vroooom!

maybe it's because the sewer gas has undoubtedly pervaded my system and caused me to readjust my expectations. maybe it's because if i didn't i would have had to shoot myself months ago. regardless of why, taiwan is growing on me. really, i think it has something to do with scootering. you see, i've taken up driving a scooter around the city at night and on the weekends. this has afforded me the opportunity to do many things which otherwise would be out of my reach.

for example, this past weekend, some of the teachers went to a waterpark not far out town. we got to go down a waterslide, try to walk on one of those rolling logs (à la MXC!), and sit in a variety of wading pools the color of easter egg dye. one purported to "exfoliate the dead." nice, eh?

it's easier to deal with taiwan when you're not stuck on the side of the road eating everyone else's exhaust. last night, annie and i drove up to 18 Point Mountain which, despite the name, is more like a steep hill. we weren't really trying to get there, but all of the sudden, the air was colder and didn't smell like fried sewage. when i turned my head to look back, i saw the lights of Hsinchu City glittering in the distance. yeah, that's what i said. glittering. shut up. it's a nice adjective.

anyway, being independently mobile is great. i never thought i could drive anything with a motor, let alone a scooter in taiwan. when i get back to the states or europe, i want to rent or better yet, buy a chartruese Vespa and carry baguette and cheese from place to place. of course, i suppose i'd have to obey the traffic laws there. stupid western countries and their double yellow lines...



oh, hi amy.