Sunday Afternoon Adventures

This afternoon we went exploring. Hopped on the scooter and headed north. We stopped for dumplings (shui jiao..."shway-jow"), then later to put on sunscreen, and then to cross a crazy suspension bridge into the jungle, then to see a huge temple, then finally in Guguan where we parked and went to explore. We found the Siaolai trail with a new suspension bridge (max limit 10 persons)and having no idea what the trail was like other than it was 1300 m out, hiked up a mountain. Along the way spotting birds, fighting mosquitoes, and watching for snakes and volkswagon sized rocks (if you'd seen the sign, it would be funny to you too). I swear I will make Josh a bird-convert, as he is already independently keeping his eye and ear out, loves binoculars, and has numerous times caught a glimpse of one doing something really cool (a bird, not a binocular). I have yet to identify very many species, but I've seen a few neat ones. Identifications are black-crowned night heron and black-browed (or Taiwan, or mullers) barbet, but I've seen a few more (5 or so) that I can't seem to identify using el internet.

We got back to the scooter at dusk and got home after a bumpy and beautiful drive on windy back roads. Today was marked by construction projects and we have a feeling they are mostly a result of the typhoon of last month. Bridges and whole chunks of road were missing, and scooters, trucks, bicycles, and cars were dodging potholes and each other. We arrived home in one piece thanks to expert driving that I had nothing to do with and then got foods from a buffet (note to self: noodles can be deceptively spicy). All in all it was a fantastic day with lots of laughter, tiny temples, beautiful mountains, and exhaustion. This day was just what I needed to be okay with working saturdays. As long as my sundays remain in the trees I will be just fine.

This still won't tell you much

Just returned from a day of scooting...first to Taichung (pronounced Tie-(as in neck) -Jung (sort of rhymes with "young")) where I had four hours of going over curriculum for my potential classes. Overall interesting, although I probably could have learned it in half the time it took us to plod through. I'm sure they are used to training larger groups, but with the two of us there, it seemed a little unnecessary. For Kelly: all children in Taiwan learn KK, which is very similar to phonetics. I will probably be teaching this. I have training/observations all of next week and I start a bit of teaching on Wednesday. I have to work a bit on Saturday which was unexpected (training technically starts a week from Monday, but they found out I was coming early so there goes the week of adjustment and grad school apps.) Next weekend Josh and I are going to Taipei and then he comes back here while I stay there until Thursday for training.

Then we drove back here, tried to find a mattress pad that was within my budget (Taiwanese beds are boards), and of course ended up wandering around this huge department. We tried a couple of different edibles...the girl cut us off a piece of some candies--dried fruit of some sort with some sugary something...very tart-ish. It looks like owl pellets. We had noticed them in 7-11 yesterday, and were still curious. Didn't taste as I would assume owl pellets would, but it was still..."interesting." Josh tried some beef-looking jerky which was supposedly a little bit "la" (fourth tone)and ended up in slightly redder faced Josh so of course we all laughed.

Then to dinner at a teppanyaki place where they cook the food right in front of you. The food was excellent, and aside from the soup there was no trace of fish. This is a welcome change from eating food wrapped in seaweed for the last two days. Ooo! We also tried dragon fruit and pomelo this morning in my first kitchen creation. Dragon fruit is white, firm yet quite watery, and has little black edible seeds. The Pomelo tastes a bit like a grapefruit. I don't think I would eat either alone, but I hear dragon fruit is excellent in smoothies. I might try to freeze a bit of it to use instead of ice.

We were going to go out with some friends but we missed the text message so now we are home and I am just fine with that. It's not even ten but I am sure I will be asleep quite shortly.

Fake apologies for the mundane update; at some point I'll write about what it is like to dodge in and out of traffic on the back of a scooter and maybe even about the ever-frequent breakdowns of exhaustion. Let's just say Josh is a very patient man.

Love to all

Scooters and Saunas

This post was intended to be an account of my arrival in taiwan, but I am hot and exhausted, so here is what I wrote on the plane:

It’s 1:09 in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009. In Pennsylvania. It is 1:09 in the morning on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 in Taipei. I (think) I have crossed the International Date Line which means very little to me. I am suspended somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. I know it’s nighttime…I can tell by the stars outside. And I am a five hour flight from Taipei which means that if I knew how fast we were going (about 650 km or miles an hour…which doesn’t help because I don’t know which) I could figure out how far away we are and then figure out which time zone I am in. But anyway that will change soon enough so let’s just say it’s nighttime for five more hours and then its 6am and I am getting a car to the office and then ten hours after that Josh picks me up. That will be early Wednesday for the east coast and it will be afternoon for Taipei, both on Thursday, and who knows what time for that spot in the Pacific above which I currently am.
Also, I have acquired a new super power of knowing the future. But only within twelve hours. This means that I get to celebrate your 22nd or 67th birthday before you do. I figure I’ll just read the morning newspaper here and if anything bad happens in America, I’ll call to let you know to stay in bed.
But in all seriousness, all of the stewardesses are gorgeous.
And the food is really good. Except that they gave us two dinners, and I was totally in the mood for breakfast (it was 5 above Alaska, which means it was 9 above Pennsylvania, which meant I wanted pancakes and not chicken.) But the first chicken dinner was the most delicious chicken thing I had eaten and they gave us lemon cheesecake that I didn’t eat before we got to AK and they took it from me. Booo!
Am I supposed to be writing about how nervous I am? I’m not really that nervous. I walked into JFK to check my bags and I felt peaceful. Mom and I didn’t even cry. Most of the people in line were going home to Taiwan or the Philippines. Lots of people make their home in Taiwan and there will be really cool people there. At the gate it was the same. And everyone on this flight-the flight attendants and the captain and the safety video all speak both English and Chinese and when they are offering hot tea everyone knows what it is. I’m so lucky that my language is the second (or fourth) language used all around the world. It makes traveling a bit easier when I won’t be able to read road signs. Everyone smiles on this flight. Even the guy next to me who got on and immediately apologized for his smell. He had a few drinks so he could fall asleep. Thank you for the apology and then for staying awake to ask me awkward questions.
I took the GRE and passed and I finished a rough draft of my personal statement for Michigan. I had a nightmare they cut up my passport and blackened out my face on my visa. I am so glad I packed a toothbrush in my carryon. And also big crazy hiking socks. Someone I was talking to asked if Josh and I liked the outdoors and my first thought was to say “look at my Tevas.” The same guy has THE CUTEST children. First he had a 3 ½ year old little boy. I feel asleep and when I woke up he was referring to the kid next to him as “she” and this kid had pink pants and totally looked different than the kid I thought I had seen before. It all became clear to me when I saw his wife and the little boy a few rows up. No wonder little kid number two didn’t know who I was when she woke up. I guess I’m a creeper.
This is far too long for your enjoyment, but I am sitting here trying to stay awake so that I can go to sleep in a few hours and wake up well rested in Taiwan. That’s probably a pipe dream but I’m’a try it. More soon I’m sure.

Goodnight Moon

Rachel says hi. Well, actually she hasn't, but I'm sure if i asked here, she would say hi. 'Cause she is sitting right next to me. Well, she just went to get french flash cards. Okay, she's back.

and so am I. Right now I am sitting on the couch in apt 206, Forbes Craig. I am staying at Rachel's tonight and then going to my new apartment tomorrow.

206 F-C. Familiar? That's right, Rachel is the proud new owner of MY APARTMENT. Not only my apartment, but my exact room, and furniture, and view. I couldn't think of more capable hands.

These hands are also capable of being sneaky. After a 4 hour drive from San Francisco to Reno (early morning) and two flights (reno-denver denver-pgh) I arrived PIT 12:10. I had plans for my friend, Josh, to pick me up. and he did. and with him he had Gabby and Rachel. Sneaky little devil friends who ran hugging and smiling and it was a perfect full circle.

and so that is the end I guess. The summer was amazing. My weekend with David, Nancy, David, Antonia was fantastic. The drive was beautiful. and now I am back in a city that I know and I am in an apartment that once was mine and is very very warm. and with friends i love, though I left others on the west coast. and I didn't cry today. which says a lot. Granted, I had a moment with the davids last night where I got most of it out. But today was good. tomorrow I will buy my books, do some schoolwork, and then see how Tuesday goes. It should be interesting.

I haven't decided what to do with this blog. I think it is finished. Although my memories will transcend this day, I must at some point make an end. I am terrible at goodbyes, and this is not terribly eloquent, but I must now turn my thoughts to Pittsburgh and live here, now. "The journey" was what I sought this summer - the process, the learning, the enjoying of details. So this one short journey has ended. One long in miles and deep in understanding. I might begin a new blog less specifically catered to the Pacfic Northwest adventures of this summer, but for now I will bid you adieu. Thank you for joining me on this adventure and I hope our paths will cross again.

almost the end

My last night on the west coast.......

wonderful wonderful wonderful but in 5 hours I awake and drive to Reno to finish the journey.

Aspirations

When I was in 5th grade, I wanted to be a gym teacher.

When I was in 8th grade, I wanted to be a park ranger.

When I was in 9th grade, I wanted to drive down the coast of California via 101.

In Mr. Schott’s AP euro class, when he asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I answered “happy.”

About a week ago, I wanted it to be in the 80s instead of raining.

I just finished an internship with Washington State Parks, where I wore the uniform and learned the environment and drove a “state rig” and talked with campers. Today I finished a two day drive from Seattle-area to Berkeley, CA – along 101. I spent the afternoon on a back deck soaking up the sunshine of an 80s day. I even have new employment; job description: to belittle and berate my friend so he goes to the gym. Close enough.

What do you do when you find that your aspirations all have a little check mark next to them in a cute little square box…maybe you make new ones like, “graduate from college” and “get a real job.” But right now I’m content with, “wait for David and Nancy to get home from work” and “eat trail mix.”

I don’t know what all that foolishness I just wrote was, but I was driving in the car and thinking about my goals…or lack thereof. I answered “happy” to Mr. Schott. I guess I’ll focus on that one…if only I knew what the hell that meant.

Yesterday I bid farewell (for now) to Stacy and Chrissy, and pulled out of Port Orchard in my (dad’s) Honda, loaded down with clothes and records and pillows and a tent and TWO sleeping bags (one much plumper and more pleasant) and a cereal box of granola and a bag of apples. 16 to 5 south. I love Oregon. Wonderful. Beautiful. Although the state park at which I stopped was terribly managd (if managed at all). I continued onto 199 south into CA and 101. Exit 734 (yes…734…) led me to Patrick’s Point State Park, a park I had been advised by a very wonderful A&U team to visit. After making site 5 my little abode for the evening, a walk led me to a rocky cliff on which I watched the sun set. As it disappeared into a misty ribbon floating above this slate blue infinity, I watched the teenage waves crash anxiously onto the rocky realities of coastline, and then slowly recede, only to be picked up again and the undulating water and the foamy sky and the pinks and blues and grays of an evening.
Striking camp after a night of restful sleep (thank you oh squishy bag for sleeping), I packed the Honda to the brim (+) and sat with my guitar for a while. Rising before most of the campground, the serenity of the Before hitting the road, I explored the park, finding my way down a dusty path lined with some familiar friends and some new ones that I have yet to know the name. After a short jaunt through this neighborhood, I emerged onto a rocky coast. I wonder if those waves continued through the night without respite, for they seemed just as powerful this morning. As the sun rose behind me, it streamed through the tree-branch blinds and as it climbed the stairs of morning, it played its new light upon those daunting rocks and crashing waves.

Returning to my car, I finalized (got) directions to the Berkeley-clan and set off. I took 101 most of the way, stopping off several times to visit with the world’s tallest denizens. Yesterday I also stopped on the forest, but today I took a short break from driving and explored. I met a nice couple from Harrisburg, and several giants from California. The combination of sorrel, redwoods, sunlight, and bare feet must have been what I was searching for.

I arrived Berkeley at 3:50, let myself in, showered, relaxed. Began the earlier part of this blog as I enjoyed to hot summer sun and the beautiful back yard gardens. Hugged Nancy and David when the returned from work, and proceeded to give the whirlwind history of my summer in the Pacific Northwest. Wonderful dinner from David. Music. I am so happy to be here with family. All summer I could not imagine being “out here” and not seeing these people who I love and enjoy and so now I am here loving and enjoying them so I’m going to go do that now. Or go to bed.

Packing Procrastination

Behind me sits friend Chrissy, eating cheese wiz and crackers. Jason Mraz "I'm Yours" is playing from my speakers. Chrissy's dogs are begging for cheeze wiz after they broke into their food bags and ate it all. The remnants of my life at Twanoh are scattered on various horizontal surfaces, waiting to be shoved in the Honda tomorrow morning. The trunk is half full - boxes of dishes, a very dense bag of clothes, a crate of records.

Indeed, this is my final evening at Twanoh State Park. Tomorrow morning, Chrissy and I are heading to Stacy's to hang out...we will spend the day going to REI to get a sleeping bag that all of the rangers chipped in for my going-away present (best. gift. ever), take the dogs for a walk, go to some place that serves margaritas, and perhaps foxtrot. Wednesday morning I am leaving Stacy's and heading south. Arrive the Berkeley abode Thursday evening, spend three evenings with wonderful family (!) and then fly out of Reno on the 7th, arriving PIT at 11:59 Sunday night.

So yes, this is my last evening in the Twanoh house. Yesterday I said goodbye to Janet and then refused to take my uniform off for a good 5 minutes......while I cried like a baby. I went out to lunch today with Edd and his wife and said goodbye to the Belfair rangers. Then I met with Janet because I had forgotten to give her my final disc of work (duh). Then to Stacy's and back home and now I am here and going to sleep so that I may rise early, pack, and have one final day in Washington. Holy crap. One, final day in Washington.

My stomach didn't like that very much.

In a couple of days I will be ready to leave. Unfortunately, that is a day or two after I have left, which means by then I will have cried lots more. But homeward bound am I and there are people along the way that I love and there are people in Pittsburgh that I love but today and tomorrow are about the people here that I love.