? Bearbabes (???) - ??
Taiwanese band. Give it a listen!
On the way home from the movies (The Green Lantern, just in case anyone was wondering - not my favorite), my family shared a ride with another American expatriate, Mrs. C, who lives in our building. We talked about places in the States that we had and had not visited, and Mrs. C said that one of the places she had not been was Washington D.C.
My family was not appalled, but surprised, that such a well-traveled woman had never been to the nation’s capital. I feel like there’s just a certain feeling that at least I’ve always had, as an American, visiting D.C. I may not be the most patriotic American out there, but I can’t help but feel…I don’t know…proud (?) when I walk along the Mall, or gaze into Lincoln’s stony statue face. If not pride, then if anything it’s an appreciation for the rich history of the relatively new city, and it’s significance to not only the United States but to the world. Even for non-Americans, D.C. is just an impressive place to visit by sheer looks. I mean, it’s a cool place.
We all spoke about this on the car ride, and Mrs. C said that she had planned to visit D.C. with her family, but her husband’s first international assignment in India had caused them to cancel the trip and move across the world. She then said that while she and her children had never visited the capital city, they had been to so many other amazing places that many Americans would never dream of visiting. I realized when she said this how extremely lucky I am to have lived many years as a ‘regular’ American, but then to have traveled to so many wonderful other countries and met countless other people and learned about unique other cultures.
I’ve said this dozens of times but I’ll say it again: I love Taiwan, and I love traveling around Asia. My experiences have been exceptionally enriching, and I wish I could share the joy of world travel with everyone. There’s just so much out there to see and do.
Disclaimer: This is a rambling, less-than-coherent, potentially self-indulgent, requisite pre-departure entry.
I guess one of the many things I’ve learnt on exchange is that goodbyes are never easy, even if they also herald the start of a new adventure. No matter how much you want to embark on something new. Not because I’d rather stay, but because of all I’ve invested in one place. One comfort zone.
I never thought I’d be able to call The Mansion home. For the longest time, it was always ‘the house’. I’ll always remember how stoked we were to find it, and to move in; how it quickly became a part of us. But it still never compared to Singapore, where Home was a HDB flat in the heartlands and a country in which we would always belong. This was in-between time, time spent in limbo when I’d look around at whitewashed walls and wonder who had inhabited this space before I did, how insignificant our presence was in the sands of time.
But I guess I adapted, learned to craft a space of my own, scribbled little pieces of my soul on post-it notes that quickly adorned my wall. How do you not learn to love a life here? Placid as sleepy Hsinchu was, it stole into our consciousness, nestled itself comfortably in our hearts.
I remember thinking, before I left Singapore: How do I leave a lifetime behind? Tonight I am learning that four months out of a lifetime is just as hard to move on from. At the same time, I do think it is time to go. I have learnt so much from this place; about myself. I am not that young, and not that scared.
Thank you Hsinchu, for having me. Thank you for these four months - for the love, laughter and all the memories. Next stop, Seoul!
Formosa Fun Coast. This is my favorite slide :)
Fan Tuan
Pretty awesome how they custom make it right in front of you…
[Taipei, Taiwan]
Flavored beer…
CC Lemon…
Apple Cidra…
The Suntory is hiding…
[Taipei, Taiwan]
Rainy Day by mookio ?? on Flickr.
NMA on Groupon
this was probably the most memorable experience of my Taiwan adventures, and is added to my mental list of favorites. The river was in Wulai, and Rock (appropriately named) was our guide. We suited up in wet suits, anti-slip shoes, helmets and life vests before heading out to a relatively calm river on a clear day. Not only did we trek up the river, swim and climb rocks, we also went through and up waterfalls, jumped off cliff edges, and had to complete team-building tasks. The day lasted 6 tiring hours, but was well worth it. Rock had a waterproof camera, and sent us some nice pictures. River tracing is not common, but i suggest you try it if you’re able and fit enough to!!
the big hall by VOFAN
the reflection of the trees and columns on the tile here for some reason reminds me a little of the roman pool at hearst castle