Taiwan - the place where you bike your dog, you eat bananas on everything, and the ice cream truck actually picks up your trash.

Holy Hannah Montana! It’s the middle of April. Seriously, time is like chocolate…you can never have enough and it always disappears when I’m around.

So, I told you how I ended up here. I suppose it’s now time to tease you with the terrific tails happening only in Taiwan.

How I realized I wasn’t in Eastern Europe:

Took a taxi on a lovely rainy night on my first day in Taipei; the driver did not propose, did not accuse me of being a spy, or even talk about his life long dream to move to America. However, he was watching a Chinese Soap Opera on his dashboard WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. Productivity at it’s finest.

Commercialism:

I am sexy. I mean…you know how in most of the world advertising is done with a half-naked woman + somewhere you might notice a product being sold? SO, a majority of the advertisements here are women with seemingly innocent smiles in glasses. BAM!! Taiwanese sexy - you can keep your clothes on!!! And you kind of have to. It’s basically summer weather…and as much as I want to wear my skirts and shorts and yes even try to read an existential book to motivate the job-search while sunbathing…

MOSQUITOES WILL DESTROY YOUR HAPPINESS.

Yeah, basically the only two flaws I’ve found in this country:

1. Mosquitoes. (I wear bug spray to bed. I feel like Johnson and Johnson’s stock doubled just since I moved here…I WILL DONATE ALL OF MY MONEY TO SOMEONE WILLING TO FIND A CURE FOR MOSQUITOES and any other vampire bug that exits.)
2. Popcorn. (Guys, popcorn is natures way to party. And then Orville came along and made a party in a bag.) We planned a movie night with some friends and although I was excited to see the 2nd Captain America, I was really more excited about getting movie-theater popcorn. I was craving it for almost a week before someone finally suggested a movie night and it didn’t take long to convince me once I realized I could get popcorn! If you have ever lived with me, you have probably witnessed popcorn being consumed for dinner, lunch, or breakfast. Maybe rarely once for all three. I LOVE POPCORN!! SO, I told my friends that although we were running late I’m not sitting down until I have the biggest bag of popcorn they sell. They only had one size…(I don’t care, give me popcorn)…you have to buy a coke with it…(I don’t care!!! GIVE ME POPCORN!!)…and they only sell kettle corn. WHAT? Where’s the butter? I ALREADY HAD 7 bars of chocolate and lemon-wafers today. FINE. Give me popcorn.
   Don’t get me wrong. Kettle Corn can be enjoyed on occasions. BUT, at least let me have the option of why I have to run an extra 3 miles the next day. Needless to say, craving was not cured. Nor will it be for a few more months.

But, I will gladly sacrifice popcorn and a few more pints of my blood to those darn mosquitoes to put up with the stunning, jaw-dropping beauty of this island. Rice fields, ocean, water-falls, mountains, rocks, and it’s all surrounded in luscious greenery. All I can say is that this world ceases to amaze me…imagine if I were an astronaut! (Hopefully in my next life…)

Sunday afternoon at the coast!

AND I NOW PROMISE TO BE MORE CONSISTENT to share literally the adventures had in Taiwan including beautiful islands, barf barges to get to said islands, hikes, dives, runs, bikes, food, and friends! AND ICE CREAM/TRASH TRUCKS and DOGS/BABIES on scooters! That is…as long as I have the time and the chocolate.