Sunday, June 12, 2005

Sleep is for sissies.
Or so it seems. I am tough, like monster. Gwar.

So no sleep for me. Too many lesson plans.

Eric, thanks for commenting on like, everything I write. It means a lot to me. I really appreciate it. You don't know how much you cheer me up. It helps to know someone's standing behind what I'm doing.. and thanks to everyone else too. You are effing cool.

Things have gotten a bit better since that day. I can't believe I'd want to go home so badly and then feel.. kinda okay about not being able to.. I've gone over my lesson plan, Yiyi has told me exactly what she needs, and I feel much better.

Yesterday was a bit of a living hell. Sometimes talking to people back home is like entering the realm of a drama. And I write drama, but I couldn't even think of some of the things that happen at home.

Naturally, everything else went wrong yesterday too. I drank some vodka by mistake; I can't handle vodka, and it made me quite sick. Obviously, I'm the brightest girl ever, so I took two tylenol to balance the alcohol. Because mixing drugs is *the cool thing* to do..

I should also mention that this was at the grand opening of our school. Good thing nobody speaks English. All I had to say were the default open sentances. (Hello! How are you? Where are you from?) so it was easy.

As pie.I went to Taichung City both yesterday and today. I took lots of pictures. Uh.. once I become computer literate, we'll see em too.

I continue to be amazed by the way the city is carved out. America makes too much of an influence in the malls though. I saw enough Tommy Hilfiger today that I thought I would vomit.

(WARNING! PERSONAL OPINION LOOK OUT!! AHH! IT'S COMING!!)

Because class is brandishing the American flag across your chest. -_- For a designer who hates other races and cultures. Sure. Right.

I don't like brand names anyway. They're too expensive, and I'm clearly a cheapskate. And the clothes look really bad and are cheaply made anyway.

(KK IT'S GONE NOW KTHNKSBYE)

I tried to explain why I didn't like Hilfiger, but now Yiyi thinks I hate Americans. I don't hate Americans. I just don't want anyone to think I am one. The sentiment for them isn't great. It really isn't. I'm Canadian, and the stereotype of peaceful and quiet suits me better than the crazy stereotype that all Americans are crazy beer guzzling gun toting folk.

I know that sounds outrageous. I'll give an example:

(At a dinner invitation)

Guy 1: Drink. Have drink. You like drink? (very loud.)
Yiyi: No no. She's not American. Canadian.

EXCESSIVE APOLOGIES!! Then he calmed down. A lot. And was much quieter and more polite.

This has happened THREE TIMES in a week. Three times. People change how they act because I'm not American. It's bizarre.

Funny, because I always thought the sterotype for Canadians was that they were all drunks. I mean, the good beer all comes from Canada, eh?

Okay, I can't drink or hold alocohol, so I wouldn't know. (You'd be a sissy for alcohol too if every time you drank it you were immediately sick.)

It's really bizarre how much sentiment I hear about America.. I kinda feel bad for teachers who come from there.

Another conversation:

Yiyi: I don't like American teachers.
Me: How come? They're just like everyone else.
Y: We have many problems with American teachers.
Me: I have a lot of friends from America. They really aren't bad.

She was kinda set though. I fought for my peeps, though. FIGHTIN! (I'm waaay the fuck too hyper. I'm sorry.)

Moving on.. we went to a mall called Shinkong Mitsukoshi. It's a very big and popular mall in Taiwan, so it was extremely full, especially since it was on the weekend. The mall is completely ginormous and most of the shops were for clothing.

I really don't like clothes shopping. See, I'm a cheapscate. Thirty bucks is just too much for a shirt I could buy at Value Village. I mean, it's gotta be a really nice shirt... (Cheap cheap.)

I wish it was a more cultural expierience, but as I said, there was an Old Navy, a Roots, United Colors of Bennetton, and Tommy Hilfiger. And lots of expensive stores. Yiyi really likes clothing shopping so this took most of the day.

Three ladies sprayed me with perfume. o.o It itches.

She bought me this cute Hello Kitty outfit. ^^ It doesn't cost much here. Japan's closeby.

It was so nice of her.

Ah.. we also got some nice new textbooks for my classes. And I managed to find a D&D novel for myself. (NERDNERDNERD) I'm happy to have something to read.

Nanako (Yiyi's daughter) doesn't like shopping either. Her and I spent a good deal of time playing peek a boo in the bookshop. For a three year old, she's an awesome companion. And she's not as spoiled as some kids.

Oh. While I'm thinking.. restrictions on kids doesn't go anymore in Taiwan. They're just bratty. People can and do have as many kids as they want. I saw a woman on a scooter today with three kids with her. It blew my mind. I'd be scared of one falling off.

But damn they're adept with those things. I can't drive well. I gave it up for a bike. XD

I think this may be a very whiny and unsensitive message. I feel horrible for it. I don't mean to be rude. I hope I'm not.

..today it rained, and I felt at peace. I think that was the one thing that really chilled me out, and made me feel better about stuff that went wrong, about the poor kid who hurt herself, and about everything that I miss. I thought of the day Luke proposed to me, and I thought of how I missed him.

I didn't cry, because the sky was doing it for me. It made me feel warm. I'm so happy he's waiting for me at home. A year is nothing.

Rain cleans the world, and it always clears my mind. I don't understand it. Maybe it's the way there are less people outside, or the sound, or the way the air tastes.

But it makes me feel so much better.

By the way.. I downloaded Skype. My name on it is chrissalter. Please feel free to phone me anytime or leave a voicemail.

Thanks for reading again.

-Chris
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