Rollercoaster life.
Well, I'm rich, broke, bored, excited, relaxed and insane all at the same time.
Let's start with Thailand, I have no idea how much money it cost me, the numbers don't add up for me so it's time for a visit to the bank. Not that I keep good track of the numbers, but when I'm spending money, I pay more attention. I went to Thailand with $1200CAN and took out about another $800 Can, for a total of $2000CAN ($50,000NT). From this, Ii got to go to Thailand for 2 weeks, ride an elephant, go white water rafting, go to the site of a National Geographic Magazine hot spot (Long Neck Hilltribes) as well as a dying culture, spend 20 hours under the sea free from being encapsulated and free to interact with my aquatic surroundings. I got to see a man eating shark and I was a potential food source, I got to go on night dives and cave diving. I also got to meet one of the most enlightened people on the planet, the Grand Bhudda Master of Thailand, one of the 3 people under the Dhali Lama. I got to see vast cultural history, drive a tuk-tuk and a motorcycle taxi, see a red light district and birng home some awesome souveniers.
Now, for my life in Taiwan. I have lost 2 weeks of work, spent $50,000NT, paid bills, bought a housefull of furniture and I plan on moving into a new 3 bedroom apartment requiring me to pay a damage deposit and rent, a total of $50,000NT ($2000CAN).
So, it's a cash diet for me. Work is going well, I'm enjoying it... I think, I make good money, I think my new place might actually not cost me more than my current place and I am out of vacation. I feel I will hit bottom on this for finances and might have to take some money form my bank at home, but hopefully I can SCRAPE by. The secretary who pays me at my school also offered me a pay advance.
Ii know this place will lead me to a healthier lifestyle with less stress. I think my roomates are great. Nick is the prefect roomate, loves to clean, lives on his computer (actually makes me look like I don't even know how to spell "PC") but he, and his satanic cat, are leaving for Canada in Sept. Paul is one of the coolest dudes I know, he's got about ten years on me and has much wisdom on life (mostly well guided) but we cannot seem to occupy the same space as well as we'd like to. Also, he has a cat that likes to shread my stuff, Paul is much more willing to accept deterioration of material possesions than I am. Maybe this is something I should be working towards, being free of attachment, but I'm not sure that's his motivation either. Anyways, we can be roomates or great friinds, but I doubt both. He said he'll get rid of the cat if I stay, but I doubt that will happpn, and if it does, things will not be as cool as intended. So, I'm moving out.
My weekend.
We, the usual crew, had planned to catch an 11PM cruise ship to Peng Hu Friday night after class. Then we'd rent scooters and a boat and cruise the islands in search of the perfect place to camp. Well, Sanvu, thought that another weekend would be better... did I mention that they have Chinese names for Typhoons such as "Sanvu", meaning "coral" in Chinese. So, since there was a typhoon, the girls didn't feel like being stuck on an island smaller then my old high school gym in a typhoon would be all that fun, so they bailed. The cruise ship also seems to cancel return trips if there is a typhoon, something about rough seas, it's only happened to me 2 of the 4 times I've gone to Peng Hu.
Backup plan: Saturday morning, Kenting, Taiwan's southern beach paradise. Nothing but sea, sand, hotels, and nightlife. Well, Nick and I checked, the whole islands raining and will contunue to do so... something about typhoons bringing low pressure systems = rain?
The OTHER backup plan:
THE NO-ARMY PARTY!!! It's been 4 months since the Police and Army have come to our place for complaints about noise (I have been out of town for the last 3 of them). So, we decided it was worth celebrating, and if they come again, we'll offer them a drink.
Here's how our weekend worked:
Sleep late on Saturday, get up around 2pm and do nothing but veg. Watching tv and playing video games on the couch was cool, there was a super nice crisp breeze form the rain, so it was a nice change from the tropical heat. We then met up at 7pm for Korean BBQ on the 14th floor of SOGO (17 story shopping center). At this BBQ, you can order all you like and BBQ or Hot Pot it right at your table. We ordered beef, chicken, crab, lamb, pork, veggies, clams, scallops, fish, eeel, and a bunch of stuff we are still unsure of. It was great, and everything was soooo fresh. We stuffed ourselves and then proceded to the 24 hour grocery store a few blocks from our place. We bought orange juice and some Russian pride. McDonald's was somehow requested before our warm up. Next, was the poker game. Loser drank a shot of vodka each hand... 1.5 bottles down, 3 to go. We walked the 4 blocks to the KTV and rented a room for 2 hours, we brought our refreshments and they provided the mics and the ice. We had a blast, and were about 10 minutes from being finished at the end of our 2 hours, we had sang just about every English song they had. We were out of Vodka and had long run out of orange juice. Nick wanted to go to McDonald's for ice cream. Paul was weird and wanted to go home, so he did. and the girls and I went with Nick to the end of the block where the McDonald's stood. The drive thru is 24 hours, so, like responsible consumers, we paper, scissors, stoned to decide who gets to drive and who gets to ride shotgun in our "car". We lined up beside the order window, revved our pathetic engine and made horn honking noises, they had no ice cream or beef because it was after 11pm. WHY ON EARTH would McDonald's stay open if they weren't going to serve ice cream or beef?!?!?! Nick got an apple pie and we waited 6 minutes for it (fast food?). I walked home with the girls and Nick followed. Nick was in his own little pie world, walking down the main street (4 lanes each side!) moving from one lane to the next and back in his random saunter home. Taiwan is NOT like home, after 11 o'clock, the streets are DEAD, there are less cars on the main streets as there are in Uncle Greg's lane at 4am. So, the 3 cars just went around him, he had no interst in coming with us, after all, he had an apple pie. It was one of the funniest things I have seen in Taiwan, not a care in the world but an apple pie. We got him into the back alleys where he could bump into things rather than be bumped. He wasn't stumbling, he was just... drifting home. Sunday morning, the girls and I went to the Jade market and then to a cool restaraunt downtown for lunch, they were sold out so we went to Bagal Bagel, a foreigners place, I had Lasagna. Then it POURED rain and we were still downtown. My rain gear was in my bike across the street as it was beautiful when we pulled in. We got home and I went out with one of my co-workers for dinner. She's from a farm near Wakka, Sask, about 150Km from my parents home... small world. We have great talks when we finally have time to get together.
I had to work today, I went to Subway for a HEALTHY lunch (as opposed to McDonald's) and they were out of bread, so off to McDonald's. I also have a peice of paper form the government, telling me to do something (pollution check?) to my Motorbike before September (last year), so I dropped it off at my mechanics before work. I took the mechanic's helper for one hell of a ride on the back of my bike as he dropped me off at school, it was fun. I had parents watching my classes from a little window, so my fun was somewhat limited, but I got a new kid for each class. Umm, we also have an 11am staff meeting tomorrow!!! Aaaack! Damn new teachers! Why do I have to do this? Maybe I suck and I can learn something, or maybe I rock and I'm wasting my time. Dunno, and I'm sure my boss won't tell me so I might as well go.
Goodnight.
Let's start with Thailand, I have no idea how much money it cost me, the numbers don't add up for me so it's time for a visit to the bank. Not that I keep good track of the numbers, but when I'm spending money, I pay more attention. I went to Thailand with $1200CAN and took out about another $800 Can, for a total of $2000CAN ($50,000NT). From this, Ii got to go to Thailand for 2 weeks, ride an elephant, go white water rafting, go to the site of a National Geographic Magazine hot spot (Long Neck Hilltribes) as well as a dying culture, spend 20 hours under the sea free from being encapsulated and free to interact with my aquatic surroundings. I got to see a man eating shark and I was a potential food source, I got to go on night dives and cave diving. I also got to meet one of the most enlightened people on the planet, the Grand Bhudda Master of Thailand, one of the 3 people under the Dhali Lama. I got to see vast cultural history, drive a tuk-tuk and a motorcycle taxi, see a red light district and birng home some awesome souveniers.
Now, for my life in Taiwan. I have lost 2 weeks of work, spent $50,000NT, paid bills, bought a housefull of furniture and I plan on moving into a new 3 bedroom apartment requiring me to pay a damage deposit and rent, a total of $50,000NT ($2000CAN).
So, it's a cash diet for me. Work is going well, I'm enjoying it... I think, I make good money, I think my new place might actually not cost me more than my current place and I am out of vacation. I feel I will hit bottom on this for finances and might have to take some money form my bank at home, but hopefully I can SCRAPE by. The secretary who pays me at my school also offered me a pay advance.
Ii know this place will lead me to a healthier lifestyle with less stress. I think my roomates are great. Nick is the prefect roomate, loves to clean, lives on his computer (actually makes me look like I don't even know how to spell "PC") but he, and his satanic cat, are leaving for Canada in Sept. Paul is one of the coolest dudes I know, he's got about ten years on me and has much wisdom on life (mostly well guided) but we cannot seem to occupy the same space as well as we'd like to. Also, he has a cat that likes to shread my stuff, Paul is much more willing to accept deterioration of material possesions than I am. Maybe this is something I should be working towards, being free of attachment, but I'm not sure that's his motivation either. Anyways, we can be roomates or great friinds, but I doubt both. He said he'll get rid of the cat if I stay, but I doubt that will happpn, and if it does, things will not be as cool as intended. So, I'm moving out.
My weekend.
We, the usual crew, had planned to catch an 11PM cruise ship to Peng Hu Friday night after class. Then we'd rent scooters and a boat and cruise the islands in search of the perfect place to camp. Well, Sanvu, thought that another weekend would be better... did I mention that they have Chinese names for Typhoons such as "Sanvu", meaning "coral" in Chinese. So, since there was a typhoon, the girls didn't feel like being stuck on an island smaller then my old high school gym in a typhoon would be all that fun, so they bailed. The cruise ship also seems to cancel return trips if there is a typhoon, something about rough seas, it's only happened to me 2 of the 4 times I've gone to Peng Hu.
Backup plan: Saturday morning, Kenting, Taiwan's southern beach paradise. Nothing but sea, sand, hotels, and nightlife. Well, Nick and I checked, the whole islands raining and will contunue to do so... something about typhoons bringing low pressure systems = rain?
The OTHER backup plan:
THE NO-ARMY PARTY!!! It's been 4 months since the Police and Army have come to our place for complaints about noise (I have been out of town for the last 3 of them). So, we decided it was worth celebrating, and if they come again, we'll offer them a drink.
Here's how our weekend worked:
Sleep late on Saturday, get up around 2pm and do nothing but veg. Watching tv and playing video games on the couch was cool, there was a super nice crisp breeze form the rain, so it was a nice change from the tropical heat. We then met up at 7pm for Korean BBQ on the 14th floor of SOGO (17 story shopping center). At this BBQ, you can order all you like and BBQ or Hot Pot it right at your table. We ordered beef, chicken, crab, lamb, pork, veggies, clams, scallops, fish, eeel, and a bunch of stuff we are still unsure of. It was great, and everything was soooo fresh. We stuffed ourselves and then proceded to the 24 hour grocery store a few blocks from our place. We bought orange juice and some Russian pride. McDonald's was somehow requested before our warm up. Next, was the poker game. Loser drank a shot of vodka each hand... 1.5 bottles down, 3 to go. We walked the 4 blocks to the KTV and rented a room for 2 hours, we brought our refreshments and they provided the mics and the ice. We had a blast, and were about 10 minutes from being finished at the end of our 2 hours, we had sang just about every English song they had. We were out of Vodka and had long run out of orange juice. Nick wanted to go to McDonald's for ice cream. Paul was weird and wanted to go home, so he did. and the girls and I went with Nick to the end of the block where the McDonald's stood. The drive thru is 24 hours, so, like responsible consumers, we paper, scissors, stoned to decide who gets to drive and who gets to ride shotgun in our "car". We lined up beside the order window, revved our pathetic engine and made horn honking noises, they had no ice cream or beef because it was after 11pm. WHY ON EARTH would McDonald's stay open if they weren't going to serve ice cream or beef?!?!?! Nick got an apple pie and we waited 6 minutes for it (fast food?). I walked home with the girls and Nick followed. Nick was in his own little pie world, walking down the main street (4 lanes each side!) moving from one lane to the next and back in his random saunter home. Taiwan is NOT like home, after 11 o'clock, the streets are DEAD, there are less cars on the main streets as there are in Uncle Greg's lane at 4am. So, the 3 cars just went around him, he had no interst in coming with us, after all, he had an apple pie. It was one of the funniest things I have seen in Taiwan, not a care in the world but an apple pie. We got him into the back alleys where he could bump into things rather than be bumped. He wasn't stumbling, he was just... drifting home. Sunday morning, the girls and I went to the Jade market and then to a cool restaraunt downtown for lunch, they were sold out so we went to Bagal Bagel, a foreigners place, I had Lasagna. Then it POURED rain and we were still downtown. My rain gear was in my bike across the street as it was beautiful when we pulled in. We got home and I went out with one of my co-workers for dinner. She's from a farm near Wakka, Sask, about 150Km from my parents home... small world. We have great talks when we finally have time to get together.
I had to work today, I went to Subway for a HEALTHY lunch (as opposed to McDonald's) and they were out of bread, so off to McDonald's. I also have a peice of paper form the government, telling me to do something (pollution check?) to my Motorbike before September (last year), so I dropped it off at my mechanics before work. I took the mechanic's helper for one hell of a ride on the back of my bike as he dropped me off at school, it was fun. I had parents watching my classes from a little window, so my fun was somewhat limited, but I got a new kid for each class. Umm, we also have an 11am staff meeting tomorrow!!! Aaaack! Damn new teachers! Why do I have to do this? Maybe I suck and I can learn something, or maybe I rock and I'm wasting my time. Dunno, and I'm sure my boss won't tell me so I might as well go.
Goodnight.
posted by Colin at 1:25 AM
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