My Final Post in Ihla Formosa (Beautiful Island)

Wow, somehow I only have one week left in Taiwan.  That's a very difficult fact to come to terms with considering that it feels like two weeks ago that I packed my bags in DC and my parents dropped me off at LAX.  My emotional state is composed of excitement and sadness.  I'm excited to return home to the people I love and my real life, although I've honestly started to forget what that is exactly.  I'm excited to begin school again and get back to work.  I'm excited for the two CALIFORNIA BURRITOS I will eat in 12 hours in San Diego and the Taylor's Gourmet Sandwiches I will pound down in DC.  

I am sad that I will soon be leaving this country.  I will deeply miss all of the kind, hospitable, and generous friends I've met here.  I will miss the beautiful geography, awesome Chinese food, and the bustling night markets.  I will also miss what is both so endearing and humorous about the Taiwanese, like missed translations, little kids yelling at me, and old men flopping around at 7am doing Tai-Chi.  These are things that I will be hard pressed to find in America.  I suppose that this lends me greater reason to keep practicing Mandarin and to one day re-trace my experience here.

I've done a lot since my last post.  I've visited Hong Kong, an island called Xiao Liu Chiu, Tainan, went back to Kenting, and won second place in a Talent Show that our group was vastly unprepared for.  Pictures and video are included below.  I'll spend this week wrapping up classes, saying goodbye to friends, visiting a local trail famous for monkeys that steal food, and going cliff jumping from a waterfall somewhat close to campus.  All in all, it's bound to be a great last week here.  See everyone soon.

Zai Jian (Good Bye),

Brendan

In Hong Kong, the old and the new exist harmoniously.  This picture serves of an example of that - a two hundred year old Church (with a re-furbished exterior) with a Gotham City-like sky scraper in the background.  

A "Big Ass Buddha" in Hong Kong.  It's actually called the Tian Tian Buddha, which I believe translates to "Sky Buddha."  It was honestly huge and definitely worth climbing all those stairs to see. 

Hong Kong definitely has the most beautiful skyline I've ever seen.  This shot was taken from Victoria Peak.  Feel free to note the British influence.  Our hostel was on the other side of the river.  

We had to take one day at the beach.  Hong Kong has a range of solid beaches anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours outside of the city center.  Taylor, my buddy I met here, is on the left and Andy Liu, an old buddy from San Diego, is on the right.

Jie Jie (older sister in Chinese), Taylor, and I taking a ride after lunch in Xiao Liu Chiu.  I got bitch.  

The group in front of "Vase Rock" in Xiao Liu Chiu.

View of a secluded beach in Xiao Liu Chiu with Kaohsiung (Taiwan's second biggest city) in the far background.  This place was pretty close to paradise.  I definitely want to go back in the future.

My fruity board and I in Kenting.  It was good enough to catch a few waves on.

Our Kenting host, Jason, and his son, gege.  In Chinese culture, you usually address an individual older or younger than you by their family role.  In this case, gege means "older brother."  Jason is the man and one of the most generous people I've ever met.  

A little surf store in Kenting

Gino (G-Money) and I enjoying two of Mexico's finest.  It took a long time for me to explain what G-Money means and why it is a good nickname.

Our group's talent show.  I was really not happy to be forced into what I felt was a meaningless exercise.  It just seemed so silly.  Supposedly, Americans react to having to the talent show the same way every year.  The Taiwanese just see it as an important part of their culture that we ought to learn more about.  Fair enough. 

Post #3: Kenting, Taipei, and other happenings

It's really weird to think that this trip is half way over.  The last two weeks have been pretty hectic.  We're tested about 3-4 days per week and have been really busy over the weekends.  We went to Kenting two weeks ago.  Kenting is the "surfer's paradise" of Taiwan, a little town that has five to ten epic breaks.  Two of my buddies, Bart and Josh, and I decided to stay a few more days to catch some rays and check out the whole scene.  We were really impressed by Kenting's beauty and night market.  Overall, it was an awesome experience.

This past weekend a group of about twelve of us went to Taipei, Taiwan's capital city.  I didn't expect it to be so developed and full of so many foreigners.  We met a bunch of Americans, Europeans, and South Pacific islanders.  We had three crazy nights and four long days.  We didn't get much rest but definitely saw most of the city.  

This weekend my friend Taylor and I are heading to Hong Kong.  We'll be there for four nights.  I will post about it when I get back.  Until then, enjoy some pictures from my recent travels.

Brendan

This picture gives justice to Kenting's nick name of "Tawaii."  Surprisingly, the air and water is actually warmer year-round than Hawaii.   

View from our hostel  

Our buddy and hostel owner, Archie.  Another funny name of the friendly Taiwanese.  He's a huge surfer and really liked showing us around.  

Chang Kai Shek Memorial

A nice view from Dansui, a little town outside of Tapei

Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world

A gazebo inside the mall.  Their malls are the most extravagant pieces of work I've ever come across.  They're much more advanced, detailed, and high-end than most of what we know in the US.

We had to do it, a shot of snake blood that is.  Notice our pickled friends in the background.  

My new buddy, Sylvester, and I

It's important to stop and appreciate the little things that get lost in translation sometimes.  Note the name of their sale.

We had no idea what this was but honestly came across it 3-5 times.  Maybe a clothing store?  Regardless, I'm not sure if I should be creeped out or what.