Up to No Good

Finally got around to trying betel nut. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but there are shops all over the city where women sit all day wrapping these things in some sort of leaf, glued together with what I hope is butter but suspect is something way more nasty.

Working class men seem to be the only ones who chew them, and you never see women buying any. They're supposed to give you a mild narcotic high, but all I got was orange teeth and a desire to brush my tongue.

Ready to chew...




About 5 seconds before I decided to spit the whole thing out. It tasted like grass. I'm confused as to why they wouldn't try wrapping the damn thing in something more tasty. Like chocolate.




Anyway, after that we went bowling and after THAT we went to a hookah bar and smoked mint. Much nicer than betel nut.




My best smoke shot.



What else have I been up to? Well, I'm not working much this week because the Dingo Snacks have been quarantined. One of my boys got this horrible and contagious disease that's going around Taiwan at the moment, so the class is canceled until further notice. Ah booo! I'm relieved to say that he doesn't have the strain which is fatal, so he's just sick and waiting it out.

This is what happens when you don't wash your hands, people. I'm talking to YOU, Taiwan.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival

So, I just about died half an hour ago.

I popped home to my apartment to drop some stuff off, walked into the lobby, and was hit by this horrible glue smell. 5 seconds later, I was coughing uncontrollably, gagging, and crying in the rain as I tried not to throw up into the flower pots. The guard, in a typically Taiwanese fashion, failed to take any action at the sight of one of his residents gasping for air in the rain on the front steps, but just stared at me in interest. I bet he'll be the envy of all the other guards, getting to see the Foreigner dying on his shift.

I don't know what the hell it was, but my throat is now raw, I have a pounding headache, and my hands are trembling.

Plus, when I finally managed to race into the elevator and escape up to my floor, I discovered that for the past 5 days my front door has been unlocked. (I'm staying in Daan.) Bugger!

Oh, and it was the Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday. I forgot, and instead of going to see, I lounged around Alex and James' apartment in my cake-eating pants, watching TV. Whoops.