Aperture Adventure: Taiwan and Canada: 2008-07-06

some more vacation shots

Mountain Rain and a flooding restaurant

Four and a half months in Taiwan/ two weeks in Dongshih

Images of my "rural" town. Taiwanese and Canadians have a very different idea of space.

Dongshih is located in the central east part of the map above.

Four and a half months in Taiwan/ two weeks in Dongshih

I'm back in Taiwan after my adventure in Bangkok. Leaving that crazy capital city and coming back is a relief! If you read my last blog you will note how my feelings have changed. I laughed when a reread it. Without going into detail I will say my experience with the hotel staff left me angry and frustrated . These days though, I am not focusing on that bad, just working on making the good things better. I left my crap job for a great one. My new apartment has hardwood floors and a disco ball (ha!). The fruit and veggies are truly amazing in this area, which is an interesting mix of mountains and the tropics. I live in a little mountain town equal to the size of Perth, Ontario. There is not a lot going on here so exercise teaching English and studying Chinese are how I spend most of my days.

There aren't many foreigners here. I get a lot of looks walking around. Some people's jaws drop when they see me, or, their eyes bug out a little. I thinks its humorous that I could be the first foreigner that a child has seen. I have heard other people left here (black and white skin colour) because they didn't like the feeling of too many eyes pressed against the fish bowl. So far the only thing that kind of irritates me is the incessant stream of hellos I get. I know its weird to be annoyed by people that are being polite but just imagine some days every 50 meters a jaw drops or someone shouts, "Hello!". I do like when a get a fading drive by hello from a student on a scooter, " Heelllloooo teeeacher........" All in all I have made a great decision to come here. My life has a good balance now.

Yilan to Thailand

Sitting in a perfect Bangkok hotel I realise I am awaiting a fresh start in Taiwan. I will go back to a new job, a new town, new people and food. I am curious about what lies ahead and disappointed to leave Thailand so soon. I will be exploring Bangkok for the next few days, soaking every new sensation in. Just listing some of the food available here should demonstrate my point. Appetizers such as layered spinach, parmesan and cashew baked into a heavenly gooey tower or lobster, calamari and shrimp salad if you want something a little lighter. Red, green or yellow curries are served with seafood, tofu and chicken, fresh fruit smoothies, yummy Thai beer, lemon crepes with brown sugar, oh my! For breakfast, I run down from my wicker room and eat fresh fruit with yogurt and homemade granola. .. I could go on on, and perhaps I will in another blog. All of this delicious food is served at the Shanti Lodge, a piece of heaven recommended by another foreigner. The rooms are cheap, the food divine and the atmosphere is so calm and relaxing it is hard for me to leave the open air restaurant with its beautiful wooden furniture and orchid strewn walls. But the rest of Bangkok is interesting too. I went to a muay thai fight last night. It was fun and exciting but a little disturbing when one of the younger fighters got knocked out and left on a bamboo stretcher.

Generally speaking this city seems to be less intense about work and creating a structured society when compared to Taiwan. It is a relief to leave the monoculture for awhile. I know many people don't like Thailand because it is filled with expats from every curve of this earth but I am enjoying every face that walks by. Asian, Arab, North American, European, African, a little slice of everyone is here. It is great to speak English instead of Chinglish or a strange game of essential charades.

Nearly four months in Asia and I feel like I am just beginning to understand parts of it. It was a hard decision for me to leave my job, but I am delighted I did. I didn't come half way around the world to be mistreated or work for an employer where the contract fluidly changes in only their favour. The school I worked for was in sharp contrast to the hospitality and curiosity of most Taiwanese people. Anyway, I have spent too much time and energy on that school. Now I will enjoy my solo journey in Bangkok, every English sentence exchanged and every bite of simple delicious delicacies.