I got the Anping Old Fort lego

The second lego toy I drew is Anping Old Fort. It was established in 1624 A.D by Dutch and became the first fortress in Taiwan (Formosa). Originally its name was Fort Zeelandia.
The special features in the fort are the bricks used mortar which consisted of a mixture of glutinous rice juice, oyster hull powder, sand and syrup.
Also, I have pre-booked the limited edition lego train, the date I could get is on 14th January. In addition, now I really hope that I would get the New Taipei city's
Fort San Domingo which was established by Spanish in 1626 A.D.

Leave for Yokohama City in Japan

Yesterday afternoon my mom rang the doorbell to inform me that there was a letter for me. And then I went downstair to get my letter. It's the letter from Japan. When I read her letter, and suddenly I found that we have many topics to chat with, no wonder every time we write over 2 pages. And it also made me think of every time my friends ask me how to choose a topic to chat with their boyfriend (especially foreign boyfriends), I feel a bit boring to me, I also don't know how to choose a topic. I prefer to chat with our Taiwaner boys not foreigners, and I am very special than other girls who love colored eyes. I think it's pie in the sky to make me fall into love with a foreigners who has green eyes or blue eyes or grey eyes. Because I dare not to look steadily at those people. You can say the colored eyes are beautiful, yet to me, I think it's too beautiful to stare. Because the pages are only 5, I felt that I could reply to her around an hour. In addition, she mentioned to the new year card, I think it's good for painting a topic related Japanese New Year on envelope. Finally I finished the replying, and then I chose some blessing Kanji words to write. I am greedy to write all, yet I need to choose few. I thought back, and I never written Kanji calligraphy to Yuki. It's good to change the fresh style on the envelope to her. Moreover, 2011 is a year of Rabbit in Asian countries, except Vietnam for Cat Year. I use my brush pen to paint a rabbit in simple strokes.
The reverse side on the envelope is Japanese calligraphy, I hope that is not ugly at all.
This letter would arrive to Yuki's hand in the last day in this year or next year. I think she would be surprised that I reply to fast.

Merry Christmas Card to Indonesia

Because before I have posted that I wanted to exchange with Christmas card on interpals, and a friendly Thai pal asked me, I was really happy, and then at the same time I chatted a lot with an Indonesian pal. Therefore I asked her to exchange the Christmas card, she agreed but until the Christmas day I got her address. Then yesterday I wrote a lot words to her on the letter and the Christmas card. About the letter, actually I didn't need to write that, but I wanted to do that. Since she chatted with me about my descent on interpals, I think it's hard to type a lot on interpals, moreover, I don't want to let more people check my story on open forum.
I hope the letter would arrive to Jawa, Indonesia quickly. Please arrive before the next year. Also she would like the card.

Winter Solstice

Today is December 22nd, which is also the winter solstice on the lunar calendar. Traditionally, our people would eat a bowl of sweet soup with rice flour balls. This traditional food we call it "Tang Yuan". Making and eating tang yuan both signify family reunion and prosperity. Some family would have pink tang yuan for good luck. When you eat Tang Yuan, it also means that you are getting one year older.
We eat not only Tang Yuan, but also dietary supplementation. There are some food for dietary supplementation, ginger duck soup with herb is most popular for Taiwaner, then wine cooked chicken soup is also common, or you also can eat mutton hot pot.
So my Mom cooked Tang Yuan for me, it means that I also grow up one year old.
And then she also cooked chicken with glutinous rice as lunch for me.

Depart to Southern Poland

Because I have been for a long time to get the replying letter from Zuza, then I didn't advance the time of write the Christmas card for her. When I got her letter, I think I should write a card to her before I reply the whole letter. In this way, I didn't photograph the card I chose for her. Anyway, she wrote many times sorry for late letter to me, but all my head is to concern her study and how much she spent on the letter. I would like to recieve the little gift but not for expensive gift, in addition, I think it's hard to save money. I would feel sorry to spend friends' money.Acutally I have considered to have second home out of Taiwan, and I consider some countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Thailand and Poland. Even Zuza didn't encourage me to visit the old city, Crakow in Poland, I still want to visit there because of recommendation by Taiwaner busisnessmen and the people who have been to there.
And then I have some ideas to inform her. I inform her how Taiwaner think Christmas day and the Lunar Asian New Year is same as the Western New Year for most Asian countries. Also I mention to the Taiwaner feeling difference between Lunar New Year and Western New Year. What if she replys me next turn faster, she would get the red envelop to enjoy the atmosphere of our Lunar Asian New Year, or I will go abroad and then the letter would delay for 1 month.
P.S. Today is 21th, and count from the Christmas day only 4 days, I will show the surprise I want to give my another Dutch pal, Anneke.

Lego Toys

Basically our Mart is very creative and also has many attractive staff to exchange with credits you buy. But the figure toy has no attraction to me. Until Family Mart which is the second biggest mart brand in Taiwan sponsored the lego toys, I changed my mind. Lego can assemble by your hand. That's why I like it very much. I used to like to assemble many castles by lego. I want to collect it, therefore I didn't throw the credits away this time. It's my favorite toy. And the topic is 5 cities symbol. I don't know why my city is 85 skyscraper as symbol. It has no ancient history. I prefer to use The British Consulate at Takao as my city symbol, then it would be the most pretty views among the 5 cities. The second consideration is Kaohsiung Museum of History which was the Bureau Kaohsiung City Government since Japanese period. The last choise, Dragon-Tiger Pagoda is also better than 85 skyscraper. Therefore at the beginning I hope that I draw the Tainan's symbol, Anping Old Fort which was called the former Fort Zeelandia. It has the history with Dutch. I need to collect the 10 credits around 10 Euro to exchange with one. After collect all 5 cities, I also could consider to buy the small train with map.
The worst news and best news are also same, I drew the 85 skycraper. I don't know how to express my feeling, maybe my heart is bleeding. Yet at the same time I think I should love my city's symbol even it is modern building without any historical memory. Anyway, I just want to collect 2 cities or 3 cities, and then I would buy that train lego to assemble. I dislike the Taipei city's symbol.

The Monochrome Painting

Last week I taught my students how to use the brush pen with ink to paint the monochrome night view. Some students are lack of creative, therefore I would give some hints. For example, I will ask students what they would see at night. And one answer gets one star to accumulate the total starts for changing the gift.
The picture on the up-left is special. But the truth is that he didn't know how to draw the house originally, that's why at the begining he painted the sea with fish. Also I felt interesting when I saw the cat face to be the second moon of the bottom right. As for the building is a symbol of my city, this kid is good at imitating what I painted on the board.
The color depth of the picture is adding water. It's Asian old sketch paiting way. I am not very good at this kind of painting, just I have learned since I was a kid.

Busy Friday

I am happy to recieve the first Christmas card from Poland, yet I still not recieve the letter by Linda. Never mind, I have to finish the Christmas card first then send it to Linda.
Because I am very busy, I don't have much time to take the photos by all Christmas cards I sent to foreign pen pals. So this year I totally sent the Christmas card for 8 foreign pen pals. There are 2 Japanese, 2 Thai, 1 Viet and 1 Singapore in Asia. As for European only 2 person, 1 Dutch and 1 Polish. Besides that, next week the surprise I promised to Anneke would finish. After the Christmas, I need to prepare many works. Therefore, I could not update my life on my blog so often.
However, I think I will as possible as I can to update my life in winter vacation.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year for my all friends!

Postcard travels

Besides the busy days, as long as I have free time, I would like to check more information related with New Zealand. And then I found that Hamilton City is 8837 km away from my city. It is not far than the distance between Holland (Hengelo is for 9504 km) to my city. But I don't know why the tour in New Zealand is not cheaper than Europe. I got a good news that my Viet pal finally got my letter, she was very happy to open the card and close the card many times in a day. I guess soon my Singapore pal would also receive my card with greeting.
Same, what if I stay in New Zealand, I think I would send a postcard to two foreign friends, so far I list: Linda (NL) and Chahrazed (Algeria), then I would send four postcards to Taiwaner pen pals. Whatever, I would send a postcard to myself every day, and perhaps I would send the postcard weekly to my Mom. I will find different topics to write and draw on postcards. The following photo is I searched from our people's blog's post card.

I also would like to give it a try for my postcard painting. I can't wait the day to stay in New Zealand now.

To jump or not to jump

Shakespear has said that to be or not to be, and now I want to say,"to jump or not to jump, that is a question."
I have read many blogs from our people, most girls did the great things in New Zealand tour, one of them is to experience the bungy jump. There are many different origins of bungy jumping, including the South Pacific. The legend says that in the village Bunlap a man called Tamalie had a quarrel with his wife and she ran away and climbed a Banyan tree where she wrapped her ankles with liana vines. When Tamalie came up to her, the woman jumped from the tree and so did her husband not knowing what had his wife done. So he died but the woman survived. The men of Bunlap were very impressed by this performance and they began to practise such jumps in case they got in similar situation. This practice transformed into a ritual for rich yam harvest and also for proving manhood.
I am hesitating whether should I try the bungy jump or not. I would like to try it to become an adult as New Zealand's aboriginal tradition. But their bungy just tie on feet not waist. It must be more exciting and scary.

Yet I have seen many Taiwanese girls who are so brave to try it, I am fighting with my heart now.

The Taupo Bungy Jump costs NZ 123 dollars, and then you can get the certificate of courage, also if you buy the combos of jump memory for 3 photos and CD/ROM, you need to add NZ 55 dollars.

Happy Friday

I was happy that last time I spent a good afternoon time to watch the airplane landing and finished my assignment, also the assignment turned out that I got a not bad score. There are 3 classmates to reach the 80 score, and I am one of them.
I think back and feel it is a miracle, last year I disliked English because of a bad memory, and then I made up my mind to improve English. Most girls have good motivation to learn English well, to meet a Western guy for love, to listen to some English pop songs or to watch the movies. Yet the power to push me is two countries. Thursday morning I finally got my passport, but there is one thing I dislike on my passport. How do Western know how to tell the difference between ROC and PRC? Every time I see that, I have mixed feeling with the lies by those politicians. The few days ago, an Egyptian girl discussed with me about the problems of Israel and Palestine, I can feel her anger, yet the hatred cannot solve the problem. Did it worth to sacrifice the innocent lives? No, I would rather to use another way to face the problems between ROC and PRC.
As the world's common language, English is a useful tool. Every time I see those people who bully or cheat our people, I just can work with the energy conversion. I put my grief, anger, frustration turned into impetus to improve the abilities I lack of.
I hope next year I will reach my short-term goal of the year. Then perhaps I would like to plan next short-term goal for study tour.

Proceed to Singapore

My Singapore pals are always busy and I was surprised to get the letter from Singapore. And I enjoy watching the stamps from different countries. Some people suggest me what if I want to collect the letter from more countries, then I could consider to exchange the postcard on postcrossing website. I don't like that way, I prefer to exchange different cultures as major not to collect the stamps from different countries to show off.
I thought for a while and I decided to use the cute letter to reply. But this time I painted by different tools. Aha, it's the steel ball pen. The stype is simple but still nice. Also, I chose a Christmas card to write for her, this month my hand would be acid, because I need to write many Christmas cards, haha~ So I promised her that I would send to her another poem in calligraphy next time.
Last, I am thinking about what kind of colors I still lack of. Besides steel ball pen, I still think of the writing brush pen. But maybe some postcards could be painted by color pencils, should I take them to NZ, too?

Tatarstan An Unfamiliar Country

I admit that I prefer to know the small countries than big countries. So I seldom chat with American, I would pay more attention on minuscular kind of things. I have ever supposed one of my foreign pals is a Russian before she introduced Tatarstan to me. Anyway, she is not a Russian but a Tatarstan citizen. As long as I signed in Skype, she must chats with me for a while.
And last night she asked me an interesting question that I never thought. How do I think and look at people who don't speak fluently english? The moment I immediately answered to her that I would learn their native langauges to communicate with. But her question made me think forth and back after the conversation ending. I always think how to improve my English and try to speak out, and I really hope this winter break I would improve my English listening ability in New Zealand.
I cannot wait for tomorrow to get my passport. Even now I changed a lot, in my childhood I eagered to go abroad to America for Disneyland and Dinosaur Fossil Museum, also for Disneyland in Japan. So childish thought in my childhood. But what if one day I have a lover, I would like to go to Disneyland with my lover.
Besides New Zealand study tour, I hope that I could arrange the Germany summer study tour before I study the master. In addition, I prefer to have a winter study tour in Arab countries, Jordan, Egypt or Syria. Then I put Mongolia tour into my life plan, but I just like to stay there in summer time.

Colorful Pen

This morning I was very happy to buy many different colors to set up my pen holder, and I collected different pen brands to use. Mistubishi I bought 2 pen holders for 5 colors and 3 colors, after all, it is the brand that I used for 12 years. Besides that, I also got the Polot Hi-tec- coleto series for 4 colors.
And I didn't have any ideas to buy the color by Pentel Slicci, so I just bought the purple color to set up, so tomorrow what if I pass by the staionary store, I would buy another blue colors to set up. Should I try Zebra brand? I am condidering this brand now.

So only four pen holder could contain 15 colors inside, in this way I could save the space and reduce the weight of my luggage.

I shift my love to Pilot Steel Ball Pen

In past 12 years, I only like to use the pen by Mitsubishi brand, also I like to use the 0.38 type. But I am very impressed with the colorful steel ball pen painting by some people. In addition, I have painted some postcard and it is difficult to color on the postcard by color pencils. Furthermore, I decide to go to the New Zealand to send a postcard every day to myself. So I should change the style to use the ball pen to paint quickly. And the first choice to change the brand of Pilot Coleto series. I have seen there are 15 kind of colors to choose, and just now I searched a lot information from our bloggers, some also recommend the Pentel Slicci, and I also found my favorite Mitsubishi recently also developed the similiar series as Jetstream. I think this Chirstmas day I would buy a lot of pens as the gifts to myself.

P.S. the above two pictures not belong to me, I just buy four colors to experience now.
And I think of that two years ago I have quickly painted an image to present my childhood by my blue pen. What if I have colorful pen at that time, I would color it. And I want to say that painting was made by my left hand, as for other words you can ignore them, it didn't matter. Also, you can click the picture to see the bigger size.

Closet Joy

The day before yesterday I had applied the passport successfully, also I paid the deposit to join the Waikato Pathways College Group Programme. Next Thursday I will take my passport and then apply to a visa to New Zealand. Moreover, I will remit the remaining balance to the designated account. This is a joy to be hidden. So I will fly out of Taiwan's sky and stay in New Zealand for a month during my winter vacation. And I will not celebrate that unmeaning Asian New Year in Taiwan. Asian New Year has an important meaning of reunion. Perhaps I am very lucky that my father side's home, my mather side's home and my home are in the same district. It means that as long as I want to visit them, I just take in 15 minutes to arrive their home. About the atmosphere of Asian New Year, I cannot have the strong feeling to immerse in this festival. In addition, my lovely grandma (mother side) has passed away 5 years, this festival is no meaning already for me. What if she was still alived, I would not go abroad during that time.
I am wondering to know whether I miss home too much to cry, because many friends told me that they had this kind of similiar experiences. I promise my mother to give her a call every day, in this way, she can be assured that with me.
The Waikato University is located in North Island, there has no much diversified terrain as South Island, but only the one thing is worth to stay there; that is Maoli culture. Since that Maoli girl told me their aborigines recognize they were from Taiwan, I would like to understand their culture and custom. I believe that I could learn from different cultures to acquaint our own culture. Most Taiwan tourists prefer to visit South Island because of the British architecture and ecology scenes. However, North Island has more traces of human history. I am looking forward to dance with Maoli people for Haka. Last, I never seen Alpaca, they look very cute and I want to stroke them.

Taking off to Vietnam

Yesterday afternoon I got a letter from Vietnam, I was surprised the letter from Vietnam. Besides that, this time the letter was from the capital city in Vietnam, Hochiminh City. Last time my letter got lost on the way to Vietnam, it really sucks. However, my Viet friend gave me new address and it won't lose.
And I found that Viet is easy to get along with, I have 2 good Viet friends and they treat me wamrly and honest. Moreover, they regard me as their true friends, I am happy for that. Suddenly I think of one thing that why I cannot fell into love with romantic relationship easily. In Asia, the first country I want to make a bridge of friendship is Vietnam. I hope in my lifetime I could assist Taiwan in establishing diplomatic relations with Vietnam. I have persuaded many friends try to learn and understand the culture and thought of Viet. Perhaps one day my city could have a day to celebrate with the immigrants from different countries to Taiwan, who knows? We still need to improve many things, but I believe we can do it.
This is the first Christmas card I wrote this year to foreign friend, and I am looking forward to exchange different Christmas cards with my foreign pan pals this year.

Head to the hometown of Sinbad

Sinbad the sailor is a famous story here, but I never thought that Sinbad was from Oman before I met Omani friends. Anyway, it is amazing to combine the general knowledges in real life. But Oman also made me sad, the letters I sent to there have been lost 2 times. This time I re-write the letter and the birthday card to my Omani friend, Jawaher. She told me that her name in Arabic means jewel. It is interesting to me, in the past, our people used to name after jewel but in chinois for girls name. However, this kind of thought was only in Taiwan.
I tried to write Arabic to greet her. Before I wrote in Arabic is typography form. I think the postmen see that would not lose my letter. (wry smile)
At last, I hope my letter would not lose in Oman again.