Part II: The Metro

I like shiny things, easy, clean, shiny things. Thus I LOVE THE METRO.
It's unbelievable, a huge part of Taipei transportation, extremely affordable (around 60 cents, but the price depends on how long you ride for...which makes so much sense), extremely EASY to navigate, and extremely clean.

In addition to being able to get around quickly (the waiting is always less than 5 minutes...and that's an overestimation), there are a lot of rules (formal and informal) that make sense to me. One big one is no eating or drinking, you can get charged $30. Other aspects that are so efficient include lines at the busy stations to board, standing on the right side of escalators so people who want to walk can walk on the left side (do they do that in the US, too? I never paid attention), lights that flash on the platforms before the subway arrives (before you can hear it), and it SPEAKS FOUR LANGUAGES. The cars have very clear marquees that display where you're traveling from, the next stop, and the next one after that. But IT SPEAKS FOUR LANGUAGES. Does anyone else find this very cool?



There are metrocards as well (WITH student discounts). You load it, same as the NYC Metro, but instead of swiping, it's all sensors, so you can keep it in your purse or wallet without taking it out, and just pass it over the little machines (shown on right). If you don't want a card, the one time rides take plastic tokens. It reads your cards twice, once when you get on and once when you get off, so it can charge you accordingly due to distance traveled. This card is also used for the city buses (about 24 cents), and you get a discount on the metro if you use the bus first before you ride the subway. The card can also be used for parking fees, some convenient stores, and other random things...AND unlike some NYC stations, the signs are all crazy clear and visible and don't lead you to random corners. Which is nice. A lot of the stations also have malls connected to them, or underground malls that connect two stations together. We went to one to have lunch at a famous place for these little dumplings. Here are relatives, Catherine and Peggy.

This is one of the entries to the subway, a rather shiny one at that....

Here are some views from the elevated part of the subway...most of it is underground, though.

In this one, you can see the next stop ahead. I like this shot, I'm not sure why...it's kind of futuristic looking, although nothing in it is new.

A couple of different platforms, the first one is underground, the second is above ground. There are also marquees that announce how many minutes are left before the next subway arrives. I especially like how there are people in both of these people staring at me, because I was throwing away all dignity and capturing my great love for this transportation system. :)


And, seriously, I was not joking about how clean it is.


This is the outside of the Xindian Station. Doesn't it look like the convenience store is the beacon of hope for all humanity? Hum. Ponder.

Part I: The Green

Hey there!

I am terrible, and it's been quite a while since I posted anything.
Notes: 1) I love this camera, we've been spending a lot of time together. 2) I have SOOO many pictures to upload, and I realized up to this point, most of them are family. So for those of you who are more interested in this little island, these might be more fun to look at.

Because I am anal about thing s like this, it's going to be a 5 part series, as follows:
Part I: The Green
Part II: The Metro
Part III: The Chaos
Part IV: The Red (and the Pink)
Part V: The Reason

We've been staying at my uncle's in Xindian--it's like Westminster to Denver...it's right outside of Taipei (45 minute drive). They have a beautiful place next to the mountains, which is unbelievably green and lush. Ok, so, here ya go! Enjoy. All love, angie

The guest room where we're staying--all following photos are taken from the porch that's right out side those glass doors (for some background info!)


Each "house" is a vertical section, 4 floors with a basement. Way to save space!


An attempt to capture the lush forest...


I can't describe it, but I have a thing for iron fences, gates, railings, fire escapes. :)

With some help of Photoshop, you can get the idea of where their place is in relation to the forest...

Beautiful, no?

A Little Lovin' from TPLC

I decided last night, on the metro ride back home, that AIESEC deserves its own little (ha...little) entry in this little archive of mine. Of course, we all know @ deserves much more than that--for creating this unbelievable movement and global culture, showing us worlds (literally) that we've never seen before, giving many of us an experience that has defined college for us already. But why its very own entry?

1. First, a shoutout to @Cornell, LC that is so beloved :) *above left*
2. And even more so, a GIGANTIC and HUGE and not-even-close-to-adequate thank you to TPLC, the @ chapter of Taipei University, for an evening that was truly another @ moment for me. *above right*

So, just a few weeks ago, I thought it'd be nice to try to get in touch with some Taipei @ers, maybe sit in on a GPM, and see how things go for them here. Afterall, how else can you meet other random college students in a country you haven't been to in 7 years? Needless to say, I was so excited when I received an e-mail back from Cathy, incoming VP of Marketing, and also a student in the department of public policy and management (can you say coincidence?). She was super sweet from the very beginning, even inviting me to spend the weekend in her hometown. And she's pretty darn adorable...*see below, middle!* Cathy was awesome telling me all about how I could meet TPLC.

We arranged for us to meet at the metro station last night, and then I would join their LC for their final meeting of the year at a local restaurant *above left*. I really arrived not knowing what to expect, but Cathy noticed me right at our meeting spot, and we walked over to Taipei University together. It is so cute. 2,000 students or less, I believe, and the campus is right there in the middle of things, with towering dorms and buildings. Nothing like freakin' gigantic, sprawling Cornell in middle of nowhere Upstate, of course, and I loved seeing the students milling around, the students passing out ads, people playing basketball...you really start to realize we're all the same, in essence...

Cathy and I met up with a group of @ers, waiting for others to arrive, and everyone was unbelievably friendly, warm, welcoming, open, curious. I loved just having the chance to stand there and meet them and hear about who was who, and answer questions and ask questions...this is also when I fell in love with their t-shirts *left*...are they awesome or what? (thank you, thank you, thank you for mine!!) After most everyone arrived, we headed off to the restaurant. It was their last meeting, and only last weekend they had transition for the incoming LT. There was a lot of laughing, joking, poking fun, reflection...and that excitement, passion, energy and dynamic blew me away. Not only because of its intensity...but because it reminds me so much of our GPM's, our LC, the friendship, unity, trust, and respect that I've seen develop over the past year at Cornell, thousands of miles away from Taipei University, but exactly the same.

And you have to love the similarities...
1. Hey AIESEC? HEY WHAT?? vs. Hey AIESEC? WHAT'S UP??
2. An emotional goodbye from the outgoing LT *above left*
3. Another Asian, female incoming LCP (yay Brenda!) who likes to give hugs!! *above middle*
4. An incredibly good-looking incoming LT :) *above right*
5. A lot of music...and food...and making fun of each other. I think that's universal...
6. There is a definite lack of males in both LC's.
7. Organizing something seemingly simple, like orders for tea and coffee, can get pretty hectic. *below* I think @ers everywhere are pretty loud and get distracted easily...

We also have a LOT to learn from LC's like TPLC...for example, they have these really hot business cards that we've been talking about....LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE! Let's get some, ok? Ok. And this Incoming LT shot from their transition weekend is amazing...

I knew this is part of what AIESEC is all about--being able to go nearly anywhere on this globe and find a community of people who will eagerly welcome you into their culture and show you their world. But I was still so amazed by the people I met, how I felt so at ease and myself...that being there, even sitting in, made me feel as comfortable as I do with my own LC. Hearing their words, their reflections, their hopes for next year--I realized I've heard those exact words, dreams, and wishes from @Cornell, but simply in another language. We all work towards the same goal, and it really is incredible to go somewhere, and be able to spend an evening with people who share the exact some mission and vision that you have.

I heard it so many times last night from TPLC...

We are a family.

Watching their powerpoints (it wasn't Coldplay, guys, but really darn close...!), seeing them play around with each other, hearing about their plans, it is obvious that they ARE a family. One @er talked about how he hangs out with @ers, talks to @ers online, calls @ers, lives AIESEC...and you know that this group adores, respects, and loves each other. And then I remember our own LC, growing and thriving, and how this year we did indeed become a family.

And, most importantly, I could imagine these two groups coming together, mixing languages, habits, ideas, traditions, dreams...even for an evening. For @Cornell to be ushered into such a wonderful experience. And I am more than certain that every person there would feel like a part of something so much greater. And no doubt, that every Cornell @er would feel, the way I did, that the TPLC had indeed welcomed them into their family.

With love and peace,
angie

It's all about food...Taiwanese food, to be exact.

Days have passed, and it's been filled with more warm weather (Ithaca makes you appreciate stuff like this), my family, and really, really good food. And all of these aspects of life here are very much interconnected.
Let me explain.

7-11's here are legitimately good stores, clean and super shiny, and well stocked with all kinds of good stuff. For example, here we are looking at assorted popsicles my cousin Minnie (in blue) and I got, including chocolate and pudding (the orangey one), green tea with red bean and condensed milk (the white one), and vanilla and red bean in waffle-like fish-shaped casing (which Minnie is kissing). The fishie was mine, everyone was jealous. :)
On the left is my cousin Angela and her fiance Byron, the middle is Minnie with our grandma, and on the right is Minnie and I with her dad, my uncle Alan, passed out in the background.
See? Family + Food = Fish-shaped ice cream.
And it doesn't end here!

A bit outside of my uncle's place is this fruit market. Oh my...it's a religious experience, the fruit here. In addition to the sweetest lychee, there's amazing apples, bananas, yellow kiwi, papaya, mango of course, and also GIGANTIC watermelons. In the left photo is my favorite fruit ever, although unfortunately it's out of season now. But still SO good. I'll give anyone a $1 who can tell me what it is in English....I really don't know.
So, we went there the other day with my aunt and uncle and picked up a ton, including ginger-marinated plums and tiny grapes with all of the above.

OK. And now...Bubble tea. Boba tea. Milk tea with Pearls. Whatever you call it--you know you love it. And yup, Bubble tea originated in Taiwan. HA. So, yesterday, we went to a restaurant that's original restaurant is in Taichung (central), and claims to be the one who invented Bubble tea. So we ordered a bunch of kinds, including original, Bubble tea made with Jasmine tea, and this kind with sweet sprouts in it. In addition, we got a bunch of traditional Taiwanese dishes, like congealed pig's blood and rice with peanut powder, dried squid, sticky rice balls, chilled seaweed, different kinds of noodles, and tofu dishes. All of it was delicious, but I'm still not a fan of the blood--I've never been.
The food is not at all foreign to me, but I love how its just completely normal here--lol, that sounds funny, but I don't know how to explain it any better. I like imagining bringing my American friends here, and imagining how they would respond to some of these situations. :)
Pig's ears and chicken feet are pretty big here, too...I like them both, but neither is extraordinary. But the bamboo shoot IS AMAZING...it's in season now.

Our adventures yesterday also included going to Taipei 101 (oh yes Kristina!), which holds the following titles:
1. World's Tallest Building from ground to structural top, ground to roof, and ground to highest occupied floor (only Sears takes the cake in ground to pinnacle--but who cares about an antenna?!)
2. World's Fastest Ascending Elevator speed at 16.83 m/s (thank you Matan)
3. Largest Count-Down Clock on New Year's Eve
It's HUGE, and a ton of really high end stores, like Gucci, Prada, Versace, Coach, Louis Vuitton (is that even how you spell it?)...the like. It was fun, but then it makes me nervous. I don't like going into stores where the cheapest thing is in the hundreds (or thousands), there are red carpets in the stores and the people who work there wear black gloves. But there are DEFINITELY people who love that--because it was packed!

My aunt Joyce and cousin Sean came to pick us up, and we picked up a ton of pastries and a loaf of bread for a little over 100 yuan (under $4), including egg custard tarts (one of my all time favorites) and beef floss pastries (again, if someone can describe it better, I'll be your friend).

And now, assorted photos that don't really fit into the food and family theme, but they're still nice to look at...?

My mom and me my first morning here. :)

Joyce and Sean (who is training to race in the Dragon Boat Festival right now--can he be any cooler? Or taller, for the matter. ARGH. I swear he used to be shorter than me :P)

My aunt Joyce began an interior design firm--this is one of her stores in Taipei. Such great bedding. My uncle Alan began his own firm, too, which just celebrated its 30 year anniversary. Interestingly, I found out a lot of the stores like Coach at Taipei 101 had their interiors done by his firm. Neat!

An ad inside Taipei 101, and great evidence of the influence of the West. Its advertising a serum that will make your skin whiter...

Ok, well, I think you've all had enough of me. Excuse me while I go eat some lychee.
love, angie

Dim Sum on the Aeroplane...What a beautiful thing.

Ahhh. I love the humidity. It's almost an obsession, but that feeling walking off the plane, hitting that thick, warm air is probably one of the best feelings ever.
Don't judge...I know some of you like the smell of gasoline, and that's SO much worse than the near-suffocating delightfulness of extreme moisture.

Look! It's Annamarie and Sarah wishing me luck on my adventures. :)

On May30th, I began this party with a flight from Denver to LA, and then a long haul from LA to Hong Kong. Lucky me, though, as I was placed next to a couple of super awesome people from Fort Collins (shoutout to Jason and Abby!)...and even before takeoff, we'd already gotten into some great conversations about God and free will (my topic of choice, of course). Both of them studied youth leadership at a Christian college in CA, thus providing me 13+ hours of insightful, honest, and just plain hilarious chatting. I love strangers. :)

Long flight, but I made it with the help of the afore mentioned, and also several movies, which I will now rank on a scale of 0-10:
1. Music and Lyrics: 6. Eh. Funny parts, and Drew Barrymore was pretty lovable, but it was a little cliche for my taste (and you know I like my cliche). Argh, and I HATE that the main song got stuck in my head, even though it's not that amazing.
2. The Holiday: 8.5. I liked it...a lot. People are funny. As are relationships...?
3. Aladdin: 10. Need I say more? No.
4. The Freedom Writers: 10. EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS MOVIE. It made me cry, several times. And, no, that wasn't just because I was tired. It was pretty inspirational. Especially the "home" part.

And thus we arrived at the Hong Kong Airport, which is the shiniest and cleanest place imaginable(Go Tasha?). I settled into an extremely large, red couch-thing with my new-found friends and passed away another couple hours. The flight to Taiwan was not as much fun, as there was no one sitting next to me. :( Sad day...

However, it was then that I realized I am perceived as an American. The stewardesses spoke to me in English without prompting or anything, which led to some deep, heavy thoughts (and questioning of apparel?). But have no fear! The pensiveness wore away because...

THEY SERVED DIM SUM ON THE AIRPLANE!*
*airplane is spelled 'aeroplane' in the title due to artistic license

I arrived in Taiwan, and definitely felt a wave of emotions...it's foreign, yet familiar, old yet new, exciting yet unbelievably calming. For the first time in a long while, it feels OK to just let time pass, and not do anything specific to guide that process. Family, wandering, relaxing, eating good food...check, check, check and check (the mango was divine).

I love seeing my mom and grandma after many months, and the rest of the family. I am awestruck by the view (which will be documented soon), the lushness of the forest that rests by my uncle's place. I love that speaking Chinese is part necessity, part challenge, part shame at now knowing, but part pride as well. It is a whole other world here in every way. Every single way.

In an attempt to fight jet lag, I am extremely sleep-deprived right now...so sleep is tugging away at me. Tomorrow potentially includes church flower arranging and fishing. And I'm not even kidding.

P.S.