise God! It's hard being away from family when things like this happen because I want so badly to stay in the loop!

Goals
This year I have set quite a few goals for myself. They are mainly physical goals that I have set in order to use my free time effectively. Since I don't have to work until 4pm most days of the week (the exception is Wednesday when we leave around 1pm) I have quite a bit of time on my hands and I want to use it wisely. We have decided not to have a TV this year, however, I will admit that we were addicted to LOST online and do plan on watching it once the new season comes out in January, however, that will be 40 minutes once a week. So, in the scheme of things, we will not have much "television" time this year and I want to make good use of that time.

Here are my goals.

I want to enjoy running. Right now I have a 10 week plan set that moves me from run/walking to running 2 miles straight. For some people, this goal might be laughable, but I really do want to be able to go for runs and enjoy them. I want to be healthy when I am old. I want to be like the elderly here that do stretches in the park for hours and walk and shake their hips as they stretch - and oh, did I mention, they also hike mountains and play tennis. Talk about a wake up call.

I want to speak Basic Mandarin. At least. I figure, you can't move to a place like Taiwan, live in the culture, and not learn to speak it. I enjoy languages. I think that getting basic Mandarin under my belt would better me as an individual and it will certainly keep my brain active. It will also help me to navigate this land and I will feel better in attempting to communicate; at least I will be making an effort to speak their language rather than expecting and hoping that they can speak mine!

I want to learn more about photography. This will be more of a free-time reading and practicing hobby. I have been to some pretty amazing places in the past few months, I know that I will be to more in the months to come, and I want to be able to have great pictures to look back on!

So those are my "free-time" goals for this year. Of course, there are the deeper, more important goals of growing in my faith and relationship with Christ, learning to be a better friend and helper to my husband and of blessing and ministering in a local church. Those were always set. These are new goals that I have recently decided upon.

Every-Day Taiwan

Here are more fun tid-bits about life in Taiwan.
*Random people like to ask you personal questions. The ladies at the tea shop by my job (where I buy my Passion Fruit Green Tea, almost daily,) have a new question for me each time they see me. How old are you? How long have you been here? Where are you from? I have never felt like such a fascinating person before. They make me smile. Oh, and then there's the random people at red lights who try to ask you questions in Chinese until they realize you don't speak it. Sad.

*A "yummy" snack was offered to me yesterday at work. Shrimp flavored "cookies" - it was more like pork rinds... but didn't taste bad. I'm trying to broaden my horizons in the gastronomical area, slowly but surely.

*Strangers will tell you that you're "beautiful." It's encouraging.

*People on scooters wear their jackets backwards. I don't know why - we hear it's to stop the wind, but I'm not 100% sure that's the answer.

*If you're trying to buy fruit or something at a little market, the seller really tries hard to get you to buy other stuff too. Right now the fact that we don't speak Chinese helps to ward off this problem.

*Sometimes people want to take pictures with you - just because you're a foreigner. Sometimes it's fun - sometimes it's just awkward.

*In the 7-11s, that are on every street corner, they have eggs boiling in tea. They are a snack here. They smell awful and make me dread walking into the 7-11, although, I think I'm becoming accustomed to the smell now as it doesn't bother me like it used to. 7-11 also offers bill-paying services, faxing, photo-copying and printing services. You can also pay your speeding tickets there (so we hear... don't panic. :)

And that's all I can think of for now. My brain is shutting down so I'm going to go get some sweet sleep.

Grandma and Our Road Trip

2008-10-14T12:48:00.003-03:00

If you are reading this, you could say a prayer for my grandmother. She is the most amazing woman I know, has had 2 heart attacks, open heart surgery and has survived breast cancer and we think she may have had another heart attack. She is currently being monitored and hospitalized. It's hard being away from family and friends at times like this, but I am at peace knowing that God is in control and that He loves her a whole lot more than I do.

In other news, Nic and I had an amazing time this past weekend on a road trip through up, over and through mountains of Toroko National Park. It was beautiful though and we were actually above the clouds at some points. We drove through the clouds (actually got wet because of them) and it was so cold but the views were breathtaking! On the way over it was a 10 hour scooter ride and on the way back it took about 8 hours. We stayed in Hualien, a beautiful tropical city on the east coast of Taiwan. It was really relaxing and then on Saturday we went to a black sand cobblestone beach. I have posted all of my pictures at the following link, but am hoping to get more that friends took soon.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2052568&l=1debc&id=141300814

We are now getting back into a routine. I must say - it is nice to be back at our place and not be using hostel bathrooms! We are also trying to wake up earlier in the morning in order to get full use of day before we have to leave for work around 3:45 daily. Today I ran at the park that's three minutes from our apartment. It was great. Not as beautiful as running on the beach in Bermuda or along Bermuda's south shore, but it is so nice to have the park so close so that I can get a good workout. Today a bunch of little kindergarten aged kids saw me - I waved and said hello, and they were so excited. They waved and laughed and said hello.

I also took wedding pictures into classes today for the kids to have a look at. In my second class an 11 year old boy innocently said "Teacher, you are so beautiful." Hahaha... it was just precious.

Well, that's all of my ramblings for now. If you don't know my Grandma's name, it's Olive Correia. Please keep her in your prayers.

On Being A Wife ... and other ramblings...

2008-10-09T03:20:00.004-03:00

I am so appreciative of my mother. I have only been a wife for three months and my appreciation for my mother has increased so much over the past few months. Don't get me wrong, I love being a wife. I love cooking, I don't mind cleaning, and I love learning more about how to be a better wife. I never realized though how busy being a wife can keep you! Also, I must say that I am truly blessed with a helpful husband. If Nic sees me doing something he will pitch right in and help - and he also has taken it upon himself to be the "dishwasher" in our family. So, as you can see -I am completely blessed. Beyond that, we also don't have a washer or dryer in our apartment and therefore use a service that is provided right next to our apartment building. They wash, dry and fold our clothes. All I have to do in that department is put my clothes away, as Nic takes the laundry down for me and puts his clothes away. So I don't do that much, but thinking about planning meals, sweeping the floor, cleaning of the kitchen counter, cleaning the glass, deep cleaning the fridge, cleaning the bathroom, etc etc.. it all takes up so much time! This morning I woke up around 8:30. I read my Bible, and another book for a little while, made coffee and oatmeal for Nic and I and then began my work. I wasn't finished until 1pm. Well, I need to let you know that my "dishwasher" is officially out of commission for the next few days as he tore up his hands on equipment at the park yesterday. I'll post a picture of that for you soon. But yes, he had really bad blisters that all burst on his hands, and I'll leave it there. I also cleaned the bathroom and mopped today, but it just takes so long! Of course, making lunch (which needs to be a full meal for us since we work until 9pm at night) took up time too. The fact that this takes up so much time just makes my mind reel because I am not even a mother! It's just Nic and I!

All that to say, Mom, I love you so much and appreciate all that you and Dad did for me. My mother and grandmother have been my inspiration in my desire to take this "wife" thing seriously.. and to do a good job of it.

I read quite a bit of blogs by some women and have found some great ideas about meal-planning. This website: www.orgjunkie.com is a place where a ton of women post their weekly meal plans on Mondays. It's great to get some ideas from them! I also found this website: http://www.allrecipes.com - here you can search recipes by ingredient - which is very helpful if you want to use up items you have around the house.

In other news, Nic and I will be road-tripping this weekend. Tomorrow (Friday) is 10/10 - a national holiday here in Taiwan to comemorate an uprising . We are going to go with some other foreigners on a scooter trip east and then south. We will stay two nights in a hostel, hopefully see a lot of cool things along the way and of course will take a lot of photos that you can look forward to come Sunday. We are taking a backpack each and are going "snack" shopping tonight for this excursion. We are pretty excited about it.

The water just boiled, I'm going to go make myself a cup of tea. :)

3 months of marriage and a month in Taichung

2008-10-05T09:37:00.008-03:00

We have now been living in Taichung for a month. We are settling into a routine and are enjoying our little apartment. We now have a plant which we are loving.

We also were blessed by a delivery from Taipei that was full of things like towels, cutlery, dishes, and Christmas decor. This was left behind from when my (Mel's) college roommate, Katie Cole, lived in Taipei. It was like Christmas for us! We are so thankful for this!

Last night we went on a date out to TGI Fridays ... it was such a special treat! We both ordered an appetizer each, and a meal (we were so stuffed and felt like gluttons, but it was so nice to taste good Western food!) and then we proceeded to order one dessert to share between us. It was a three layer brownie with ice-cream, chocolate sauce, and carmel sauce on it. It was delicious! So much fun. This special date night was in celebration of our three month anniversary. We also spent the afternoon in the park, chatting about life and eating cheese and crackers - so it was wonderful to have a rain-free Saturday to enjoy Taiwan!

Today we went back to our church (which was cancelled last week to the Super Typhoon) and were so blessed. A lady was baptized which was cool to see, and then, I know that I (Mel) am just in awe of the passion that the locals here have in their worship. I think it's due to the fact that they are free from tradition, free from bondage and fear- and they are not complacent - they didn't grow up in a Christian culture - they truly celebrate Christ and know that He is powerful to change lives.

This afternoon we went to the Home Group for foreigners in the church. It was really encouraging to be with those believers. They prayed for us as we shared our desire to serve God here but are unsure how that will work out as we have the language barrier. We were encouraged and blessed by their fellowship, love and prayers. We know that God has us here for a reason and we hope to find a way to serve Him and His Church here in Taiwan.

Here are some cool things the church does:

*Free kids English classes (used for outreach)
*A Parenting class for parents of kids in the English classes (many moms stay and a lot have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior due to this outreach)
*An English adults intro to Bible class (It's a class to teach people God's word, held in English - (many adults come merely for the English - but have come to Christ through this too.)

It's also an amazing experience to worship God in both Chinese and English - I hope that I can really learn some songs and commit the Chinese worship to memory.

We are also blessed looking back at how God has worked in our lives to bring us here. We don't think that we really knew what God had in store - but this has truly been a wonderful bonding time for us in our marriage - as we seek to learn more about our God, more about each other and about ourselves.

We love you all, we miss you all and we so appreciate your continued prayers. Please feel free to comment and let us know of any prayer requests you might have. We love to stay updated on what's going on in our homes and how we can pray for those we love so dearly.

Just for the fun of it, here are some of our favorite things so far in Taiwan:

*The mountains
*Passionate Christians.
*Teas - Mel's favorite = Passion Fruit Green Tea (on Ice) YUM!
*The fried rice at the night market - a five minute walk from our building.
*The work hours. We get a whole day before we have to leave for work.
*The kids are really stinking cute!
*People are really sweet to us, even though we can be completely ignorant regarding their culture and language.
*Oreo's from the convenience store
*Did we say.... fried rice?
*Really cheap local meals - although I (Mel) am still learning which ones my taste buds like.

And our desires/ goals/ free time pursuits... when we're not spreading English to the masses:

-We both want to learn more Chinese
-I (Mel) have applied for a Master's Program (Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction - focus in Literacy), so if I
get accepted that will take up some of my free time.
-Nic is loving reading Christian books (right now he's working on Mere Discipleship)
-We both want to exercise more... I think the park nearby will be a good way to do that.
-Nic is thinking about learning guitar
-I am reading more about being a wife (i.e. making healthy, economical meals, etc.... I've found some great blogs I spend a bit of time perusing.)
-and of course, involvement in the church and exploring more of Taiwan!

Mountains, Beans and Ghosts

2008-09-21T11:48:00.004-03:00

We have had some very interesting and informative past few days. For the past two weeks I have been trying to find red beans. I wanted to try and make a family soup recipe, and I couldn't find beans anywhere at the grocery store. Then, on Thursday evening we went for a Japanese style dinner and after we went to a shaved ice place for dessert. It's an interesting concept... they shave ice - a bunch of it, like a snow ball, and add Carnation milk and chocolate ice-cream. Well, that was the option that I choose. Most of the dessert shaved ice options had one special ingredient. BEANS!! Turns out that the Chinese consider beans to be a dessert food. So I guess I was looking in all the wrong places. I shared this situation with a Christian Taiwanese girl that I met this weekend - and guess what she brought to church for me.... red beans. It's incredible how God can show us His love - in the little extra ways we need it. :)

We went with a small group of people from our church hiking in the mountains - about 20 minutes from our apartment building. It was an incredible hike. I didn't think that I would make it to the top. At one point we were climbing vertically up this mountain, on a log ladder that was bolted together. And since we thought it was going to be a dirt path, Nic and I both wore flip-flops, which helped to make the hike that much more challenging. It was a great time though with believers out in God's creation! Nic and I want to go back there. We were absolutely amazed by the amount of elderly people doing this hike. It was so intense I thought I would throw up, and there they were, elderly men and women passing me left and right, smiling as they came down the mountain. I was certainly rebuked in my health and fitness!

This weekend we also learned more about how the culture here affects the people's acceptance of Christianity. September is "Ghost Month"; the Taiwanese are very superstitious, and the worship of ancestors is deeply woven into their religious beliefs. We learned through a work email informing us about the culture, that people here are wary of swimming, buying new homes, and riding on the roads this month all because of the ghosts that have died in these places who may be looking for victims so that they can be reincarnated. We also found out through our friend who gave me the beans, that workers at construction sites pray twice daily to the ghosts who have died in construction, so that they may have safety on the site. We also learned that the importance of ancestor worship is a great hindrance in many Taiwanese men in coming to Christ. To leave behind ancestor worship, as a man, is a disgrace to the family as there will be no one to carry on the worship of that family line.

We are learning of the many layers within their religious beliefs, and honestly it is so saddening to us. We know the freedom from fear that Christ can bring, the hope that He gives and the life He promises. So when you think of it, pray for the church in Taiwan- that their ministry to the men will be effective - that God will help them to overcome tradition so that they may turn to Christ; that people would realize they don't need to fear the past but they can have a hope for the future!

As a couple we are praying about the specific ministry that God would have for us as a couple. It's hard to minister directly to the local people if they do not speak English, as for now our Chinese doesn't go much beyond Nee How. We are doing our best though to reach out and be constant examples of Christ's followers to the other foreigners that we work with. Many of them are also living in darkness, living for the moment - living as anyone without Christ would live. So we are trying to show the abundant life that Christ gives, trying to be good friends and to love in a way that when they need help and answers we will be ready to share the hope that we have.

Thanks for reading - this was a long post, but God has been revealing a bit lately and we wanted to share so that you can know how to pray.

I've posted a video of our hike on Facebook - so be sure to check it out!

Exploring

2008-09-16T02:57:00.005-03:00

Today we went exploring before work. We drove out away from the city, and into the mountains surrounding Taichung. It wasn't a long drive and it was so green - really made us realize that we do live on an island! I have posted a few pictures from our experience so far on Facebook. You can access them by clicking on the link below . We will post more soon! Hope you enjoy this little glimpse into life in Taiwan.

Copy and past the following into your address bar : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2051253&l=3f5e3&id=141300814

Typhoon Weekend!

2008-09-13T00:52:00.006-03:00

Well, there's a typhoon approaching Taiwan. It's a good thing people told us about it because you would never know from reading western news. Supposedly, this storm is a category 3 and is going to really hit the north of the island, but we are definitely experiencing very heavy winds. The sounds of the wind coming through our glass sliding doors is so loud that I could hardly sleep last night!

So no hiking for us this weekend. Looks like a rainy relaxation weekend. :) And honestly, who doesn't like a rainy relaxing weekend? :)

Settled in!

2008-09-11T02:43:00.003-03:00

Well, we are officially settled in here. I wasn't able to post the video of the apartment here, but was able to post it on facebook, so just add me as a friend (Melanie) and you can check it out. We now also have furniture, a big maroon sofa, a beige rug, a glass coffee table, a desk and a sweet divider.

We also have a scooter! It has been really helpful in discovering more of our area. Nic and I are also both starting to get into the routine of teaching. The kids are very funny and are all so different. They love to call you "teacher" and correct you if they see you have made an error on the board. They are very intelligent! We teach a big range - from about 6 -15 year olds. The older ones are really interested in why we left our homes to come teach in Taiwan. They are also very interested in our home countries, however, no one here understands the concept of Bermuda. It's quite funny - it's like it's on another planet. They are entertaining and fun though, most of the time :)

This past weekend we found a church here - like a 5 minute scooter ride up the rode from our apartment. It has a good mix of Taiwanese and then a bunch of South Africans, which I found to be really random. They were very welcoming though and they have home groups so we may get involved in the "foreigners" home group. We are joining them on a hike through a mountain trail this weekend on Saturday. We're so excited to be getting connected to a body of believers. Keep praying that we'll build those relationships, that we can minister and be ministered too! Nic has had some neat opportunities to share his faith with other foreigners here. Most can tell how different we are just because our lifestyle is so different from theirs.

I was reading in James the other day about how effective the prayers of the righteous are - and we have truly seen that to be true. God has been blessing us so much and we know that your prayers to our God are powerful!

Below I'll post some interesting Taiwan things we've observed... so you can have more of an idea of the culture we are living in. Also - I hope to post pictures soon.

*I have now seen a family of four on a scooter... and a woman with a baby in a babystroller.
*Here when you order fish, they tend to serve you the whole fish, pan fried. It's your job to get to the meat.
*Fish mouths are a speciality. I mean, the whole mouth and throat. It's strange.
*They love coffee and tea here. Not just hot Chinese tea but all sorts of tea and coffee - cold and hot. It's great!
*If there's a space someone here will fill it - i.e. the scooters crowd together - there's not really a sense of lines in store, etc.
*The people are so kind and really try to interact with you - they will speak Chinese continually even though you don't understand! They also really want to serve you.
*There's a huge cultural/ generation gap between the older people and the younger people - it's extremely evident here. You see old Taiwanese men on bikes with lots of bags - women with the straw pointy hats, but then the younger generation is extremely into fashion and materialism.

Our Apartment

2008-09-03T13:51:00.003-03:00

So here's a little tour of our little place! Our sofa, desk and coffee table will be delivered on Saturday- so imagine the new furniture in place of the folding chairs and big box and you'll have a feel for our home in Taichung! We start teaching tomorrow afternoon/ late tonight US/BDA time... we appreciate your prayers! It's so amazing to know that people are praying for us and that God has truly been blessing us in our relationship as a couple, in our walk with Him, in friendships, in getting settled in being helped and blessed by others. Thank you so much for your prayers. We know they are making a huge impact on our lives here!!

*will post video tomorrow.... it's late and i'm experiencing technical difficulties. *

Somewhat settled!

2008-09-03T02:05:00.002-03:00

We are finally somewhat settled! We found a sweet studio apartment in Taichung that we are enjoying. We have a make-shift kitchen with a camping stove and hot plate. We went to the Carrefour (a french type of Wal-Mart) and got some items to help us get started- i.e., towels, hangers, milk, cereal, tea, kettle and of course cleaning supplies. We were up until 2am this morning sweeping, mopping, dusting, scrubbing and rearranging, (Nic is an amazing sweeper and mopper!) but we are somewhat settled and have set up multiple living areas in our studio. There's the sleeping area, the kitchen area and a living area - we are just waiting for furniture which should be delivered on Saturday. We are on the 23rd floor and have a sweet view of the city. We are off now to get some more groceries and items to make our new place homey. We have today off - a huge treat and blessing as we prepare for our lessons and organize ourselves... i am making spaghetti for dinner and we begin teaching around 4pm tomorrow! Praise God for His goodness to us!

Love you all!

So far, so good!

2008-08-26T08:56:00.001-03:00

(Please excuse all typos - I feel like I can hardly keep my eyes open!!)

So we have made it through two FULL days of training with Hess. Both days have been very long, especially as we are still trying to recover from jet-lag! We have been at the Hess Headquarters by 8:45 am and let out after 5…. The training has been very comprehensive. Yesterday we learned about the various stages of culture shock and we’ve also covered a ton of teaching stuff. We are SO thankful to have each other so that when we are going through the culture shock we can help each other. We are also blessed to have each other in that we meet twice as many people – and it’s cool because Nic is so gifted in befriending people – we try to encourage and bless those who are out here on their own.

Interesting things we’ve noted about Taiwan:

*Smells – our senses have been assulted by all of the street vendors - the flavors are also completely different.
*It’s suprisingly easy to get around and understand things (most signs are translated into English)
*The locals are very friendly to foreigners and if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone they will too.
*A moped – you can fit a whole family of four on one.
* Mopeds, buses, taxis, all love to run through the pedistrian crossings, while we are crossing.
* Green tea is everywhere and in everything (including birthday cake, so we hear)
*Toilet paper doesn’t go in the toilet – it goes in a basket in the stall.

I am sure we are forgetting a lot – but that’s what we have noticed and what I can currently think of. We’re still exhausted from long days in training (and jet-lag, we both woke up at 4am both yesterday and today!), but are trying to get out and try local food.

We are enjoying this period of training; the sights and sounds of the big city, but we are also looking forward to discovering our new city, starting our jobs, setting up our apartment, building relationships, joining a church and getting into a routine!

Answers to Prayer:
*A Christian in our training team! An encouragement to us and we try to encourage him.
*We are surviving training and jetlag!
*We are learning the names of some food we enjoy and people have been very helpful!

Requests:
*That God would provide an apartment that is close to work for Nic and I. We will be searching this Sunday (Saturday in Bermuda/US)
*That next Sunday we would be able to attend a church service – that God would lead us to a body of believers where we can be blessed and be a blessing! (This Sunday we are leaving Taipei, travelling to Taichung and have a meeting with the school to find our housing)
*That we will continue to reflect Christ in training – that our coworkers will see the difference in our lives.
*Continual adjustment to jet-lag!
*Successful end to training.

We love you all!

Taipei, Taiwan

2008-08-23T23:32:00.001-03:00

So we arrived in Taipei! So far, so good! We've had some breakfast, and some blended carmel coffee and met two other Hess employees in the lounge of the hotel. The people here seem really friendly and English is a lot more common, spoken and on signs and such that I expected. So that's all for now - we arrived... and we're battling jet-lag. Hoping to overcome it before training which begins at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Thanks for praying!

Anchorage, Alaska

2008-08-23T09:04:00.002-03:00

Well, we made it to Anchorage, Alaska! We're sitting here in the "transfer terminal" waiting to reboard on our flight to Taipei. We're both tired- a little confused regarding the time - but know it will be worse once we arrive in Taiwan. In 12 hours our world is going to be upside down....

And a note if you ever come to visit.... turns out that the flight from JFK to Taipei is an older plane - i.e.... no personal tvs - only one big one at the front of the plane - which is hard to see. LA to Taipei has the flight with the personal tvs.... definitely make the trip via LA.

We'll let you know how we adjust.

We're Married and We're Moving....

2008-08-18T17:10:00.005-03:00

God has truly taken us both on a wonderful adventure. We were married on July 5th, 2008 in Bermuda. We then had a wonderful honeymoon. We travelled to the Azores, Lisbon, Venice, Paris and then to Ireland. We came back to Ohio on July 26th and celebrated our wedding with a reception in Springfield, Ohio on August 2nd.

Since that time, we have been enjoying family and friends and getting ready for our next big adventure. On Friday, August 22nd, we will leave from Columbus, Ohio and fly to JFK. From JFK we will fly to Anchorage, Alaska in order to refuel, an then we will head to our destination of Taipei, Taiwan.

Of course we both have mixed emotions about this new venture. We are sad to be leaving family, friends, our countries, cultures and everything that is comfortable. However, we are truly excited to begin the journey that we believe God has planned for us. We will have one week of training with Hess Educational Organization so that we can be "prepared" English teachers to Mandarin and Taiwanese speakers. After that week of training, we will begin our jobs as English teachers in Taichung, Taiwan.

On this island of mountains, industry, rice, night markets and noodles, we hope to share Christ and His love with those we come into contact with. We hope that through relationships in teaching, and community activity that we will have the opportunity to share the gospel.

We don't know what to expect upon our arrival, but we are thankful to our Lord who is always with us, no matter where we go. And we are thankful to have each other as partners on the journey.

Bermuda Wedding Travel Plans

2007-10-05T22:08:00.000-03:00

If you are planning on coming to the wedding in Bermuda, please feel free to email me if you need more information about the island. I have a booklet full of information that I can send to you as an attachment. Once you have confirmed your travel plans it would be helpful if you could email me and let me know the dates that you are planning on arriving and leaving the island, and where you are staying. This way I can do my best to help with transportation from the airport and the like. Please email me (Melanie) at: mehitchcock@gmail.com

Thanks!

Engagement Photos!

2007-08-28T13:08:00.000-03:00

Our friend, Johanna, took some pictures for us on the beach and at an unfinished historical church in the town of St. Georoges . Click on the following link to look at the pictures.

http://cedarville.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2030116&l=26f9d&amp;id=141300814

The Two of Us....

2007-07-28T15:40:00.000-03:00

MELANIE
I am currently working at a small school in Bermuda called Learning Express Academy. I love teaching and my students ... it's a constant learning experience! I also love spending time with Nic and my family. I love the ocean, my friends, experimenting in the kitchen, reading and working with middle school girls - teaching them about their value given to them by God. :)

NIC
Nic is currently working on his Master's Degree in Old Testament Cultural Settings from Cincinatti Christian University. He is also working part time at The Rock, an urban teen center, in Springfield, Ohio. He is in charge of running the teen center, and discipleship. He has a passion for serving wherever Christ calls him. He likes coffee, reading, learning and travelling.

HOW WE MET
Nic and I met while working together at The Rock. He swept me off my feet - literally - you should ask me about it some time. :) I was a volunteer at the Rock and then when Nic moved back to Springfield after finishing his Bachelor's Degree in Poland, he came to work at the Rock. We both realized that we had the same passion for following Christ, whereever He leads, and for serving people... and well, the rest is history.

WHEN WE GOT ENGAGED
May 11, 2007

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a day of our favorite things: Tim Horton's breakfast sandwiches and a Subway picnic, were planning on having a "special" evening alone after a very busy week. However, in order to make the day seem ordinary, and to throw me off, Nic invited his parents to have dinner with us. We had a nice dinner in Yellow Springs and then planned on going to get icecream - just the two of us. On the way to Dairy Queen, he invited his roomate, Matt, to join us. Honestly, I was annoyed that our "special evening" was not spent alone. After eating icecream we went back to his apartment, and we were listening to a David Crowder CD and Nic asked if I would like to have my graduation gift. I went on a search for it through the apartment, and found an LCD picture frame. Nic told me then that he had fiddled with the frame. He had put various pictures of us on it that documented our relationship. At the end of the slideshow there were a progression of pictures of him standing until eventually he was on one knee with the ring in his hand. It was so thoughtful and special to the both of us. When I looked down he was on one knee, asked me to marry him, and I said YES! :)