Life and Luodong

Well…I’ve done a bunch of things but mostly just walking to vaguely famous places in Taipei, having a look around. Then heading home to hide from the heat of the day. Also this time, travel to Taiwan feels different.  I equate it more to moving to New York than going aboard. The language and people are familiar to me, I’m making new friends as my program gears up to start. Honestly in my mind nothing is really strange and new for myself. But that really isn’t fair to the people back home, so I will try to update with some pictures, maybe they will have little explanations for with them. I’m usually good about writing through my experiences but it doesn’t feel like a short term impermanent situation. The end date is flexible and dependent of multiple factors. So do forgive me if I am less prompt with updates.

National Palace Museum

The famous Jade Bok Choy and Sun Yat Set Memorial

Flower with Taipei 101 in the distance

Amanda and I hanging out in a mall

CKS Memorial Hall

My hard earned ticket

Yilan rice patties

    That being said I did actually head out of Taipei this weekend to go visit my friend Cassidy in Luodong, which is on the eastern side of Taiwan in Yilan county. Of course my going there took a bit of work. I went to the NTU club fair before hand to go check out a few clubs, though I will have a busy schedule I know I can probably going a single club. I’m looking for something that will allow for me to work out a bit as well as make friends with more Taiwanese people. In that time my rainboots, which I had bought and brought for Taiwan, totally broke on me. I lost the sole of my shoe. I walked back with no shoe bottom, in the rain, with a wind broken umbrella. Not my finest moment. I ate lunch quickly and began my journey to Luodong.
    Getting to the bus terminal was easy enough via public transit. Then buying my ticket was kinda amusing. I told the lady Luodong, but she decided that I had somehow made a mistake and actually wanted to go to Yilan city (a more famous city close by). It took me explaining I knew someone in Luodong, before she realized that indeed, my destination should be Luodong. The bus ride to Luodong was through the mountains and really quite fun. Yilan county is an area that grows rice, so we popped out fo the mountains into rice fields. It was really quite lovely.
    Getting to see Cassidy and hang out with her was great we spent most of the night talking about life and our experiences here. Then we went got some food at her favorite spot, followed by wandering around the immediate area and checking out her normal neighborhood routine. Tomorrow the plan is to do a touristing and end with the famous night market in Luodong.