Festivals

With a Group of Exchange Friends to Visit CKS's old house

Sakura (Cherry Blossom) The Beautiful Blossom of Spring

Burning Money For the Gods

My Host Families Name In the Temple

During Chinese New Year I went with my host family to a small little city in below Taichaung.  Probably the best part about Chinese New Year, well at least for the teenagers, is the "hong bao,"  or red envelopes.  The envelopes contain money, and we receive these envelopes because of the story that monsters come out at the night to eat children, but the red color will protect us from the ghosts and monsters that come out on this night.
       My family also took me out to the family temple to which they had donated money.  They were very proud that there name was written in the temple.  I really enjoy visiting the temples it is one of my favorite things about Taiwan.  I just moved host families, but I am very happy I was able to have such a cultural experience during Chinese New Year full of food, money, and temples.

The Ocean in Taidong After Feeding Fish

Festival In Taidong

The Foreigner Participant

Dressed to Save and Protect Ourselves from the Fireworks

Rotary brought our entire district to Taidong for the Han Dan festival.  It is really the most shocking thing I have ever experienced.  In order to create believers a man must bare his body to be hit by many fireworks.  It is extremely loud and usually there are quite a few foreigners who participate.  I found it unbelievable, and even just to stand and watch we had to protect our mouths, eyes, ears and body from the immense noise and the possibility of a firework hitting us.  It was quite a culture shock, but I am really glad I was able to see it first hand.  At the end of our trip to Taidong we went on a hike and saw this beautiful waterfall that I just had to show all of you.

The End of a Hike in Taidong's Forrest

My Lovely Friend at Yuanshan's Lantern Festival

Sending Of Lanterns in the Ping-xi Festival on my Birthday :)

For my birthday I went with a lot of exchange students to the Ping-xi Lantern Fesitval.  It was so beautiful to see so many dreams and wishes floating into the night sky.  I feel so lucky that it happened on my birthday.  I had actually been looking forward to the festival ever since I found out I would be in Taiwan.  We participated in the festival by sending out our own lanterns with our dreams, and lighting them up to the heavens.  Wow I just love Taiwan.

Thanks again for reading I couldn't cover everything because it has been so long since I posted, but I hope you all enjoyed. ( You should google some more pictures from the festivals to see a more dynamic view, they are awesome :) )