Would you like pork with that?

I would like to qualify this post by saying that now I that I have been living in Taiwan for almost four years, I have learned where to get the things I want and learned that Taipei does actually have a nice variety of western and eastern food of all types. At the time, I had arrived in the Tung Hua night market, where all of the old school Taiwanese reside and where things are more traditional Chinese style. Needless to say, it was a rough adjustment...this post just kind of describes my frustration adjusting in a new country...having come unprepared and not knowing what to expect...and having landed in not such a great place to find the things I was accustomed to.

Would you like pork with that?

Too bad, cause you're getting it.

Rice? How bout some pork with that?
Noodles? You know what goes real well with noodles? Pork.
It doesn't matter that I asked for rice, and that rice is not pork...clearly that's what I wanted, I just didn't know it yet.

So what's for breakfast?
How bout some soup?
You know what goes well with breakfast soup?
Pork intestine.

What's for lunch?
How bout some soup?
Nevermind that it's 100 with 70 percent humidity with the sub tropical sun on your face...you clearly need some piping hot soup with hot sauce and all manner of pig parts in it.

Oh what's that? You want something to drink?
You should have thought of that before you came into the restaurant.

By the grace of god I found some broccoli today which I zealously consumed with my pork rice and milk tea. It's the first recognizable vegetable I have seen here other than a few garnishes here or there.

I went on an oddessy twice today...one was to get mint tea...I even had a Chinese translator...he didn't even know what mint was and he was from Belgium...the closest I got after getting someone to write it down in Chinese was artificial crap green peppermint green tea which was disgusting. I threw it out in resignation and almost broke down...stupid things like that...so simple...but so impossible.

Then I went to find chamomile cause I was reaching boiling point...I went to a western style coffee shop and finally got it...she almost put a green tea bag in my mug even though I showed her the Chinese characters...luckily I caught her and they actually did have chamomile...I was NOT about to get something I did not order AGAIN. I bought a whole box of it...then I went to 7/11 and bought some scotch.

Went to see an apartment today...absurdly small...I can't even explain what a rip off it is.

The hostel is cool, I uploaded a pic of my Belgian Chinese speaking friend who accompanied me to Taipei Main shopping district today. I caught a video of this Chinese guy wrapping and video taped it...he was really good...then I asked what he was rapping about...my friend said he was basically advertising for the shopping district...just another hardened G trying to sell bubble tea and hello kitty key chains...


So I was drinking with Americans, Canadians, Germans, Brits, Taiwanese and a Belgian in the hostel...all good people...good time. One of the staff is helping me find a place...they all are actually...very helpful and nice. I need to move to the Dormitory tomorrow, but I also met a guy while eating my pork rice who has a room to rent...divine providence...and will check it tomorrow. Hopefully I will find one soon. I'm trying to get one downtown so I'm not lonely and will have things to do all the time.

I'm still jet lagging pretty hard...this Monday is moon festival (woopdie freeking doo) the last thing I need right now is for the city to shut down and turn into the fourth of July (which is basically what it is)...I need an apartment... the moon Queen can wait...

Met some expats who are visiting from Korea...from what they tell me, I am glad I'm not teaching in public school there...that would have been a bad move. And the hagwons are shady too they say...but they do love Korea...they confirm that things here are cheaper...but I'm sure it's great...good at any rate that I didn't take the public school 8-10 hour a day job.