Christmas! #9

Hi!

A bit late I know, but I thought you'd want to see how we spent Christmas.

On Christmas Eve we went out!

 Later at Brickyard, where we met up with Dom.

Dancing around in the VIP section woo!

Dom did some DJing

Then Ed did some

I was LOVIN' it

Groupie?!

Taiwanese absolutely loving the dirty UK dubstep would you believe?!?

YES!!

Dan and Ed!

Happy Christmas!!

Feeling slightly wonky, we headed over to our friends Dom and Hazel's apartment for 2pm to have a traditional dinner! I was very excited! Ed and I had prepared some mashed potato and collected the roast potatoes and stuffing from the restaurant Conways (an excellent place that serves traditional British food). It was an extremely nontraditional Christmas, in that there was no stocking, no family, no presents to open, no cold weather... to be honest the whole thing was a bit of a daunting process. But to my surprise I didn't seem to mind what was missing, and had a brilliant day!

Dom and Hazels main room!

 It was a beautiful day, and Dom and Hazel have the most magnificent view of the river:

We ate just before sunset, and wow, it was a feast of turkey (smoked!), roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, pigs in blankets, veg and stuffing! It was delicious!

The TURKEY!!!

Me eating the turkey and EVERYTHING else!!

Post dinner :(

Pudding! Fortunately there was no actual Christmas pudding, but someone had bought some delicious cinnamon rolls!! Yummy!!

Ah, it was a brilliant day!

Alice and Tony (Ed's parents) are visiting at the moment, so the next installment will be of their visit!

#8

HI!!

I got a camera! A very generous present from Ed's mother - thanks Alice! So now I can put some more photos of my time in Taiwan.

So it's Christmas day this Sunday, but the mall next door to us has had decorations up for months!

But it's not even that cold here, so it feels a bit odd... 

We went to Taipei last weekend because Ed and Dom were asked to DJ at the club Revolver. Taipei is crazy! We were only there for the evening, but it had a real big city feel to it, like London. We took the HSR (High Speed Rail) up there... Which was loads of fun...

It took an hour and a half to there - 292 km per hour! So fast! We arrived at around 7pm and headed straight to the club for the sound check. We then went out for some food with some guys we met: Robi and Paul. They live in Taipei so they took us to a lovely little place for some dinner

We then headed back to the club where a reggae band called High Tide, who were so good!

Q-Kraft then played a set

Followed by the grimy Shank Dubs:

Ed made a friend!

Richie, a legend! From North London, one of the thickest London accents I've heard since we've been here, brilliant!

We left the club at about 5, and got the six hour coach journey back to Kaohsiung. Epic!

I got paid last week - happy days! Ed and I went on a bit of a shopping spree...

Only $200 (about £4) woo! It was so nice to spend some of the money that I had been earning! We also got a rooter, and a Christmas tree

It's very small, but so cute! For Christmas day we are going to our friends Hazel and Dom's apartment for the big dinner! Very excited! We are making some mashed potatoes... and don't worry, the roasted ones are being taken care of! The turkey has been ordered and will hopefully be singing some carols as well! Fortunately Christmas day is on a Sunday, otherwise we would be working...

Our friend Lexus, who we lived with during our first month, has just finished renovating a flat he bought to rent so we went to the house warming party. And the flat looked incredible! I had seen it before, and to be honest, I didn't really think anyone could make it livable! But he's done it! I'm so proud, well done mate!

The main bedroom! 

Lexus and Pauline!

You can see the lovely kitchen behind Boyson and Lexus....

Lush!

We paid another visit to Rafong Night Market with Lexus and Vanessa on Sunday:

Dim Sum! YUMMY!!

Weird balloon squid...

Caramelized strawberries! 

The next blog will have Christmas, New Year and the Leyland's visit!

XXX

#7

HI!!

I still have no camera, but I thought I'd write a short blog for anyone who wants to know!

I have a job, FINALLY!! And it's been pretty tough. This whole teaching thing is not a ride in the park I tell you that! I never thought it would be easy, but I never thought it would be this hard. My colleagues are wonderful, really helpful and pleasant. And the kids are... interesting. I have one class in the afternoon that I teach everyday, so I've really got to know them, and they're great. There are only 9 of them, aged 7 and 8 and their level of English is pretty good. This week I am teaching them 'Food and Drink' like hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza... yeah. Great. But to my surprise, when I say "Do you like to eat hamburgers?" most of the kids say "No teacher, I do not like to eat hamburgers." Which is good! I've also been subbing this week which has been really good practice, and because they have other teachers most of the time, it doesn't really matter if I make mistakes (which i'm trying not too!). I should be getting a brand new class soon, I think at the end of November. They will be 7 - 8 years old, even possibly 6... they will have no English at all! This is exciting as well as a bit daunting because it will be a challenge. I have to be in control from the moment go otherwise that's it, you've lost them for the whole year. So the first few lessons are vital. This is why my boss has made me practice with this subbing... so that I'm absolutely ready for the beginners.

Apart from work life is good! Christmas is coming... strange strange strange. Traditionally, the Taiwanese don't celebrate Christmas at all. But the Western trade, like Starbucks and the big malls really go for it. There is the most ridiculous display at the Hanshin Department store near where we live, that screams out horrid recordings of "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" you can imagine the rest. But if the 25th was not a Sunday, Ed and I would be working. It's not a holiday here. Well why should it be?! There will be some sort of big meal somewhere I imagine... Also it's not cold here! So it's even more weird. Sure, it's getting "cooler" but, nothing compared to the winters back home.

We changed our flights today. So it's official. We are staying for the year!! Which I'm really happy about, because I seriously love it here.

This weekend Ed and I are going to visit Monkey Mountain, which is to the west of the city. Ed has been once with his friends, but I have never been! Our friend Dom is DJing on Saturday as well. I love my weekends since working. I live for them!

I will hopefully borrow a camera for Monkey Mountain and the weekend, and will hopefully be buying one soon! We still have no internet... Ed has his ARC but it's now the case of actually getting it! Which is proving harder then we thought!

Lots of love, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!