The same, but different

That's the theme in kindy this week, in keeping with lessons on the English words for body parts. (I.e. we all have two hands, two legs, etc., but our hair and eyes look different.) It also reflects my thoughts on Taiwan after last week's holiday, Moon Festival. Also called Mid-Autumn Festival, it's a day off to celebrate the harvest moon. I'm not entirely sure why the harvest moon matters when they actually harvest the rice at least twice a year; but apparently it does.

And the vehicle of choice for celebrating Moon Festival: moon cakes. They come in elaborate packages, and people buy them by the dozens at this time of year to give to friends, co-workers, etc. I received quite a few of them from colleagues and the parents of some of my students. Some of them were pretty good, but quite a few of them are awfully heavy and filled with some, er, unique tasting food paste.

I found out just after the holiday that I wasn't alone in that view of the moon cakes. There was an article in the paper detailing how many younger Taiwanese people don't like them much at all, but they feel compelled out of tradition to give and receive them at this time of year. Just like fruitcakes back home.

We only think it's a different world over here.

I guess, on both sides of the Pacific, there must be some people who like the holiday grub of choice, eh?


By the way, I believe my blogging hiatus is over. I don't know how much time I'll have to play on here for the next month or so, but I don't think I'll be going silent for three weeks again either!