Soon Hallowe'en, but the Days are Slow and Warm, the Trees are Green, and the Candy is Bean Flavored
Taiwan Fact: Gross hairy moles are in like Flynn! Especially with older folks, people around here will allow long hairs to grow out of their moles. I'm not sure about ALL moles, but ones on the face and neck are easily visible and men will shave AROUND the moles to preserve their hairs. But women too. It's... a bit of a turn-off.
Halloween is coming up and it seems like it could be super awesome or a lot of hassle for a little fun. It's a pretty big holiday in this country, for being a Western import.
God damned it, Eason and Antony keep your fuckin' hands to yourselves!
The ones in the hoola-hoops are cows, the rest are farmers. They are cow-tipping. School feels pretty natural nowadays. I feel like I have a lot of improving to do as a teacher, but I'm still decent. Half the time when my kids aren't doing what I ask it's because they're hugging me instead of going to the bathroom or whatever. The other day, Kevin said "I love you, Teacher Alex!" probably six times in two hours.
Adam's costume.
Otherwise things are more or less as they've been these past many weeks. Some nights it hints at getting cool! The pollution has gotten worse over the last handful of days and everyone seems to be hacking up the consequences. I imagine it has to be the changing weather that's allowing the smog to hang over the city and accumulate. Andy wonders if we're getting some off mainland. Either way, there has been a positive haze in recent mornings.
Last Friday was a relaxed day that ended up at Bob Wun Daye. I wound up talking to George and Xander. Poor George came here for a lady and they wound up not working out. He's taking Chinese classes, but can't find a job. He thinks he'll run out of money in the next two months or so and will have to return to Germany. His English is good enough I bet he could find a job teaching, but he's like a grown-up who had a real job back home. I think Xander might be seeing Klaire? Hard to say.
It may have been this evening that I had a conversation with Judy apologizing for not keeping in contact with her very well and explaining the my situation. She made it seem like no big deal, so that's good. I still feel a little bad but I'm trying to stay honest and, a greater feat, transparent. I try and not do things that make me feel guilty so then I don't feel the need to hide anything. But ladying is tricky! Especially in a community where everyone seems to know everyone, and friendships feel tenuous in the first place.
I woke up nice and early on Saturday, as did Adam. We got a late breakfast and then got some kitchen supplies at the day market. Later Andy joined us and we went down Bryn's way and checked out some costume stuff. (Bryn's moving back home next month! First close friend to be leaving.) Then there was a party held at an apartment populated by six current or former Kojen teachers. I actually knew probably half of the attendees and met most of the rest. It was a pleasant party, but Jordan was there and had been for a while and left not to long after I got there, so before too long I followed her to a place called The Source. Adam, Andy and Bryn followed me. The crappy DJ (she was crappy, the music was solid) who was playing at the bar I'd first talked to Jordan at was performing there. There were few people there, but some of the few were Deanna, Lingling and Jennie. The roommates and Bryn left quickly. Jordan had met up with some friends in the meantime and they didn't wind up staying terribly long either. I followed them around the city for a while and chatted, drank and smoked. It was a fun night but I was a little disappointed Jordan spent the night at her friend's, my neighbor's, house and I went home alonely. Call me greedy.
The next evening she came over and we talked a bit about the fact that we both had/have significant others that we didn't really break up with, that we are sort of just apart from. However, my situation is far more clear since I was in an open relationship to begin with. The phrase "take it slow" was used once or twice, then we watched the pilot of Firefly.
I've always kept it in the back of my mind that this is a public space that anyone might read (Hi Grandpa Brian!). And I'm aware that some people in this hemisphere have indeed started reading it. However, that didn't stop my heart from skipping a beat when Judy sent me a message saying she'd read my blog. But I quickly realized that I really don't do much that I feel is immoral (let's set culture WAY aside for the moment) so my blog's bound to be at least as vindicating as it is damning. HI EVERYONE WHO MAY BE READING THIS WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. I USE A LOT OF SARCASM, IRONY AND EVEN SARDONICISM, BUT THERE IS A 95% BASE CHANCE I LIKE YOU!
I'm gonna be a zombie, btw.
Halloween is coming up and it seems like it could be super awesome or a lot of hassle for a little fun. It's a pretty big holiday in this country, for being a Western import.
God damned it, Eason and Antony keep your fuckin' hands to yourselves!
The ones in the hoola-hoops are cows, the rest are farmers. They are cow-tipping. School feels pretty natural nowadays. I feel like I have a lot of improving to do as a teacher, but I'm still decent. Half the time when my kids aren't doing what I ask it's because they're hugging me instead of going to the bathroom or whatever. The other day, Kevin said "I love you, Teacher Alex!" probably six times in two hours.
Adam's costume.
Otherwise things are more or less as they've been these past many weeks. Some nights it hints at getting cool! The pollution has gotten worse over the last handful of days and everyone seems to be hacking up the consequences. I imagine it has to be the changing weather that's allowing the smog to hang over the city and accumulate. Andy wonders if we're getting some off mainland. Either way, there has been a positive haze in recent mornings.
Last Friday was a relaxed day that ended up at Bob Wun Daye. I wound up talking to George and Xander. Poor George came here for a lady and they wound up not working out. He's taking Chinese classes, but can't find a job. He thinks he'll run out of money in the next two months or so and will have to return to Germany. His English is good enough I bet he could find a job teaching, but he's like a grown-up who had a real job back home. I think Xander might be seeing Klaire? Hard to say.
It may have been this evening that I had a conversation with Judy apologizing for not keeping in contact with her very well and explaining the my situation. She made it seem like no big deal, so that's good. I still feel a little bad but I'm trying to stay honest and, a greater feat, transparent. I try and not do things that make me feel guilty so then I don't feel the need to hide anything. But ladying is tricky! Especially in a community where everyone seems to know everyone, and friendships feel tenuous in the first place.
I woke up nice and early on Saturday, as did Adam. We got a late breakfast and then got some kitchen supplies at the day market. Later Andy joined us and we went down Bryn's way and checked out some costume stuff. (Bryn's moving back home next month! First close friend to be leaving.) Then there was a party held at an apartment populated by six current or former Kojen teachers. I actually knew probably half of the attendees and met most of the rest. It was a pleasant party, but Jordan was there and had been for a while and left not to long after I got there, so before too long I followed her to a place called The Source. Adam, Andy and Bryn followed me. The crappy DJ (she was crappy, the music was solid) who was playing at the bar I'd first talked to Jordan at was performing there. There were few people there, but some of the few were Deanna, Lingling and Jennie. The roommates and Bryn left quickly. Jordan had met up with some friends in the meantime and they didn't wind up staying terribly long either. I followed them around the city for a while and chatted, drank and smoked. It was a fun night but I was a little disappointed Jordan spent the night at her friend's, my neighbor's, house and I went home alonely. Call me greedy.
The next evening she came over and we talked a bit about the fact that we both had/have significant others that we didn't really break up with, that we are sort of just apart from. However, my situation is far more clear since I was in an open relationship to begin with. The phrase "take it slow" was used once or twice, then we watched the pilot of Firefly.
I've always kept it in the back of my mind that this is a public space that anyone might read (Hi Grandpa Brian!). And I'm aware that some people in this hemisphere have indeed started reading it. However, that didn't stop my heart from skipping a beat when Judy sent me a message saying she'd read my blog. But I quickly realized that I really don't do much that I feel is immoral (let's set culture WAY aside for the moment) so my blog's bound to be at least as vindicating as it is damning. HI EVERYONE WHO MAY BE READING THIS WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. I USE A LOT OF SARCASM, IRONY AND EVEN SARDONICISM, BUT THERE IS A 95% BASE CHANCE I LIKE YOU!
I'm gonna be a zombie, btw.