Location, Location, Location

Location, location, location---these words comprise an often referenced adage.  The source? Unknown. At least to me. And frankly I don't care to find out who first muttered these words or made them so popular. It's like not like the quote itself is anything extraordinary. It's just the same word repeated 3 times. What's so special about that? Even the meaning of these words varies. It can be used as a reference to anything from describing the need for a baseball pitcher to be accurate to talking about being in the right place at the right time, and really anything in between.

However these words have recently developed a new meaning for me. I had a revelation the other day. Admittedly this revelation didn't have as much to do with my own deep introspective thought as it did with a video I came across on Yahoo! news that talked about the significance the place a person lives has on their happiness. Of course this video was of particular interest to me because it made the claim, surprisingly, that the city of San Luis Obispo (where I lived the previous 5 years) was the happiest place in America. Say what? I'm aware my college town had a good vibe to it and all, but really it's the happiest place in America? But this made me realize something. Maybe it's not about the place you're living in as a whole that makes you happy, but the various spots within that place that do. For instance, in San Luis Obispo, I could really care less for much of the Cal Poly campus. Perhaps because they stuck us lowly liberal arts students in the shantiest and oldest of buildings, I was really never a huge fan of the campus. When I had the opportunity (aka wasn't locked up in the library), I made sure to spend as little time there as possible. And I definitely didn't have many fond feelings for Tank Farm road, being as secluded and dead as it was. Yet I could write for days on how much I loved Bishop's Peak; or the park near my house last year; and of course the downtown area, replete with amazingly delicious Firestone tri-tip sandwiches. These were my happy places in SLO--the places where I felt totally content.

Bishops Peak...home to many great hikes over the years

Firestone...home to many great food comas over the years

With respect to ShiDa (where I live), Wanhua (where I work), and all the other places I've been so far in Taipei, I believe today I discovered my favorite area. It's the place where I'm the most content; the place that seemingly offers me the most--the Taipei 101 area. There's really little to find disagreeable about this section of the city. However, it may sometimes be hard to see all that is going on there. After all, Taipei 101, being the second largest building in the world and the defining monument of Taipei, demands your attention. Sometimes you're so lost in amazement at the grandeur and design of the thing that you miss all the things that are buzzing and bustling beneath the mammoth building. If you look through my pictures, you'll obviously notice I've been sucked into this trap as well. Even if I don't intend to, my camera always seems to pull 101 into the shot, like a force that just can't be denied. And indeed Taipei 101 is pretty darn cool. It's huge, it's got lots of stores, places to buy English books, pretty sweet food availabilities. But it's really what surrounds this building that make this area so appealing to me--things I discovered on today's Sunday adventure.

I just can't take my eyes off her...

For one, if you're hungry and have too much money on you, this area can be quite dangerous. There's just way too much good food around (and perhaps even worse, places with English menus). There's western restaurant chains. There's places to indulge in ice cream and tofu pudding. There's basically everything you could possibly crave. Tonight we went to the equivalent of a food court. And I know what you're thinking--"seriously AJ, a food court? What could be so special about that?" But trust me, this was no ordinary food court. Nowhere did I see anything like a hot-dog-on-a-stick. Instead this joint had high-quality sushi, a Japanese Teppanyaki place (where they cook your food right in front of you on an iron griddle, literally making your mouth water as you wait for your food), and a Mediterranean kebab place that we tried and loved. Really I could keep writing on how amazed I was at all the different places you can eat around 101. 

But there's much more to this area that sold me today. One of the main attractions is definitely the massive movie theater positioned near the base of 101. Now don't get me wrong--I'm not one to see many movies in theaters. I've been known to complain about how expensive they are, and in the past few years I've seen very few movies. However, living in a place where you can't understand what anyone is saying, seeing American movies becomes a great way to escape, and therefore this place is definitely a huge find for me. I've already seen The Social Network there, and next on the list is Harry Potter and then Due Date.

And really one of the most pleasurable aspects of this area is the overall atmosphere. Everyone seems happy and lively. And each time I've been there so far, there's been a new and entertaining street performer out. Tonight's was by far the most talented and interesting act so far (I tried uploading the video I took here but it failed. Sorry. I'll try on FB and see if I have any luck there). Not to mention I saw more Christmas decorations in this part of town than I ever expected I would see in Taipei. Talk about an easy way to win my heart.

But alas, I have saved the best reason for last. For quite some time now, I had been hearing the buzz about Elephant Mountain--how scenic the view is, how nice the hike is, etc. etc. etc. So we finally decided today to see what the fuss was all about. However the anticipation grew even more and more as we searched for nearly 2 hours for the hiking trail and almost quit, thinking the mountain was Briga-freaking-doon. Finally we located the trail, and made our way up some very steep stairs to the top. And oh boy, what a find this place was. Everyone who had built this place up and sung its praises were totally right. Not only did this place provide a fantastic view of Taipei in all its entirety (words really can't describe how awesome it was, so I'll let some pictures below try and do the talking), but there's also a sweet little workout area at the top complete with actual free weights (the first set I've seen since arriving here). Jackpot. I'm now thinking this place may be a common destination for me. Hike a little and get some cardio exercise, lift a little, and then read a book as I overlook Taipei...what more does a man need? Anyways, our 2 hour detour being lost actually proved serendipitous, for we arrived at the summit at just about 4:30 so that we were able to get pictures right at sunset. Then, after waiting for only about another 45 minutes at the top, we captured some awesome nighttime shots of the city with lights shining everywhere, giving it almost a Vegas feel.

In conclusion, just like San Luis Obispo, not everything about this city makes me totally happy. Undoubtedly I could do without the craziness of Taipei Main Station, and the area around my school (minus Qingnian Park) doesn't really excite me all that much. But just like I did in SLO, I'm beginning to find those places which give me the most pleasure. ShiDa has been great, Daan Park's been wonderful, and Qingnian is convenient to get a quick escape from work. But all in all, the Taipei 101 area has stolen my heart for now. If I happen to live here for a second year, it will definitely be in this area. That said, I've still got much more to explore--XinDian and DanShui are next!

It's all about discovering your happy places. It's all about location, location, location.

Holidays in the Bay

Homesick. It's an emotion all of us have experienced at one point or another. You suddenly feel a strong longing to be reacquainted with all that is familiar to you from your past---home, family, friends, experiences. Somehow in that period of time when you're feeling homesick, you firmly believe the only cure to make you feel better is reconnecting in some way with all that you've left behind. Sometimes this emotion washes over us quickly; other times it lingers over our heads and keeps us in a state of perpetual sadness.

Well, I've got a confession to make. Since leaving for Southeast Asia nearly 3 months ago today (in fact, 3 months as of this Friday) , I really can't say I've felt very homesick. Undoubtedly I've missed things about home at times (namely Sportscenter, my family, and Beau...among other things), but to say that I've been depressed would surely be an exaggeration. I'm sure that things like Skype and Facebook and even this blog have helped make that possible. Through those outlets I've been able to stay connected with loved ones not only back home but all over the globe. It's hard to believe I'm actually thousands of miles away from everyone. But the main reason--I'm loving it here in Southeast Asia. Do I think I'll stay forever? No. Am I happy I've made this decision and am I enjoying this unique experience? Absolutely.

However, that said, even before I departed for Cambodia at the end of August, I knew there was going to be one time of year that would be especially tough on me--the Thanksgiving thru New Years holiday season. As is the case with most people, these holidays hold particular sentimental value to me. Family is gathered, decorations are out, and traditions are honored. It's the perfect time of year for being with loved ones and indulging in fantastic food and drink.

Truthfully, the one thing that had been keeping me from getting too caught up in what I was going to be missing this holiday season was the fact that my best friend from back home, Chris, was also planning on being abroad for that time period. I figured that if someone else close to me would be missing out on the same festivities, it would make it easier. I wouldn't be the only one missing. However, ever since Chris broke the news to me that he was returning from Spain due to lack of employment opportunities, and that he would in fact be "home for the holidays", I haven't been able to stop thinking about all the things I will be missing. Again, I'm hesitant to use the word homesick. But I definitely think "a little bummed" would be a fitting title. So without further ado, the things I will be missing most about the Holiday Season in the Bay:

Pumpkin Pie
Honestly, I'm not a huge fan on Thanksgiving food. I know this sounds blasphemous, but it's the truth. I am a big fan of stuffing, and I think mashed potatoes are decent, but normally the Turkey is a little too dry for my liking. HOWEVER, nothing beats Pumpkin Pie. I'm a fiend for that stuff. Especially when you add whip cream to the mix. And if I can find pumpkin pie here over the holiday season, you can bet I'll be willing to pay a boatload for it. (Come to think of it, if I can find raspberry/boysenberry pie, I'd do the same. Also a big fan of those).

The mini-Christmas Tree delivery day at the Lovaglia's
Really, any day is special when you spend it at the Lovaglia household. I have too many cherished memories of that place to count. But one of my most favorite past-times was the day, about 3 weeks before X-mas, where about 30 miniature Christmas trees were delivered to their front lawn. As is the tradition in our neighborhood, these trees are placed on the front lawns of everyone's house to add a certain Christmas Spirit to our block. When I was just a youngin, I remember loving to ride in the back of the pick-up truck with the fellow neighborhood children thinking I was so cool and important, jumping out in stylish fashion, and then showing off some muscles as I delivered Christmas tree after Christmas tree. And the best part--after our hard work us boys were rewarded with seemingly endless delicious home-made pastries, hot chocolate, and apple cider. Nothing signaled the coming of Christmas quite like the delivery of the trees and the full belly from yummy food.

Advent Calendars
A cherished Ghiossi family tradition. If heaven forbid us boys don't each have one during a given Christmas season, you might as well call the whole holiday off. They're as much a part of Christmas as the tree or the lights out front. And plus, it's the chance to start every December day off with chocolate. Yes, chocolate. 'Nuff said.

The Ghiossi-Family-College-Football-Bowl-Betting-Extravaganza
Us Ghiossis are competitive by nature. Growing up in a house with 3 brothers, I feel I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. It was instilled in me at a young age. However, I'm not sure any competition (save maybe March Madness) gets us as riled up as our college football bowl game pool. Games that are otherwise meaningless like the Meineke Car Care Bowl featuring two mediocre teams become important in our household. Everyone gathers around the TV, eats some snacks and enjoy some drink while dabbling in a little trash-talk with the rest of the family. In fact, I love this tradition so much that even though I'm not going to be home (and that I haven't watched a minute of college football all year), I'm still going to pay the $5 to be involved--even if that means I won't be seeing my winnings for some time (it's never about the money, ALWAYS about the bragging rights). After all, after my unprecedented success the last few years, I highly doubt my distance from home will stop me from taking home the trophy yet again (and the trash-talking begins...)

Christmas Eve
All things considered, I may enjoy this day even more than Christmas itself. I could go through and detail all the things we do that night, but really the things I enjoy most are the gift exchange (especially since Caroline has a knack for picking my name and giving me really awesome gifts), and playing monopoly/yahtzee late into the night with my brothers. And if I'm lucky, I'll even have a little southern comfort and egg nog--another cherished holiday treat.

New Years Eve with the Crew
When I think back on what I've done for New Years the past...well, 10-11 years, it's amazing to realize that most of the people I've spent it with have remained the same. In high school we normally hung out at Nicole's house, enjoyed a little champagne and maybe a celebratory cigar, and inevitably made a mess (thank you for putting up with us over all these years Russ and Juli...you are saints). Once we turned 21, we set our sights on celebrating with style and going to either downtown Campbell or Mountain View. Wherever we were or whatever we were doing, the group remained mostly consistent. It will certainly be a weird feeling when I usher in 2011 and won't have my best friends to toast with. This may call for a group skype date...

Christmas Day Lounging
And then of course there's Christmas Day--my most favorite holiday. Giving and receiving gifts never gets old. And with all the good food available, I could literally eat 10,000 calories without breaking a sweat or thinking twice. Really this day isn't so much about what we do, but what we don't do. Normally just sit around in our pajama pants all day and enjoy each other's company and endless plates of hors d'ouevres (mozzarella sticks are my personal favorite). Around mid-afternoon my Aunt Jackie and Aunt Carol arrive, and with them comes great company and my Aunt Carol's famous chips and dip---which I've loved ever since I can remember. We watch some football or basketball, throw on a movie at night, and then drink and be merry and play games in the evening. It may not sound like much, but the combination of family, relaxation, and amazing food is truly incredible. Nothing beats it.

Well, there it is. Surely there are other things I love about the holiday season, but these definitely top the list. And of course it's not like I'm not going to enjoy the holidays here. They will still be lots of fun, and I'm so so grateful to be having company over Christmas. But let's just say I'll definitely love being back for the holiday season 2011.

Oh, and if you enjoyed me reminiscing and sharing traditions and memories, check back in on July 3rd. I'm sure at that point I'll be doing more of the same as I talk about how bummed I'll be about missing the 4th of July, my second favorite holiday.

Cheers.

Have been dancing with Formosans (a lesson in the present perfect continuous tense)

As promised, I'm back to share more about my new neighbors here in Taipei. Though admittedly I'm a little tired and not totally in the mood to do this right now, so this is going to be a sort of half-ass effort...something equivalent to what Randy Moss would put forth if he were wearing a Detroit Lions uniform.

PDA Alert

We're not in Kansas anymore folks. Or to put it more accurately, we're not at the Kings Academy anymore--where P.D.A. was basically non-existent as it was "neither encouraged nor discouraged".Whether it be middle-aged couples cuddling on the MRT or young love-birds hand-in-hand at the Night Market, it has been made clear that the Taiwanese are huge on public displays of affection. Today, for the fun of it, I counted the number of couples either hugging, holding hands, or arm-in-arm as I went to work. I counted fifteen. No joke. It's really uncanny when you think about it. It must be something in the water. Truthfully I hadn't really felt lonely in Southeast Asia until I came here and witnessed this phenomenon. They really know how to rub it in the faces of us single folk.

And what's most perhaps most interesting about the PDA here is that it's never over-the-top. Despite all the lovey dubby going back and forth, I'm yet to witness any of the locals kiss each other here. I'm thinking maybe this is because, unlike Cambodia and Vietnam (where young lovers were forced to neck publicly in the parks for lack of anywhere else to go) here in Taiwan most of the youngsters have their own places/dorms to go back to. Whatever the reason may be, I'm certainly grateful for it. And I haven't yet witnessed anything that has warranted me to drop the oldie but goodie "get a room!" line. Despite the popularity and prevalence of PDA here, everything has managed to stay G-rated (which is certainly a relief after all the trashy things I saw go down at Cal Poly, let me tell you).

And I know what many of you may be thinking...aww, how romantic! Indeed, despite making me feel rather crappy some days, I still have admiration for many of these couples..especially the older ones. However, I've already mentioned Taipei can be extremely dense and hard to maneuver around. So when you factor in so many people being linked together, it makes things all the more hellish. I can't tell you how many times I've been stopped dead in my tracks (especially trying to run at DaAn park, rushing to catch a train at the MRT, or weaving through the ShiDa Night market) by couples or even a group of girls linked up. At times it looks sort of like they're a soccer team forcing a wall against a free kick. And add to the mix that these groups, apparently lost in romance, tend to walk extremely slow--well, it's safe to say the admiration typically turns into frustration pretty quickly.

It's Raining Cats, Dogs, and...UV Rays??

It could be pouring rain. It could be sprinkling. There could be a touch of moisture in the air. Or of course it could be a completely sunny 74 degree day. What do these days have in common? On each of them you'll see almost as many umbrellas out as on the others. I for one think Rihanna's hit single featuring Jay-Z should be this island's theme song. I've got to believe that if you were to have a monopoly on umbrellas here, you'd probably be richer than Bill Gates. I've even seen some of the people sporting different umbrellas on different days, almost like they've got one for each day or type of weather. Could it be that umbrellas are also part of the fashion trend I've already described?

Granted, it rains a lot here. And the weather can be pretty unpredictable. Some days it will look like it will be clear all day and then suddenly start pouring; others look like there will surely be some sort of precipitation yet none arrives. So an umbrella is certainly a wise investment (already on my second after my 1st one was stolen at Hess). However, the thing that I still can't understand is how the locals bust out their umbrellas when it is completely clear out; absolutely no rain at all. They can't really be that scared of the sun, can they? Sure, skin cancer's no joke (just ask my mom, who made sure us boys wore SPF 9,000 throughout our childhood and still goes a little insane when we get burnt), but umbrellas always? Really? Even under the shade of a tree? A little sun is good for you, people!

But I've come to learn that there's more motivation behind the umbrella in sunlight than merely avoiding sun rays. People here love being white, and so much of the time people use their umbrellas as a means to keeping their skin color pale and preventing themselves from gaining color. What a crazy concept. In the United States it is the complete opposite--the more color you have, the better. In college my friends actually gave me the rather unflattering nickname "whiteness", in reference to my appearing like an albino. Back home this nickname could have caused some self-esteem issues; here I'm actually thinking of getting it printed on a t-shirt and wearing it around proudly. My my how the tables have turned!

Dances With Formosans

Ni Hao friends and family,

I’ve decided I’m going to go with a different approach for this blog post. I’m not especially in the mood right now to talk about myself and reflect as I normally do. However I will take the quick second here to randomly share that I went to a Japanese restaurant tonight and had the most amazing filet mignon dinner ever, making me a very content and full man as I sit here writing this entry. But apart from that side-note, I’m going to actually take the spotlight off myself here and shine it on the people who surround me on a daily basis: the Taiwan locals.

The Taiwanese are a very unique people in a number of different ways. They are at once extremely friendly yet very serious in how they go about their way of life. And while many of their customs and mannerisms are very foreign to me, much of what they do reminds me at least in part of life back in the good old U.S.A. Considering many of them work six days a week, you might get the impression that everyone here is a work-a-holic. But then again, when you see how many people nightly frequent the many night markets here, or the impressively long lines to get into night clubs, you begin to understand that the locals here abide by the same “work hard, play hard” lifestyle that is so common in the U.S. That said, many things have stood out to me as uniquely foreign and/or rather amusing.

Staring Contest

I really can’t go on any further here without making mention of the locals’ knack for staring at foreigners. Although it happens on a daily basis, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to how much the Taiwanese just stare at me here. Didn’t their mothers ever tell them that it’s impolite to stare? I’ve noticed that this trend is especially bad with the older generation and young kids. In fact, the other day at the MRT station while I was standing waiting for the train, a young girl literally stared at me for no less than 5 minutes straight. Not only that, but when I turned away from where she was, she actually walked around to right in front of where I was now looking. I turn again, and she followed. Everywhere my gaze went, she maneuvered herself to be in the picture, literally circling me. It was so unbearably awkward. I can’t say I really understand why people do this too. I mean, especially in Taipei, and more especially where I live (right by ShiDa University), there are tons of white people around. Surely they’ve seen more of us around. So why are they so fascinated with me that they fixate their eyes on me for minutes on end? I actually end up wiping my face/licking my lips a lot in those situations, convinced that there must be some food on there or something for them to be so intrigued.

Even though I’ll never get totally used to it, I suppose it’s become at least more tolerable at this point. After all, I have been in Southeast Asia now for nearly 3 months, and everywhere else I’ve been (Hong Kong, Cambodia, and Vietnam) the staring has also been an issue. But still the staring here is of a completely different nature. In Cambodia for instance, when people stared it was almost always followed by them trying to talk with me/sell me something. They were either genuinely interested in getting to know why I was in their country or they were genuinely interested in getting money from me. There really wasn’t much of a mystery. Yet here, that is hardly the case. The Taiwanese are much more passive in their curiosity. Seldom have the locals actually approached me and tried to communicate. Instead the most they will do is look at me for some time, and then turn to someone and whisper something, only to have them then both turn back to me (I wonder if they realize they don’t actually have to whisper? They could scream something out loud and I still wouldn’t have a clue). THIS is especially frustrating. However, I have found ways to entertain myself so as to make light of the situation when this happens. Often I will try and think of my own dialogue for what they might be saying, adlibbing in a kind of Mystery Science Theater fashion—“Oh look, it’s the bumbling American again”; “I bet he’s lost”; “Is that Matt Damon??” (OK so I flatter myself a little bit with that last one, but you get the idea).

Sometimes I actually get the feeling that many of the locals here are suspicious of my very presence in their country, like maybe I’m a spy sent from America to learn the ways of the Taiwanese and report back in Avatar-like fashion. But I suppose there would be some truth to that accusation. After all right now I’m writing a lengthy blog post about all I’ve learned about the locals. So I guess for amusement’s sake I’ll actually play the role of the spy here. Here is another one of my observations thus far:

Fashion Police

Let it be said—the locals here are fashion fiends. Indeed this is one of the first things I noticed when I arrived here. Everyone here tries to dress very trendy and maintain a unique personal “style”. I’ve heard from many people who have lived here longer than I that this style is very “Japanese”—which makes sense considering the historic influence Japan has had on Taiwan, and the admiration that the Taiwanese generally have for Japan (I’m certainly admiring them right now after that amazing dinner). I wish I could post some pictures here or the things I’ve seen people wearing, but unfortunately I’d feel really guilty/awkward about taking pictures of the locals. Perhaps further down the road when I inevitably become more rude/less considerate I’ll have some pictures for you then. But for now, my words will have to suffice (though if you want to get an idea of the fashion sense here check out my co-workers blog, which features pictures of the ridiculous outfits that the locals dress their dogs—yes dogs—in here. If you want an idea on how loud and outrageous the clothing is that people wear here, just take what the dogs are wearing and multiply it by about 10).

The trendy ‘hipster’ look seems to be the norm here. It is common for many people to be wearing decorated scarves and/or beanies here when it is completely unnecessary (a.k.a when it’s 73 degree weather) just so they can pull off their desired look. And maybe the most common thing here is the big-rimmed trendy glasses, many of which are even worn without lenses. Apparently these glasses seem to be the “in” thing in Taiwan right now, because everyone seems to be wearing them (OK so yes, this one hits home a little—considering I myself often wear my reading glasses in places where it really isn’t necessary just so I can look sophisticated/intellectual…so touché).

I could write for days on the shoe selection here. Many girls tend to take this one to the extreme, wearing anything as crazy as frayed leather boots to multi-colored loafers with stuffed animals protruding out the front. Also, underneath those shoes expect just about every girl here to be wearing some type of matching stockings. If it takes girls in the U.S. upwards of an hour to get ready to go out, I don’t even want to imagine the length of time it would take the girls here…

Another disturbingly popular fashion trend here is unique jeans. I’ve seen so many bedazzled and jeweled jeans here (even on men) that it really blows my mind. Worse than that, the tightness of the jeans here is beyond insane. In the past my homeboy Mr. Chris Reynolds has jokingly given me flack for the alleged “tightness” of my jeans (though I have denied and will continue to deny that there has ever been any merit to this claim). But even so, if Chris really thought my jeans were tight, he would undoubtedly change his opinion if he saw what transpired here. The tightness of the jeans here, literally looking like some of them have been spray-painted on, make any pair of jeans I own look like they would be straight from the O.G. line from Sean John or something.

This fascination with fashion extends all the way to the young ones I teach. For example, one of my first few days of teaching, one of my girls was so excited to see my shoes. “Teacher Andrew, Converse All-Star! SO cool!” Ha. Little did she know that they weren’t actually Converse, but were instead the knock-off Airwalk brand (a pair of shoes, I might add, that I was able to snag for all of $10 as a part of a deal when I bought my cleats for flag football last Spring).

As a guy who normally just goes the jeans with a t-shirt/polo ensemble (normally of the Marshalls/Ross/Target assortment), I’m constantly finding myself feeling under-dressed. It’s definitely been a change getting used to all the various and outrageous styles here. I suppose in a sense the fashion style is very Orange-County like. Or perhaps I’d even call it very “Kanye”, since everyone seems to experiment and try out different and progressively more bizarre clothing combinations to stand out from the crowd, much in the same manner the famous rapper/producer/gay fish goes about everything he does (obligatory South Park reference: check). But I still think the styles here are much crazier than in O.C., Hollywood, etc. My brother Brandon, who actually lives in O.C., praises the “peacock” method of dressing (inspired by his love-life guide The Game—basically saying that it’s best for you to wear clothes that allow you to stand out). With no offense to Brandon or the The Game, that method is utterly ineffective here, where everyone stands out like Borat in a slingshot onesie (sorry for bringing to mind that terrible visual).

Wow. Well it appears that I got so involved in talking about the staring problem and the fashion style that I didn’t leave much time or space to detail the rest of the discoveries I’ve made about the locals. Looks like this is going to be a 2 part blog post! Check back in the very near future to hear the rest, where I’ll talk a little about the PDA problem here, how locals respond to the weather, as well as the rather loud volume many locals use with each other in daily conversations. So there's a little teaser to hopefully keep you interested. Stay tuned!

To be continued…

SuperMoney StaleMate

English school is trying different methods to revive the SuperMoney Economy, which has been failing for months

November 14th, 2010

TAIPEI-

It appears that the world-wide recession, which has been affecting economies negatively since late 2008, has found yet another victim: the SuperMoney economy of Hess Young Scholars English School in Taipei, Taiwan.

Students at the school are apparently experiencing a lack of faith in the system. They seem unwillingly to trade in their highly coveted pieces of cardboard for any of the numerous prizes that Hess offers them. Instead of actively participating in the exchange of S.M. cards for goods and services, students are monitoring their S.M. balance very carefully and holding on to their money cards for dear life.

“At times like these, it’s important to save and hold on to what you’ve got. You never know when your next S.M. payday may arrive”, suggests a surprisingly mature E6 student. “I’ve got a future to think about. I need to have at least enough to buy the bare essentials for the next school year. I’m living on a budget here. I can’t just be freely…is freely an adv. or adj.?...Oh Ok. Yeah, I can’t just be freely giving my money away in uncertain times like these.”

Fear for the safety of their S.M. has actually led most students to stop bringing the cards to school altogether. Unwilling to invest them in the Bank of Hess, students feel that all bringing S.M. to school does is put them in danger of being stolen. As an alternative, students keep them at home under lock and key…waiting to bring them back them out until after the economy shows some signs of improvement.

“I keep mine in my state-of-the-art industrial strength safe at home, alongside my other treasured possession—a signed Super Junior poster,” shares Wendy.

“I keep mine under my pillow at night…next to my gun,” offers another student, who wishes for obvious reasons to remain anonymous.

However over-reactionary these fears may seem, they are certainly not unfounded. Due to the recent lack of investment in the Bank of Hess, Hess officials announced they would be temporarily placing a hold on printing more money cards.

“We were hopeful that by temporarily stopping the creation of more money cards, students would have no choice but to start spending again and restart the economy,” explains Vicky, manager of the Chung Hua Hess branch. “Not to mention that, in situations like these, we always must be mindful of the effects of inflation—too much money out there and the price of goods will inevitably rise.”

Despite the good intentions behind the move, the effect it had on the health of the S.M. economy was ultimately negative. Instead of helping to get the economy moving again, buyers’ fears were reinforced.

Additionally, the lack of money at the teachers’ disposal had further disastrous consequences.

“The structure of our classes is essentially built on the incentive for rewards. If you can reward students with money cards, they will be likely to participate and keep class flowing. However, take S.M. out of the equation, and students have no motivation to involve themselves. There needs to be a reward for success. Students thrive on the opportunity to collect S.M. They even compete with one another to see who can win more during class time. Without the incentive for rewards and to be better than one’s peers, students have little desire to try. It’s common sense really—like why capitalism, despite its’ flaws, will always be a more viable system than communism,” ponders Teacher Andrew, a rather intelligent and handsome newcomer to Hess.

Instead of participating in review games with the usual vigor, students were rather reluctant to get involved and/or excited.

“Throwing a sticky-ball is great…but throwing a sticky-ball to win Super Money, now that’s a rush,” confesses Alvin, another E6 student.

Furthermore, without a reliable supply of money cards to give to students, many teachers had found themselves being stricter towards students and taxing money cards just in order to keep their own stock afloat.

“I’ve recently instituted taxes for talking out of turn, not raising one’s hand, going to the bathroom, speaking Chinese, and looking at me the wrong way…basically everything short of breathing…which may very well be the next one to be enforced,” Teacher Eddie admits half-jokingly.

However, school officials, realizing their mistake, very recently pulled a complete 180 and decided to inject the S.M. economy with tons of money cards—reversing their previous action, and ending the freeze on S.M. printing. This reflected a move in an entirely new direction in addressing the S.M. crisis. Management is hopeful that with money cards readily available once again, students will be motivated to spend. This maneuver is already being labeled “the Obama method”, as it resembles the approach the U.S. government has taken to battle their own economic crisis—inject the economy with a boat load of money and hope something positive happens.

Well, here’s to it working out better here than it has over there.

Reflection Internal

*Note: the title for this post has nothing to do with Reflection Eternal, one of the best hip-hop duos of all time. Though for the record, I’ve recently rediscovered their latest album Revolutions Per Minute and am falling in love with it all over again (it’s been especially helpful in getting me through my morning runs, which have become more of a daily occurrence—more to come on that later). Anyhow, check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

But on a more related side note, I finally received my ARC (Alien Residency Card) a few days ago! I’m officially legit to work here now in Taiwan (though that didn’t stop me from working the last month—whoops). However I must admit that I’m a little bummed…I was kind of looking forward to the thrill of living here illegally, maybe even having to outrun immigration officers trying to deport me. But I suppose I can live with being a law-abiding citizen.

Also, in far more exciting news, I’m getting paid for the first time tomorrow! I can already feel that hole that had begun burning through my pocket starting to sear shut. And additionally, having my ARC means I can now open a Taiwanese banking account, which will allow me to withdraw money without having to pay the absurd $10 fee for using a foreign debit card (technically, $5 for it being foreign, $5 because Bank of America SUCKS—someone remind to leave that bank behind when I return to the States).

As for today’s post, I’m sorry to tell you that it is going to be another mostly introspective piece of work. I wish I could write as well about the things around me as some of my other friends do, and effectively take myself out of the story, but that just doesn’t seem to be my style. But I guess I shouldn’t fight this. After all, I learned this past year (thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law Caroline and the fantastic gift of Strengths Finder 2.0) that one of my tops strengths is “intellection”: the process of thinking, analyzing, and reflecting internally (alas the blog title makes sense), and that this particular strength is best utilized when I’m writing my various thoughts down. So really this blog is becoming more of my online secret public journal, though admittedly not nearly as entertaining or funny as Mike Birbiglia’s. And so instead of taking myself out of the story, I’m going to talk about the story I’m living…and how I want to edit it.

In this post, I’m going to share a couple of quotes from books I’ve read since being in Southeast Asia that have had a particular influence on me. With so much free time on my hands, I’ve become seriously addicted to reading (thanks again for the books, Mom). Case in point—I’ve currently burned through all but 30 pages of Where Men Win Glory in the last 3 days. And I must say, I’m a big fan…though I’m not sure anything has ever made me so incensed at the U.S Military, but what’s new? Anyways, moving on…

“Humans naturally seek comfort and stability. Without an inciting incident that disrupts their comfort, they won’t enter into a story. The character has to jump into the story, into the discomfort and the fear, otherwise the story will never happen.”

-Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

This quote really spoke to me when I first read it. In fact, I read it a fair number of times before sitting and pondering how it applied to my current situation. In truth, I read Donald Miller’s book at the very outset of my stint in Cambodia, and it helped me greatly in learning to jump in with both feet and commit myself to the craziness of the campaign I’d signed myself up for. However, something has happened in the 6 or so weeks since I’ve been here in Taiwan. Namely, I’ve gotten comfortable with much of my surroundings here. While I’m nonetheless amazed and irked at some of the various things that happen here, I’ve found myself more-or-less ensnared in a standardized daily schedule. I wake up around 9 or 930, eat breakfast at one of a couple different places I’ve found (all conveniently with English menus or at least pictures to point at), exercise, get a coffee, read, and head off to school. There I lesson-plan for a bit, do the whole teaching gig, eat at the same dinner place across the street every flippin’ night (hard to blame myself too much here though—so conveniently close and only 50 NTD for a filling meal…that’s hard to beat), come home, chill out for a bit, and do it all over again the next day. In short, I’ve found myself in the dreaded “comfort zone”. And while it isn’t necessarily bad in itself to feel comfortable or relaxed, that certainly wasn’t my main goal in travelling across the globe for a year.

The reason the issue of the “comfort zone” is particularly alarming to me is because I felt I’ve already fallen into that trap before, especially during the majority of my time in college. Now I don’t want to make it sound like my stint (was sort of lengthy to just call it a “stint”) at Cal Poly wasn’t enjoyable because that’s far from the truth. However, I do think that, as a result of being a more shy and introverted individual, I cut myself off from doing certain things that may have exposed me to disappointment and/or rejection. Therefore I feel like I may not have gotten as fulfilling and rewarding as a college experience as others had. Instead of putting myself out there and continuing to meet new people, I generally stuck to the group of friends I had become acquainted with early on, and instead of trying out different clubs/organizations, I tended to do what I was familiar with, which really ended up just being IM sports every so often. Long story short, I came to this saddening realization at the end of my time at Cal Poly, just months before graduation, and admittedly it really put me in a funk. I decided then and there that the next chapter of my life was going to be different. In fact, it was this realization that made me decide to go to Taiwan to teach instead of coming back to Cal Poly to get my Masters in Education, which was the other route I was considering post-grad. I wanted to instead throw myself into a situation where I had no security blanket to wrap myself up with. The result was a trip to Phnom Penh. And while it certainly wasn’t as comfortable or predictable as life in San Luis Obispo, the uncertainty and terrifying nature of it made the experience all the more remarkable and fulfilling.

But now here I am in Taiwan, afraid that I’m falling back into that same dreaded comfort zone I had come all this way to avoid. And it was when I was realizing this that I came across this quote from Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain:

“What we manifest is before us”

Although this quote is rather short compared to the one from Miller, its impact on me was just as if not more powerful. Basically all this quote means is that we all make our own destinies. As I was beginning to feel trapped in the comfort zone, this one line made me realize there was only one thing I could about it: change things up, and pull myself out of the comfort zone in whatever way I could.

For instance, I’ve undoubtedly loved loved loved the food here. However, I feel I’ve limited my taste buds to the experience they’re getting simply because many of the places I’d like to try, especially some of the foodstalls in the ShiDa Night Market, have absolutely no English menus or English-speaking employees, which has to this point made me rather hesitant. I really didn’t want to be embarrassed when I couldn’t put through a simple order or convey in any way what I wanted. Instead it was easier to go eat at the places where I knew what to expect; where I was….comfortable eating. But the more I’ve thought about this, I’ve realized how stupid I sound. So what if I can’t order and make an ass of myself in front of all the locals? The worst thing that could happen is probably getting laughed at a little bit and/or receiving the wrong dish. But hey, at least it’d be a new experience right? (For the record, I followed this advice tonight and worked up the courage to go to a food stall and sit with a bunch of the locals who sat gawking at me for a bit…but the result was some delicious chicken and curry for very cheap. Success.)

I’ve also been somewhat putting off the issue of learning the language here. I suppose it’s relatively easy to get by just speaking English, pointing, and using limited Chinese (“limited” is in fact a generous term to describe my skill level). But in stride with trying to push myself out of the comfort zone, I’ve taken steps to improve my Chinese capabilities. This coming Tuesday I have a Language Exchange date with a local named “Miggie” (that’s really all I know about this person—assuming it’s a guy since the only other people I’ve known who go by that name are former American League MVPs). While I’m betting this arrangement won’t end up being a match-made-in-heaven, or that our EHarmony compatibilities won’t match, at the very least it will force me to put myself out there with a total stranger and practice my Chinese. And almost certainly it will result in me getting laughed at because I’m terrible at pronunciation. But I can’t say enough about how excited I am to finally push myself in this new area. And even if I don’t end up staying here for more than a year, I assume I’ll at least have some Chinese skills at my disposal to impress my friends with when I’m back home. Hell, I may even have to use it when I’m frequenting Yogurtland in Cupertino, which after all seems to be the Asian capital of California (UC Irvine is a very close second…)

Speaking of pushing myself, I’ve also come to the conclusion that I’m going to exert and challenge myself physically, as well as mentally, while I’m here. Ever since I got my running shoes in the mail about a week and a half ago (you’re a SAINT Maureen Ghiossi), I seem to have fallen in love with running again. I’ve felt like Forrest Gump once he broke free from his leg braces. Because of this newfound fascination with running, and also due in part to a suggestion from a friend, I’ve decided to do a fun little 9K through Taipei coming up here in January. I figure doing this would be a great way to discipline myself into training a little as well as give me something to work toward and look forward to. And if I really enjoy it, next on the list will be a half-marathon in March. Wish me luck!

Not to mention I’m also going to start playing basketball with some of the locals here (South Beach? Nah..I’m taking my talents to Daan Park). And I may even start playing some weekend pickup games with a few of my co-workers. While putting myself out there with the locals in a competitive environment is definitely more terrifying than, say, working up the courage to eat at a local foodstall, I’m still greatly looking forward to it. In fact, this was supposed to start today, but sadly the constant rain all day kind of destroyed those plans…Oh well, until next weekend!

Anyways, I should wrap this up because I’m sure those of you that are so loyal as to actually read all the way to this point are getting tired by now. But the bottom line is that I’ve found a comfort zone here, and I’m doing my best to not rely on it as much as possible; to constantly place myself in new situations. Because really, perspective can be a bitch. It’s great to have, but unfortunately it usually arrives long after the fact; long after it would have been really useful. I seemingly gained that perspective too late in college, but the good news is that I’m catching myself this time around. I know I’m in an incredible position here living in an extremely foreign country. I don’t want to look back on this experience 20 years from now and regret not making the absolute most of it. I don’t want to feel like Captain Hindsight (anddd the South Park references just keep piling up), pointing out the mistakes I made or risks I didn’t take while looking in the rear view mirror. So here I go, committing to live my remaining time here to the fullest. At the very least it should make for some entertaining blog posts down the road…

Medicinal Mountain

So after a hiatus last Sunday from adventuring, I was back at it again this weekend. And boy was it necessary. Last week was a particularly long week of teaching at Hess for a number of reasons. For one, Hess management and I have had some miscommunications (miscommunicating and/or not communicating at all is sort of Hess’ M.O.) over whether or not I will be working on Christmas and Christmas Eve. As it stands now, I’m scheduled to work, though my recruiting company promised me several months ago that would not be the case. So needless to say, there has been some slight tension. But in the meantime, I plan on kissing as much ass as possible and keeping my fingers crossed that something can be done to fix this situation. I’ll let you all know what happens.

Secondly, this past Saturday Hess had its monthly celebration party for the students. And naturally, this month’s theme was Halloween. So instead of being done at noon on Saturday like I normally am, I instead stayed at school from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. And for the last 3 hours of this shift, I was dressed in a ridiculous (not to mention rather toasty) bumble-bee costume either standing and taking pictures with EVERY one of the 40-50 students that showed up, or doing my best Miss Cleo impression at the “fortune-telling” booth. Though I must admit I was pretty good at improvising during this latter part, especially when I used the globe in the classroom as my “crystal ball”. I’m pretty proud of how entertained the kids were considering it was by far the lamest of the stations (maybe that was intentional? A little rookie hazing, perhaps?) I also don’t think I get paid a cent for these functions, so needless to say, it was a long day. In fact it was so long that I really gave up any hope I had of going out that night to celebrate Halloween. Truthfully, this was partly because the exhaustion, and partly because I’ve been over Halloween for quite some time now. I remember at the beginning of college when I had back-to-back years of my best costumes, but ever since then, I’ve had very little desire to dress up/go out and celebrate. So I pretty much took it easy, and prepared myself for what I hoped to be a more eventful Sunday.

sadly I don't think I'll ever top these costumes.

especially this one...

...and then compare it to this year's outfit. wow..

And it was at this point, on Saturday night as I sat in bed about to call it a night—body and mind both exhausted—that I decided I needed an escape…and not just an escape from teaching. Sure, Hess management and the kids can wear on you a little bit after 6 straight days. But really I needed to escape more from Taipei city in general—the constant bustling in the streets, the swarms of motorcycles and cars, and most importantly, the people. All these things were so exciting to me at first because they were so different from Phnom Penh. But after a little while, you tend to get over all the incessant activity here. The worst part I’ve noticed is the population density. There are literally tons of people everywhere you go, and you are forced to bob and weave around them just to get where you want to go. Running on the dirt paths at Daan Park? Be ready to bust out your best juke moves as you maneuver around everyone. Want to grab a bite to eat at Ximen before work? Be prepared to fight some crowds to satisfy your hunger. Looking to catch that MRT train during rush hour before it takes off? Well you’d better be stretched, because you’re going to have to move like Barry Sanders in his prime, busting out stiff arms and spin moves, just to be able to get through everyone. What’s worse is when it’s raining outside, for not only do you have to cut through thousands of people to get from point A to point B, but you also have to battle their umbrellas (think my eyes have almost been poked out at least 20 times already).

Taipei is DENSE

So, all that considered, I decided not to go to the National Palace Museum that Sunday like I was originally planning. Just the mere thought of how many people would be there, especially considering it’s the #1 tourist location in Taipei, made me cringe (though I still plan on making it out there soon because it sounds amazing…potentially next Sunday?) I just couldn’t bear the thought of it. So I asked my roommate Ari what we could do instead. “How about going on one of the hikes near my school (further away from Central Taipei and more out in the countryside)?” he proposed. Bingo. Excellent idea. After a week like that, I couldn’t just have a Lazy day like I had the Sunday before; but I also couldn’t deal with so many people like I do on a daily basis. So the proposition to go hiking, be secluded, get some peace, nature, and exercise seemed like exactly what the doctor was ordering for me.

 

And let me tell you-it was. This mountain hike was medicinal (California Prop. 19 couldn't even offer a more relaxing solution for a tough week). After all, part of the reason I decided on Taiwan was because I had heard so much about how wonderful the nature was here. The smell from the trees and the creek was so refreshing after smelling not much more than exhaust and B.O. for the past month (not to mention the stinky tofu stand right by our place….that stuff smells horrid). The shade from the trees, including numerous bamboo, was very welcome as it provided great protection from the sun and added great color to the trail. Even the sounds from the various animals and insects that surrounded us were such a great change-up from the honking of horns and chattering of people I had gotten used to hearing in my sleep. At times, it literally felt like I was walking through Jurassic Park with all the noise and trees around me. And even when I did run across people, they were the complete opposite of the people I would find in the city. Instead of running about, shopping, or talking on their phones, they were instead doing Tai Chi, reading, stretching, or just meditating. Some of them were even doing this barefoot walk across stones that is allegedly supposed to stimulate numerous pressure points in your foot that correspond to other parts of your body. And being in the joyous mood that I was, I decided to take part in the action (“when in Taiwan, do as the Taiwanese do”). Well, I suppose I’m glad I’ve done it so now I can say I have, but other than that it was a pretty painful experience. I guess you do feel “relaxed” afterward, but I think this has more to do with being relieved that it’s over and that you can wear comfortable shoes again. But anyway, it was an interesting part of the overall experience nonetheless.

The stone steps to Mordor (at least I'm replacing SP references with LOTR ones?)

cool looking...not as cool feeling.

The hike wasn’t exactly the longest in the world. It probably only took us about a half hour to get to the top of the mountain. But the trail was fairly steep, so by the time we finally reached the summit, we were in for a spectacular view….a spectacular view of the city in all its’ grandeur, with the backdrop of more beautiful mountains. And let me tell you, it is much easier to appreciate how amazing Taipei City is sitting peacefully on a mountain than it is as one of the many ants inside of it trying to get about. And so understanding this, I savored that moment. For I knew that once today came about, I would be back to being one of those ants encircled by all the madness and buildings, and without that perspective I had on top of that mountain. But that experience yesterday definitely made today much easier to handle, and not nearly as stressful as last week. I’m sure I’ll be back to that point of feeling overwhelmed with the city again at some point in the near future. But the great news is that when this indeed happens, and I feel like I need a breather, I’ll know where to go.