Reminiscence at a Laundromat

Laundromat Time.... I haven’t been to one of these in a good long time. We have a washer in our apartment (and I’m glad I used it today, I guess that nasty stench coming from our laundry room was from the machine not being used in who knows how long) but no dryer. I need sheets to sleep on tonight, so that meant loading up my huge duffle with damp clothes and dragging it a city block to a 24 hour laundromat.

I’m glad that I carefully selected the wrong dryer to put my money in. Some Taiwanese girl is going to have extra crisp undies thanks to me. Oh well, you live and learn. I now know the Mandarin character for up and down... seems that an up arrow and a down arrow would suffice.... And now that I sit back and look at it, the Taiwanese people must think so too. I just missed it.

It’s Sunday night, and I am about to begin another work week. I must say that my gastro-intestinal system is excited... or perhaps nervous. My Taiwanese ladies thoroughly enjoy taking me out to lunch because I will try just about anything. Just about, when Chris and I went to a BBQ place I happened upon the owner came by to chat it up with us... in perfect Mandarin. We did our best with pointing and TALKING LOUD SLOW ENGLISH (typical Americans) to communicate and we did pretty well with one exception.

Ming-None, the accommodating owner of this fine establishment, decided that we Americans were not enjoying his BBQ properly and promptly pulled up a chair after stopping by the condiment bar with spices and a healthy (pun) amount of butter. Ming’s son, Jackie, came by because he had some english in his vocab and through some rough translation and gesturing Ming asked if I liked seafood. I gestured with my thumb and index finger that I like “some.” Ming’s face lit up and he disappeared.

I quickly scanned my memory for what I recognized from the seafood section and didn’t recall any salmon or white fish being available.... Turns out I have excellent short term memory recall because the “seafood” smorgasbord Ming returned with was... interesting.

Apparently my “some” gesturing translated perfectly to “I will try a little of whatever you got back there” in Mandarin.

I about hurled onto the coals when I saw what Ming was wanting me to sample.

Thankfully I had already grilled up some wonderful steak and chicken, and after the salad and ice cream bar, was sufficiently stuffed. I declined our patrons offer of seafood but allowed him to sizzle up some tasty veggies for us to sample.

We finished up, payed our bill, and invited Jackie to meet us at the basketball courts next to my building to play some pick-up.

He showed, we played, and only lost one game.

The game is different for me out here. I am always the tallest on the court by at least three inches. That being said, I remember that from playing with Asians back in Orlando that they have lightning quick lateral movement... and when they jump, they just hang. I need to start meditating to boost my hang time a few tenths.

Basically, I am envious of Asians athletic ability.... Not their height mind you. That being said, this is where I am:

I am white. I am 6-2. When it comes to basketball, I have a target on my back. Anybody who knows me knows that I don’t mind a good competition, but the way these guys come at me.... I am terrified to jump.

I have fragile ankles. Every time a rebound is in my reach I have one guy on my back, one on my arm, and another hovering somewhere near my waist. That is a minefield of six feet waiting for my delicate ankles to land on, turn, and snap in half. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over this mental block. My Taiwan game is a ground game.

Well, I now have sheets to sleep on. I am tired. I walked easily 25 miles this week. and I expect to average that while I am here.

More stories to come.

AND GO BUTLER!

TYC?

My Taiwanese ladies (co-workers, political correctness hasn’t crossed the Pacific) are entirely entertained by my Whitney Houston impersonation. They don’t even know what else I’ve got up my sleeve.

Major breakthrough! I slept the entire night last night without waking up ready for the day at some ungodly hour. Ah, you are weakening Mr. Jet-Lag. I can taste the victory.

So I am climbing the hump day of my first week of work here in Taiwan. Turns out that I am the first English teacher here for my new school besides the director. So judging by this and the fact that the school facility remodel has not been completed, we are looking at pushing the start date back one more month to May 1... for now.

More people are arriving next week, so we will get a little time to catch our breath and prepare for the little munchkins.

I want to give you a little glimpse of my new world.

With a metro area population of 6.75 million people, Taipei would be the forth largest metro area in the U.S. behind NYC, LA, Chicago, and just ahead of Dallas-Ft. Worth. But comparing Taipei to DFW does injustice to the population density. Taipei’s population density is 7,718.3 people per square mile while the five boroughs of NYC is slightly larger at 8,158.7 while LA weighs in at 2,344.2. All this according to the U.S. Census Bureau and Wikipedia.

I am living in the NYC of Taiwan.

It's 5:37am....

It’s 5:37am and I am wide awake... thank you, Mr. Jet-Lag. You know, I could take advantage of this rare quiet... eh hem, quieter, time that the city is offering, but no. You sir, will make me suffer just a few days longer with this transition. Last night, I was slipping into unconscienceness at the dinner table during my first meal out with friends whom I haven’t seen in years, and you kept me distracted from stimulating conversation. I will fight you, I will overcome you.

I love the city. I am stimulated by the city. I feed off the energy of the city. I need the city.

My first intoxication occurred two summers ago during my first visit to NYC. Immediately I knew that one day I will live there. And I will, just not sure when that may be. It won’t be for at least another year and a half, because right now, Taipei is my home.

The idea of getting a random text from a friend to navigate subways and meet at an impromptu night market to get a bite of wonderful Americano breakfast that says, Dustin, welcome home.

I have been here for nearly 36 hours now. I have seen the pure whitness of Alaksa, watched the ice shift floating on the Bering Seamoved into my new place, attempted a full night of sleep twice, ventured off into my city on my own, almost been hit by a car (a few times, this is gonna take some getting used to), am more comfortable on the back of a moped than I ever thought I would be (there are no rules of the road here), attended my first night market in which the thickness of the crowd rivaled that of Bourbon Street... and am so happy that I am here.

But I do miss you.

Post #1 of.....?

T-minus 11 hours 24 minutes until I pull out of the driveway and begin my first leg of a 24 hour plus journey to the other side of the earth.... and I haven't packed a thing. But I do have it all laid out next to the bags that I am packing after I go out with my sister and her lovely family for a last supper.

All the nervousness that started creeping up on me back in February has been replaced with excitement. Almost all of the question marks that existed three weeks ago have been answered (wonderfully) and I feel more ready now that I have had a chance to catch my breath. Thank you, Jesus for this delay.

I've always wanted a show entitled "Chill Time with D-Hack" and have had multiple venues in mind for this show. Back in '04 during my last summer at Kulaqua I would tell all my counselors that if you can't reach me on the radio, you can find me on the lazy river. And I started to invite fellow staff in dire need of some relax to spend their "nap time" on a flotilla of never-ending Florida summer sun.

Site #2, still one of the coolest places I've ever visited, Copan, Honduras. A tiny tourist town built on the industry brought to them of their humble Ruinas de Copan beginnings. I'll never forget discovering my favorite restaurant seat to date... a wooden swing hanging from the rafters. I'm coming back Copan. And I am going to learn your gorgeous language.

Which brings us to where we are now. Or where we are going, I should say.

The Taipei Skydome (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=36112). The highest residence in Taipei, Taiwan.

This blog will be my hub for random thoughts, experiences, travels, floats your boat, or finds your lost remote.

Til next time, I will see you on the flip side.... of the world.