Tidbits from Taiwan

Saturday. Sept.19, 2005
9:23 PM

The administrators at the school decided that since we are probably bored in class all day (as we don't understand the classes), instead of the last two hours of the school day, we will play sports. Gaston and I play Baseball and Elisa and Liz play softball, and we do this now this whole month from 2:00 - 4:00 in the afternoon.
The guys on the team are crazy good, and of course very friendly. I am not sure I would be able to join a top-notch baseball team (or really any sport) back in the US without getting a *hard time* from the players on the team, since I have never played baseball (kinda). Here, though, they are completely friendly and accepting, which is awesome. I seriously have to work on my throwing aim. There have been several near misses between the ball and people's head because of it.

School is mostly the same everyday now, so I won't go on describing it much more, but basically I listen sometimes and sleep at other times. Most of the time, however, I sit listening to whatever music or audio book while studying either my chinese book all day (mon, wed, fri) or studying for taking yet another SAT test for college (tues, thur).

I was pretty sick on Thursday, really soar, weak and tired. My stomach felt a little strange at times also, so I figure its something I ate. I stayed home friday sleeping and watching tv all day.

Saturday night was nice, me and a couple other guys, along with the Canadian girl, went to Ximen again and just hung out and went to the arcade. They have all kinds of crazy games there, I mean, wow. They have a game where you fight fires, a game where you ride a horse, punching contest thing, drumming set, dance revolution (also using your hands in the air, something Microsoft still has in testing, and here is already old), and other cool stuff.

Sunday was the Moon festival, not quite sure what that is, other than celebrating the moon. All month everyone has been eating moon cakes (really sweet ~2'' diameter round cakes with dried egg yoke in the middle, sometimes with nuts). Elisa, Tonia and I went with some of Tonia's friends from Dong Fang down near Ximen, underneath a highway and had a fantastic barbeque. For around, say 4 hours we all sat around a mini-grill and continuously grilled things like squid, pork, other meats, and shrimp-like-things that had been alive just 2 minutes earlier. There was Karaoke, games, some gambling looking stuff, and fireworks all underneath this small stretch of raised highway. The shrimp game was cool (though I never did catch one). You get a wood stick with a string and metal hooked tied to it, then you put it in the tub of water and shrimp, and try to hook one without it cutting the line (very very hard, believe me). If you hooked one and successfully put it in another bucket of water, then the lady grabbed the shrimp stuck a stake through it right there and then, and handed it over like a lollipop, ready to roast.

Oh yea, this was great. We were coming back from the barbeque in the MRT station when this girl (Lillian, from Germany but with perfect english) ran up to me and excitedly (after having seen my Westtown Boarding School shirt, my brother's) if I had gone to Westtown school. We talked with her and her two friends for a couple minutes before having to rush home almost late, but she told me about a Temple/hut (or something) atop a mountain about an hour away that people climb up to, to have tea...its my destiny. I think I'll go in like two weeks, and have a weekend of visiting big temples, preferably in the mountains...and drinkin' tea.

I went swimming today, not much else. Happy moon festival.

You're hot!

Ahhh, Matthew...you make me so proud. RYE ROCKS!!! Paula

Bro, i am so extremely proud of you kiddo you're my absolute hero and i'm sure i could do what you're doing cause i'm egotistical like that and try to think positive but in reality i'm so impressed. couple quick things: sorry to not have reponded sooner i've got no exscuse you know me, everything and everyone has been going on but you're most important and i'm sorry, you sang in front of a group huh?, 6'2" yeah? small earthquake oh? (you are so lucky i've always wanted one), and honestly you're english is getting kinda shitty too are you losing it or just lazy? i just read you're whole thing tonight and it goes from kinda bad to worse so i was just kinda wondering. also remember you are our brother and so you will be an athelete heck you made states after two races (and i WAS the captain of my baseball team so you WILL pick it up quickly i'm so thrilled you're playing). a mass e-mail will come out soon i've been telling everyone and i'm way past due but it has been CRAZY here. coulple things w/ me: new mopad (its hot) won a plasma TV and then a dinner, 21 credits and bombin senator (was in the paper for this), girls..., impounded mikes jeep, still in love w/ california, just made national honor society, tamara, still loving life and missing you every night you're my baby scoobs. stay safe and i'll keep up this time and always reach for excellence.

...its something unpredictable but in the end its right, i hope you have the time of your life...
IF NOT ME THEN WHO? IF NOT NOW THEN WHEN?

We're really paying attention - first to post again. This is not so private, but no response to our emails to you received. What a life you're leading ! Elisa es muy guapa - tu novia ? You can listen to an audiobook while studying Chinese or SATing ? Your first posting of "crap" is not a good thing. You're a "high school senior" although you got your diploma ? "Click to enlarge" doesn't always work. You have a new template, but not from blogspot.com ? You need to review and correct sometimes, e.g., "Random stuff like things seems to be happening". We're in Montreal. We'd like to sit on the mountain top & drink T with you. Love to you from your venerable ancestor.