Once again I have not done such a good job about updating! Haha. I will just start with Saturday, Sept 3. Cyndi decided to have a BBQ at the apartment. She and Jo went to Carrefour and bought tons of supplies. Cyndi’s brother manned the grill, of course, while we girls did the chopping and preparing. They taught me how to play mahjong! It’s fun. It is a lot like gin rummy. I won a couple times…beginner’s luck I guess. I have had several friends here tell me they want to teach me how to play mahjong and want to play with me so I am glad that I finally learned! The food was delicious. We were pretty much eating over the course of about 4 hours.
On Tuesday, we went to salsa night at Brass Monkey but not before making curry at the apartment. It was delicious. I was a little skeptical when we got to Brass Monkey but after we hung out and played pool for about an hour, the salsa music finally started up and a few people started dancing. Then later it became quite crowded. There were a lot of talented, advanced guys there as well, which is exciting. I am happy that I have found a place to dance salsa and that there are lots of good leads! It is apparently a “foreigner bar” but there seemed to be a pretty good mix of people. I taught Cyndi and Jo how to dance salsa, meringue, and bachata and danced with a couple of guys, including the DJ, who is a really fun lead! Cyndi and Jo were impressed with my skills (they actually told me this I’m not just bragging hehe). It was a fun night and I look forward to going back many times.
On Wednesday, my friend Catherine came up to Taipei from Pingtung (south Taiwan) to see her brother’s badminton game. I really enjoyed spending time with Catherine. She is so easy to talk to, not just because she is good at English. We went to lunch at Din Tai Fung with Catherine’s friend. This restaurant was rated by the NY Times as one of the top 10 best restaurants in the world! It was really great. The food was delicious (好吃) and the service was very attentive. It was a nice experience! The restaurant is located in Sogo department store so we walked around the store for a while. Department stores here (at least the ones I have been in so far) are basically all similar to the Macy’s in NYC. Huge. We went to Starbucks for a bit and then made our way to the gym where Catherine’s brother’s game would be held. His game was not until 8:30 so we watched the other games while we waited. Catherine’s brother is an internationally ranked badminton player (100 something) and is on Taiwan’s national team and graduated from NTSU. His game was against the number 50 something player who is from Malaysia. It was a really good and seemingly well matched game, but unfortunately Catherine’s brother lost. Catherine’s friends, her brother, and I all went to dinner after the game, which was really enjoyable. I tried fried oysters, little friend crabs, and some other things I didn’t think I would be able to try. We also had KFC. Catherine’s brother’s friend works there and gave him food for free. KFC really tastes better here, by the way. So does Burger King. Anyway, I got a kick out of the fact that we could bring outside food into the restaurant. I explained that in America we would probably get asked to leave. Not only did this restaurant allow us to eat our KFC, but they also gave us a plate for the chicken, and then the chef came out and asked if he could cut it for us. Taiwan…so friendly!
On Thursday, Cyndi and I went shopping. I forget the name of the area. It has lots of clothing and accessory stalls. Tons of them actually. We walked around and browsed the stores and I bought a necklace. Oh yeah, I also got threading done again that day and busted out laughing in the woman’s face. Very embarrassing.
On Friday, I went to Studio Classroom’s weekly English Bible study with Cindy. It started with singing some contemporary worship songs and prayer and then split up into small groups. I met several new people, including some other foreigners, and I saw some of the people I met when Cindy and her dad gave me a tour of Studio Classroom. I met a lady named Charlotte who has been working at Studio Classroom for something like 8 years and is now fluent in Chinese. She gave me some advice on learning Chinese and gave me her e-mail address so I could ask her questions.
On Sunday, Cyndi, her boyfriend Damien, his friend Fernando, and I went to Formosa Fun Coast, a smallish water park in Bali (Taiwan, not Indonesia). It definitely suits its name. We had a fun day. I realized about halfway through the day that we had a very diverse group…1 Taiwanese, 1 French, 1 Ecuadorian, and 1 American. It’s neat to incorporate 4 different cultures into conversations. After the water park, we were supposed to go to Daniel Pearl Day of Music, but we were tired and it was getting late so we came back to the apartment and played mahjong.
On Tuesday, Yi came to visit! He is one of my closest friends so I was so happy that I finally got to see him (he has been busy with military service in south Taiwan). He brought me a box of moon cakes from Starbucks packed in a cool box. Such a sweetheart! I really enjoyed his company. I always enjoy talking to Yi and it was nice to be able to spend time with him in person after 2 years of Skype and MSN.
Last night I had a nice Skype chat with one of my best friends at home, LaDarius. It really helps to have Skype. Miss him a lot, along with all of my friends and family at home, so shouts to all of you at home who are reading this! Love and miss all of you!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Apologies for not updating for a while! I have had a somewhat busy couple of weeks. Truth is, it's a bit difficult/annoying to update the blog from the iPad, so that's a major reason why I haven't. I plan to get a keyboard for it though so maybe that will make it easier. I guess I will just try to list the highlights this time!
Last Sunday, I met up with Viola in Nangang and we went to her boyfriend's 3v3 basketball game. Then we went to lunch with some of her classmates who I was meeting for the first time: Hope, San Ru, and Bug. They are cool people :) We ate at a sushi place. I am a little wary of raw fish so I had a cucumber roll, a tuna salad roll, and other cooked "sushi." They coaxed me into trying half-cooked/half-raw nigiri and then convinced me to try actual raw nigiri. I tried a small bite...the flavor was fine but I was not crazy about the texture. Fully raw sushi...not my thing. But I am glad I tried it. (I think most of y'all know how I am about texture!) After lunch we all went to Ximending to see a movie. It was so crowded there! It reminded me a bit of Times Square...lots of billboards, ads, lights, shopping, and very crowded! We had a couple hours before the movie so we walked around and got snacks and tea at Lattea. I had grape tea and it was amazing! The English title of the movie we saw is You're the Apple of My Eye and it is a movie made and set in Taiwan that is based on a book. It was in Chinese with English subtitles (thankfully!) and it was outstanding! A really great story and it was hilarious!! The subtitles didn't take anything away from it. I was laughing right along with everyone else. After the movie, Viola and I met up with our friend ChiaYen near FuZhong station in Banqiao and we ate pork chops for dinner. ChiaYen ordered for me...and ordered pork chops stuffed with cheese. They were really tasty of course but I definitely could not eat all of it! ChiaYen and I had tea (at another Lattea) while Viola went to visit her cousin. Viola's cousin has a stall at a night market there so we went there after tea and I got shoes and a dress both with nice discounts, thanks to Viola's cousin. ChiaYen drove me home on his scooter, which took an hour....longest I have ever been on a scooter, and yes I was a bit scared/nervous. haha. It was fun too though and obviously, I am fine so I really had no reason to be nervous.
On Monday, Cyndi and I went to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall (Sun Yat Sen was an important figure in Taiwan's history...I will let you research the details on your own haha). It is quite grand. We caught the changing of the guard which is always a neat thing to see. Next we went shopping at Sogo Department Store and we found a self serve froyo shop, which of course made me quite happy!!
On Tuesday, I had lunch with my friend Lynn, who was a student at NTSU. We had Korean food at Taipei Main Station. It was really good to see her again. We then went to Taipei City Hall and had bubble milk tea while we waited for Viola and Paul (Viola's boyfriend) to arrive. Viola, Paul, and I took a bus to Yilan to go surfing at the beach there. We met up with San Ru and rented 2 surf boards and 2 boogie boards. I did actually get on a board and somewhat attempted to surf (I paddled but never stood up). It was my first time and I certainly had no idea what I am doing...I don't think I am quick enough to surf haha. To my credit though, the waves weren't great that day...even the skilled surfers didn't catch many decent ones. Viola, Paul, and I had curry for dinner in Taipei Main Station. It was nice to go to the beach even though it was only a couple of hours....I haven't been to the beach in a while. Yilan is very beautiful and the water is very clear even though the sand is quite dark.
On Wednesday, Cyndi and I went to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. Chiang Kai Shek is another important figure in Taiwan's political history. This place is absolutely phenomenal and quite grandiose. The size and beauty of the plaza and buildings at this place is indescribable and the pictures do not do it justice. The National Theater and National Concert Hall are located here (which you know that I loved). I would really like to attend some events there just to see the inside! haha. At the National Theater, many dance groups gather to practice, using the windows as mirrors. I was so excited to see some dancing. I wouldn't to stay and watch all of them but I thought it would be a little awkward since no one else was gathering to watch. Plus I don't think Cyndi was very interested in sticking around to watch them. haha. Next we went to the Xinyi shopping district, which is a pretty upscale area and is near Taipei 101 (tallest building in the world until recently...now in 2nd place after some new building in Dubai). By the way, there is a Gordon Biersch here! I was really surprised considering it's not even a big chain in America. I know where I am going when I want some quality American food (aka...not McDonalds). We also went to Taipei 101 mall and walked around a bit.
On Thursday, Cyndi and I met up with Jo at Raohe St Night Market and we ate and shopped and walked. I found face threading here!! Yay! It makes my life so much easier haha.
On Friday, Cyndi, her brother, and I went to CostCo. Fun times. We ate lots of samples and then had lunch there. That afternoon I went to Taoyuan to NTSU. I met up with Viola and we went to a BBQ with some NTSU alumni, including many of the students I met 2 years ago. It was really great to see them again and to meet some new people. Seeing and hanging out with all of them made this night one of my favorite memories so far. I spent the night with Viola in her dorm that night.
On Saturday, we had lunch and got foot massages and then I went back to Taipei. Cyndi and I went to Carrefour that night and went grocery shopping. The amusing part is trying to get everything back to the apartment on a scooter.
On Sunday, I was supposed to go back to Taoyuan to Viola's home and have dinner with her parents and siblings but I had a migraine and felt terrible, so we rescheduled.
On Monday, Cyndi and I went swimming at Neihu Sports Center. It was cheap and was fun! You pay around $2-3 to use the swimming facility for as long as you want. This includes spa type pools too...warm tub, hot tub, cold tub, sauna, steamroom, water massage-type area. Note: You have to wear a swim cap in pools in Taiwan. I still hate them. It was nice to get some exercise and swim and such. Swimming is one of my favorite activities so I certainly enjoyed it and it really helped my migraine.
On Tuesday, Cyndi's father came to visit and while he was here, we found out that Cyndi's cousin had her baby so we went to Keelong to see the baby! The baby is very cute of course...a little boy. The newborn's big brother was there too and he is absolutely adorable! Cyndi's dad treated us to Thai food when we got back to Neihu and it was quite delicious.
On Wednesday, Cindy took me to her dad's company, Studio Classroom, which teaches English through magazines, television and radio. It is a pretty high tech place...recording studios, television studio, etc with lots of expensive and awesome equipment! It was really cool to see that stuff. Everyone there is so nice! They have invited me to go to their weekly Bible Study, which I definitely plan to do. It will be a great way for me to strengthen my relationship with Christ while I am here, as well as making some new friends. Cindy and I are planning to go next Friday. Later that day, Audi took me to a ballroom dance studio. I wasn't sure what to expect or exactly where we were going...turns out the studio belongs to his dad's friend and is a really serious studio. We watched a young (middle or high school age) girl and boy's lesson. They seemed to be preparing for a competition and are both very talented. We watched them dance samba, paso doble, and jive (to the theme song of The Jeffersons, by the way). Those are some of my favorites to watch, with paso being my absolute favorite to watch (no clue how to dance that one though). The teacher told Audi about some classes around Taipei that would be suitable for me and Audi and I are going to go to one later this month, so I am super excited about that! I really loved seeing the studio and watching the lesson. After that, we went to a nearby night market to eat dinner. I tried an oyster omelette! Well sorta...I didn't eat any oysters. haha. We ran into our friend A Ru and her coworkers who told me about a job opportunity where they work.
The last couple days have been kinda lazy for me. I have gone out and shopped and walked around but I have mostly been taking it easy. I hope to go to a salsa night or something soon. I haven't danced in a month and it's driving me a little crazy! haha Sorry for such a long post!! I really will try to keep up more often!
Last Sunday, I met up with Viola in Nangang and we went to her boyfriend's 3v3 basketball game. Then we went to lunch with some of her classmates who I was meeting for the first time: Hope, San Ru, and Bug. They are cool people :) We ate at a sushi place. I am a little wary of raw fish so I had a cucumber roll, a tuna salad roll, and other cooked "sushi." They coaxed me into trying half-cooked/half-raw nigiri and then convinced me to try actual raw nigiri. I tried a small bite...the flavor was fine but I was not crazy about the texture. Fully raw sushi...not my thing. But I am glad I tried it. (I think most of y'all know how I am about texture!) After lunch we all went to Ximending to see a movie. It was so crowded there! It reminded me a bit of Times Square...lots of billboards, ads, lights, shopping, and very crowded! We had a couple hours before the movie so we walked around and got snacks and tea at Lattea. I had grape tea and it was amazing! The English title of the movie we saw is You're the Apple of My Eye and it is a movie made and set in Taiwan that is based on a book. It was in Chinese with English subtitles (thankfully!) and it was outstanding! A really great story and it was hilarious!! The subtitles didn't take anything away from it. I was laughing right along with everyone else. After the movie, Viola and I met up with our friend ChiaYen near FuZhong station in Banqiao and we ate pork chops for dinner. ChiaYen ordered for me...and ordered pork chops stuffed with cheese. They were really tasty of course but I definitely could not eat all of it! ChiaYen and I had tea (at another Lattea) while Viola went to visit her cousin. Viola's cousin has a stall at a night market there so we went there after tea and I got shoes and a dress both with nice discounts, thanks to Viola's cousin. ChiaYen drove me home on his scooter, which took an hour....longest I have ever been on a scooter, and yes I was a bit scared/nervous. haha. It was fun too though and obviously, I am fine so I really had no reason to be nervous.
On Monday, Cyndi and I went to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall (Sun Yat Sen was an important figure in Taiwan's history...I will let you research the details on your own haha). It is quite grand. We caught the changing of the guard which is always a neat thing to see. Next we went shopping at Sogo Department Store and we found a self serve froyo shop, which of course made me quite happy!!
On Tuesday, I had lunch with my friend Lynn, who was a student at NTSU. We had Korean food at Taipei Main Station. It was really good to see her again. We then went to Taipei City Hall and had bubble milk tea while we waited for Viola and Paul (Viola's boyfriend) to arrive. Viola, Paul, and I took a bus to Yilan to go surfing at the beach there. We met up with San Ru and rented 2 surf boards and 2 boogie boards. I did actually get on a board and somewhat attempted to surf (I paddled but never stood up). It was my first time and I certainly had no idea what I am doing...I don't think I am quick enough to surf haha. To my credit though, the waves weren't great that day...even the skilled surfers didn't catch many decent ones. Viola, Paul, and I had curry for dinner in Taipei Main Station. It was nice to go to the beach even though it was only a couple of hours....I haven't been to the beach in a while. Yilan is very beautiful and the water is very clear even though the sand is quite dark.
On Wednesday, Cyndi and I went to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. Chiang Kai Shek is another important figure in Taiwan's political history. This place is absolutely phenomenal and quite grandiose. The size and beauty of the plaza and buildings at this place is indescribable and the pictures do not do it justice. The National Theater and National Concert Hall are located here (which you know that I loved). I would really like to attend some events there just to see the inside! haha. At the National Theater, many dance groups gather to practice, using the windows as mirrors. I was so excited to see some dancing. I wouldn't to stay and watch all of them but I thought it would be a little awkward since no one else was gathering to watch. Plus I don't think Cyndi was very interested in sticking around to watch them. haha. Next we went to the Xinyi shopping district, which is a pretty upscale area and is near Taipei 101 (tallest building in the world until recently...now in 2nd place after some new building in Dubai). By the way, there is a Gordon Biersch here! I was really surprised considering it's not even a big chain in America. I know where I am going when I want some quality American food (aka...not McDonalds). We also went to Taipei 101 mall and walked around a bit.
On Thursday, Cyndi and I met up with Jo at Raohe St Night Market and we ate and shopped and walked. I found face threading here!! Yay! It makes my life so much easier haha.
On Friday, Cyndi, her brother, and I went to CostCo. Fun times. We ate lots of samples and then had lunch there. That afternoon I went to Taoyuan to NTSU. I met up with Viola and we went to a BBQ with some NTSU alumni, including many of the students I met 2 years ago. It was really great to see them again and to meet some new people. Seeing and hanging out with all of them made this night one of my favorite memories so far. I spent the night with Viola in her dorm that night.
On Saturday, we had lunch and got foot massages and then I went back to Taipei. Cyndi and I went to Carrefour that night and went grocery shopping. The amusing part is trying to get everything back to the apartment on a scooter.
On Sunday, I was supposed to go back to Taoyuan to Viola's home and have dinner with her parents and siblings but I had a migraine and felt terrible, so we rescheduled.
On Monday, Cyndi and I went swimming at Neihu Sports Center. It was cheap and was fun! You pay around $2-3 to use the swimming facility for as long as you want. This includes spa type pools too...warm tub, hot tub, cold tub, sauna, steamroom, water massage-type area. Note: You have to wear a swim cap in pools in Taiwan. I still hate them. It was nice to get some exercise and swim and such. Swimming is one of my favorite activities so I certainly enjoyed it and it really helped my migraine.
On Tuesday, Cyndi's father came to visit and while he was here, we found out that Cyndi's cousin had her baby so we went to Keelong to see the baby! The baby is very cute of course...a little boy. The newborn's big brother was there too and he is absolutely adorable! Cyndi's dad treated us to Thai food when we got back to Neihu and it was quite delicious.
On Wednesday, Cindy took me to her dad's company, Studio Classroom, which teaches English through magazines, television and radio. It is a pretty high tech place...recording studios, television studio, etc with lots of expensive and awesome equipment! It was really cool to see that stuff. Everyone there is so nice! They have invited me to go to their weekly Bible Study, which I definitely plan to do. It will be a great way for me to strengthen my relationship with Christ while I am here, as well as making some new friends. Cindy and I are planning to go next Friday. Later that day, Audi took me to a ballroom dance studio. I wasn't sure what to expect or exactly where we were going...turns out the studio belongs to his dad's friend and is a really serious studio. We watched a young (middle or high school age) girl and boy's lesson. They seemed to be preparing for a competition and are both very talented. We watched them dance samba, paso doble, and jive (to the theme song of The Jeffersons, by the way). Those are some of my favorites to watch, with paso being my absolute favorite to watch (no clue how to dance that one though). The teacher told Audi about some classes around Taipei that would be suitable for me and Audi and I are going to go to one later this month, so I am super excited about that! I really loved seeing the studio and watching the lesson. After that, we went to a nearby night market to eat dinner. I tried an oyster omelette! Well sorta...I didn't eat any oysters. haha. We ran into our friend A Ru and her coworkers who told me about a job opportunity where they work.
The last couple days have been kinda lazy for me. I have gone out and shopped and walked around but I have mostly been taking it easy. I hope to go to a salsa night or something soon. I haven't danced in a month and it's driving me a little crazy! haha Sorry for such a long post!! I really will try to keep up more often!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Week 2
Hard to believe I have been here for more than a week! As a matter of fact, I didn't even notice it had been a week until Friday (I left last Wednesday). Let's see...I am starting to learn how to get around and do things by myself which is pretty liberating. I don't feel so dependent anymore. On Wednesday evening, I met up with my friend Cindy and we went to Subway. It was good! Basically the same. She ordered for me but I figured out that if I go there on my own and if the employees don't speak English, I can copy down the Chinese words for what I want, since the menu has pictures and translations and such. It's nice to know I have another comfortable option other than McDonalds or Burger King (where I can hold up a finger or two to tell what I want haha).
On Thursday I met up with Cindy and another NTSU student (who I had not met before) named Audi. He is a ballroom dancer and is going to help me find some classes and events and such! YAY! He is a cool guy in general too, like all of the NTSU students I know. The three of us ate at a Korean restaurant, which was quite delicious and then Audi showed us a fitness center near by. Then we went to a department store and bought French bread and went to a tea shop. I really enjoyed this day. I rode the MRT by myself to meet up with them so I felt very independent and then I really enjoyed their company.
On Friday, Cyndi (yes there are 2...Cyndi and Cindy) and I met up with her friend Jo and went to an exhibit called Body Worlds which is basically the same as the Bodies exhibit that has been in Atlanta for a couple years now. We went to lunch and hung out at the apartment after that and then met up with Cyndi's boyfriend and went to a hot pot restaurant. The guys sitting next to us were speaking in English so I started a conversation with them. One is from Austria and working at a bank here and the other is from Korea and is a student here. After hot pot we went to a night market nearby and then came home.
I didn't do much today, so I guess that is all! haha. Tomorrow I have lots of plans with a few friends that I have not gotten to hang out with yet so I am quite excited!
On Thursday I met up with Cindy and another NTSU student (who I had not met before) named Audi. He is a ballroom dancer and is going to help me find some classes and events and such! YAY! He is a cool guy in general too, like all of the NTSU students I know. The three of us ate at a Korean restaurant, which was quite delicious and then Audi showed us a fitness center near by. Then we went to a department store and bought French bread and went to a tea shop. I really enjoyed this day. I rode the MRT by myself to meet up with them so I felt very independent and then I really enjoyed their company.
On Friday, Cyndi (yes there are 2...Cyndi and Cindy) and I met up with her friend Jo and went to an exhibit called Body Worlds which is basically the same as the Bodies exhibit that has been in Atlanta for a couple years now. We went to lunch and hung out at the apartment after that and then met up with Cyndi's boyfriend and went to a hot pot restaurant. The guys sitting next to us were speaking in English so I started a conversation with them. One is from Austria and working at a bank here and the other is from Korea and is a student here. After hot pot we went to a night market nearby and then came home.
I didn't do much today, so I guess that is all! haha. Tomorrow I have lots of plans with a few friends that I have not gotten to hang out with yet so I am quite excited!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
One downside to the Internet only working on my iPad....difficulty editing a post when you hit the wrong button. So this is a continuation of the previous post. Anyway, thanks again to Mom and Dad for getting me this iPad...it has become even more useful than we realized. My laptop can find and connect to the wireless but the browser won't work/says I am not connected to the internet. I plan to take it somewhere with free wifi and see if it is a problem with my computer or the connection or what. Anyway, this is making it difficult to upload pictures and such put I will try to get some up on Facebook and Picasa soon!
It's been a couple days since I have blogged so I will update y'all on what we have done! On Saturday we went to Danshui and then to Shilin night market. We took the bus for a while and then the MRT (similar to subway or Marta) to Danshui. The views while traveling on the train are so pretty. We got to Danshui and I realized it was one of the places we went while I was here for study abroad two years ago. It is a beautiful area to walk around and shop and play carnival-type games. Oh yeah...and eat. The street food here in Taiwan is so yummy!! We didn't even eat lunch or dinner that day. Just snacked. The first thing we did after getting off the train was to go to Mister Donut. The donuts here taste different than the American donuts I am used to (and that I never eat), so I like these better. I had a chocolate and strawberry one that was quite delicious. We walked around Danshui for a while and then headed to Shilin. Shilin night market is very very crowded (of course). There's lots of food and shopping and games. It is a very popular activity for youth, couples, foreigners, and well...pretty much everyone. We also went here on the trip two years ago. Night markets are quite fun to explore and Shilin is only one if many in Taiwan.
On Sunday, Cyndi went with her boyfriend while he signed a contract for a new apartment. I just chilled in the apartment and finished unpacking. They came back with McDonalds. I was curious to see whether or not it tastes the same here. It does. Haha. We all had big macs and fries. I haven't had a big Mac in years! McDonalds here do offer a few different options on their menu apparently, such as a shrimp burger. I guess I will try it sometime! Speaking of products different than in America...I noticed a blue Sprite in a 711 so I thought I would try it. Turns out it is Sprite with mint. It is not bad but I am not crazy about the Monty aftertaste. Anyway, after lunch we took the MRT to Taipei Zoo. I had not been to a zoo in many years so I was excited. The views from the train were again beautiful. We only had a cole of hours before the zoo closed but it is very cheap so I am sure we will go again sometime. We saw the pandas, penguins, nocturnal house, zebras, camels, and more. It is interesting to see the types of animals they have that you wouldn't typically see in an American zoo such as bison, a horse, and guinea pigs. After the zoo closed, we went to Ikea. As expected, it is pretty much the same as the Ikeas in America. There are a few things that are different but very little. We ate dinner there as well and then went home.
The past couple of days have been pretty chill, which is nice. Yesterday we went to get a cell phone for me. It is small and light and simple...and cheap. So it is a good choice for me while I am here. Later we went to Shilin night market again but this time it was to meet up with my friend Michael who went back to California today. We mostly walked around and talked and I bought a very inexpensive purse. I ate a potato chip swirl thing and Cyndi introduced me to a baked potato type of snack that tasted kind of like hash browns with toppings. I also had some lemonade with some sort of jelly. All of the snacks and drinks were good. We went back to the apartment where Cyndi's brother is taking care of his friend's English bulldog so we played with it for a while. Today we took the dog to a park near Cyndi's apartment and walked around the lake and now I am just watching TV! For those of you who asked me before...yes, there are English stations and yes, they have Chinese subtitles. We have been watching a lot of CSI and The Voice and a few movies. Most of the commercials are in Chinese, and yes, they are different than America's commercials and often more interesting.
Update on the Internet situation...both my laptop and iPad can find the signal now but I can only browse the Internet on my iPad.
On Sunday, Cyndi went with her boyfriend while he signed a contract for a new apartment. I just chilled in the apartment and finished unpacking. They came back with McDonalds. I was curious to see whether or not it tastes the same here. It does. Haha. We all had big macs and fries. I haven't had a big Mac in years! McDonalds here do offer a few different options on their menu apparently, such as a shrimp burger. I guess I will try it sometime! Speaking of products different than in America...I noticed a blue Sprite in a 711 so I thought I would try it. Turns out it is Sprite with mint. It is not bad but I am not crazy about the Monty aftertaste. Anyway, after lunch we took the MRT to Taipei Zoo. I had not been to a zoo in many years so I was excited. The views from the train were again beautiful. We only had a cole of hours before the zoo closed but it is very cheap so I am sure we will go again sometime. We saw the pandas, penguins, nocturnal house, zebras, camels, and more. It is interesting to see the types of animals they have that you wouldn't typically see in an American zoo such as bison, a horse, and guinea pigs. After the zoo closed, we went to Ikea. As expected, it is pretty much the same as the Ikeas in America. There are a few things that are different but very little. We ate dinner there as well and then went home.
The past couple of days have been pretty chill, which is nice. Yesterday we went to get a cell phone for me. It is small and light and simple...and cheap. So it is a good choice for me while I am here. Later we went to Shilin night market again but this time it was to meet up with my friend Michael who went back to California today. We mostly walked around and talked and I bought a very inexpensive purse. I ate a potato chip swirl thing and Cyndi introduced me to a baked potato type of snack that tasted kind of like hash browns with toppings. I also had some lemonade with some sort of jelly. All of the snacks and drinks were good. We went back to the apartment where Cyndi's brother is taking care of his friend's English bulldog so we played with it for a while. Today we took the dog to a park near Cyndi's apartment and walked around the lake and now I am just watching TV! For those of you who asked me before...yes, there are English stations and yes, they have Chinese subtitles. We have been watching a lot of CSI and The Voice and a few movies. Most of the commercials are in Chinese, and yes, they are different than America's commercials and often more interesting.
Update on the Internet situation...both my laptop and iPad can find the signal now but I can only browse the Internet on my iPad.
Innocence
I have come to the realization that I feel much like a small child here. Nearly everything is relatively new and unfamiliar. I have to rely on others for many things, and I get really excited about the small stuff. There are so many new foods, drinks, smells, sights, sounds, etc. I remember when I was a child and first learned to read, I would read all of the signs and billboards as we passed them in the car. I find myself doing a similar thing here. I am constantly quizzing myself on the Chinese characters and words that I know and I seek approval from my friends and get very excited when I get something right. I am certainly unaccustomed to feeling so young and dependent but it is also fun to get so excited and mesmerized by such small things and to have the opportunity to experience new things.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Finally in Taiwan
After over 24 hours of airports, airplanes, a bus, and a taxi, I am finally in Taipei and at my friend Cyndi's apartment! The flights went pretty well and the 6 hour layover in LA wasn't too bad. For the 14 hour flight, I had a window seat and there was no one in the middle seat...can you say AWESOME? It was nice having extra room to stretch out. They had a lot of trouble with the entertainment system. It took at least 2 hours for it to start running correctly. I attempted to watch several movies but wasn't really in the mood for some reason. I did watch Kung Fu Panda 2 though and it was really great! I was glad I finally saw it. The guy in the aisle seat of my row was pretty cool. We talked for about an hour or so. It was a nice way to pass some time. For the rest of the flight, I pretty much just slept and ate. China Airlines does a pretty good job. Their food is surprisingly good for airplane food (chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner, cheese omelet and sausage for breakfast), especially their dinner rolls. Throughout the flight, the stewardesses/air hostess/whatever the PC term is nowadays would walk up and down the aisles offering tea, water, coffee, wine, sandwiches, snacks, wet hand towels, etc. I am not sure if this is pretty standard for flights this long, but it was a nice touch in any case.
Cyndi, Viola, and Cindy all met me at the airport! It was so nice of them to travel out there to see me as soon as I got here. It is difficult to feel sad about leaving home when you have such great friends to greet you the second you leave baggage claim and customs. Cindy and Viola went back to the school and Cyndi and I took a bus to Taipei and then a taxi to her apartment. She lives in a 3 bedroom apartment in Neihu. It is a nice apartment! I will put up pictures later. So far we don't have many plans other than going to the beach sometime next week. I assume we will probably try to get me a cell phone and exchange my currency tomorrow. I am really thankful to finally be here and that I got here safely!
Cyndi, Viola, and Cindy all met me at the airport! It was so nice of them to travel out there to see me as soon as I got here. It is difficult to feel sad about leaving home when you have such great friends to greet you the second you leave baggage claim and customs. Cindy and Viola went back to the school and Cyndi and I took a bus to Taipei and then a taxi to her apartment. She lives in a 3 bedroom apartment in Neihu. It is a nice apartment! I will put up pictures later. So far we don't have many plans other than going to the beach sometime next week. I assume we will probably try to get me a cell phone and exchange my currency tomorrow. I am really thankful to finally be here and that I got here safely!
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