Sunday morning I attended the international volunteers training for Deaflympics. There are about 35 international volunteers. I sat with Miriam and Aaron. It was great to see them again. I also met Alison from Arizona. She is Deaf too. Altogether there are six volunteers from the States. There are also volunteers from England, France, Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan. I am assigned to work at a games service center for table tennis. I will get my work schedule in the next couple days.
One girl, Stephanie, befriended me. She was born in Scotland and moved to Switzerland when she was 10. She has now lived and worked in Taipei for 4 years. She and I are assigned to the same station so I look forward to working with her. I had to get home on my own from the training and Stephanie showed me where the MRT (subway) station was and which train to get on. I was so grateful!
-Jen
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Welcome to Taiwan!
Valerie and I are now in our second day in Taipei. We both arrived safely after long flights. When we arrived at the apartment where we are staying we both were able to go right to bed and slept well. We have had little trouble adjusting to the 12 hour time difference. Amazing!
On our first day here our host, Rebecca, took us to a little shop to get an authentic Taiwanese breakfast complete with various pastries and sweet soybean milk. Afterwards I officially registered as an international volunteer with Deaflympics. That evening Valerie, Rebecca, and I attended an assembly for the nearly 10,000 volunteers for the Deaflympics. There I met Chris, Aaron, and Miriam. All three of them are Deaf from the U.S. who are volunteering. It was so much fun to have someone to talk to that I understood! We also met many Taiwanese Deaf volunteers. We did our best to gesture and try to understand each other. It was so exciting!
This morning Valerie and I walked to the breakfast shop on our own and ordered by pointing at what we wanted. We were proud of ourselves that we had been able to get breakfast and pay for it on our own. We have also learned how to walk to Rebecca's home from the apartment where we are staying. Finally today we went in search of a place to connect to wireless internet. After many adventures at the public library we finally ended up at Starbucks - all on our own!
Tomorrow I have training for the Deaflympics all morning. I'm excited to spend time with my new Deaf friends!
-Jen
Valerie and I are now in our second day in Taipei. We both arrived safely after long flights. When we arrived at the apartment where we are staying we both were able to go right to bed and slept well. We have had little trouble adjusting to the 12 hour time difference. Amazing!
On our first day here our host, Rebecca, took us to a little shop to get an authentic Taiwanese breakfast complete with various pastries and sweet soybean milk. Afterwards I officially registered as an international volunteer with Deaflympics. That evening Valerie, Rebecca, and I attended an assembly for the nearly 10,000 volunteers for the Deaflympics. There I met Chris, Aaron, and Miriam. All three of them are Deaf from the U.S. who are volunteering. It was so much fun to have someone to talk to that I understood! We also met many Taiwanese Deaf volunteers. We did our best to gesture and try to understand each other. It was so exciting!
This morning Valerie and I walked to the breakfast shop on our own and ordered by pointing at what we wanted. We were proud of ourselves that we had been able to get breakfast and pay for it on our own. We have also learned how to walk to Rebecca's home from the apartment where we are staying. Finally today we went in search of a place to connect to wireless internet. After many adventures at the public library we finally ended up at Starbucks - all on our own!
Tomorrow I have training for the Deaflympics all morning. I'm excited to spend time with my new Deaf friends!
-Jen
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