The Dude abides.

I guess now is when I start to feel less like a tourist and my normal, boring life kicks in…it’s been a lot of going to work, eating, and sleeping. I usually go to school several hours before my classes to work on lesson plans and grade, so even if I only teach for an hour or two at night, I’m at school all afternoon. Perhaps I didn’t specify this before—my classes are in the evenings every day but Saturday. If I get some “one-on-one’s” in the future, then I’ll have morning classes, but at the moment I have the mornings off. Anyway, once I know what I’m doing, I’ll probably go to school less and have a lot of free time. As it is, I already have too much free time, so I am looking into my options for Mandarin classes to take in the mornings. There are a couple universities people recommend that have Mandarin classes, but they’re a little expensive, so I’m going to see how much I make first and then decide where to take lessons.

There’s been a jazz festival going on in Taichung all week. It’s set up right outside our school’s main location in the park. When I’ve gone, it’s been quite crowded, but there’s lots of food and a couple stages and it’s pretty nice. They even broke the world record for the greatest number of saxophones playing together at the same time—I think it was over 900 saxophonists. Unfortunately I was not there to see it, but I think one of my students was part of it. How fun!

A bunch of us teachers watched The Big Lebowski (one of the best movies ever--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_GCRFRcWxA) the other night and drank White Russians (The Dude’s favorite drink), which was fun. Last night we went out to one of this bar, but I didn’t realize how much of a wuss I am now when it comes to smoke inhalation. There’s no smoking ban in Taiwan, and it seems like a lot of people we have met smoke. I really don't mind at all, but I’m finding it difficult to hang out in a bar for very long because it hurts to breathe. I guess I’ll have to get used to it. But honestly, I don’t see the point of going to a bar when 7-11 has reasonably priced beer and tables and chairs right outside. If it’s dancing you want, no one is going to stop you from dancing outside of 7-11. At least I won’t, because I’ll be videotaping.

Today Mike and I went hiking again in DaKeng. This time we took Trail 3, which is probably my favorite so far. It’s a bit longer, but it’s a pleasant walk and has some nicer views (if not for the haze). It’s also not as steep. Although, to Mike’s chagrin, it is not exempt from collapsed bridges and wobbly paths. It doesn’t bode well when you’re walking along and see a collapsed bridge up ahead, even if there is a decent detour set up nearby. You just wonder to yourself, “Will I be here the next time a bridge collapses?” It was nice to get exercise, however, and it’s nice and quiet out there. But again, we failed to see any monkeys. Also, Tess would have been a mess, because when there weren’t spiders, there were butterflies everywhere.


Also, the other night Mike and I went to a “Mexican” restaurant and ordered tortilla chips as a snack. We received these nacho cheesier Doritos. We had heard that if you order “nachos” at this restaurant, you receive Doritos, but apparently you also receive them when you order tortilla chips. They even come with salsa. Yum.