around

Getting my visa was the easiest part of my Chicago/Indianapolis trip. On Monday, I went to the office and turned in the papers, and on Tuesday, I went back and they gave me my passport with my visitor visa in it. Just like that. View from the Taipei Representative Office on the 57th floor. This is not to say, however, that the rest of the trip was somehow difficult or trying. It was in fact incredibly liberating and enjoyable. This was the first time I'd gone somewhere where I was totally on my own in everything, from booking places to stay to finding where to park my car, to figuring out where I needed to go and what to bring. I had to do everything  on my own (although a shout-out goes to my family who provided me with tips and helpful information during planning stages). And the really cool thing was, I didn't fail. Like, not at all. I never got lost, I got everywhere on time and without mishaps, I stayed fed and hydrated and didn't lose any of my stuff or have i...

I have noticed that Chicagoans really like biking. And, if they're not biking, they're jogging. Through parks, along streets, down sidewalks, everywhere. The main forms of exercise around here seem to be jogging and biking. Sensible people. In other news, I love public transportation. I was worried about it when I first got on the train this morning. By noon I was explaining how the Red Line works and which stops went where to a couple of older gentlemen who asked me at the crosswalk. I don't quite use the train like a vet, but I've been on and off five or six times already, used at least two lines (Red and Orange) and I can tell you it is one of my favorite modes of transportation. It's quick, it's efficient, and there's none of this "Was that my turn I just missed? Why are all these streets one-way? Where the heck  do I park my car?!" nonsense I run into when driving. Nope. I get on a train, I ride it to my stop, I get off, I walk. Also, I h...

I have arrived! Chicago traffic is not fun, but the city is lovely (what I've seen of it) and well worth the wait to get in. Indy Hostel and interior. I left Indy Hostel at around 10am, heading for Planet Fitness to get in a 2mile run and some weightlifting. Exercise always makes me feel better, and it was nice to be in a place I'm familiar with. I showered, packed, and went to get something to eat. Fortunately there were restaurants in the same plaza, although the Greek restaurant I went into first was disappointing, and I left quickly after. Nobody greeted me, and I got the feeling I'd be waiting on my food for a while. Instead I went to the nearby coffee and bake shop, which was AWESOME. I got ham and swiss quiche and two giant scones that were soft, bread-y, and full of nuts and craisins. Yum! Next I went to CVS and got my passport/visa photos taken. One less thing to do! My next stop was the Children's Museum, which was recommended to me by a ...

Just arrived at Indy Hostel in Indianapolis, IN . It's stop #1 on a three-day road trip to Chicago to get my Visitor's Visa from the Taipei Representative Office.  When preparing to get my visa, I saw that there was no way I could mail the forms in and receive the visa in time. Therefore, I knew I'd have to drive or fly to Chicago. (Imagine my huge, enormous, intense disappointment about this development, which I was totally not psyched about at all.) In planning this trip, I saw that going through Indy instead of Toledo would take about the same amount of time, so I added another day and a detour to my itinerary. Here's how it lays out: Day 1, Saturday June 23 Drive to Indianapolis. (Check!) Day 2, Sunday June 24 Play "tourist" in Indianapolis. Drive to Chicago, arrive that evening. Day 3, Monday June 25 Submit visa application at Taipei Representative Office that morning. Play "tourist" the rest of the day. Day 4, Tue...

Today I got a flu shot in one arm and a hepatitus A shot in the other. Both arms are sore, and came with free exhaustion, hormonal-esque bouts of tears, and a migraine. I think the last may be unrelated, but times like these make me think it's just as well I'm not actively allergic to any drugs if this is what happens to me when I just take too much. My doctor recommended taking a supply of my own over-the-counter drugs (ibuprofen, Dayquil/NyQuil, indigestion pills, etc.) and I think that is a brilliant idea.

Hey, I just got this job in Taiwan. And this is crazy. But am I excited? Definitely! (Maybe.) Everyone keeps asking if I'm excited, and there are two answers to that. Someone recently asked me if I was scared, and there are two answers to that, too. The first answer to "Are you excited?" is yes. I am so incredibly pumped that I got this job and that I'll be traveling abroad, which is something I have dreamed about for so long , and I don't even care it's not Japan. (Well, sort of. I may have a 1hr layover in Tokyo during my flight to Taiwan and the very thought makes me want to start dancing. Because holy cow, you guys, Tokyo. ) The second answer to "Are you excited?" is "Yeah," with an expression of either perplexity at my own response or moroseness. Because I am excited, but the feeling has been compartmentalized and stored somewhere that it won't get in the way of making "To Do" lists, remembering to call the Taipe...

I have talked to so many American Express cardmembers who tell me about places they've been, places they live. Sometimes I think I should have been a historian of people's lives, because there are few things as rich as the personal experiences of people. Here are some  things I've learned from talking to cardmemebers at American Express: The food in Las Vegas is excellent. Not just the buffets, but food in the restaurants in the city. They have seafood buffets in Las Vegas; I had no idea. The best time to visit is late September and early October, when the weather is mild. There's a golf course by Lake Mead (by the Hoover Dam) and people will live there in campers all winter enjoying the cooler weather and playing golf. Different regions of Italy specialize in different foods, like cheese, mushrooms, and wine. ( Mushrooms , right?) So you really do have to go all over Italy to get a true "taste of Italy." The weather in Hawaii is just perfect   all the...

A moment ago I was really nervous about this whole thing, and prepared to write about it. And then I got distracted by something that lead me to a website about tea, and I realized that Taiwan is ALL ABOUT TEA , and I totally forgot what I was worried about. As long as I have delicious food to enjoy, I will be fine.

我到台灣去。 Wo dao Taiwan qu. I am going to Taiwan. No, this isn't a joke. About a month ago I applied for a position as an English teacher in a Japanese school, and they emailed me back to say they were only looking for British teachers for their Japanese school, but did I have any interest in Taiwan? So I applied, and I interviewed, and this week they offered me a job. Just now, I signed the contract and sent it, along with my acceptance email. By the 4th of July, I'll be in Taiwan, drinking in the heat and humidity and getting ready to start a week-long training class to teach English at the Shane English Schools in Taiwan. I'll be located in Hsin Jhuang (or Hsin Juan, or Hsin Chuang, or Xinzhuang, or Google Maps' Sinjhuang, depending on how you feel like spelling it), which is about 40 minutes south-west of Taipei.  (On the map below, "A" is Taipei, and "B" is Sinjhuang/Hsin Jhuang.) My contract is for a year. After that year I ca...