New Year = New Look

As well as a new theme:

My theme for 2008 is health, beauty and wellness.

Before I go into my goings-on, I just want to say that I have been busy with classes and have done nothing interesting unless you consider going to doctors to get check-ups and things looked at and tested interesting...??

Anyway,
the reason my theme for 2008 is "Health, Beauty and Wellness" is because I was without health insurance for so long and I want to make sure that I am healthy and well. I haven't been feeling good about myself but now that I have been going to doctors, I am slowly feeling better about myself and am feeling more motivated to become more active and find inner peace through Yoga among other things.

I am also going to get my hair cut and colored this weekend, hopefully. My hair is looking pretty disheveled...really. I found a place on Iie Jong Jie (Sorry only know the pinyin) where I only pay NT$1500(€35) for a wash, cut, color and style!! They also use Schwarzkopf Professional products ( A German brand) meaning that the hair color is mainly for Western hair.
In Holland I would probably pay between€70-€150 for a wash, cut, color and style!!!!!

I also have a list of plans for myself to help me feel better about myself:
1. Go to the doctor and get checked up
2. Go to the dermatologist and get face checked out - since I have been here, I have REALLY bad pimple breakouts..even worse than before
3. Join Yoga World-I need relaxation and meditation
4. Hair cut and color
5. Clothes and Shoe shopping - i am in DIRE need of clothes and shoes...I look like a mine because I am ALWAYS wearing black because that is all I have...
6. Visit Hot Springs in the area - Look, I'm not one of those "EXTREME backpacker" "Let's go hiking and spelunking" type of people...My idea of a holiday is relaxation and/or shopping...What can I say?
7. Swimming with Boyfriend - it seems most Taiwanese don'tknow how to swim, but I told Boyfriend I'd teach him, plus it's good exercise.
8. Better Diet - Uhhh yeah...I don't think that is going to happen because there is just too much good food here especially good desserts, Asian and Western!! But..it is till on my list as a reminder!
9. Spa Visit - Once again, my idea of a good holiday ;)


Speaking of holidays, Boyfriend and I both agreed that we both need one. Boyfriend is a workaholic and I am becoming a semi-workaholic. This was made evident to me as one of my colleagues called me "addicted" when she asked if I had voluntarily taken any days off yet and I said no, of course. Pretty much all of my Western colleagues have taken days off to go traveling, but I am actually trying to save my days.

Although plans are up in the air, Boyfriend and I have lightly talked about taking a holiday together. I also nonchalantly (Ha! Right! ;) ) mentioned about going to Guguan Hot Springs and Dahu. Ok, it was more like shoving the magazine articles in his face and probing questions out of him about these areas and if he has ever been...;)

On another note, Boyfriend took me to see Traditional Tombs just a little bit outside of Taichung City, right when everything starts to become rural. He even took me to his grandparent's tomb and gave me a little history lesson on Traditional Chinese Family Tombs. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures because it would be rude to take pictures of people's tombs and probably bad karma for the family living and probably the photographer.
These tombs are amazing! They look like little tiny Mausoleums and most are arranged according to Feng Shui. Buddhist tombs have a stone statue of the God of Fortune and parallel to him a stone statue of a fortune dragon(if I remember correctly). They also have a small stone furnace to burn paper money for good fortune. This is done on Tomb Sweeping Day which is one day in May where all the family goes to the tomb, cleans it, puts fresh flowers, lights incense, burns paper money and etc. Apparently, if the deceased are taken care of, then the living descendants will be successful and fortunate.
This means people will pay MILLIONS of NT$ for tombs.

I also got the see the mountains surrounding Taichung on the way to the tombs, and I must say it was a gorgeous view!! And of course, I FORGOT my camera so I hope Boyfriend takes me again soon as I want to take beautiful photos :)

Well, I need to go and get ready for class. See? I am addicted! Class doesn't start until 16:50, and it is now 13:05...but I like to take my time planning the lessons, and it keeps me from panicking and stressing!

Oh! One more thing! As you can tell, I have a new background and a new look for this blog. Unfortunately, all my cool photos from Germany and Holland got deleted in the process of the change, so it looks pretty sparce. So I am sorry! I will try to take better care as time goes on. I hope you like the new look because I do! I wanted something Chinese/Asian inspired. :)
I also updated my look for my Myspace page so for those of you on Myspace check it out:
http://www.myspace.com/brebre711