some things just get better with age.

Like a good cheese, Broken Social Scene get better with age. It's my 3rd time seeing them (my first time seeing them indoors) and they most certainly proved themselves tonight. So much music, so much talent. I was proud to be a Canadian amongst a crowd of (equally enthusiastic and impressed) Taiwanese folk. Truly proving that good music knows no bounds. Hands down one of my favourite bands to see live!

love.

I can't get enough of these guys lately. This is one of my favourite tracks by them.

an east coast adventure.

Four of us headed to the east coast for the week-end. With Taroko National Park as our desired destination, the adventure began on trains, playing musical seats, sitting beside stinky men while enjoying the lovely recycled air! We arrived at 1:00am in Hualien. After the 4-5 hours of travel, we were sure happy to know that our hotel for the next couple of nights was so close to the train station. We checked into our hotel then went to a 7-11 where we got some snacks to enjoy in the park. We made friends with the sweetest street dog then headed to bed so that we would be somewhat well rested for the next day.

Since we arrived at night we really had no idea what Hualien would look like once we woke up. To our excitement, we awoke to the most wonderful and clear view of the mountains all around us. We knew at this point that the best was yet to come! (This was the view outside of our bathroom window. Not bad!).


We hopped on our scooters and we were off. After an hour or so we arrived at Taroko National Park. We took a quick break (for our bottoms, mostly!) and then we headed for the hills-- literally. Just breathtaking scenery. No words can describe the feeling of driving through the gorge. We spent about 4 hours exploring what we could, but you could definitely devote a few days to this park to really get a sense of its size and splendor.



It was the perfect week-end, despite the time spent on crowded and somewhat uncomfortable trains. I am certainly feeling a bit more refreshed, ready to finish my time in Taiwan with thoughts and memories of the beautiful east coast.

13 days!

I've been trying to play tourist lately, knowing that I'll be home SO soon and aware of the fact that this will likely be my last chance to see and do a lot of these things again.

Last week-end we ventured to Taipei to check out the National Palace Museum. Very rich with history, very neat to see up close rather than as a picture in my Taiwan guidebook. You could spend days here if you wanted to!

finally!

... some good, live music on this side of the world! One of my favourite bands just happens to be coming to Taipei 5 days before I head home. What a way to end a year! I am more than looking forward to seeing and hearing what Broken Social Scene has up their sleeves this time around. So, so, so very excited!

(This is one of my favourites from their new album. Here's to hoping I'll be hearing it live a week from tonight!).

... and that heat? it's up north, too!

I spent Saturday in Taipei with 4 other lovely ladies. The heat was hard enough to handle in Hsinchu (thankfully we at least have the wind here!) but as we got off of the bus in Taipei it hit us like a tonne of bricks. It was as though you could cut through it with a knife if you wanted to! Yuck. It was a long and hot day (these days are becoming much more common lately), but we had a great day in the capital city: buses, taxis, fabric markets, sushi, tea (to feed my addiction, of course), subways, night markets, and a falafel pita to end off the day... or rather, evening!

my first addiction.

Honey Green Tea... it's becoming a real problem.

catching up: field trip fun!

For three days, I travelled South with 10 middle-schoolers. It was a wonderful few days despite the relentless heat which subsequently led to another teacher's heat stroke. Yikes! I'll miss these kids dearly. Just such a sweet bunch... I really can't say enough.

a wonderful day with a wonderful friend!

When you live in a smog-filled city it's easy to forget that you are surrounded by stunning countryside. I spent Saturday afternoon on a scooter, driving through the mountains with a more than wonderful friend, on look-out for a giant, gold Buddha. Now I know what the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" means.

a day off.

Last Wednesday, we were given a day off of work to enjoy the Dragon Boat Festival in Hsinchu. It was a truly traditional experience, one that I enjoyed as my time on this side of the world is winding down. The boats were beautiful, the spirit of the festival was loud and lively. I was there to cheer on the Talladega Dragons but found myself to be quite interested in cheering for the very handsome Japanese men's team, too...

confidence boost.

Yesterday, my students told me that I was smarter than 1 million books! A true compliment, even coming from 2nd graders...

a couple of palm trees on each side of my cheek...

I was in a Blind Melon kind of mood this morning. I put them on my iPod and walked. As I walked, I thought about my love for the band and my feeling of absolute heartbreak (even as a 10 year old girl), when I learned that Shannon Hoon had died. I remember watching Blind Melon perform on our VHS version of Woodstock '94 over, and over (my brother and I probably watched 'Soup' about a thousand times and memorized every bit of the performance). There is just something so raw about their music; there always will be this "something" for me. I believe Shannon Hoon to be one of the most talented songwriters and original singers to ever have lived, and if I could pick one musician (dead or alive) to spend a day with now, it would be him.

rain, rain go away!

Last week-end we went on some sort of crazy jungle hike. The scenery was beautiful, the weather... not so much. Just clouds and rain in Taiwan right now (even a bit on the "chilly" side!). I shouldn't complain though, once the humidity arrives again, I'll have real reason to do so. Excited to be home-- excited to not find cockroaches in my room anymore-- 8 weeks!

saturday night love.

I grew up watching Saturday Night Live. I loved it when it was effortlessly funny, and I still watched it when it wasn't funny at all. It's just one of those Popular Culture staples that will likely always remain a part of my life. Having said this, I must admit that this season, too, had its ups and downs. I try to have patience with the show and I know that the waiting is well worth it when I see episodes like the one with Tina Fey as the host OR when I see skits like Garth & Kim and the SNL Digital Shorts.

Personally, I think that Kristen Wiig is a genius and that everything she does is so perfectly awkward and hilarious. I am hopeful for next season if she sticks around, and if Samberg keeps starring in these ridiculous shorts (this one just made me laugh SO much. I may be sick!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pao46T_lafk

my ears are so happy.

thanks to:

1. Janelle Monae, The ArchAndroid
2. Robyn, Body Talk Pt. 1
3. The Gaslight Anthem, American Slang
4. Delorean, Subiza
5. Sleigh Bells, Treats
6. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, I Learned the Hard Way
7. Smokey Robinson, Greatest Hits
8. The Tough Alliance, New Chance

Sidenote: Janelle Monae may just be as out of this world as her alter-ego suggests. It's hard to believe talent like this! I haven't heard an album this good in a long time. Monae seems to be fearless and her latest album, incredibly diverse and refreshing to listen to (Sharon Jones, you're pretty darn good, too!).

it's a boy!

It's more than surreal to think/write about this, considering I missed out on every part of the process BUT, I am proud to say that I am an Auntie again! My brother Matt and his wonderful wife Amberley had their first babe: May 12th, at around 5:40am. A sweet little man was born, and shortly after he was named Duncan! Too cute. I am just so happy and excited for the Arnold's (Pugsley included!), and I can't wait to have my first Skype date with the whole family. Just one of those times you really wish it was easy and cheap to fly from one side of the world to the other...

I love you all SO much. Congratulations!

83 days...

...left with these guys, left in Taiwan (and not that I am counting or anything!). My feelings are becoming more mixed as the days go by.

my kind of equation.

Kate Nash + apples + sunshine = love.

a superhero kind of day.

Today, we rescued a kitten! It was quite the production (also known as, a "break and enter"), to get to this little thing but once we heard her desperate meow, we knew we must do whatever we had to do to save it. In about 2 hours, this 500g, gooky-eyed, black kitten went from total distress to total bliss: bathed and beautified, named and given a home. Welcome, Coco-- just the most precious thing. A very rewarding way to spend a Sunday afternoon, to say the least. I want to find another one tomorrow and keep it for myself. Not looking likely, but a girl can dream!

In the spirit of feeling a little bit like a hero today, I wanted to (finally!) watch Kick Ass. Totally worth the wait, totally not what I was expecting, but, a highly entertaining and action-packed movie nonetheless! I have to give it two superhero thumbs up!

homeade hair cut.

On Friday, I got my hair cut. I sacked up and said "let's do this!" because I desperately wanted my curls back. Well, the salon experience was something else. Really wonderful. Massages, long hair washes, the whole bit! They really take care of you at hair salons here... before the actual hair cutting begins, that is.

This is not my first time putting the fate of my hair in an Asian hairdresser's hands. When will I learn, I wonder? Maybe now. My hairdresser was 60% fascinated about my having curly hair and 40% frightened. Really, just SO nervous about what my hair would do (being curly and all), if he cut it too short. I tried to tell him over and over again that short was fine, just layer it, but to no avail. I left the salon with a sort of shorter version of my hair beforehand... curly on the top, straight on the ends: NOT a good look.

I let it go for a couple of days then realized I had had enough. At this point, I went into my roommate's room, got some scissors, consulted briefly then realized I didn't care whatsoever and that we should likely just start cutting before I could change my mind. I wish we had taken pictures of the process. Although things like this, you don't soon forget!

It definitely could use some refining, BUT it looks cute! It's short... really short! But my curls are back, fiiiinally.

(Sidenote: Sorry hair, I will never mistreat you like this again. It's been a rough year, next year will be better!).

holy folk!

I am a Folk gal at heart. Always have been, always will be. Folk music is just so simple, so honest. Perhaps this is, and always has been the appeal? Sure, it's always offered an alternative to what's being played on the radio and listened to by the masses at the time, but I think what's more interesting is not the genre itself, but the audience of this genre. Maybe, just maybe, people like myself appreciate it because in this hectic life we all seem to lead, it's an escape; a chance to get back to the basics in a world where this is becoming harder and harder to do.

Listening to: She & Him - adorable in every way and First Aid Kit- love, love, love them.

best science class around.

a league of their own.

Since seeing them at Lollapalooza two summers ago, Dr. Dog have become an absolute favourite of mine. I put them in a category of their own-- I truly think that their sound sets them apart from any other band out there (not to mention they were phenomenal live!). Dr. Dog, you bring a smile to my face.

Shame, Shame is their lastest album and is a gem, to say the least. Favourite tracks upon my first few listens? Shadow People, Unbearable Why, and Jackie Wants a Black Eye. In my humble opinion, these guys are about as real as they come anymore. What I appreciate so much about this band is the simplicity of their music. No gimmicks, just goodness.

Kudos, dudes.

two days down south...

Perhaps it's a good thing, going into a trip with little to no expectations. We planned a 2 day trip (using our 3 day week-end to our advantage), to go south and visit Kaohsiung. I had researched very little, and went into the week-end with an open mind and an excited little heart. To say the least, Kaohsiung was beautiful. It was quiet, well manicured, easy to navigate and sunny! My question at one point was "why would anyone ever want to live in the North?". Seriously.

As we walked along the water and took boats here and there, I really was taken a back by the city's culture. Art everywhere, an overall feeling of romance, and its laid back nature (laid back, as far as Asian cities are concerned!). Kaohsiung, to me, was unlike any big city I've ever visited-- it may even be up there in the ranks with Chicago!

Just an extremely inviting city, in my opinion. Maybe next time I visit, it will be for a little bit longer. Maybe another year, sometime down the road...?

4 months...

It really is hard to believe that 7 and a 1/2 months have come and gone already. It's the beginning of April now and by the beginning of August, I will be home again! So, that's only 4 months. Crazy.

This band and song remind me of last Summer. I really cannot wait to be home (I miss bike rides... among a few other things, of course!).

chop up a papaya!

I used a story called Fruit Salad in Science class the other day, to introduce the idea of "Changing and Mixing Matter". On each page, it read: "Chop up a ___________, and put it in the bowl". When I got to the the page with papaya on it, I realized how funny "chop up a papaya" sounded when you said it altogether, quickly. So, for the rest of the day, my students were saying "Miss Arnold, chopupapapaya..!" and giggling. It was pretty cute, and just what I needed on a Monday.

In a related story, one of my students is obsessed with eggs. I mean, obsessed-- asking if we're having them for lunch EVERY day, writing about them everyday... everything is about eggs. So, you can imagine what his answer was when I asked "Stanford, what would you want in your fruit salad?". Ewww. Eggs?! Just a funny little Science class we had...

the best.

My thoughts: Burton's Alice

Being the Burton fan that I am (and always will be), I was more than excited to see his interpretation of Alice in Wonderland on the big screen. Burton's world in 3D is something that I've never experienced before.

In a nutshell, and despite some otherwise poor reviews, for me, Burton's Alice was just as much beautiful as it was completely bizarre. It was not only its fantastical special effects, but the characters, too, that really allowed me to enjoy this film. Burton's films make me remember what it was like to be young again and to really imagine, to escape, to dream.

A+

...these guys, seriously. The Winter Of Mixed Drinks has surprised me in a big way.

two girls vs. taipei (we won!)

Beth and I finally got to Taipei, like we'd been planning to do for weeks. We were feeling ambitious and excited so we planned a lot for the day! You really do need a good 7-8 hours in this city in order to get yourself around and to all of the wonderful sights.

Stop #1: Taipei 101 (it wasn't really a clear day, but we were there so we thought 'why not!'). This was a totally Asian version of the CN Tower (without a glass floor, as my nephew was quick to point out!).



Stop # 2: The Van Gogh Exhibit (totally worth it, although the wait was silly and inside was pretty much madness).

Stop #3: Ximen (shoe shopping-- finally!).


... so by the end of the day, we were tired! With a hazy view of the city, an art history lesson and some new shoes... we had done it!

feeling tired, but it was well worth it!

It was a last minute decision to get up at 4am and invite friends over to watch "the BIG game" this morning but I'd say it was well worth it! We watched the game on the big screen and celebrated with French toast when it was over. Although I hadn't watched any other Olympic events (it wasn't an easy task here in Taiwan!), I am truly thankful that I could catch this game and enjoy it with such wonderful people (even though the majority of them were American!).

I can't wait to take a nap, but at the end of the day I am just SO proud to be Canadian!

flickr: palawan

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emeliza/sets/72157623334127811/

it's good to be reminded...

I have returned from the Philippines, tired (from a sleepness night spent on benches and the ground in Manila), but feeling great after an overall successful 3 weeks of travel (nasty, one week stomach bug aside!). My tentative itinerary went down the drain, but I have no regrets. The people that I met by staying in Palawan and the experiences I had there were so wonderful.

I wanted to go on this trip because I knew that it would open my eyes to a new country and a new way of life, as did my visits to the Dominican Republic and Cuba. It's good to be reminded from time to time just how little we actually NEED in our lives to get by and I truly saw and lived this in Palawan. The people have so little, yet they are willing to share what they do have with others (as opposed to a culture where people have so much and are still unwilling to share).

When you don't have the internet to distract you, you read or write or talk to people. When you don't have enough money to buy new clothes whenever you like, you wear the 2 shirts that you have and hand wash them every other day. When you don't have a soccer ball, you find an empty bottle and make do. When you simplify your life, the hardest decision of your day can very well be "what should we catch for dinner tonight?". When you live in a community where faith and trust is central, there's no need to lock your doors or be worried about where people are at any given time of the day. When you only have electricity for a few hours of the day/night, you learn to use this time efficiently and to conserve. When money is hard to come by, you work extra hard for every cent (or peso). Lastly, when you wake up in the morning to the sound of pigs, dogs and roosters, you aren't annoyed because you look around and realize that it's another day and you have a roof over your head and a family that cares; and this is truly all that should matter anyway.

I'll be going back, for sure.

what a life.

So, I am 9 days (or so) into my trip to the Philippines. In a nutshell, I fall more and more in love with the country and its' people everyday. Since day one, I have been running around Palawan with a lovely German gal named Berit ('Berry' for those westerners who can't quite get that rolled 'r' sound right!). I realized in meeting her, how easily plans can change and that it really is the best to travel alone. The people you meet along the way certainly do make it an experience.

We stayed in Port Barton for 8 days (about 4 longer that what we had planned) but it was so, so, so wonderful... we may even go back! We are now in El Nido. The drive up north was... hellish. I have to admit that I did see my life flash before my eyes a couple of times (sorry, Mom and Dad!). We did make it though and it seems that the worst drives are always worth it when you see the stunning colours of the ocean and the white sand beaches. Life can be so simple... really.

I have a story or two to tell, of course, but shall save these stories for later. I am learning that it certainly pays to be nice here. If you are nice, you will be treated wonderfully, maybe even proposed to. Gosh, men are so handsome here... annnnyway, I will try my best to do some more updating now that the internet is a tad more accessible (that is, if my "readers" haven't given up on me already!).

... also, beer and rum are cheaper than water here. Perfect.

Paalam! (from a not-so-quiet internet cafe).

counting down...

So, here it is. Finally. Preparing for my much anticipated 3 week trip to the Philippines is, as it seems, some indication that I have managed to get through the first semester of school-- almost 5 months of work! I am looking forward to the time I'll get to spend with... myself, on this trip and am truly hoping that I'll get to all of the places that I want to. Speaking (or I suppose, "writing") of which, here's the general plan for my trip (starting on January 26th and ending on February 16th):

1) Palawan (7-10 days): Puerto Princessa, Honda Bay, Sabang (Subterranean River) and Port Barton.
2) The North (3-4 days): 8-10 hour bus ride to Banaue and Sagada; rice terraces and hanging coffins (likely the part of my trip that I am most excited about!).
3) The South (7-10 days): Cebu (City), Bohol (The Chocolate Hills) and beaches!

It may seem ambitious, but I figured I would try to see as much as the country as possible because really, when am I going to have 3 weeks to myself to explore another country again? You only live once.

... consider me excited!

just another day at the office...

word-less.

These guys, I tell you. Perhaps, I'll write more later? Right now, I am feeling way too overcome by awesomeness. Just kick-ass musicians, period.

a sun-day trip.

Today, we went to a city named Daxi (pronounced Da-Shee). It was about 40 minutes away and the drive was so nice. It's good to get out, so that I can remind myself just how lucky I am and just how beautiful this country is.

We found a store that sold everything for $100NT (about $3CDN). So, we spent a big chunk of the day there! Besides this gem of a store, we got to walk around the streets of a pretty historically rich and architecturally impressive little downtown.

I have posted some photos from the day on flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emeliza

finally!

I've been waiting 2 years to see this movie, and although it has been at my disposal for the last week (thank you, housemates!), we finally had the chance to sit down and watch Where the Wild Things Are tonight. All in all, I would say the wait was well worth it and I certainly did not feel let down in any way.

I felt genuinely involved in the film; the characters, the story line and of course, the soundtrack. I will watch it again, I am sure, and go to sleep tonight with the hopes of running into Carol, KW and the rest in my dreams...

happy new year!