Idol Meeting: Vanness Wu!! 吳建豪

Sunday the start of the third day in Taiwan the goal was to go to the album signing of one of my favorite artists in Taiwan: Vanness Wu!! However we had to stop and get breakfast first and I ordered a Cheese Puff but when I got this there was no cheese in it and was very confusing but was still very delicious. Next was the bus that will take us to mall that Vanness would be performing some songs and signing his new album.

But about half way to the mall I saw this old man heading toward us and I just knew he was going to ask us something so I thought it was best to just avoid eye contact but alas this did not work as we were asked questions. He approached Lana and I and asked if we spoke English and of course we said yes and was asking us different questions about if it was our first time in Taiwan  and if we were studying or just traveling. So we said that we could speak Chinese and were going to school but then asked if we also knew Taiwanese and I never knew how different the two were until he actually started talking in Taiwanese. Then he lost me when he started speaking Chinese really fast… I guess I need to really practice more rather than just smile and nod but since its only the 3^rd day it would be okay. It seems like being an American, people in Taiwan don’t just stare at you they are brave enough to approach the foreigner let alone 2 but they all have been very friendly.

When he got off the bus we had some time to get to the stop we wanted to get off to find the building the signing was at. Turns out it wasn’t difficult as we would have thought to have found since there were fans there ready for Vanness… mind you us Americans went really early since we had no idea where the place was located. There were some fans there when we got there 2 hours early, which was a good thing we did because we got to stand within the first 4 rows of the stage he was going to be singing on. By the time more people arrived there we were really glad that we got there early because people filled up the mall space really fast. After more and more people got to the mall we were approached once again but not from an old man from a girl from Japan  asking if we spoke English and also where we were from. So we told her we were from America and she asked if she could take a picture with us so of course why not. Then she proceeded to ask if we came here just Vanness’s signing but as we were not she was still surprised we were there studying Chinese.

Some waiting to go until the event started but then the announcer came and spoke and asked where everyone there was from and there were some from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and of course us 2 Americans that stuck out specifically when she announced it and everyone turned and stared. I haven’t quite got used to the staring yet. But then he came to the stage to sing 3 songs from his album including his Different Man single and was awesome live. Then when Vanness got done signing the announcer asked again where everyone was from and when we said America he spoke perfectly in English to welcome us to Taiwan.  Next was time to stand in line to get our albums signed!! When we finally got to the stage and got to get our cd’s signed asked us where we were from in America  and said Minnesota   where we could recognize the influence of “Prince” for some of his songs. He also asked how long I had been in Taiwan  where I said 3 days so he said it was that I was awesome that I was in Taiwan  and to welcome me there.

Now it was time for us to head back to Formosa where we spit to go to our rooms mine happens to be on the 5^th floor with no elevator and no air conditioner in the hallways which is good when you are trying to loose weight and Lana had to climb one more flight to 6 to take a break from the heat and humidity. I have learned that no matter how I do to my hair it won’t matter because I straightened my hair to get ready for the event today and once outside it decided to curl the ends of my hair because of the humidity.  But really it didn’t matter because I got to meet a famous singer in Taiwan and got his autograph! 

Next was a place we went to go eat and I had a noodle dish that tasted and reminded me of hotdish back home but when eating out the portions are so big that I can’t finish it all. Next we went to the roof of the building we live in to see what it looks like at night, which was nice it was so peaceful and didn’t feel like I was in the same city as down in the streets in Taichung which had a lot of people and many mopeds. But being in Taichung doesn’t really feel like I am really here it just feels like a really good dream!