First two days in Taiwan!

"I don't have jetlag" - me, as I ignore my jetlag and want to fall asleep at 3pm

I’ve been in Taipei for two full day nows and it still doesn’t completely feel real. Plane travel always makes me really discombobulated. I know intellectually that if you get on a plane for 14 hours you’re going to fly several thousand miles, but it still seems so weird to wake up in one city and go to bed (…24 hours later) halfway across the world.

And as I walked to Andrew's mum’s apartment on the same paths I traversed dozens of times last summer, I still couldn’t really believe I was back. Yesterday morning I woke up to the sound of the window-glass seller in Zheng Da, the neighborhood where Andrew grew up. I’ve always liked consistency, and this guy has apparently been playing the same recording over a loudspeaker for over 30 years. (In D.C. people would consider that method of advertising pretty sketchy, but Andrew’s family has used him before and says he’s reliable.) I'd remembered him from my stays in Zheng Da over the summer, and it's so nice to be re-reminded of little things I experienced then.

On the first day, we pretty much just ate meals, checked into our AirBnB rental, and picked up my family at the airport. I did have one significant achievement: making my first transaction alone. When I was in Taiwan last summer, Andrew pretty much handled things. Once I bought postcards and didn't say a word, but he stood right behind me. But yesterday, I bought two bottles of tea from a 7/11 and said "Hello" and "Thank you" in Mandarin! I consider this a victory. I've been learning Mandarin for a couple of months, and it's very very hard. My goal is to work up to ordering a bubble tea (because they ask you questions about how you want it).

Today my family and I went to Taipei 101 and back to the underground mall. I'm happy to report that the best vegetarian chicken is still the best vegetarian chicken and the metro is still clean and shiny. Pictures to follow!

We also missed Daylight Savings Time because Taiwan doesn't observe it, and I'm sooo happy I got to skip that one!