Viva la Formosa Ilha!

Foster Dogs-guanxi Magazine Article Autumn 2010

2010-10-24T13:45:00.001+08:00

http://guanximag.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/foster-dogs-breanna-alexander/

Foster Dogs – Breanna Alexander

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Avi

A black puppy is roaming your neighborhood. He is a Formosan, a local breed, thrown out onto the streets because he is no longer wanted. He is so malnourished that you can count his ribs. There is no water for him to drink and you often see your neighbors swat him away with a broom. You want to scoop him in your arms and nurse him back to health but one question holds you back: “Am I prepared to commit to the care of this puppy?”

This is a story my friends and fellow volunteers hear and experience all too often. With so many street/shelter animals in Taiwan, animal welfare groups such as Taichung PAWS and TUAPA are constantly struggling to find homes for these furry outcasts. Eventually, we locate permanent homes in Taiwan or abroad, but what happens before we find their “Forever families”?

I have interviewed a number of people – founders of animal groups like Taichung PAWS, and one woman in Canada who saves dogs from being tortured and eaten in South Korea. I have also interviewed people who have been foster parents here in Taiwan.

Let me start by answering the simplest question: What is a foster family?

A foster family is a caring temporary home for the animal until she finds her forever family. They provide the basic needs – shelter, food, water, affection and exercise – to prepare that pet for her future family. Taking an animal off the streets or out of the shelter is definitely not as easy as it sounds as these animals need to be properly trained and socialized.

What is expected from a foster family?

The main things are a clean home with plenty of water and food; that the animal is being trained properly – learning to adjust inside the house/apartment; exercise, commitment and compassion. Some of these animals are very troubled or sick and need extra care and/or discipline. These pets also need to learn to socialize with not only other animals but with people.

What do I, as a foster parent, need to pay for?

Each group is different. Some cover only the medical costs while the foster family covers the food and other expenses. Others may cover all the costs, while some lack funds to cover any. If you are interested in fostering then you need to ask the welfare group about their policies. Fostering is a commitment and sometimes that means a little bit of money.

Are there downsides to fostering?

As with everything in life, there are ups and downs – in this case the issue of letting go. People become attached and face the decision of adopting the pet as one of their own or giving up the animal. Also, some pets may be troubled and need extra care or discipline and this can mean more time and money.

Do foster families need to sign any paperwork?

Animal welfare groups will ask foster families to sign contracts stating the policies of the group and the needs of the pet. They also screen potential families to ensure the safety of the pet. There have been many cases where the pets were given to negligent and/or abusive families and had to be taken away only to be re-homed. This is traumatic for everyone, especially the pet, and these situations must be avoided. These contracts and screenings ensure a safe, clean and loving environment for the pet.

How do I become a foster parent?

There are many animal welfare groups in Taiwan – Taichung PAWS and TUAPA are a couple in Taichung. TUAPA has an adoption event at the park on Gong Yi Road every Sunday. You can also go to www.taichungpaws.org or email info@taichungpaws.org.
If you decide that you want to foster, please ask yourself these questions before making the decision: Do you have the time? Can you afford it? Are you able to let go when it comes time for the pet to join their forever family? Are you able to keep a clean and loving environment? If the pet gets sick or hurt are you able to do what it takes to heal it?

Being a foster parent is a challenge and is not as easy as it sounds, but it is one of the most rewarding lessons in life. You are helping a sentient creature find love and happiness, and everyone deserves that chance!

I would like to extend special thanks to Douglas Jarvie and Caroline Tugwell (founders of Taichung PAWS), Falyn Jarvis, Victoria Tompkins and Jacqueline van de Leygraaf for their input.

有一隻小黑狗在您家附近遊蕩，牠是一隻台灣土狗，而且是本土特有種。由於主人不再要牠了，所以將牠拋棄街頭。因為嚴重的營養不良，以致於瘦到連肋骨都顯而易見。
在街上，由於無水可喝，因此可以經常看到牠被鄰居用掃帚趕走的畫面。這時，您會極度渴望地將牠擁入懷中並照顧牠直到恢復健康。但一個問號阻礙了您的行動！我已經準備好要做出照顧這隻小狗的承諾了嗎？
這是一個故事，是我的朋友、同學和志工常聽到及經歷過的事。隨著流浪狗在台灣的數量增加，動物福利團體諸如台中巿動物福利促進協會及台中巿世界聯合保護動物協會，不斷地為這些毛茸茸的棄兒努力找到新家。終究，我們為牠們在台灣或海外找到了永久的家。但在牠們進到“永遠的家庭”以前，沒人會知道這期間會發生什麼事？

"I Want to Quit"-The Story of a Stray/Shelter/Abandoned Animal Rescuer

2010-09-12T09:43:00.003+08:00

I just read this and HAD to share it with everyone. For those of us who volunteer to help rescue stray and shelter animals...

"Some are familiar with the writing, and the rescue work, of Joan Fremo, founder of the PyrAngel Rescue Network. Joan died about eight years ago. The world lost a fine writer and a dedicated rescuer. This is one of her pieces.

Author: Joan C. Fremo
Published on: May 16, 2001
I want to quit!
My health is bad. There are days I feel so terrible that I can barely move. My phone bills are outrageous, and I could have replaced my van with the funds I have spent these last 3 years---on animals that were not my own.

I want to quit!
I spend hours and hours emailing about dogs. There may be 500 messages when I start---and at 4 AM, when I finally shut down the computer, there are still 500 emails to be read.

I want to quit!
Gosh, I haven't the time left to email my friends. I can't remember the last book I read, and I gave up my subscription to my local newspaper--- I used to enjoy reading it, cover to cover, but now it often ends up in the bottom of the squirrel's cage---unread.

I want to quit!
I've spent days emailing what seems like everyone---trying to find a foster home, help for a dog languishing in a shelter---but his time has run out, and the shelter has had to euthanize to make room for the next sad soul.

I want to quit!
I swear, I walk away from my computer to stretch my legs---let the dogs out---and come back to find another dog in desperate need. There are times I really dread checking my email. How will I find the funds, the help, to save yet another dog?

I want to quit!
I save one dog, and two more take its place. Now an owner who doesn't want his dog---it won't stay in his unfenced yard. An intact male wanders... This bitch got pregnant by a stray... This 3-month-old pup killed baby chicks... The dog got too big... This person's moving and needs to give up his pet. I ask you, friends---what town, what city, what state doesn't allow you to own a pet?

I want to quit!
I just received another picture, another sad soul with tormented eyes that peer out of a malnourished body. I hear whimpering in my sleep, have nightmares for days...

I want to quit!
Many of the "Breed People" don't seem to want to hear about these dogs. Breeders either don't realize, or just don't care, how many dogs of their breed are dying in shelters.

I want to quit!
I just got off the phone. "Are you Pyr Rescue? We want to adopt a male to breed to our female." How many times do I have to explain? I have tried to explain about genetics, about health and pedigrees. I explain that rescue NEUTERS! I usually end up sobbing, as I explain about the vast numbers of animals dying in shelters across the country, as I describe the condition many of these animals are found in. I wonder if they really heard me...

I want to quit!
It is not like I don't have enough rescues of my own to worry about---but others have placed dogs improperly and aren't there to advise the new owners.

I want to quit!
There ARE some unscrupulous rescues out there---hoarders, collectors, and folks who will short change the care of the animals to make a dollar. They save them all, regardless of temperament, putting fellow rescuer's and adopters at risk but not being truthful.

I want to quit!
I have trusted the wrong people--- had faith and heart broken...

I want to quit!
AND THEN... My dog, Magnus, lays his head in my lap, he comforts me with his gentle presence---and the thought of his cousins suffering stirs my heart.

I want to quit!
AND THEN... One of those 500 emails is from an adopter. They are thanking me for the most wonderful dog on earth---they cannot imagine life without their friend---their life is changed, and they are so grateful.

I want to quit!
AND THEN... One of my adopted Rescues has visited a nursing home. A patient that has spent the last few years unable to communicate, not connecting-- -Lifts his hand to pat the huge head in his lap, softly speaks his first words in ages--- to this gentle fur child.

I want to quit!
AND THEN... A Good Samaritan has found and vetted a lost baby, "I can't keep him, but I'll take care of him until you find his forever home."

I want to quit!
AND THEN... "Jamie took his first steps holding on to our Pyr." "Joan, you should see this dog nursing this hurt kitten!" "I was so sick, Joan, and he never left my side..."

I want to quit!
AND THEN... I get an email from a fellow rescuer, "Haven't heard from you in a while---you OK? You know I think of you..."

I want to quit!
AND THEN... A dozen rescuers step up to help, to transport, to pull, and to offer encouragement. I have friends I have never seen, but we share tears, joys, and everything in between. I am not alone. I am blest with family of the heart, my fellow Rescuers. Just days ago it was a friend who shared her wit and wisdom, whose late night email lifted my heart. Sometimes it is friends who only have time to forward you a smile. Often, it is my friends who forward me the notices of dogs in need.

There are Rescuers who see a failing transport and do everything they can to find folks to pull it together for you.

Rescuers who'll overnight or foster your Dog while you seek transport.

There are Rescuers not used to or comfortable with your breed, but who put aside their discomfort to help.

There are Rescuers whose words play the music of our hearts.

Foster homes that love your Rescue, and help to make them whole again---body and spirit. Foster homes that fit your baby in, though it may not be their breed.

Rescuers whose talents and determination give us tools to help us. Rescuers we call on for help in a thousand ways, who answer us, who hear our pleas.

Rescuers who are our family, our strength, our comrades in battle.

I know I cannot save every Pyr in need. I know my efforts are a mere drop in a sea. I know that if I take on just one more---those I have will suffer.

I want to quit!
But I won't. When I feel overwhelmed, I'll stroke my Magnus's head while reading my fellow Rescuers emails. I'll cry with them, I'll laugh with them---and they will help me find the strength to go on.

I want to quit!
But not today. There's another email, another dog needing Rescue.

This piece is dedicated, with love and gratitude, to all my fellow Rescuers."

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/FL38.html

"A Woman's Worth - Weight in Taiwan" as seen in GuanXi Magazine

2010-08-29T10:49:00.002+08:00

I wrote this article for GuanXi magazine a couple months ago. Since it is already published, here is the blog version.

<th - Weight in Taiwan

By: Me

My butt is a bubble. My arms are somewhat flabby and the cellulite on my legs jiggles a little more than I want. I have become used to (although I despise) being called “Short Shit” and “Munchkin”. I have been riding this rollercoaster of weight gain and loss since I was 23. I am now 29.

My first experience of the weight issue occured when I moved to Taiwan. I read that the Taiwanese don’t eat many sweets so chocolate would be scarce. Being a connoisseur, the thought of having no chocolate devastated me. I was living in Holland and decided to eat all the chocolate I could. I didn’t know when I would be able to eat them again. On arrival, I was surprised to find Kinder chocolates in the 7/11 and wanted to kick myself repeatedly. Not one of my smartest moments, I have to admit.

I started dating a Taiwanese guy. After a few months he started dropping hints like offering to buy exercise equipment and workout clothes. I had met his family and thought everything was fine. Later, he started making comments like, “You should exercise more,” and “You should wear high heels.”

One day, he kept staring at my chest in public and, even though I should be used to that, it made me wonder. He told me that nipples were taboo and that he kept noticing men staring at my “goods”. Tired of strange men staring at my breasts, I asked him to take me to buy bras. At the department store, a clerk took me to the bra section, grabbed the tape and started measuring me right there in the middle of it all. Even though I was clothed, I never felt more naked! Locals gawked as the woman kept wrapping the tape around me and muttering in Chinese. She told me I was a double D. A double D! In America, I'm a B at most! A few months later the guy told me his mom didn’t approve of me because “I wasn’t thin enough or tall enough.”
I dumped him soon after.

When I visit family in Holland, I spend over a hundred Euros on underwear and bras because I absolutely refuse to buy an L or an XL. My confidence may be at a minimum and I refuse to lose any more!

Fortunately, I am not the only one in this situation. I have talked to a few expats (women and men) who have had similar experiences. One girl (who is super thin to begin with) was told she was too fat when she asked for a medium shirt. I have also been told by an older woman that I should stop going to yoga and take some special aerobics class because “it will my burn all the sexy fat!” That got me laughing - why would I want to burn fat if it was considered sexy?

I now have a boyfriend (he's Taiwanese) who loves me dearly for who I am! He makes me feel good about myself and only worries about my health and NOT my stomach size. His mom thinks I don't eat enough and always encourages me to have more. He loves my round, well padded behind and I do, too! I’m beginning to love my curves even though there are days when my students still laugh or I wish my arms were smaller and that I could fit into jeans again. I may still have to go pants shopping abroad but I'm finding more stores here that sell American sizes. I walk my dog for an hour every day, have cut out sugar and eat more fruit - Taiwan has wonderful fruit. I try to go to yoga as often as possible, not only to help strengthen my body but my mind. These methods are not miracle weight loss cures and I have not lost a lot (if any). I do it because it makes me feel better on the inside. If I lose weight, great! If not, at least I am starting to feel better about myself!

I cannot tell you that you will find a man or woman in Taiwan that will love and cherish every curve on your body. I cannot give you any advice on losing weight and becoming as thin as the Taiwanese girls we see on TV, at clubs or even at work. I cannot tell Taiwanese people to stop calling us fat and I certainly cannot give you any hope of any kind. All I can say is if you want to live a happier life in Taiwan despite your weight, just do the things that make YOU happy and forget everyone else.>>

I hope to write more blog posts soon. I've been very busy.

I'm also planning to move my blog as the comments are now riddled with spam. I will post the link here when that is ready.

Why?!

2010-04-24T10:48:00.003+08:00

"Why do I NEED to be thin?
Why do I NEED to have long slender legs and toothpick arms?
Why do I NEED to have a flat stomach yet a big bosom?!
Why do I NEED to make myself unhappy and starved just so you can profit from it?!
Why do I NEED to hear people's "advice" telling me to eat less, buy this and that product like "Spanx" or cellulite cream, to wear high heels or to stop eating this or that?
Why do I NEED to feel pressured to exercise the way YOU all want me to and WHEN you want me to?
Why should I have to be afraid to wear shorts and skirts in public for 10 or so years?
Why are you telling me that my being overweight is the cause of all my health problems when there are skinnier people who have similar health problems?
Why do i need to get men's attention when our planet and all its citizens need help?!
Why the lies? " - me

You all might think that since this is coming from a Feminist site that it is radical and extreme, but I can 100% relate to this article. I'm tired of being compared to thin Taiwanese women and skinny celebrities. I am that I am. Yes, maybe I do need more exercise, but that exercise should be for health reasons...I'm tired of trying to lose weight just so I can be "attractive" again...Why do I have to be thin to be attractive?

I would just like to point out that every time someone tells me "Well, you can be thin again!" I always want to tell them a certain story but never do because it is embarrassing. I want to tell it here because I'm sure there are woman who were in or are in the situation I was in, but will wait till AFTER my article is published. for now, here is an article that I read and relate to:

http://www.feminist.com/resources/ourbodies/body.html

<Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century. For complete information and resources, we recommend that you consult the chapter and the book in its entirety.

BODY IMAGE, WEIGHT, AND SIZE

In many cultures and historical periods women have been proud to be large--being fat was a sign of fertility, of prosperity, of the ability to survive. Even in the U.S. today, where fear of fat reigns in most sectors of the culture, some racial and ethnic groups love and enjoy large women. For example, Hawaiians often consider very large women quite beautiful, and studies show that some black women experience more body satisfaction and are less concerned with dieting, fatness, and weight fluctuations than are white women. However, the weight loss, medical, and advertising industries have an enormous impact on women across racial and ethnic boundaries. These industries all insist that white and thin is beautiful and that fatness is always a dangerous problem in need of correction. The popular notion that some communities are less influenced than others has meant that women of color in particular have a hard time being taken seriously when they have eating disorders. A black woman suffering from an eating disorder says:

After all, don't black people prize wide hips and fleshy bodies? Isn't obesity so prevalent in our communities because it is actually accepted? Don't black women have very positive body images?...Anorexia and its kin supposedly strike only adolescent, middle- and upper-middle-class white girls...Women like me are winging it, seeking out other sisters with the same concerns, wondering if we are alone on this journey.

Fat women daily encounter hostility and discrimination. If we are fat, health practitioners often attribute our health problems to "obesity," postpone treatment until we lose weight, accuse us of cheating if we don't, make us so ashamed of our size that we don't go for help, and make all kinds of assumptions about our emotional and psychological state ("She must have emotional problems to be so fat").

Yet, as many of us have long suspected, it is now being acknowledged that it is cardiovascular fitness and not fatness we need to look at if we are concerned about health. Some of our ill health as fat women results from the stress of living with fat-hatred--social ridicule and hostility, isolation, financial pressures resulting from job discrimination, lack of exercise because of harassment, and, perhaps most important, the hazards of repeated dieting. Low-calorie dieting has become a national obsession. Many of us are convinced that making women afraid to be fat is a form of social control. Fear of fat keeps women preoccupied, robs us of our pride and energy, keeps us from taking up space. I don't like myself heavy, I want to feel thin, streamlined and spare, and not like a toad. I have taken antifat thinking into myself so deeply that I hate myself when I am even ten pounds "overweight," whatever that means. We can be more relaxed about our weight

By experimenting with what weight feels comfortable to us rather than trying primarily to be thin.
By being more accepting of weight variations through the life cycle.
By developing a clearer understanding of which health problems are truly associated with weight (See chapter 2, Food).
By exercising and eating nutritious food to feel healthy, and letting our body weight set itself accordingly.

"We need a widespread rebellion of women who are tired of worrying about their weight, who understand that weight is not a matter of health or discipline but a weapon our culture uses against us to keep us in our place and feeling small. We need to quietly say no to ridiculous weight standards, reassuring ourselves that we're good and worthwhile human beings even if we aren't a size 6, and further, to protest those standards more demonstrably, on behalf of others as well. Both decisions require a change in attitude which, while not necessarily impolite, is rather less tolerant of the everyday demeaning comments about body size that women now accept as their due. In other words, we need to begin to throw our weight around."
--Laura Fraser

WORKING TOGETHER FOR CHANGE

A better self-image doesn't pay the rent or cook supper or prevent nuclear war. Feeling better about ourselves doesn't change the world by itself, but it can give us energy to do what we want and to work for change.

Learning to accept and love our bodies and ourselves is an important and difficult ongoing struggle. But to change the societal values underlying body image, we need to do more than love ourselves. We need to focus our attention on the forces that drive wedges between us as women: racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, and our national obsession with size and shape. To truly create change, to create a world in which all women can make choices about our appearances for ourselves and not others, we must incorporate all women into the heart of how we see ourselves. From this expanded horizon of sisterhood, we may begin to value the lives of women who previously meant nothing to us. We may begin to realize that understanding their lives is essential to understanding our own lives and realizing our full potential as women. If we can begin to eliminate the hatred and ridicule levied against women who don't fit the ``state-of-the-art'' ideal, we can lessen the stress of ``not fitting in.'' We also open the possibility of building a social-change movement that links all women who seek a world where each of us can celebrate and delight in our physical bodies. Working together to change the attitudes and conditions that restrict us, we feel proud and more able to take control of our lives. We need each others' help to change the deeply entrenched attitudes that make us dislike our own bodies and that interfere with our relationships with other women. Here are some things groups of women can do together:

Find ways to diversify our circle of friends--learn about the concerns of older women through the Grey Panthers; attend a meeting of a disability rights group; find out if there is a Fat Liberation group in your area and see what it is doing.

Find women who are exploring ways to combat racism, and form or join an antiracist group.

Support magazines that show women of all colors, sizes, shapes, and abilities-- real women as we know them, not airbrushed, white-looking, thin models (see Resource section).

Take a course or attend a lecture on race and gender studies, disability issues, women's body image, or the psychology of women to understand the complex dynamics of body image in our culture.

Write a letter to a TV station or magazine or clothing store that shows positive (or negative) images of women of color, and let them know what you think.
Read whatever you can find on race and body size issues that support self- acceptance instead of trying to make your body conform to any "ideal.'' Discuss with others these ideas and how to put them into daily practice in your own life.

Plan together how to challenge ourselves and others when we judge women on the basis of skin color and appearance.

Form or join a group or organization that promotes self-acceptance and self-love for all our sizes and in all our diversity.

Learn more about how our bodies work, through self-help sessions and/or discussion.

Shifting to a body perspective in which every woman matters in a public sense takes a major shift in consciousness. Breaking the silent hold of state-of-the- art body image on female self-esteem, relationships, and social and economic opportunities requires us to adopt a conception of womanhood that is informed by physical, emotional, and spiritual diversity. Valuing this diversity is critical to dismantling the insidious and toxic effect of discrimination based on how we look. Finding ways to change the societal forces that make accepting ourselves so difficult is a process that can begin at any point in our lives and can continue as long as we live. This mission, if taken on, will lead us toward a future in which every woman can experience the joy of being valued completely for who she is.

BODY IMAGE CONTINUED >>

No News Is Good News, No?

2010-03-21T10:34:00.002+08:00

I wish I had some eccentric and amazing stories to put on this blog, but I don't. At least not for right now.

I went to see the Vagina Monologues last night which was part of V-Day Taichung. I really liked it! After that, my neighbor and I had dinner and then saw a colleague play at a café. It was a nice night. I'd been wanting to do something artsy-fartsy lately (like I used to do in Amsterdam) and it helped me feel a little at home.

Life and work are the same. The only difference is that now I am trying to be a writer and find a way to get things published so that I can have more experience in the writing world. I know it seems like everyone wants to be a writer these days, but I have found that I really enjoy it. I used to keep a journal from the time I was 8 until I was 27. I stopped because I wanted to write a blog and now I haven't been posting in my blog because I want to make more published pieces to get that experience.

As I have probably said before, I also enjoy editing. I know it sounds strange that someone actually enjoys editing, but I would love to make it a permanent career. I also know that people must think I'm not credible because of all the typos I make here and on FB. But that is only because here is where I express myself and I want to relax from editing since I am a teacher and need to teach and grade and plan. It takes a lot out of me.

I have also found out that I am a chronic worrier after reading "The Worry Cure" but have put reading it further on hold as it really depressed me. I really need to finish it, but now I realize that I can NOT stop worrying. If someone tells me to stop, it doesn't work. I even worry ABOUT worrying!!! How screwed up is that?!

Taiwan is a love/hate situation for me now. Last night I loved Taichung. I felt like that after all these years, I'm coming into my own, meeting interesting and fun people (like I did in Amsterdam) and experiencing more things on the expat front. Changing jobs really helped. I'm not the hermit that I was before..although I still really should stay at home and save money.

Ok, maybe I lie...I don't hate Taiwan. I am just still in culture shock after two years. I get so frustrated by how people do things (or not do things). I get upset that the parks here don't allow dogs and don't fine people for not picking up the poop. I have serious road rage when driving my scooter on the road because people drive so selfishly here. I get so upset that everything here is QUANTITY and quality is thrown to the wayside and because of that I suffer as a teacher. Evidently, I am not a numbers person. Numbers and I don't have a great relationship. I pride myself on quality. That's why I spend more money on things like hair care and etcetera. I want long-term results!

I am debating whether I should go back to studying Chinese or go back to German. I have found out that learning Chinese doesn't help my chances at getting a job because companies prefer native speakers or FBCs(Foreign Born Chinese). I figured I'd relearn German because 1. My grandma was German. 2. If we move back to Europe then I'd be fluent in a good European language. 3. I like German and 4. Same as number 1, it is my heritage and my culture.

That is all I know. Mostly worries and uncertainty which is the plague of the "Chronic Worrier". But I'm not letting it get me down. I will work this stuff out and I will find a way to stop being a chronic worrier..somehow!

My Eyes Are Opening And It's Not a Pretty Sight

2010-01-31T10:19:00.005+08:00

When it comes to having a central nervous system, and the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. ~Ingrid Newkirk

Since I was a kid, I have always had a sensitive heart. I hated seeing people get hurt(physically and emotionally) as well as animals. I was a meat-eater but there were many times where I wanted nothing more than to be a vegetarian. The only reason I couldn't was because no one else was and I was too young to support myself and that desire. Now I am old enough and Taiwan has turned me vegetarian.

Granted, I still eat eggs for protein (although I've started to buy free-range as I have seen images of the battery farms) and I still drink milk although I try to drink more almond and soy milk. I used to eat fish until I got food poisoning a few weeks ago and was in the hospital. I am not a vegan, but the thought of eating meat makes me sick.

What has converted me? Well, I want to know the truth and thanks to Facebook, I have seen many videos and images of things that have shown me the scary and disturbing truth about things such as slaughterhouses, the wool industry and animal testing on beauty products AND...the product that I don't understand why it needs animal testing: chocolate!! I refuse to eat M&M's or Snickers because the Mars Chocolate company tests on animals. Why do they need to test food products on animals?? UNLESS they use new chemicals for flavor and color. Well if they are adding more chemicals to my food then they can forget about me!

Another thing as I have mentioned before were the split duck heads and god knows what else at the markets here!

http://www.weirdmeat.com/2008/02/duck-heads.html

Antoher thing I just read up on today was about the wool industry. Here is a lnk:
http://www.veganpeace.org/animal_cruelty/wool.htm

This was my Facebook comment:

"There are so many lies in the agricultural industry :( Were the pioneers (whose farming was their life and their survival) this cruel to animals as well or have we, as a modern society, grown a frigid heart and amuse ourselves by such torture????

We know there is one cause to all this madness: MORE money!"

I was also reading about dissection:
http://www.veganpeace.org/animal_cruelty/dissection.htm

This was my Facebook comment about dissection:

"Do we really need dissection in the classrooms? Our technology is advanced enough where we don't need helpless animals' corpses...in fact I'm sure we never did!

Ugh...the thought of it reminds me in Junior year physiology where we had to dissect a sheep's brain...WHY?? That didn't make me smarter or understand better a...nd I STILL got a D in the class because the teacher only gave A's to girls in skimpy clothes...Yet another thing that dissapoints me and makes me feel nauseous..."

Seeing the scary truth of it ALL makes me wonder if I really should bring a child into this world...will my child become a prey or a predator? This thought scares me...

My students are only 10-12 years-old and completely de-sensitized...They BEG to watch "Happy Tree Friends" and some kids get a kick out of the powerpoints that I show of people suffering. One of my students was happy to tell me with no thought of remorse that he and his dad saw a dog get hit by car somewhere and they didn't have time to help it. He said this with a smile on his face.
The students in Taiwan don't SEEM to be violent, yet they crave their online games. The movie channels here cut out swear words and SOME sex stuff, but they don't cut out the senseless violence? It just doesn't make sense?

Now as a liberal, I believe that video games and music aren't the cause of killings and shootings, but as a teacher I am seeing more and more that parents (and some teachers) are not educating the students enough on right and wrong. Nobody is teaching these kids that these songs and video games are just that and nothing more. The video game or the song IS NOT telling them to go do these things. They are either telling a story or for entertainment and that is it. But the kids aren't getting the education and it is causing a problem. We, as adults, need to teach them the difference between morally right and wrong! We need to show these kids that it is NOT OK to do these things...

How does this tie into animal cruelty? There have been articles that I have been reading about how most serial killers started out by violently torturing and killing animals. Now this is an extreme case, but it should be a red flag for us to watch our kids and teach them respect, not only for people, but for ALL of Earth's creatures. Whether it is true or not, we need to educate and enlighten again!

My goal is to not give up on these kids and teach them right from wrong. It worries me that my students BEG to see "Happy Tree Friends" (I used to watch it in uni but I was OLD ENOUGH to know that it is just a TV show and nothing more) and I will do what it takes to teach them that there are better things in life to see and experience!

"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar." ~Bradley Millar

Hao Jiu Bu Jian=Long Time No See

2010-01-26T20:54:00.003+08:00

Update:

My new job is better! I like it now although it is still hard. Xiao Mai is good, too!

I'm still fat and need to get motivated to exercise. Luckily, my stress level is WAY low now! :D

I'm going to Indonesia in a few weeks and am excited and scared! I haven't left the country to travel around Asia since my trip to Thailand two Octobers ago! Luckily, I am going with a good friend who is a Jakarta native so that really makes me feel better!!

I've written the first draft of a children's book now hoping to get it published...I really enjoy writing and have been hit with a wave of ideas these past few days! I hope that I can start writing more as that seems to be the direction I want to go in my career...I'm also looking into editing. I'm pretty good at editing so maybe this is something else I can do!

Not only that, but I've made an ad for the Phonics club...Phonics is important and it's something that you can play super easy and fun games all the while the kids are learning and having fun! I DON'T want to do speech club so I'm doing everything I can to get students to join!

I want to write more but am channeling my writing energy into other writing outlets (that means..outlets that help get me some green stuff) :P I hope to post during or after Chinese New Year and with pics of Jakarta!

Can't wait! :D

2009 Resolutions and 2010

2009-12-13T12:33:00.002+08:00

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

The Holiday Bug is Biting..or At Least the Saturday Bug :)

2009-11-07T13:14:00.003+08:00

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!

A Long Time Post from a Pissed Off but POSITIVE Fat Expat

2009-11-06T21:26:00.002+08:00

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!!!

Birth, Life and Death

2009-09-06T21:39:00.004+08:00

Looking into the eyes of death and at a puppy who should have had a better life

Don't let this one have the same destiny as our lil one above

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!!

Star so fittingly named...She is a sweetheart!

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.

The Dawn of a New Beginning..yet again!

2009-08-23T22:53:00.003+08:00

The sweetest addition to our fambly...Xiao Mai (Little Barley)
Female, 5 years old and a super sweetie!!

Xiao Mai chewing on her bone

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!

A Home Sweet Home of Our Own

2009-08-11T14:28:00.002+08:00

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!

Xiao Mai-I can't wait to welcome her into our home!

Me and Xiao Mai during a Taichung PAWS mini golf event

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!

Dog Blog post

2009-06-30T14:24:00.002+08:00

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

Things I Need to Invest In:

2009-05-18T11:01:00.002+08:00

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

Learning from the Dalai Lama: "20 Ways to Get Good Karma"

2009-05-05T14:33:00.003+08:00

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

The Dalai Lama

Ask The Dalai Lama a Question

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.

He is amazing and I'm learning so is Yoga...I can do poses I never could before and Yoga makes me feel calm and I love that blissful feeling after a session!!

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

Contemplating Bad Karma, the Aftermath and the Not-So Logical Solution

2009-04-17T22:08:00.002+08:00

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.

Pink Floyd Alliterations and More Yoga Talk

2009-04-15T00:43:00.003+08:00

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!

My Late Night Off-the-Wall Reincarnation Theory

2009-03-04T23:44:00.005+08:00

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...

Finding my Inner Peace and Calm

2009-02-24T12:21:00.002+08:00

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!

Movies I Want to See & Books I Want to Read

2009-02-09T11:56:00.002+08:00

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)

Books I've read before and want to read again:

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)

Well, that's all for now! I hope my life will get more interesting so I can post more and I will get the Dajia pics up soon!

Taking the Good with the Bad

2009-01-20T09:52:00.002+08:00

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 Géant 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!

My Apartment Blues

2009-01-14T23:21:00.002+08:00

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 :(

Reflection of 2008 Resolutions & a Look into 2009

2008-12-31T15:08:00.003+08:00

Weihnachtsmarkt Düsseldorf

Bogart in Düsseldorf

Bogart believes :)

My 2008 Resolutions:
1. Be a better person
2. Work hard and study hard. but don't over do it. Relax!
3. Keep improving yourself at your job
4. Help others in need
5. Listen to others and care
6. Strive for independence!
7. Make this a positive experience!
8. Settle down
9. Stop talking about yourself so damn much!
10. Study your English grammar
11. Laughter truly is the best medicine! Remember that!
12. Learn authentic Chinese/Taiwanese cooking!
13. Be more active!
14. Don't fall into the trap like Germany

The breakdown:
1. ALWAYS working on that one
2. Trying, but hasn't been working recently...
3. Actually, yes I have
4. Well, I'm trying but not succeeding
5. See number 4
6. Always
7. Trying to, but am getting frustrated with the pollution, traffic, lack of awesome restaurants, lack of reliable public transportation, good music, and most of all frustrated with my Chinese
8. Am going to get a new apartment after my lease is up...and will get a kitchen AND a dog!!! And hoping to get a flat screen TV soon
9. Uhh..yeahh..trying but you have to talk about yourself a little bit in a blog...
10. Yep, and since Hino is studying English that has been a challenge for me to be able to explain difficult grammar questions to adults learning English
11. Always!
12. Ok...didnt succeed in 2008, but Hino's mom invited me over for Chinese New Year and wants me to cook Western food and I hope at the same time I can watch her cook Taiwanese/Hakka/Chinese food!
13. I was exercising from July to August every day but then got the new class and haven't had time at all...
14. This is my biggest fear. I had a nightmare about it when I was in Holland. I can't make that same mistake again!!!

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2009 is going to be a bit of a selfish year for me. I have fallen behind on many of my goals and need to get back on track if I want to succeed!! I need something better as far my lifestyle goes as snobby as that sounds (paid holidays at work, being able to visit my family at Christmas without a HUGE gigantic hassle, being financially secure, having my Master's so that I can get a professional business-like job, having a comfortable European style..or Ikea style home, being able to travel all over, etc, etc, etc)

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...

As for Holland-I had a WONDERFUL time!! My parents even took me to Düsseldorf to a Christmas market and had the best time! Although, the fresh non-polluted air, the awesome public transportation and wonderful shopping (H&M, Lush, Sabon, Cool Cat/Wonder Woman, etc) of Holland made me wish for more and was a little disappointed when I got back to Taichung. But, I have good friends here and NEED to stay on track to get my Master's and become fluent in Chinese.

OK, I'm running late and need to shower. Hino and I are meeting friends for New Year's and I want to celebrate the rest of 2008 with good friends, decent food(I can't help it-Amsterdam has the BEST restaurants), and hopefully some champagne!! :)

Have a wonderful rest of 2008 and I hope you all have a prosperous and happy 2009!!!

My Letter to Toby

2008-12-10T11:26:00.007+08:00

Dear Toby,

Thank you for coming into my life. I wish I could have kept you and taken care of you myself and I'm sorry.

You have taught me many things these past couple of months. You have taught me how to better take care of dogs, how to better educate people on adopting and that even though there are people who may not care..there are always a couple out there who are genuine friends and help.I have also met so many wonderful people because of you. This has motivated me to save my money to get an apartment that allows dogs, so that I will finally be able to truly help.

I wanted nothing more these past few months for you to have a loving home with a great family, just like Bogart. You remind me so much of him and it broke my heart to pieces to see you in the shelter cage, cold and alone.

I am so happy that you are going to Canada along with Stella, Lucy, Dai Dai and Xiao Hua. I wish you all the best and I know you will be a star there! :)

Lots of huggies
Bre

These are pictures from the dog adoption park last Sunday. These are Toby's friends and... competition

How could Toby compete with cuddly sleeping puppies?!?!

Cesar Millan says to put a doggie backpack on the dog and it makes him feel useful so when he is walking it will make him tired out more and calm-submissive which is what we want our dogs to be.

Why?!

This dog was in a car accident and has been to the dog park every Sunday. This time we saw him mobile in his wheelchair which made me feel better! The lady brings her every Sunday...What a good heart she has!

I think this is a purebred Formosan (Taiwan Tugou). I think these dogs are beautiful but the Taiwanese don't think they are special and dipsose of them as easily as yesterday's trash :(

Toby nuzzling with a young Lucy look-alike

I like dogs, but have a vendetta agianst these brown fuzzballs...Why the Taiwanese buy these ugly ass pet shop things is beyond me...

This is just wrong on so many levels....dogs need exercise and to walk!

But I have to confess...I LOVED this lil hip-hop wannabe..soo cute! :)

Toby is so good wit da kids!

More signs of dogs needing a home

An elderly Dutchman found this dog and brought him here... whoever had this guy was so cruel for making this beautiful creature so ugly and aggressive :(

More of Toby's competition: adorable puppies in kimonos and soccer tees...There is one puppy who looks like a puppy version of Star(from Tsaotun shelter) and I would have loved to have her!!

No Hope for Toby in Taiwan

2008-11-23T19:54:00.003+08:00

Tommy: Trent and Tania's golden...Gentle Giant :)

"Dr. Dog" She is so nice!!

The goods table

Caroline, Douglas and da Tobster

Me and da Hino...NO I'm NOT drunk...just showin off my Taichung PAWS tattoo ;)

Yesterday, Taichung PAWS had an event at the Second-hand store on 150 Min Sheng Rd. We had a woman there, "Dr. Dog" as she is called, to come in and give a little lesson to the people on how to train their dogs. We also sold some Taichung PAWS T-shirts and I even tried to sell scooter masks with the Taichung PAWS logo that I made :)

I love when we do events like this!

Then today, we took Toby to the dog park again to try to get him adopted and once again NO LUCK!!!

One Taiwanese guy even told us that basically noone wants a dog like Toby because you can find dogs like him EVERYWHERE here! :(

Hino says that is the attitude of the Taiwanese. They want something different. But what I don't understand is how in god's name buying those pet shop brown poodles that EVERYONE has is different?!?! I say this because literally everyone and their mother here has one of those ugly ass brown poodles. I think I saw about 15-20 of those dogs at the park and I kid you not.

Toby is a wonderful dog! Although he is in his chewing phase, I have discovered that he is amazing with kids!! Whenever a baby or a kid comes up to him to pet him he just sits there and lets them. some dogs HATE children petting them and won't allow it, but Toby is so laid-back.

Toby also seems to be GREAT with other dogs!! When I dogsat for Caroline on 10/10 weekend, Honey(Caroline's dog) was just getting used to having another dog in the house and she was getting annoyed with him, but whenever Hino and I come over to pick Toby up to go to the dog park, it shows that Toby has even grown on her. They get along so well!

And even at the dog park when I walk him around. He just smells the other dogs and wants to play and just sniffs their butts as if he were just passing by to say hello! He's really social and I have yet to see him growl at another dog yet. But of course...I only see him on Sundays, but usually with a dog, what you see is what you get.

Sooooooooooooooooooooo...

I need to get him out of Taiwan and into a LOVING home abroad. I KNOW if he were to go abroad, someone would pick him up and give him a good home and family!

If any of you are reading this and want to adopt Toby, please contact me ASAP! If you are in Taiwan and flying to Toronto soon, you can also contact me ASAP if you are interested in flying Toby abroad. The people at Taichung PAWS(as well as the people at TUAPA and other organizations here) do it all the time so they know what to do.

I need to get him out of here and into a loving PERMANENT home! I want nothing more than for this lil guy to be homed.

Thank you!

Another Weekend to the Dogs...

2008-11-16T21:42:00.002+08:00

...literally and in a good way :)

Although...I will express my frustration later:

So last night, we went over to a couple's house, Trent and Tania(hope I'm spelling that right) who are fostering Lucy till she goes to Canada. Lucy is an older dog who was at Tsaotun. Caroline named her after her first dog and is a very sweet dog! It was so sad to see her tied up at the shelter so we have decided to try to get as many of the Tsaotun dogs out as we can!

Trent and Tania had a small gathering at their house and made dinner!! It was soooo good! Trent is Taiwanese and Tania is Indonesian and they made the best food!!! Coconut Rice(I NEED the recipe!!), some type of soupy oyster curry pork dish and god it was soooo good! Pepper Chicken, a tofu dish and and egg and onion dish for the vegetarians there and...wine and beer!! :) They also have a dog, a GIANT of a Golden Retriever with an equally giant heart, Tommy!

So it was a small gathering of us, Tommy, Lucy and Beauty, who is Layna's (another volunteer who was there with me when Toby wandered in the Tsaotun shelter) Tugou(a Tugou is a Taiwanese dog with beautiful black shiny fur-I want one!)

I miss going to small house parties and this one was just so cozy and nice! We all talked and chatted and drank wine and beer and Taiwan high mountain green tea!!

Lucy was sooo happy and content and tears almost came out because I was so happy to see her happy and in a loving home, even if it is just temporary! Trent and Tania are so nice and hilarious and it was so good to FINALLY be in good company! I will ask Caroline to send me the pics of Lucy to put on here, because she looked so good and her fur was so soft and shiny!

So then, since it was Layna's birthday(she's the baby of us, 22), she invited us to the Lion King to go drink and celebrate her birthday. Now I said I would NEVER go to the Lion King, because the Lion King in Taichung is a club and they play hip-hop music and I'm spoiled because I only really like the clubs in Amsterdam. But...after a drink I was on the dance floor shaking my ass!! Even Hino, the man who doesn't drink or who has never been to a club before danced with me! It was a blast! It was what I needed!

And today, I woke up and Hino went with me to the dog park so that Toby could get adopted. I asked him to go because even though I want to bother him since he is dedicated to studying his English and he's on a schedule, My Chinese is shit (I know it's my fault for not studying hard enough) and people ask me all these questions about Toby and I don't know a damn thing they are saying and they leave and then I missed a possible GREAT opportunity for Toby to be adopted!!

It's so frustrating and today I literally cried in the middle of the dog park event. People just walk by and read the sign I put up about him, they pet him and then walk away. The Taiwanese are so damn picky about what they want!! One old man said he wants a really tiny dog and that's what everyone wants.

I had a discussion with an English man yesterday while i was walking Dai Dai. He said it's appalling that the Taiwanese seem to choose dogs that look like fashion accessories and treat them so. They put them in a cute doggie designer bag and never let them play or do anything..their job is to be quiet and look cute :(

Toby is a wonderful dog! He is such a sweetheart and loves to play which means he's not some "Barbie Doll" He's such a happy puppy and seems to have been so good with kids from what I've seen at the dog park! He lets them pet him!

The reason why I cried was because I feel like I'm doing everything wrong and no one wants him! Then Hino and I started arguing and I hadn't eaten lunch so I was grumpy from that as well and was so angry that people won't give this dog the chance he deserves!!!!!! So then tears started to come out. It was so embarrassing and I felt like a fool and was trying to hide it. Hino and I made up of course and he was so good for helping me with this.

I really wish that I could do it myself, but my Chinese sucks. I need to start practicing it more.

As for Toby, no luck yet. I love him so much and hate that he (and I) are a burden to Caroline for him staying there. I'm so grateful to have the Taichung PAWS volunteers for my friends. I finally have met people with something in common!

I hope to have Lucy's pics soon! I really want to show how happy and content she is!

Another Angry Rant:

2008-11-15T00:38:00.002+08:00

Hopefully these will stop soon, but I am in a serious funk and am having a struggle getting out of it.

It's Friday night and I have to teach in the morning and I can't sleep..yet again. I refuse to let myself clear my mind and am aggravated by the tiniest of things.

Right now the only thought on my mind is that I am sick of being called "Fat teacher"

The students don't know any better, it is just that Taiwanese are direct and saying things like that isn't rude supposedly. Apparently, people here are emotionally stronger than I am...or they hide it VERY well.

The things is and I have mentioned this many times...I am NOT fat...Yeah my hips are bigger and my butt is well..."bootylicious" as I have been calling it to make myself feel better about eating the chocolate that I usually eat to make myself feel better. And my cellulite needs to disappear, and my flabby arms, and my chubby cheeks...at least my stomach has gone down!! But this hasn't helped the self esteem I have been trying to raise...

And don't you DARE start on the exercise more crap!!! I have my excuses as to why I'm putting it off and I'm sticking to them!

Actually it goes a lot deeper than this and there is a lot more to it, but right now it's none of your business.

On top of things, I am at a block on how to get Toby adopted...I am doing a crappy job of it and my Chinese is apparently shit and it's frustrating me to no end.

I've been complaining a LOT lately...about the way people drive here (which has brought back my severe road rage), the way people abuse animals and children and other people just turn the other god damn cheek, the fashion here is atrocious, the chicken feet, split ducks heads and pig hearts have made me SERIOUSLY consider vegetarianism, and have been trying (and failing) to convert, The incessant dirty looks Hino and I get because I'm Western and he's Taiwanese which is rare (But YET it is socially OK for a Western guy to be with a Taiwanese girl?? WTF is the difference?!?!)

My mom asks me, "So why are you here?"

And here is why:

I have a chance to learn an amazingly difficult but rewarding and amazing language!
I have a chance to go to a decent uni to get my masters and still afford it possibly!!!
The people are nicer depsite the exceptions above and many have been so kind to me!
I can't help it...Taiwanese men are sexy! Wang Lee Hom, Pan Wei Bo, Chien Min Wang(Pitcher for Yankees)..and HINO of course :)
Taiwanese kids are so sweet and sooo smart despite some exceptions calling me "Fat Teacher"
I love traveling here and being able to travel to beautiful islands and places like Thailand!
I finally am able to have a job and my own apartment and still be able to afford getting my haircut and colored at Aveda(which can be pricey)
The clothes shopping can be good too although the quality is lower and I'm a quality girl
I celebrate Christmas AND Chinese New Year which are two big holidays :)
The temples!! Especially Guanyin temples!
The snorkeling places in and out of Taiwan
So much more

So basically, there is more to it than that, but no matter where you go there is good and bad. I really am happy here, despite my recent rut and permanent bad mood, but hopefully things will change for the better and I need to start changing my attitude and stop being so god damn emotional!

Tomorrow is another change to start on my makeover. I need one. I feel like a cow and look like one. Step 1 is turn negatives to positives. Step 2 is hair cut and color...A nice reddish brown like Kate Walsh on Grey's Anatomy

The rest of the steps are something I am still trying to organize...

My Test of Strength in Thailand...

2008-11-04T10:34:00.002+08:00

...And I passed!

Here is the blog about my trip to Thailand:

Day 1

Arrived in Krabi with no problem except that I arrived when it was raining. That worried me a bit. My private drivers picked me up from Krabi airport and took me to the hotel. I hired private drivers because I was traveling alone and wanted to be safe and secure. I got to the hotel...Pavilion Queen's Bay....Wow!!! Here is a link:

http://www.pavilionhotels.com/queensbay/spa.php?lang=en

I loved it!!!! I was in heaven! So then after I got my room and stuff, I took a tuk tuk down to Ao Nang Beach where there is some food and shopping. I'm getting better at haggling...I asked the tuk tuk guys how much and they said 40 baht...I looked at them and said but the hotel people said 20 baht(which they did) and they laughed!! So I talked them down to 30 baht...

Another haggling tactic I had and which is one I do when I always go shopping because I'm so damn indecisive is this: I pick soemthing that I want and the shopkeeper gives me a price...then I sit there (yes, I do do this in real life when no haggling is involved) and groan and gimace and say how expensive it is and I can't afford and I stand there FOREVER thinking and/or pretending to think and trying to decide to get it...the shopkeepers get so annoyed that they keep bringing the price down!! Although...I really think they were really OVERCHARGING me...Everybody says you can stuff in Thailand for CHEAP...even the Taiwanese! But everything I bought seemed to be about the same as in a nightmarket in Taiwan so I think they were really overcharging me...Oh well...it was still cheap enough for me :)

I was also so happy to eat Thai food...I can't eat spicy food though because I have a weak stomach and acid reflux but was so happy to have Spring Rolls and Thai Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Bananas all weekend!!! :) And the coconut shakes, orange shakes and banana shakes!!! Yum!!!!

The I went back to the hotel and sat on my swing on the balcony and relaxing and enjoying the moment and then had a great sleep!

Day 2
Got up early and decided I wanted to go on a tour but didn't know which one. Well, I didn't get up that early and missed the "James Bond Island Tour" There was a tour place in the hotel and so I asked the lady what they had to offer and she mentioned the "Tiger Cave Temple" which I researched before going and found out they have a Guanyin temple there...so I decided I would go, but the tour for the temple and the rainforest walk had already started so I got a private taxi to take me and wait for me there...1,000 baht..a little pricey, but I wanted to see the temple really badly!!!

When I got there it was so cool! Lots of shrines and temples and people selling temple wares and offerings for you to offer to the gods. It was s o hot, but so awesome! I got pics of the temples and shrines and met one Thai nun whose husband is Taiwanese and lives in Kaohsiung and they go back and forth seeing each other!! She spoke Chinese to me so it was good practice!

She then showed me the Guanyin temple and I went there and prayed. People must think it is odd for an American girl to NOT be Christian and to pray to such gods and goddesses as Buddha and Guanyin, but it just works for me. I'm all about what Guanyin stands for...helping people and other beings on this planet alike. She is the goddess of mercy and it just happens to be something that I believe in.

I also made an offering with a thin gold piece of metal and put it in a box, where an elderly nun gave me a rust colored braided bracelet(which I lost snorkeling :( ) and then I bought a tiny stone statue of some god encased in a tiny plastic box with Thai writing on it...I think it will help me!

I also bought a string of Jade prayer beads from the Guanyin part of the area. It was so cool to see the monkeys there and this whole area is by a cave!! There were dogs there too, but they were homeless dogs and even though the people fed the monkeys bananas the dogs go hungry which made me sad...I wish I had dog food to give them :( I use the prayer beads and count them and chant to help me sleep because lately I have too many thoughts in my head and can't fall asleep....

Then I went back to the hotel...ordered room service-Thai Sweet and Sour Chicken (My ABSOLUTE fave) and iced tea. I ate it on the balcony and then put some pillows on the awesome swing and napped for two hours! Then I got up and had a driver take me to the Krabi nightmarket since none of the other guests were going or taking the bus...The Krabi nightmarket smelled better than Taiwan's-The scents of Jasmine, Lemongrass and curry filled the air!! But besides the smells and the fruit and curry, it was pretty lousy and small.

So then the driver took me back to Ao Nang where..of course I did more shopping :) and then went back to the hotel ate some pre-cut pomelo..I LOVE pomelo and then went to bed!

Day 3 "Four Islands Snorkeling Tour"

On Day 3, I woke up early and had hotel buffet breakfast and then waited for my snorkeling guide. Since I was alone, Hino told me to tell everyone that my "boyfriend" was a BIG STRONG Thai Policeman!! Hahaha! Like anyone would believe that, so I told everyone my "boyfriend"was back at the hotel doing business. Little did they know my poor REAL boyfriend was back in Taiwan!

And since I was alone for the tour, they put me in with another group, but still had my private snorkeling guide. So when I got on the tuk tuk to go to the tour I got on and said hi and smiled to everyone and they all just glared at me (Mostly western tourists). I thought it was such a shame that Western tourists and expats in Asia are so effin grumpy!! No one here EVER looks happy...EVEN in paradise like this!!!

So then we got on a Thai longtail boat and headed out for the islands. On our first stop my snorkeling guide took me around and showed me the coral. By then I mentioned I had a boyfriend and he seemed disappointed (which grossed me out because he could have been my dad!!!!! Blech!) so then he started asking where my boyfriend was and I said he was her on business and then my guide said "On a Saturday?" And I said yes, that the Taiwanese work every day...which is actually true!! Then later two Thai guys were like "Hey! You got a boyfriend??" And I said "Yeah, but he's doing business!" They didn't believe me but everyone else on the tour thought it was so TERRIBLE that my boyfriend was working instead of being with me-hahahahahaha!!!

So anyways...at the first island..there were a school or two of fish in the shallow end of the beach and it was so cool because they'd just swim around everyone!

On the second island we didn't get off...we just snorkeled right off the boat close to the island...it was Chicken island...

The third island we had shrimp fried rice and that was when I relaxed and hung out with some girls from Malaysia on the tour...they were pretty cool!

The fourth island was Railay and my snorkeling guide insisted I get my money's worth and show me the cave and the rock climbers and stuff...by then I was tired and the whole point was just for me to snorkel and lay on the beach, plus I am surnburnt from head to toe...It is Tuesday now and I'm STILL in pain!!! Hahaha! (Need to invest in a wetsuit!) but it was cool to see the stalgmites and stalactites and East Railay...then we got back on the longtail boat and headed back. After that where did I go?? Of course! Ao Nang for more shopping and eating!!! ;)

I also ended up getting a head, leg and foot "After Sun" massage and a manicure and pedicure for only 550 baht!!!

Day 4 Back Home

On the last day I ended up having to stay in Bangkok airport for 6 hours!!! Thank god it's new and there is lots of shopping!! Everytime I have a connecting flight it is in Bangkok!!!

Oh! And I loved Thai Air! Their female flight attendants had the prettiest Thai sarong and uniforms and the seats reminded me of my parents'Christmas tree a couple years ago...pink, gold and purple!! And they smelled so good!! I wanted to buy Thai perfume at the airport, but wasn't sure if I would be allowed to take it on the plane since they don't allow anything over 100 ml...:(

I will NEVER forget this experience and have decided that when I have enough money, I will buy a vacation house there and...would LOVE to get married there!!!!!! It was so romantic!!! There were times where I really wished Hino was there to share it with me...like on the snorkeling trip, but we have plenty of opportunities!

As for right now, I'm back in Taiwan and my sunburn hurts like hell, but it was so worth it!!!

Now I'm going to go take a nap for bit and catch up on sleep again!

Khap hoon khap or however you say thank you in Thai! :)

P.S. I will try to have another Thailand slideshow soon!!

No News But Puppy News!

2008-10-14T12:18:00.003+08:00

This past 10/10 (Taiwan's Birthday) I dogsat the puppy, Toby and one of the volunteer's dog.

Toby is doing very well! He is newspaper trained, got medicine for his skin, should be getting his vaccinations soon and is getting used to living inside. I think he enjoys it :)

He loves to play and loves cuddling!

We are going to take him to Jinguo park one of these Sundays and try to get him adopted!!

As for me, I've been reading "The Secret" I need to make some attitude changes in mylife as well as other changes.

I really like the book! although it does get a bit "infomercial"on ya, but you just take what you can out of it and apply it!

Hino and I went to this second-hand store on Min Sheng Rd. 150...they help Taichung PAWS and even the name of the store is something to do with loving animals :)

I bought the English version of Herman Hesse's "Sddhartha" for only NT$50(€1,13) and a travel Chinese Chess set for only NT$10(€0,23) which I will be bringing to Holland so that we can play iton the way to German Christmas Markets :)

I plan on donating a bunch of stuff and if you have stuff to donate, that'd be great!!

I love second-hand stores!!! I wish there were more here :(

Wow...I'm so boring...I know nothing...

I hope my next blog entry will be better :)

In Need of Some Positivity

2008-10-07T12:20:00.003+08:00

Most people don't read quotes and they think that the people who use quotes to help lift their spirits are silly or ridiculous.

I am one of those silly or ridiculous people. I can't help it! When I read a positive quote, it motivates me to be a better person! Where's the wrong in that?

Soooo, here are some of my favorite quotes:

"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass. " -Maya Angelou

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows will only fall behind you" -Asian Proverb

"Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny." -Gandhi

"The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud." - Taro Gold

"Everyone fails sometimes, but no one is a failure." -Taro Gold

These are only a couple! I have tons more!! When I feel ready to give up, I sit in bed before I go to sleep and read these, to remind me that I am here to become a better person and to help!!

What good does giving up do?! NO GOOD!

So, right now I need positivity more than anything right now as last week I wanted to give up. I can't give up on anything! I just need to keep researching, fighting and helping!! Everyone has rough patches...nothing is perfect and right now I am in one, but everything will work out as it always does!

I just have to say this one more time. I am so grateful for my fambly...I love them so much!! And I'm so grateful for da Hino...he has been so patient with me(kind of-haha!) and has helped me with so much!

And I am grateful for everyone at Taichung PAWS!

Now I have to stay positive and start helping!

Thank you

P.S. Caroline's blog "An Animal Lover's Diary in Taiwan"
http://dragon-abroad.livejournal.com/

The Puppy Update:

2008-10-06T22:10:00.002+08:00

Some good news on the puppy!

One of the volunteers is fostering the puppy temporarily until we can either find another foster home or better yet, a permanent LOVING home!

The puppy will not be called Toetje because it is too hard to pronounce (will have to save that when I can actually HAVE a dog) but my volunteer friend will think of a good English name for him!

So she took him to the vet and he has had so far:
A de-heartworming pill
a drop on his back of the anti-tick and flea stuff
medicine because he does have a slight skin condition-When I held him though I didn't really notice it so it doesn't seem to be serious.
and something else but I can't remember

He will be getting his vaccinations soon!

I have decided to foot the bill for the puppy because I feel it is my need. I want to keep that puppy and since I am not allowed and my schedule won't allow it either, I want to do what I can to give this puppy a chance to have a loving home!! A loving family to cuddle with just like Bogart!!

Obviously, I am an English teacher in Taiwan so I am absolutely NOT rolling in dough, but in my eyes, this puppy is worth it! If I were a millionaire, I'd probably adopt so many doggies!!!! :)

As for his age: he is about 3 and a half months old! He is playful and shows his love!

As for me, I need to do more research on helping this lil guy get adopted ASAP!

Laundry is calling me and so is my vanilla tea. I have such a headache. I have also dedicated myself to an hour of studying Chinese every night so that I won't be the stupid one in class anymore! I honestly have no confidence in anything right now.

A Clash of Culture; The Conclusion

2008-10-05T09:24:00.003+08:00

So, we had a meeting yesterday about Tsaotun.

It was intense at first! We were emotional (especially me since my "Aunt Flo" is visiting) and they were were emotional. We have our beliefs and they have theirs.

They told us that in one shelter they help, people will throw puppies and dogs over the fence at night. They always see dead puppies in the shelter yard or dead dogs because they were thrown over.

There are even some people who put poison in dog and feed it to street dogs

People are horrible creatures and you wonder why I am so emotional about this. Other animals don't kill each other for fun or a "rush"! Dogs don't torture other animals simply because it is "bored"! Dogs have basic needs and instincts and only kill out of self defense for themselves, for food or whatever. Dogs give people love. loyalty and care. If they are mean it is because you are doing something that is making them scared or nervous or probably because some asshole treated them badly. They are just protecting their best interests is all.

For a while it seemed like we were going in circles. And I couldn't understand half of it because my Chinese is so limited (am considering Chinese classes every day for the extra exposure) and this was making me even more upset (I'm sure everyone else,too) because I was so afraid we wouldn't come to a positive decision...

But in the end we did!

So we will keep going to Tsaotun and helping them as long as they give the dogs the medical treatment they need and if there are problems they contact us. That's why we are here!! To help!!

I think this purely a clash of culture. They think one way. We think another. We just need to find a way to mesh so that we have the best interest for the dogs and so far I think it was successful!

Sooooo....
My friends, the other volunteers, said they would help me find foster homes for the puppy"Toetje" as long as I take him to the dog park on Sunday and keep finding ways to get him adopted!! Since it is IMPOSSIBLE during the week, I have committed to the weekend because this puppy NEEDS to get out of the cage and start living in homes! I can't wait to walk him in the park..in a way he kind of reminds me of Bogart when he is happy so it will be good!

I am also going to walk Dai Dai on Saturdays still as planned! It is not only for the dogs, but for me. I think it is good for me because I can get out, get some fresh air and it is good therapy because Dai Dai always makes me laugh and I'm sure Toetje will too and laughter is the best medicine. Plus, this is motivation for me to get them into a LOVING home!!

I am so grateful for that, really, because I joined this group not only to make friends with people who I have something in common with, but to also help these dogs!! And if I didn't/don't save the puppy then I'm a failure (in my opinion)!! I am afraid of failure.

After the meeting, we went to a nearby pub and had a couple drinks. I had an Erdinger because it's Oktoberfest in Germany and a Weissbier sounded so damn good and it was!! I actually don't drink in Taiwan much so one beer and I was drunk. But it was nice to talk to everyone! Learn where they are from, who they are (besides dog and cat lovers), their family and all that. It was what we needed and they have become my friends (and I hope I have become theirs).

I really feel positive about the future. It's going to take extra hard work (since this isn't our job-we all have day jobs), sweat, tears and a LOT of research(on MY part) to make it better but I know we can do it!

It was quite obvious last night that we ALL care deeply and caring is one step toward a great and positive future!

I will leave you with a quote:
"One who works with you is equal to ten who work for you."
-Taro Gold "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life"

"Ten Promises to My Dog"

2008-10-01T22:12:00.005+08:00

http://www.petshealth.com/dr_library/10-commandments.html




		Ten Commandments From a Dog's Point of View Author: Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT.PAACT Copyright © 1989-2006. All Rights Reserved Used with Author's permission My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Regular separation from you will be painful and can even cause depression. Think before you buy me. Give me time to understand what you want from me don't be impatient, short-tempered or irritable. Place your trust in me and I will always trust you back, respect is earned not given as some sort of inalienable right. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. I am not capable of understanding why I am being locked up. I only know I have been rejected. You have your work, entertainment and friends. I only have you. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your tone. "You only have to look at my tail" to know that. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget, if that treatment is unjust or bad, it may spoil the special bond between us. Please do not hit me. I cannot hit back, but I can bite and scratch and I don't ever want to feel the need to do that. Before you tell me off me for being uncooperative, obstinate, or lazy, ask yourself if something might be wrong with me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food or I've been out in the sun too long, maybe my heart is getting old and weak, or maybe I'm just dog-tired. Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow old and will also want care, love, and affection. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, "I can't bear to watch" or "Let it happen in my absence". Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember, Irrespective of what you do I will always love you.

"Ten Promises to My Dog" trailer

No news yet on the shelter. Meeting this Saturday.

As for the stuff above. These are the "Ten Commandments from a Dog's Point of View" and the movie from Japan that I'm pretty sure it was based on.

Just watching the trailer makes me sob hysterically! I think it's gonna be like "The Notebook" I could NOT stop sobbing!!!

I can't wait to see it!

Here is another version of them(from the movie) from a little handout booklet from the vet where Dai Dai is:

Give me time to understand what you want of me.
Place your trust in me. It's crucial to my well-being.
Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
Before you scold me for being lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me.
Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when it is speaking to me.
Remember before you hit me, I have teeth that could hurt you, but choose not to bite you.
Take care of me when I get old.
My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you will be painful for me.
You have your work, your entertainment, and your friends. I only have you.
Go with me on difficult journeys. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember I love you.

Shelter Update

2008-10-01T00:55:00.002+08:00

OK...

We are all going to have a meeting this Saturday and talk about it. It's silly to put the blame on anyone until we get this all straightened out and it's obvious, since I am new to this, that I need to do more research and listen to all sides of the story before I start getting opinions.

Personally, All I want is for the dogs to have a better life and want to work towards that-period.

As for me, PMS is here again so I am overemotional. I really need to tell my bosses that this 3 school thing has decreased my confidence as well as my teaching and patience. But truth is, I am afraid that the relationship between them will get worse. My one colleague got excellent teacher award and she is at one school. I don't want excellent teacher award, but just want respect and to show them that I perform better when I am at one school.

OK I'm done...

More updates on the shelter later

More updates on the shelter later.

A Typhoon of Emotions..and a Typhoon

2008-09-29T00:07:00.006+08:00

Tsaotun shelter visit

Dai Dai!! Isn't he the funniest and cutest thing ever?!! :)

I'm sorry that I haven't written in a while. Like I probably have said before. Right now I am working at 3 different branches and have been given this class that has become a MAJOR challenge! On top of that, I am in the upper level Chinese class and am struggling. Not to mention, all the other every day things that need to be done and by the time rest time comes along I am too pooped to do anything but either sleep or veg out on Facebook or hang out with da Hino.

But, I have been trying to help out Taichung PAWS! The volunteers need desperate help and of course!! The doggies!!

So first the somber:

A couple of us decided to go to Tsaotun today since it is that time of the month and help out like we normally do. As circumstances would have it, today happened to be when the typhoon would start to hit REAL hard. Maybe we were crazy, but we wanted to help.

So, we get to the shelter and things went as usual...cutting the grass with the shears and sickle, cleanign the hair and poop and moving cages so the ground could be cleaned.

But then these two guys came to give us gifts...to thank us for helping out. To be honest, I think those of us that were there are still trying to figure everything out. Basically, as this was all going on, one of the volunteers noticed that a couple of the dogs had stitches (sorry if I am misconstruing this, if so please tell me!!) and she asked why. After a few run arounds we finally got an answer that was something like...the neighbors were complaining about the barking, and the landlord said they would evict the caretaker and the dogs so the caretaker HAD to cut out a couple of the dogs' vocal chords...?

...

?!

This came as a shock to us because the money that was spent on this asinine procedure should have been spent on getting these dogs medical treatment and other necessities. And just because those couple of dogs now have no vocal chords, the other dogs are still going to bark!!!!!

Ok, I'm new to all of this and yes, I am ignorant and naive, but this is just ridiculous! And I feel even more ignorant and naive because I assumed that these people knew how to handle a shelter and care for the dogs, but they don't!!

And what those two guys were doing there...hell if I know!! Apparently like everything else in this world, the system is corrupt as are the people.

My friend, one of the volunteers was so upset she ended up crying a couple times and for good reason! She is one of the founders of the organization and she has worked so hard to make things better and then something like this happens!!

And of course, I feel even worse because even though the puppy was a LOT better and healthier (well externally seen) I had to put it back in its cage and leave it there...and in the typhoon no less!

So now we have to figure what we are going to do about the shelter. This is a serious matter and we can not keep coming there if they aren't going to do jack shit to make it better!!! I mean, Jesus Christ!! The whole point of it is to MAKE THINGS BETTER and it's NOT!!!! It's worse!

But be on the lookout...if we can talk this over and get this fixed, we are hoping to have a fundraiser. I WANT a fundraiser for this shelter and I WANT these dogs adopted and into loving homes where the owners are smart enough as well as treat them in the best way possible!! Even if I am still tiringly(is that a word? oh well it's my word now) busy like I am now, I have decided to dedicate on or two days on the weekend to help Taichung PAWS!

I've also started walking the funniest and happiest dog on Saturdays with Hino. We go to a vet nearby and since this dog is being housed there temporarily until we find it a loving home, I volunteered to take it on a walk every Saturday. This lil guy's name is DaiDai and he is a pug (see above) and he is the CUTEST thing ever!! He seems to be healthy and he walks so adorable and happy!

I REALLY hate not being able to take these dogs home!! Once again...motivation for me to get my Master's , become fluent in Chinese and get a nice paying job where I can adopt these cuties!!!!

On a more positive note, I am happy to have great friends, DA BEST FAMBLY IN DA WORLD and finally, a great boyfriend who is actually there for me and get along with! I'm very grateful! Now, if I could just get Toetje (That's my name for da baby-His fur looks like Cookies and Cream ice cream and Toetje is Dutch for little dessert)and Dai Dai and Lucy and Star and Cinderella(Ok I don't remember Cinderella's name but for some reason I had a dream that was her..or is it his?? name) adopted then I wouldn't feel like such a wretch!!

And...TYPHOON DAY TOMORROW! No school! Yippee! :)

Tsaotun shelter during typhoon and otwo links to vids of Hino and I walking Dai Dai because it is almost 3am!!
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=43693115
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=43693310

He Stole My Heart

2008-09-02T12:34:00.004+08:00

This puppy randomly wandered into the Tsaotun shelter on Sunday while we were cleaning it. Supposedly this little guy's brother/sister was found dead nearby. He was scared and has white warts all over his underside if I remember correctly.

We have to keep him in the cage because the other dogs in the shelter are a lot bigger and could really hurt the little guy. The shelter's caretaker, another volunteer and I took turns holding him and cuddling him before putting him in the cage. We also fed him and gave him water.

The one volunteer asked me if I could take it home but there is absolutely NO WAY that I can no matter how much I want to (And BELIEVE ME!!! I WANT TO!!!!!) First, my landlord forbids ANY pets. 2. I work late morning like 11:00 to 10:00 at night...Tuesdays and Fridays, I am gone from 9am to 10pm because of Chinese class and work. I live on the 7th floor in the TINIEST studio apartment. I am leaving for Thailand for a couple daysin October and will be in Holland visiting family at Christmas and refuse to leave a dog anywhere besides someones house and noone would watch him for me anyway...plus NO money!

I hate myself for not taking him home!!!! But...everything is against me...I have been crying every night just thinking about him all alone in that rusting cage with noone to cuddle with...

And the worst part is...he reminds me SO MUCH of the family dog, Bogart, which just rips my heart even more!!!!

So I have been putting flyers at all three of my schools so that someone could take him to a vet and could give him a loving home!! I have been on Facebook trying to find someone who can help!!

As for Tsaotun shelter...it is getting worse. My biggest worry is the cages. They are rusted, falling apart and are soo uncomfortable and unhealthy for the dogs. The dogs need cleaned, the ticks removed and flea sprayed, but usually we only have energy to cut the grass (by hand using sickles and shears) and to clean the floor which has poop and hair...of course! As well as clean the food and water bowls...

The lady who takes care of the shelter does what she can but trust me, she does NOT look like she's rolling in money (no offense). On Sunday, there were 6 of us there, but that still didnt seem like enough people!! Besides, the Taiwan heat in August makes everything harder!

The shelter is in dire need of help. I applaud this woman for having this shelter for the dogs when so many Taiwanese are uneducated about animal welfare. I have heard so many horror stories of how animals are treated here. People here are very uneducated. For example, I went to the Jing Guo park one Sunday where TUAPA hold their pet adoption event every Sunday. The person I was with wanted to feed one of the dogs "pearls" (tapioca balls) from his Pearl Milk/Bubble Tea. I had to tell him dogs CANNOT eat that! It is not good for their stomach. That worried me...He had also told me stories where I wondered if he and his family were fit to have a pet. He didn't do it out of cruelty, it was just plain ignorance.

I also heard stories of Taiwanese kids putting rubber bands around dogs noses..or people doing it for whatever asinine reason and then the dog's nose is amputated or what not because the rubber band cut off its circulation. People really are stupid and terrible sometimes.

Sooo...with all this in mind..I REALLY want to find this puppy a loving home, but I'm scared that a family is going to leave him right where he was when he wandered into the shelter-scared, alone and sick. I wish I could take him away from all that and keep him and cuddle with him every night, but unfortunately I am not sure that situation would be better with my working long hours and such.

So please! Someone help him!!! Give him a loving home!!! Let him cuddle with you on the couch and give him the love and attention and fun and nourishment he needs...PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I am on hands and knees!

One last note...I deeply apologize for my ridiculously potty mouth in the last post. I've been stressed about work and frustrated with people. I guess I had been holding it all in and it just came out in a very stupid and negative way. Not to mention HIGHLY UNprofessional. I'm very sorry if I offended anyone and will try to be less rude in the future. But..I don't want to delete the post as it is a part of my life and think it is silly to do such.
(Plus my mom gave me a lecture about it and Mom knows best-haha!!)

Embracing the Bitter Foreigner In Me

2008-08-27T13:27:00.003+08:00

It's just a phase...

I am grumpy this week. Part of it (a BIG part of it) is due to PMS, but another part is due to the fact that I now have to travel to three different schools to teach and have started teaching a new class I feel I know nothing about. Plus, Chinese classes have started again which increases my busyness.

One thing that is pissing me off is that I am so fucking tired of people telling me I need to exercise more. I thought that ended with my ex, but apparently every god damn person in Taiwan...even my fellow expats give me that patronizing bullshit!

"I don't understand why you don't like bike riding or hiking?" And other crap like that. Because I don't! Thats why!!

Why the fuck are you so worried about me and my exercise habits?? Go worry about your own god damn life!!

I was doing good with the exercise and I was exercising for ME!!! Not for anyone else, but now that my schedule is back to busy, I am either too busy or too fucking exhausted to exercise. I just want to relax my mind and people giving me shit about exercise and my lack of confidence isn't helping.

Plus, it doesn't help someone's confidence if people are CONSTANTLY criticizing their lack of self confidence! Geez!

But I did get my hair cut and I love it!! I feel good! But now I need to work on my inner self confidence!

Now, my colleagues are great! I seem to get along with them fine, but yesterday I got really annoyed at the topic of "I'm too skinny" "

They were complaining that they were too skinny!! Now they are NOT Taiwanese, they are American. VERY nice colleagues but I was just so pissed!!

Jesus Christ how I would LOVE to be able to say that!!! I can't eat the fucking food here because I blow up like a god damn balloon...My legs are already cellulite enough and having a salad and tuna salad every day for lunch is the only thing that is helping me maintain my weight at an average weight...all I kept thinking was "$%^& you all and your $%#$%#$% skinny bodies!!!"

I even have students tell me I'm fat sometimes...although I ignore them, because they are kids and they don't know better. And as I mentioned before...my underwear size is a L or XL here when it was a S-M in the Western world...

Plus, I am missing my fambly a little bit. It's been a year since I've seen them and it will have been a year and a half when I see them at Christmas. I miss cuddling on the couch with da Booboo and watching Little Britain DVDs or watching "The Grinch" cartoon and decorating the Christmas Tree and sipping on yummy gluhwein! I am so excited to see them!!!

OK...OK...I'm done doing the whining shit...

On a positive note. I am glad Chinese classes started. My classmates seem to be at a bit of a higher level than me and even though I'm not one of the best students in the class anymore...I am happy because this means I will work harder to be as good as my classmates. This will prove to be a challenge for me and I hope I can pass with flying colors :) Learning Chinese and becoming fluent has now become a definite goal for me. Not only do I enjoy learning the language and have met some great people because of it, but this could really get my foot in the business door. Higher Salary, paid vacations and better benefits.

Don't get me wrong!! I love teaching English, but you have a better chance to support yourself financially if you have a job in the business world and can speak English and Chinese (maybe I will have a chance to speak German or Dutch to potential clients??)

One last thing I wanted to mention before I finish:

I'm going to Thailand in October. This is going to be a test of self strength and this should also prove to be a confidence booster. It is dangerous to go alone, but at the time, I had no one to go with me when I booked the trip. But if I am VERY VERY careful then this could be a great experience for me!! Like i said..I just have to be careful!!!
Plus, by then I will be crying for a vacation away from work! I want to lay out by the poolside bar and go snorkeling :) It will be great! :)

Night View of Taichung City...a refreshing way to cleanse myself of the "Bitter Foreigner"
:)

Cutting the Ties That Bind

2008-08-17T23:39:00.004+08:00

Actually, I have been thinking about this haircut that I'm going to get on Saturday and how everyone probably thinks I'm being ridiculous spending NT$800 on a haircut here (when you can get one for NT$100) not to mention the anti-frizz line they have out now that I am going to buy a couple products of. But I feel I need this.

I also have been thinking about this phenomenon(if you even call it that) of women who get their haircuts after a bad break-up, divorce or after something negative that affected their life. It seems silly and cliché to do such a thing, but there is a rhyme behind the reason, emotionally and symbolically.

Getting your haircut after something negative and significant means you are literally cutting off the negativity that held you back for whatever time. With each strand being cut away, you are closer to freedom, a chance at a positive change, a new outlook on life or maybe even a new life altogether.

You have embraced the past and now you are moving on to bigger and better and more beautiful things. That is what I am doing although on a somewhat smaller scale. Some previous negativity has creeped back into my life as well as new negativity haunting me and now it is time to cut it off to be swept away and put into the garbage can to disintegrate into the world and hopefully reincarnate into more positive energy.

I have very low self-esteem...always have and hopefully NOT always will. Even when I was 14-15 years old with a super thin body and boys crushing on me...I always felt like an ugly monster. But I wasn't! This holds true still today so I have decided to stop this nonsense!

How can others love me if I don't love myself, so I have been working on loving myself. Exercising more, reading uplifting books, remembering ALL the time everything I'm grateful for! and now starting to take care of myself better.

Ironically, when I was ten years old I hated brushing my hair. My mom would have to sit every night after my bath, spray "Johnson and Johnson's No More Tangles" into my hair and brush all the wretched tangles out while I whined and complained and constantly yelled "OW!"

18 years later, I take better care of my hair. I don't style it nice or anything, but I make sure that it is well conditioned and brushed. Although, in the heat, it is impossible with sweat, heat, and the wind from riding your scooter as mentioned before. And I need hair products that help alleviate these problems so that I can feel good about myself instead of going to work or going out with extremely hard and frizzy and UNMANAGEABLE hair...All these Taiwanese girls have beautiful shiny black hair(even in this HEAT and humidity) and then I come along looking like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz!

In all honesty..20% of this is to be attractive to men(which is what I shouldn't do but I believe it is better to be honest) and the 80% is for ME!

My stepdad took me last June to a salon in Amsterdam where I got this amazing hair cut and color and we both got facials...Haha! It was a great transition for me and even though I won't be getting my hair colored until November(Getting it done now is ridiculous because the sun fades my hair and the water here in Taiwan adds to that not helping. )

I am starting to feel good about myself for the first time in my life and I want to achieve my other goals as well.

I need this.

Viva La Vida and My Unwelcome Visitors

2008-08-17T18:55:00.002+08:00

Coldplay- "Viva La Vida"

I picked this as a title, because I think it is important to live life in a positive, safe yet fun way and to be grateful for what you have yet always strive for better. Plus, I love this song!

I had a very good weekend.

Things are going OK for me...NOT smashingly perfect, but I'm happy (although I want to strive for more).

But...there is always that BIG fear that I'm going to fuck it all up. This feels like a Bridget Jones's Diary moment.

I LOVE this quote from Bridget Jones!! :)
Bridget: "Next time I will not fuck it up Mom." Mother: "Language darling." Bridget: "Sorry. Next time I will not fuck it up Mother."

Anyways, to help me with my confidence, I am going to get my hair cut at an Aveda salon at the new Department store on Gong Yi Road. It's pricey of course, but my hair is in BAD SHAPE. The heat, the sweat, the humidity, and riding my scooter has destroyed my hair! I used to go to a place on Iie Jong Jie and only paid NT$1500 but they never seem to really cut it enough that the split ends are gone...I always show them where I want it cut, but they always do the slightest trim.

The Aveda clerk gave me a sample of one of their new products to make frizzy hair smooth for blow dry and/or straightening...I used it last night and my hair was gorgeous! It hasn't looked that good in months and the ONLY time it had looked that good was RIGHT after a trip to the salon!

I need major confidence boosters and I can't rely on people to give me compliments to make me feel better...I need to do that myself! I need to make myself better-inside AND out!

As for my UNwelcome guests...I have ants in my apartment. They are coming from the shower drain and from the outside of my door. It has made me crazy trying to get rid of them! Today I cleaned up my apartment and they are gone...for now...I REALLY need to find ant repellant and more ant traps. Maybe I should do that one day this week! CRAP! As I said that the $%#@% came back!!!!!!

Well..it's off to shower and then relax and read "Elements of Style"

I'm grateful for many things and hope I can strive to achieve my goals!!

Taipei Zoo Field Trip

2008-08-13T21:29:00.005+08:00

So today I went to the Taipei Zoo with a bunch of students from my school. At first, I was worried because I wasn't sure how the students would act and I was told I had to play games with the students and I had to get up at 7am!!!

But...once we all got together and were on the bus I ended up having a great day!! The students behaved soooooooo well!! Most of them even tried to speak English most of the time around me :) Even though I don't teach any of them, I was still proud of them!

There was even one boy who sat with me on the bus and even when the teachers would speak Chinese to him, he'd answer in English and he is only in middle level!! But...I think he had a crush on me because he kept trying to give me food and kept offering to do all these little things like throw away my trash. He even kept telling me that I am pretty and that I'm thin and kept saying, "Eat. you need to eat!" At the end of the trip he even asked me if I had a boyfriend. He also told one of my colleagues that he wanted to switch into my class since I teach at his school. Haha! I think he was a little guardian angel to help me see that I am a good person and tell me that I'm not fat, old and ugly. Sometimes we hear it from inside, but sometimes we need an external push to realize that we aren't as ugly or old or fat as we think we are!

Now if only I could find someone MY AGE that was like that. He was such a good kid and so he was one of my many Lil Buddies. I had a little clique of students and they would speak English to me and teach me Chinese and I would tell them about the animals in English and where they are from. One girl even told me (genuinely) that she learned a lot today. That really made my day!

All in all it was a fun day! Even though I want to get my Master's and try to really get my foot in the business door one day, at least I will have these great memories!

So here are the pics I took...not many because I forgot to delete old pics :(

Closeup of my fave Guanyin statue in Taichung County

On the bus

The group photo...although Taipei was HUMID and we were all dripping with sweat!

My Lil Buddies!

More Lil Buddies!

In the Penguin exhibit

Red Ear Sliders-we had two in Ohio

I wuv da elephants! Soo cute!

One of my fave pics! I want that Koala bag!

My colleague gave each an animal :)

Getting ready to go home!

Everyone says good good eat? Yes, they do...these snacks are yummy, but the package's English struck me funny.

John McCain VS Paris Hilton

2008-08-10T20:56:00.002+08:00

Apparently McCain used the image of Paris without permission so this is the cause and the outcome...

Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Adfunny videosFunnyOrDie.com

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

On a personal note, I have a social life again and have booked my trip to Thailand :)

Enjoy and I'll write soon!

Tsaotun slideshow

2008-08-01T13:30:00.005+08:00

Just one thing to say, unfortunately because there is no other way:

Du weisst wer du bist. Ich will es nicht mehr sagen. Lass mich allein! Du hast eine freundin! Instead of stalking my blog, go be with her! Nicht mehr zu sagen...punkt.

I hate posting drama on blogs...it's so pathetic, but this has to stop. I'm tired of men who beg for pity and worst of all..pity themselves. I know I have a tendency to pity myself but at least I notice it or if not, someone will give me a "mental" kick-in-the-ass and knock me out of it!

Anyway, that is all for that...it's finished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a more positive note here are the doggies from the shelter!!

Enjoy :)

Dog Day of Summer

2008-07-27T21:45:00.002+08:00

Today, I helped some of the other volunteers take care of a shelter in Tsaotun. It was sooo HOT out and sweat was literally dripping off of me. My eyes kept stinging from it, but it was so worth it!

The doggies there were so sweet there were two that I almost took home (almost being the key word because my landlord would NOT be happy with me, PLUS I have nowhere for them) :( But they were so sweet and so lovey! One of them was so lovey, I lovingly called him "Attention Whore" but he was sooooo sweet!

So we cut the grass...literally-with shears and something else! But, man, it was a good workout! We also scooped the poop (of course...it's a dog shelter...what do you expect??), wet the floors, did a scrub on the floors, refreshed the water, etc, etc. It was good...I can't wait to go back next month! Especially see those doggies again!

I will post pics once the typhoon blows over(tomorrow-no work tomorrow again thanks to these typhoons. I took a disposable camera that I had leftover and next time will be taking my digital.

OK, want to go relax. I'm sooooo tired!!

BTW, I'm really lucky and grateful. There are people..and puppies who have it a LOT worse! I hope someday I can help those... people and puppies :) I want a doggie so bad :(

some Things I'm Grateful For:

2008-07-26T20:37:00.002+08:00

I've been depressed and angry for the past week or two. Angry at the world, angry at my relationship, angry at my lack of social life, but most of all...angry at myself. Ironically, I am not angry at my job...my job helps me forget all those stresses-haha!

But a couple hours ago, I realized that I'm doing it again! I am feeling sorry for myself and that is so pathetic!

So I decided to put it all aside and be grateful for what I have. No matter what happens to my relationship or social life, I have many other things to be grateful for.

So with a small glass of sparkling rosé, I decided to type out the things that I am grateful for!

1. I am earning my own way
2. I have my family!
3. I have my health!
4. I have my own apartment
5. I am alive!

I mean this doesn't seem much but really...it's a LOT!

Right now, I am still sorting myself out. I have been sorting myself out for years now, but I don't think it is still fully finished. Well, it is never really finished nor will be, but I need to achieve a phase in my life where I can be...OK..

I don't think I am making any sense...haha!

Well...that is all I am going to type. I just want to relax and not think.

"I'm Voting Republican"

2008-07-23T13:06:00.002+08:00

http://www.imvotingrepublican.com/

Which reminds me...I need to fill out my absentee ballot info and send it off soon!

I also need to start getting caught up again on the polls and data...

As for my personal life..ehhhh I still feel like I'm in a small rut, but just need time and patience to get it all worked out...Am reading "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilber to get some perspective...

"Hold fast to your dreams. Never allow the enemy of self-doubt to destroy them." -Taro Gold

Women Like Us-My Second Blog

2008-07-22T12:56:00.002+08:00

http://womenlikeus.blogspot.com/

I started this blog because lately, I am feeling major pressure. Not necessarily from work, but from other pressures. The pressures to get married, have children, exercise, lose weight, take better care of myself, figure out my relationships (friend and love), figure out my future career, getting older, gravity taking it's toll on my boobs, cellulite, beauty, INDEPENDENCE(a big issue for me, presonally) etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc...

I feel alone. I have cut off contact with everyone so I have no friends anymore which is completely and UTTERLY my fault! So, I have no one to talk to about these pressures which make me feel worse and worse.

Although, I am starting to make friends...well..trying that is!

But I realize...I am NOT alone! I talk to my colleagues that have at least one or two of these pressures! And I know there are more women like me...like us!

I just wanted to post things that I find that seem to help my confidence and maybe...maybe...it will help others.

My background is chocolate because even though it's a stereotype that ALL women love chocolate, I just thought it fit. Like chocolate, women can be sweet or bitter or both at the same time. We can be hard but some might easily melt into a soft liquidy goo when the heat is on. We are different flavors: Chocolate with mint(fresh), chocolate with almond(nutty), chocolate with lavender (calming) and maybe even chocolate with chili (spicy/exotic). We are seductive and loving and smooth to the touch. We come in different shapes just like chocolate bars, chocolate cake or a chocolate orange. We come in different colors, labels and regions but our origin is the same.

Since I am still eating lunch and need to leave early to go get gas and go to work, the blog isn't fully finished. It does have one post though about foods that fight wrinkles...I saw it today and seemed good because I have been trying to eat more of those foods...

Well, I need to go...I am seriously craving some dark chocolate now!! Too bad i can't find any organic or Fair Trade chocolate here :(

Kenting: Pics & Vids

2008-07-20T21:13:00.002+08:00

Here are the best pics and vids from Kenting...snorkeling photos not here because they weren't as good this time :( :

Birthday Blues

2008-07-09T09:30:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, I was reeeeaaally depressed about my birthday. I have been stressing ALL week because I bought contacts this weekend and can't get them in my eyes! Now I KNOW I can do it, but it is going to take a LOT of time.

But yesterday, I was so pissed that I didn't even try...after exercising I hid back in bed and was close to tears that I am going to be 28 and can't even put contacts in.

Sounds silly, doesn't it? Well...part of the silliness is due to the monthly visit of "Aunt Flow" Thanks to "Aunt Flow", my mood changes are EVEN worse than normal, I cry over the stupidest things, I have a very short temper and patience, bad cramps and backaches and my hatred for men and people seems to get worse, etc etc etc etc. It's like the "Incredible Hulk" or "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

So on top of the contacts debacle, I started thinking so negatively. "28...2 years to 30...I'm going to be 28. All my classmates and friends back in the U.S. were married and with jobs by 24 and have kids now. What have I done?!? Nothing!" Also the thoughts fat, old, ugly and uncool haven't left my head for weeks and I'm tired of feeling fat, old, ugly and uncool!!!!!!!

But today I am going to set myself straight! I am going to stop being negative and feel sorry for myself and to be honest, I have achieved some things!!

For example, I learned Spanish, Dutch and German. Yeah I might not be able to speak them well anymore, but since I have already learned them, RE-learning will be easy if I ever decide to!

I am learning one of the hardest languages in the world: Mandarin Chinese. Granted, it is taking me longer to learn than it did Dutch and German, but hey! I'm loving it! I want to be fluent! How many of my friends back home has tried to tackle Chinese? Not many I'm sure!!!

My time in Amsterdam wasn't really wasted. Not only did I help my mom and stepdad out, but I also got a TINY bit of experience. The women at the non-prof that I worked for in 2005 took me under their wing and taught me everything about being a professional woman in the business world! I learned how to network, give professional presentations and deal with clients. My only regret is not staying with them longer!!!!

I also got some great PR/Marketing?Selling experience at the Australian Bar.

What have I accomplished in Taiwan??

Well, I finally learned how to be independent. I have a job, an apartment that I pay for MYSELF, I budget my money, I travelled to Green Island by myself, I am doing some traveling like I said I would and even though I don't have a Masters yet, I am going to work hard to achieve that goal and am already starting by looking up schools.

As far as marriage and kids go...sometimes I feel the pressure about getting married. I see the couples by the Art Museum getting their pictures taken...the Taiwanese brides in adorable pink wedding dresses and the Taiwanese men looking so smooth and cool... and I think that it will never happen for me. My Chinese teacher even told me that I'm "unlucky with men" which doesn't help me get rid of my theory of never getting married.

BUT...I'm not ready for it yet. There is so much I have to do before I even consider marriage!

And Boyfriend...he's not ready either. He has a LOT he has to do as well... He has to sort his life out, just like I am still trying to do with mine. So, it's OK.

It's better for us to take our time and not rush. There are so many people(women) who rush into getting married because of 1. the PRESSURES: age, peers, family, cultural norm and 3. We get too excited thinking about our dream wedding!

And once they do get married...it falls apart. I don't want that...I want a stable marriage..well... as stable as it can get-haha!

Anyway, that is depressing me again and that is NOT the point of this blog! The point of this blog is to say that I'm fine! So I am going to put on dance music (TMF Radio on iTunes-I miss Dutch dance music radio stations), get on that step machine and pump some endorphins in my blood so I can stop being a whining depressed baby!!!

At least I am getting away for my birthday! Kenting with Boyfriend...it will be so much fun!! With or without contacts in my eyes :)

高美溼地 Gao Mei Wetlands Images :)

2008-07-06T18:26:00.004+08:00

Finally!! Here they are, but in reverse order(sorry!)! Enjoy :)

My Exercise Update:

2008-07-03T10:20:00.002+08:00

So after I wrote this past blog entry about Doctors in Taiwan, I got a call from one of the volunteers at Taichung PAWS and she told me that she had all sorts of health problems when she came here to Taiwan, but when she started going to the gym, she felt good and healthy again....

Ding Ding Ding!!

That was the bell going off in my head that finally motivated me to start exercising. Unfortunately(or Fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I knew it would take something like a trip to the doctor and talking to someone I could relate to that would get me motivated to actually START exercising. It's not that Boyfriend meant any harm, but his approach was just not helpful enough.

And although it is NEVER too late to start exercising, I fear that it is too late for Kenting as I just started exercising yesterday and I'm going to Kenting(beaches which = bikini) next Friday. So I will just have stay mentally confident despite my wobbly thighs and flabby arms. At least my stomach is flat and looking good :)

But...I will also be 28 next Friday and I want to be skinny and feel good and healthy since I am two years close to 30.....AAHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I need to enjoy the rest of my 20's!!

So...I did 530 steps Tuesday on my cute lil step machine. Yesterday I did 730 and today I just did 1,000. Tomorrow might not be as many because I have Chinese class in the morning. And Saturday I plan on either going swimming at the pool or helping Boyfriend clean one of the houses his family is renting out... so somehow I will get a variety of exercise!

The good thing is, I feel good!! Yesterday, I felt great! 7/11 even had some fruit so for my lunch I had some apple slices, cherry tomatoes, grapes and papaya slices :) Yum!! At least 7/11 in Taiwan has pretty fresh food...for the most part :) I might also go to the Xiang Xang (Shyong Shong) market and get some fruit from a local vendor.

Well, I am off to the "Naked Cafe" to get my organic salad (well they "claim" it's organic-I really hope it is) and my yummy Chicken Focaccia sandwich to last me until I can get some fruit before I have to start teaching :)

Doctors in Taiwan...

2008-07-01T10:13:00.003+08:00

are EVERYWHERE!!

In my neighborhood alone, I have 3 dentists, 1 gynecologist/OBGYN, 2-3 general medicine clinics, 1 dermatologist (right next to my apartment building, I might add) and these are only the ones within walking distance!!

Health, medicine and insurance are quite different than from Holland, Germany and the U.S. You can buy birth control over the counter (and cheap!) A package of birth control pills would normally cost me US$30(NT$910, €19) each packet each month...Here you can buy one package(over the counter i.e. NO prescription) for NT$160 or US$5.30 (€3,30)!!!

Also when you have your insurance card, you can step in almost any clinic, pay about NT$100-NT$150(US$5/€3) and get 3 days worth of medicine. But they don't put them in the containers we are used to. They put them in little bags connected so you know which ones to take and when(most of the time)...Which makes it seem like you have a black hole of medicine...never ending!

And even though I mentioned this in a previous post, I will mention it again...I had a benign (harmless) tumor on my back for years and never had the health insurance or money to get rid of it. Once I came here, I went to the hospital and they lopped it off for me (OK OK they didn't just "lop it off") for only NT$300!! I was only in the operating room for about 20-30 minutes!! Now I just have a teensy weensy scar there and couldn't be happier!!

So, you are probably asking, "So what's your point? Why are you writing about this?"

I will get to that point.

Well, OK...I don't really have a point per sé...just a story. I went to a clinic by my house on Saturday because I have been sick with a cold and have been panicking that I might be spreading that Enterovirus(harmless to adults, but fatal to children) to my students. I've had a tiny bit of diarrhea (which I'm sure you LOVE hearing about that!! ;) ) the other good thing about doctors in Taiwan is that they can speak English although they understand mostly medical English.

When I went in to see the doctor, he asked me about me and when I told him about how many languages I could speak, he started singing in German (which kind of sounded like a nazi propaganda song from WWII which made me laugh and disgusted at the same time...I'll explain why later) So I told him what was wrong (cold, stuffy nose, sore throat, diarrhea, etc.) and he told me to stay away from air conditioning (HA!!! That's almost impossible considering Summer in Taiwan is the friggin HOTTEST!!!!!), to drink Super Supau (A sports drink) and...

"More exercise and sunshine"

.
.
.
.

"kyang" ( a noise Taiwanese make when something funny, embarrassing or ironic happens..in this case it was all three for me)

Boyfriend has been getting on my case about "more exercise" and there are times where we have had flat out arguments(and times where I told him to piss off) because I always feel like he thinks I'm too fat even though he INSISTS that is NOT the case(Although, his mother thinks I'm too fat and too short-how hypocritical and cruel is that?!?)...

But...it's a sign...and Boyfriend and Mr. Doctor are completely and totally right...I really DO need more exercise!! It's not about how fat I might be or might not be...it's about being healthy, raising my confidence and being...ACTIVE!!! I've been INactive for so long that I keep putting off being active for fear of...fear itself I guess...

Anyways, Doctor gave me a shot for my 3-4 month old cough. In all honesty though, I think the pollution here is a big part of my breathing problems even though Mr. doctor insists on the exercise and sunshine and the *gasp* avoidance of air conditioners.

So yesterday, I was feeling really loopy while teaching because of my medicine. I didn't feel like myself...I felt drugged even though it had been HOURS since I took the medicine. It was so embarrassing and I was praying that I wasn't freaking my students out. But it went away thank god, but then after I ate I had the stomach cramps again...I just can't win when it comes to health here.

Also, my urine is the color of orange kool-aid thanks to that medicine which makes me NEVER want to drink orange soda again :(

Another issue is when diarrhea is involved, how do you give your doctor the "Poop Report" without grossing him out or sounding utterly silly?? I found myself laughing while I was giving him my "Poop Report" although he was clearly NOT amused! haha!

The thing is, I'm not really that sick, but ever since I came to Taiwan, I am not very healthy..or maybe I wasn't very healthy to begin with (due to my INactivity the past couple years) and now going to the doctors is showing it...

Oh yeah and Mr. Doctor is injection happy!! He gave me yet ANOTHER shot today on my arm for the diarrhea! I have had three injections in the past week...the first one was to take blood for my residence renewal(health check-up), the other one was from Mr. Doctor for my disgusting Grandma hacking cough and today for my diarrhea...I'm afraid to go next time because of what other shot he is going to give me!!! (But, the injection for my cough has been working so I shouldn't complain).

On another note, two weekends ago, Boyfriend and I went to Gao Me Shi Di高美溼地 a.k.a the Gao Mei Wetlands in Cingshuei (Taichung County). Boyfriend has yet to send me the awesome pics we took of the wetlands and of the sunset, so here is a beautiful pic from someone else of how they look:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2314772858_fee376b4be.jpg?v=0
It was so much fun!! Boyfriend and I splashed in the water and mud and watched people having mud fights! We also rented a small toy bucket and shovel and searched for baby tiny crabs and put them in the bucket. Boyfriend hunted for the crabs and I went seashell hunting to decorate my apartment with!

It was so relaxing, fund and beautiful and the sunset was great!!!!! Then, we walked back and Boyfriend was so happy to have his grilled squid on a stick and I got to have authentic Taiwanese shaved ice with cream, red beans and pineapple!!!! YUM!!! I prefer Taiwanese shaved ice over Coldstone Creamery any day!!

So after that fun time in the water, Boyfriend and I finally booked Kenting!!! We are going to Kenting next weekend for my birthday :) I so happy!!! I don't care what happens as long as we have fun and my diarrhea goes away by then-haha! No, really, I'm serious.

I'll write again soon!

Things I Want to Do Before I Die and Things I've Been Planning for Years...

2008-06-16T12:22:00.002+08:00

My updated and shortened list from my Myspace page due to lack of time...

Things I have been planning for YEARS and finally have a chance to do in the very very near to kind of near future:
1. Buy Ikea stuff for my apartment like a new bed and furniture and organize it nicely. (the next two-three weeks I hope!!!)
2. Visit Thailand and travel Asia (the next few months)
3. Get my Masters soon(this may take a couple years though)

Things I want to do before I die:
1. Learn how to snorkel properly and take awesome snorkeling photos from ALL over especially Asia and maybe the Caribbean
2. Travel ALL over Taiwan!!!
3. Get my Masters
4. Become Fluent in Mandarin: speaking, reading, listening and YES...even if it kills me...WRITING!! (I am TERRIBLE at writing Chinese characters!!)
5. Learn Japanese or maybe even Cantonese
6. Re-learn German
7. Do some good and help others and preferably doggies!
8. Swim with the dolphins
9. If I stay in Taiwan, I would like to open my own business importing Fair Trade and Recycled products and clothing.

Places I want to visit(updated)
1. All OVER Taiwan
-Kenting
-Shitou Bamboo Forest
-Hualien/Taroko Gorge
-Keelung
-Beitou hot springs
-Maolin and Wutai
-Penghu Islands
-Orchid (Lanyu) Island
-Kinmen(Jinmen) Island
2. Anywhere in Japan that is cool, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido
3. Maldives
4. Singapore
5. Hong Kong
6. Vietnam
7. Boracay Philippines
8. Goa India
9. Nepal and/or Tibet for a spiritual and culture understanding journey
10. Mexico...Puerto Vallarta maybe??
11. Caribbean for snorkeling
12. Smaller islands in Thailand like the Similan Islands
13. SPAIN...I had a chance to go and I got screwed over...twice...I WILL go to Barcelona one day!
14. Greece..Santorini(Thira)
15. Provence, France
16. Hawaii
17. Macau

"I Con't Get No Sleep"

2008-06-08T23:06:00.003+08:00

A line from one of my fave club songs, "Insomnia" from Faithless

DJ Tiesto's version of the song from Sensation White
Reminds me of clubbing in Amsterdam...

The exhaustion is starting to set in again...or maybe it is because Boyfriend and I had to walk my dead scooter on Wenshin Rd. starting from the Xiang Shang intersection to Xitun...about a kilometer...in the 30 some degree celsius weather with high humidity.

We took turns pushing the scooter and in between he would ride his scooter and literally push mine with his foot while I "flinstoned" it and used my right foot to get it moving so he could push it along easier...

Scooter shops are closed on Sunday and the only one really opened was one he knew of...and it was the one that was a kilometer a way...

Before that things were ok except for my bed which I will go into later in more detail which will explain why I have this song lyric as my title...

So I will try to post pics and stuff of animals for adoption or news from Taichung PAWS on this blog. I am going to do what I can to help these animals and this organization! Plus I am meeting some wonderful people and they are expats and...they are NOT grumpy!! :)

As for my sleep..or lack thereof...I have been sleeping terribly and it is starting to affect me mentally and physically. I keep having headaches when I wake up...I'm exhausted. I am constantly having nightmares and weird dreams...a few weeks ago, I had a dream/nightmare that I was in my old house back in my Ohio and this guy(and a kid dressed the same but not his son) in creepy red face paint was trying to chainsaw their way through the front door and slaughter me with the chainsaw...I hate shit like that...I saw "Hostel" a few years ago and still wake up sweating with images from it...

My bed is literally as hard as a rock. I wake up with pains. Boyfriend complains about back pains from it...

you know, I was getting really bad before I went to Green Island and on Green Island, slept so hard and deep and when I came back it wasn't that bad...but now...it's bad again. I'm miserable.

So I am buying a new bed...I don't effin care. Boyfriend is trying to reason with me and play "Devil's Advocate" by asking me questions like "But how will you move it when you DO move out?" or, "How are you going to put it together?" (He asks that because I want Ikea and Ikea products are DIY) or, "Why don't you just leave the bed and get a new mattress??"

Here's why:
1. I have no room...My apartment is cluttered...getting a new bed means I can put my Christmas tree and suitcases under there and give me more room for organization.
2. This bed is ugly as sin...it came with the apartment, has done it's job but now it is time to go! It is dark brown wood and darkens my already small room...My white Aneboda bed from Ikea will lighten my room making it more cheerful and look bigger!!!
3. I don't know what size bed linens to get for this bed!!!! I only have one pair of sheets and there is no size on them! I know Ikea's sizes so that will help!!!!
4. My parents have Ikea beds in the guest room and my room...I've slept in them and slept fine! I miss them!!!
5. You can flip the mattress on Ikea beds
6. COMFORT!!!!!!!! Decent prices as well
7. ENGLISH on the tags...or at least Dutch and/or German.

The thing is...during the day I'm exhausted!!!! But Once I get in this bed...I can't sleep...It's around 23:45 and I should be sleeping peacefully after my hectic debacle with my scooter, but even after I read a bit (which normally helps me fall sound asleep) I am awake and dreading not being able to fall alseep and probably can't sleep until 1am...It is times like this where I wish I'd had a couple mojitos or glasses of wine after sitting on a lovely terrace at a restaurant on a sunny day conversing with family and friends and laughing...since this hasn't happened yet in Taiwan, I can only imagine this in Holland since that has happened a few times there...

Anyway, Boyfriend has been busy and we haven't booked Kenting yet...I don't want to be here on my birthday...Not that I don't like it here..but it's that fear of turning one year older and not enjoying your life as I should and seeing the things I said I would see by now, being adventurous, experiencing different things and trying to remember that I AM STILL YOUNG!!! I'm not arthritic yet!!! I've been starting to feel old since I don't go clubbing anymore, or go drinking and partying and only stay at home and teaching kids doesn't help that image either when they were all born when you were 15 or 16!! AND when New Kids on the Block has announced a REUNION tour!!! And TEN YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION...oh dear god...

Serenity now!!

See what this bed is doing to me!?! I could be washing these petty, silly thoughts away in a soft, dreamy bed rejuvenating me for the week....but NO!!! I'm here ranting these petty thoughts on a blog...

OK...time to find a way to get some rest...

Gone to the Dogs

2008-05-28T11:19:00.006+08:00

Bogart the Wonderdog!

Bogart the fambly dog. My parents adopted him from a shelter in Amsterdam. He is half-Maltese and half-Jack Russell. This is him wearing his orange and getting ready for Queen's Day in Amsterdam :)

Bogart as a puppy with his favorite rubber chicken in Zandvoort.

A photoshopped image(to look like a painting) of Bogart in the snow with his plaid fleece coat at a Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) in Dresden

I know nothing! Well nothing that can be put on a blog that is interesting.

Although, I want to start volunteering at this organization that helps street dogs and cats find homes. They are set up at one of the parks here every Sunday and boyfriend and I go and lament at how bad we each want a dog but no money, no space and my landlord won't allow it, plus I am out of the house most of the day everyday and it gets soooo hot in my apartment that it wouldn't be healthy for the dog.

But...when I do what needs to be done and move out then I should be able to get one! I really miss having a dog. My parents' dog, Bogart, is the best! My parents got him at a shelter in Amsterdam when he was a puppy. He is soooo spoiled, but we love him so much! I miss him (yes, mom I miss you guys too!! haha!) terribly and tried to replace that feeling of having a dog with a super soft terry/cotton fabric toy dog...He's good to cuddle with at night, but alas, it is not the same.

Boyfriend has been thinking about getting a dog. He always sees this half-Husky half-Golden Retriever mix and has fallen for it! He always wants to ask the guy if it is for adoption but doesn't want to be rude. But finally, he asked the guy on Sunday. I think it is up for adoption, but since my Chinese is limited and the owner guy was laughing and joking with me and speaking very simple English, I don't know if he was serious or not.

So anyway, now I am always going to the sites to see what dogs are up for adoption and to see about volunteering opportunities. I emailed them but they haven't emailed me back. Maybe I need to send a CV?

I was talking to mom about this and she has been lecturing me that I need to start meeting people and making friends. The thing is, I have been a hermit for the past couple of years trying to get myself and my life sorted that I have put friends on the bottom of my priority list and still am.
I also think that this has to due with my past experiences in Elementary, middle and high school. At those times, a lot of my good friends moved away and most of the others weren't good friends and were usually mean to me or made fun of me or spread rumours about me for whatever reason. So I've learned to detach myself...I'm not saying that it is a good thing, but it is my self defense.
Also, when you live abroad, friends come and go so easily! They move to different countries or go back to their home country and none truly stay forever. You try to email and stuff but soon it all fades away and you mesh back into your own life..moving on.

But thinking about volunteering for this group would be good for the doggies and kitties and good for me as well. I want to help those animals find good and loving homes just like Bogart did and hopefully one day I can adopt one of my own. I think it will help me because I can do some good and hopefully meet people with one of the same interests as me: DOGGIES!! :)

I know I am very busy with teaching and I still love it of course, but I really want to help doggies and kitties find good homes!

As for why you should NOT buy from pet stores, here is the wiki on that in Chinese, English and Dutch ironically!

Don't buy a pet from a pet store...adopt from a shelter or something! Here's why!

Chinese Version: http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B9%81%E6%AE%96%E5%A0%B4

English version: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_farming

Dutch: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broodfokker

Some Taiwanese websites:

Taichung Paws: http://www.taichungpaws.org/contents/eng/index.htm

Animals Taiwan (Taipei): http://animalstaiwan.org/index.php

savedogs.org: http://www.savedogs.org/english/index.html

If any of you who read this have any positive information about street dogs in Taiwan/Taichung or know of any more organizations that help these dogs, please feel free to comment. Even if I am not accepted to volunteer at this organization I want to contribute in any positive way I can!

One more thing...here is an American site where you can buy nice gifts, clothes jewelry, fair trade products, coll things made form recycled material and etc. Everytime you buy something from the animal rescue site, they will donate a certain amount of food to animals in shelters. I bought a few things from there and they donated like a 100 or so bowls of food from my purchases.

you can also donate to the rainforest, Breast Cancer fund, Child Literacy, Child Healthy and etc. Hmmm maybe I can ask mom if she can order me something from there ;)

http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do?siteId=310&origin=1460

Rainforest: http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do;jsessionid=20E96467764AC17655BC31DC306B3008.prod-a?siteId=221&link=Store_Header_ARS_to_TRS

Literacy:
http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do?siteId=2001&link=Store_Header_TRS_to_LIT

Child Health:
http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do?siteId=314&link=Store_Header_LIT_to_CHS

Breast Cancer:
http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do?siteId=224&link=Store_Header_CHS_to_BCS

Hunger:
http://shop.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do?siteId=220&link=Store_Header_BCS_to_THS

Same Ol' Same Ol'

2008-05-19T22:38:00.002+08:00

Snorkeling Pics from Green Island-bad quality but has motivated me to buy an underwater digital camera!!

I haven't written in a while because there is nothing exciting to talk about. Nothing that would be of any interest for a blog anyway.

I have been making plans to go to Kenting for my birthday in July. I am also trying to convince Boyfriend that snorkeling is amazing and he needs to do it! I am also researching Thailand for the end of October. Boyfriend hasn't had a NON-business (longer than a day) vacation in a loooooooooooong time so I am killing the proverbial birds with one stone and using this as a chance for him to relax and a chance for me to see Asia finally! Plus, as I had said in an earlier post, my 10 year HS reunion is in October and my better would be better spent going to Thailand (relaxation, beaches, shopping, snorkeling, nature, romance with Boyfriend) than going back to Ohio and drinking myself into a stupor and cursing out all my classmates and the American education system at some bar that EVERYONE frequents in my hometown. Oh lord...the thought of going back there...ugh...and the talk about marriage, baby spittle and cleaning products...I'm not ready for that!!!!! And the second I would mention having lived in Amsterdam and parents are there you know what they will say..."Dude! Amsterdam! You can get high there! Isn't that like in...Germany?" (Author's note: Most of my friends who knew me in uni KNOW that getting high isn't the only thing there and know that Amsterdam is in the Netherlands a.k.a Holland)

Anyway...
So as for Thailand...I'm thinking Koh Samui...good shopping, good beaches, good snorkeling and good nature. Boyfriend wants to do Elephant trekking and stuff, but after doing some research, I can't bring myself to do it. They abuse these animals for purely entertainment purposes and all of them claim to "save" animals when it is the COMPLETE opposite! I just can't bring myself to pay money to support this kind of behavior! Now, I don't know if it is true and I NEED to do more reading before I make any claims, but I READ that these elephants aren't even native, they are just shipped over so that companies get money from tourists. BUT don't quote me on that...I'm still researching that!!!!

Sooooooooo....I have decided to visit the Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park.

It looks nice! And I need to convince Boyfriend that this is a LOT better thank seeing malnourished elephants and monkeys on chains being forced to do stupid things for humans...I mean..I have to admit..when I first saw pics of these tourist things I was naive and assumed that they were taken care of, but after doing some research and seeing more pics...I can't do it. I would only go IF the elephants were in a habitat where they didn't have to lug people around and the babies weren't separated from the mothers and tortured into leanring how to paint pictures.

I heard the place to go to see the real Elephant Sanctuaries is Chiang Mai and as much as I want to go, they don't have beaches there so I have rejected this idea for now!

Well...I don't know anything special. Colored my hair and got it cut and love it! I only paid NT1500 (€30) for it too! Boyfriend and I went to Yi Jong Jie to get our hair cut and then went to those Japanese photo booths and got some crazy pics!!

My First Real Vacation Alone

2008-05-12T08:39:00.007+08:00

and it was to Ludau (Green Island) in Taiwan!

Here is the wiki on Ludau:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Island,_Taiwan

So here are my travel post recorded each day:
Green Island Day 1, May 7, 2008

I rode the train from Taichung to Taitung and it as so nice! I love riding trains! Then I waited at Fugang Harbour for the ferry and when I got on it and it started, all I could see was blue! It was so cool and I could see little flying fish! The sea looked like dark blue, wobbly "jell-o".!

Then I got to the island and then things got weird. So this guy with betelnut stained teeth (not as bad as his friends which will bementioned later) pickes me up along with his friends (who, I might add, was drunk I'm sure) and kept shouting at me and pointing, "Motorcycle! Motorcycle!" I kept trying to tell this guy in many simplified of ways of English that I knew that I wanted to drop off my stuff at the hotel first THEN get my scooter!!!! So I kept saying, "Hotel number 1, scooter number 2!" Then we arived at the hotel, checked in and went to my room. I looked out to see the view that I paid an extra NT$500 (only€10) and although my room is nice, the view is shite! I kept thinking, "I paid an extra NT$500 for this?!?!?!"But even though the view directly looking out my window was NOT what I expected, I noticed that when I was laying down on the bed...all that shite disappeared and I actually got a good view of the mountains! So then, betel nut guy takes me to get my scooter. It's an OLD orange Mio, and I actually wanted to buy a brand new one of these, same color and everything!

This scooter was a P.O.S. but I quite enjoyed riding it! :)

But after we got gas, the damn thing stalled and so betelnut guy took me to where his friends were until my scooter was ready or whatever. And these guys own a small diving company right by my hotel. Their teeth was even more stained from betel nut! And all I could think was, "If these are my 'hot' Aboriginal snorkeling guys, I quit HERE and NOW!" And so, this one guys keeps trying to tell me in Chinese that there are deer on the island and I haven't a damn clue what he is trying to say so he decides to show me by miming...it was sooooo hilarious!! Finally he drew me an even more hilarious picture of a deer (Chinese pinyin should be Hua Mei Lu) and at that time, it was time to go get my scooter.

This was definitely turning out to be an adventure!!

Then I finally got my freedom and drove around half the island (it only takes about an hour to ride a scooter around the entire island)

Click on the map to enlarge it

After driving around and taking some pics, it started to look rainy cloudy and I was getting tired from all the traveling (5 hours on train, 1 hour on ferry) so I took a nap and slept so hard and good! After I woke up, the hotel manager took me to a BBQ place where you BBQ at your table. When I entered EVERYONE in the place gave the look: "Who the hell is this foreigner, why is she here and what is she doing alone?" (On a side note: I had about 15 people ask me if I was traveling alone. And a few them said "Oh, you are so brave!" These were all Taiwanese people and apparently Taiwanese girls don't travel alone but whatever) It was very awkward and I got sick from food poisoning that Sunday (Doctor said it was probably from fish and the hot pot I had the night before) so the though of frying my own fish sounded soooo good and at the same time sooo bad! But Igrilled up some yummy veggies and got the hell outta there! Plus, the Taiwanese college kids there were drinking and singing really bad KTV/Karaoke and this was NOT turning out to be my Holiday of "PEACE and QUIET!"

Green Island Day 2, May 8, 2008

So I got up and my hotel breakfast consisted of a piece of coconut toast and a small glass of juice...I was a little disappointed at first seeing as I am a spoiled traveler, but got over it fast. So then I took my scooter and drove around the whole island seeing the sights and taking pics! It was so much fun!!!!! I went to Guanyin cave and prayed, met some nice Taiwanese women and took some pics with them on the shore, saw Sleeping Beauty Rock and Turkey Rock and then...did my favorite thing in the world...SHOPPING!!!!!! :) At 14:00 was snorkeling and beforehand I was soooooo nervous!! But my snorkeling really was a "hot Aboriginal guy"! Haha! But I am happy with boyfriend so there actually wasn't an attraction. So it was me, this American guy and his Taiwanese woman. Since "hot Aboriginal guy" had limited English...VERY limited, the couple had to translate for me and although the woman was nice the man was like most westerners here-stuck-up and grumpy looking. So for snorkeling in Taiwan, most wear wetsuits and lifejackets because most Taiwanese can't swim apparently. But the thing is, I really enjoyed having the wetsuit and lifejacket on, plus our snorkeling guide pilled us around while we held on to round lifesaver thingies so that we wouldn't have to do alot of work...I really enjoyed that-haha! Most Westerners do it sans wetsuit I assume, but I liked having wetsuit. As for my FIRST time snorkeling...it was AMAZING!! The sights were gorgeous, the fish were gorgeous and the coral was amazing!! We saw this one coral that was probably 7-8 ft. tall (I estimate this because our guide swum down to the bottom of it and it was WAY over his head) and this giant piece of coral grows about a cm a year! Unfortunately the only pics I took with my underwater camera were of the fish we were feeding before we saw all that damn cool coral!! :( If I'd known, I would have waited.

But...WOW!!!!! I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN!!!! (Author's note: I am going to pick up my snorkeling pics from the photo store today and I am praying they came out!!!!)

After that, I showered and went to the hot springs. The hot springs on Green Island are saltwater and only one of THREE in the WORLD! The other two are in Japan and Italy!!! So I went down to hot spring area(there are only 3 hot spring pools there) and there were some people there and so I went to the empty pool and put my foot in (which had been sunburned earlier that day) and OW!!! So effin hot!!! The people in the pool in front of me were laughing and at the faces I was making every time I put my sunburned feet in there and they finally told me that there was a cooler pool(but still warm)close by so I went over to that one and it was soooo nice!!! So stayed in there for a bit and relaxed. until dark when I drove back to hotel.
Green Island Day 3, May 9, 2008

Sitting in a tiny pavilion(beautifully shaded, I might add)overlooking the beach. The hotel manager gave me a free ticket to the "Sika Deer Ecological Park"and when I arrived I was really the only one there (well, it was only 9am) so this one girl at the park showed me all around. She took me to see the deer, so cute!! They also grow screw pine there which is a type of fruit and so I got to try the juice of course!
Ling Tuo Guo?? Screw Pine

And their adorable little dog, Ito kept following me around and when I sat down to have some ice cream and screw pine juice, he would jump up on the picnic table and then sit next to me and even laid his head on my lap a couple of times! I wanted to take him home! So I just got done walking down the bach collecting small shells and tiny pieces of volcanic rock or coral...I don't think you are allowed, but oh well. The sound of the waves is so nice and the sahde feels good on my poor sunburned face! I have about an hor and a hlaf before I go catch the ferry back to Taitung and I should go to 7/11 to get some snacks and a quick lunch, but it's too hot!! And I pray my snorkeling pics come out! So I got to wade my feet in the water and didn't have to worry about jellyfish after all!

I'm Happy!!! :)

(Author's note: Snorkeling pics (if they turn out) and slideshow of pics coming soon! )

Funny Things My Students Say and Do part 1:

2008-04-27T16:14:00.002+08:00

This is a picture my student made for a small project: "I'm really scared of:" All the other kids copied my example...they drew ghosts, sharks, jellyfish and spiders as did this one but this kid went a step further to confess that he is indeed afraid of falling off Tapei 101...
(I think you can click it to see a bigger image)

Unfortunately as teachers, we don't have to time to record EVERY funny or hilarious thing our students say, do and write, but I have been trying. I haven't recorded any in a long time, but here are some of my favorites. You have to understand though....these kids write and talk about "poopoo" or kissing and killing. BUT...I would much rather them talk about something such as killing and joke about it and KNOW that it is wrong and NOT do it! My students are awesome and are ALL good kids and make me glad to be a teacher!

OK on with the crazy quotes and stories:

These are from my former upper level class that I taught. I left EVERY class laughing hysterically!

A question one of the boys thought of for an oral test:
"Do you prefer an emergency or a car accident?"

I mean...how in god's name do you answer such a question?! But it made me laugh so hard!

"If I don't do what Jim say he will hit me, so he is really pushy."

"I always count my fruits because everybody give me fruits"

"The evil scientist will kill everyone if no one catches him."

"Jim alway count his money because he is very cheap."

"Jonathan was counting mosquito which he had killed yesterday."

It is these gems that I find in the homework or hear in class that show that these kids are trying to be creative and express themselves...and make my job a lot more interesting! We know that kissing(actually all of my students seem to be pretty disgusted with the thought of kissing-haha!) or killing or even poopoo aren't the ONLY things they think about, but they just want to be funny and break the mold of the doldrum school life and I am fine with it as long as it doesn't go too far. They are learning and trying and as long as they have that and keep working hard then it's fine.

Maybe you don't agree, maybe you do, but it is how I feel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyway, I did buy a new scooter! I love it! It is so liberating...although my fear of left turns will never seem to fade. Even when I drove a car I hated left turns and my scooter is no different...so I try anything I can to avoid left turns if possible.

Boyfriend was in Osaka and Tokyo for the week on business and had to work on his birthday, but he got to do some sightseeing in Tokyo this weekend and I can't wait to see the pics! I am planning that if he ever goes back to Japan on business that I might tag along and do sightseeing while he is working and if he has time off do sightseeing with him...that'd be cool!!!

I've just been so busy and next weekend one of my friends is coming to visit me, but I am so nervous because I am not sure what will happen...I have an itinerary, but no back up itinerary.And I don't know my way around Taichung by scooter well enough so am not sure where else I can take her...:( I'm so nervous! I hope she has fun!!! And on Sunday I wanted to take a bus to Dakeng, but seeing as my Chinese is limited it is damn near impossible for me to find information and times!! Public transportation does suck in Taichung unfortunately :( I was so spoiled in Amsterdam: buses, trams, metros and the night bus system were wonderful!!!!! Taichung's MRT won't open till 2017 supposedly...*sigh* So at least I have a scooter now :)

but I did do some shopping yesterday and today I deep cleaned my apartment only to have shattered an unopened bottle of the homemade strawberry wine we bought in Dahu :*( I was so distraught as it was so yummy PLUS it got all over my floor!! Ok, I am going to go get some dinner and come back and start grading HW! VERY VERY busy week!!!

And the week after next week...LUDAU/GREEN ISLAND!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!! Thank god!!! My brain is fried! I love teaching so much BUT I need a vacation!!!!!

Introducing My Students Episode 2 and My TEN YEAR High School Reunion...

2008-04-10T09:46:00.009+08:00

OK here are some more pics of my students during a Performance Day for the parents..this is one of my fave classes! These students are upper mid level and are a blast!

These pictures are from a KTV/Karaoke Contest for the lower/basic levels (or Kid's Club as we call it). These kids are just starting to learn English. These pics are my students and I'm so proud! Be warned: These pics are definite cute overload! I couldn't be there because I was at Sun Moon Lake otherwise I would have taken video.

The girls singing "Teddybear" You know the song, "Teddybear, teddybear turn around..."

The boys from my former class singing "Bingo"

The girls from my former class singing my favorite song for teaching English, "There's a Hole in the Middle of the Sea." such a fun song and the kids LOVE it!!!

So today I was browsing through Myspace to see what people from High School are doing and saw that there is a special page for 1998 graduates so I went there and saw that there is going to be a TEN YEAR High School Reunion in October.

I've thought about this for years now. What I would wear, what I would say. I even thought about drinking too much and cursing everyone in the place and cursing the American education system, BUT...I threw that idea out the window right away!

And now the time has come for me to make my decision: To go or not to go. Actually, after seeing it today it only took me 5 minutes to come to a decision and my decision is No, I'm NOT going....

Why?

1. I have to save a buttload of money for what? To fly 16-20 some hours to my hometown to a bar (Yes, the reunion is being held at a bar of all places) for one night that would probably be shite for me anyway as I didn't have a good high school experience.

2. Said money that would have to be saved is going to be going towards a trip to Phuket Thailand in November....

Let's see here: Dreaded 10 year HS reunion in crappy hometown or a VERY possible holiday with Sunny warm beaches, palm trees, Thai massages, coconut chicken, AWESOME temples and cool shopping in Phuket...What would you decide???

Think about it: US$1,000 which is about NT$30,000 gets me a 4-5 star hotel, breakfast, roundtrip flight, possible snorkeling and etc in Phuket (besides, I only plan on spending NT$20-25,000 for this trip-although it could be 30,000 including food and shopping)

The flight ALONE for this trip to my hometown for this reunion is probably US$1,000. Then I pay for the reunion ticket, food, drink, etc etc. It wouldnt be much but it would still be more than Phuket.

Yeah, I want to see my family in my hometown and in the states, but it's just too much money for me right now. Plus, my goal is to travel Asia! It is something I have been wanting to do for years and now I have the chance!

Plus: I feel like if I go back it is taking a step back in time to a time where I was miserable. And seeing these people married and with kids...I'm not sure I'm ready for that. That whole pressure and to hear them talk about the latest cleaning products, baby spittle and how they are all probably going to vote for McCain and I can just imagine some of them freaking out that I'm converting to Buddhism/Taoism and not a Christian anymore. I just don't want to deal with it. Yeah, I could not mention all of that stuff and try to "fit in" but that is what I did in HS and it did NOT work!!!! I'm weird, I like to be different-it is just who I am.

Anyway, enough babble. My decision is made and I'm OK with it. So now I have to make this Phuket dream come true!!

Our Weekend at Sanyi and Lavender Cottage

2008-04-07T09:48:00.008+08:00

Temple in the Mountains

A spectacular view

The view from atop Lavender Cottage

This weekend was Tomb Sweeping Weekend where families reunite to clean their family tombs, burn paper money for good fortune and put paper money on top of the tomb and secure them with rocks which I think is also supposed to bring good fortune.

So after Boyfriend did that with his family on Friday he surprised me by taking me to Sanyi-the woodcarving village. He's been wanting to go there for some time and I've just been wanting to get out and see more of Taiwan!

It was very interesting! We didn't go to the woodcarving museum, but there were lots of stores and each store had statues big and small of Guanyin, Buddha, the God of War, etc, etc, etc. So Boyfriend bought me a Buddhist bracelet with the Chinese character for Buddhism and Guanyin on a lotus flower carved into each bead of the bracelet. Guanyin is the goddess of mercy and is a great goddess to me.

So then we went to this Hakka Lifestyle store and they sold this stuff with the brand name "Lavender Cottage" it was nice stuff and so Boyfriend and I each bought a sachet with fresh lavender to put in our apartments. Then we picked up a postcard and saw that this was actually a place nearby so we bought a postcard so that we could go there and visit one day. Then, we ordered some Hakka dough balls(I had mine covered with chocolate) and Hakka tea that is Green Tea mixed and ground with rice and red beans. It's called in pinyin Lei Cha (擂茶) and here is the wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lei_cha

For some wiki info on the Hakka people go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakka

So then on our way home it was getting late and as we were driving home, I saw a sign for Dahu. I've been wanting to go to Dahu because they are known for their strawberries. So I saw the sign and said, "Oh, Dahu!" and Boyfriend said so spontaneously, "Do you wanna go?" and I said, "Now?! Are you serious?!" Apparently he was because that is where we went! Unfortunately when we got there everything was closed, but this stand that sold strawberry dumplings(but they stopped selling the dumplings for the evening..shame :( ) But after we had mentioned that I wanted to buy some strawberry wine (and the stores were closed) the guy at the stand went and found a guy who makes and bottles strawberry wine on his own!! So while we were waiting for him, the guy's mother or mother-in-law and this other woman and man were there so they asked if we wanted to try the strawberry liquor-50%. So we said yes. I took a sip and WOW!!! It may be strawberry, but that stuff was harsh!! My chest was on fire! So I decided against the strawberry liquor. When the guy came back he brought back another guy who must make the wine and two bottles. So boyfriend and i taste tested both wines and they were good! Super sweet like strawberry jam, but oh so yummy! Perfect mix with champagne and/or sparkling wine!

so after that we were back on the road and Boyfriend wanted to take me to a rest stop where they supposedly have a nice view of Taichung at night. But...not Taichung City like I thought...Taichung County..and well...much to my dismay the view was more of the parking lot and darkness in the hills...so not much of a view I'm afraid. But we did eat dinner there and saw the shark tank there which, doesn't it figure has sharks that are found where? Green Island which is where I'm going in May and these sharks are found in shallow waters by the coral reefs WHICH is where I will be snorkeling!!! Boyfriend loved teasing me about that because now I'm scared! I've never gone snorkeling before and this makes me nervous!

So then on Saturday, we got up late and decided to go somewhere else! We were going to go to Sun Moon Lake to admire the cherry blossoms, but it would have been 17:00(5pm) by the time we got there and that is too late, plus the 3 hour drive back. So Boyfriend mentioned going to this "Lavender Cottage" place so that is where we went!
Lavender Cottage
http://www.lavendercottage.com.tw

Little Blessing Cards people put on the trees and plants at Lavender Cottage

Lavender Ice Cream made with REAL Lavender....YUM!

Needless to say, this place was in the middle of the mountains and the drive was so beautiful and breathtaking for me (and a pain in the ass for boyfriend with all the winding roads up the mountain and narrowness). So then we got there and walked around and it was soo relaxing! We got to see many flowers and lavender and I even got to eat Lavender ice cream which was so good!

So then at night we decided to stay for the firefly tour which first started off as an informational thing where a guy talks about the firefly. Then he warns you that there may be poisonous snakes on the walk...Man! I'm just starting to become adventurous aren't I? snorkeling with sharks, walking around areas with poisonous snakes...this is a braver me than 10 years ago! That's for sure!

So anyway, the walk was beautiful!! When we got to a point to see the fireflies it was like we were in a fairy land. It was so dark, but the clear night sky(the clearest night sky I have seen in Taiwan and have seen in months!!!) and being in the mountains made it so breathtaking! The fireflies looked so much different than when I was a kid. It seemed so much more magical. And the sounds of the frogs and crickets made it so much more amazing!

This is the only video I could get of the actual fireflies. You only see a couple flashes from the fireflies in the beginning and then you hear me "Ssshing" Boyfriend because I hate talking on video because I always sound dumb! Which this time is no different-haha! I sound so ridiculous-anyway...here is the video:

So basically, that was my weekend...a lot more happened but I've typed enough here anyway. I did buy a scooter helmet though-it is pearlescent white with a black silhouette of a butterfly on each side and with a purple tinted long visor and the guy also threw in a mirrored UV short visor for free. So...I have scooter masks, I have a scooter helmet...now all I need is a scooter and to learn how to drive one!! So Boyfriend and I are planning on going next weekend to start comparing prices. :) Yay! I need me a scooter!

OK...talk to you soon!

My 5 Year Plan

2008-04-03T11:58:00.003+08:00

Last night, my mom and I were on the phone and the subject of me learning Mandarin came up. She always says that if I became fluent in Mandarin that I could really go places and find good jobs and couple probably make a lot of money.

Sometimes us kids think that is all our parents care about is that we are rich and successful and that they don't care about us. And when she first said that it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like she was saying "If you don't do this, then you will go nowhere. Maybe you are going nowhere now..." But then I put myself in her shoes.

She has had so MANY struggles to get where she is today and had many downs before many ups. My stepdad as well!!!! After my parents divorce, my mom and stepdad started from pretty much nothing and worked their asses off (not to mention suffer a few heart attacks) to get to where they are today: in a comfy home near Amsterdam and having the opportunity to travel, see the world, experience new things and etc. with the BEST dog in the world no less :)

So these comments that she makes are because she doesn't want me to miss out on the wonderful things that are waiting for me. She also just wants me to be happy and to be able to support myself and my (possible future) family if that ever happens. She wants that my future children won't have the aches and pains we have had with college tuition.

So I think when most parents say things like this, it may come out as being selfish, but maybe it really isn't. It is just concern for our happiness. They love us and my mom and stepdad are ALWAYS telling me how proud they are of me!! :)

Another thing she asked me was if I was sure that I wanted to stay in Taiwan. She said that after 6 months being here that I am still in the "Honeymoon" phase of living here. But I do disagree with that. Usually after 3 months is when expats in Taiwan go through "Culture Shock" and it seems a lot of expats here are miserable. But I'm not! Of course there are shitty things about Taiwan: the pollution, the stupid ass driving and traffic here, the fact I can't get an ATM/Debit/credit card without having someone I know who is Taiwanese sign some paperwork for it and etc, but there are bad things ANYWHERE you go!!! It is how you handle them that makes your experience good or bad.
It's the good things about Taiwan that make me realize it is a good place. The people, the cultures, the history, the temples, the festivals, the traveling(I mean I can travel to BEAUTIFUL places here in Taiwan or go to beaches like in Thailand or the Phillippines, go skiing in South Korea in the mountains, have an electric experience in Tokyo, see all kinds of awesome nature and animals ANYWHERE!)

I think I would LOVE to live here and then just travel everywhere else whether for business and/or pleasure! I mean I don't know if I will be here forever, but hey if it works, it works!

Another topic we talked about was me getting my Masters here. I am seriously considering it and my mom also mentioned that I devise a professional 5 year plan. I've never done one before but know that it is a good idea as most employers will ask you that dreaded question at job interviews "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

So I am not sure if this is how you do it, but here is my first draft of my 5 Year Plan:

My 5 Year Plan

6 Months

Higher level in Chinese speaking and writing proficiency
Continuing to work hard at my current job
Researching Universities in Taiwan for Masters Programs in English
Saving money for said Masters Program
Stay in Taiwan

1 Year

Higher level in Chinese speaking and writing proficiency
Close to that 2 year experience point at current job
Continuing University research
Continuing saving money
Stay in Taiwan

2 Years

Higher level in Chinese speaking and writing proficiency
Applying at Universities for Masters Programs
Continue to save money for Masters Program
Stay in Taiwan

3 Years

Higher level in Chinese speaking and writing proficiency
Masters Program
Job hunting for after graduation
Stay in Taiwan
If no Masters Program yet, then possibly DELTA certificate first

4 Years

Higher level in Chinese speaking and writing proficiency
Masters Program
Job hunting for after graduation
Stay in Taiwan

5 Years

Continue to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese
Masters Program (if 2-3 year) or hopefully graduated from
Working at a good company making good money so that my (possible) family and I can be financially secure, and if I have a child, have enough money to put away for college.
Stay in Taiwan

This No Scooter Thing Has Worn Incredibly Thin

2008-04-01T09:48:00.002+08:00

I must say, that this has to be my first "bitch post" on this blog, but I've had it! I need a scooter!!

What has brought this on?

Well, nothing really, but I've been sick for a couple of months now and have been trying to get better. I had the flu this past weekend and am STILL recovering from that as well! I have Chinese classes this morning, but I cannot go because 1. it is raining and cold. 2. the one chance that I had to get a proper raincoat(suited for bike/scooter riders) and I didn't do it and have completely forgotten to buy one since and am kicking myself profusely right now and 3. I have my bike and because of 1&2 if I go out in the rain riding my bike to Chinese class without a proper raincoat, I will get sick again and I CANNOT afford to!

This may not seem like a big deal but I really enjoy and need my Chinese classes and I hate missing them! I had to miss Friday's lesson because of the flu and now today and I'm really peeved...at myself mostly, but am also cursing the rain gods.

So now you are probably asking, "So what does a scooter have to do with this?"

Many reasons. My bike is good exercise and I like it, but when it is raining, it is the BIGGEST pain in the ass to ride my bike in the rain. I am left wet, cold and eventually sick. My immune system still seems to be getting used to Taiwan and teaching kids (who constantly cough WITHOUT covering their mouths) does not help the situation. So when it is raining, it is a lot better to have a scooter. Also, when I have been sick, I've had to take a taxi and even though taxis are cheap here (Unlike Amsterdam where it is so effin expensive), it would still be better for me to drive myself to the clinic. I cannot ride my bike when I am sick obviously, but a scooter isn't a lot of effort and would make it better.
A scooter can take me farther than a bike in a shorter amount of time. This aspect concerns shopping. Usually on weekends, I need to go to places like Carrefour and buy toilet paper, laundry detergent, fruit, etc, etc and I like to buy bulk because I don't have time to go every couple of days like I did in Amsterdam. I usually go every couple of weeks. Plus my grocery store isnt across the street like it was in Amsterdam. And Carrefour and all those other places are pretty far and actually pretty dangerous by bike. Very busy area, massive traffic and not exactly safe for a bike rider. And I always rely on Boyfriend and I don't want to have to rely on him. He's busy enough as it is.

There are soooo many other reasons, but it is silly to list them all.

So that is my rant. Next month, come hell or high water I am buying a damn scooter!!!! And once I have more time and money, I am going to go another clinic to help me get rid of this post nasal drip that I've had for like 2 months and to another Chinese medicine doctor to help KEEP me healthy...I'm so fuckin sick of being sick all the time!

Hopefully my next blog post will be somewhat more positive :)

Spring is Here!!

2008-03-30T21:33:00.002+08:00

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

2008-03-16T19:56:00.013+08:00

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

2008-03-12T22:05:00.003+08:00

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

2008-03-09T21:26:00.003+08:00

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!

The Break-up

2008-02-26T12:45:00.005+08:00

I don't want to talk too much about this as it is my own business, but as of this weekend, Boyfriend and I are no more.

There are MANY reasons as to why we have decided to go our separate ways, but one reason was his family. His family(or probably his mother) said I was "not tall enough and not thin enough" for him. I guarantee these aren't the ONLY reasons why she objected to us being together as I am super liberal and American and NOT Taiwanese.

There is a lot more to this story, but I don't feel right talking about it in a blog. I just wanted to mention that because that is a big cultural difference between Chinese/Taiwanese culture and Western culture.

Now I know why I have yet to see a Taiwanese man with a Western woman. Taiwanese men seem get a LOT of pressure from their families about everything.

I also seem to have a problem with mothers-in-law. They never like me. Maybe because they feel threatened by me. I say this because my star sign is Cancer and Cancers sometimes have that "Motherly instinct" Now of course I DON'T want to be a mother to my boyfriend..that's just odd, but I want to make him happy and take care of him-it's just my nature.

So anyway, I've been a mess and yesterday was absolutely depressed. Today, I feel better. I am not going to talk about it anymore because it makes me feel bad and it is none of your business. The good thing is is that once I started teaching, the kids made me feel better without them realizing it and after teaching I felt like my positive self again and was reminded of why I am here: for the kids.

OK, so Saturday I went to the Taichung Park to see what they had going on for the Lantern Festival...it was nice, but it started to pour so I left an hour after I arrived. Here are some pics and video:

Other than that, I know nothing. I am just taking it day by day and staying positive. I just want him to be happy and I feel that this decision is the best thing he needs to search for true happiness in EVERYTHING. I am going to miss him dearly and hope that one day we can be friends. If you ever read this; Thank you for everything.

Couples Who Karaoke Together...

2008-02-13T12:58:00.008+08:00

Stay Together!

Tomorrow, February 14^th 2008 (coincidentally the Westerner’s Valentine’s Day) is the Lantern Festival and if I’m not mistaken, it signifies the end of the Chinese New Year.

This week has been a week of relaxation, cultural education and spending time with family (even though I wasn’t able to spend it with mine).

Wednesday was my first day off and since Boyfriend had to prepare with his family, I decided to take a taxi to Iie Jong Jie by myself and do some shopping. I bought my candied tomatoes on a stick, bought some cute shirts for only NT$150 each (about €4) and some other small things. Afterwards, while walking home, I stopped in a small store selling tea. The owner was really nice but I kept trying to tell him in broken Chinese that his tea was too expensive for me. It was packaged tea from all over Taiwan! Alishan, Sun Moon Lake, Hualien, etc. So finally he showed me a “High Mountain Oolong” tea from Sun Moon Lake and brewed up a pot for me. He is a tea connoisseur and seeing as I am a tea snob, I couldn’t say no! Unfortunately, his English was limited just as my Chinese is limited, but ironically, we communicated through Yahoo! Taiwan’s online translator on his laptop. It was really good tea so I bought a couple packages and he threw in a ceramic tea steeper thing for free! My rest of the night was followed by relaxing, laundry and watching DVD’s and movies on TV…Ahhh…such bliss! J

Thursday was interesting. I wasn’t expecting to hear from Boyfriend as he was busy with family stuff for the new year and even though the night before he said he would ask his parents if I could go to the temple with them, I still didn’t count on it. But, as I was in the video store I got a call from Boyfriend telling me he would pick me up in 5 minutes to go to the temple! So we first went to his parents’ house where I met his parents again (his mom even gave me a red envelope with some money in it!!!!) and I met one of his sisters for the first time! So we went to the temple and prayed and I admired the big gold Buddha and the architecture and the garden. The good thing is it is right by my neighbourhood! After that, we went to a Japanese style fast-food restaurant (Tonkatsu- it is actually one my fave restaurants…OK, OK I have a LOT of faves J ). We then walked around the park near NOVA and the One building and then Brian took me home.

Friday,I had lunch with Boyfriend’s family before going to the Changhua Flower Festival. His mom had cooked a whole goose (head, neck, butt and all) and some yummy veggies so we ate that. I was so glad she didn’t have us eat the head, neck or butt otherwise I probably would have gotten sick! But I did take photos! I have to say it was SO nice to have a home cooked meal! I swear… if my grandma (American one from the South, not the German one) were Taiwanese that would probably be what she would have made! It just tasted like comfort food!

Goose head staring right at the camera!!

Goose butt (middle) or in Chinese: Goose Pigoo!!

When we got to the flower festival it was evident that I truly was the only foreigner there!! I know because Boyfriend and I were looking for other foreigners! The entire time, I got nothing but children staring and pointing me and saying in Chinese, “Foreigner!!”, “American!!” (Please note most Taiwanese consider any foreigner to be American)

Anyway, there was a lot of food and a lot of booths selling flowers. Here is the food I ate:

Little fried bird eggs covered in tomato sauce on a stick (see photo)

Little girl frying up the bird eggs to put on a stick...

2. Fried Digua (Sweet Potato) ball

It's purple, don't ask me how or why...

3. Glutinous sweet rice dim sum
4. Strawberries and cream
5. Yummy fruity yogurt drink
6. Yummy and hot flower seed drink (what is cassiae, by the way?)
7. Cotton candy of course
8. And some more dim sum

Boyfriend was craving squid and he was whining to have one but I told him I refuse to eat squid!! But I did take a photo of the grilled squid on a stick!

It turned out that Boyfriend bought 3 miniature rose plants and got a 4^th one for free. So he gave that one to me! J Afterwards, we went home and we ate the leftover goose and veggies his mom made as well as this REALLY good radish/turnip soup his sister made! Then all of a sudden, Boyfriend disappeared and I was stuck at his parents’ house watching a Taiwanese dynasty soap opera with his brother and sister not knowing what was going on. Then his parents made it back home and I soon found out Boyfriend went to take a nap. So then they turned on the karaoke and we all sang! I was horrible but it was fun! His parents were sooooo cute singing Chinese songs together!! Then after everyone went to bed, Boyfriend woke up and was singing Wang Lee Hom songs for me J Asians truly love their Karaoke/KTV(KTV is karaoke but with the original voice still on the track) and just as my title says, “A couple who karaokes together, stays together!”

As for Saturday, I didn’t really do anything, but Boyfriend and his brother and I went to RT Mart and I bought a water cooker so that I can have hot tea in the morning as well as instant noodles and soup. It is sooo cold here and since I don’t have heating of any kind, I need hot tea! After that, I watched TV and read my printouts on Green Island as I want to go there in May.

Sunday, Boyfriend had to visit relatives with his family and so while he was doing that I rode my bike to the Science Museum and Botanical Garden. I went to the Botanical Garden first and although it was nice, it was smaller than I expected and it made me sad as I want warm weather again and I want to travel around Taiwan and see waterfalls, and flowers and all that!!!

After that I went into the Science Museum and met up with boyfriend there where we walked around the Chinese Science, Medicine and etc part as well as the exhibit on Austronesian Aboriginal Culture. It was nice. So I finally got to see the Water Clock as well as some other things. Then we went to a Teppanyaki place nearby and for dessert I had a fried banana drizzled in honey while boyfriend had fried taro drizzled in honey…YUM!!! I want more!

So, all in all, I’d have to say that my first Chinese New Year was just right! I’m happy with it, although the weather is freezing cold here! It wouldn’t be so bad if buildings had heating here, but oh well. Now, I’m yearning for sandy white beaches, warm sunshine, hot springs, waterfalls, etc, etc, etc. I have caught the travel bug and plan to travel once the weather gets warm.

Before I go, here is one last Chinese New Year related photo:

This is a photo of radish plants that symbolize something good for the Chinese New Year...

Ringing in the New Year...Again...??

2008-01-31T13:04:00.000+08:00

February 7th will be the start of the Chinese New Year(a.k.a. Lunar New Year). I am still learning about it so unfortunately I do not have a lot of info yet but hope to in the following weeks.

I am already getting excited for it! Not only will it be very exciting and I will learn a lot but I get 5 days off to enjoy it all!!! Boyfriend and I will be planning one or two day trips during the weekend to go one or two days next week!

Unfortunately, I might not get to spend most evenings with Boyfriend as Chinese New Year is almost strictly a family holiday (plus, I am not sure his parents have warmed up to me yet...a VERY liberal American girl who speaks VERY little Chinese, absolutely NO Taiwanese and wears LOW cut shirts...needless to say they are VERY traditional Taiwanese with Chinese ancestry and a bit older than my parents who were hippies in the 70's and what not)
Then again, maybe I will..who knows? I'm fine either way, because Chinese New Year is FILLED with superstitions and I am bound to offend people...if I haven't already!!! That makes me nervous...

Anyway, not only am I craving Cherry Blossoms but I REALLY hope I can see Lion Dances!!!

Well, I need to get ready to go to the school...I am actually NOT tired of my job(I STILL love it) or my colleagues and ironically I am still happy with my students...BUT...I NEED a break!! I'm tired, drained and just want a vacation!

So I am going to leave you with a Youtube Lion Dance video, maybe some other videos if I can find them and resources on Chinese/Lunar New Year...

OH! If you are in Amsterdam/Holland then I highly suggest you visit Chinatown in Amsterdam next weekend!! The Buddhist temple on Zeedijk will surely have something as they did last year (unfortunately I didn't make it) and their headquarters are in Kaohsiung (Taiwan)!!! Definitely go if you have the chance!

http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/culture/lunar-NY/

http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/15-day_celebration.html

http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html

These are videos of Lion Dance and some are from Lion Dance competitions which are really cool! I was watching one on Discovery Channel last night!!! It is soo cool!!!

OK this one is in Rotterdam..I forgot about Rotterdam!!

OMG!!!! So cuuute!!! Adorable kids singing and dancing for the Chinese New Year!!!!

I Wrote Too Soon...

2008-01-28T01:00:00.001+08:00

Thanks to my wonderful mother and stepfather (which once again proves that I am spoiled :) ) I got to register to vote for the Primaries via Internet and downloaded a form to receive my absentee ballot for the November Election!

So I do have a chance! And I am going to post the links on here so that you do too!!

http://www.democratsabroad.org/

http://www.votefromabroad.org/

It is 1:06 am here and I seriously need to get to bed!

I did get to deep clean my apartment today as well as study my Chinese and wrote a couple Chinese New Year cards! My landlord also brought me a new remote as mine wouldn't work and so now I have been watching Taiwanese Teen Soap Operas!! i love them, but they make me miss Boyfriend... Now I'm watching an old Chinese history movie from the 50's or 60's...

OK...I write soon hopefully :)