I'll sail a boat to Hong Kong...

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No wait - you can't cuz there's a friggin typhoon! Arrghh

For those US passport holders who might be interested in visiting Taiwan, please note that w/o a visa, one is allowed to stay for 30 days. After 30 days, one must go for a 'border run' - which is what I had to do before 8/23. And thanks to the typhoon and a 2 hour wait @ the airport for a plane that never showed, I went home & rebooked for a day trip the very next day. (Yes, now I am truly a jetsetter...) Another thing to note is that one is given 3 extra days to cross the border in the case of a typhoon, which is what i had to use.

anyways, on maybe 3,4 hours of sleep, I groggily set out to the airport w/my trusty dad @ 545 am. The airport was exceptionally busy that day, as everyone in taiwan wanted to get to HK. I got on, slept hazily, ate my asian veg meal & the passed out again.

HK was ok...another busy urban asian city - where all one does is shop & eat. Luckily, I was greeted by a friend of a friend- CS Cheng. A super cool guy who had lived in the states for college & graduate school...so we coversed in english. He had an interesting blend of accents - english, boston, & wilmington. ha. We romped around Mong Kok where they had a huge Ladies Market that sold everything from watches to thongs w/funny frontal animal designs (hmmm). After that, CS & I watched superbad & Louis CK (standup) @ his cute studio.

The trip was short, literally less than 8 hours & back on the plane I go. One would think the story stops here...but it's actually just starting. I land on Taiwan soil & head over to the immigration office w/my expired passport (as I was instructed by 2 immigration officers/manager coming in from singapore & the night before) to get a temporary visa from them. They kept me there for 2.5 hours! They kept on bullying me to use my US passport to go in...come to find out later that if I want to use my expired taiwanese passport to come in, they'd have to get off their lazy a*ses to make a temporary visa & then fine the airline. It was RIDICULOUS.

Initially, I wasn't that upset. But (of course), the more I thought about it, I felt more irate & also amazed. Amazed that my own ppl can treat me like such crap...not only w/this, but also with working as an english teacher. But whatever...I am bigger than any of this. And it's all an experience right? An experience w/a complaint letter attached to it. That's right! Ha.

Anyway, it was crazy last week. Started subbing @ an english school (Alphaville)...working with the kindegarten kids & 7-9 y/o's. Makes me re-evaluate the ego everyday...especially on days when there are students that have especially bad behaviors! WOW. But it's nice to be working again. Meeting w/my yoga teacher tomorrow to see about teaching @ his place. 😊

Thanks for reading guys. I miss you all very much & there isn't 1 day when you're not in my prayers & thoughts. Much love from the East...xoxoxo

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Photos

Jen & CS
nice view eh? =)

Me on the ferry
in my opinion & first impression, HK has fantastic landscape. Being on the ferry made me reminiscent of San francisco...*sigh*

HK Landscape
Kinda pretty...in a concrete-jungle kinda way.

Candy Heaven!
WOW

Jen in candy heaven
1 pound worth! :)

Comments

[Lynn]

bureaucracies around the world
ya mean that bureaucrats are the same the world over? Sorry! Sounds like the usual nightmare. Who woulda thought?! Glad to see the video of the ferry boat. Do they serve Bloody Mary's? Hey Jen, Zach started Kindergarten today. I can't believe my little guy is in school. Now his brother Leo is trying to worm his way into my heart and succeeding very well. I don't have any grandkid pictures in my wallet, but they sure are the light of my life. Good luck to you. Love, Lynn