Spring is Here!!

Yay! The weather in Taiwan is getting warmer and sunnier, the birds are singing, I can sleep with my window open now, and Boyfriend and I are giving it another go!

So, of course you are wondering about me and Boyfriend and...his family. We have decided to work things out and just see what happens. We are happy with each other despite what his family says and we will face that obstacle when it comes to it, but for now we are happy :)

Onto work: very good as usual, but I am sooooo busy! Plus, I got the flu on Thursday and am still recovering but it's coming along!

Oh no! I've run out of things to say!! I hope this doesn't happen often!

OK, I need to finish grading HW and do more travel research :)

I'll write when I have something more interesting going on!

My Weekend at Sun Moon Lake

A pic of me in traditional Ami tribe(Hualien) dress


Wow!!! What a weekend!!!!

Ok, I have a VERY busy week so I won't be able to type a lot in this post, but I had a wonderful weekend!

So after teaching, met up with my colleagues for the company trip to Sun Moon Lake and the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village. We took those comfy tour buses that have ugly decor, but so comfy!

So first on the list was the Puli Shaosing Winery where I had a taro flavored rice popsicle which is one of the things they are famous for! I also got to try some Taiwanese liquor, wine and these yummy red wine plums which I bought a package of for myself ;)

Rice Popsicles they are known for: this one is taro flavored...YUM :)

I also bought a bottle of cheap plum liquor for when I have friends(or dates if that ever happens) over.

Then we went to our lodging whch was the Sun Moon Lake Youth Activity Center....We were a 5-10 minute walk to Sun Moon Lake and the scenery was breathtaking! I had to room with 3 girls who I didn't know very well at all and we had to share beds which made me uncomfortable(I am oan only child-I like being alone) but the rooms were nice! Here's a link:
http://sun.cyh.org.tw/eng/

So then after we got settled in, I met some of the male colleagues and one who I was in training with and is from South Africa so we walked down to the lake and took pictures and I met some more people! Then we had dinner and then got lanterns(because by then it was dark) and walked down to a part of the lake where there was a big outdoor dance performance with aboriginal dances going on...BUT...there was also SHOPPING there so needless to say I didnt watch the performance long! Too many cool aboriginal things and food stands!!



Hot Aboriginal Guys dancing at Sun Moon Lake :)


My one colleague was impressed that I could speak Chinese and ask questions to the salespeople as well as know what half of the food and drink was that most of us westerners wouldnt have a clue about...and after only being here for 6 months...I have give my ex part of the credit because he always took me to places where there were almost NO foreigners as to immerse me in the culture so that helped, plus my awesome chinese classes ;)

So after that, I did some gift shopping (for others AND myself of course) :) Then while I was waiting for everyone to meet up I walked by this Thao(A Sun Moon Lake aboriginal tribe) Restaurant where a man there told me a brief history of the tribe and encouraged me to take pics of the authentic paintings and craftwork of the restaurant!

Then I met up with some colleagues and went to a cafe, and then walked back where we met up at someones cabin and drank and was taught how to play a drinking game called Zuma Zuma. It was ok, but I am not into that anymore. After living in Amsterdam where a night of drinking includes, going to a pub and talking "grown-up"things with people older than me and then going out dancing...it was a little digressing to be playing a drinking game at a cabin-I wasn't really enjoying it really. But it was nice to get out and socialize :)

Then today, we went to the Formosan Abroginal Cultural Village and it was amazing!! It is an amusement park with amusement park rides but above it is a whole GIANT area dedicated to different aboriginal tribes of Taiwan with the houses, craft-making, aboriginal dance shows and etc. It was so great! I learned so much and even got to wear a costume and have my picture taken wearing it!!

Some Aboriginal food I had for lunch: sticky rice in bamboo, sweet potato, stickyrice with taro wrapped in a leaf...It was VERY good!!

It was so funny because before I was putting it on there was no one really around(although the park was crowded today) and doesn't it figure? As soon as I was ready to go out and have my picture taken, there was a CROWD of people in the area and once I did ALL these girls were saying in Chinese "OH! Beautiful!" "Beautiful!" "Can I have a picture with you?!" It was HILARIOUS!!!! I was the only westerner in the area and the only one (well, at that time) willing to try on an aboriginal costume! My colleagues were quite bored so I had to hurry it up, but I did like the attention ;)

It was just nice to do some walking (well, I did a LOT of walking this weekend HAHA!) see soem things, lear a LOT and do some shopping!!!!!!!! :)

I would write more, but I have 75 more pics to upload and 3 videos, 3, YES 3 lessons to plan, one pile of homework to grade, unpack my suitcase, check out my gifts etc etc etc...!

If you want to look at pics, go to my photobucket page ;)

Or look at the slideshow here :)

I Yearn for Palm Trees, Warm Sunny Beaches & the Beauty of Nature

I like to change my backgrounds according to mood and or season. My Myspace background is actually of the "Sleeping Beauty" rock on Green Island. I found that completely by accident!

So I have been planning my trip to Green Island in May. I was originally supposed to go on a glass-bottom boat since I am afraid of snorkeling (actually, I'm afraid of the jellyfish and sharks), but for some reason there is no glass-bottom boat tour (I assume there aren't enough people for it) so my travel agent is having me go snorkeling with, as he put it "hot aboriginal guys"- Haha!! So since he put "hot" in there, I thought that OK, I will give it a try ;) You know, as long as a "hot aboriginal guy" can take care of me if I get stung by a jellyfish..;) Haha! Just kidding!

Actually, it's not really about the aboriginal guys, but I decided I should do it once in my life! Although I want to take pictures underwater! I would love that!!

I still have to pay the money for the trip but have no time now. Unfortunately (or fortunately considering I will be getting PAID next month-haha!) 2 teachers quit and now I have to work my ass off. The teaching isn't so bad, but grading the homework is what does me in! I also have to commute every Tuesday and Friday but it is only a 5-10 minute bike ride from my apartment so it's actually not so bad and the classes are good and so are the CT's!!

As for Green Island...once I pay that money I am good to go!!! the weather is starting to get hot here in Taiwan...well the sun is anyway and it is putting me in a good mood! But now I'm getting antsy for wearing sandals and laying out on beaches and visiting hot springs!!!

OK, I need to go and grade homework...all this talk about beaches, hot springs, snorkeling with hot aboriginal guys is making me even more antsy!!

I forgot to add one thing. A nice "Beachy" video that always puts me in a good mood!

"Upside Down" by Jack Johnson from the Curious George soundtrack

Long Time No Write...Again

I haven’t written in a while because nothing special has really happened lately. Just busy with teaching. Although, I have been contemplating a lot. Nothing bad, of course, just plans about the near future : )

But am also working hard to maintain a good mood and have been completely and utterly elated this week until I decided to rent both Bridget Jones movies which are not good even if you know you don't need a man because you can support yourself, but find yourself yearning for a sweet, smart, upbeat and SEXY male companion to enjoy life with and if you ever find one, will/do they fancy you back? Ahhh, such is life as I always say....

So this weekend was very nice! I met a Taiwanese friend at the art museum. We walked around there a little bit and then went to the Viva Café where we had a great meal! The theme was Austria so we had some very nice food and drink! OK, OK so you are all dying to know what we had so here it is:

Appetizers:

“Mite Smoked Salmon with Vienna rice on a slice of imported zucchini”

“Vienna mixed ham with pickled gherkins”

Soup:

“Pumpkin soup with pumpkinseed oil and bread”

Main courses:

“Roasted Spring Chicken Vienna Style”

“Roasted prime rib-eye steak with onion sauce”

Desserts:

“Marble Cake”

“Pumpkin Pie”

Drink:

Hot Peach Tea

Glass of iced rose tea

After dinner we got to watch a Belly Dance show which was really good! I wanna do that! Then at the end of the show they had us come up to the stage and taught us how to shake our booties and then we had to do it for ten minutes…One of the belly dancers said I was good…Little do people know that at uni, I had a bellydance video and used to workout to it all the time! : ) Haha!

It was a better than nice weekend ;)

Today, I went and bought a small suitcase and matching small carry-on from the “Elle” bag store. It is black with pinstripes. Actually, I think it’s for men, but I love pinstripes! So professional and stylish for men and women! I wanted something professional yet stylish because I feel like I am somewhat losing my professionalism. Anyways, it’s nice and ready for my trip to Green Island!

As for my contemplations, I am trying to figure out what kind of a scooter to buy:

Old or new?

Environmentally conscious or gas guzzler? (I prefer the former, but unfortunately my budget and resources reject this idea)

50CC, 90CC or 100CC engine??

Pink, green, purple, black, white or gray?

Kymco, SYM or some other brand?

Well, that is all for today! My absoluuutely lovely weekend has been finished off with a YUMMY Greek Salad, finishing some work, Chinese homework and watching Bridget Jones, Bridget Jones the Edge of Reason and Clerks II!