These were my resolutions for 2009...
My resolutions for 2009:
1. Chinese classes at a university!!!
2. New apartment with comfy furniture
3. Save up for my Master's
4. Research Master's programs and see if I am eligible
5. BE A BETTER PERSON
6. Be Tao
7. Try to take better care of myself physically...2008 was my year of feeling like a fat flop so 2009 will be the year that I don't let my weight or my age or stupid skinny ass Taiwanese people make me feel bad!!!
8. Did I mention Chinese?? IMPROVE my Chinese!!!
9. Yeah, yeah...be more active...I want to buy a Wii and Wii fit!!!
Here are my Taichung PAWS 2009 resolutions:
1. Try to find a way to educate my students and other young learners in Taiwan about how to treat pets and street animals POSITIVELY.
2. When I get my new apartment, adopt a dog or foster a dog (I won't have time to adopt AND foster let alone the money since it is VITAL I get my Master's)
Still working on more of my Taichung PAWS resolutions...
Ones I didn't accomplish: 1.3.7.8
Ones I tried and am still working on: 4,5,6,9
The only one I did accomplish was: 2
As for Taichung PAWS: I adopted Xiao Mai and couldn't be happier!
I try to educate my students but find it to be a challenge!
As I try to reflect on what I accomplished, researched and/or fell short of, I realize that there are so many opportunities for me but I get too confused and am not sure which one is best for me..like my teaching certificate...
There are so many different teaching certificates but the one that I need I can't afford and the others I can probably afford and are in Taiwan(like a Master's) but am not sure they can get me jobs abroad and/or will be recognized!!
So here are my resolutions that I hope to acomplish in 2010
1. Strive to be better and make the world better
2. Be the voice for those who have none
3. Find a way to get a teaching certificate(that is recognized in Europe) or a Master's...somehow!!
4. Help my students to improve not only in their grades, but in everything else like to be better!
5. Improve my confidence and my positivity
6.I had one more but it slipped my mind, but was a good one...
Christmas is coming and things are improving in my life...slowly but surely! I guess I really am trying to be superwoman but when wanting to succeed and become a "Superwoman"comes many sacrifices and struggles. As long as I don't drown in the negative things and show myself what wonderful things life has to offer, I have nowhere to go but up! :D
Sunday, December 13, 2009
2009 Resolutions and 2010
Posted by BreBre711 at 12:33 4 comments
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Holiday Bug is Biting..or At Least the Saturday Bug :)
I feel better today!
All that anger and frustration and guilt was vented onto Hino...He didn't really say anything but just listened and thats what I needed! And made me laugh of course :)
So as far as making friends with expats go, Hino and I have decided that we will go out more and be more social. We are still too young to stay at home and veg EVERY weekend!
As for my weight, I've decided that on top of walking Mai...when we get her her treadmill, I am going to bring my small little step machine from the upstairs and when she's on the treadmill, I'll be on the stepmachine and we'll walk/run together! :)
I read in one of Cesar Millan's books that a firehouse dalmation will go on a treadmill when one of the firefighters go on the other treadmill and Cesar says that's a good bonding experience or something like that.
Like I said, the treadmill is NOT a substitute but a supplement!
Well speaking of walks, it's Xiao Mai's time!
The holiday season always puts me in a good mood :)
Anyway, I feel better today!
Posted by BreBre711 at 13:14 6 comments
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Long Time Post from a Pissed Off but POSITIVE Fat Expat
OK...actually, I'm not pissed off-just a little bothered!
I've gained a few pounds these past few months and now my newly bought Levi's don't fit. Go figure that they are Taiwanese style meaning they BARELY fit with my junk-in-the-trunk but now they go up to my knees and that's it!!!!!!!
In the shower I was thinking..."Why oh Why in God's name did I pick a country where EVERYONE's asses are FLAT?! Why didn't I move to a place where it's NORMAL to have some padunkadunk?!"
I'm on a diet but Hino gave me the "if you want to lose weight, you need to do more than eat less...you need to exercise!"
And you know...that's the thing...I know he loves me for who I am as he tells me ALL the time he doesn't care about my weight but what pisses me off is that these people who tell me to exercise more have no effyouseekaying idea what it's like to teach!!
I come home and all I want to do is relax! I have been talking to my colleagues and they agree that teaching (especially the kids we/I teach) is an absolute energy drainer and I would LOVE for those people who tell this to be in my shoes for a week!
Anyway...I walk Xiao Mai but when I try to run with her I get so tired..I'm not a runner...
and that's another thing, she needs more exercise and I am trying but it's not enough. On top of it she has Separation Anxiety disorder and I just can't run with her enough to tire her out so I need to get her a treadmill as a supplement to her walks!
I feel like I'm trying to be Wonder Woman and end up Bridget Jones! I'm REALLY struggling but god damn it I'm trying!!!!!!!!!!!! It's not all so bad it's getting better but SLOWLY!! Unfortunately in Taiwan, everyone is so god damn pushy and I'm too slow for everyone.
I'm also getting tired of being called lazy. In Taiwan, I'm lazy. I work 5 days a week 9am-5pm, walk my dog and other things but that's just not enough!! Nobody relaxes here and there is no "Gezelligheid" or coziness so basically, I'm a lazy bum.
As you can tell, I was ready to say Screw it! I'm outta this place! But...I'm fighting back!!! There are so many great things about Taiwan and those people who criticize me aren't happy so Screw them! They are not bringing me down!!
But...I do want to move back in five or so years...I don't like being rushed 24/7. I like being relaxed...It's much healthier :)
Another thing on my mind was that I am an expat recluse. Taichung's expat circle is even SMALLER than Holland's and everyone all hangs out with each other, but I don't go out. I want to, but I'm not fun like I was in Amsterdam. I don't feel the same here like I do there. Everyone all has fun together but I think I'm not fun!
I'm trying to be
positive really! I guess if I could stay awake past 12 that would help me be more social :)
OK well that's something I need to fix on my own...
But I'm TRYING! My point is is that I may not be the best and at the moment might be really crappy at all I'm doing, but god damn it I'm going to fight and I'm going to succeed!!!
Posted by BreBre711 at 21:26 0 comments
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Birth, Life and Death
The good news is is that we had 10 volunteers which is GREAT!! We got so much done and everyone was so cool and helpful!!
Today was our monthly visit to Tsaotun and the good news was that there were TEN of us which is really good!!
The bad news is...we all witnessed a puppy die right before our eyes. It was the most helpless feeling I've EVER felt...
We found her lying on her side in a cage twitching...we were speechless and one of us said maybe we should pick her up and hold her to just to give her some contact. The move itself was enough as she was being picked up (slowly and carefully I might add) it must have been too much for her as she stiffened and then seemed comatose urinating and drooling...we laid her in a plastic chair and wrapped her in an apron. There was nothing we could do. She had passed on.
I remember coming to the shelter and she was always so scared and would run away from me. Vicky picked her up once a few months back and held her and cuddled with her and I had been wanting to do the same as I really thought she had a chance (and her brothers) of being re-homed.
The Ai-xin mama said no dog had bitten her so her cause of death is unknown. I have a theory that maybe because she was smaller and more afraid than the other dogs that maybe she didn't get any food or nourishment because as they say for packs "Survival of the fittest" and she might have been a weak link...Someone asked me if maybe I would want students to perform an autopsy on her and actually I would because if it really is a sickness or a disease we can prevent the other dogs from getting sick or even an outbreak...1 deceased dog is wretched enough but more than one is unspeakable!!!! I love these dogs and want them to be fostered and re-homed! That's why we have volunteers walk them so they can get used to being walked.
The odd thing is is that a few nights ago I had a dream about a wedding. My mom said that there is a superstition that if you dream of a wedding that a death will soon take place and vice versa. After I had this dream, I was so panicked that that death might be one of my family members as a couple of them have been sick.
I believe this superstition because a few years back I had a nightmare that my mom was killed and I woke up screaming and crying...I called my mom from Ohio to all the way in Holland to see if she was ok and she said that it meant a wedding would take place soon...a few days later, my boyfriend at the time and I had attended a friend's sister's wedding...
Every time someone or something I see or know dies, I feel like a part of me dies. It lasts for some time but then like a new seed that was replanted the rebirth germinates and something good always makes that seed grow into a beautiful flower until once again that flower in me dies...it is an emotional cycle of birth, life and death and re-birth. Right now I feel death and am mourning. I came home and hugged Xiao Mai and enjoyed every moment bathing her, blowdrying her and feeding her her chickenbacks (as she is now on the BARF diet which is a raw food diet to benefit dog's health and it works) and watching her sleep in her lil bed.
It's only been a couple weeks but I love her so much and after seeing that lil one pass on...I am so worried about her Ehrlichia and just want the best for her! She has become one of the family!!
I am so mad at myself that I focus too much on the active dogs like Star, Arielle, Mr. B and Colin and Colleen but I don't pay the other ones more attention. I shouldn't have given up on her and kept trying to get her to cuddle her.
Posted by BreBre711 at 21:39 258 comments
Sunday, August 23, 2009
The Dawn of a New Beginning..yet again!
The sweetest addition to our fambly...Xiao Mai (Little Barley)
Female, 5 years old and a super sweetie!!
Things are going good and I hope it stays that way!
Yesterday I got Xiao Mai which was a dog that I've been wanting to adopt! I adopted her from a friend of ours who helps with Taichung PAWS. She is a GREAT dog, but I need more training and she needs obedience training from me since she doesn't recognize my voice or respond and tries to lead when I'm waking her when other dogs are around, but she is a perfect fit with Hino and I!
The one thing is is that she has Ehrlichia so we have be careful and she has to take pills twice a day for four weeks so that it doesn't get worse. It can come from a tick:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1556&aid=430
She's only been here for one full day, and this morning she was whimpering a lot, but we went to a farm today that is also close to the sea and played and ran with her and got her all worn out so that she could sleep and be comfy with us...I hope we can spend more time with her and go somewhere else next weekend! I love when we can do things like that!!
I have more to say, but want to relax in my moon chair before my first real day at my new job which is going so well...everyone is so great and so helpful...I think I finally fit in :D I hope!
Posted by BreBre711 at 22:53 0 comments
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A Home Sweet Home of Our Own
A very relaxed Hino so close to taking a nap in the new place :D I like this photo...it makes me feel happy that we both finally have a relaxing place!
As of Saturday, Hino and I signed the contract to a new apartment!!
I've been working my ass off for a couple years and have put up with some major crap as well to get to where I am now! I don't want to sound like a bitch, but it's about damn time something good happens!!
I have also bought a brand new scooter as my other one was a POS and broke down everytime I drove to Beitun (which isn't that far). It's a dark candy apple red Suzuki Address 125cc. It is one of the best things that have happened to me!!
So back to the apartment: I am so happy because this one allows dogs with no problems and I will be adopting a dog named "Xiao Mai" which means little wheat/oat/barley in Mandarin. She is a couple years old, but is such a sweet and loving dog. She listens very well and seems to be a cuddler!
We also have a basketball court (for Hino and Trent and whoever else want to play), an indoor swimming pool (where I'll be teaching Hino to swim so that we can go snorkeling in Indonesia), a small gym, close to B&Q and Hola and very close to my new school which I'll talk about later! In the apartment we have 2 balconies, an isolated kitchen and 2 bedrooms. Hino and I were so comfortable on Saturday after signing the contract, that we almost took a nice lil nap on the couch!!
So Sunday was a great day because Hino, Trent, Tania and I went to Ikea and I was in HEAVEN!! I got so much stuff but could have got more (If I didn't calculate wrong-at least I was WAY under budget though, as opposed to being WAY over budget-haha!) I got the basic stuff for kitchen and a lamp and etc, but also got some things for Xiao Mai like doggie bowls, doggie blanket so she can be on the couch with us and a doggie mat to put under her bowls!
As for my new school. I have decided to switch schools because I have to think of my future. Eventually, I want to move back to Europe and if I'm still teaching, then I need actual school experience. Unfortunately, working at a buxiban will not qualify me for a job in Holland where people speak PERFECT English when they are adults...I'm being selfish, but this is what I need!!!
Anyways, I don't have much news besides working and getting ready to move into my new place. Hino has been cleaning the new apartment and being there for the Ikea delivery men, Cable guy (today) and will have to keep going back for the a/c guy, internet guy and etc etc.
I WANT to go there so bad, but HAVE to stay at the old place and pack, plus I'm still working so I don't have much time to go to the new place :( I'm glad I'm working because I need the money, but at the same time, it is really slowing me down from getting lots of packing done. I still have so much to do before Saturday and am a little worried! Luckily, I'm halfway done so it could be worse!!
As for the doggies:
Toby flew to Canada a couple weeks ago and is now living with a nice family in Toronto who love him and he looks so incredibly happy! It's been a year since I found da Tobster in the Tsaotun shelter alone where he was only a couple month old puppy, so small and so fatigued. Even though the Taiwanese wouldn't accept him, those of us at Taichung PAWS fell for him instantly. Although, Caroline's husband lovingly nicknames him the "Quiet Tsunami" as he tends to just destroy things when no one is looking-haha! We are so happy that someone finally saw what a wonderful and beautiful dog he is!!
Coco should be flying tonight to the states, although unfortunately, I haven't had time to see her or anything and didn't know until this morning that she was leaving! But she was also a Tsaotun dog who was so fearful that she hid in the shed and has been improving amazingly!
I wish I had more time to write, but I don't. Not for a while. I hope this changes soon a little bit because I need a vacation-hahaha!! No really...I NEED a break!
I'll try to post more pics after we get moved in!
Posted by BreBre711 at 14:28 0 comments
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Dog Blog post
Falling behind here as my life gets busier and busier...
At the moment my life is work, dogs and sorting my future...not much to talk about at the moment...
Here is my dog blog:
http://taiwandogblog.blogspot.com/
Caroline's blog:
http://dragon-abroad.livejournal.com/
Haven't traveled in a while and don't get out much but things will change!!
Hopefully will have longer and more interesting posts soon!
Until then...check out my dog blog!
Bre
Posted by BreBre711 at 14:24 89 comments
Monday, May 18, 2009
Things I Need to Invest In:
On Saturday, my scooter died again. Long story short, my gas gauge was broken and my gas kept emptying quicker than it should have been.
Luckily it is fixed...for now, but I need a new one. I was really screwed over by the guy who sold it to me as I know NOTHING about scooters.
I have also become really fed up with my hair. It doesn't style and now that it's hot out again (and humid like yesterday), it doesn't curl and if I WERE to style, it would flop and frizz. I even have a cowlick where new baby bangs are growing and it doesn't do ANYTHING but look stupid.
So, I have decided to spend a buttload of money to get it styled. I have felt unattractive for MONTHS and things will be changing soon so I want to change, too! My colleague got her hair straightened at the Aveda salon I go to and her hair looks great! I want to look great too!!
As for the other things: here is a list of things I need to invest in:
1. A new apartment (very soon)
2. Taking care of a dog of my own and fostering a dog.(after the apartment part)
3. A BRAND new scooter-no MORE second-hand!! (next Christmas)
4. A new more protective helmet(ASAP)
5. Hair Straightening and products for the summer
6. My own happiness
Number 6 means doing what I can to make me feel better about myself. So far I have:
1. Got a Yoga membership and started doing all kinds of Yoga, breathing (Pranayama) and some meditation.
2. Got a deck of "Yoga Cards" to do a little bit of Yoga, Pranayama and meditation when I wake up and go to bed.
3. Dalai Lama books and other books to help me find true happiness
4. An Ayurveda diet book, to help me eat better
5. Helping the doggies, but not just for me but MORE for them
6. and of course, the hair straightening!
Things are SLOWLY starting to slow down, so I am going to go to Yoga more during the week and on Saturdays, and belly dancing on Sundays.
Ok, well I need to go to work, but am glad that I finally have time to get myself on the right track :D
Posted by BreBre711 at 11:01 92 comments
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Learning from the Dalai Lama: "20 Ways to Get Good Karma"
I've been saying some stupid things to people and pissing people off lately without any intentions. I've become anti-social for fear that I don't fit in ANYWHERE...except with Hino, my mom and stepdad(and da fambly dog Bogart) and with Taichung PAWS people...
I've been producing a lot of bad karma and need to produce good and what better way to learn how to get rid of my negativity and NOT let other negative forces drain me than from the Dalai Lama himself!!!
http://www.spiritualnow.com/articles/25/1/20-Ways-to-Get-Good-Karma/Page1.html
Instructions for Life by The Dalai Lama
- Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
- When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
- Follow the three R’s:
- Respect for self,
- Respect for others and
- Responsibility for all your actions. - Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
- Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
- Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
- When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
- Spend some time alone every day.
- Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
- Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
- Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and
think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time. - A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
- In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
- Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
- Be gentle with the earth.
- Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
- Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
- Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
- If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
- If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
I also tried belly dancing for real (NOT the video you can play at home) and my Belly dance teacher was impressed at how quickly I caught on and I LOVE BELLY DANCING, TOO!
I can't wait to go again!
Also..I'm considering a tattoo. I got my belly button pierced when I was 20 and it hurt soooo bad (I SCREAMED the F word so loud that I'm sure my whole hometown heard it) and now I want this, but am afraid of the pain...this is what I want:
but maybe reverse and as much as I love pink, maybe a beautiful turquoise or azure blue, like the coast in the Maldives..
I just need the courage...
OK...so my quest to improving myself is a loooong way but...
"A tree as big around as you can reach, starts with a small seed: a thousand mile journey starts with one step." -Lao Tzu
Posted by BreBre711 at 14:33 135 comments
Friday, April 17, 2009
Contemplating Bad Karma, the Aftermath and the Not-So Logical Solution
I've been unbelievably stressed and busy and worried these past few months. That has caused me to turn into a complete and utter bitch and quite unhappy with everything and everyone ESPECIALLY myself.
I have offended people with my sarcastic jokes and comments. For example, last Friday, Hino and I went to get boiled food. They have the food out so that you can pick what you want and of course like any place in Taiwan, they have duck's blood things, blood rice things, chicken butts, chicken feet, etc etc.
Anyway, I noticed the chicken feet were de-clawed and they looked like long human fingers with only 3 attached...like alien's hands or something. So I made my hand look like one and put in Hino's face and made my fake chicken feet hand say "Hello" to Hino and then accidentally showed my cringe of disgust to the boiled food woman vendor. Hino was so embarrassed and got so pissed at me for my utter rudeness that he lectured me all the way home like a mom.
The BRUTAL truth is, I am going through delayed culture shock. Usually people here get it about 3-4 months upon living in Taiwan. I got my culture shock after living here a year and 4 months.
(Let's just note I wrote a few things that really pissed me off but I deleted it to be a civil and fair person and the point of this blog is to help me get over my anger, not worsen it. I will leave it to your imagination as to what I wrote, but I will give you a hint: selfish, ignorant drivers and the headgames professional people play are just a couple of MANY...)
So all this has caused some things to go wrong in my life recently, that I really needed to go right. I call this the effect of bad karma and now I'm trying to reverse the effect into a positive one so that I can get the two MAJOR things that could really turn my life around for the best! And not only that, but to stop being a person no one wants to be around and to be a BETTER person.
So, I've decided to go the spiritual route. I know my Christian and non-religious friends will laugh and mock me, but since I've been going to the temple (and yes, I actually DO pray at the temples) it just works for me!
So now...I am going to go to the big Taoist temple tomorrow on Jhong Ming South Road and pray and offer some kind of really good offering (well, probably 2: 1 as a thank-you and one as the offering to help me with my situations and Hino's as well as my family, friends and his)
Laugh and mock all you want, but I am actually a believer. Read back on my old blog entries(I think???) and you will see an entry about a fortune that I got at the Buddhist Temple in Amsterdam about what I interpreted it as going to Asia and Taiwan...
Not sure what higher force is at work, but whatever it does, it motivates me to work hard, to get the job done and get what I want and in a positive way. Actually, I'm not expecting Buddha or Guanyin to just hand it to me..of course not!! But maybe to help give me strength and patience or something like that so that I can use what I have to make things work for the best and in my favor.
Ok, now that I just emptied my head, I'm even more exhausted and am going to read "The Book Thief". Although, I wanted to write more and my head isn't completely empty. There are other things I want to say, but those will have to wait.
Posted by BreBre711 at 22:08 2 comments
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Pink Floyd Alliterations and More Yoga Talk
From: Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall pt.2" from the album "The Wall"
We don't need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.
I think at some point every teacher considers these lyrics and wonder if they really are "just another brick in the wall"
This is one of my fears and it worries me...I'm afraid I'm losing all creativity, imagination and energy and that's the last thing I want!
Ok, that's enough of that :)
One last thing before I TRY to go to bed....
I LOVE Yoga!!! I can't wait to not be so busy and have more time for Yoga...My Yoga instructors are GREAT and I am SLOWLY becoming more flexible than I did when I took dance as a kid!!!!!
And Bikram "Hot" Yoga really helps my body loosen up and go into poses(Asanas) deeper!!!
I...am...addicted!!!!
I have sooooooooooooo much more to say but VERY little time so hopefully it will all be posted here in due time. Thanks for your patience!
Namaste!
Posted by BreBre711 at 00:43 3 comments
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
My Late Night Off-the-Wall Reincarnation Theory
I wanted to post a nice, sentimental blog about my weekend reuniting with Toby, the dog I tried to find a home for, in his new home and all that, but have decided to put that on my Taiwan Dog Blog when I have time.
For the record, I am neither high NOR drunk...just a little silly :P
While I was in the bathroom, just 10 minutes ago, I was thinking about how I have these fascinations with Asian culture: Indian, Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese to name a couple. I jokingly thought to myself, "I must have been Indian or Chinese or Japanese in a past life!" But then I remembered back in uni when I was in Kung Fu and my instructors telling me that I have a special knack for Kung Fu (I'm totally serious, by the way for you non-believers). I was OK with Butterfly Knives, but ended up bailing on them because I felt bad because they let me do the lessons for free since I didn't have the money.
Anyway, this got me thinking about the painting"Ophelia" from the 1800's in France by one Antoine Auguste Ernest Hebert
My dad found this picture and well..it's me! The eyes are the proof! Every time I looked at this picture I always romantically imagined being Hebert's young French muse in character as the one woman I always empathized with (until a few years ago). But now I don't think it was me. Or my soul that is. Yeah maybe it was my body, but someone else's soul or existence.
This is my theory in a nutshell: We are born and then we die. But when we die, somehow our bodies are copied or clones or magically duplicated (or something-haven't worked out those details yet). Our old bodies stay in the ground, but the new bodies somehow reappear and the life process happens again. Except-our souls or existences or whatever they are are put into another person's body....or being's body.
Sounds crazy?? Well...yeah...it's my late night off-the-wall theory! I've had these since I was a child and that has what made me what my friends in school called me: strange. Who knows if it's true or not but it's an idea that was just passing by in my head and I thought I'd share it!
The greatest, most famous and brilliant people had and have utterly strange, out-of-this-world and impossible ideas and MOST have turned out to either be true or successful or both.
How boring would it be if my blog was about a dull daily routine or about what person that you don't know or care about gave me "drama"?? My imagination has ALWAYS run away with me and even though I'm 28-years-old, nothing has changed and I am here to share that runaway imagination with you!
I'm off to read a bit of "The Kite Runner" since my insomnia is back with a vengeance...
Posted by BreBre711 at 23:44 57 comments
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Finding my Inner Peace and Calm
Due to personal reasons, I made a VERY spontaneous decision last Wednesday...to take Yoga lessons.
Actually it's not all that spontaneous, I've been wanting to do this since I was in High School, but in high school my dad never let me because I had a tendency to take something and quit right away (except for singing) plus I am one of those people who want to do EVERYTHING!
This decision came upon me after some stress issues that I've been experiencing. It's just a decision that I feel I need to do!
Some friends mentioned buying a Wii and doing Wii fit...and actually that was my original plan, but right now I need to get out of my apartment-that is the main goal.
So I signed up at True Yoga. Hino freaked(only because he is a "I got my schedule and plan and I HAVE TO FOLLOW IT" person and I...well..am not anymore) because I am paying for these Yoga lessons with a lot of my money that was to go to my new apartment and yeah, it probably was irresponsible, but at this point in my life I feel 200% sure that it was worth it...Actually I've been saving and saving so I still have sufficient funds for apartment, rent and food (So mom no worries!!) I just won't be able to go to IKEA until I actually do get my apartment(or after) is all...
As for the Yoga, I've never thought something so simple as sitting on a mat, doing stretches and sometimes chanting "OM" would make me feel so calm and relaxed...It's like going on vacation 2-3 times a week. Which was another thing. I could spend about the same amount of money and go to Thailand or Japan for a couple days to relax, but then have to come back....with Yoga, this is long term and is a kind of therapy. I want to travel Asia, but I've been letting myself go for too long and I NEED to work on ME first!
Not only do they have Yoga, but they have Belly Dancing, Salsa and other dance classes!
And..when I get more in shape then I can do "Hot Yoga" which is intense yoga with the room temperature raised!
Anyway, this is something I've always wanted and it feels great!!
On another note, we went to Tsaotun on Sunday and ten of us went to clean the shelter! We took some of the dogs on a walk and it was great! I'll post it on my Taiwan Dog Blog.
Well...more news on Yoga later!
Posted by BreBre711 at 12:21 0 comments
Monday, February 9, 2009
Movies I Want to See & Books I Want to Read
Not much has been happening to me besides working. I went to Dajia to the Matsu (goddess of the sea and sailors) with Hino and his friends on Saturday. On Saturday evening, Hino, Tania (a good friend of ours along with her husband , Trent) went to the Lantern Festival on Wen Shin. It was a disappointment. TOO MANY people and TOO FEW lanterns and food stalls.
On Sunday, we had a Taichung PAWS meeting which I will try to find a way to post the results from the meeting. That will be posted on Bre's Taiwan Dog Blog (http://taiwandogblog.blogspot.com).
Since I don't have much to say besides my sudden obsession with wanting a new apartment(a.k.a. a home), a tugou/Formosan dog to take care of in said apartment and constantly looking and shopping for things for my apartment like a bread maker, a washer and other appliances I never cared about before. I think it's safe to say that I'm going through "Kitchen Withdrawal" ...I NEED a kitchen!!!
And since that stuff is boring for a blog, I decided to make a list of movies I want to see after seeing CNN's The Screening Room episode on the Sundance Film Festival.
Movies I've been wanting to see:
- The Good German (halfway through the book)
- Valkyrie (have been reading a lot of WWII books lately)
- Sicko
- 10 Promises to My Dog
- Slumdog Millionaire
Sundance movies:
- Rudo y Cursi
- Push
- We Live in Public
DVDs I want:
- Little Britain
- Absolutely Fabulous
- Dogtown (Best Friends Animal Network)
Books I am reading now:
- The Good German (halfway through)
- Be the Pack Leader
- Siddhartha
My list of books just waiting to be read:
- Dogtown (a book from the Best Friends Animal Network)
- The Lost Continent-Travels in Small Town America by Bill Bryson
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusack
- Shanghai Baby by Wei Hui
- Development and Practice of Humanitarian Buddhism
- Oracle Bones- A Journey Through Time in China by Peter Hessler (seeing as it is almost 500 pages, I might let someone borrow it first before I read it)
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Some books I've read and suggest reading:
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
- The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff
- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
- Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
- Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan (and when you're finished with that make sure to read his next book, Be the Pack Leader)
Posted by BreBre711 at 11:56 0 comments
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Taking the Good with the Bad
I've been pretty stressed for a while now and as you can tell it has been built up. That last post was right after a breakdown I had (PMS also played a BIG part in that as well). I have been an absolute SUPER bitch these past two weeks to EVERYONE and am surprised I still have friends and a boyfriend left!
Anyways, last week was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. On Sunday, I went to Ming Chia Mei and went on a cleaning supply shopping spree(Well...not really, but bought a few things). I FINALLY found a product that cleans the bathroom tiles so Hino helped me on Sunday to do that. He was AWESOME! He cleaned my bathroom of ALMOST all the mold and yucky stuff while I organized my closet, cleaned the mold off the NON-bathroom walls and arranged some things. the reason why he cleaned almost and not all was because I told him to stop. The product is basically bleach and even with my little window open, he was starting to feel dizzy so I made him stop.
During that time I got an SMS from a friend that GĂ©ant was having a sale on Flat Screen TVs and there was a 32" for only NT$9998 (€230) so while were waiting for the bathroom to dry, Hino took me there and I ended up finding a nice Ben Q 32" HDMI for about NT$14,000 (€320). I was trying to decide which one to buy and thought since I'm here and want to stay here at least a couple years, the Ben Q would be nicer. Plus, the TV that came with the apartment was blurry and hard to read and when it's cold blurs even more and frosts over..haha! Sooo...the TV came yesterday and it is sooo nice! I even stayed up to watch Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech on CNN and watching it on the flat screen was amazing!!
Buying a flat screen might sound odd for someone who is "just" an English teacher, but I am going to move out soon and since my horoscope is Cancer I NEED to have a comfy home...if I don't have a comfy home, then I usually have breakdowns like the one last week. I don't get out at all during the week and come home at like 21:30-22:00 from work almost every night and when I come home, I just want to veg out.
I also ended up buying a heater for my apartment which should come today. In Holland, it is cold from October to May pretty much and sometimes year round so central heating is necessary. But in Taiwan it is only cold for a couple months so places don't have central heating. But the past couple weeks have been REALLY cold at night..like 6 degrees celsius and like I said in my last post, there seems to be a lot of moisture in my apartment and I think a heater will dry things out and maybe keep me from being sick the ENTIRE winter..like me last year and like my colleagues now..ALWAYS sick!
Speaking of sick, I went to an ENT doctor last Friday because I had probably the worst sinus headache I had ever had. I've had sinus problems my whole life and Taiwan has made them worse!! He told me I have Acute Sinusitis and gave me antibiotics. Guess what the two of many contributions to Sinusitis are: Pollution and Mold...Gee! Not like I come in contact with those EVERY DAY!! So, my mom bought me a Neti Pot in the States and will be sending it to me.
What is a neti pot you ask? Well it's basically a teapot/genie lamp used for nasal irrigation for..well..Sinusitis. It's an Ayurvedic method and I've been wanting to get in to more Ayurvedic methods and cooking for a while now. Here's a link:
http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/store/product/d0e29a4e-507c-417e-86d0-f5c05320fbbe.aspx
Here's some possibly disgusting but perfect demonstration images of what it does:
http://images.google.com/images?q=neti+pot+images&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title
Last thing I wanted to mention before I go relax with my cup of Vanilla Chai Tea is something that dawned on me yesterday...
Yesterday after my first shift, I raced home from work cursing and swearing at the Taiwanese drivers thinking how I wanted to have EVERYONE banned from the road. I went to go park my scooter at my apartment and walk to my other school and along the way saw a dead rabbit in the middle of the road. There was no one around and I couldn't see any damage, but I could tell it wasn't breathing. I poked it ever so softly with my foot in case it was just sleeping...HOPING it would wake up and hop off...but it didn't. I am OVER-emotional and seeing something like that always makes me feel sooooooo bad! It didn't look run over...but it still made me really upset.
I began thinking that maybe someone was cruel and threw it out or abused it for fun and then I got so angry. I began thinking "What the hell am I doing here, if these people have ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD for anything...ESPECIALLY animals and their OWN children!!!!" The way they treat dogs and cats is horrendous. They cut off shark fins just to make a fancy soup and let the shark (which is endangered) die off to extinction. "Why am I here?!?!"
Then it hit me. I remembered that fortune I got from the Buddhist Temple in Amsterdam about how I was to feel welcome in Buddha's land and etc. and how when I got that fortune it was my destiny to come to Taiwan. Some higher force has directed me here so that I CAN help and make a difference!
These people emulate and worship Guanyin, but they don't seem to see that she was the Goddess of Mercy. She helped and saved people and I assume other living things. They talk the talk, but do they walk the walk?
So maybe I am here for selfish reasons: Learn Chinese, settle down, get my Masters, etc... But being an English teacher and a Taichung PAWS volunteer gives me that chance to teach appreciation of other things and living creatures in this world. I may not be good at it, but I need to try!
I can't give up!! Jiayo!
Posted by BreBre711 at 09:52 1 comments
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
My Apartment Blues
Maybe it's just PMS, but I have had it with my apartment!!
I moved here in September of 2007 and moved into this place because 1. It was cheap and I didn't have enough money at the time. 2. I wanted something cheaper so I could spend my money on traveling and saving. 3. I had just arrived and was just ready to settle in.
My apartment is a TINY studio but is cheap and the landlord is super nice! So I'm not blaming him, I'm just blaming EVERYONE on the quality of materials used to build apartments here!!
Why I'm bitching about it now??
Well..at first my UNwelcome ant visitors only make their treks through my shower drain from September to October so once they leave, I forget about them. And I covered the smoke stained walls with pretty pictures since I knew I wasn't gonna be here long. And the cigarette butts inside my windowsill disgusted me but was still thinking positive.
But now...now I'm fed up. My bathroom ventilator is dripping some brown rust colored liquid and is now SCREECHING everytime I turn it on. Now that it is cold, winter and NO indoor heating my clothes take FOREVER to dry AND my towels in the bathroom don't dry at all! My toothbrush is permanently wet and NOW...there is condensation and mold on my walls that AREN'T in my bathroom!! I'm having enough problem ridding myself of the moldy black tiles in the bathroom that should be sparkling white and now this!!!!
The bed that came with the place is shite and the mattress is like sleeping on top of a wooden coffin. I don't get much sunlight and no matter how WELL I take care of my plants in here they all die.
Everytime I clean it, it never truly looks or feels clean...it always looks dirty. The dark colored stone floors annoy me...Why do Taiwanese people have this?! I would LOVE a nice wood tiled floor...Or a white kitchen tile floor...
Part of it is my fault for not cleaning it. I really should despite the fact that I mentioned above about it never truly feeling clean. My Christmas tree is still up cuz I was so fed up and thought "Screw it!"
I even broke down crying today screaming to Hino that I want to move back to Europe because I had had it with all the shite from the lack of decent quality things here.
But, this Sunday Hino will help me clean the place so that I can make it liveable till I move out in a few months. Like I said...it's not my landlord. He's actually been soooooo helpful!! It's just the quality of materials used to make apartments here.
Ok, that's my rant for the day. I have temporarily lost my positivity but REALLY hope to get it back soon.
I'm off to read "The Good German" and try not to stress so much...I'm a teensy bit stressed and am trying to follow through with all my plans that I'm making. I am so glad for Chinese New Year!!! The sad thing is...I just had a vacation...a LONG one but need yet ANOTHER one....not healthy :(
Posted by BreBre711 at 23:21 0 comments