This week

I've finished the 4th week of classes, this semester is only 8 weeks long so I'm half way through. Time is really flying because I busy. My 1 on 1 classes are gong well, I have two good teachers and Im making good progress. The Grammar and Pronunciation classes are OK and a chance to meet other international students. TaiJiQuan is proving to be my worst class, it's just another Chinese skill that I suck at. It's good to learn what you're bad at but I learned I was bad at TaiJiQuan in the first half hour, too bad I have another 8 hours to go.

A few days ago was the full moon so the air was full of the smell of burning paper money. This is some ceremony to please the ancestors with offerings and burning fake money that they can supposedly use in Heaven. Even my dormitory has to do "BaiBai".

 The only employee that remains from when I was at this dormitory before is the janitor, he has the added duty of doing the "BaiBai".

I saw my first accident yesterday. It happened right in front of me as I was waiting for the traffic light to change. It seems as the light changes a motorcycle overtook a scooter that was stopped at the light. It looked like a father was taking his daughter home from school when they were rear ended. I really felt for the father seeing his daughter sprawled out on the road.

  In Taiwan, everything gets reused. These old school desks are used as tables at sidewalk restaurants. Sitting at these small tables always makes me think of those parent/teacher meetings when Eli and Ely were in elementary school.