Jiuyang (pronounced Joe-yahng) means I'm pleased to meet you

Sunday May 23rd

We attended church at the Taiwan 1st ward again. Today they provided us hearing aids/ head sets to listen to a translator. It was good to have and much easier to hear. We also were able to sing in sacrament meeting today. We sang the classic nursing song "Lord, I Would Follow Thee". We sang it in English and it was cute to see some of the ward members lip sing along with us. Afterwards, a little old woman came up to us and gave a couple of gifts (pineapple cake and a Chinese beaded lanyard). We had never met this woman before and she just came up and gave it to us! I am continually amazed by the generosity of this country.
As we were driving home on the bus it started raining for the first time since we've been here! and guess what? When it rains... it definitely pours! We walked out of the bus and just being outside for 10 seconds got everyone who didn't have a poncho soaking wet. Luckily someone told me that it was going to rain today, that way I could bring mine. But once we were out walking in the rain for a little while, I decided to take off the hood on my poncho and get soaking wet too! If I wasn't in a dress, I would have actually stayed outside and played in the rain. Even though I know I would get sick of the huge downpours here in Taiwan, I wish it rained like this in California or Utah every once in a while.

 You can't see the rain very well, but it was flooding the streets pretty fast

The rest of my day consisted of homework :( We have to make a video and post it online for the other N400 groups so that is about all that I did

Well, we did go and get dan bing from the woman at the day market. It was once again so delicious. Dan Bing is one of those amazing foods that I will miss when I go home.

Getting ready to grab some dinner

The Dan Bing Lady

Monday May 24th

I went to the ICU again! woot! Rainy and I received different patients today so we learned many new things. One of the patients in the ICU had HIV so the nurse told us all about what Taiwan does for HIV and AIDS patients. We learned that when an AIDS patient dies, they are transferred out of the hospital covered in plastic and then cremated. If the patients family doesn't want the patient to be cremated (because they believe that this hurts the patient) the patient will then have to buried deep under ground (deeper than usual). This is different from the U.S. .. we just bury HIV patients like everyone else.
We also learned that families often don't like to visit or be associated with family members who have HIV, especially if they contracted it through a "complicated sexy life" (as stated by the nurse) haha However, if patients contracted HIV through blood transfusions, the family is more likely to be supportive.
 
So one of highlights of the day was when I was able to give an enema to a patient.  I know its gross but it was the first one that I've given to a real patient, so I was pretty stoked

Another highlight was when Dr. Chan brought some cheesecake that his wife had made... it is so much better than American cheesecake! I wish I could have the recipe and add it to my man catching recipe book. :) 

I was also able to learn more about cupping today and how to choose the acu-points on the body. I will be a baq-wan (cupping)  master by the end of this trip.

I'm sad I don't have as many pictures for this post, but I didn't think you wanted to see me giving an enema ;P