Rock Climbing

About 2 weekends ago I went rock climbing.  It turns out that for Jacob, it is his one true obsession , and since I like to rock climb and I have a scooter we went together.  I'm no way close to good but it was fun to mess around on this random wall that we found.   After we were driving and we went around a walled area and decided to check it out. I was a Chinese Heritage Park or something, so we paid the 50NT and look around.  It was fun to be exploring again, I've missed it. 

My Birthday, My Hair, My Kids and yours

I have just loaded my pictures from the last 15 days of my life, and I have decided that I'm boring or I the pictures representing my life are, either way. But I do have a few things to update on.

My Birthday

I took that day off from school and went shopping in the morning, but still had attend the required staff meeting. What's the point of taking the day off when in the middle of it I had to attend an hour long meeting. Oh the joys of head teaching, and responsibility. After the meeting my lovely roommate, Lish and one of the other teachers, took me out for lunch at Amici's. I love Taiwanese Italian food. As a treat for my birthday I though that I would go get a massage. But before you get the idea of zen music, and relaxation in your head, let me tell you how it was. I had heard that it was a bit different than the states but I had no idea. There was zen music, but the relaxation was replaced with pain.

I guess in Taiwan its good to brake blood vessels to promote circulation. But doesn't do that do the opposite? Oh Well. But within the hour long pain fest, there were times where I had to practice deep breathing to keep myself form screaming out, " Hey lady, what the H$$ are you doing to me"! But when it was time to go I started to get up and felt kinda wired, like I was on drugs. So I did the get the desired effect, euphoria. But unlike other massages where these feeling are brought on from peace and gentle rubbing motions, it was most likely brought on by endorphins being pumped into body because of all the pain I was in. But after the drug like high ended I had the bruises to remind me of torture that I paid for.

After I had returned home I finished my lovely Birthday cake, and made my Birthday dinner of Enchiladas. Yummy. Don't feel sad for me that I made my own birthday dinner, I wanted to.

So I'm 23 and loving it up. I don't know how I'll top 22 but some how I know I will.

My Hair

I wanted to get my hair washed on my birthday but I just didn't have the time to. But the day after I went and did it. Happy Hair is hair heaven. After a 20 min head massage, (this includes sitting in a massage chair for the whole time, which in some ways was better than the one I got on my birthday, you know, no bruises is a plus) and having a pound of my hair thinned out and it was done. I love it! I feels so much better, especially in this heat.

My kids and yours

Upon returning to teaching on Wednesday I got a nice surprise. One of my kids called me Miss Laura. I then ask most of the other kids if they remembered the old teachers, from 3 months ago now, and of course they did. So I found a few others and ask them the same questions. I hope you like these messages.

It's nice to know that even after all of my Berhan friends are gone, I get to continue their legacy though the kids they taught.

Don't worry for those that do not have a message this time, I'll try to work everyone in. But I just turns out that I'm around the MK and KBR/ BR/ 1st grad kids a lot, and they are here all day. Sad:(

High Speed Rail and Oregon in Taiwan

This last Saturday was a very good day.  I woke up late, I have been in the habit of waking up at six so this was exciting.  I watched Bear Grylls, the survivor guy on Discover.  A very attractive and rugged man, not to mention can drink his own urine in order to survive(perhaps not that attractive).  Then I schleped around in my robe till noon.   One of the other teachers saw me in the the bathroom and in my casual attire and in a expected salutation said, "Good Morning".  I was in such a blissful mood that instead of giving the same back to her, I just said, "I know" and bounced out of the bathroom back to my bedroom. 

Other than my exceptional morning, I also did a few things, such as laundry, bought a ticket to Hong Kong, and made my bed.   That's right my friends after a few minor changed I will be going to Hong Kong in October.  But the week before while I was in Taipei I bought a Tokoy travel book, and was laminating the uselessness of it.  Then my roommate Lish said wouldn't it be fun to go up there and exchange it. And then I though to myself yes, that is wonderful idea.

So at 1 ish we hoped on a train for a whirlwind Taipei adventure.  I'm more of a planer than spur-of- the -moment person, so good for me.  After figuring out where the High Speed Rail was( that took sometime) we were on it, and 45 min later we were there.   I was expecting to be pined down to my seat with the extreme G forces, and have the skin on my face be pushed back exposing my skeleton, but sadly it was not the case (Boo). 

We got there returned the book and got the correct one, ate dinner at Chili's (oh sweet joy, a real salad, and plenty of cold water), and on the way to the Night Market in Shinlin, I saw a fashion show. It was fashion week in Taipei.  

 

We caught the last HSR back to Taichung, we had to wait a while for it, and when it did come in the excitement I lost my ticket.  You have to have ticket to get in the station and the same one to out of the station.  So when we finally arrived they said in order to leave I would have to buy another ticket.  But don't you worry I complained like any ex-customer service agent can and I got out of paying. (Go me)  But it ended up being a good thing because we had to take a taxi all the way back to Fung Yuan. It was about 630 NT less than 20USD but still a spendy ride. 

Next

While I was at Page One the best book store ever.  I was looking though a few sections and found a book about Mt. Biking in Oregon.  I was so excited I almost cryed, and got very close to buying it. This wasn't the only time I have found things from my home state in such a close vicinity. I was a Sue's (a bake shop) and found a can of Oregon blueberries. 

Oh, Oregon I miss you. *sigh*.