2010 Resolutions

So of course I have my wish list of resolutions and fantasies. So here goes:

1. Make a food diary and eventually consume 1400 calories a day, lose 5 kg.
2. Learn and incorporate kettlebells into my fitness routines
3. Improve my Mandarin, really take my lessons seriously and make room for homework.
4. That means less time surfing the net and watching videos
5. Finish and start writing all those screenplays and stories Ive been meaning to write. At least the one dearest to my heart.
6. Save money, pay off my grad loan.
7. Get a used car. Explore more of Taiwan go camping.
8. Wean myself job wise, way from Sharefun and teaching kids, find a school with more holiday time, or teach adults in a college.
9. Stop going to bed late. 11 pm and no later.
10. Be more patient with Z.
11. Discover more about my mission, calling, destiny and do it.

Seems pretty reasonable, doesn’t it? Nothing over the top after looking at the above list. I refrain from saying meet Mr. Right, as in 2009 I pretty much purged myself of that fantasy (not that I don’t believe it could happen, it is just not important anymore).

Well lets get it on already, I welcome the new year with open arms, with expectations of open doors and meeting the right people at the right moment and loving people more because I am loved.

New Years Weekend in Hong Kong

After work on Thursday, a van from Kaohsiung Airport picked us up at my front door and we with my workmate Steve and his girlfriend Candy took a 2 hour drive (traffic)to the airport, checked in with Dragon Air (what a cool name for an airline) and waited, starving for our plane (there were no places to eat at our terminal). The flight took an hour and we were served dinner.

We arrived at HK Internat’l airport at 10pm New Years Eve, quickly got our luggage and stayed in line forever at immigration. It was a bit difficult w/ Z, she was restless and it was very late past her bedtime, plus we had dressed for the forewarned HK winter and were wearing layers and my hands were full of bags and big jackets and she wanted to be held (the theme of the trip). Thankfully my workmate Steve and his girlfriend Candy were there to keep an extra eye on Z and provide her with some other entertainment as mom can be too boring sometimes. Z and I took an extra 5 minutes, as checking twice a child’s info, especially in HK (human trafficking hotspot) was just fine with me. And then Candy got into some trouble and the HK immigration man told her to step aside she wasn’t allowed through and he didnt bother to help her. Steve wasn’t going to leave her there, so on the other side, praying a silent prayer I saw a reasonable looking immigration man and told them she didn’t have a visa (who would of thought a Taiwanese person would need a visa to HK for 3 days? maybe since the takeover by Beijing?). Steve told me not to wait and go to the hotel so I did. I got the last free hotel shuttle bus at 11 and after check in, watched the fireworks display over the harbor from local TV. It was a late night for little Z.

The next morning got a call from Steve and they had made it back to the hotel at 2 something after buying an expensive emergency visa and taking some other kind of free bus to our hotel in Kowloon City. I had brought a whole stash of organic instant oatmeal and used this as a small filler until we found something in the city proper. Thankfully this saved me some money and convenience, as the hotel breakfasts were too expensive and breakfast shops a walk down the block (Z literally had to be carried the whole time).

Did I mention 15 kg Z needed to be carried the whole time? I didn’t mind that much the first day. I brought my handmade reversible red kid wrap I made in CO when I was 8 months preg. I could wear her on the front back or side and my backpack full of camera, water, map on the other side. Anyway, we met Steve and Candy in the lobby around 10 and took a local bus into Kowloon’s tourist district found a cheap noodle and rice porridge place for brunch, filled up and parted ways. Z did not want Steve and Candy to leave and well, honestly I didn’t either. Its challenging enough navigating one’s way in a brand new intense city and that is fun for sure, but with a kid, I’d like to be more careful. Still I just had a vague plan, a map, some money and the whole day.

First I went down to the harbor and bought a ticket on a double-decker bus and then walked down the along the harbor at the Avenue of the Stars, took some photos, bought a coffee and snack at Starbucks, and took the bus tour. Z liked to be on the bus and after the hour tour was over (Kowloon tour), she fell asleep in my arms and I didn’t want to wake her or carry her walking, so I went on the next bus tour and just held her in my arms. It was warmish, the sun was shining I got some sun on my face, took off my coat and settled in. When she woke, we walked back along the harbor and took the famous Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island, took the double-decker tour of Hong Kong island, then got off to take the tram up Victoria peak. By now the sun just went down and the line for the tram (well not exactly a line, more like a throng that spilled onto the streets and around the corner down the block). I didn’t know where to start, so I accidentally found a sign with my double-decker bus company logo and from there (at the front of the line off the street) lined up. The throng from there was packed like sardines, I held Z in my arms for a good hour before we got into the tram and I was tired. We had walked a lot, despite the buses and standing in line carrying her exhausted me.

Inside the tram, I at least got a seat. The ride was short, 10 minutes and very disorienting. We were going up at such a steep angle, all the apartment buildings looked like they were the leaning tower of Pisa. At the top was a little shopping mall and we caught a bite and some water and headed back for the bottom. The line down the tram was just as crazy so I opted to take a bus down. I had to walk outside and around the corner and it was freezing and windy. Once I got to this big bus depot, I had no idea which one to take and just walked to a line, and basically was in the front, talked to some people from India and waited for 10 minutes. They all had waited for an hour and when I was boarding this little shuttle bus I missed a step, twisted my ankle, pretty bad and fell on my knee and elbow. I was carrying Z on my front and she was unhurt, I had somehow taken the fall and had to pull myself up to the stairs to the closest seat. When we got out I had to limp to the Star Ferry terminal and waited for the next one, then on the Kowloon side I didn’t know which bus to take back to the hotel, so I walked to the Metro and the signs were so unclear I kept hobbling in circles and decided to walk to the next Metro stop, and that was closed and somehow ended up in a seedy area with lots of police and Nigerian men standing around and finally took a taxi. It was a late night and I was exhausted.

The next morning my ankle was swollen and I couldn’t even bare any weight. I thought it might improve after my body wakes up a bit, but it only improved slightly. I went into Kowloon’s tourist area with Steve and Candy and by chance, (Steve asked a newspaper stand guy for a typical dim sum place and he pointed to the door right behind us) found the Dim Sum place we were dreaming about on the flight over). We sat down and stuffed ourselves with different dumplings, pancakes with rice flour, ending with a red bean pudding and lots of tea. After splitting the bill we parted. What a treat to be in the middle of the most touristy area and the only tourists in the Dim Sum place full of locals. Just this food in this place, relaxed, made my trip. They didn’t even speak Mandarin or English, it was phenomenal.

Since Z didn’t really like the crowds we headed north to the Diamond Heights district and enjoyed the peaceful, uncrowned serenity of a Tang dynasty garden (free) and the adjacent Buddhist nunnery. Z could walk and run and she enjoyed the nature. When she began to be fussy and ready for her lunch and nap we went to the nearby shopping mall which has the biggest cinema complex in HK and Z watched her first big screen movie. I thought she might sleep through it. Unfortunately, there were only tickets to Alvin and the Chipmunks (could any kid movie possibly be more annoying) row 4 and she didn’t sleep. She got a second wind and loved it. That shopping mall also has the biggest English bookstore in HK, so of course I had to go there and bought so many books for Z. (Of course when Mommy wants to buy books for herself, Z thinks its time to go). I really wanted to take her ice-skating there, but with the state of my ankle and how I continued to abuse it, that wasn’t possible. I had made plans to meet Candy and Steve on the opposite end, in Hong Kong island for dinner, and with the great Metro system, with one transfer was on time. We found this little place that sold Middle East food and Indian curries and the feta cheese was the best Id ever had, its was creamy and rich. We went for a beer in a nearby empty, bar (Sam Adams my home favorite) and then I went back to the hotel around 8pm (Metro + taxi this time no star ferry and subsequent madness like the night before). After our night shower I packed for the return back to Taiwan. ON our flight back we had female pilot which I thought was pretty cool. In the airport we met another co-worker Megan and her boyfriend who also returned from HK/Macau.

I think Hong Kong would be an exciting place to live. I was surprised how many people spoke Mandarin, how many dance and yoga studios I saw, the variety of international food, the number of these insanely large shopping mall complexes, like gigantic temples to capitalism, (“mall” just seems like such a small word for these places) and these in your face elite, shopping boutiques, and 7 star hotels for the stinking rich. Id like to go back and explore the islands, this time stay on Hong Kong island, see the view from the Bank of China, do the tram again and take some photos and take a junk boat ride. I asked myself the same questions I usually ask myself, I wonder if I will ever make it back there again?

2009 in retrospect

I cant recall how last year begun, but I wont forget how it ended. Oh wait Zenaida and I went to a Xiao Wont-z show (also knows as “Cherry Cheeks”), from all the characters from the classic Japanese cartoon. My friends Alisse and Marty came from Taipei to stay for a much too short visit. The first half I was mostly broke and working hard.

Some memorable highlights from 2009: In June my taxes went down from 20% to 6% which freed some extra cash for buying a scooter, saving very poorly for 2 tickets home, joining a gym, and buying all what Zenaida needed. During the wet season we had the destruction of Typhoon Morokat which really devastated south Taiwan, destruction from around Tainan to Kaohsiung. My apt was without water for a week, so for one day we filled up as many containers as we could and used that for washing up. Water was rationed everywhere for a few weeks there until all the rain and silt from the typhoon was properly cleaned for public consumption.

What other highlights, we got a sweet cat named Mitzy, I went diving and found a good diving crew in Kenting (but haven’t gone since, scroll down for things to do in 2010). I made 2 great friends Anna and Doreen, Taiwanese divorcees with kids and they both live down the street. I found a great church (Dayspring) that feels like home. Having jumped around different places, this one is so full of love, no religion, no legalism, only Jesus. I got baptized there and for anyone who knows me, anti-establishment, free as a bird this was a major, revolutionary step in this process of God-actualization. This goes hand in hand with this present phase of celibacy, Jesus is truly my husband. I’m like a nun, and if anyone ever knew me just several years ago, they’d think that was pretty damn revolutionary (not that I was like Samantha from Sex in the City, but you get the drift).

Also, there were some big uncomfortable earthquakes and loads of tremors, but no damage. I began to learn how to surf and had some wonderful moments trying to learn. One of the best blessings of the year was different people coming together to sponsor the majority of our plane tickets for our Chinese New Year trip home. Share Fun’s owner Mary sponsored Zenaida’s ticket and my church at home (Living Way Fellowship) sponsored 500US for mine. Pretty great! I could afford a bootstrap 3 day weekend in Hong Kong and bring home some gifts. I know I wouldn’t be able to come home without this help. Its one month’s salary and its difficult to save right now.

Health is a strange drama sometimes, childhood sicknesses, things going around the school. For the most part I was like the iron maiden immune from all of it, but there was an episode around Lantern Fest where I fainted in my kitchen and hit my head` on the floor pretty hard (never fainted before, IM not the type). How strange to wake up disoriented on my kitchen floor not knowing how I got there. And then in the change in seasons I got the flu and bad cough for 3 weeks. Zenaida has had a respiratory infection for most of the winter that would come and go and only before our Hong Kong has disappeared. Her stomach is very sensitive and sometimes she gets the runs. Otherwise we are both very strong, energetic and vivacious.

There were some strange experiences with Chinese medicine, cooking with it for dinner. In Taiwan food is really medicine. The bad reactions to the medicine is another story.

Sharefun (at certain moments also known by the teachers as Share Stress).
I felt I found my groove with my kids and being uber-productive and having higher than expected results. Sure each of my students is a 5 year old genius and easy to teach, but I’ve just been this Aquarian icon standing with a big water jug, pouring, pouring everything into their receptive, growing brains and its gratifying. These little 5 year olds can tell you about Taiwanese aboriginals, watersheds, the Nativity story, reduce/reuse/recycle, they know the geography of Taiwan and their song repertoire is impressive. I love the kids and am not perfect, but love covers a multitude of mistakes.

Zenaida continues to be in half day English, half a day Chinese. Her Mandarin and English are both excellent. She can go in and out of either in mid conversation and often translates for me. She can also speak Taiwanese (Hokkien).

The Flying Club
The gym is just around the corner from our apartment. The staff and members are like one big family. I get lots of support. I workout during lunch and W, Th., Fri eve classes (Latin, combat and belly dancing). There is a kid room adjacent to the weights and studio with glass walls, and if Z isn’t playing on the indoor jungle gym, she is being spoiled by the trainers and staff. The old aunties (aw-ees) and grandmas (amas) also spoil her. Two particular amas (one being Amy Wu) are a godsend, even if they can be with her for 10 minutes. I started working with a personal trainer, who is my friend Jessica and she is amazing, creative and good at her job. The medicine ball on a buso is my best friend. I finally pump iron and am not bored. The head manager Ben is kind and his daughter is Z’s age. The head trainer Ethan is Z’s favorite uncle. Professional baseball local hero Wong, Jimmy ex-pitcher for the Yankees works out there on his off season. Now 3 Korean baseballs teams beat the harsh Korean winters for Tainan’s mild ones and hit the weights after practice.

At the gym I’ve tried being buried in wood dust of heated sandalwood. Its like being buried alive. I’ve seen people buried to the neck in sand to sweat out toxins, this is sorta the same thing, except you’re lying in a wood box full of soft, aromatic, sandalwood and one of staff gets a shovel and buries you up the neck, closes the wood over you, turn on the heat and all you hear is crickets with classical music. You don’t even feel like you’ve sweated until you come out. Recently they bought this huge clay jar with a lid and of course you’re supposed to sit inside of it while they pump medicine vapor with the fumes of some expensive medicine stones. I tried it , it felt great, could of stayed there longer, but my an eye vessel popped shortly after--might have been a little too stimulating.

Now I’m setting up a kettlebell trainer from Taipei to come do a seminar at the end of Jan, so I’m hoping it will be a win-win for all parties.

I think this year, at least the end part Ive been given the gift of the abundant life. Sure I live mostly from paycheck to paycheck, I don’t own a car or home and make too less to mention, but somehow I have everything I need and want. I find the coolest high quality clothes for me and Z at cheap prices (Korean not Chinese made—so cool and high quality), I can buy the best foods. Taiwan is blessed with a plethora of exotic fruits, vegs, fresh fish. Sure the bread sucks and there is no decent Mexican or Middle East food and great cheese and deli meats are expensive, but I cant complain. I have access to all the TV shows, movies, music that I want or have time for (an hour b4 bed maybe). I have too many books to finish. I am taking Chinese lessons and have no time to finish my homework. At Chinese New Year, they hang red door banners and symbols of prosperity in order to have a year of fullness; full kitchens, bellies, wombs, bank accounts, chalk full. But what I have is overflowing. I have to give away Z’s clothes, books and toys, I cant contain it all. I can barely keep my 3 room apartment clean. And all on my little (by US standards) paycheck, which when you take away taxes, Z’s tuition, isn’t much at all. Its this small miracle, to be a lily of the field and have all my needs and then some met.

And so I end this year with a hotel/flight package to Hong Kong, a change of scene, and pace, ringing in the New Year with total expectation for good things, new adventures, new possibilities and more blessings to overflow and pass around.