The Food!

Hey all! I've decided to dedicate this post to the wacky wonders of Taiwanese meals!
First off, I'll describe the table manners. Each person gets their own bowl of rice, and their chopsticks (generally). Each meal consists of at least 3 dishes, which are put in the middle of the table for everyone. People then use either their own chopsticks or the serving utensils (which are sometimes also chopsticks, and sometimes spoons) to put food into their bowls. It is considered most polite for you to sit up relatively straight and hold your bowl in your left hand, with your thumb on the rim and your fingers on the bottom. Soup is put into the same bowl and you either drink it (which is common and polite) or use a spoon (which is less common but also polite). Burping is permissible, as is chewing with your mouth open; these are not polite, but I have seen them happen relatively often. Talking a lot during the meal is not polite.
Secondly, the food. Tofu and rice are, as you might imagine, staples. Meat is not as emphasized. Vegetables are almost always cooked into a mushy state (which I don't particularly enjoy). I have tried snails (which I found to be rather rubbery), pig stomach, pig kidney, pig blood, chicken butt, chicken heart, chicken feet, fish tail (a German student, Felix, ate the head), octopus, and goat. I enjoyed all of these (although the snails are at the bottom of the list)!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please let me know! Thanks!