16 Days Left...

Today, I paid my last room rent bill. I have the same feeling as before I came to Taiwan- that this may be the last time I do something, meet a person, or eat something before I say goodbye to Taiwan. Time is passing so fast nowadays, I write my article, and as you know, I look for job in parallell. It's not that long time left here and some friends ask me how I feel about it. I feel quite happy that I've seen so much of Taiwan and that I've come so far in learning Chinese so I'm very content with my time here. Hence, I'm certain that I made the right decision to not stay longer (well, the fact that I've written down some things I want to do when I'm home-home may indicate how much I long for little Sweden).

What I want to do in Sweden:

• Give thousands of BIG hugs to my family!!!
• Meet up with my dear friends.
• Eat Swedish breakfast.
• Cook and bake.
• Julmys with lussekatter, pepparkakor and glögg.
• Skogspromenader.

I Fjol...

... means "last year" in Swedish. Today, I started for some reason to think of what I was up to one year ago. It's interesting because so much has happened and changed since then. By this time last year was an intensive time with lots things happening. We had massive studies in molecular physics, measurement technique and gene technology including assessments, presentations, projects and exams. But it was a fun time as well, with cosy dinners together with dear friends, parties and many snowy yet warm winter walks. I think I miss university life.

Job Application

I woke up early today after a good night's sleep. Wonderful. The rain has more or less fallen constantly a week now so I haven't done anything special.

I'm in the midst of looking for job in Sweden, so I'll write my CV and personal letter today. I think it's so difficult, but hopefully I'll find a job that is related to my studies.

This is a picture from earlier this year, from a lab in analytical chemistry. Haha.

Evening Entertainment

It's not that much left of this term. We are about to finish our textbook, there're only two chapters left. Before we end this term we'll write a report and hold an presentation about an old street in Taipei. Me and Z in the class will go to the old street in Danshui, taste the food and visit the historical spots and take some pictures to the presentation.

I love the fact that it's possible to watch Swedish programmes on the net (and anything else that one can use the net for.) How was life before Internet? I don't remember, but everything must have taken so much longer to deal with like paying bills, read the news, look up a word, listen to music... Thank you Internet.

I've watched "Landet Brunsås" (at svtplay.se) which is a programme about Swedish food culture with interesting discussion delivered in a humoristic tone. Nevertheless, the episode about meat made me become half-vegetarian (if this word even exist) simply because I've realized I don't need to eat it so often and because the production of meat is so screwed. I'll limit my meat consumption and not eat meat every day. I was a vegetarian in my teenage but that did just last a half year or so, but this time I'll be more persistent.

Tonight, I'll start to watch Skavlan, I haven't seen anything this season so I have some to catch up!

Photoshot Pics!!!

Today, I went to get my pics. FINALLY! I've waited almost a month. See the Sneak Peak here. The big poster (it's really huge!) I got with a close up picture of me was not really how I wanted, I should've picked a whole body picture instead... Also, I think they could've done the make up a little better.

But overall, I'm very very happy with the result!

By a chrystal chandelier.

Spotlights!

My favourite dress, so fluffy and so 18th century. I would love to wear it on a mascarade party.

One of many awkward poses that turned out great.

Dancehall!

I began to take dance classes mostly because I wanted to learn more house dance (which I danced earlier this year and really enjoyed). However, the house classes at my dance school are not very popular and if we're lucky three person show up. Lumi dance school has different kinds of dance styles and one is free to attend any classes. So the last five times I've tried jazz and dancehall. I think Dancehall is really fun. It comes from Jamaica with its roots in reggae and ragga. Dancehall dance involves much attitude and great music. The dancehall teacher is the best one I've had so far. Every class is 90 min, the first half an hour is warm up and stretch and then choreography. She teaches about three 8 beat blocks in one class (very thoroughly) and there's a new choreography every time. For me, Dancehall is the New thing.

Example of dancehall music (too bad I cannot find the song by him we had in class today):

This makes me associate to:

And finally, because it's simply Awesome:

Tourist For A Day...

Today I went to the Kuo Yuan Ye Museum of Cake and Pastries, National Palace Museum (NPM) and The Chiang Kai Shek Shilin Residence, all situated in Shilin. The cake museum was not planned, I just saw it on the map outside the MRT station so I just had to go (you know I love baking). However, it was a true disappointment. I expected an exhibition of how pastries are made and the history, but that place just sold some cakes in fancy packages. I bought a cake, with white bean filling just for the sake of it.

After meeting the creepiest man ever on the way back from the pastry place (he wanted to give me his number written on a pink paper), I took the bus to the National Museum. It's said that the NPM is one of the five best ones in the world and the collection of Chinese culture related objects from different dynasties is huge. There were (documents) treats from the Cold war, calligraphy from thousands of year before, porcelain, carved jade, bodisattivas (statue of Buddha) and much more. I wished I knew more about the history of China to be able to fully appreciate the items. I became amazed anyway by the crafts. How was it possible to carve out figures of jade which is a really hard mineral? Or to produce colourful porcelain, write calligraphy on Sichuan silk and make bronze statues? It's not only about hand craft and creativity but also the limitations of instruments.

Photography is forbidden inside so I don't have any pics of the items... Btw, it was sunny and about 32 degrees. I wonder if it's normal weather for November.

The more I think the more I get overwhelmed of the collection. For example, the long roll of painting- for thousands of years ago there was actually one person that held a brush and thought "Hmmm, what should I paint?" and then created a piece that now lays on the museum for people all over the world to behold. Exact that very object has come from somebody's mind and hands, what did this person want to tell? Some of the objects were presented as "anomynous" and this makes it even more mysterious. I wonder what the artists would feel about their pieces are a part of history? I spent hours there listening on the audio guide and tried to look at the things. It was a mistake though to go there on a Saturday as there were crowds of tourists with guides that spoke through mic and people standing in the way.

I was quite tired after the visit at the museum but I went a quick round to the Shilin Residence (that place is giant) on the way back. I saw a little bit of the garden before the sun went down.

Outside the Official Building where Chiang Kai Shek used to live.

Hot Springs In Xinbeitou

Me and Syaorie have been talking about go to hot spring for some weeks. So we thought it was about time to go today. We met after lunch to take the MRT to Xinbeitou (there are a whole lot of hot springs in this area). I wished the weather wouldn't be so hot as today (I think it was about 28-30 degrees). When we came to the hot spring park they said we had to wait 50 min because they had to clean, which was annoying as it took almost an hour to get there. Moreover, the staff was not very polite which is sad as the park overall was a nice place.

However, the park have four hot pools and two cold ones. The hot water comes from a spring and it was different temperatures in the pools. There were mostly old people there and some tourists. We first did not know that there were different water temperatures so we just step into the second hottest one, about 40 degrees. It felt like it was really near my limit for what is comfortable and what is burning. My blood pressure rose, the skin turned red and I couldn't make big movements in the water because then the hotness hit me even stronger. So guess if it was great to move to the cold water pool to cool down. It's advised to not stay more than 15 min in the hot spring at each time. Afterwards I became a little dozy and now it feels like all the muscles in my body are relaxed. I think I'll get a really good night's sleep...

A sign that only points to different hotspring spots. I must say it was really easy to find thanks to the many signs.

No Mercy...

... shown from mosquitos. Most of the bites are on my right leg, as usual (can somebody explain it to me?!). I mean, it's November, it's supposed to be off-season. They've been stalking me for months now. Just let me be, please.

Hakka Cultural Park

Today, I went to The Hakka Cultural Park which is about 15 min walk from where I live. Hakka people originally comes from China and they speak the Hakka dialect. Nowadays many Hakka people lives outside China due to migration. The park was very neat and nice with a pond, bridge and a crop terrace. It was almost meditative to walk green areas with the breathlike wind sweeping around. There were also a walking trail and a high view spot where I saw the sun glow in the midst of the sky.

Some people were exercising here and I understand why.

Some common vegetables for Hakka in the terrace field.

A stylish scarecrow by the crops. Note the red bow tie.

The pavillion.

In the Hakka Cultural Center.

When I was about to head back I saw a rainbow (or it was actually two rainbows, a mini one next to the big one). The rainbow shone so bright and magnificient and I just had to stop and behold it. It was quite long time since I saw a rainbow and for some reason it made me feel good and cheered me up (not that I was moody, just a little bit dull of all the Resultive Compounds in Chinese).

One cannot tell from the picture but the colors of the rainbow were shining unnaturally.

The title of this song is 彩虹 (cai hong) which means rainbow. We sang it last week in the Sing in Chinese class. I might be wrong but it sounds like a cover of an English song but I cannot come up which one.