photo= me eating in jhubei. it was beef, and thankfully, it was dead.

i am falling more and more in love with taiwan everyday =) cant believe i will have been here 2 weeks tomorrow!

tonight after work, i decided to go exploring/foreigner-hunting. it was well past dark and the city was all lit up with flashing lights and neon and it was sooo cool. like a film. first i went into mcdonalds to "order" something, which ended up just being a coke because thats all i can order in chinese. on the way out, i accidentally opened the door on someones foot and i heard myself say "im sorry" in chinese. without even thinking! i was so suprised at myself that i laughed and the man just looked at me like i was nuts. i am.

i just wandered around the city, looking at all the shops (if i had enough money and small enough feet i would buy everything in them) and the 23048230 dogs that just walk through the streets. it was so cool! i was sweating buckets and really wishing that i could speak chinese, but it was so nice. i really love my city and the section i live in. its so cool! and there is never a shortage of interesting things to see. i saw a very large dog sleeping on a very small table, a man brushing his teeth, and about 93 near-distastrous scooter almost-accidents. its still so strange to walk down the street and be stared at so much. i still think its kind of funny, but its also a part of the culture shock that i have been experiencing. little kids are the funniest. i really think they think i come from another planet. sometimes, i really do too. america is pretty much another planet. i didnt see any foreigners on my little safari, but hopefully i will find some soon.

every night, i watch chinese tv and force myself to understand. i really wish i could open my brain and pour chinese in. im suprised at how much ive already picked up. they were right: being thrown into the language headfirst and being forced to learn is definitely the best way! though maybe not the easiest or the most fun...its so frustrating. if i ever learn to communicate in chinese, it will be a bonafide 100% genuine true-blue miracle. and i think everyone else will be as shocked (and maybe thankful, haha) as me.

love and miss you all verrrrrrrrrrry much.