the view from my dorm/apt rooftop

It was pretty foggy tonight, but I still got out a few good pictures from the rooftop ledge. There is an amazing view of the skyline. Taipei 101 is also viewable from the rooftop!

 

 

  

 

busy, busy bee

I have been extremely busy with registering and adding classes, which is a complete HEADACHE. The system here is awfully confusing. I don't even want to talk about all of it, thinking about it makes me want to change my flight to go home now--or drop out and just travel! Anyhow, so far I have attended two classes: Marketing Management and Int'l Mktg Mgmt. So far, I love both. Thankfully, they are taught in English. The business classes here seem very competitive and hardcore. Of course, that is to be expected considering NTU's College of Mgmt is ranked pretty highly, and their Executive MBA program is #40 in the world! Hopefully this semester won't be too stressful, because I still want to have enough time and energy to explore Taiwan.

A few interesting, odd, and funny cultural differences I have observed:
-people really love their afternoon naps here. in schools, probably all levels from elementary to high school, is a specific nap period! gee, wish I went to high school here!
-Taiwanese people travel in groups. You will see girls holding hands - which of course in other regions of the world would be interpreted otherwise, but they are just representing their friendship.
-no toilet paper in most bathrooms. and at NTU, there is usually only one stall of a normal toilet, the rest are squat toilets. um, fun!
-no trash bins anywhere on the streets. it is part of Taiwan's save-the-environment program to teach the society to waste less.
-manpurses! you will see guys carring furry black totes or brown leather handbags. they are all straight, trust me.
-toy dogs in sweaters and strollers.
-peacoats, boots, tights, scarves in 80 degree weather. not to mention, it is like 80% humidity. I have no idea how those girls are keeping their cool. I'd totally faint if I were wearing all that bulk.

here comes the sun

Today, Sunday, was a gorgeous day. The sun even came out, the first time I saw it since being here. I spent my morning at the gym, attempting to burn off some of what I gorged on. The treadmills are sorta weird here. First, they have German words on them. And then, it skids when you run faster or slower than what the track is going. Oh, and the mileage is set in kilometers. Eeek! For lunch, mom's friends from college (friends for almost 40 years!) treated us to a feast at a nice Chinese restaurant on NTU campus. The food is very, very delicious and relatively healthy. The food was not greasy, and I mostly ate veggies and fish. Afterward I headed back to my dorm to rest. I didn't sleep too well last night. First off, fireworks were going off at 3am...then it was freeeeeezing in my room. There is no heater. I had two blankets and was wearing a sweater and was yet cold. Later I met up with Jasmine. We hung out in my room for a bit, browsing online to find a place to eat around here. I mean, we could easily go out and pick a place to eat, but I wanted to check my 'list' [a compilation of places I desperately want try out!]. None of the restaurants on that list are in walking distance. So, we went to a chain Japanese place that Jasmine is familiar with. It was pretty good, especially with hot sake mmmm perfect for a chilly day. After stuffing our faces we walked around Gongguan (the district of NTU) and then walked [aka exercise] all the way to ShiDa Night Market. It was way crowded, as always. We ended the day at KFC, downing danta, which is a Portuguese/Macau egg tart. Delicious!

 

display of visual menu - it's all fake! many restaurants here do that, and they replicate the food exactly.

 

fake sashimi - looks tasty, huh?

appetizer - this comes with every meal: cold tofu, small side salad, steamed egg with shrimp & mushrooms, miso soup, and a shot of plum vinegar (to drink!)

Donburi. Yum yum in my tum tum - sashimi and salmon roe topped on rice 

  

danta - left is heitang (black sugar) that has a mochi filling

right is called 'cream bomb' - has a cream filling

i heart taipei

I moved into my dorm Saturday morning. My cousin, Tony who is also a professor at NTU, came to pick me up. My mom, uncle, and aunt (his mom) came along for the ride as well. All five of us squeezed into Tony's sedan, plus my two 50-pounder suitcases. I am so thankful for my family here. It's great to be near family wherever you are! As we were entering Taipei City, I felt a rush of adrenaline. I love the thrill of living in a big city. I hate suburbia life, and living in Xizhi for a week was killing me. The skyscrapers, bright lights, people, restaurants, bars...I know I will be living the good life here. So, it turns out my assigned room is next to the electricity room. It's not a power plant per se, but it's where all the internet and phone lines route from. This room, however, was on the 13th floor - the top floor. The view wasn't amazing - just the other side of the building. I know some people have a view of the city and of Taipei 101! I wish that were me. Anyway, my mom and aunt urged me to move into another room. We went to the front desk to rant. Tony urged the receptionist to find another room in the top floors. No empty rooms, except for the 2nd floor. She gives us the key and we go take a look. It's right above the entrance to the building and in the way corner of the hall. Hmm noise vs. possible health hazards + good location. I finally decided to go with the 2nd floor room to ease my family's worries.

You are probably all curious as to what my dorm looks like right!? It has cream-colored walls, tan tiles, and a large window. Equipped with a phone, desk, bookshelf, shoe rack (!!), built-in wardrobe, fridge, and of course a bed frame (mattress NOT included). The bathroom is nice. The electricity costs money. you have to buy an electricity card and slide it in the electricity control box. It's on a per watt charge! Therefore, the hot water costs money too. So, I guess it's good in a way...it will force me to be more environmentally/money-saving conscious. There is a gym on the first floor, along with a few pool tables, lounge, and a dining area (no food, just microwave, toaster oven, and boiling water). But finding food will definitely not be a problem. In the dorm complex to mine is a Starbucks and 7-11. Then directly across the street is a Mexican restaurant + bar. Down the street are tons and tons of restaurants...Thai, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, sushi, Italian, and a mini-night market (stinky tofu, fried stuff on a stick, etc). I am most certainly in food heaven. Let's just hope I don't gain too many pounds this semester :)

Roosevelt Rd. - one street away from my dorm - the street of restaurants

bright lights, big city

friday morning

This morning I got woken up by ear-deafening fireworks...at around 7 or 8am. Okay not nice, people!! My mom explained to me it's because today is the fifth day of the new year--the day all shops, mom and pop diners, and grocery markets open. For a week, all these shops have been closed, including banks and business firms. So imagine not being able to withdraw (aside from ATMs) money for a week or not being able to contact the HR department of some firm for an entire week! Only department stores and chain restaurants and shops stay open.

This morning I also woke up with a swollen right eye due to a mosquito bite. There has been a mosquito(s--hopefully not!) hiding around my uncle's house. It seems like it likes the blood from me face. So far, I have gotten seven bites on my face. Yesterday it bit my left cheek, which left my eye puffy and it looked like I got a black eye. This time, it bit my right cheek and my bottom lip.

It's still pouring rain, and it's super windy today. I caught a cold, and my entire face feels itchy. Not a good Friday morning :(

On a somewhat happier note, there is a 40% chance of rain tomorrow in Taipei!

not much fascinating things to write about...

because the past few days have just been filled with eating, visiting relatives, eating some more, treading along in the rain, and trying to keep warm. Today was 8 degrees celsius, which is about 46 degrees. It is even warmer in SoCal right now! The weather report says that it will start getting warmer this weekend. I hope it is true because I didn't pack many winter clothes, and soon enough I won't be able to fit into them...

Tonight we attended a mini family reunion at a chi dao bao huo guo--which essentially is a hot pot buffet. Taiwan is known for these; they are everywhere. There were 30 or so of us. I met a few cousins I never knew existed. Both my parents side of the family are complex. My mom has 7 siblings, so you can imagine how many cousins + aunts and uncles I have. Then on my dad's side, there are many, many siblings. Even I don't know the exact number, but I believe there are 14 or so in total (by blood and through adopted siblings). Anyhow, at this hot pot place, you get your own personal hot pot. Then, you fill your plate with your selections of what you want to cook. There are several kinds of yuwan/fishballs, meats (usually beef or lamb), veggies, fish, mushrooms, and starches (pumpkin, corn). There are different sauces and condiments to add, too. At these buffet hot pots, of course there has to be dessert: coffees, ice cream, shaved ice, fruits, tea jello, slushies, sweet popcorn... Basically, you stuff yourself til you feel disgustingly fat. I mean, after dinner I could barely button up my peacoat :/ Nonetheless, tonight was fun meeting relatives and stuffing my face some more--day five/feast six of the new year!

please don't feed me!

me + rolls soon---->
I have never been more tired and stuffed in my entire life [so far]. I am currently growing a food baby, my face is getting puffier and puffier each day, and I am getting lazier and thinking about food 24/7. Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined that I'd ever eat from morning to night, non-stop. JoMa (my aunt whom I'm living with right now) feeds us waaaay too much food. She always has some sort of fruit or crackers on the table or is always asking me if I want to eat anything. My cousin explained to me that only during Chinese New Year, people go out and buy the most expensive groceries or dine at the most extravagant restaurants. You munch on nuts and cookies before a meal and eat some sort of dessert after every meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It truly is non-stop eating. I feel as if the pit in my stomach is growing bigger and always is begging for more food, even if I feel really fat after a big meal.

Today we took a train to Shuangxi, which is a small town in Taipei County, but not near downtown. From there we walked four miles to another train station. Apparently, this is a popular trail to jog/powerwalk, but we were the only ones on the road because it was drizzling the entire time. I had planned to go running to burn off all that I ate from the past few days, even wore sweats (which you will rarely ever see Taiwanese women wearing, even when exercising--they instead wear skirts and heels) and my sports headband, but it was freezing and raining. No fun. After the walk, I could already feel my thighs and calves burning. I am so out of shape. It's from gorging on all that food! It's only 8:30pm right now, and I feel so ready to go to sleep. I do know, however, that after I move into my dorm I will not be feasting on all that tasty food. It will be back to living like a starving college student and running on the treadmill everyday. There is no meal plan, and I have no kitchen nor a microwave, so I have to venture everyday to buy food. Yip. Ee.

day two of the new year/day three of feasts

[backtracking to the 15th, Monday]

Today we walked to Costco. Yeah, you read right COSTCO! Our mission was to buy a cake for Wen-wen's (my cousin) 18th birthday and to bring to da ah-yi's (mom's older sister/my aunt) house for dinner tonight. Costco defintely keeps all their stores consistent, in terms of setup and products, even the menu of their deli is the same. Walking in the Costco I knew exactly where to head for cakes and vitamins. It's the same exact setup as all the Costco's I've been to. Of course, things are more expensive here...generally about a 30% markup. Tiramisu, New York Cheesecake, big rectangular frosting-covered generic cake, strawberry cheesecake...which to choose? There was a sampling booth for Bailey's (yummm!) which shocked both my mom and I. I don't recall ever seeing a sampling booth for any sort of alcohol in the states. The drinking age here is 18 anyway, and IDs are rarely asked for.

Anyhow, after purchasing a strawberry cheesecake, and running in the rain to the bus station, we took the MRT (subway term in Asia) to my aunt's house. While walking to my aunt's from the MRT station, I noticed plenty of good restaurants...if I lived in her area I'd probably weigh 500 pounds. She lives in a good area of Taipei, extremely convenient and near everything. We sat at her place for a bit, ate a few snacks--including these incredibly addictive dark chocolate covered pomengranates that my mom brought from US Costco. I ate more than I should have, knowing that I'd be eating dinner in an hour or so. They are that addictive. Afterward, we headed to the 8th floor, where my cousin + cousin-in-law and their adorable newborn baby live. There were 14 of us, all family...my mom, her two sisters, her brother (Jojo, the one I am currently living with), three of my cousins, my mom's two cousins, my cousin-in-law's parents...The food we ate tonight were specialties of Hunan province (China). My cousin-in-law's parents are from Hunan, so we got a taste of homecooked gourmet Chinese food tonight!

we made 300 or so dumpings!

the feast for tonight

egg dumplings

shreds of pork, or maybe it was beef - I didn't eat it, so I'm not entirely sure

everyone's favorite and my cousin-in-law's parents' specialty ~ pork butt

some kind of special vegetable; tasted like cabbage, but had a radish texture

pork + veggie dongfen (glass noodles) soup

seaweed with tomatoes and sesame mmm

Hunan sticky rice

strawberry cheesecake a la Costco

Another tradition of Chinese New Year is giving out red envelopes filled with crisp dollar bills, my childhood favorite [and still a favorite hehe] tradition. Ah, the joy of being part of a HUGE family. Every adult hands the young money! The average to give each person is 2000NT. The older you get, the less money you receive. But this time, I received more money than I have for the past years because I have so many relatives here. At home, my parents are the only people who give me a red envelope. I remember in my mid-teen years, I'd spend all my CNY money in a month...on new clothes and shoes. This time, all my cash will go towards good food, accessories, and of course my savings [that will contribute to all the loans I have to start paying off eeek!].

din tai fung, fighting the crowds at sogo, new years day

Chinese New Year is a nine-day celebration, and therefore there are nine days of stuffing your face with way too much good food. It's like Thanksgiving times nine. Never-ending eating, all day for lunch and dinner. I felt guilty from all that I indulged in last night and promised myself that today would be 'detox' day in that I would only eat fruits and veggies. Completely unrealistic and impossible in the land of where your food fantasies come true! So, did I stick with my detox plan? Absolutely not!!

Today we went to the two SOGO's (Japanese chain multi-level, extremely overpriced department store) in Zhongxiao district. Both were incredibly crowded. There are, I believe, eight SOGO's in Taipei. They are always incredibly packed, which I don't really see why because everything is so expensive, even during their so-called sales. I guess it's because of the awesome food courts they have and all the pretty clothes! We first went to the Zhongxiao Dunhua SOGO, where JoMa (aunt) took us straight to a bakery in the basement. Ah the fragrance of freshly baked bread...so enticing. I shared a cranberry walnut bun with my mom. Afterward we headed up the escalators to each floor, only up to the 4th floor though because we decided to go to the other SOGO, which is right across the street. As we entered the Zhongxiao Fuxing SOGO, I saw a poster for Din Tai Fung, worldly famous for their xiaolongbao (traditional dumplings). So yes, we had to eat there for lunch. The wait, however, was two hours long, so my mom bought to-go, which still took awhile, but not nearly as long as the wait to sit inside the restaurant.

crazy, long wait

making xiaolongbao

veggies + mushroom + tofu baozhi (bun)

veggie dumplings

xiaolongbao

veggie + minced pork bun

So, that was lunch. When we got back, dinner was already waiting for us. Both my aunt and uncle cooked. I didn't even really feel hungry, but I proceeded to eat anyway. Ahh...

the tastiest shrimp dish ever. my aunt made it and won't tell us the recipe!

clam soup

"lionhead" - meatball

whole fish

this is a fruit native to Taiwan, called shi-jia. The literal translation is Buddha's Head. It's quite interesting. The texture is like a coconut, and the taste is sweet. Since being here, I have eaten three fruits I've never seen/eaten before. Taiwan is abundant in fruits!

feast number one ~ lunar new year eve

It seems like all my mom's siblings are chefs! My uncle cooked thirteen or so dishes. And, of course, I overstuffed myself...typical. A tradition for Chinese New Year is to pay respect to your ancestors. Before eating, we climbed (literally, because their stairs are so steep!) our way to the third floor, where my aunt and uncle have a traditional Buddhist altar. On the altar were pictures of my mom's parents and her grandparents. We set the dishes my uncle cooked as offerings and had five bowls and five pairs of chopsticks for each of them. Then my uncle reminisced about my grandparents and their dear grandmother who took care of them after my grandparents passed. Anyhow, afterward we headed down to the dining room and began our feast....

meatballs - traditional Chinese New Year dish; crunchy on the outside, pork + onions + ginger on the inside

veggies, shreds of pork, mu'er

shrimp rolls

egg roll stuffed with pork

soup number one; there were three soups total

bamboo shoots

egg layer with veggies underneath

some kind of meat, pork I think

pork fat

yumm shrimp!

a pricey, but delicious $70 soup

whole fish - symbolizes wish and abundance

mmm yum!

This is my nephew. He is four years old and incredibly energetic.

We, then, proceeded to put out ground fireworks. I heard this sound all night til 3am.