When I first walked into 民族國中 (Taipei Municipal Minzu Junior High School) on the first day of school, I didn’t know what to expect. I made my way up the two flights of stairs with my entire family in tow: my dad, mom, and brother had ALL insisted on coming along for the ride. The second I stepped foot in the classroom, I could feel the stares. The fact that I was a 外國人(foreigner) was enough to set off the whispering that immediately broke out upon my arrival, not to mention that I wasn’t even wearing the correct school uniform, having just registered the day prior. To make matters worse, my overenthusiastic family waving from the window of the classroom was not really helping matters. (see the above picture of me *politely* asking my parents to STOP TAKING PICTURES AND LEAVE) That was obviously a mortifying experience, but once I got past it, I immediately began feeling at home. At first, my classmates were afraid to talk to me, presumably because they weren’t sure if I could speak Mandarin. This problem was easily solved by someone (I don’t remember who) asking bluntly “你會講中文嗎？(Do you know how to speak Chinese?)” I answered that I did, and the tension seemed to ease. Now that I’ve gotten to know them better, I am so thankful for my classmates. Whenever I don’t understand a teacher’s question, they explain it to me with patience. When I can’t read a test, one of my friends will help read it to me. It’s not just my classmates, either. Many people have come up to me in the hallways, library, etc. and asked me everything from “Why did you move to Taiwan?” to “Do you dye your hair?” It’s such a funny experience having so many people constantly interested in my story: I’m almost a celebrity here! I’ve formed so many wonderful friendships with so many kind and funny individuals, and I will look back on these memories with a smile long after I’ve left Taiwan.
