My days have been very full (and fulfilling). Planning for classes, teaching, visiting the detention centers, and weekly meetings with Cha Hung have comprised the weekly routine for me. However, every day is different and exciting. Currently, I am starting a research project (it is definitely in its infant stages) that will utilize a database we have on victims, along with interviews and narratives from individuals in our own shelter to come up with a report that will gauge/challenge the Taiwanese government in its engagement with aspects of prevention, protection, and prosecution as they relate to human trafficking. Although the VMWBO is a non-profit organization seeking to help these individuals at the grassroots level, anything we can do to possibly affect change at the policy level would be a crucial step forward in eradicating this heinous human rights abuse. And even if we were only able to shed some more light on the issue and make more people aware, we will have made progress. I must say, research projects are hard, especially when there are so many angles from which we can tackle the issue, but I'm sure we wouldn't be dealing with this problem if there was an easy solution.

On a lighter note, I tried stinky tofu (Taiwan's national snack food) for the first time with one of my sisters here at the shelter. Frankly, I don't care too much for the flavor (although I did have three pieces)...maybe it will grow on me. However, I do fear that I've become a boba addict and I should stop now before the problem gets out of hand. It's just so satisfying at the end of a hot day (and it's so cheap--1USD for a huge cup!). Last week, I went four times, every time with different people.

I feel very fortunate to have made these new friends. I am learning so much from them (and I can only hope they are learning from me as well). And although a main component of this internship is for me to get to know the victims and retell their stories so as to spread awareness, when I talk to them, we don't always talk about their problems as pertaining to the issue of trafficking (thank God), but we talk about sports, their childhoods, their families, their hobbies, their hopes. I guess what I am trying to say is that these people are not just names in file folders or living specimens that I get to observe and interact with, but they are human beings and also my friends and I will have to say that this is what is most important.

Dance classes have been postponed until next week because of scheduling conflicts. Now, who remembers the Macarena?