day 78_dinner with friends

Last night after work, I had dinner with some girlfriends at a restaurant called Rabbit Rabbit. Hallelujah for having something to do on a Friday night!!! Technically, one of the girls was my friend, one an acquaintance, and the other two were new to me... but by the end of the dinner you would think we had all been good ol' friends for years... based on the laughter and giggling always erupting from our table.

Rabbit Rabbit had just opened their new second location - and one of the girls wanted to check it out. Pretty interesting concept. There was no rabbit on the menu (as far as we could tell...) but the entire restaurant was decorated with a rabbit theme (see photo above). I thought it was pretty amusing. The restaurant also offered rabbit face masks for anyone who wanted to try them on and take pictures... we saw the table next to us posing for their rabbit photos... I passed on that. Some of the rabbits were cute, and some of them were almost creepy... [Wow, I just now realized why I think that... thank you, Donnie Darko...]

Anyways, it was a cute restaurant - windows open to a fresh cool breeze, comfortable space around each table, generous portion sizes, free refills and a delicious blue cheese burger! (yes hubby, we can visit again when you are here if you crave a blue cheese burger!) Each of the girls tried my blue cheese... and mostly wrinkled their noses... apparently, a very acquired taste. :) To top it all off, it was so refreshing to spend an evening just chatting and laughing with 'the girls' again. (I miss my Dallas girls for sure!) Even though, I had only just met half of the table, getting to know new people can be just as endearing as conversations with old friends when you are with good company. These girls were fun, outgoing, and had plenty of funny stories to keep the conversation going well past dinner.

After about three hours of gabbing, we called it a night and I headed home. Is it funny that I feel some sense of accomplishment when I come home late? (ha) As if to let my security guards know... yes, I do have a life - finally! :D

day 77_green Thursday

Photo: Construction site near my home

Significance: Potted plants hanging from the temporary construction fence

I do not have confirmation on this (because when I asked a local, he wasn't 100% sure of the specifics either) - but the idea is that all construction sites in Taiwan are required to provide a certain quota of living plants on site, to counter balance the release of harmful emissions into the atmosphere during construction.

As many of you know - I accepted my new position in Taiwan (for many reasons, but one big reason... is...) because I wanted the opportunity to have more involvement in green building design. I truly enjoy working, and have always been that way, but I aspire to take it to another level - to be passionate about my work, and to know I can take pride in what I do. This is my chance, and today just reminded me of how appreciative I am to be surrounded with like-minded team members who are excited about the same things, for the same reasons.

Being "green" is all the rage right now, but when you ask someone to define what it even means to be green... I think it is hard to say. A: Because there are a lot of cookie cutter answers out there that don't quite reach the depth of it, B: Because there are so many different ways to be "green" that it is difficult to describe in one succinct answer. That being said, I'm not brave enough to define "what it means to be green" in this blog post at this exact moment... but I will say that I learn new ideas about how to be green-er all of the time (and I also observe plenty of "green washing" daily as well). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwashing]

Today's conversations with my team members reminded me why I am here, and what I have to offer - because they were the sort of conversations that left me excited, ready for more, and passionate about what I do from day to day. And today's walk home from work reminded me that there are always new ways, fresh ideas, to contribute. [I would really like to know the specifics of the construction regulations here (the plants) if anyone knows all of the answers...] :)

day 76_best of taiwan blog awards

This year, for the third year in a row, the Taiwanderful website has opened up a peer-judged blogging competition for English blogs written about Taiwan. Since I have been keeping my blog up steadily now for two months +, I figured 'Oh, what the heck' - and I tossed my name in the pile [so please feel free to vote for my blog... daily :) ] There is no physical award given... just bragging rights... and your pride.

Enough about me though. One of the absolute life savers in this modern age of travel is... blogs! I've never been much of a blog reader before, and I certainly did not write my own, but who knew that I would find blogs so useful on a pretty much daily basis?! No matter what I am up to here, halfway around the world, someone else tried it first. Someone else has been here, done that, and found the way to push through it... and hopefully... after they figure it out, they write about it! After my post yesterday, I received a comment from another Texan expat here in Taipei who had noticed my mention of a Chai Latte. They immediately messaged me and asked 'Where did you find a Chai Latte?' That's what I'm talking about! Of course, I leapt at the chance and answered swiftly... because each time someone has done similar for me, it makes my day. Beyond just answering questions about discoveries and adventures, it is the blogs that intentionally go before you... that pave the way... who offer the most insight in my opinion. So which blog has my vote for the Best of Taiwan Blog Awards? Those who've kept up with me during my time here already know my answer... A Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei! [ hungryintaipei.blogspot.com ]

This girl's blog has all of the information that you could need or want to know about Taipei restaurants - written in English - as well as the background story about the Chinese culture and how it plays into the food. Without this blog, how would I ever find Mexican food in Taipei? Or know that some hole in the wall shops actually do have one copy of an English menu (tucked away), available on request! Or just simply know how to order and pick the best food (by pointing) at some very, very local restaurants? She reviews restaurants one by one across the city, and has them all categorized by type of food, price, and location - so it is easy to search the archived blog posts. Plus, the reviews are fun to read - lots of personality and occasional humor/sarcasm. Even though it could take me years to visit every restaurant that the author has already visited, reviewed, photographed, and summarized for my reading pleasure... this is the kind of blog that pushes me to keep going to new places and trying new things. In short, no wonder there are awards for the Best of Taiwan Blogs... with blogs like 'A Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei' blazing the international adventure trail... what would we do without them?!

Having other blogs to read (and someone to point me to the best tacos in town) rocks my socks off. :D

day 75_today's top 10

1. I woke up at 3am and realized my alarm was set for the wrong time (I had an early meeting this morning)... so I actually changed my alarm in the middle of the night and was up and out the door on time! Good catch that helped my day to start out on the right foot (instead of the wrong one).

2. The weather has been gorgeous from the moment I crawled out of bed. Not hot, not cold, and no rain today!

3. I had enough band-aids in my purse to cover my new blisters (1 on each foot). At least my shoes didn't completely devour my feet... and I probably won't walk to work in those next time.

4. I found out TCU, my alma mater, has joined the Big East Conference for football. Go frogs! :)

5. I completed some preliminary work for a larger project and got good feedback! It is always nice to know I am on the right track.

6. I got paid! Yay!!! Christmas shopping here I come...

7. I ventured out and ate at a new restaurant for dinner - Vietnamese place, very near my house, delicious.

8. I found a place that sells Chai Lattes! (Also very near my house. I have been looking for Chai since day 1...)

9. I came up with a potential idea for a homemade holiday wreath for my apartment door.

10. I'm going to bed at a decent hour to catch up on my sleep tonight.

day 74_ceramics exhibition

[Disclaimer: Photos don't do this justice - you should see the exhibit in person!] One of the perks about working in a creative field is that occasionally - your paths cross other creative types that make you appreciate art even more. My boss was inspired by a ceramist from the UK and invited him to Taiwan to host an exhibition of his latest work. So this evening after work, I attended the opening reception for the Pure Simplicity Ceramic Art Exhibition (which will be on display for the rest of the week at National Taiwan University of Education). The artist is Mr. Jack Doherty.

The ceramics were as the name suggests - pure and simple - but I really enjoyed the exhibit. The pottery took on various bowl and vase shapes, ranging from pieces as small as a teacup to a large vase that came about to my hip. Strolling through and taking in the forms, colors, and textures was soothing. The art was original, and it made me wish I was still in pottery class, because I did feel like the artist must have affectionately shaped each piece. Each piece felt special, and had defining characteristics to set it apart from the others. Instead of "practice makes perfect," it seems that passion, self-expression, and imperfection are what made each of these pieces great.

The method of the artist is to glaze each piece once and fire each piece once, but the simple process results in an array of colors and textures. The unique coloring was my favorite part - the primary colors in this collection were rust oranges and pale teal... a gorgeous combination.

Unfortunately, most of the works were above and beyond my budget... so I did not commit to any purchases this evening (even though they will be here all week...). But it was encouraging to see someone who has found a way to express their creativity and still make a living out of it. After all, that's what all of us interior designers are trying to accomplish. How to be an artist without becoming a 'starving artist'. Before I left the show this evening, I heard rumor that there might be a sort of drawing at our firm... maybe the company is planning to purchase one piece that would be given to one lucky employee. Since it was only a rumor, I will be anxious to see if it comes true! Here's hoping :)



I wish the photos were larger to do the artwork more justice!
Hopefully you can still get an idea of how neat the individual pieces were.



day 73_weekend wanderings

This weekend the weather was gorgeous for the entire weekend! Right now the daily temperatures range from about 65 degrees (F) to about 72 degrees (F), and on the days when it is not raining it makes me just itch to be outdoors! So this weekend I came up with a new adventure plan for myself - follow the sunshine. With the height of the buildings in the city, the sun finds it way and snakes up and down the lanes and alleys in between the buildings, so I decided to let the sunshine be my compass. I went out walking, as usual, and would turn left or right, east, west, etc. based on which direction looked the sunniest. It was actually a fabulous strategy.  :)

I set out in a general direction, with a vague destination in mind, but I really just got to see a lot of areas that I haven't spent much time in yet. Honestly, on Saturday, once I had walked what must have been at least five miles, I decided I should probably find a bus and find my way home. But I also ventured out on Sunday, so I feel like I really got to see some sights and enjoy the weekend weather. Most of my time this weekend was spent wandering to and from Neihu (a particular corner of Taipei ~ sort of like one might consider Brooklyn part of NYC).

Night Market Entrance.
I came upon the market just as the vendors were beginning to set up shop for the evening.

Night market ~ getting ready for the busy weekend crowds.

 

Temple just outside the market. It was really beautiful.



View from the pedestrian bridge. Basketball courts & river below.



Sunset over the city beyond.

Miramar Entertainment Park. The ferris wheel is actually located on top of the mall.

  

Ticket for one ~ here I go!

  

The ferris wheel is brightly lit at night - really pretty to see over the skyline.
View from my seat looking into the wheel.

View from the top.
I forget how big the city is - now that I live here, sometimes it seems small...
But this was a great way to see it all.

 Good weekend.

day 72_election day

Over the past few weeks - maybe even a month - Taipei has been infected with political campaigns. Everywhere you turn there are banners, announcements, billboards, hand outs campaigning for the candidates for the mayoral, city councilor, and borough chief positions. I'm told by my friends that you never see the politicians... it's almost as if they're in hiding... until the elections come around, and then you can't miss them! I would say I can attest to that. Due to my inability to read or speak Chinese, it is pretty much just all noise to me.

When I first arrived in Taiwan, I was oblivious to any present politics, but over the last few weeks I have been just as exposed as everyone to the many candidates vying for a seat in Taipei's government. It's is very similar to campaigning in the US I suppose... except that the compact city environment is more accessible than US suburbia. So, where as I may have never met a candidate running for office in Dallas, TX or Edmond, OK - I actually met 2 of the candidates here during the last week! Each candidate has advertisements with their identifying number... and since I can't read Chinese, I recognize each person as their number. I met #4 one day on my way to work...


Politician (#4), greeting the city. Campaigners passing out tissue packets.
Wishing good morning to all on their way to work.
[Side note - do you love the light shining down on him in this photo or what?!]

It was sort of nice to meet #4, to put a face/person with a number. He was all smiles and waves and greetings to the traffic and the pedestrians that morning. The campaigners hand out tissue packets with advertisements on the wrappers and I have a whole stash in my purse now (they've been busy). At least they pass out something useful!

Billboard I pass on my walk to work. (Note the bamboo construction)

In addition to the many handouts, there are endless banners to remind you of the upcoming elections. AND there are trucks with loudspeakers that drive up and down the streets broadcasting about the candidates or actually carrying the candidates themselves, who deliver their own messages to the city. At our Thanksgiving dinner this week, one dinner guest (new to Taiwan like myself) said something to the tune of "Well, at least they will stop driving and announcing once the elections are over! [The loudspeakers pass by at anytime - sometimes interrupting your nap or television program - for example.] Another dinner guest laughed and told her "No, now they will all come out to thank you for your generosity and support... even those who lost!" Ha! So, I guess we have that to look forward to, post-election.

Banners along a sidewalk.

Yesterday, when I went out exploring the city, I was curious what the random tents that I passed were for... and it took me a little while to remember that: "Oh yeah, this is the election day." Tents were set up in various locations throughout the city for voting. No cameras or cellphones allowed at the voting places. Plenty of people out casting their votes. I did not vote - I wonder if I would be eligible?

This poor pedestrian bridge was suffocated with campaign ads!

Towards the end of the day, when I stopped to eat dinner, the election coverage was on every television. People huddled around expectantly, anxious to hear the results. On my walk home, there were people setting off fireworks in the streets (fireworks are pretty popular here for special occasions) - celebrating the final election results. I guess the elections are complete! Now let the thank you speeches begin so that the politicians can go back into hiding.

day 71_chinese lesson #1

If you haven't noticed the trend... there is a lot of Chinese language here in Taiwan. The locals speak Mandarin and write in traditional Chinese (as opposed to the simplified Chinese characters often used in mainland China). Even though I am thankful for the extensive use and teaching of the English language here, I have been really looking forward to learning Chinese too! Friday night after work, I finally had my first official lesson!

I have browsed online a couple of times, to see if I could find a good evening Chinese language class for after work. It looks like there are definitely Chinese language classes available here, but finding something for the right schedule and the right price has been a challenge. Fortunately, there is a coworker in my office who recently became certified to teach Chinese, so she has textbooks and lesson plan ideas, etc - and she has offered to teach me! I am so excited!

In the US, I have heard people say before that Chinese is the #1 hardest language to learn, because of the way 5 tones are used in the language, but come to find out... the other language spoken here - Taiwanese - is a local variation based on Chinese that uses 9 tones! Wow. After the lesson, I am more confident about the Chinese language. There are so many differences between English and Chinese, and I am hoping they are in my favor (with the exception of perfecting the tones, which is just going to be hard no matter what). I guess I will have to keep you all updated as far as how my lessons are going! Our first lesson was really just practicing how to speak the different tones. Language practice drills. It seems that when I have someone to mimic, I follow pretty well. Repeating the same tones once I am on my own though - that is the hard part. For now - so far, so good. :)

day 70_Taiwanese Thanksgiving!

This morning began with my ritual bilingual conversation with my building's security guard. He speaks only Chinese, I speak only English - it's some of the best conversation I've had in Taiwan. Think - Pictionary meets a Mime, and they really like trying to guess what one another have to say! [In truth we each speak only a very few words of each other's language] We were carrying on as usual with lots of facial expression, hand motions, and a few scribbles on a post it note. I told him that today was a holiday. An American holiday. This much he understood... but when I said the holiday is "Thanksgiving," this word was clearly not a part of his vocabulary. I sketched up a picture of a turkey real quick on a post-it and gestured as if to say "We eat turkey today." He immediately recognized the image and made a motion with his hands to imitate the bird feathers spreading out behind the bird. He said the name in Chinese. I nodded. Then his eyes were very wide and he told me that he does not eat that!... Really? I responded. Why not? It is very similar to chicken, I suggested... His eyes got bigger, and he asked me in Chinese... Where can you even buy that in Taipei?!... You can buy it at Costco, I told him... You can buy that at COSTCO!? (He was very expressive by this point)

And that is when I realized, I had just convinced my security guard... that I would be eating Peacock this year for Thanksgiving.....[Followed by a second conversation and additional post-its, differentiating between the peacock (not on the menu) and the turkey that I planned to eat for dinner...]

Thankfully - Oh yes, I am so thankful! - My new American girl friend in Taipei invited me to her home this evening for Thanksgiving dinner... and it was a great! She served Turkey, fresh cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls... the works. I'm probably forgetting even more. I was not the only dinner guest and it was also nice to meet some new people.

Our Thanksgiving feast [Thank you J for cooking for us!!!]

Classic Thanksgiving dinner. Yum!

Flowers from our trip to the flower market last weekend - I loved her home :)
So warm and inviting

I am so thankful for so many things, but I am especially thankful that I was able to celebrate this holiday with friends - and that I didn't end up celebrating alone or skipping it all together. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving too! I am thankful for you. So, now that I am full and happy... it is past my bedtime, I'd better hit the sack!

day 69_Today I Am Thankful For Taiwan

Okay, so I know I am a day early - but I'm not completely jumping the gun - I will follow up with another Thanksgiving post tomorrow :)

Either way,
Today I am thankful for (Taiwan):
- The fact that smiles are universal
- New experiences
- A job that gives me new opportunities to keep learning
- Endlessly pleasant temperatures outside. Fall here is a little chilly but... never cold.
- High heel shoes that I can walk for miles in.
- The breeze that blows my hair back as the MRT rail approaches the station.
- A cozy apartment and big comfy bed that I never want to get out of.
- People who go to the trouble/or have the job to translate from Chinese to English
- Bubble tea!
- Skype, Facebook, etc - the technology that helps me keep in touch!
- Seeing mountains every day (I'm not used to that!)
- New friends
- 7-11, ha! ("Oh thank heaven for 7-11," seriously)
- Pictures of the hubby and me on my desktop background at work :)
- AND my blog readers of course!!! :D

day 68_a taste of taiwan

Really, the magic of being half way around the world is getting to experience a new and totally different culture - first hand. Obviously, not everyone fits a stereotype, and many things about the culture here are similar to my own, but what I really enjoy day in and day out is observing. So what about Asia inspired me today?

- Elderly people who I pass in the city. Always slow when I am in such a hurry, but usually patient, and often staring at me as if they know I don't exactly belong here. I find myself impressed by the mobility of men and women who must be older than my own grandparents age (I am terrible at guessing ages). Maybe they are imagining my story, just as I like to imagine theirs...

- Children. Adults may not know how to react to me (or if they should ignore me), but kids just come right out and speak to me, or giggle. It is always fun surprising a little girl by saying hello - in English or Chinese - they are always excited to talk to me... or startling a little boy by greeting him in Chinese "good morning"... My more animated conversations here are with children on the buses or subways. And I don't see that many children. As a matter of fact, I've started noticing how few children cross my path in a days time. Then again, how many children did I see previously during my car commute in Dallas to and from work... Zip. Zero. None. Maybe that's why I notice them so much now...

- Kindness. I appreciate the people here. I don't mean that in a specific way... I wouldn't say that I have any best friends here to speak of, but in general, the people as a whole are nice, considerate. It is encouraging knowing that if I were lost and turned to a stranger, they would likely try to help me (even if they didn't understand the words coming out of my mouth!). The people here have very strong values, and are genuinely kind. That is not something I could say for most of the big cities I have visited in my travels.

day 67_sushi

Just before I left for Asia, some of my closest girlfriends had a birthday dinner at a sushi restaurant in Dallas (miss my girls!). It was fabulous. The fish, the sauces, the seasoning. We had everything from sushi rolls wrapped in rib eye to a mixed fish salad, to fried rolls, fresh rolls, the works. And even in that moment, I had the feeling I might miss sushi in Asia. Ha! Well, it's true. Just like every other food group that has found a niche in American culture, "sushi" in the US has become very Americanized... and the sushi that I dine on here is much more traditional.

In Texas, some of my favorite sushi choices included all kinds of American flare: topped with jalapenos, wrapped in steak, dressed with mayonnaise, stuffed with cream cheese, drizzled with a sweet eel sauce, lightly fried crab. The list goes on... [Jamie, that cherry blossom roll is calling my name! ;) ] But now that I live much closer to the source... I have the feeling that what is served in restaurants here is probably more true to form - actual sushi and sashimi. Why should I be surprised that Americans have found a way to make even sushi an unhealthy food? Yet so delicious.... ;)

I heard more than a few people mention before I moved that now I would be able to eat sushi whenever I want - yay! It's true. Sushi is actually traditionally Japanese food, but there are many sushi restaurants in Taipei, and lots of Japanese influences in other ways too (cultural, fashion, martial arts, food, etc.) Many of you may not know (Unless you are a history buff like my husband... or brother...I didn't learn until I started studying my guidebooks...) that Taiwan was actually under Japanese rule for 50 years, which ended relatively recently in 1945.

So - Yes! Sushi is available! But it is what I would call basic. It seems to me that most sushi restaurants here have very similar fare (as in, practically the same menu anywhere you go...), which is primarily fresh fish, served raw, frequently with white rice or raw veggies. There are typically +/- two rolls available that have sauce or are more of a mix - see below, tuna salad (left center) and crab salad (right center) - so I try to get at least one of those each time. There is not much in the way of sauces, garnishes, and the like :) For example... my feast this evening:

[Sushi from the sushi to-go shop in the MRT station... I put it on a plate to help the photo a bit...]

[Note - I bought the egg from my favorite beef noodle shop on the way home... it is not sushi ;) ]

Just thought I would educate all of you sushi lovers out there! The good news? Sushi here is very healthy, very available, and very inexpensive (above dinner was $3.50 US... including the egg...) - so I can't complain! I guess, being multicultural, I get to enjoy the best of both worlds :) Yum!

day 66_earthquake

Just as I was lying on the bed this evening pondering what should I blog about today, I could swear the bed started to sway beneath me! At first I told myself I must be imagining the sensation, but no - it was definitely moving...which means the entire building way swaying... and I was laying on a bed built inside of a -mostly- glass box that projects out from the face of the building! Yikes! (refer to previous blog posting for apartment bed photo...) As soon as I decided I was not imagining the swaying -which probably took me all of about 1.5 seconds to conclude- I hopped off the bed, thinking that is probably the last place I'd want to be mid-earthquake.

After the fact I looked out my windows, but all appeared normal. Cars passing by, people walking on the sidewalks... so I got online to try to find out if I was dreaming this whole bit, and no - I didn't imagine it! We had a 5.6 earthquake! Wild. I've really only experienced one or two earthquakes yet in my life, and neither of them was anything to report. I guess I was expecting the ground to rumble loudly and actually quake... like in the movies (ha!). This was my first earthquake during my time here in Taipei, but it probably won't be my last! I am glad to report all is fine (no damages whatsoever) and I'm happier and happier every day that I live in such a new building (ie - modern construction that is well prepared to withstand movement like this). Whew!

day 65_out and about

Today I met up with a friend for lunch and some shopping / wandering in the city. First things first, I had to find the place we were meeting for lunch. I took the MRT to a different stop (new to me) and then walked for quite a bit... almost certain I was lost... before I finally arrived at the restaurant, Kao Chi. This restaurant is very famous for it's dumplings, and is better known among the locals than the tourists... definitely a good place to check out!

Yongkang Street

Lunch!
[From left: Steamed shrimp buns, Cold noodles, Steamed vegetable buns,
Steamed pork buns, Shrimp/Leek wraps]

Once we'd had our fill of some tasty traditional Chinese food, we went looking for an antique market nearby. Specifically, my friend had read about this place and was hoping to find some fun vintage items... but when we found what we think was the market... it seemed small and slightly disappointing. There were other antique shops on the same street, but they all appeared to be closed on a Saturday afternoon. So we wandered the small market and then noticed a staircase leading up. Thinking that this was an extension of the antique market, we hopped right up the stairs only to discover... a library! Yay!!! I have been looking for a library branch and had actually mentioned it to my friend as well, so when we stumbled upon this branch location, we decided to go ahead and get library cards - since we were there. Unfortunately, I still need to find the library branch nearest to my home, but no wonder I have had difficulty finding it! They are in the most random locations, typically labeled with Chinese signage only, and often located on upper floors of buildings - so that if you didn't know exactly where the library was, you would have a hard time finding it!

Library

After the library, we shopped a bit. I suddenly realized that I have about a month left to do my Christmas shopping (which could be really fun here, exploring the little shops!) and we saw some really cute stores today, but I only ended up purchasing a few postcards... for now :) We finished up our adventures with a trip to the flower market. I had passed by the flower market before, but not yet stopped there. It was really lovely. Lots of plants and flowers, as you would imagine... and all at very reasonable prices.

Jianguo Holiday Flower Market (entrance)

So many varieties and colors

Orchids everywhere you turn! Beautiful.

day 64_good Friday

Fridays are pretty casual in my office (ever day is pretty casual, but Fridays are even more so...), so I decided to wear my all-stars. It's funny, as soon as I had mine on, I realized how many people wear converse all-stars here! I was noticing shoes like mine left and right. Any day that I have good walking shoes I feel much more ready to take on the world. :)

I set out for work and exited at the slightly further MRT stop from my office - to allow myself a little bit of extra walking and scenery on the way. The weather has been really nice these past couple of days (in the 70 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit range, not too much rain). It was a nice stroll.


I love the moss on the trees.
(it is probably difficult to see in the photos, but it is on all of these trees)

 

A little girl on her way to school. Backpack in the bicycle basket upfront.
I just thought she and her grandma(?) were cute, so I took their picture.

Friday afternoon we had tea time as usual. Today's treat was sweet soup - there were a few different varieties, both warm and iced options - mine was a warm red bean soup with some sort of soy pieces in it? It was tasty. Red bean is one of the most common flavors of desserts here, and I like it, so I usually pick red bean when I have a choice.

After tea time and finishing up the work day, some of my coworkers decided to head downstairs to Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill to grab a beer and watch a Taiwanese baseball game. After all, it was Friday night and Taiwan was competing against Korea in what was described to me as the Asian baseball Olympics (the biggest game... I think that is equivalent to the US 'World Series'?.. but clearly you can see how little I keep up with sports...) Sadly, Taiwan lost... but I was just thrilled to spend some time outside of the office with my new coworkers / friends and to have some company on a Friday night. It was a good Friday. :)

day 63_along came a spider

I am definitely little miss muffet, and a single spider can easily frighten me away, so that is exactly what happened tonight!

So far in Taipei, I have seen a total of probably 5 insects... and it has taken my meandering across town to encounter them (or disposing of my trash - I did note at least one bug there). No complaints here - I am grateful! Even though I know the buggers must be around, it is fine with me if we don't ever happen to cross paths. Even still, the one creature that I saw this evening counts as 5 in my book! On my way into my building tonight after work (think dim, dusk), I noticed -quickly- a large spider that scurried away at the sound of my heels clacking on the concrete. Thank goodness I wore noisy heels today! Mostly, it was just the SIZE of the thing that startled me! Tropical islands have tropical sized insects. : / We have a shallow pool of water on either side of the building entrance, and it looked like the spider headed straight for the water... not sure. My personal description of the beast: daddy long legs... meets preying mantis... on steroids. It was a quick meeting, I can't be entirely sure that I got a good look. I looked for a picture online to give you an idea of what it looked like, but digging through pictures of giant spiders was slightly disturbing... so I'll spare you and just hope that's not what shows up in my dreams this evening! I am suddenly thrilled that I live on the 4th floor. Not that spiders (or other insects) can't climb, but at least I'm not at a convenient ground level! *Shudder* I still have the creepy crawlies and keep itching, feeling like there is something on my arm, leg, etc.

In other news, tomorrow is Friday! What should I do for fun this weekend? The sky's the limit, any ideas? :)

day 62_a little more Local

Left: Pale foreign girl... Right: My building manager, Charles

If you are going to take a picture in Asia, you should probably throw up a peace sign. (Why???) Clearly, I was unprepared.

Walking across a sky bridge in between some of the department stores near my home

Taipei 101 - she is awfully pretty, and they switch up the lighting often to keep it interesting

I have been exploring my new book this evening, and there are so many interesting things to learn, I'm not sure where to start! Here are a few of the things I have learned so far:

--- How to prepare your child for an international move, how to pick the right international school for your children [Yes, I am practically an expert at this now]
--- How to dispose of your waste - trash & recycling, which includes listening for the truck that drives by each day playing Fur Elise over it's loud speaker, and taking pre-purchased blue bags with your trash or bags of your choice with your recycling, and delivering them by hand to the garbage men on the truck... (As it is, I currently live in a building which has a waste room, so I simply divide up my trash and recycling into the bins that have been provided by management - Whew!) Taipei has actually made huge improvements in the amount of waste vs. amount of recycled materials over the past 10 years - the city is significantly cleaner and provides significantly less waste than many other cities of the same size/population worldwide. Reading about it is encouraging!
--- Fines are rare in Taipei, but they do enjoy keeping the city clean, and one possible violation is spitting! [I am totally fine with that...]
--- Pretty much every bill you receive can be paid at the local convenience store, such as 7-11 [talk about a new level of convenience!]

And one last thing I have confirmed this evening... (not in the book, just in real life)... my air conditioning unit has a heating option!!! Which is fabulous, because A: Probably 90% of residential buildings here do not have heaters, B: Who can brave this 65 degree weather without a coat?! [Clearly, I am turning into a local more every day ;) ]

day 61_staying fresh

Day 61. Let's face it - the 61st day is not as sparkly as day 1 or day 2. I look back at my very early blog posts and they have so much eagerness, excitement, and sarcasm to them. Now, my posts are more leisurely, a casual daily habit... and as I was leaving my office this evening, I realized I need to spice it up a bit (not for the blog, for me!). Things are certainly not bad here, but my day to day is not as refreshing as the first week or two were. Who do I blame? Me. For sure.

Just like any relationship, the decision to move internationally has it's ups and downs, and you have to put forth the effort to make the relationship work. I think I have done pretty well so far at giving my 100%, but I have to remind myself to keep pushing. I am the kind of person who gets bored, who wants my day to day to be exciting, to learn new things, to feel alive. It's not entirely an international thing either. I can remember before I left Dallas, I had started to feel sometimes that my life was in a rut. The same routine, the same possibilities each day. I don't think anyone would be surprised that when you pass the same scenery everyday on the way to and from work, you begin to not even see the scene in front of your face.

Tonight when I left the office, instead of staring absent-mindedly while I waited for the crosswalk, I looked down and admired the glittering pave stones that twinkle under the street lights. I decided -instead of heading to the usual MRT station that is a 7 minute walk from my office- to walk to the MRT station that is a 20 minute walk from my office... plenty more to explore along the way. I took a little extra time as I strolled to peek in storefront windows, and admire cute little shops as I passed. I'd really like to travel the same path during the day time. I always take note of the same park on the right hand side of the road with the larger than life, primary colored sculptures. I need to come back and visit it sometime when the sun is shining. Tonight (I confess) I did watch my new favorite TV show - Britain's Next Top Model (TV show choices in English are limited here...) but afterwards, I switched off the TV to spend a little extra time chatting with friends and family. Now, I am about to snuggle up with a warm blanket and read more in my new guide book...

I think the magic cure to not feeling like your life is boring or in a rut is a mostly personal decision, so this week's goal = keep life interesting! I want to see the things I pass by, not just walk past them. So here's to a great week, and taking a new route home from work, one step at a time. :)

day 60_new book

*****Happy Birthday Mom!!!*****

Now that I have officially been here for 2 months, I have finally gotten the "Taipei Living" guide book that is offered by the Community Services Center. First of all, I didn't know that it existed/I needed it. Secondly, my new friend actually had two copies, so she brought one to me this weekend. Third, this would have been really fabulous to read before I made the move across the pond! Still... better late than never, I am diving right in and learning lots of interesting knowledge - both trivial & useful. [Ha, as I am sitting here typing this, I just caught myself rubbing my shoulder... still sore from a very aggressive massage 2 days ago!]

The book is put together for the international community who are moving to Taiwan, or interested in moving to Taiwan, and they cover every topic from local customs, to which hospitals have English speaking doctors, to questions you should consider to prepare yourself for an international move, and on and on! There is an abundance of information in the book (which will take me at least a few days to read) and it has re-inspired me to get out and about more often! I still haven't checked out many of the more traditional touristy landmarks this visit, so perhaps I will find a select few to explore over the next few weeks. But first things first, I have scheduled a doctor's appointment for tomorrow. The doctor is English speaking and works at a hospital near my office, so if he seems nice enough at least I will have a physician here in Taipei. The Center - who publishes the book - also has activities and newcomer orientation programs. Even though, I am a little past the stage of newcomer, maybe I will check one out. What could it hurt? I might meet some new friends with a similar background... you never know. :)

So for now, back to reading and exploring my new libro. There are a few select issues that I have been tiptoeing around since I don't exactly know how they're handled here [like: what is ok to pour into your sink?... and when they say never to throw paper in the toilet - yes, toilet paper goes in the trash can here (strange) - does that have to apply to my toilet in my apartment too??? (mine is brand new plumbing... not like many of the older buildings in the city)] I'm hoping to find some directions in here somewhere! Adios!

day 59_Errands

After my glamorous mountain get-away, Sunday has been mostly filled with errands and prep for the coming week. This might be a grand adventure, but I still need clean socks, you know? :)

I did get to adventure to Costco today. I have a new friend with a car, and she was headed that way so I decided to tag along. Costco was just like it would be in the US (I don't really know - I never visited one, but it is like a Sam's Club and I've been to those before). While we were there, she picked up a frozen turkey and fresh cranberries for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday! So fun. It's too bad I don't have an oven to bake a turkey in. We were pretty impressed that we found both items at all! Turkey is pretty rare in Taiwan. We also saw plenty of Christmas decorations, and I almost bought a wreath for my door... but as I am planning to be in the US for the holidays, and I would have to store the wreath for the rest of the year (somewhere? pretty small apartment...) It is probably best that I didn't end up with a wreath.

Anyways, now I am back to laundry & cleaning. I bought a swiffer equivalent at Costco (yay!), so I can finally really clean my floors. Not too much excitement around here on a Sunday evening, but it has been a great weekend. Ready for the work week to start tomorrow.