I'm a bad person

It's true.

I should be posting to the blog more often. I should be taking lots of pictures. I should be documenting and taking in all of what I'm doing here in Taiwan, and then communicating it with all of you back home.

But I'm not.

Instead, I'm working tons of overtime, and eating at 7-11 too much because by the time I'm off work, everything's closed. I'm sick because of the pollution, and I have to walk in it, sucking it all in, instead of buying a scooter like everyone else, and contributing to the pollution. But at least then I can wear a helmet and pollution mask.

I don't know. Sorry. I'll try and get on the pictures soon. We FINALLY bought a fridge. A wonderfully nice client from where I work drove us out to the 'used' section of town (because I can barely read a map), and spoke for us, and read, and bartered for us, and now we have a fridge.

I'm completely illiterate. I can't read or write. I can't speak the language. I can't take care of myself here. I can't buy food, let alone a fridge! I guess everyone should experience illiteracy at least once in their life, but I've got to get off my ass and figure this shit out now!

Truth is, Danielle and I have been working at our Chinese as well as our 10-hour workdays will allow. I'm beginning to understand the written aspects, and Danielle the oral aspects, of Chinese. We joke that together, we make one Taiwanese person....Truth also is that most expats here never bother to learn Chinese at all. One guy we bought a few household things off of has a Taiwanese girlfriend and has been here 5 years, but is unable to say "He's coming" in Chinese. That says so much about foreigners' own arrogance and insensitivity. Because Danielle and I can say "bichon lu cha" (passionfruit green tea) and "gee pai" (chicken chop, a type of 'boxed lunch'), we're considered "hardcore" at Ben's restaurant.

Actually, all of a sudden, Danielle can say and ask all sorts of things. It happened overnight. She can ask questions about when or where the bus is going, and how much something costs, and she usually understands the answer! I'm in awe. Just don't tell her!!

NEways, enjoy your many days, and pray for rain here. It keeps the pollution down and temperatures low.

Typhoon Update

Hey everyone...

I didn't mean to get you worried. There's nothing to be afraid of for me. I may just be house-ridden for a day or two. The storm track has diverted south, so we might only miss one day of work. High winds and lots of rain, that's a typhoon. Can cause mud slides in the mountains, but nothing to worry about here. Some places have flooding, but again, not much to worry about here. I live in a concrete building on the 4th floor, so we're fine.

We'll probably go out for a bit to a typhoon party somewhere in our complex. Or maybe we'll just lay low. Big thing is to have plenty of water and food in case you can't go our or nothing is open. Have candles in case the power goes out....you know, the usual.

No worries. I'm anxious. Typically there are 4 storms a month until about October. It's a way of life here..

Hey everyone,

I've been busy with work and such, so I haven't blogged...sorry. However, I'm blogging this, because it's pretty much a certainty. We're going to get hit pretty hard by Typhoon Kaemi.


Click on the map above to track the storm. It's going to hit us hard. We've got to get ready. This is the real deal apparently. It's much stronger than Bilis (which killed about 200 people in the Philippines and China) and produce prices are going to shoot through the roof afterwards.

In other news (literally and figuratively) we got our TV finally. We have 4 channels. The news here is very different. I saw a report about a bad car accident, and the news shows everything. And when I say everything, I mean it. Blood, guts, bodies, you name it. No censorship here! VERY graphic. As I type, I'm watching a report where someone drowned, and the cameras are directly over the person trying to resuscitate this drowned boy. VERY graphic.

Well, I'm going to run, because we need to be up early to get supplies for the storm.

Typhoon!

Well, typhoon season has arrived earlier than anyone expected. We're on a watch cause Typhoon Bilis is about to make landfall. Apparently we're going to get hit pretty hard, so we've bought extra food and water in case we can't go out tomorrow. But maybe we'll miss work!

You can follow the storm track at the Central Weather Burreau in Taipei.

We'll keep you posted....meanwhile we're battening down the hatches!