Some things I've been observing lately
So...I've been here for 7 (almost 8!) months. And, now that I'm use to the cultural, I'm noticing a lot of tiny details that I missed as I was becoming initially adjusted to Taiwan. Here's what I've been seeing:
1. 7-11 sells EVERYTHING. That is obvious. But, they do not sell Pepsi (or any pepsi products for that matter). I remember seeing Pepsi in Europe, but it was still sparse. I probably just noticed this because I never drink soda and now steer towards the fruit juice/tea section.
2. Feng Shui (how you arrange your house/office/etc.) is SUPER important. For instant, at school, in the main building, there are mirrors at every level of the stairs. I learned today that when ghosts climb the stairs, they see their reflections and panic. Stairs NEVER face the front door...then all the good karama leaves and bad karma can come in easily. There's lotssssssssss of this kind of stuff - let me know if you want to know more!
3. School is getting busier, my classmates are taking more tests than ever, yet we all still manage to have fun. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.
4. Taiwan has NO winter, NO spring. Just autumn and summer. As I write, I am trying not to die of heat in an un-airconditioned room. I kid you not. Humidity here is like Missouri/Illinois in the summertime multiplied by 5! Today, the temperature will range from 22-24C (which means about 71-75F). Yet, it still manages to feel like 98F in the shade. Oh the joys of humidity on a tropical island!
5. People you meet in unexpected places or as the result of unexpected activities often tend to be really cool. Or at least one can learn something from them.
Life is great...I'd love to hear how everyone is doing! I have a week off next week due to midterms (that I won't take...except for Chinese!) and Tomb Sweeping Day. Tomb Sweeping Day is pretty straight-forward...I'm going to go with my host family to sweep off the tomb of their deceased family members. Whoooohoo! :)
Lauren
