#plants were 100NTD

[touchmycoat]

Assembled a lil terrarium 🥺 we’ve got waffle plants, fittonia, and bacopas among the moss

#terrarium #plants #I feel blessed #it’s day 3 of a four day weekend and I’ve been fucking SICK #so today was really good: bought the plants and assembled my child #plants were 100NTD #container was also 100 #crocheted the top cover & bottom mat out of scrap yarn & twine #personal #aaahhh nature is healing #I’ve been fucking miserable lmfao #but nah 💞

[katie-vamos-a-china]

Wed 7/12

I havent written for the past 2 days because so much has happened and I have been exhausted. Today was a weird/crummy but fun day so it should be easy to sum up.

We left the hotel around 8am after breakfast at the hotel to go to areas that are taking part in rural revitalization. First we went to a kung fu studio which was extremely cool They let us play their big drum and cymbals and hold their tall spears and other weapons. We also walked around and got to see courtyard houses which were very common in (i believe) feudal Japan. The door frame has words over it which is supposed to be the name  of the owners of the house I believe or something similar to that.  Then we walked around the community and looked at the courtyard houses & took pictures. They had a sort of living wall system with drip irrigation from their graywater they collect in water tanks in the community which was cool.

After this we went to a nearby school in the community to look at their teaching garden. It had a pond in it and it seemed to me like maybe a swale of some sort mainly because they were using plants in part of a system to “clean” the water to make it better for the plants. They had like a 5 part system throughout the large garden for the process. It was neat seeing all the different plants, like Fiddle leaf Fig which was very large. We also saw live cicadas which flew at us and were scary. We also got to eat some raw passion fruit which was good but slimy which was weird. Then we picked peanuts which was cool and we got to eat some and they were great! Just unroasted peanuts. By this time it was maybe 11 or something and it was extremely hot. Everyone was sweating buckets and miserable. A lot of people complained a lot and were clearly not enjoying themselves or paying attention when our hosts and Dr. Qu were speaking. 

I think I am missing a part but after this we went to another part of the community for lunch. First we made noodles at this activity center out of potato & rice dough for shaved ice. Then we got to eat the shaved ice which was okay I guess, not the best especially because it wasnt sweet. Then we had lunch which honestly was good to me & everyone else hated. I only got something of everything on the homemade buffet line because Gordon told me what everything was. I got pork with rice & bamboo, fried mushrooms, fried pumpkin, sweet potato fries, potato leaves and leeks. It was all very good but as usual the pork was fairly fatty which I didn’t like that much. I also talked to Dean a bit about tennis and baseball which I thought was cool. He told me what channel to watch Wimbledon on (73 FOX sports) which made me so happy because I didnt think I would be able to watch while abroad, although I dont have time for TV anyway. I also called Austin rude while making pasta because he was saying something in a mocking Chinese accent in front of people which is just so mean and inconsiderate and he did not see what he did wrong. I do not understand that boy.

After lunch we went to another community to learn more about biochar; which was silly. A guy talked about what it was (again) and then as it was about to rain we went outside and watched them burn bamboo which didnt even really make the biochar, & we got to arrange our own bamboo in a kiln to burn. Then we went back to the shelter and listened to two people speak more about it. Basically again it turned into Dr. Qu asking them questions and them not having great answers or misunderstanding and not being able to answer thoughtfully. After this hellstorm was over (it seemed to take forever since it was so hot and boring) they gave us soup. I got green bean soup on accident which wasnt bad minus the chunks of green beans in it. Then we went home!

There was a baseball game today. I went to it with Poko, Ivan, Alex,  Mia, Allen (took place of Elaine today), Gordon & Dean. It was so so cool. I rode on the back of Dean’s scooter which was terrifying at first but super duper cool and exhilarating after getting used to it. Alex rode on Gordon’s & Poko was with Ivan etc. anyway that was so neat. It was cool to see the city in a different perspective and to see the different buildings we havent been by. The architecture in most of the school buildings is really neat and they are all around 3 stories and have colorful accents. The baseball stadium actually looked like a baseball which was extremely cool. Talk about giving an area a sense of place (represent RPTS 402, I actually learned something in a class for once). The game was very loud and exciting which I had never experienced really for baseball. They have their own chants and dance things for each player they sing and yell. I obviously had no clue what they were saying but it was still very cool. It was interesting to see the sports culture of another country. 

After, we (minus Alex & Gordon) went to a Japanese restaurant on a corner by the hotel. It was so good. We got so much food for 100NTD or about $3. Pork, rice, veggies & 1/2 an egg, & I could barely finish it all.

Today started out long & slow but I stayed positive until almost the very end and I am very happy with the turnout. Every day I have thought “wow this is extremely cool; probably the coolest and most fun thing I’ve ever experienced.” But then each day it gets topped. I cant wait to see what is in store tomorrow.

We had homework due tonight which I did; hopefully I can post abt Monday & Tuesday tomorrow in the forest.

#daily