Day 4 Orientation at FengJia University

Hey there this is Hannah.

We woke up to it raining. It was going to be the first time driving to school alone and driving in the rain. It was quite an experience. It rains often in Taiwan and most people drive scooters. How they deal with the rain are these huge ponchos that easily fit around you and any bags you are carrying.

When we arrived we paid our tuition and went to the EZ (English Zone) Cafe. Which isnt a cafe at all. I was disappointed. I still hadnt had real coffee since we arrived! They had set up several tables for people that spoke the same language to sit together. This orientation was only for the students taking Chinese Language classes. We we told to sit at a table with other Europeans. There was a man from London England, a man from Germany, and one from Swirzerland. Later two young men from France sat down, and a girl from Spain sat next to me. There was another American that sat at the far end of the table, but he left early and we didn't get to meet him.

Our Table

Japanese

Korean

 

Phil and I introduced ourselves and started talking. People started asking us where we lived and how long we had been there. After a little while the Girl from Spain sitting right next to me suddenly asked me if we were Witnesses. She is also a Witness! Her name is Anna, she grew up in Spain but lived in the United States for a little while and spent the last several years in England.

Anna and Hannah

Now a little from Phil
After a brief introduction and a little slide show they had all of the students introduce themselves and say a little about why they are here. We were only suppose to speak for the intros in either English or Chinese. As it came to my turn I knew that I needed to give a witness so I said " Hello my name is Phillip Warren, and this is my wife Hannah I am from the United States and I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I came here to study chinese so that I can help those who speak Chinese learn the Bible in their own language. Nice to meet all of you." After which it was Hannah's turn and she said something very similar only all in Chinese. After she finished the director stopped her and asked how long she had been learning Chinese because it was very good. Then Anna introduced herself as a wintess as well. After wards several people asked us questions. When Hannah got up, a boy and girl from Korea came up to her and explained in Chinese they were also witnesses. They were really excited to meet us. Even later another girl, who is from Japan, came up to Hannah saying she was also one of Jehovah's Witnesses. As it turns out there are 6 witnesses starting Chinese classes this quarter, and we heard there are even more that are already in the program.

After the presentations and a slide show tour of the campus since it was raining, lunch was served. After lunch Hannah and some of the other students that had studied chinese before went to take the placement test. The rest of us will just start in Chinese 101 the first level. After Hannah's Placement test despite her not knowing hardly any traditional characters the examiner recommened that she be in 201 and just study extra hard on the characters, but she said that Hannah was very smart and she thought she could do it. Mean while I waited arround in the room where the orintation was and talked to some of the other students. After a few minutes a student from Japan came up and after talking about a few movies that he had seen including Avengers he asked if I would like to play a game. He had a set of several games first he choose chinese checkers but since neither of us could remember how to play or if you needed three players we decided to go with chess. After a very good game it was looking like I was going to win but then in an unexpected turn he had me in check, which we both hadn't noticed. I had already taken my turn so I said he won.

Playing Chess while waiting for Hannah to finish her placement test

We then went and looked around the campus a bit, it is really neat. Also we found where our classrooms will be and as it turns out Hannah got the teacher that Tim and Jamie reccomended, HeFenFen.

We then headed out stopping by a store to get Hannah some flip flops since they work better when it is raining. And then went to a Starbucks on our way home from the campus. A almost universal truth Starbucks is good anywhere you go and here is no exception :) the menu is pretty much the same with a few additions.