1st day in Taiwan- Wednesday July 30th

 First of all when I landed in San Francisco for a lay over I completely got lost. ha, go figure right! I had three different people tell me where to go and all of them were wrong. Finally the fourth guy led me in the right direction. It was a pain in the butt though. I had to got through security all over again and take a bus to my terminal. I went to the international terminal, I'm pretty sure that I was already surrounded by Asian... "Asian in Vasion!" no joke, thats how I felt. Anyways, I finally got on the plane and 10 hours into my flight I met a guy named Brad who was sitting right next to me. He striked up a conversation with me. He is an engineer from California and comes to Taiwan once everyone month. He is in his late twenties, and was sooo very nice. :) We chatted for a while, until I found my self  drooling all over my pillow... sick I know! The flight was hecka long! Wow, 15 hours. I didn't read once, I didn't do anything but sleep and talk every now and then to Brad... 15 hours later I arrived in my new to be home, Taiwan! Brad helped me get my bags, good thing. I would've been completely doggin it with out him. Two big bags to a little girl such as me, yeah I can imagine, and so could probably you if you know me. ha!

I was very nervous that I wouldn't get picked up from the airport, Brad re assured me that everything would be ok, and he wouldn't leave me until I got everything figured out. We walked out and there were people holding signs with Asian names on them, and NO, my name was no were to be found. My heart was racing like a chicken who's head was about to get chopped off... ok maybe not that hard but pretty hard... anyways back to my story.... I found my name on a pink piece of paper. Unfortunately I did not capture this in a picture. A lady told me some one would come pick me up in 30 min. She spoke no chinese, so this was done all in sign language. Wow, I knew I was in for a big treat! I said my farewell to Brad as he left me his email if I needed anything. 

On the ride to my apartment, I knew it was going to be a long ride, I'm talking 2 hours with 6 Taiwanese people. Holy cow do they talk louder then any other human I have ever met, yes that includes me. LOUDER then me. They yell at each other when they speak, it was a nightmare, actually it felt like a dream. I had the worst jet lag, I was exhausted, it was pitch black with colored lights everywhere with the characters on them. My head was spinning in circles every time I woke up from my in-n-out of sleep... with them still yelling at each other, then they would pause and all look at me in silence and laugh. Of course I didn't know what they were talking about. I was just hoping it was a dream and it would be all over soon. And it was, I arrived with the head teacher Britta (25-years-old) and the head coordinator Cherie. They got my bags and I came into my apartment. Cherie had bought all of us "Hit Cookie Home" food. It is an omelet with cheese, bacon and a special kind of sweet sauce, it is now one of my favorite and only favorite foods here, minus the pot stickers/dumplings that I eat everyday). I didn't really know what to think of my apartment. It was very interesting. Lets just say nothing like American apartments. It's three levels and I got to pick out of 2 bedrooms. I'm on the 3rd floor with Britta :) we share the best bathroom in the house. In the other 2 bathrooms there is no tub or shower curtain, it floods the whole bathroom. It's really weird. When you go to the bathroom you can't flush anything down the toilet. Its all gotta go in the garbage can. Sick, after a while it smells sick. ha. What can you really expect though. My bed is as hard as a brick. But I got use to it pretty fast. Oh and about my pillow, I can't even tell you how glad I am that I brought my own pillow. Blessing! I have a washer and dryer, its located on the balcony with the most amazing, most beautiful view... not. Overall are apartment is suppose to be the most decent apartment in our city, Changhua. And I yes I believe that. Tomorrow is going to be a crazy day, it will be my first day going to the school to watch Britta and my roommate Darren (22 years-old) and Amy (47 years- old).