This would only be an experiment in things that could have been...

Let's just cut right down to the heart of the matter here. I don't speak Chinese, but I'm living and working in a country where people do, predominately. Everyone I have contact with also speaks very good English, but their first language and the one they most often use is Chinese. But, I don't speak Chinese.

Keep this in mind, always. It's important. And somedays, it's downright hilarious.

1) I sat through a total of four hours of meetings. Two meetings, two hours each. One was about the Educational Resouraces in Taipei, the other about accreditation for Ming Chuan. Both sound really interesting, right? I'm sure they were. They were completely in Chinese. See above. However, every once in awhile they'd ask me a question or make a comment to me in Chinese. I just shrugged and actually said ni hao once. Ni hao means hello.

 But, nevertheless, I did learn somethings! It's amazing how much you can pick up just by facial expressions, gestures and the group's reactions. It's not rude to answer your cell in a meeting here. Also, they were very funny and fun loving during both meetings, teasing one another and telling jokes during their presentations. Even during situations like this, I find that I actually am enjoying myself in the moment. Partly because, come on, that's some Seinfeld-quality hilarity. But also because I'm still having an amazing experience and in exactly a month I won't be here anymore. So, I'm soaking up the odd, interesting, fun, hilarious and awkward all the same!

2) I met another American student here named Ginger. She and I were going to get dinner tonight, but I'm still pretty exhausted so we'll go for dinner tomorrow night instead. I can't wait to talk to her more, she seemed so laid back and funny. She's been in Taiwan for a year now, and promised to show me some neat jewelry shops around Taoyuan.

3) Dear Prudence, by The Beatles from the White Album is the perfect song to walk to work in the morning to. I know I sound like a cheeseball, but go on, try it. You'll be in an amazing mood all morning. Well, you're gonna obviously need some Mr. Brown too. This smile ain't natural ya'll, it's all stimulants and dead musicians!

So now it's time quote time. Oh yes, I'm one of those, on occasion at least. I started reading The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable recently, and a quote from the very first few pages stuck to some part of my mind.

 "We tend to treat our knowledge as personal property to be protected and defended. It is an ornament that allows us to rise in the pecking order. We take what we know a little too seriously." 

Those seem like pretty wise words for a grad student like me to read and hold onto!