Today was my sister’s last day in Taiwan. Most of the day was spent helping her clean and pack. In the morning we went to the doctor to get some medicine from her cough, and I was amazed at how efficient the doctor and pharmacist was!
For lunch, I treated my grandma, my grandma’s friend and sister to a restaurant my grandma said was really delicious. And indeed it was!
For about the equivalent to $22, each person got:
1. Seafood soup served in a kettle
2. A salad (I got fish skin salad)
3. A seafood dish (I got fish on a hot stone)
4. Rice with either beef or fish. I chose the fish. The rice was cooked in a hot stone pot over a flame for 25 minutes before we could take the lid off the rice pot.
5. A meat dish. I got raw slices of beef, onions and a slice of pumpkin, and I cooked it on a hot stone.
6. A drink (I got lychee milk tea)
7. Dessert: fruits and pineapple cream
Also, since my grandma has been to this restaurant many times and knows the owner or someone, we got a spicy beef dish.
I was absolutely full the rest of the day, which was as said before, spent helping my sister pack and clean. At night, we saw my sister off, which was sad because it’s the last time I’ll see her until December when I return from study abroad. It’s also crazy because she’s starting college soon!
Anyway, before my blog transforms from a research blog to a food blog, I’ll give some updates on my research. I interviewed two sisters who grew up in Miaoli and currently are in Taichung via Skype. Since they grew up in a Hakka family, they definitely identify as Hakka, and this identity is important to them, especially since Hakkas are a minority in Taiwan. They know the Hakka language, but they do not use it as much. The younger sister said she was not as interested in learning more, but the older sister said she was interested because she wants to work in a hospital, and knowing Hakka will be useful so she can speak to older Hakka people. They also talked about some Hakka traditions their family has observed, such as in marriage, cuisine and venerating ancestors. The younger sister has taken a government Hakka language test because it offered money as an incentive (many people I interviewed have taken this test). The older sister also talked about living in an environment of mostly Taiwanese people in Tainan, where Taiwanese people expect Hakka people to know the Taiwanese language, but not vice versa. She said it was good that the Hakka Affairs Council is catering more to young people, such as promoting modern Hakka songs. She also said it’s up to Hakka people to speak the language to others and introduce their culture to others.
My goal tomorrow is finish organizing my data before my grandma comes home at 4 p.m., and then I’ll do some writing!