Routine set, local area mentally mapped and wifi sources throughout the city situated. I've come to appreciate the calm and relaxed atmosphere of this city. Life is slower here and you can feel how traditional the way of life here is compared with bigger Taiwanese cities like Taipei or Taichung. I've met lots of great people representing a huge range of backgrounds and perspectives. Thankfully, I've met far more great people than bad people. Some of that might be my tendency to avoid potentially bad influences or bad people in general. Also, I really haven't been as social as I should be due to work and research.
I forced myself to be social last week and I went out to a popular bar after a late appointment with a client. It was really a great night; I met an Austrian engineer, an Indian doctor of nano-technology, an Irish English teacher and an Italian English teacher. It was so great to discuss our research and dig deep into different theories and subject matters. To share our experiences of traveling and living abroad and to bounce our experiences and knowledge off of each other is truly a good time. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to "gan bei" as much alcohol as everyone else because of my digestive issues which is just another symptom of my mitochondrial mutation. But one thing I have noticed in Tainan is that going out can be hit and miss. Sometimes you go out and can meet some great people and a lot of the time you can meet some immature assholes who can ruin your night if you let them. Going out in Taipei was MUCH better than any spot I've seen in Tainan. I'll have to write another post about Taipei when I have more trips there.
In general, I mostly go to cafes to read and analyze my research as my "going out" times. Today, before another appointment with a business client, I went to a Starbucks in Anping (the old and historical part of Tainan). My institute's office is located in that part of town, which is really nice because it's kind of the cultural center of the city. I, for one, really enjoy Starbucks. Being a Northwesterner, I really like having a piece of home all over the world. It's so nice having a little piece of Seattle and the Northwest in every city I go to. And the employees are always super friendly and helpful; it makes me feel good and especially today when I went in. I ordered an Italian roast tomato and olive loaf with a chai-tea latte, just like my mom would always make in the winter time. I sat in the nearly empty Starbucks with that taste of home and I felt relaxed as I slumped farther down in my chair. The staff was very friendly and kept on suggesting things that I might like. They also taught me a few new Chinese words that pertained to coffee. I'm all about enjoying the local atmosphere and culture of wherever I am but seriously, Starbucks is my little escape back to Seattle, back home and back to personal comfort.
I suppose I need to start getting more "Tainanese" now that I am more settled. It's hard though, because I'm so caught up in my work and research so I get exhausted and find it hard to properly explore. I've already explored a lot of the city but there is so much more. This month I'll be getting a bigger set of wheels and I'll take a few days to travel the area. Just south of Tainan is a great city called Kaohsiung where there is apparently a lot going on. In between the two cities are plenty of little towns that are just begging to be explored. I noticed an interesting wharf that I want to explore further which is on route to Kaohsiung. The thing is, with this little scooty-puff, the city is about all it can handle. Also, since I have more of a routine now, museums are in my near future. Tainan is absolutely full of temples and museums of which I have visited the most important ones but there are still so many yet to visit. Something about this city just makes me incredibly thirsty for more knowledge and discovery and I think it's wonderful but at the same time, it's murder on my social life. Oh well, at least I'm getting something positive out of it.
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