This Week

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Location | Taipei

This week has caused me to sweat from places I didn’t know existed. Even my hair was damp… therefore it’s been 2 showers a day all this week. As for updates, I’ve been on a rampage buying Takeshi Kaneshiro items. If anyone knows of poster shops in the area (minus Hsimen) let me know. I love Takeshi!

Now I can type in phonetic Chinese on my computer, but I’m waiting for a Windows XP disk so I can update and type in hanyu pinyin. I definately prefer hanyu pinyin to the phonetic bopomofo, because I already know the locations of romanized characters on the keyboard over memorizing the bopomofo keyboard.

On Monday I went to shop for electronics with Lusi and my cousin and on Tuesday I went to Nova, then again to shop for electronics, but it was close dand we ended up at some porn place because as a class we couldn’t even collectively read the sign outside the electronics place telling us that the place was just closed for the day. Anyway, the porn place was… interesting. Did you know you have you blur out pubic hair in Japanese porn?

On Wednesday we had a test, but Sami, Sami’s cousin, Tim, Tim’s friend Fang, Lusi, Dave, and me all went to Hsimen to do some shopping. We didn’t get much done… and yesterday I went to Lusi’s house after class and then to Page One and Eslite. At the bookstores I got the Marie Claire with Takeshi and the Men’s Uno with Takeshi. So nice! I’m so happy to have his pictures!!

Well that’s about it for the update. I think this weekend is a beach weekend and also site seeing.

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Gigantic Spiders!

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Location | Taichung
I’ve never been so scared in my life. It was like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter come true. GIANT SPIDERS!  Seriously… I was getting my laundry from the 4th floor laundry room and I see this thing move out of the corner of my eye… and then it stops… but then I freeze and take a “closer” look… HOLY SHIT ITS A HUMONGOUS SPIDER. I run out screaming my head off and getting the attention of my grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousins. OMG… It was like 6 inches all the way across!? I think it’s the second largest breed of spiders in the world… but WTF!? WHY IN MY 4TH FLOOR LAUNDRY ROOM!? Now I have to walk around with bug spray… I’M SO SCARED.

Anyway… I can’t wait to come home now.

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Takeshi Kaneshiro

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Location | Taipei

I’m in love with this actor named, Takeshi Kaneshiro, he is sooo adorable! I can’t believe he’s fluent in so many different languages. Anyway, I saw House of Flying Daggers in it, and he played Jin, the County Police Chief. Omg… after seeing that movie, I’m a total fan of his! Now I must go watch his dramas and other movies! YAAAAYY!! Ok, well I have class soon, so I have to go prepare.

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

The Weekend.

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Location | Taipei

I have a new roommate. Her name is Yuriko and she’s from Japan. She’s very nice! She speaks only a little bit of English, but that is ok. She gave me a notebook from Japan! I feel so honored! Hahaha… I’m a dork.

Anyway this past weekend I went to Taichung again, but this time I got glamour shots done. I’m supposed to get it by August 7th. I really can’t wait. Also, we’re planning a trip to Hong Kong now. I’m super excited. Sami, George, Lusi, Peter, Peter’s gf Brandy and I are all planning on going. Tim and Steve aren’t going no matter how much I attempt to convince them. *sighhhh*

Today I went to Taipei 101 with Tim, Steve, and Sami. Sami left before we had dinner and so I had dinner with Steve and Tim. Okeeee… must go study for a test. Hopefully I’ll be in Hong Kong sooon!!!

KTV — Again…

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Location | Taipei

Today after class most of the class went to Holiday KTV. This time was a lot better than last time — we had tons more fun. More people and more drama. Anyway, the crazy part was definitely John (and also Brian). John even stripped… -_-;; for us. He also knew all the dances to the *N Sync songs. I think that totally shuts out my big bro… big bro only danced to one song… but it’s ok big bro, you can learn every dance.

Afterward, Lusi and I got A-Chung Thin Noodles and then headed back.

Tomorrow I’m heading back to Taichung. I get to have tea and then check out some glamour shots places, then to Meei Hwa Tai to buy more gifts. Next weekend I’m hoping to go Kaohsiung. More updates next week.

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Cockroaches.

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Location | Taipei

The cockroach was on my bed. IT WAS ON MY BED. The worst thing about Taiwan is how DISGUSTING IT IS HERE. First of all, Taiwan seems to be thoroughly infested with cockroaches. I cannot seem to avoid them. No matter how clean I am. They still come back. COCKROACHES ARE THE DEVIL. Within an hour, I’ve killed 2 of them. Within the past month I’ve encountered 7. In my whole life I’ve encountered 7. Taiwan is giving me high blood pressure.

I really miss America. I have not had a salad in months. I really can’t wait to get back. Just think how a few months ago I was so excited to be coming here and now… now this. I’d rather be at home.

One month until home. One month until home. I can’t wait. I really can’t wait. Two more weeks of hell here at the I-House, then two weeks back in Taichung then I’m OUT. I’M OUT OF HERE.

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Wasting Time

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Location | Taipei

Instead of studying for my test, I’m updating all my journals. Anyway, today I went to Shilin Night Market with Lusi. We did A LOT of shopping. I also met up with Alex to get my soap and I met his gf too. We only saw them for like 5 minutes though. It was really random. It was cuz they were eating and I didn’t really want to disturb them. Anyway, I still have a lot of shopping to do. I really want to go back to Shilin tomorrow to finish up shopping. I want to buy some cheap shoes. Now that I’ve had time to think about it, if shoes are NT$199 I should buy them. Especially if they have my size. (I wear the smallest size here… amazing for someone who thought that their feet wasn’t small for a Taiwanese person).

Anyway, I managed to get a pair of leg warmers. The kind that Japanese schoolgirls wear. I want to get another pair tomorrow. A wider pair at least. I also want to get some more vcds. I got a bootleg Shrek 2… but it was the biggest piece of trash I’ve seen so far. First of all, the first CD doesn’t even work and worst of all is the fact that there are English subtitles on the CD that aren’t even for the movie!! They’re for some other movie. So when Fiona says “Shrek!” in the movie… the subtitles said “Son of a bitch!” It was a little shocking.

I also got the VCD for the Cheaters (HK movie featuring Jordan Chan). Plus I got some gifts for people and other fun stuff. I really want to buy more shoes. I’m hoping to go back to Shilin, Gonguan, and Hsimen to do some major bag and shoe shopping. I WANT CHEAP STUFF!!!!

Ok, I should go study. More pictures to come someday. I will take pictures of the night market and of Gonguan and of Hsimen someday!! I feel as if I’ve been neglecting my camera!!

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Weekend

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Location | Taipei

This weekend I ended up staying in Taipei. I’m gaining a lot of weight… probably because I stopped the carb diet… I must go back to the no carb diet. Anyway, yesterday I went to Bali and then to Tianmu. I got some clothes so I can wait until I go back to Taichung to do laundry. I think I’m catching a cold again too… I have a stuffy nose in the morning.

Today I’m going to go see Shrek 2. Wooo… I really want to eat deli food too… at least deli is semi healthy!!

I’m trying to move out by Wednesday. I still need to find a place. I’ve had 2 encounters with huge cockroaches in my room. Needless to say… there was a lot of screaming and yelling and beating down the thing with an asian swiffer.

Well, I’m going to go get ready to leave now.

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Harry Potter

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Location | Taipei

Today was a very nice day. I woke up early. Ate McDonalds. Went to class. It rained very hard. Went house hunting with Lusi. (The house btw sucked cuz it was small and the place was far from the subway station and the rent was high). Then I went to Ximen to see a movie with my cousin and the movie was: HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN!!!

The movie this time depicted almost everything how I imagined minus a few things (and this doesn’t include the “new stuff” or the “cut stuff” either just talking about the stuff you see in the movie.

Those things that weren’t the same:

  1. Marauders Map. I imagined it as smaller.
  2. Remus Lupin. Yes I didn’t imagine him looking like that and I still won’t.
  3. Dementors. Boy those things didn’t look as cool as I imagined.
  4. Crookshanks. How come I don’t remember it looking like that?
  5. Shrieking Shack. Yeah… I didn’t think it looked like that.
  6. Draco’s hair. Man, he needs the evil guy slicked back look again.
  7. Cornelius Fudge. Yeah… nothing like I imagined.
  8. Layout of the Knight Bus. I kind of imagined it more flipped around… and the furniture more stationary…
  9. The Patronus Stag. So I’m dumb and thought a stag was a horse. BTW, how did Harry know his dad was a Animagus Stag?

Ok! OFF OFF AND AWAYYYYY!!!

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]

Yo-Yo Ma LIVE!

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Location | Taichung

TODAY I SAW YO-YO MA IN PERSON.

Do you know how awesome that makes me feel!? DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT MOMENT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I am one happy camper right now cuz now I’ve seen Yo-Yo Ma and I feel GREAT!!!

He came to Taiwan for one performance, and it happened in Taichung, Taiwan. My family hometown. Right next to the hospital that my uncle is one of the heads of. IT WAS AMAZING.

You see, I didn’t even have to buy tickets, because concerts here, they put a big screen outside the concert hall so you can see live exactly what is going on inside. So I got to sit on the dirty floor in the front row… WHICH WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT CUZ HE CAME OUTSIDE WITH THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE AFTERWARDS! So I got to see Yo-Yo Ma from 10 feet away!!!!! TEN FEET. He’s so cool! I WANNA MEET HIM SOMEDAY!!!!!!

I feel so happy! 😀

[This entry was taken from my old blog, Away from Home. Formatting may have changed when moved to Explore!]