There is a very simple reason why I did not blog yesterday. It wasn't because I didn't have computer access: I did. I was traveling at first, flying from Singapore to Taipei and then train-ing from Taipei to Kaohsiung and MRT-ing from Zuoying to Cultural Center.
When I finally trudged up to my apartment, I collapsed onto my bed, fully clothed. I then realized I should probably change my clothes and use the restroom, so I did, and then collapsed into bed again. It was 3pm.
I slept until 10am today. Thus, no blog. Surely you see why.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Theoretically the 29th
Technically, 1:28am in Singapore (and Taiwan), so 12:28am in Thailand, which is still not the 29th, but this is still pretty close to actually blogging all but one day of our stay in Thailand. Hooray!
So, we're currently in the Singapore airport, enduring a 6-hour overnight layover (cheap flights always have downsides...), and discovering that Singapore is the absolute best place ever to have a long layover. Their motto is "The feeling is first class," and it certainly does feel that way: wide open spaces, uber clean glass walls, smooth-running escalators, pristine stretches of (now-empty) carpet, free internet kiosks, an overnight cafe which smells scrumptious...and, as we just discovered, lounge chairs. Those will be our beds tonight.
In the meantime: today. It's been full. And a little crazy, for several reasons and on several occasions. Best of times, worst of times. A Dickensian day, if you will.
It started early, 7am, with a buffet breakfast and a rendezvous with our friend at the tour center, an older guy with so-so English who told us we could get a 2-hour snorkelling trip for two to Bamboo Island and Mosquito Island for 1,000 baht (~30USD). We said sign us up!
Snorkelling was glorious: after a 20 minute longtail boat journey, we started at Bamboo Island, where our driver parked on the beach near the coral; for me, a complete newbie at this whole being-in-the-ocean thing, it was perfect. I got to wade into it, literally, with the deepest spot I found about waist deep, and just float as I saw parrot fish, angelfish, leapord fish (campoflauged beautifully!), dozens of unidentified smaller fish, of course a fair amount of (unfortunately smallish) coral, sea cucumbers, some gorgeous peacock-blue floral-looking things, and, my favorite, a deflated puffer fish. Karina didn't snorkel much there, since she prefers deep water, but I loved it, my bi-minutely shark scans (I read too much for my own good) notwithstanding.
Then, after a brief verbal scuffle with someone trying to charge us to stay at the beach for an hour, we set out for Mosquito Island where, despite the name, I saw not a single mosquito.
What I did see, though, was fish. THOUSANDS of them, all swimming about and above a magnificent reef off the side of a limestone cliff. This one was deeper, and we didn't go to the shore, but just flopped out of the boat into what felt like an aquarium. Here were all the fish I saw before (except the puffer), plus some groupers, a Dory-like fish, some truly rainbow colored fish, and more varieties of others than I could possibly name. It was glorious.
All-in-all, a wonderful first snorkelling experience and, for that matter, first ocean-swimming experience. But I discovered that I love everything about swimming in salt water except the salt water. Despite my best efforts, it would NOT stay out of my mask and mouthpiece, leading to a few moments where I felt like I was drowning--many of which happened, not coincidentally, when I was in the deep water, barred from standing up and a long swim from my boat. Also, Karina delighted in throwing bread at me, upon which hundreds of thousands of fish would then converge--which is, by the way, TERRIFYING to experience inches from your face.
So snorkelling was great. When we got back, we checked out and I checked into the local massage place, where I treated myself to a lovely oil massage (at triple the prices of the mainland, unfortunately, though still four times cheaper than America) while Karina sunbathed. Then it was a rather rushed buffet lunch and just catching our 1pm ferry back to Phuket.
In Phuket, things got...interesting. For some unknown reason, not nearly enough taxis had shown up to service people coming off the ferry and, as all the minibuses were full, too, we decided to foot it to Phuket town (a 15 minute walk, we were told), eat dinner there and spend the rest of our Thai money (I REALLY wanted another hour or two of Thai experience), and then catch a minibus to the airport. A long walk past illegal taxi- and motorbike-hawkers later, we stopped in at a 7-11 and stepped out to find it was raining. And, of course, by then all taxis had disappeared.
At least this time my travel curse waited till we were off the beach.
About an hour, three stops for directions with some-English-speaking locals and several kilometers of walking and watching minibus after minibus speed by without stopping later, we found a wonderful Thai family who spoke decent English and called a taxi for us, which arrived just as it was starting to get dark for the last-minute save.
So we ate in the Phuket airport, bought a few postcards, rearranged our stuff, sat around, got frustrated with line-cutters at immigration, jostled for service with determined, yet non-English or Thai-speaking Chinese tourists with meal vouchers at Dairy Queen, and finally boarded our (delayed) flight for Singapore.
And now we're here, using our free Internet but more than ready to seek out the fabled "snooze chairs" the airport is advertising every time our 15 minute sessions run out. After all, the 29th has been a very long, though wonderful, day.
So, we're currently in the Singapore airport, enduring a 6-hour overnight layover (cheap flights always have downsides...), and discovering that Singapore is the absolute best place ever to have a long layover. Their motto is "The feeling is first class," and it certainly does feel that way: wide open spaces, uber clean glass walls, smooth-running escalators, pristine stretches of (now-empty) carpet, free internet kiosks, an overnight cafe which smells scrumptious...and, as we just discovered, lounge chairs. Those will be our beds tonight.
In the meantime: today. It's been full. And a little crazy, for several reasons and on several occasions. Best of times, worst of times. A Dickensian day, if you will.
It started early, 7am, with a buffet breakfast and a rendezvous with our friend at the tour center, an older guy with so-so English who told us we could get a 2-hour snorkelling trip for two to Bamboo Island and Mosquito Island for 1,000 baht (~30USD). We said sign us up!
Snorkelling was glorious: after a 20 minute longtail boat journey, we started at Bamboo Island, where our driver parked on the beach near the coral; for me, a complete newbie at this whole being-in-the-ocean thing, it was perfect. I got to wade into it, literally, with the deepest spot I found about waist deep, and just float as I saw parrot fish, angelfish, leapord fish (campoflauged beautifully!), dozens of unidentified smaller fish, of course a fair amount of (unfortunately smallish) coral, sea cucumbers, some gorgeous peacock-blue floral-looking things, and, my favorite, a deflated puffer fish. Karina didn't snorkel much there, since she prefers deep water, but I loved it, my bi-minutely shark scans (I read too much for my own good) notwithstanding.
Then, after a brief verbal scuffle with someone trying to charge us to stay at the beach for an hour, we set out for Mosquito Island where, despite the name, I saw not a single mosquito.
What I did see, though, was fish. THOUSANDS of them, all swimming about and above a magnificent reef off the side of a limestone cliff. This one was deeper, and we didn't go to the shore, but just flopped out of the boat into what felt like an aquarium. Here were all the fish I saw before (except the puffer), plus some groupers, a Dory-like fish, some truly rainbow colored fish, and more varieties of others than I could possibly name. It was glorious.
All-in-all, a wonderful first snorkelling experience and, for that matter, first ocean-swimming experience. But I discovered that I love everything about swimming in salt water except the salt water. Despite my best efforts, it would NOT stay out of my mask and mouthpiece, leading to a few moments where I felt like I was drowning--many of which happened, not coincidentally, when I was in the deep water, barred from standing up and a long swim from my boat. Also, Karina delighted in throwing bread at me, upon which hundreds of thousands of fish would then converge--which is, by the way, TERRIFYING to experience inches from your face.
So snorkelling was great. When we got back, we checked out and I checked into the local massage place, where I treated myself to a lovely oil massage (at triple the prices of the mainland, unfortunately, though still four times cheaper than America) while Karina sunbathed. Then it was a rather rushed buffet lunch and just catching our 1pm ferry back to Phuket.
In Phuket, things got...interesting. For some unknown reason, not nearly enough taxis had shown up to service people coming off the ferry and, as all the minibuses were full, too, we decided to foot it to Phuket town (a 15 minute walk, we were told), eat dinner there and spend the rest of our Thai money (I REALLY wanted another hour or two of Thai experience), and then catch a minibus to the airport. A long walk past illegal taxi- and motorbike-hawkers later, we stopped in at a 7-11 and stepped out to find it was raining. And, of course, by then all taxis had disappeared.
At least this time my travel curse waited till we were off the beach.
About an hour, three stops for directions with some-English-speaking locals and several kilometers of walking and watching minibus after minibus speed by without stopping later, we found a wonderful Thai family who spoke decent English and called a taxi for us, which arrived just as it was starting to get dark for the last-minute save.
So we ate in the Phuket airport, bought a few postcards, rearranged our stuff, sat around, got frustrated with line-cutters at immigration, jostled for service with determined, yet non-English or Thai-speaking Chinese tourists with meal vouchers at Dairy Queen, and finally boarded our (delayed) flight for Singapore.
And now we're here, using our free Internet but more than ready to seek out the fabled "snooze chairs" the airport is advertising every time our 15 minute sessions run out. After all, the 29th has been a very long, though wonderful, day.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Krabi Jungle, Phi Phi Resort
Well, for the second night in a row I'm working with slow internet which I am being charged for by the minute, and the rate today is 4 times what it was yesterday, and they're closing in 10 minutes, so I REALLY have to be brief.
Highlights:
Krabi is amazing. I drove on the left and swam in a waterfall, and missed out on kayaking through mangroves but saw them anyway. Glorious hostel with animals and thatched huts and delicious food.
PhiPhi is gorgeous, but SPENDY. I knew the room was pricey but didn't expect the 3 times price hike on everything else. Going snorkeling tomorrow and laying out on the beach, then it's back to Taiwan! When I'll update more, retroactively.
RETROACTIVE ADDING, FEB. 3:
Picture-and-video time. Here's Krabi!
Also, a video of us at the waterfall:
Highlights:
Krabi is amazing. I drove on the left and swam in a waterfall, and missed out on kayaking through mangroves but saw them anyway. Glorious hostel with animals and thatched huts and delicious food.
PhiPhi is gorgeous, but SPENDY. I knew the room was pricey but didn't expect the 3 times price hike on everything else. Going snorkeling tomorrow and laying out on the beach, then it's back to Taiwan! When I'll update more, retroactively.
RETROACTIVE ADDING, FEB. 3:
Picture-and-video time. Here's Krabi!
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| Wax apple on the ferry! |
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| Kita! |
Friday, January 27, 2012
Krabi retrospective
Today is actually Feb. 2. However, on January 27th I was settling into a new hostel which, so far as I knew then, had no Internet. I later discovered this was wrong, but also discovered the baht-per-minute charge and snail-like pacing, so blogging took a backseat.
Also, here's us waiting for the bus at Patong beach, just because I like these pictures and want to post them:
Besides, by waiting and posting retrospectively, you now have the benefit of more than mere words on my blog! See, our first day in Krabi (after the insanely long bus-and-minibus journey from Patong beach to Phuket Town, and then Phuket Town to Krabi Town, and then the involved negotiation for a cab from Krabi Town to our hostel, a good 25 minutes outside town), was glorious.
First off, here's what the hostel looks like:
Then there's the part where we got there just in time for dinner (DELICIOUS curry and fresh coconut for me):
And, after dinner, the sunset. And I really can't even begin to post all the amazing pictures we took there on here. I'll just throw up a few, and a few videos; give me a few days, and I'll put the link to my Facebook album on here. We must have taken over 200 pictures just in that one evening...absolutely GORGEOUS!
Okay, a few more than a couple. Can't help myself. Anyway, here is the more experiential version of the evening, via video:
So now the lost day is fully exposed, and, I feel (and you you agree), well worth the wait.
Also, here's us waiting for the bus at Patong beach, just because I like these pictures and want to post them:
Besides, by waiting and posting retrospectively, you now have the benefit of more than mere words on my blog! See, our first day in Krabi (after the insanely long bus-and-minibus journey from Patong beach to Phuket Town, and then Phuket Town to Krabi Town, and then the involved negotiation for a cab from Krabi Town to our hostel, a good 25 minutes outside town), was glorious.
First off, here's what the hostel looks like:
 |
| (food/internet/hammocks to the right; ocean straight ahead; huts behind) |
 |
| The rooms. :) |
And, after dinner, the sunset. And I really can't even begin to post all the amazing pictures we took there on here. I'll just throw up a few, and a few videos; give me a few days, and I'll put the link to my Facebook album on here. We must have taken over 200 pictures just in that one evening...absolutely GORGEOUS!
Okay, a few more than a couple. Can't help myself. Anyway, here is the more experiential version of the evening, via video:
Relax....then go to Phuket
As I write this, it's almost 2am and we're in Phuket Town, here in the south of Thailand. Outside, life is still going on like crazy; Jack Johnson songs are drifting upward from the downstairs restaurant/bar area of our hostel. It's cool for a single night, but I'm glad we're headed to the more remote islands tomorrow, away from what I've mentally classified as the Las Vegas of Thailand.
Today was relaxation. We slept in, had a leisurely breakfast, strolled around Mel and Mar's house and watered their flowers, then packed our stuff and went to the mall to sample more Thai food, buy me some flipflops for the beach, get a Thai foot massage (Mar and I), and meet with Mel and Mar's friends from growing up, Maxine and Grace. Being with Melanie and Marissa in their home town felt like being home again and, in addition to the dry heat and leisurely pace, it was truly paradise. We were sorry to go.
But we did, and now we're in Phuket! Tomorrow we're off to Krabi, where we'll hopefully be roughing it a bit more; that is, there won't be a bar and internet cafe on every corner. Hopefully, there won't be corners, just more trees and rocks.
Wow, that last line sounds like Pride and Prejudice: "What are men compared to rocks and mountains?"
It's late, and Karina's beside me yelling at the malfunctioning hostel computer she's using, so I'd best get off and let her have a chance with a computer that works.
Today was relaxation. We slept in, had a leisurely breakfast, strolled around Mel and Mar's house and watered their flowers, then packed our stuff and went to the mall to sample more Thai food, buy me some flipflops for the beach, get a Thai foot massage (Mar and I), and meet with Mel and Mar's friends from growing up, Maxine and Grace. Being with Melanie and Marissa in their home town felt like being home again and, in addition to the dry heat and leisurely pace, it was truly paradise. We were sorry to go.
But we did, and now we're in Phuket! Tomorrow we're off to Krabi, where we'll hopefully be roughing it a bit more; that is, there won't be a bar and internet cafe on every corner. Hopefully, there won't be corners, just more trees and rocks.
Wow, that last line sounds like Pride and Prejudice: "What are men compared to rocks and mountains?"
It's late, and Karina's beside me yelling at the malfunctioning hostel computer she's using, so I'd best get off and let her have a chance with a computer that works.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Chiang Mai
We rode elephants today! And I drove an ox cart! (Really, the driver got down and just chilled way behind us/fixed things back behind us!) And bought an elephant-made painting! (Spendy...slight buyers' regret but not, because it's a painting of an elephant DONE BY AN ELEPHANT.) And went to handicraft markets! And a night market! And bought a new Starbucks Chiang Mai mug and a gorgeous green Thai bag! And ate SO MUCH DELICIOUS THAI FOOD!
So yeah, long, amazing, expensive day. And glorious.
Wish I had time to tell the whole story, but I don't...so...now it's off for an impromptu Thai language and culture lesson with Melanie and Marissa.
Retrospective, added 2/1/12:
I posted pictures! Here's the public link to them:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2644331434819.2114580.1451610020&type=1&l=04c4bfe453
And here's the videos I took today, one of the elephants dancing at the elephant show at Mae Taeng, and one of Karina and riding the elephants. Good times.
So yeah, long, amazing, expensive day. And glorious.
Wish I had time to tell the whole story, but I don't...so...now it's off for an impromptu Thai language and culture lesson with Melanie and Marissa.
Retrospective, added 2/1/12:
I posted pictures! Here's the public link to them:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2644331434819.2114580.1451610020&type=1&l=04c4bfe453
And here's the videos I took today, one of the elephants dancing at the elephant show at Mae Taeng, and one of Karina and riding the elephants. Good times.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
In Thailand!
And writing this from Melanie's computer after a FANTASTIC (and fantastically long) day. In essence, I've been up for 2 days as we traveled here, and then had the best first day in Thailand ever.
So, after our 16 hour bus-and-multiple-flight journey (which involved a cold but swanky bus with a not-so-nice transfer, a very nice EVA plane, a very crappy AirAsia one, and an almost-missed connection in between), we were thrilled to see Melanie, Marissa and their dad, who picked us up from the airport in Chiang Mai, and immediately began being the best hosts ever.
Seriously. After they took us to the best money-changing place in town, telling us the city's history as we drove along, they served us a scrumptious traditional northeast Thai dinner, and then Melanie, Marissa, Karina and I set out for Night Safari, a zoo/wildlife preserve which included a nice walk, two tram rides through animal enclosures, and a laser light show. It was a blast!
So now we're back, it's 10pm local time (11pm Kaohsiung), I've been up for two days (Karina's been up longer), and we're headed out early tomorrow morning for a day with the elephants. All that to say, I'm gonna go catch some long-overdue Zs, uninterrupted by cold bus air or flight attendants bearing food. Good night, Thailand!
So, after our 16 hour bus-and-multiple-flight journey (which involved a cold but swanky bus with a not-so-nice transfer, a very nice EVA plane, a very crappy AirAsia one, and an almost-missed connection in between), we were thrilled to see Melanie, Marissa and their dad, who picked us up from the airport in Chiang Mai, and immediately began being the best hosts ever.
Seriously. After they took us to the best money-changing place in town, telling us the city's history as we drove along, they served us a scrumptious traditional northeast Thai dinner, and then Melanie, Marissa, Karina and I set out for Night Safari, a zoo/wildlife preserve which included a nice walk, two tram rides through animal enclosures, and a laser light show. It was a blast!
So now we're back, it's 10pm local time (11pm Kaohsiung), I've been up for two days (Karina's been up longer), and we're headed out early tomorrow morning for a day with the elephants. All that to say, I'm gonna go catch some long-overdue Zs, uninterrupted by cold bus air or flight attendants bearing food. Good night, Thailand!
Headed for Thailand
In approximately 2 hours, I will board a bus headed for Taoyuan. About 8 hours after that, I will board a plane headed for Thailand. I'm beyond excited! I get to meet up with Melanie and Marissa, and of course explore the gorgeous southern beaches, too. It will be glorious. I am beyond thrilled.
But my computer will not make the journey.
That's right, my daily blog will stall, and maybe cease. Temporarily. See, my bag looks like this:
And that's me being a minimalist. Which I aim to be. Thus, for a while, no blog.
But rest assured, I will use any Internet access I can get my hands on to post whenever I can, and I'll be purchasing a notebook tomorrow so I can post retroactively, but still somewhat in real time. Just because I'm stubborn and can't possibly give up on 6 months of hard daily work just because I don't happen to have a computer nearby.
Also of note, I'll be suspending my one new thing thing while I'm gone since, you know, EVERYthing will be a new thing.
In the meantime, though, here's today's one new thing.
Thing 5:
I WENT TO PINGTUNG TODAY! It was absolutely phenomenal. Maggie invited me to come have dinner with her family, and it was lovely. Maggie and her dad picked me up from Zuoying and drove me out to their family home, where we had delicious hot pot and wax apples, I met two of Maggie's sisters, her parents, and her dog (who was entirely too terrified of me to let me photograph him), and we took bikes to see Maggie's family's old shrimp farm.
There was just too much wonderfulness happening to write about it all in the brief one-hour window I have now, so here are some of the great, but unedited, photos.
Thing 6:
I bought a towel. Sounds uninteresting, I know, but that's before you see it, and hear my rationale. See, here it is:
That's right, Paul Frank. And I bought it over Hello Kitty, Spongebob and Doraemon. Because my current towels aren't good enough, because they're too good. See that backpack up there? Yeah, that's all I'm bringing. And I needed THIN. And CRAPPY. And CHEAP. And voila! Paul Frank fits the bill.
But my computer will not make the journey.
That's right, my daily blog will stall, and maybe cease. Temporarily. See, my bag looks like this:
And that's me being a minimalist. Which I aim to be. Thus, for a while, no blog.
But rest assured, I will use any Internet access I can get my hands on to post whenever I can, and I'll be purchasing a notebook tomorrow so I can post retroactively, but still somewhat in real time. Just because I'm stubborn and can't possibly give up on 6 months of hard daily work just because I don't happen to have a computer nearby.
Also of note, I'll be suspending my one new thing thing while I'm gone since, you know, EVERYthing will be a new thing.
In the meantime, though, here's today's one new thing.
Thing 5:
I WENT TO PINGTUNG TODAY! It was absolutely phenomenal. Maggie invited me to come have dinner with her family, and it was lovely. Maggie and her dad picked me up from Zuoying and drove me out to their family home, where we had delicious hot pot and wax apples, I met two of Maggie's sisters, her parents, and her dog (who was entirely too terrified of me to let me photograph him), and we took bikes to see Maggie's family's old shrimp farm.
There was just too much wonderfulness happening to write about it all in the brief one-hour window I have now, so here are some of the great, but unedited, photos.
Thing 6:
I bought a towel. Sounds uninteresting, I know, but that's before you see it, and hear my rationale. See, here it is:
That's right, Paul Frank. And I bought it over Hello Kitty, Spongebob and Doraemon. Because my current towels aren't good enough, because they're too good. See that backpack up there? Yeah, that's all I'm bringing. And I needed THIN. And CRAPPY. And CHEAP. And voila! Paul Frank fits the bill.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Empty Streets
Thing 5:
The streets of Kaohsiung are deserted. Truly, truly deserted. As in, I went for a walk at 6pm, and it could have just as easily been 2am--all the shops are closed, the lights are off, and there's next to no one in the streets, either walking or driving.
Let me just put this in perspective: there's no one. On the streets. In downtown Kaohsiung, which, beside being a large city, is one based on a night-market culture. (In a hot climate, it just makes sense.) But all that to say, I've rarely been on the street and seen few people there; I've never been on the street when there was no one there.
Until today. Honestly, the street looked more alive the other day when I got in after midnight; I hadn't realized how much light the various storefronts emitted until tonight, when they were all, unceremoniously, gone.
And why? The answer is simple: 新年快樂! Today is Chinese New Year's Eve, meaning that everyone is home with their families, celebrating. It's odd: it's not a holiday I've ever celebrated before, but it feels much stranger to not be with family today than it did on, say, Thanksgiving. It's amazing what cultural pressure will do.
On the flip side, it's been a pretty nice day for me. Plenty of time to hang out, work on my Fulbright midyear report (ugh), go to the gym, and get ready for my trip to Thailand, which begins in *gasp* a mere two days! So there's that.
But it's odd, looking out at a Kaohsiung in which only the 7-11s of the world are open--a truly deserted place, indeed.
The streets of Kaohsiung are deserted. Truly, truly deserted. As in, I went for a walk at 6pm, and it could have just as easily been 2am--all the shops are closed, the lights are off, and there's next to no one in the streets, either walking or driving.
Let me just put this in perspective: there's no one. On the streets. In downtown Kaohsiung, which, beside being a large city, is one based on a night-market culture. (In a hot climate, it just makes sense.) But all that to say, I've rarely been on the street and seen few people there; I've never been on the street when there was no one there.
Until today. Honestly, the street looked more alive the other day when I got in after midnight; I hadn't realized how much light the various storefronts emitted until tonight, when they were all, unceremoniously, gone.
And why? The answer is simple: 新年快樂! Today is Chinese New Year's Eve, meaning that everyone is home with their families, celebrating. It's odd: it's not a holiday I've ever celebrated before, but it feels much stranger to not be with family today than it did on, say, Thanksgiving. It's amazing what cultural pressure will do.
On the flip side, it's been a pretty nice day for me. Plenty of time to hang out, work on my Fulbright midyear report (ugh), go to the gym, and get ready for my trip to Thailand, which begins in *gasp* a mere two days! So there's that.
But it's odd, looking out at a Kaohsiung in which only the 7-11s of the world are open--a truly deserted place, indeed.
Pancakes
Thing 4:
I made pancakes today for the first time since being in Taiwan. Or, rather, I helped make pancakes. When I got up I found Analicia beginning the process; I volunteered my help and my griddle, and suggested we add chocolate chips and bananas, which was obviously a fantastic choice.
So that was my one new thing of the day. It wasn't really my only new thing, but the thing I'm more excited about is much more difficult to put into a "new" framework, since it was the objectively simpler act of going to the gym for an hour for the first time in...well, a while. Also, it was great.
Another new thing, at least for this break, is happening right now: I'm going to bed before 3am. Let's keep this thing going!
I made pancakes today for the first time since being in Taiwan. Or, rather, I helped make pancakes. When I got up I found Analicia beginning the process; I volunteered my help and my griddle, and suggested we add chocolate chips and bananas, which was obviously a fantastic choice.
So that was my one new thing of the day. It wasn't really my only new thing, but the thing I'm more excited about is much more difficult to put into a "new" framework, since it was the objectively simpler act of going to the gym for an hour for the first time in...well, a while. Also, it was great.
Another new thing, at least for this break, is happening right now: I'm going to bed before 3am. Let's keep this thing going!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Swimsuit
One day in, I'm actually doing a pretty good job with this one new thing thing. Such a good job that one new thing becomes many new things.
Today, for instance: I bought a bagel from Shakespeare's (first!), went shopping at Central Park (first!), actually bought something at a Taiwanese department store (first!), got myself and Karina lost on the way back to my scooter (semi-first!), rode my scooter with an un-helmeted passenger (first!), and resultingly drove the speed limit in Taiwan (first!).
Also in the realm of firsts, Analicia made pizza and helped me make Nanaimo bars, and Karina and Analicia both watched The Matrix.
So, out of all those firsts, I give you today's 1 New Thing: my first-ever purchase from a department store in Taiwan. Because it's pretty. And because it's 5am (first!) and I want to go to sleep now.
Today, for instance: I bought a bagel from Shakespeare's (first!), went shopping at Central Park (first!), actually bought something at a Taiwanese department store (first!), got myself and Karina lost on the way back to my scooter (semi-first!), rode my scooter with an un-helmeted passenger (first!), and resultingly drove the speed limit in Taiwan (first!).
Also in the realm of firsts, Analicia made pizza and helped me make Nanaimo bars, and Karina and Analicia both watched The Matrix.
So, out of all those firsts, I give you today's 1 New Thing: my first-ever purchase from a department store in Taiwan. Because it's pretty. And because it's 5am (first!) and I want to go to sleep now.
Friday, January 20, 2012
1 New Thing
Upon discovering today that not setting an alarm for myself results in me sleeping till 1pm, thus making it all too easy for me to squander my break doing nothing, I've decided to give myself a new mission: do one new thing every day of break.
Kaohsiung is a big city, and, as I've mentioned before, at this point in my stay here I very much have my routines. Routine routes, routine restaurants, routine stops along the way, so it is that when I'm, for instance, going somewhere with Fonda, I'll look around and realize I am surrounded by unfamiliar streets, restaurants, shops, and parks which look absolutely amazing.
And when better to discover these than now, while I'm on break?
So, today: Thing 1
...is actually Thing 1 and Thing 2. First of all, I finally learned the above-ground route to Karina's apartment, and actually rode my scooter there, rather than depending on the time-sensitive MRT. (Thus I just got back from there, and learned that my building closes the door to the garage before midnight. Luckily they have motion sensors to open it, though.) And the journey was gratifying: I spent about an hour wrangling with Google maps trying to get a more direct route, watching them add minute by minute to the expected journey length as I did so, before finally saying "screw it" and taking my own route. Which, as it turned out, was a full 20 minutes faster than they said it would be.
That's right, I officially know enough of the city to outsmart Google. Woohoo!
Thing 2 falls into the "new restaurant" category, though it was a bit of a cheat. Karina and I went to a Mexican restaurant near her apartment which neither of us had tried before, but which Karina's roommate, Esther, constantly raves about. I've been craving Mexican food for about a month now, so it was a good fit, though obviously not nearly of the caliber of most places at home (smidge soggy, missing some of the normal spices). But it was pretty well priced, had all the fixin's, as well as can be provided here (Spanish rice, refried beans, cheese-and-sauce topped enchilada, "chips" and "salsa"), and bottomless free soft drinks.
So yeah, I'll probably go back at some point. But not during break, because I'll be off collecting more 1 New Things!
Kaohsiung is a big city, and, as I've mentioned before, at this point in my stay here I very much have my routines. Routine routes, routine restaurants, routine stops along the way, so it is that when I'm, for instance, going somewhere with Fonda, I'll look around and realize I am surrounded by unfamiliar streets, restaurants, shops, and parks which look absolutely amazing.
And when better to discover these than now, while I'm on break?
So, today: Thing 1
...is actually Thing 1 and Thing 2. First of all, I finally learned the above-ground route to Karina's apartment, and actually rode my scooter there, rather than depending on the time-sensitive MRT. (Thus I just got back from there, and learned that my building closes the door to the garage before midnight. Luckily they have motion sensors to open it, though.) And the journey was gratifying: I spent about an hour wrangling with Google maps trying to get a more direct route, watching them add minute by minute to the expected journey length as I did so, before finally saying "screw it" and taking my own route. Which, as it turned out, was a full 20 minutes faster than they said it would be.
That's right, I officially know enough of the city to outsmart Google. Woohoo!
Thing 2 falls into the "new restaurant" category, though it was a bit of a cheat. Karina and I went to a Mexican restaurant near her apartment which neither of us had tried before, but which Karina's roommate, Esther, constantly raves about. I've been craving Mexican food for about a month now, so it was a good fit, though obviously not nearly of the caliber of most places at home (smidge soggy, missing some of the normal spices). But it was pretty well priced, had all the fixin's, as well as can be provided here (Spanish rice, refried beans, cheese-and-sauce topped enchilada, "chips" and "salsa"), and bottomless free soft drinks.
 |
| Mmmm, Taiwanese Mexican...also, those chunks on the right are the "salsa" |
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Readers' Theater, concluded
Yesterday, I mentioned that I presented what I was doing to all the other Fulbright grantees. What I neglected to mention, though, is what I talked about--readers' theater. And, for that matter, I realized, I have never showed here the final outcome of my readers' theater projects, which is a real shame, because they're adorable.
So today, back home and in full-on relaxation mode, let me take a moment to show you all the wonderfulness that my kids at Qingshan and Hanmin came up with. I think it was pretty great.
First of all, here are myself and all of my fantastic actors, fully decked out after their performances.
And now, of course, here's them in action. Here's Qingshan's play, "The Spooky Crown of Tim Cockatoo," which was based off of The Terrifying Tale of Prewitt Peacock, by Bill Peet, one of my all-time favorite children's book authors. (I apologize for the film quality on both videos; they're the official film from the hosting school, who wouldn't let anyone else film or take pictures during the show.)
And here is Hanmin's play, "The Emperor's New Clothes," the script for which I wrote based on the classic story. They won third place in this city-wide competition.
So there you have it! You now know all that my fellow Fulbrighters do--and just a little of what my kids have been up to lately.
So today, back home and in full-on relaxation mode, let me take a moment to show you all the wonderfulness that my kids at Qingshan and Hanmin came up with. I think it was pretty great.
First of all, here are myself and all of my fantastic actors, fully decked out after their performances.
 |
| Qingshan |
 |
| Hanmin |
And here is Hanmin's play, "The Emperor's New Clothes," the script for which I wrote based on the classic story. They won third place in this city-wide competition.
So there you have it! You now know all that my fellow Fulbrighters do--and just a little of what my kids have been up to lately.
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