Counting my blessings
It's unbelievable how time flies really. I'm heading on the 2 months mark spent on my time here and I'm in love with the place here more than ever. They say everything happens for a reason and I feel so blessed to have met such lovely friends at my time here so far! From being invited to sing karaoke all the way till midnight, having impromptu dinners , being at the back of a bike clutching at the handles and feeling the winds sweeping your hair all over your face to having really heartfelt conversations with my classmates, it strikes me how surreal everything feels sometimes. Despite being totally foreign to the culture here, I am always taken pleasantly by surprise on how heart-warming the people here are. I think the school culture played a huge role in making me feel at home. Or perhaps, it may be attributed to the fact on how I met the nicest people here. People such as Liz made me realize how friendships can be forged over the same viewpoints in life and passion in reading. From discussing our insecurities and bonding over our love for food (our appetites are well, a little extraordinary HAHA), she's like the little sister I never had really :D. And then there are classmates such as Mike, Melissa and the rest of the group from my Human Motivation Theory class that made me feel at home with their warm and outgoing personalities. Most importantly, what touched me most was their constant invitations to join them in their activities and their eagerness to both help me on school matters and my travel plans. I think I will forever remember the moment when Mike invited both Melissa and me to sing karaoke with the group despite us being not in the same department at all (and me being an foreigner and exchange student at that?). What are the odds of people being so welcoming! In addition, the interesting (and genuine) conversations I have recently with Mike made me realize how one can connect with another despite belonging to different geographic locations. It's a good feeling really and I wake up sometimes feeling so thankful to have made this decision to come here, forging different friendships with people from all around the world :)
Other than that, the past few weeks have been pretty eventful with me travelling outside Hsinchu to Taichung for an overnight stay, getting my first DIY dye, attending a school concert (and seeing how the crowd surged to chase a celebrity to his cab =O) and tackling my first exam here a.k.a the midterms (no joke really). Plus who can forget the good food that is in abundance here! My mission to try every local delicacies is still in full throttle HAHAHA. Which explains why I have to drag myself to the gym always because...calories. The pains of being a girl really. A vain girl that is hahaha.That aside, I'm so stoked for my family to be joining me in a week's time? Can't wait to be reunited with them really. Till here!