Was I dead?

No, I didn't die. I think that could have been a step up though.

I hate when I'm just sick enough to be miserable, but not sick enough to really want to go to the doctor or to feel like I'm getting any better.

I've had this terrible cold. Normally I would just stick it out, instead I've been doing a lot of sleeping. I haven't really been on the Internet much at all. My poor computer is probably feeling neglected.

Wednesday was Canada Day, though, and given that more than half the people who live in the dorm are Canadian, there was celebrating to be done. This, however, cut into my sleep-and-get-better time.


It was fun though.

After we all got home from class, a bunch of us went up on the roof. It was set with music, ambient lighting (read white Christmas lights) and a million Canadian flags.


There was an attempt to sing the English and French versions of the Canadian anthem. It was pretty hilarious actually. How many drunk people does it take to remember how to speak French and then put it to the tune of Oh, Canada?


The day after Canada Day was terrible for nearly everyone. I stayed out in the humid night air too late, so my cold finally took over my body. Others had some of the worst hangovers of their lives.

The dorm was nice and quiet until late afternoon though. Then there was a lot of hustle and bustle to get to work.

Carly teaches at the school downstairs and doesn't need her scooter on Thursdays and offered to let me borrow it.

I drove for the very first time internationally. Driving a scooter in Taiwan was one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life. I was shaking the entire time.

But I got there. I didn't scratch or wreck the scooter. I didn't cause anyone else to get into an accident. I didn't get entirely lost.

Notice the modifier there.

I was scared to death to take a left turn. Let's just say they're complicated in Taiwan when you're on a scooter. It's terrifying. But eventually you have to take a left turn or you just don't get to where you want to go. I took the long way around we'll say. But I pretty much knew exactly where I was the entire time.

During my last class that evening, it starting pouring down rain. We were in a classroom on the first floor of the building and we could hear it pouring. It was ridiculous.

First thought in my head, of course, was, "Great, I finally get to drive a scooter by myself and now I have to drive it home in the rain."

I thought getting TO work was scary. Driving in the rain was terrible. But again, I made it. No bumps, scratches, accidents, etc.

I'm proud. Now I just need to learn my way around.

Unfortunately, driving home in the rain certainly did not help me any. I ate some left-over pizza when I got home and then went to bed. I ended up not going to work on Friday.

I called in to work and then went to 7-11 to buy noodles, ice cream, juice, tea and cough drops. I spent the entire day sleeping and watching movies. It was great.

I really think I just needed a relaxed day where I did absolutely nothing. I still sound like crap and I'm stuffed up, but I have more energy and I'm not as dizzy.

Now it's Independence Day. I sort of wish I had stayed home to have a red, white and blue Fourth of July complete with barbecue and fireworks. It's OK though, I'm sure there will be something going on here. I'm restricting myself to tea, juice and photography though.

Tonight I have two high school kid classes then the whole day off tomorrow. Hopefully I feel infinitely better by tomorrow and can go and do some traveling of sorts. It's a shame to be here and not go running around.

Monday and Tuesday, I finally start my own regular classes. Yay, something to look forward to!

How many people can you fit on a scooter?

So yesterday was my first full day and I was able to take in a lot more. 

Oddest thing I've seen so far: practically anything on a scooter. Apparently my concept of right of way and what is safe or not safe on a scooter means nothing here. 

Right of way goes to whoever is biggest or boldest; Pedestrians are not top dog. As for pedestrians, there is no J-walking. You cross wherever possible and hope you don't get hit. Generally drivers will try to swerve around you... if they can. 

But the craziest thing to me is the fact that, instead of having a car, people here try to fit their whole family on one little scooter. It reminds me of the Snakes on a Plane spoof "Hippos on a Big Wheel" at Alamo Drafthouse. For instance, yesterday I saw: A man (with a helmet), who I assume to be his wife (with a helmet) behind him, their 3-4 year old child (with a helmet) standing on the platform in front of him, and then the wife was holding on to their infant-sized baby all wrapped in blankets in one hand and holding on to her husband with the other. 

Four people, no matter their size, do not belong on one scooter!

Scooters can also cut lanes and drive on sidewalks. Oh and red lights are suggestions for just about anyone. 

In fact, two of the teachers were on a scooter last night and got T-boned in the middle of an intersection despite the fact that they had a green light. The guy hit the teacher on the back right in the leg. He picked up his scooter and then drove off. 

I'm kind of terrified to drive a scooter now. Originally, I thought that since I've driven a motorcycle on highways at home that I would be fine. This is a whole different gig with a million more obstacles. It's ridiculous.

Otherwise, yesterday was great. 

I observed two classes with this guy Bill at Chen-Kung school. Bill has been teaching with Gloria for nearly 20 years. See what I mean by people come here, fall in love with it and then never want to leave?

Either way, he's a great teacher and the fact that he actually knows Chinese now helps, I'm sure. His classes were a lot of fun though. They were WOW classes, which are Jr. High and some Sr. High kids and they're more advanced.  I got to correct the kids' diaries (writing journals) and then I played quite a few games and did some Q&As with them. 

I would love to have WOW classes. Not just for the fact that they already know quite a bit of English, but they seem to really have fun and like to joke around a lot.

After class, Megan took me to the market down the street. I bought a bunch of fruit and some vegetables. I seriously spent $4 on two bags full on fruit and less than $3 on veggies. 

I stuck to pretty regular stuff as far as veggies go (bell peppers, broccoli and green beans) but I branched out on the fruit. 

I bought kiwi, guava and some wax apples (sometimes called bell fruit). I had some with Megan on my first day and I really liked them. 

While we were at the market, Megan showed me some of the crazy food that you can buy from the vendors on the side of the street. Some of it was absolutely awesome. Some, made me want to gag, for instance, that fried chicken foot that I saw... Gross.

Megan also taught me about a million Chinese words, about half of which actually stuck. But now I can tell someone if I have or don't have something (or ask if they do) and if I want or don't want something (or ask if they do). Now I need to learn how to say all of the somethings, heh.

I need to learn numbers so I can pay for things at the market and then the names of teas so I can order those. I've decided green tea really isn't so bad. 

Today is Sunday and that's everyone's day off. Megan said we're going to go somewhere, we're just trying to decide if it's going to rain or not so we can decide which somewhere.

Off to another adventure!