Senior Spring??

I got my visa for Vietnam yesterday...and...I don't want to do work anymore!
Shocking, I know!

My lack of motivation is not important, however, because I am almost done! As of Friday I will be done with a year of crazy craziness and some Chinese learnification.

Now I am ready for my biggest challenge yet...becoming a tour guide (I almost wrote "becoming a mother," which would be funny but terrifying). I am compiling a list of places to go as we speak, but because it is so friggin' hot, I don't know if I am going to want to leave my new and lovely apartment (it is quite lovely). Here is some of my list so I don't forget it:

Danshui (Fisherman's Wharf/Boardwalk type deal, very good ice cream)
Taipei 101 (Tallest building in the world, woot woot, and now right next door to a Coldstone's)
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial (Like, obvi)
Taiwan National University Campus (because it is so friggin' sweet and I have to go there all the time anyway)
Wenzhou Jie (This place, I am convinced, does not exist. I wrote an essay about it, which I will translate in a later post, but as it is the vortex of the universe, I feel everyone needs to visit it)
Shida and Shilin Night Markets (Countries that don't have night markets should consider themselves disgraces to the world)
Gongguan (Fantastic eating and BUBBLE TEA)
The Blue Line (Every stop on this subway line is pretty high class. Everyone needs to see some classy Taiwan)
The Nougat Museum (I've haven't been there, but I have heard about it, and...well...nougat)
The National Palace Museum (This is another obvi, I'm just embarassed it took me so long to think of it)
The Modern Art Museum/The Fine Arts Museum (If either of them has an exhibit up when I go, I will be pleasantly surprised...art snob bastards...kidding)
MORE TO COME

Pikachu in a Crystal Ball

I'm writing a book.

I have decided that the more involved a citizenry is in getting around its tax system and trying to cheat the government out of money, the more stable and patriotic said citizenry is. My opus will be in Chinese and the title (provided by Andrew Roth) is Pikachu in a Crystal Ball: Global Taxation and Patriotism (in Chinese: 把皮卡丘關在一個水晶球裡: 全球課稅制度和愛國主義).

I'm so fucking smart and witty, it hurts sometimes.

CAN I GET A GODDAMN TIMPANI ROLL

So, I got into grad school last week. Not social work, but Chinese Literature (actually the Chinese Literature program at this school is much better than the social work program). So, even though I'll have to put off battling social welfare problems for a few years, I basically got into the best grad school department in the best university in Taiwan. Small victories.

Also, I was just recently made one of the four leaders of the NTU Chorus' alto section. KICKASS. Now I can really mess with everyone. Mwuhahahahahahaha. That's what they get for letting a white girl with the Chinese of a partially deaf 12 year old run things. Order be damned!

Unfortunate

I think my previous post, while informative, was also slightly trite. I apologize and will do better next time.

Rock Climbing and Hakka Affairs

I went indoor rock climbing yesterday for the first time since Project Adventure II (yes, I made it successfully through both Project Aventure I and II and didn't have a drunken teacher for either class. although, Mr. Elwood was something of a sadist, I must say.) It was magical and terrifying all at the same time. I sometimes forget that as soon as I get about 2 inches off the ground my slight fear of heights kicks in and my palms start sweating (not good for gripping rocks or, even, fake rocks).

AND, yesterday, through crazy lesbian stalker-now friend, Xiao Yu, I met two members of the Council for Hakka (a national minority group) Affairs in Taiwan. One of them might end up becoming the secretary to the Vice President next year (if the Minjin Party wins), so I feel super well connected as always (although I am probably not deserving of it at all).

I went to see a movie with Xiao Yu and these two political heavy weights and after the movie let out we found out that the results of the Minjin Party primary were being announced. I, of course, had little to no idea of what was going on, but my three companions went tearing down the street looking for a restuarant with a tv in it so they could watch the concession speeches (it also took me about an hour to figure out that what we were watching was in fact concession speeches and not acceptance speeches...silly Jessica). My "new friends" were hilarious and loud and the owners of the restuarant were not exactly pleased. I am now desperately trying to understand exactly what was going on, but if you have voting rights in Taiwan, VOTE MINJIN DANG!!! WOOT!

Love,
Jess

Stupid Facebook and Singing

So, facebook is being very uncooperative at the moment and not letting me put Sarah Kay Schillaci's excellent picture on this very badass website. Le sigh.

The National Taiwan University Arts Festival opened last week (I had a solo in the opening ceremonies, thank you very much). My choir held their portion of the events on Wednesday. I sang a song, got lots of applause as well as some flowers, and was told that my friend Kehua (who sang another opera piece) and myself stole the show. Eat that, Taiwan! Not that this is indicative of me beating Taiwan or any definite wish I have of kicking Taiwan's butt. But I can, just so you all know.

And I am happy to announce that there is less than a month and counting until John Atorino, Adam Mishler, and Jeremy Gordon come to Taiwan (which also means there is less than a month until I move into a gorgeous apartment!!!!). I am very excited and plans to go to Vietnam and Thailand are even more shockingly fantabulous.

Finally, I think there is a 37 year old Taiwanese industrial designer out there who thinks I am his girlfriend...
I am finally realizing my dream of having my very own sugar daddy. I'll leave you with that.