Hi friends and family,
I thought I'd send out an e-mail about what I've been up to in Taipei. Just to let you know I've been updated a blog style webpage at http://www.marcdurham.com it has a link to some pictures I've uploaded. But I really haven't taken that many pictures, I'll try to take more.

So, in case you haven't already heard from my blog, I've been here in Taipei for just over two weeks, I started school on Monday just a few days ago. I'm in the Wenshan congregation, it's about the same size as most congregations in the US. The Kingdom Hall looks about the same as any, though it's the only one I've seen with an all tile floor and no carpet. And of course all the meetings and parts are in Chinese. I'm the only white guy and the only American in that congregation, though the other several congregations here usually have a few of us English speakers. There are at least 3 Korean and 3 Japanese brothers and sisters in the congregation too, expanding their ministry into Chinese too, but I think some of them are there permanently. So while I'm the only American in my congregation, I'm not the only foreigner learning Chinese.

But other than being confused most of the time, you sure don't feel like a foreigner when you're at the meetings and with the brothers and sisters, not only do they study the exact same material we do but they welcome you in right away ask you hundreds of questions. Also quite a few of the brothers and sisters have learned a little bit of English, so sometimes that helps clarify things a little bit for me.

More about school, I go to school for 3 hours a day, Mon-Fri, you can read a little bit about it on my blog. School is pretty intense, for me anyway, one of my teachers is especially strict on pronunciation and tones, I feel like I've had to relearn every word that I already know. But there is much learning and laughing in class, so even while it makes you pretty tired after only 3 hours, I look forward to it each day.

I think that's about all I'll say in this e-mail. I'll try to keep updating the blog entries at http://www.marcdurham.com, I'll put a little more detail there to describe what it's like here.

Thank you for reading,
Marc Durham (edit 279) Permalink