My Cup of tea
I have tried many new tastes in Taiwan . One of these for which I have developed an overwhelming likeness to is that of Bubble Milk Tea or “zhēn zhū nai chá”, in Mandarin Chinese. This beverage is very popular in Taiwan and I guess in China as well. Tea overall, hot or cold, is very popular, and the streets are laden with small teahouses where one can quench thirst and curiosity for only a few dollars.
What is so unique of this tea is there are small black jelly balls at the bottom of the cup. You get a big straw with you purchase with which you firstly pierce a hole in the cellophane cover and then use to carefully suck up the chewable jelly delights. It is said that your culture integration can be measured by the amount of pearls left when your tea is up. It is indeed a fine art to equal the amount of tea consumed and to parallel that which the amount of pearls left. At this stage I have around 15 pearls left when my tea is up, which is a sign that I still need to work on my culture integration. Practice, practice ,practice.
These last 2 weeks I have been teaching small children in the mornings. After four of these “teacher monkey” classes my heart is usually warm and soft my throat is sore and dry. On my way home I stop at a tea house and with my best, but still very hesitant Chinese say “Wo yao yi bei zhēn zhū nai chá “. I then hopefully receive a cup of pleasure for the mere price of 25NT ( R5.30, 0.55EUR, 0.37GPB).
Weren't you supposed to be coming up with a new slogan/ mantra? Not that I think there's anything wrong with the old one, just keeping you on your toes!! (Comment this)