Laughing All the Way

I've come to the conclusion that my blog is turning into a rather dull travel guide. Uploading photos has given me many technological frustrations, so you all will just have to wait. I have so many fabulous pictures and it is great fun taking and flipping through them, but stories need to be told, and it's best if they don't have to be remembered first.

So far, I have told you nothing but stories about doctor visits and scenery, and I thought all I'd have to talk about was food! Despite having a new variety of illness every week (sometimes every day!!), I am absolutely loving Taiwan and having a great time figuring out the little day-to-day things (since real exploring is not conducive yet).

Food has been sorely lacking. Everything has pork or some sort of shellfish in it, even some "vegetarian" dishes. Vegetarianism here has more to do with yin and yang instead of animals. This translates into no garlic or onions; but scallops, shrimp, and eggs are okay. I have been eating lots of chocolate, haagen-daz, steamed cabbage, and brown rice with lentils. My housemate brings us fabulous fresh bread from a German bakery in Tienmu (the international expat area), but it's not so helpful during Pesach. Costco here serves 100% pork hotdogs--certainly a far cry from Sinai glatt kosher in the states!! They do counterbalance it by having a phenomenal pesto pizza worthy of a mighty Moore.

For Pesach, I attended a seder at the World Trade Center Club. The following are a few notes learned during the attempt.

• Be sure to differentiate between the World Trade Center and the World Trade Center Club; they are not remotely close to each other.
• Remember that walking more than 2 minutes anywhere other than a shopping mall is considered a travesty, and do not instantly accept when a helpful bystander insists that you must take the next bus.
• Do not show up late to a seder in Taipei; it's over in 45 minutes. You will generally be right on time to eat though.
• If you offer a rain drenched kid the shelter of your umbrella, don't be surprised if he thanks you and then insults you for your audacity.
• Be sure to try the sashimi; it's delicious, and slip in a smart comment about Karaites when someone complains about the mozzarella stuffed chicken breast being on the seder menu.

Hag Sameach! I must go enjoy my Nutella smothered matzah.

Foreign Medicine and Small Comforts

I had to make a repeat visit to the doctor's office this week, for some good news and some bad. I still can't talk above a whisper (and not even that for very long before a coughing fit), but the infection that apparently caused all this trouble is gone. So I just have to wait it out.

Since the infection was gone, the doctor said I could have "steam treatment." The assistant took me over to a seat in front of what looked like a coffee carafe attached to a chemistry set, told me to open my mouth, and proceeded to blast my throat with steam. I think it might have been medicated, because it tasted a little citrusy.

Unfortunately, it was quite busy in the office and I didn't get a chance to take a picture of my "treatment" before getting shuffled along to the pharmacy next door for my prescription.

I spent two days moseying around the house, drinking tea, and resting in general. Yesterday I decided I'd had enough, so I went down to the office to pick up my ARC (I'm official now!) and to make an excursion one town over for some shopping at IKEA!

Most of you probably know that I'm a bit of a princess when it comes to sleeping arrangements. It also very difficult being a cotton purist in a polyester world. Thanks be for entrepreneuring Swedes! There's an IKEA in Sinjhuang City, which is over the river west of Banqaio, where I am. I took a bus from the main station and got over the river, then walked about 10 minutes down a side street to get to the IKEA (which is highly visible!). I shopped until I couldn't carry anymore, since I'd have to carry my items on the bus.

The staff at the information desk were kind enough to tell me of a bus that would pick me up in front of the IKEA, so I wouldn't have to walk down to the stop I'd arrived at. This bus took me back to Banqaio, but it stopped across from the main station, and I didn't really feel like walking 1.5k to the hub of the station for my next bus. Since the one I was on had to return to the IKEA, I figured it would loop around and I get off when it came back through the station. Well, it was getting rather late, and little known to me, this bus was slotted for a break at the parking lot and was not going to continue its circuit. I found out quick enough when the bus stopped in a dark, empty lot. Fortunately, the captain was kind enough to set me on the right bus going back to the main station.

In the end, I arrived home in one piece, none the worse for wear, and with some lovely linens to set my bed out in style.

Shao Ban (Little Class) and Sniffles

I finished teacher boot camp last week none the worse for wear. During our last teaching demonstration, a funeral/temple procession passed beneath our window, causing quite a ruckus. It was very elaborate and drawn out; the pictures do not do it justice.

We also had a visit from the kindergarten on the floor below the training center. Excellent motivation to push through the last few sessions.


The night before our last session, more than half the training group went out for a Taiwanese staple: KTV (or Karaoke). It was fun, loud, and sometimes surprisingly good, which we all attribute to the phenomenal quality of the microphones.

After a few more sessions on company protocol the next day, it was time for our graduation ceremony. My "class" had the great honor of being invited to the President's penthouse for cocktails and traditional Taiwanese delicacies. I certainly had no problem enjoying the fried white radish and chocolate covered almonds. The only thing left untouched by all was the "stinky tofu." Unfortuantely, I did not get any photos of the food.


The next day I started my local branch observations to prepare for my own classes starting on Tuesday. And here is my first group of kids! They are smart and precocious. We've already had a few cases of vomiting, crying, and general mayhem, but it's going well on the whole. I have a second group of the same age and size as this class in addition to two older groups and one upper level. So five classes in total.

Unfortunately, I have been quite ill with some sort of cold/laryngitis that has kept me from teaching beyond my first week. That's also the reason why this blog is coming later than my promised Wednesday edition. It costs less than $30US to go to the doctor and that includes any perscriptions, so I have gone to the MD of one of my managers. I've also been deluged with herbal remedies, so I should be up and kicking in no time. My room mates were kind enough to include me in a special lunch. Nothing like good food and company to insure a speedy recovery.