as of lately...9.28

Okie doke folks... (and I've just now realized how much I say folks... my bad... and also how big of a fan I am of the dot dot dot hahha again, my bad ohhhh ohhhh and "seriously" too... add that to the list)


SOOOOOOooooo Taipei dodged Typhoon Fanapi... but there are 12 or so typhoons guaranteed in a year so I think we're going to have some more even though "typhoon season" is about to end. We'll see... I'll try and keep everyone updated like how I did for Fanapi if we get hit by any more typhoons.

I've just started my 3rd week at 國立台灣師範大學國語教學中心 (that's the long Chinese version of MTC of NTNU hahah and I'm happy to say the I can read the first 4, 7th, and the last 2 characters, yay me!)

I got my lesson 2 test back... 94... I was hoping for 100 cuz I studied really hard but I guess I'll just have to study more next time. We're moving really quick though lesson 3. I think 老師 is speeding things up... spending 3 days on vocab for lesson 1, then 2-3 days for lesson 2 and only a day for lesson 3 vocab. My 老師 teaches here in TW and also in Germany, she's published a book in German on how to teach Chinese. It's pretty awesome.

Well any who.... that's school... but I've been seriously thinking and considering the masters programs here... esp for Teaching Mandarin as a second language or Translating and Interpretation. I think it'd be cool... much more interesting than teaching English (esp since I barely speak it properly hahhahahaha x a million)

I'm still working on getting past the obvious reasons why I came to Taiwan. However obvious they are they are not shallow... and maybe that's enough...

This past Wednesday was the Moon Festival. Careful with them Moon Cakes yall... it's like being on camera... that shiz adds 10lbs! Yup... found out how fattening they were after I ate 1.5 ginormous sized ones my Uncle gave me.

So the Moon Festival is the lightweight equivalence to our Thanksgiving... It's def a family holiday but instead of giving thanks to things in the present... you honor people of the past and of course the Gods. The actual festival falls on the night of a full moon in the 8th month (lunar calendar here folks)... on this night the face of the moon should present you with a view of the Lady of the Moon (and I think a rabbit too?)... google it... its kinda a sad story.

Most people BBQ out in the streets but I headed up to Badu to spend it with Ama. Four outta her six children were present =) and my cousins Soo Young, Stanley, Rita, Nio, and the two little ones (I don't know they're English names) were also there... I thought the twins would be there too but I think they're going to the next bi-bi...

ANNNNNYYYYY ways... I was sitting amongst my family listening to them fluidly switching between Taiwanese and Mandarin.... and feeling like it's always been like this... with me apart of this family. It made me happy just to sit and listen even though I can only understand 5% of what they say.... hahahah and less than 1% if they switch to Taiwanese. At that point I'm sure I had a big ol goofy grin on my face because I know... this is what I was missing... and now that I'm here I know I belong.

Well let me just correct myself... I don't think it was a part of me that was missing... I fully believe that people are complete entities in themselves... but maybe for me its an addition to who I am more so than filling an empty spot somewhere in me.

I smiled the whole car ride home listening to my Uncle explain Pomelo and Citron to my Aunt and talking over my cousins upcoming concerts. big. ol. goofy. grin.




ehhh... On a not so happy note...
I've decided that when my rental contract is up in November I will def peace up out this biotch. I love the house and the neighborhood and even the street vendors right outside my door... But the house mate situation isn't getting any better...

The language barrier is the biggest and worst part of it but the age gap and cultural differences don't fall to far behind.

I think I decided to live here because of my Mom, my Uncle and my cousins... They really wanted me to live in this specific neighborhood and my mom said it would be a clean environment and if I had any questions about buses directions or whatever... I'd be able to ask my roommate who's Taiwanese... anyway I'm sure you get the point....

but I don't really know if anyone took into account how hard it is not just for me but for US to communicate... or just how much the cultural differences we're going to affect us. When I talked to my mom the only requirement I had was to live by myself so we made sure to sign a short rental agreement. I will start to look for a new place soon. So if anyone knows a place available in November holllllaaaaaa