Welcome

This blog is created to host fellow writers from my English writing classes at Takming University.

First of all, how to address me.  Please, forget whoever taught you to say this: "Teacher" is a word only used in the third person.  You can call me Mr. Yeh, if you wish, as I've been known to thousands of American high school and junior high students.  Mr. and Mrs. are used in settings where formality and boundaries are observed.  But since this is a college, I don't mind "Vinnie".  In America, college students are considered adults, so the first name basis is totally fine.

This blog is created to share our love of reading and writing.  It is also a place for us to reflect upon and learn about cultural differences.  I'm still in culture shock about Taiwan, and students always seem to be amused when I share my amazement at things they consider to be natural order of the universe.

Take this week's writing assignment for example.  Car vs. motor scooter. The topic came to me when I was on the bus to Takming.  At a very large intersection, what seemed like thousands of scooters furiously shot out the moment the light turned green, accompanied by a deafening motor sound.  It was a terrifying scene, as if someone had just poked a beehive, and thousands of yellow jackets flew out to swarm the attacker.  I thought to myself, AWESOME.  Let's write something about this.

In case you didn't know, these scooters are a rare sight in America.  I've seen at least one before, because I remember someone pointing it out to me "hey, look, a Faggio".  (Faggio is a reference to a video game named Grand Theft Auto.  The motor scooter is named Faggio in the game as a joke, because to an American, it looks wimpy...a pun on the politically incorrect word fag.)  In practical terms, scooters are simply not viable in many parts of America.  In Pennsylvania, where I came from, it's simply too cold to be riding on these things for almost half the year.  During winter months, roads are often icy and snowy.  Those little wheels aren't going to make it.  That explains why when we see a motor scooter, we point it out to each other like we just saw a celebrity.

These little scooters zoom around traffic and pedestrians, observing no rules or civility.  At least twice a day, I almost get hit by one.   How do hundreds of scooter riders not get killed every day -- either hit by cars, or beaten to death by outraged pedestrians like me?  I have hundreds of questions about Taiwan in my head.

I hope you're not thinking that I hate Taiwan.  Quite the contrary.  I'm fascinated by everything I see.  The greatest part about traveling is that it gives you a whole new perspective on things.  I'm enjoying the culture shock.  You'd be surprised by what I consider to be really special in Taiwan.  Did I tell you how much I love walking through the street market on my way to Takming?  More to come.

I'm a voracious reader.  I can never find enough good things to read.  I'm also an obsessive writer.  I'm always looking for readers and feedback.  It's a good obsession to have.  Hopefully, this blog is good enough writing for those of you who've asked on the survey to read more.  Join the discussion, leave comments, or respond to them.  Nobody will be correcting your English here.