I’ve been sprung!!!
My ride was uneventful other than the fact that a lot of people still thought I was taking the bus. I got phone calls from the taxi company in Taichung asking where I need to be taken to after my bus arrives. I think one of the calls I got was from someone managing the bus roster, asking if I was still taking the bus. Other than that excitement, I made it to my grandparents’ place without issue and a hefty taxi fare of $4300 NT.
I got a couple messages from Taiwan’s automated phone monitoring system. The gist: “number ###, you have left your quarantine residence. Return immediately!” My parents also each got one. Because it is a system-generated text message, replying didn’t do anything.
Dad got a side adventure. The drive was about 3 hours and he asked for a bathroom break. The taxi driver had to call to request a restroom stop. Then he was informed which stop to use and pulled right up to the bathrooms.
Taiwan highway rest stops are a big deal. If you are going to stop for a bathroom break, they are going to make it worth your while. Some have become tourist stops with massive gift shops and food court. And when I say “gift shop,” I am not talking about your overpriced kitschy tacky $10 magnets that have neon “TAIWAN” written on it. They have those too. I’m talking about higher end porcelain tea sets with elaborate carvings, specialty local foods like sun cake, embroidered hand fans with display stands, and so on. Then there are the public restrooms on the side with a separate entrance, designed for high volume traffic.
For Dad, the driver drove right up the restrooms, and the attendants stopped all foot traffic in and out of the restroom, almost using a human chain to signal to the public to not pass and there was something going on. Once everyone around came to a screeching stop, Dad was allowed to go. On the bright side, no line! Quarantine passengers were allowed to leave only one at a time. Had my mom needed to go to, she would need to wait until dad is back in the car before stepping out herself. Can you imagine how long a family with kids can take in this process?!
I had an image of tens of horrified people scattering in the wind and daring each other to be the first to use the restroom after someone in quarantine had just come through. But, really, had they rolled out a red carpet, everyone would think he is some celebrity instead. Instead, they were petrified and didn’t protest to being told to hold their bladders a few minutes longer.
It was good to be back in this house. I realized when I arrived that this last spell may have been the longest I haven’t been back to Taiwan, about 5 years. Boy, is it is q.u.i.e.t. I realized as the American cousin, whenever I came back, there was an occasion for a family gathering. As kids spending summers here, the other cousins would also be dropped off to hang out for a spell. During lunar new years, we were all coming back. Even as we all grew up and dispersed, my visits usually were timed with some event or holiday.
While we are back for a funeral, the quarantine meant everyone scattered. Under the 7+7+7, a residence can be shared with family members who are vaccinated, but anyone in the home would also be required to go through regular covid testing, at their own expense. Between the personal and financial inconvenience, no one stayed. Most of our relatives had primary homes in the city, this former farmhouse becoming less used over the years since the grandkids have grown and since my grandfather passed. Which worked perfectly for the three of us in quarantine. My parents and I were allowed to use the same residence since we were in the same quarantine program and schedule.
Upon arrival, I checked in with my Taichung police officer, who gave me the same reminders. Keep your phone on. Do not leave your residence. Report your temperature and health to me daily, by 12:00. I will say just from my Line communications with him, he is much more responsive and reachable than the Taipei police had been. No online portal here, but direct line (hah!) of communication with him. His written English is really good and I decided to stick with what works.
My parents got a call from the local police with the same reminders. As they confirmed my parents’ information, my mom mentioned that I was also in the residence, also in quarantine. And that I am an American, to which the police quickly said, “Oh, we don’t handle foreigners!” The idea of the small town police trying to communicate with me in English… 😂
One of my uncles met us at the house and helped us settle in. And he did what he always did, picked up lunch and bubble tea, with an “Welcome back. You don’t get to eat this stuff in the States so I brought you some bawan for lunch!” I love my relatives. Ba-wan, 肉圆 (which strangely translates to “meatball” although that is not the English description I would have used) is a Taiwanese street food dish that I’ve been craving for since I knew I was coming back to Taiwan. It’s is, to me, more like a large dumpling, with a translucent wrapping, with pork, bamboo, and mushroom filling. It is a true taste of Taiwan.
To wrap up the first phase of my quarantine, let’s revisit my breakfast selection over 8 days..
I won’t be eating another sandwich for ages. And definitely not in Taiwan.
After catching up, my uncle took off to his city condo and we settled in, unpacking any leftover snacks and fruit from the hotel quarantine and just stretching out. Besides my parents, I now have some canine company for the next weeks. There are actually two dogs and a cat, all sleeping outdoors.
I took a break from my quarantine to-do list for today. I will need to recalibrate it for the change of venue. Today, I just want to revel in the fresh country air, homecooked meals, and more space. Admittedly a little bit of nostalgia in being back to what was kind of my childhood summer home. And laundry. Three weeks of careful planning of rewearing, frugal selection of hotel laundry, and many cases of hotel sink washing all concluded in a 45-minute cold wash cycle. I already had to haul all our suitcases to the third floor. Surely, that counts as exercise. I did break out the second puzzle. Lighting and having a table makes it so much easier on my back and eyes.