It Lives!

The blog was down or locked or something. BUT I'm back! UPDATES!!

1) This past week was really busy but wonderful. I love doing the presentations for the students, and I've even gotten to help a few of them with their presentations on higher education. Mostly it's been correcting already very good English, but I've also gotten to learn about their perspectives on Taiwanese higher education. Many of the students think that Taiwanese higher education isn't rigorous enough, and that it should be more like the US system. Which leads to...

2) The more time I spend talking with Taiwanese people, the more I'm beginning to feel comfortable saying that, in general, there's a lot of "in America, this is much better." I hear that phrase so frequently, I've begun to be surprised when we talk about anything comparatively and it isn't said. I usually don't think much about it, these are highly educated professors and students I'm working with, and I usually find something else in the conversation that strikes me. But, today I thought about it more and more.

I understand that, to some extent, some things simply are more accessible in America. It should probably be pointed out that, for a Taiwanese citizen in America, I have no idea if much would truly be more accessible. But, for the most part, things are just different in America. Our education system is different, I don't know enough about either to know if it's better, and I'm not even sure how valuable that comparison would be. I get why I hear it so often, and again, I usually don't reflect on it as much. But I can speculate about where that response comes from, but I wish I had a better hold on it.

3) No Typhoon (so far at least). It was redirected by wind they said? I'm just happy to have not lost a weekend to rain!

4) I went to the Taipei Zoo today, and saw two pandas. I bought the most ridiculous purchase ever at the gift shop. I won't waste time describing, I promise photos tomorrow.

5) I ate at a bar called The Brass Monkey for dinner. It's a pub in Taiwan. Note to the Maymester class: There were only Westerners in their ads because...pretty much only Westerners go there. Loud rugby on the TV, heavy beers and delicious food. I got a Smithick's, ate bangers and mash (good) and buffalo wings with friends. It was definitely fun, and it made me miss Fenian's in Miss-a-sip more than I have in a long time. All you Jackson folks -- let's go shame our family names as soon as I get back. Or, you know, just have a beer and laugh?

6) I'm offically two weeks away from "Operation Reunited and It Feels So Reasonably Pleasant and Downright Convenient" and I have to say I'm feeling so excited for the "Dani's Welcome Wagon '09", and all the fun trips for July. I'm also starting to feel that rush of "get all the fun you can out of it, because when you leave you can't just come back over the weekend". But I'm just going to try to soak it all up, and then feel excited and happy to return home.