Welcome to Taiwan

There are three Taiwanese men in my living room right now, and I have no idea what is being said. Chinese dialogue goes back and forth between them. One is hammering something into the wall, another is on the phone, and the last one (my landlord) is looking very confused at a paper. This is my new life.

I am now freshly married to the love of my life, Andy, and living in Taiwan. A year ago I would have never guessed this would be my life.

Upon arriving in Taiwan, my friend Scott and his friend Trent picked Andy and I up at the bus station in Zhongli. Zhongli is a city near Taipei where Scott lives. We dropped our luggage in his big one room apartment and then we hit the street for some food. Scott has been in Taiwan for 4 years, so he speaks Chinese quite well. He took us to a little stand on the corner, gave us each a little basket with tongs and told us to pick out what we wanted and then give it to the lady. The lady would then cook it all together in a soup and give it back to us. There were about 5 different kinds of noodles, and 30 or so options of what to put in with the noodles, all of which I had no idea what they were. Scott picked one up and said, "Oh this one is good. Try it, it's pigs blood." Of course, what else would it be?! Andy was all over that, but I wasn't so interested. After consulting with Scott and Trent, I decided upon spinach noodles, broccoli, tofu, and mushrooms. It turned out to be a wonderful soup. Andy's soup on the other hand, included rice noodles, pigs blood, pigs ear, seaweed, cabbage, and bean sprouts. What can I say, the guy will eat anything. :) This was our introduction to Taiwan.Choices of things to add to your soup.

Since then, Scott and Trent have introduced us to so many great people. We now have quite a few friends, which is wonderful since we just moved here. We have also found an apartment. Another of our friends is Canadian, but has lived here for 8 years. She also speaks Chinese really well an was able to make some calls and help us find an apartment. The apartment that we decided upon is in an area called Banciao, in Taipei County. We live down a network of busy, scooter filled roads, and on the 5th floor (top floor) of an apartment building. We have a wonderful little porch, a wide open living room and kitchen that came furnished, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It seems to be the perfect space for two people...and then some for when visitors come. Andy and I have been having fun setting up the apartment and making it ours. Everything in it seems perfect, accept for the mosquitoes. For the past few nights we have woken up in the middle of the night with annoying mosquitoes buzzing in our ears and biting our faces. Gross! So Andy will jump out of bed, grab the fly-swatter and go on a killing spree. It is mildly entertaining.

Andy cleaning the kitchen as we move in.

Well, there is laundry ready to be hung on the line, and Andy is anxious to go run some errands and cook dinner. I think we'll eat on our porch tonight since the weather is nice.