Holiday Taoyuan

... Some of them are so hard to make. Besides learning the sounds we also worked on the 5 tones that they use in the language! So much to learn. Our teacher is great, though she wants to only have 2 classes where she uses English and then wants to switch to all Chinese! That might be a little overwhelming but I guess it will make me learn it! It is fun to be a student again too. It keeps things in perspective with what my students are going through learning a second language ...

... to keep their comments PG13. So now...they say things like 'Doing things that are tiring'. (when they are referring to sex. One day I was talking about how magazines like to use pictures of sexy men and women on their cover. Sam immediately put his hand up. 'Teacher, you said we couldn't talk about sex'! 'Sam, baby...I WASN'T. Sexy is an adjective...you are allowed to use adjectives...you just can't use the NOUN or the VERB'! (You know you're a ...

... travels till it runs out and then comes back to make more. It's funny because he's a white guy...with bleached blonde dreads. It's an interesting combination...but I think it works for him. Anyway, he's a dance-floor-*****...so we were just havin' a blast. We started partying at like...5 PM and I think I was all done by 9 PM. It's weird...leaving a club right when most people would start getting ready to go out! Back in June, I decided that I ...

... Some hours later he messaged back saying he had already planned to have dinner with his friends. I started to get a bad vibe. Monday rolled along and I politely asked him if he had any plans on doing something with me before he left the country. His response was 'I'm going to be really busy. Plus, I have more important people to see'. I was like...OUCH. You know...forgive me for the stereotype...but I can only base my observations on my personal experiences...but I had forgotten ...

... but because his recent hostility against Taiwan to kiss China's ass), was dropped in this new version of Top 10 list. Though I do believe Venezuela has some very friendly people, I don't think I will put that country back in Top 10 until Chavez leaves office. So, here it is, three openings for my "Top 10 places I haven't been to but want to go." Which three new destinations makes it to my updated Top 10 at this moment? Voila, here they are... 10. Somaliland: Another country that ...

... must say that I did not feel uncomfortable at all, everyone was very nice and helpful. I did go into a department store, just before it opened, what a sight. At the top and bottom of all esculator and around the store all the workers were lined up, when you walked pass they would bow and say (in chinesse) "hello, may I help you" it was fantastic. Although I needed some new clothes as I did not have my luggage during the stopover, I did not buy anything ...

... amp;B places where he got great breakfasts. His son visits the Waldorff school. The opening of the new highway No. 5 has not improved the homestay business as expected because although more people visit Yilan, they also drive back to Taipei the very same day. I retire to my room at 11:00 pm - can you imagine how I feel after a short sleep,19 hours, 34 km and 1.700m up? I am dead tired, but already beyond the sleeping point. I will stay another night just to enjoy.

... had his main residence up here, and that's what I went to check out bright and early on Saturday. Chiang Kai Shek, or just plain ol' CKS, was the leader of the Kuomintang, the political party that fled here from the Communists in 1949. The Generalissimo then carried on his dictatorship of the island till he died in 1975. And in true dictator style, he needed a grand house to watch over his minions from. The main house isn't open, but you're free to wander the ...

... happened to be having a birthday bash in Taipei the same time that I was down in HK taking care of visa issues. So I took a big gulp of courage, found a cheap plane ticket (unfortunately there are no boats--I checked!), and took the short flight over to visit for a few days. When Starr wasn't busy working, celebrating her b-day, or attending the wedding of a Taiwanese pop ...