Taiwan. Weeks #9 and #10

Оригинал записи/Original post

November, 6th
Met girls from Slavic department. We had a lunch and taught each other different phrases. Now they can swear in Russian and I can in Chinese.
Ilya also had a notebook with some words, I was reading a phrase "younger brother" and girls started to laugh. And they have been laughing for a long time while we couldn't understand why. And then they said that this word is "what every boy has". That's okay, almost no difference between dick and younger brother.

November, 9th
My first trip out of Taipei longer than one day. We went to Sun Moon Lake

At the first day we went to a farm, which is located somewhere in the mountains, we were looking for a way for a long time.
We were riding scooters, by the way

On the road found a place where we took huge lunch for six

Main hickey was a chicken, that had a head and legs, pheeeew (but tasty chicken)

Made polaroid photo

When we were riding, stopped all the time to make cool photos. By the way, when we took scooters I ran to pink helmet so much I wanted it and all 2 days it was moving sideways

I absolutely didn't take part in route planning relying on more experienced members of a team and almost never knew where we are going. As a result, I was a person who liked surprises. Secondly. Firstly, I was a person other people are always waiting for.
When we come to a farm, we had to pay for an entrance and there were cows and sheep inside, nothing interesting for people from Europe. So we didn't come here and just walked in the neighborhood.

Oh my God! A man hold a bee thing with naked hands! After in the age of 13 I was bitten so much I stayed in a hospital for a week with insanely swollen face I was already not good from the sight of it.

For the first time in my life I lived in a hostel. This one was classy as I understand. We had TV, bathroom, slippers, cups with a tea, toothbrushes and paste, many of stuff.

For the diner we went to a night market where there were many games (as I understand, that's because town is little and they don't have much entertainment)

In the evening we arranged karaoke

Everybody sang songs in their languages, I chose "Нас не догонят" and others was delighted about it (about song, I mean, of course, not about my singing :D)

November, 10

Went to Sun Moon Lake. Before that had a breakfast on the porch of supermarket. These ingestions are really awesome, you feel yourself alive

Half of our team went hiking (for some reason people from Europe like it) and other half (I was in) took a ship ride with 2 stops.
The first stop supposed very long way to the mountain (with 30 C) to a temple.

During the second one we just walked among a lot of shops, then came back, reunited with other half and went by scooters around a lake, there are many interesting places. And yes, my face got sunburned. In November.
Temple again (during these weekend there were 5 of them, I think)

Then a thing which Chiang Kai-shek built in memory of his mother

This is the lake and a road around it we rode and layouts of different sights we stopped by.

 In the end we visited a temple, if you stepped into it you'll find love of your life very soon. But only 3 of us were brave enough to do it.

Also, there is a thing where you need to leave you name and adress. Yes, and then somebody comes to your house saying "I'm the love of your life"

In the evening we went to a chocolate store and tryed some sweets and then were sitting with three 24-25 years old Taiwanese girls discussing features of gender relationships in our countries. In Russia it's not the same in this sense like in Europe, I noticed.

November, 11
Went to LuKang, town which represent Taiwanese traditions.
Firstly, we went to one cafe, there was a menu in Chinese, guys pointed to some item and said it's something cool and you can't visit Taiwan without trying it. So I chose it. And then I found out they were just kidding and pointed to something random. But I like surprises! So anyway I took it and it was actually tasty lemonade.
Then we walked on the streets, many stuff was sold there

Went to a place where man makes lanterns following ancient standarts

And even Lady Gaga has one

Temple again! Something was going on there

A Taiwanese man, who didn't speak English, came to us and arranged and excursion. Two people from our team were supposed to translate but they couldn't understand anything with his accent. In the end it looked this way: man was pointing at some thing, telling something and then a guy was pointing at this thing same way and said "If you want a beer to be tasty you should put it here, it is mixed with a vodka and becomes just like at Octoberfest" and we were smiling and hardly keeping from laughing. After it we thouhgt, what if he was telling something like a hundred years ago Dutch people came and killed all Taiwanese people and we are "ha-ha-ha"
Some school children were taking a picture and we joined. I love this photo despite the fact my face is contorted with process of chewing some food

In the end we passed a street which is called "breast touching" because a man and a woman can't pass through it together without him touching her breast. Also, it is called "gentlemen street" because a real gentleman will let lady go ahead not to touch her chest

We finished our trip in a cafe with tasty and cheap cakes (about 40 NTD) very satisfied with our weekend

November, 14
We were let go from a class 2 hours earlier, I came back to ihouse and saw many tasties. It turned out to be some fire drill and they ensnare people there with a food. So I got ensnared.

Firstly, they briefly told us about different life filth (fires, eartquakes, typhoons, CO2 poisonings) and about what to do in these cases. Then with a jokes told us how to use fire extinguisher

And then we had some interactives!
They put smoke into study room and we have to put on bandage on our faces and move in the room squatting.
Then they showed how to defibrilate a guy

Earthquake imitation is my favourite part, I think. We needed to sit and cover a head.

It was shown how to use hose. I tryed too.

And all firemen were taking pictures with me (not these ones, I accosted them myself) and asking if everybody in Russia is so beautiful :D

And in the evening went to eat thai food with a group of girls

November, 16
Went hiking to see famous waterfalls.

Went from little nice town

I thought I didn't like this walks on the nature but it was very good. We heard monkeys and were a little bit afraid of meeting snakes

Then we went to a town where were many tourists but it's actually beautiful and interesting

In some empty place there was a puppet-show. I mean, there is nobody in the area and somebody was sitting inside and doing all that

All in all, we were satisfied with a trip. And that is, by the way, my keds after walking on the trails.

November, 17
Before party me and some guys were looking for a place for a diner, we were walking on the street - and there is a pig near a restaurant

We went there, had a meal (not bad, actually), it's called Pigi Pigi, everything is in pink here and in toilet there photos of that pig when she was little. We were told that owner bought this pig and she inspired him for opening this restaurant.
So we were leaving restaurant and this babe is behind the door

Taiwan. Weeks #7 and #8

Оригинал записи/Original post

October, 22
At useless class I mentioned not even once it was told that Russians are most educated in the world. I thought that being in this auditorium only lower my level and walked away to do other, more useful, things.

October, 23
Night market again

I tried pancake in which they wraped bananas, poured on different sauces, put chocolate and ice-cream. It costed me 105 NTD - crazy money for Taiwan. But tasty.

October, 24
I was supposed to spend 6 hours at my classes. But it turned out to be 15 minutes. Because my alarm didn't worked, I didn't give a shit about it and overslept everything. Came to a last hour of second class, was late for 5-10 minutes, teacher talked for 15 minutes more and then said "I'm done, you can go"
In the evening I went to night market again for the 5th time in my life. I decided to save, had about 400 NTD with me, looked at everything and sigh.
Met Timothy, guy from Singapore. His younger brother taught him that if you want to start a fight in Russia you need to come to a guy in a bar, put finger into his face and say "Сука!" (Soo-ka, =bitch). And yes, that's the only Russian word Timothy knows.
And the day before I met Frido, Austrian guy, who more than month ago heard us talking Russian before class and said "Иди нахуй" (ee-di na-hooy =fuck you in the veeeeery rude form). And there I found out Frido can also say "my name is..." in Russian, ask "how are you?" and all this stuff.

October, 25
I did that! I ran out of excuses "I don't have sneekers", "I'm sick" and went to a gym for the first time. It turned out to be better than I expected, there are enough of trainers for me. Also, they have big soft carpet for stretching. So me and one Taiwanese guy were sitting there in weird poses and smiling to each other...

October, 26
At 4 a.m. I realised I can live like that anymore and it's time to make a list "Things to do in Taiwan". I was thinking of posting a photo here hiding some items I'm embarassed to show to a public. But then I remembered words of Yury Kaplan (front-man of Ukrainian band "Valentin Strykalo") about his 4th vlog "Don't bullshit about your plans". So I will just mention some completed items and color them.

October, 27
I wanted meat and went to a place where you order steak, they bring it from a fire with macaroni and egg, plus, they have open bar with snacks, desserts and ice-cream, eat all you want. I mean, this is place for real men not for princess like me who haven't even cope with a piece of meat, saying nothing about a bar.
Wore my super-cute T-shirt for the first time

And at night I crossed out an item "Try pure vodka", otherwise I'm not like Russian. Here are photos, illustrating consequences of its implementation.
Before

After

October, 29
Was ensnaring innocent Taiwanese to cold and wild Russia. I mean, was presenting GSOM at a partner school fair.

I was sitting between Germans and Czechs, they have much materials sent by their schools - brochures, posters and stuff. Many people were showing some viseod. And I had only poor black-and-white slides. By the end of fair I hardly could distribute all 12 of them. Because Taiwanese weren't ensnared to Russia easily.

But I met Cynthia, girl who goes to us for the next semester (she told me there are 2 guys more). I promised her to help with everything and to become her additional buddy and Cynthia brought me cookies because thought I was sitting there without a lunch. But actually, administration provided us with a lunchbox (4 different sandviches) and bottle of water.
Also, I met a girl who had studied Russian in Saint-Petersburg for a year (she told me there are many of them and promised to invite for a diner).
Btw, the second popular thing I was asked by rare interested people is if we have racial discrimination. First was, of course, if it is cold in Saint-Petersburg.

(Find Alena)

October, 30
Okay, I'll tell about one not crossed yet item from my list: not skip any part of any class for a week. I was going to do it this week but... I love sleeping too much and motivation for going at classes is low. I'm afraid this item can be the hardest from my list.
Implemented item "Ride a scooter", as a passanger

It's cool, you're riding, looking around, wind is blowing, awesomness!

October, 31
I often saw in the campus and in places next to it people in t-shirts with Pushkin. I talked to one girls and found out we have Slavic department in our university and they wear those T-shirts. And that girl is learning Russian for 2 years and was excited to hear us speaking it.
In the evening I was sitting, doing smth with my phone and my chair started to shake! And whole building with it, for 10 seconds. I thought, what should I do, hide under the table? Went to corridor, there were 8 more people. We stood there, waited for a little bit, nothing happened, everybody went back. But I didn't take off my jeans for the rest of the day, just in case. It's a good thing I live in a dorms, otherwise I would die of fright. Afterwards all Facebook was in statuses about "I just had my first earthquake" and "All my appartment is shaking"
So, congratulation to me about my first earthquake experience!

November, 1
My camera died after I touched it with a little bit wet hands at the Pacific Ocean, so I brought it to Sony where they told me repairing will cost about 2000 NTD. I decided, there is no sence in it because I could buy something like that from 3000 NTD. So I went and bought, Canon IXUS 510 HS. It costed me 7000 NTD.
So, I have camera now, era of iphone photos that suck has gone (at least, partly). But this is not it! I had an item in my list Buy Polaroid

Actually, it's not Polaroid but Fujifilm Instax mini 25
Camera costed me 2700 NTD + 4 cassets with 10 papers in each (2 cassets are thematic) + dotted bag = 4000 NTD. In Russia I would have to spend 4700 NTD only for a camera

November, 2
Actually, in Russia I thought that during exchange I would have awesome Halloween. But it came very insensibly and here am I, without costume, party and company. So I decided, fuck it, I won't celebrate this Western stuff.
But 2 days before that I knew that almost everyone goes to a big party, tickets for which costed from 1300 NTD. And this day in ihouse I met people in costumes, and I also had much homework for weekend. All in all, I was sitting in my room, hearing them and being jealous.
So, everything I have from Halloween - polaroids with people in costumes. Actually, it's a cool thing. You get it and everybody is like "What is it? Underwater camera?", then a photo appears and they are "Woooooooow!"

November, 3
For a long time me and my buddy was going to the Zoo. And this day finally has come.
For the start, we were riding Maokong Gondola - rope mountain road.

People ride in cabines like that

From the highest points there is a great view of the city

And I'm sitting in the cabine like a cute girl

And then we went to the Zoo. It's huge and close at 5, so we haven't seen even a half

Item See a panda was crossed out

No, I saw a real panda :)

(But she was running too fast, photos are not good)

There are many interactive things inside the Zoo

This is illustration for feeding child-panda. Mimimi

Near every pavilion there is a thematic shop. For example, next to Frog house - store with many cuties (pens, trinkets, t-shirts, hats, soft toys...) with frogs, near Penguin house - same thing with penguins. Next to panda - huuuuuge store where are muuuuuch stuff with panda.

 November, 4
One thing has changed for 2 weeks (or even for one) - I stopped categorically denying even thinking about coming back. I already started to think for what date I should buy tickets back home, where to go after exams and so on. I mean, now I feel good here, I want to spend 2 months left not just not worse but much better than previous. Get to know everybody I haven't known yet, to visit south and east of Taiwan, go to all cool cafes. But thoughts about exchange will finish don't cause unbearable suffering anymore. I already have so many thoughts and close to redifine all my being and I haven't reached a middle yet.