KTV

So when I heard "Karaoke" I thought what most of you would think, Karaoke, right? ... Wrong! It seems that all over there are these places called KTV and you rent these private little like VIP lounges where up to 8-10 people hang out and you have you very own private flat screen and state of the art Karaoke system... oh and all you can eat food and mini keg of beer if you are so inclined... The Taiwanese know how to do their party singing.

Chiniglish

I'm getting better at making sentences with at least 40% Chinese words in them!

Example: Wo am having a hun hao time... Wo xi haun yi ge waffle...

It's a process... don't judge...

Chinese

So I've been taking Chinese classes for a few weeks now... it's really hard...

Crack-O-Lacking

Chinese chiropractor... crack, crack, crack... hey my right leg is no longer shorter than my left and my right shoulder doesn't sag so dramatically... apparently I don't know how to sit, stand or sleep correctly...

Teaching

So after today I have taught my second acting class to Chinese speaking students!! It is going wonderfully! (in case you're wondering Wei Yi is translating, so we are kinda teaching together-taking turns leading) it's an absolute pleasure and great challenge to be teaching this group. As a teacher and as an actor I am learning so much about really listening. I am trying to continually give helpful and inspiring notes when I can't actually understand what is being said. I am so grateful for this experience, it is invaluable.

Chinese Meds

So, the medical saga continues. Current medical issues: Small painful lump in my hand right below the middle finger on my palm side, several brown spots on my left foot, and a small lump right below my right ear lobe between my ear and my neck.

I went to see a Chinese doctor (who practices Chinese medicine, which is different from most western medical ideas). He diagnosed that I am actually suffering from an extremely bad cold. A cold which I may have had for almost a year now! This cold has seriously lower my immune system and made be susceptible to getting sick. (hence the past year of frequent illness). The small lump by my ear/neck is a limp node, slightly swollen do to the cold. Since my immune system is low I was more susceptible to issues in the weather change and walking around in the damp I have a small fungus on my foot now. The lump is kind of like a knot that formed around a nerve in my hand, but a really really intense knot where it is actually as hard as a rock (I almost thought it was bone). This is a result of compounded stress, anxiety... and I guess I have poor blood circulation lol.

For the cold I'm being treated with this really disgusting tasting powder medicine three times a day after meals (think of like a giant horse pill full of nasty tasting herbal vitamin stuff, but with out the capsule, just straight powder). For the foot fungus I have to apply this yellow liquid stuff via cotton ball that smells like alcohol for 20 min a day, is should go away within two weeks. The lump in the hand is the hardest. A few times a day I need to spray the equivalent to bengay on my hand then using a cut piece of ginger massage the painful lump. This may take up to 2 months to fully heal.

Good times...

People are people

I was people watching last night, hoping to find new insights into the culture. I was expecting to be fascinated with unexpected ideas and differences with my own culture. But actually the only thing unexpected was that there wasn't anything unexpected. I was in an area with lots of out door shops and movie theaters filled with a crowd consisting of mostly a younger generation. And this young generation seemed almost* identical to that of a younger American generation. For some reason this made me feel uncomfortable. I will investigate further and report back