A Spot of Concern

Got up this morning and sat down to play on my computer, when I noticed that my vision seemed to be swirling at the edges with random dots that I couldn't quite focus on but were alarmingly mobile.

Thought to myself "feck! I'm having migraine visions!"

Then I realised there was an ant running across my glasses...

Market Shopping

I've finally been to the traditional Chinese market near my house! It wasn't that far, but it's just one of those situations where if you don't even know what you're looking for, you just can't see it no matter how hard you try. Teresa took me - I highly recommend making friends with the locals the nanosecond you arrive in a foreign country.

Anyway, it was awesome! All sorts of fresh vegetables, in delicious contrast to what you can buy in the supermarkets, (without exception, everything is shrink-wrapped in plastic, and often rotten.) all kinds of weird Chinese treats (more of that pesky red bean stuff! I'm not a fan.) and the occasional stall selling live chickens. I wasn't that keen on those stalls- especially as the chickens were huddled in filthy cages with chopping boards on top of them displaying freshly butchered chicken chunks. So I took a picture of a big bag of mushrooms instead. Here 'tis.




Yeah, they thought I was nuts but I don't care. I'm western - I'm supposed to be nuts.

I bought a snack - spicy fried rice served in a plastic bag (!) but I didn't even think it was that strange, after I saw a guy selling fresh coconut milk. He got out this huge cleaver thing, swiped the top off the coconut, and poured the milk into a plastic bag. One quick bag tie and a straw, and you're ready to go. I wonder if those bags are ultimately better for the environment than a wax lined cup?

After I purchased my modest groceries (2 potatoes 1 ear of corn and 1 bunch of asparagus) we walked back through Dong Hu. Teresa showed me where to buy bread without sugar in it (Chinese people don't really do bread like we do - it's mostly more of a dessert.) and then I went to one of the billions of shops that sell nothing but beauty and hygiene products. Where I saw these...



Awesome. And you thought there were no stonker donkers in Asia!

Enough is Enough

Man, this cold is persistent! I've had it for almost 3 weeks and I'm sooooo over it. I've managed to develop a sinus infection too.

So, I was sitting there thinking "I hate doctors - I'm not going and nobody can make me" and then I heard a little voice say "But Jody, you tore strips off Kosal when SHE had a sinus infection, and you made her go to the doctor"... And then another little voice said "ooooo, but Taiwan will let you buy antibiotics over the counter without a prescription"... And still another voice chimed in "They'll only give you 3 days worth, so you'll have to go back". And then I heard that teeny tiny but belligerent voice that I inherited from Dad. And IT said "I'll bet you can get what you want if you couch things in just the right way"...

So I marched into my local pharmacy, found the guy who speaks English and said "NOW LOOK. I'VE BEEN IN HERE THREE TIMES AND I'M STILL SICK. I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOUR CRAP FROM THE FRONT OF THE SHOP - I WANT SOMETHING I CAN MAKE ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES WITH. IF IT DOESN'T SAY PSEUDO-EPHEDRINE THERE IS GOING TO BE TROUBLE MISTER. AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT I WANT ANTIBIOTICS. ("Okay, you can have 3 days worth.") NO, GIVE ME 7 DAYS. NOWWWWWW!"

I walked out packing a week's worth of nose candy. Die cold, die!

Don't feel too bad for that guy - he's made a fortune out of me the last month, peddling his little cough lollies.

A Small Segue

As delighted as I am with my mashed potato success, I must also devote at least one post to my class of 7 year olds.

So, I'm walking down the corridor during the break, back to my slightly older kids class. Feeling grouchy, feeling sick (and sick of being sick), maybe curling my lip just a bit and growling under my breath.

My 7 year olds catch sight of me, collectively squeal "Teacher Jody"!!!! race towards me, push me flat against the wall and give me a group hug.

Why in God's good name would ANYONE want to work in administration when this could be the alternative?

A Luttle Taste of Nuw Ziland

Which is apparently how I speak. Hmph.

I had MASHED POTATOES for tea. Ohhhhhh yeah... God it was good. And I did it all with my one sharp knife, one pot, and a healthy dose of sheer bloodymindedness.

You know, I fully and enthusiastically support tofu. But sometimes, I just don't want to see the stuff.

Amendment

You know how I said it's 1996 in Taiwan? My bad. It's 96. Apparently quite a few people count the years from the year they officially decided to tell China to bugger off, and that they could run things quite well on their own thanks.

You tell 'em Taiwan.

In other news, I am bitterly regretting the decision to add a spring onion and taro omelette to my lunch box from the buffet place today. Curse you, deceptively greasy eggs of doom!

Doings

Went to a karaoke party on Saturday - I didn't actually sing because I'm sick, but it was still pretty fun! They take this stuff very seriously here. HUGE buildings, 4 or 5 stories high, with really flash staircases and everything. It looked more like a hotel than a KTV joint. There are staff members everywhere, in nice uniforms, saying welcome welcome welcome in Mandarin and serving drinks on trays. There are only private rooms, and you can order pretty much anything you want while you're in there. Anyway, it was pretty cool.

I've been eating a lot of tofu and steamed buns (thanks Teresa!) and I feel much better. That and the approximately 18 hours sleep I had over the course of Sunday has really helped.

I've been practicing my pen twirling (just to be super-cool) and although I still suck there is a definite improvement.

A small flickering weakish flame of understanding has started to penetrate the darkness that is my brain for work. Sometimes, I'm not completely stuck and staring at my page for 45 minutes.

I bought a new diary for 2008 and it's sooooo beautiful. It's just a boring one by Taiwan standards, but the pages are kind of yellowy instead of white, and there's Chinese all over it, and there's month planning pages.... (aaahhhh, stationery sigh)


I made friends with a small dog. Here it is. I know it looks like it's either going to go for my throat or pee on the couch, but honestly, it really liked me! I have the licked neck to prove it.

Sunday

Bet you didn't think it was possible to have 3 naps in one day. Well, I've managed it! And it's only 4pm. Might squeeze in another before bedtime.

Teresa

I've got the most awesome student/friend ever. Her name is Teresa, and technically I help her with her (already very good) English. She came over yesterday to find me, yet again, a snotty gluggy mess surrounded by balled up tissues and huddled in one corner of my couch. We had our class, and afterwards I went off to Kojen to have my Saturday class and mark homework books.

3 hours later, she shows up on my doorstep again, armed with hot rice, tofu, seaweed bows (they're really nice), steamed buns, soya milk with no preservatives in it, a huge bag of oranges, 2 kiwifruit in case I felt homesick, an extra blanket for my bed (because I told her I've been cold the last few nights), corn soup, a set of bowls and drinking cups, and a small saucepan to cook rice in!

How completely insanely amazing is that? I feel very lucky.

Freddy Krueger Decides to Spruce Himself Up a Bit

Check this out. It's me, in case you can't tell.

It's None of Your Damn Business

Having a few issues this week with the very Taiwanese trait of being FUCKING nosy. They gossip like you would not believe, make huge deals out of very little actual information, and in general drive me nuts.

In short: I hurt my back (as usual. no biggie) and had to go to the doctor. ONE student told their parents that Teacher Jody had to sit down in class today because her back hurts. That wanker parent rang the bloody school, and had the TEMERITY to question my ability to teach, if I have to sit down!!!!!!

Where do I even start?

But what did the school do? Tell this twit to piss off? Point out that acrobatics does not enhance English language instruction? Remind them that my physical ups and downs are none of their business?

Noooooooo....

They promptly typed up an open letter to all the parents of all the kids in all of my classes, explaining that I have a bad back, and that occasionally I might need to sit down in class! Then they glued this little masterpiece into all of the kids' report books.

I'm so fucking furious I can't even begin to tell you.

Drivel

For some reason, I just can't think of what to write about today. And I actually spent hours and hours out there in the world, learning new things and having fun. I even bought new ears!! I went to a totally vegetarian restaurant with lots of weird fake meat things, I went to a night market I haven't seen before, I drank milk fresh out of a coconut...

Guess I should really just give it up and go to bed.

Hey - a bit of a coup! Teresa bought me these awesome coffee sachets where you rip open the bag and hang it over the edge of your cup, then pour the hot water through the coffee. Tastes much more like a nice plunger coffee than the freeze-dried camel crap I've been drinking. She also bought me two gooey face masks (because it's "winter" in Taiwan, and apparently I will get a very dry face) both of which are whitening. Yep, they're completely OBSESSED with being as white as possible here, and they bleach their faces.

Jessie and Cheree - does this remind you of anything????????