It is unbelievable how many friends I made in the first few weeks here. I have made friends through connections back home, searching for an apartment, school, and language exchanges. Name a country and I probably have made friends with someone from there. The list is never ending.
I met Alex through a bulletin board at school where he posted an “apartment for rent” ad. It is his apartment I currently reside in. It so happens that he took out a lease for a year and was only able to fulfill three months of it. Perfect for me since I will only be here for nine months (the remainder of his lease). In the couple weeks Alex remained in Taipei, he introduced me to many people. It was through him that I met Jeremy. In the week prior to class beginning the three of us would often grab a couple beers and go play pool. For one of their last nights in Taiwan we went out with a large group of people to eat dinner and go clubbing.
We first went to a restaurant that is known for its dumplings. After that we stopped at a couple small pubs to meet with more people and grab a beer. We then took a taxi to a Latin dace club called Barrio, where we paid an entrance fee of $500 NT (Approx. $15 US). This fee not only allowed entrance, but it was for all you can drink. They had a list of cocktails and beer that you could choose from so long as you kept your cup, and I need not remind you that there is no closing time Taiwan. This would also be the first time I got out on the dance floor and actually danced since I was at a wedding in Green Bay when I was a young child. Of course this was only after I had plenty of liquid courage in my system. The night did not end there, no sir! After several hours at the club we decided to go to yet another bar and meet even more people. Only after escorting a drunken friend I had just met home, and I was plenty drunk myself, was I able to return home. That was one hell of a night. On top of that I had one of my first language exchanges later that afternoon (with a minor hangover of course!).

First off I would like to say that I would not have gotten this far without the help of Amy and Rod. But despite their generous help this has been one of the most trying times in my short life. In the couple weeks prior to the start of class I had to find an apartment, register for class, secure my scholarship, and obtain my Alien Residency Card (ARC). The first order of business I had to take care of was registering for class and taking a placement test. Although ultimately I got into a class I am comfortable with, I felt that the placement test did not do any justice. The test was far too difficult to be able to determine anyone’s proficiency, but then again that is standardized testing for you.
In order to obtain my scholarship money for the first month I had to first obtain my ARC. I only had about a week to do this. I applied for my ARC as soon as possible, and I received it the day of the cutoff for my scholarship. The first time I went to the Taipei Main Police Station with all the materials listed on their website and handout they turn me away saying I did not bring all the required paperwork from the school. So what could I do but return to the school? In the School office it seems there was no one who could understand how I did not have the proper materials. Finally, after a day of wasted frustration I was able to sort out the mess and return to the police station. They accepted my application and gave me an estimated date of completion. However, the date they gave me far exceeded the estimated time they listed online and on their handout. If I were to receive my ARC on this date I would have missed the cutoff for my scholarship. After days of persistent persuasive arguing I was able to receive my ARC. The administrator in charge personally completed my request and handed it to me. In all, it took them only an hour to process my application. I tell you, I now know how it feels to fight through the quagmire that is bureaucracy.
The apartment I found is a small studio apartment not more than a ten-minute walk from Shi Da (the university I study at). The apartment is also conveniently located near the Taipower Building MRT station 5. My apartment is in new to fair condition. I live on the sixth floor, what used to be the roof, and unfortunately there is no elevator. I share a common room with laundry facilities with my neighbors. In comparison to the other apartments I have seen this was the cleanest, most modern, and most convenient. The rent includes cable TV, Internet, and water and sewer. Electricity is an extra fee. Altogether I pay about $14,250 NT (Approx. $440 US) a month. If you direct your attention to my photo album you will see detailed photos of my apartment. I managed to start class in the beginning of December after a stressful period of preparation. I must say, I have never felt such stress or pressure like this in all of my life. After all, this is the first time I have been “financially independent” and have been living on my own.

For starters, I have to say the plane flight here was the flight from hell. On top of having a four-hour Layover in Detroit, the plane was late to arrive so that added an extra hour to the wait time. Then, once we boarded the plane we had to sit there for at least another hour while they were fixing a mechanical problem. I had a window seat for the entire 14-hour flight to Osaka. At this point, I was so uncomfortable I just wanted to crash the plane. Since our plane was so late to arrive in Osaka, rather than staying on the same plane, we had to change planes promptly. At this point I had been operating on the two hours of sleep I received the night prior to leaving from Milwaukee. To make matters worse I was unable to get anything more than a few catnaps on the trip over.
When I arrived in Taipei, it was hot, humid, and raining. I was so exhausted I was surprised I had the strength to make it out of the airport. At this time it was approximately 11pm. I eventually found my driver and hurried to his van in an attempt to escape from the rain.
While he was driving, I looked out the window to my left and saw a city in the distance, comparably larger than Milwaukee. I figured this city must be Taipei, so I asked the driver, and he simply commented, no. When we arrived in Tianmu, the suburb of Taipei I was to stay in, we drove past a large night market. It was midnight by this time, and there were what appeared to be thousands of people out and about in the market. It is obvious that the United States lacks such nightlife. Everything remains open late; doctor and dentist offices are open till at least ten. The bars never close, and you can buy alcohol 24/7.
I finally arrived at the home of Rod and Amy Narayan, where I was to stay for the next week while preparing for class and searching for an apartment. It was here, finally, that I was able to rest.

I would like to take this time to acknowledge all of those who made this trip a possibility. Without Chen Laoshi's guidance and assistance this trip would have never gotten off the ground. To Du Laoshi, Cui Laoshi, and Lu Laoshi, for all the encouragement that makes learning Chinese such a great experience. And to my parents, for offering me continuing support and equipping me with the skills necessary to make it through this trip. You can view my photo album at: http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/nicktaiwan/. With that said, I am off to Taiwan!