So, I still don't really know what a blog is for... so if I am doing it wrong, you don't have to read it. My purposes of writing this is to let friends and family know what I'm doing while I'm in Taiwan, and why constantly send out mass e-mails when I can just put up my web-journal here?

So, today was my first day in Hualien, and Nancy (my roommate) pointed out how interesting it is that I'm not tired. I spent over 21 hours traveling yesterday, and only got three hours of sleep before starting a full day of teacher observing (I'm not teaching yet, but I was in the classrooms all day). I look forward to teaching, but I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I guess it will all fall into place. At least I don't have to start teaching tomorrow like I thought I was going to have to do, I don't have to start until Monday.

My roommate seems amazing (I already knew this through e-mail communications) and I am so glad that she's here to show me around a little bit. She took me to the grocery store and bakery this afternoon and we just got back from dinner at the night market. I had a sandwhich type thing: they fry thick pieces of bread, and then cut a pocket in the bread and fill it with meat. It was pretty good, but when I took it out of the wrapper and my fingers were immediately shiny, I decided that that was not going to be something I'll buy frequently.

So besides the market and grocery store, I really haven't seen much of Taiwan, but the mountains are amazing, and they always have the clouds gathered at the valleys so they add to the beauty. I haven't seen much, because, like I said, I was observing teachers all day long. Apparently I'll really only have free time on the weekends, so I'll have to wait a couple of days before Nancy can take me exploring. The kids in the school are adorable, and they attach themselves to new people so easily. One came up to me and reached up for me to give her a hug, and so I naturally picked her up, but I got reprimanded (more like warned) by one of the Chinese teachers not to do it again because the children love to be held by the teachers, but they can't.

Alright, I guess that's all that's happened today, so I'll end this a get more unloading of the luggage done.