Cycle 3: Reflection Statement

Over Christmas break, I was home in Taiwan, where I was exposed to a lot of Japanese culture and language. I was able to shadow some segments of news on local television channels, along with some exclamatory phrases from Japanese game shows.

It was tons of fun reading Japanese phrases and a lot of the menus had Japanese script.

I feel that my control of long vowels has improved and special moras such as double consonants have also become clearer!

食べ物：二番

こんばんは！

台湾（たいわん）に　たくさん夜市 （night market）があります。

寧夏夜市 (Ning Xia Night Market)

士林夜市 (Shilin Night Market)

毎日たくさん人がいます。とてもにぎやかで、たのしいです。そして、たくさんたべものがあります。たくさん少年（しょうねん）はそこに買い物に行きます。

Night markets feature small dishes with prices ranging from $0.75 USD to $3.00 USD. Seafood is a significant portion of the diet in Taiwan, and is featured quite prominently in Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. 

蚵仔煎 (Pan-fried Oysters)

Pan-fried with vegetables, eggs, and vegetables. Served with magic sauce.

Visitors pick and choose among the huge selection of stalls and eat/purchase whatever they want. Any night of the week, night markets are full of people, and it's even more crowded during weekends (the atmosphere is quite unique and a crucial part of the experience).

糖葫蘆 (Candied Fruits)

魷魚羹 (Cuttlefish Stew)

胡椒蝦 (Pepper Shrimp)

豬血糕 (Pig's Blood Cake)

食べ物：一番

日本のすき焼きと台湾（たいわん）の火鍋（hot pot）がとても好きです。たくさんたべました。

さかなとにくややさいがあります。

台湾の中にはたくさん日本のレストランがあります。

Since coming back to Taiwan, I've eaten at a number of sukiyaki/hot-pot restaurants, each with its unique style and offerings. The first and foremost defining element is the soup base, ranging from sea-salt boiled seaweed to 味噌(miso) to chicken broth to vegetable stew and beyond. As you cook the foods and eat them, the flavor of the soup develops, making each meal a unique experience (even the order in which you cook the foods affects the end product). The great thing about this style of eating is that each person can order and eat exactly what he/she wants, and it's always fun to cook your own meal!