Taiwan
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The Taiwan Diaries
Volume 1
(09.05.02)
So I'm safe and
sound here in Kaohsiung and having the time of my life. I think all of you
should quit what you are doing and come do this. It is so fun! So here is the
first of hopefully many chronicles about my adventures in Taiwan. If you don't
want to receive them, I won't hate you. Just shoot me an email back and I'll
take you off the list. Sorry if they are too lengthy for you (Jennie Clay) but I
have a lot to say! So skim them if you must!
At the
Airport
I arrived in Taipei
after about 24 hours of traveling totally exhausted and all I wanted to do was
go to my hotel and sleep. I found my driver and eased into the sleek black
Mercedes with a sigh of relief and was off to the hotel...or so I thought. When
the driver started the car it started beeping. Then once we got into the middle
of the road, it died! So we are sitting in the middle of the road and the car
won't start and my driver hops out and starts talking to the airport security
guy. Everything is happening in Chinese, my driver doesn't speak English I'm
sitting there wondering what to do when all of a sudden they start pushing the
car to the side of the road. I'm still sitting in the car and they open the hood
and stare at it for a while. Then the driver comes around and tries to start the
car again. It worked but the beeping was still going. The airport guy came
around and informed my driver that his problems did not reside under the hood
but merely that he had left his parking break on. Nice huh! So 45 min. later I
was cruising to the hotel with no problem.
Rugby Anyone?
In my training
group there were English speakers from all over the world and as most of you
know Rugby is huge everywhere but the US. So after training one night we went to
play Rugby. A British guy who played basically minor league Rugby told me the
basics of how to play and I was ready to go, the only American with all these
foreigners. So I got the ball and I was running to the goal line when all of a
sudden I saw the Brit running straight at me full force. The next thing I
remember was lying flat on my back with everyone around me seeing stars and
things were spinning. I had quite a knot on my head and headache for several
days but at least I scored, right!?
Squat
and Drop
So there are two
kinds of toilets here. The western style and the "Squat and Drop".
Most large places and houses have western style toilets but many places just
have a "squat and drop". Imagine a urinal laying flat on the ground
sunk into the floor. This is a squat and
drop toilet. It's
basically like having to go to the bathroom out in the woods, hoping you don't
get any on your clothes. This is not one of the better aspects of life in
Taiwan. If you ever encounter one, best not to wear flip flops. Three people
from my training group lost a shoe in them and had to fish it out!
Watch
Out Kaohsiung!
I got a scooter. A
hot pink 125cc scooter. I also got a bright purple helmet to go with it. I look
like Hello Kitty. It is hilarious! I learned how to ride it on Tuesday night.
Mike McDaniel (my friend that came with me) and the girl I bought it from were
showing me how to use it. I was sitting on it ready to go. They showed me that
to gas it you twist the handle towards you. Well, I turned it way too hard. I
went zooming off full speed and ended up on the ground with the scooter on top
of me! Not to worry (Mom) I was fine and since I have had no mishaps. I'm pretty
brave and have basically rode all around the whole city figuring out traffic
laws as I go. The main one: When you are in a pack with 20 other scooters and
everyone goes, you go too or you will be crushed--even if the light is red.
My
Apartment
I love my
apartment. I live in the tenth floor of a building and have a good view of the
city from the balcony. I have a garage and a doorman. I live in a very central
area, near a movie theatre a Walmart like place, a
hardware store and my whole street is lined with fruit stands. I have
been eating so much fruit. My favorite it this pear/apple thing. It's not nearly
as hot as I thought it would be. We get a good breeze from the sea so it feels a
whole lot like home, heat wise.
So that's about it
for now. I'm sure I'll have lots more adventures to share in Vol. 2 like funny
stories about the kids I'm teaching or about any scooter accidents I've been in.
(Just Kidding Mom!) Hope all of you are doing great. Miss you all!