Living Abroad Q & A

Recently, I was interviewed by a group of Taiwanese high school students for their English class project about my experience living in Taiwan. I enjoyed it so much that I thought it'd be great to put it on the blog.

Here it is:

Q: What are some differences between Taiwan and your home country?

A: There are quite a few differences between Taiwan and the USA, besides the fact that Taiwan is an island off the coast of China and roughly the size of the state of Georgia. Taiwan has much more efficient public transportation, with one of the highest rated metro systems, a high speed rail connecting the north and south, and the expansive, affordable buses. Taiwan also has a better health care system, being much more affordable and efficient. Taiwan is a safer country and one of the safest countries in the world. The USA is simply not as safe. USA is a lot more diverse than Taiwan, with citizens from all over the world. We have some of the best ideas and technological advancements in the world because of our eclectic population. The communication style is different as well, the US being more direct and the Taiwanese being ambiguous. When you're speaking with Taiwanese, there could be underlying meanings, which, at times, can be frustrating if you want to talk more directly.


Q: Are there any different impressions of Taiwan you have after arriving?

A: I didn't realize how green it was going to be. I knew there many hiking areas in the mountains, and there would be green there. But the streets are lined with trees and you can clearly see the green mountains from almost every part of the city. Also, Taiwan is even more convenient than I thought it was going to be. From the public transportation to the 7-11s and Family Marts, everything runs super efficiently. Lastly, I did not realize that Taipei has almost everything you need. I expected it would be hard to find many things that I'm used to in my home country, but that's not the case.

Q: Have you encountered any problems in Taiwan? What did you do to solve them?

A: Yes, I've encountered many problems here. I will tell you the two biggest problems and how I've solved them, and then I will quickly mention some others. The first problem is adjusting to a totally new environment, both culturally and geographically. I solved this problem by being open with others and learning as much as I could. I was lucky to have stayed in a hostel where the people were so friendly, and relationships began blossoming from the people I had met there. Be empathetic, understanding, curious, and willing to have some fun, and things will work out for you. The second problem is communication. Communication in Taiwan is much different than in the USA as I have mentioned. When you have a language barrier, you can't get frustrated, you kind of just have to smile, and use your phone dictionary, hand movements, simple English, ask someone else, just be as creative as possible to figure something out. I've had to do many times. Now, I've lost a debit card and cell phone, missed my flight to Taipei from Okinawa, stuck on the railroad tracks in a typhoon for 5 hours from Taichung standing room only, ran low on cash, hitchhiked in the middle of nowhere Taiwan, and was lost countless times including the first day I got to Taipei. In these situations, you just have to try to maintain a positive attitude and figure out the quickest and most cost effective solution.



Q: What is your plan for the future?

A: I don't think I have a set five year or ten year plan. I still have plenty of time to explore, and plan on taking full advantage of that. My outline of a plan would be to find a career that I enjoy immensely and am passionate about, and to raise a great family. Being in Asia, there are many more doors to be opened. But I'm just going through life right now learning as much as I can, finding challenges, questioning different aspects of life, and gaining new perspectives.


Q: Can you introduce the culture and characteristics of your country?

A: Culture in America is hard to describe because there is a lot of diversity, so there are many different pieces from people all around the world. We call it a "melting pot." Generally, we are very into sports: American football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey are the biggest with soccer growing rapidly. We love going out to eat, and there are a lot of options for us thanks to the various cultures. Fast food still plays a major role in our society, and it's unhealthy, but many Americans eat it because it's convenient for them. We are also obsessed with our cars, and love to drive everywhere. Basically, our whole city planning is designed around people having cars. And finally, we love our independence and focus on individuality. People enjoy standing out and being different from others, and take pride in that.

Q: How will you introduce Taiwan to your friends and family?

A: I will introduce Taiwan as a beautiful country with kind people. It provides a comfortable lifestyle and is a great access point to visit other places in Asia. Taipei was recently voted as the #1 place for expats to live by InterNations.com. There are a lot of interesting foods, and plenty of things to do around the island. If you want to go to the beach or climb a mountain, it's just one hour away.

Q: Please tell us what one has learned from the experiences in Taiwan?

I've learned a lot, but acceptance, thankfulness, patience, empathy, and living in the present stand out.

Election Day Classroom Fun

Throughout my time in Taiwan, you've seen what happens outside the classroom. But now you'll get a little glimpse of what life is like inside. I had one of the most fun lessons thus far teaching my fifth graders about the American elections. I can't go into too much depth with them because much of it's obviously really complex, but it doesn't matter because we had some great fun together.

The vocabulary list I focused on included: vote, debate, promises, president, advertisement (to combine with the "Advertising" unit), and of course, Election Day. I started by introducing the class to the election of the president, where all the people in the country "vote" to see who will be "elected" as "president." We held a quick vote to see who would be president of the class. The students decided, and the nearly unanimous vote went to Regina, one of my favorite students. What the kids didn't know is that Regina would later be running against "Teacher Douglas" for the Taiwanese presidency.

I wanted the students to create their own political advertisement for Regina, so after quickly explaining advertising and advertisements, I had each of the students come up to add their ideas to Regina's campaign poster. The final product wasn't bad! Regina 2016! :)

I finally told them that I would be competing against Regina for the Taiwanese presidency, and they were shocked. It drew some questions like, "But you were not born in Taiwan!" I responded, "They said it was okay this time!" So Regina and I conducted a debate, and the rest of the students could ask us questions. The most important question in the students' minds, which I was impressed with, was "Will you help poor people?" I said, "Of course I will, I will give them what they need." "What will you do if you are President?" asked another student. I responded to great applause, "I will send everyone to Tokyo Disneyland!!" However, Regina countered with, "No school for everyone!!!" Regina wins. We voted on who would be elected Taiwan's president, and Regina won in a landslide. I garnered a total of 1 vote.

Next, I introduced them to the American candidates, through pictures of Donald J. Trump and Hillary R. Clinton. Comments rang out from the students, "He's fat..." "He's ugly..." "They're so old..." I couldn't stop laughing. "I don't like them," said one of the students. Fair play. We discussed what a president does, and I explained that the president is the leader of their country, and they try to help the people in their country and work with other world leaders to improve important things. I asked them a question from the book, "What is the most important trait in a president?" They decided on honesty, because you need to be able to trust the person who is leading. Something that is lacking in a big way in Washington.

Now, it was time for grand finale. The USA election. The students were ready to cast their small ballots I cut out for them which said "Trump" and "Clinton," and checkboxes for each. Before we started, Jenny asked, "Will they help poor people?" Of course I had to have some more fun, and said "No they won't, they will only help rich people." Funnily enough, most of the evidence we've seen supports my claim. Might be oversimplified, but I don't think it's too far off. Another intelligent question was asked: "Can we write another person's name on the paper?" I grinned and said "Yes, you can." The students voted, and I collected them and read them out loud. The students thought one person would be better than voting for Trump or Clinton - and that person was me. I won the presidency of the United States. The students went wild, and proceeded to draw some funny faces on the other unfit candidates. And thus, the Election Day classroom fun had concluded.

       

Wedding Crashing in Kyushu

I traveled to Japan and attended our friend Yuki's wedding in Kumamoto, Japan with some soccer teammates last week. We made it through a bachelor party and a wedding, and overall it was one of the best weekends I've had living abroad.

Yuki being Yuki

I first met Yuki when I signed up to play for our team, Carnegies B53. Yuki was one of the funniest guys on the team, with an infectious personality and a smile on his face, always. We had fun together playing soccer and hanging out. I remember Thanksgiving dinner at our sponsor bar, Carnegies, because it was one first big moments for me to bond with the team and Yuki introduced us to his fiance, Matsumi. I never imagined I would attend his wedding almost a year later.

When we got the invitation to the wedding, I had already committed to play in a soccer tournament in Manila, and I couldn't go to both. But when the Philippines tournament was cancelled, I jumped at the chance to travel to Kyushu for the celebration. I wanted to see an awesome Japanese guy marry the love of his life, spend time with friends, and visit for the big historical significance. Yuki inviting the whole team to his wedding was incredibly kind, and really shows his generosity and how open he is.

The Wedding Crew

We had four guys living in Taipei attend Yuki's wedding: My Portuguese soccer manager Nuno and teammates Hirosan, Ali, Tim, a German-English teammate. So we started planning out exactly what we wanted to do. Turns out Tim and I are similar in that we love to plan, and enjoy putting nice itineraries together. We booked our flights, acquired accommodations, and started figuring out exactly what we wanted to do. Before we knew it, we were headed to Fukuoka. 

On Thursday evening, Hiro, Tim, and I arrived at Fukuoka and surprisingly got to the hostel with relative ease. Tim and I arranged for a Japanese style room, however, I found the support of the Japanese mattress not to be the most comfortable. Still a cool experience being in a traditional style room in hostel. We went up to the roof top, and met a Korean girl who we nicknamed Kim, because we joked about how "everyone in Korea is named Kim." She countered to Tim, "I heard Germans aren't funny, but you are very funny." Excellent banter. We went out for the evening, but even though Japan had just gotten rid of their 67 year ban on dancing after midnight last year, most places still closed around 1 AM. So while Tim and I practiced our Japanese on random residents and sipped sake, Hiro just laughed at us "gai jins."

Loitering in Fukuoka

Tim with the nap

Train view

Hiro had a work commitment and Ali and Nuno didn't get in until Friday evening, so Tim and I had all day Friday on our own. In the morning, we left our hostel without our passports after the receptionist told us we didn't need them for the train to Nagasaki. But when we arrived at Hakata Station of course the ticket lady says, "Passports, please." At first we were upset, but then you just have to get over it quickly, go to pick up the passport, and get back to the train station. If things don't go your way, you just have to move on quickly. We ended up catching a train only an hour later, and were able to have some delicious Udon noodles with a "cold-as-Mt. Fuji" Asahi. Even though we were behind schedule, everything worked out just fine, and we were on our way.

                                                          

Dejima props

Dejima main street

After the scenic two hour ride to Nagasaki, we first visited Dejima. This 3 acre plot of land at the port is the only place where foreigners could live in Japan for over 200 years, from the early 17th to mid 19th centuries. There were plenty of interesting historical artifacts and info about life during that time, and even had actors dressed in the traditional outfits of the time. I think it's so interesting that no one made an effort to discuss trading elsewhere like Kyoto or Tokyo during those 200 years. After Dejima, we walked further south to check out the Glover House and Chapel, built in the late 1800s by a British trader. 

Peace Memorial Statue

Our final stop was Peace Memorial Park, honoring those who perished with atomic bomb dropping on August 9, 1945. The first thing you see as you get to the top of the hill is a memorial fountain showing the epicenter of the bomb. It's tough to imagine and accept when you're there: the explosion, its devastation, and its lasting impact on our world. It's powerful. But the hope of the people in creating these monuments so we can see that this should never happen again is inspiring. I cannot recommend Nagasaki highly enough, especially if you love history. It's a beautiful city with a nice combination of modernity and charm. 

We ended the day trip to Nagasaki at an izakaya, where I indulged in one of my favorite foods in the world, karaage. Nobody does fried chicken better than the Japanese. 

That night, we had a small bachelor party for Yuki, who was in Fukuoka the night before his wedding.....so the next morning...we luckily did not find Yuki sleeping on the roof a hotel, but sound asleep in the bed with all his clothes, even the sport jacket. That's all you can ask for. He left to go get ready for his wedding while we got a couple extra hours of sleep. I woke up in our illegal-in-Japan-but-still-operates Airbnb, and hung out on our balcony with spectacular view of downtown. Tim and I then made our way to a restaurant before our Shinkansen ride to Kumamoto. The sushi for breakfast was the best I've had in my life. Great start to what we knew would be an amazing day.

Bachelors...kind of

Wedding time!

Tim and I had to ask which tram stop the wedding was at after getting off at Kumamoto, but we eventually got on the right one and were off to see our boy Yuki tie the knot. On the tram, we see a lot of people who are dressed up, and by the way, Japanese love to dress well and I absolutely love it, but we then joked that half of Kumamoto was going to be there, especially this one good looking Japanese girl. But as we're going along, we're going pretty slow, and 1. I thought the actual wedding ceremony was at 3 PM and 2. The venue was further from the tram stop. So I suggested we get off and take a taxi, which in hindsight was dumb. A crisp 1000 Yen bill later and slightly longer than the tram would've taken staying on it, we were walking into the gorgeous venue straight across from the tram stop. Of course, the girl on the tram was inside. We'll call it close to half the town. 

The Chapel

The wedding ceremony was mostly Western with the entrances of the bride and groom, proceedings of Christian verses and prayers (done by a white guy who spoke in Japanese 80% of the time), and exchanging of the vows and rings. Yuki had on an all white suit, looking like a true boss as he strutted up to the alter.

Stylish

I must admit, the drinking culture in Japan is so much fun. Yuki's father walked around to each table, and thanked everyone for coming and then we all said "kannpai!" or "Cheers!" You can start to get to know each other with just a simple "kannpai!" We had some delicious food at the reception as well including sashimi, Japanese beef, and even duck liver. Actually so good! Speeches are a big deal in Japanese weddings, just as in western ones, and even though I couldn't understand any of them, I could just feel the passion. I loved the last part of Yuki's father's speech where he talked about embracing foreigners in the wedding and said, "Danke schoen, xie xie, and thank you." You won't hear that at many weddings, and we were appreciative of the inclusiveness. 

I came up with a Japanese name, because I thought I needed one in addition to the nickname that I was given on my last visit to Japan, "Dagusan." I wanted something more complex. So I went all out and chose Kawasaki as my last name because 1. The company is awesome 2. It kinda sorta sounds similar enough to Chesney, and unlike Chinese, there are not too many good last names starting with "Ch." I chose Daisuke as my first name because it's another famous boy's first name starting with a D and for Matsuzaka Daisuke, a former pitcher for the Red Sox. So my Japanese name is Kawasaki Daisuke (last name first, same as Chinese). This was such a good decision because it's the best conversation starter ever. The shocked reactions when I said, "Watashi wa Kawasaki Daisuke!" were priceless. 

The Japanese people at the wedding were so friendly, and many people came to introduce themselves to us even though their English was limited. I think I held the wedding record for most selfies with Japanese girls, so you know, kind of a big deal. We had a ton of fun with everyone at the wedding, trying to come up with things that we could relate to and trying to communicate with each other. On our way to the after party, the best things I came up with were Ichiro, skiing in Niigata, and Kaarage being one of my favorite foods. 

Sorry Yuki

The after party was so great, trying to communicate with new friends and drunkenly giving out English names. I named a guy Jack, because he said he liked "24." We wanted a funny picture with the bride, so Tim and I pretended to kiss Matsumi, only to have a line up of Japanese guys trying to do the same. Had to break that up because I didn't really think of the consequences. We did quite a few more "kannpai's," but we felt like the party was getting going just as people started leaving before midnight. But no matter, because I had experienced one of the most incredible days in my time in Asia. 

Hiro, Tim, and I went to the convenience store to collect some more Asahi's, but we had an early flight and our train from Kumamoto left at 6:30 AM. We went into the train station, and took a nice four hour nap in our wedding attire. Things got a little crazy in Kyushu, but we had an unbelievable time.

Yuki's wedding was so well done and wonderful, and I am honored to have been a part of it. I've been so fortunate to attend three weddings this year, two as the Best Man, and on two different continents. Being in the presence of true love is special and moving, and I enjoyed every moment of each of them. Hell of a season. Japan is an extraordinary place, as fascinating as it is beautiful. From the city to the countryside, it's stunning. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

Hitchhiking Around Taiwan: Day 4

We are back home in Taipei! No hot air balloon ride because the tickets we're sold out, but it was a fun time nonetheless. So much driving.

My alarm clock went off at 4:15 am for the Taitung Hot Air Balloon Festival, which is about 30 minutes north of Taitung. The mountain setting with the hot air balloons filling up and taking flight was beautiful. We wanted to take a (disappointingly) tethered ride, but tickets had already sold out.

Alf and I headed back to the hostel to get an much needed, extra two hours of sleep before trying to catch our next ride. I woke up still feeling a bit out of it, so tired that I maybe could have forgotten or misplaced things at the hostel.

We walked down from the hostel a couple KM to the freeway entrance, where we were picked up by a group of Jehovas Witness guys coming back from church. They had 4 guys in the car already, but we were able to squeeze and only traveled with them for about 30 KM and dropped us off at a nice restaurant for lunch. On the drive, we politely declined an info pamphlet and had a nice conversation about our lives in Taiwan. They let us off in a small town next to a restaurant. When we entered, the place surprisingly looked like it could have belonged along the California coast, especially in Big Sur with the classic, yet modern beach feel. I had never had swordfish before, so we had an order of that, and it did not disappoint. I'd recommend it.

Big Sur, CA or Taitung, Taiwan?

We exited, and got out our sign that said "Bei Shang," and once again waited about 10 minutes before a fresh BMW flip around after they passed us, and asked us where we're going. As usual, we said "Anywhere north." "We're going to Hualien, is that okay?" "Yeah, sure." "Ok, let's go." So off we were to Hualien, about 2.5 hours north of Taitung, still three hours from Taipei. We met Emily, Sunny, and another guy who's name I forgot. They were so friendly, and were at the air balloon festival early in the morning as well. They invited us to come to "ice" with them when we arrived in Hualien. Alf said, "that's such a Taiwanese thing to say" (stop for ice on a road trip). It's what we would call shaved ice, but unique flavors like purple yam (taro) and red bean, not necessarily really sweet or fruity like we're used to. Alf mentioned in Australia, it'd be "stopping for meat pies." I could only think of stopping for In n Out on road trips, our traditional American snack.

They dropped us off near a beach, and we went out there for a few minutes before deciding it would probably be best to get on the road. A single guy picked us up and took us to the entrance of the highway to Taipei, where we waited for closer to 15 minutes. Since it was around 6:15, we had another 15 minutes before sunset, thus having to take the train to Taipei. Tim and Bob came in and saved the day. They were cyclists coming back from further south, after Bob was cycling across Taiwan and Tim was the support vehicle. So we talked about our cycling adventures, and hopeful future rides. A mutual one is cycling Route 66, which I was funnily enough just talking my friend Dave about the other day! It's Tim's "ultimate dream." So cool to hear him so excited about exploring the USA. 

We parted ways at the MRT station, and the trek was complete. Alf and I had done it. In three days, we hitchhiked all the way around Taiwan!!!

I got all the way to my apartment, and pulled out my keys to unlock my door only to find the key from Hostel Who Knows in my pocket...I had dropped off the wrong key as I was leaving...How could that have happened? I called up my landlord first to let me in (luckily he let me in) and then the hostel to see if they could mail my keys back to me. Of course, the owner said, "No problem, we'll exchange addresses and keys." It's an appropriate end to the journey with the helpful and easy going nature of Taiwanese people.

Thank you to all the people who picked us up for your trust, helpfulness, and enthusiasm. You guys quite literally made our trip. Thanks to Alf for being a great travel companion and having such solid Chinese.

Hitchhiking Around Taiwan: Day 3

We are in Taitung at Hostel Who Knows - that's the actual name, not just some random hostel mind you! Alphabet recommends it. We were picked up by two people today to go three hours to Taitung, in the southeast part of Taiwan. We've hitch hiked 75% of Taiwan!!

We woke up for a morning swim and then went out to McDonalds, or "the place that represents all that is wrong with the world" remarks Alf as he eats his fruit from 7-11, for breakfast...or not - it was 10:40 am...

After lunch, we made another sign that said "Bei Shang" meaning "going North." We had the sign and our thumbs visible for minutes and we were off with a wonderful couple from Taipei in their Mercedes. So needless to say, it was a comfortable 45 minute ride. They were fun and engaging asking us about our lives in Taipei and our travels. They ended up dropping us off at the entrance to the highway leading to the east coast of Taiwan.

While at 7-11 getting some snacks for the ride to the other side of the island, we met Harry, "as in Harry Potter," from Hong Kong. Harry is no joke walking around Taiwan...

We walked with him for about 30 minutes before hitching a ride with an artist named Frank. Of course, we told him his nickname is now Frank the Tank. He more or less lives in his van and hangs out around Taiwan. The good life, you know. His van has no back seats, so I just sat on his tent for a few hours heading to Taitung. Going from a Mercedes to a tent for a seat was quite the change. No big deal. The east coast of Taiwan is absolutely stunning and made up for the lack of an actual seat. It reminds me a lot of the Golden Coast, with the mountains jutting out down near the ocean. We made it to Taitung with him where he dropped us off at the doorstep of Hostel Who Knows!

We were about to take off to a hot air balloon festival, but luckily we talked to the owner and he said there were no balloons flying today, only tomorrow from 5-7 AM. Instead, we went to a balloon/light show outside Taitung. We had to take a bus, train, and taxi to get back to the hostel, so that was an adventure in itself.

I'm really keen on a hot air balloon ride, so I need to get some sleep for the 4 AM wake up call.

Hitchhiking Around Taiwan: Day 2

We made it to Kenting, all the way down at the most southern point in Taiwan!

We woke up to coffee and a delicious Taiwanese breakfast thanks to Spencer's mom, her second time welcoming me into their home. Spencer then drove us to the highway entrance where we waited for 10 minutes before a guy stopped and asked where we were headed. We said, "Any place south." He said he was going to Chiayi. It's about an hour south, so of course we got in.

He took us down to the highway exit, and we hopped over to the other side for just five minutes until a couple of young engineers, Jimmy and Vincent from near Taipei, let us hop in. We connected over their love for rock music, and got some AC/DC going. We parted ways in Tainan, and stopped into Hi-Life for a small break. We were making great time, and I said "If can we keep this up, we'll be swimming in Kenting by sun down."

We hit the road again, sweating for only five minutes again this time! It's unreal how lucky we were! Taiwanese people are so generous and their willingness to pick up foreign strangers is incredible. I wish we had more trust like that in the US. A lady stopped and she said she was headed to just north of Kenting. We said, "Perfect, let's go!" She spoke so enthusiastically, a contrast from the ride to Chiayi. If Alf didn't understand her, she would try to explain it a different way. She loved the idea of hitch hiking around the island. But what she didn't tell us was that she was going to pick up her 15 year old son and his friend in Kaohsiung! So we had a car of five headed south. We had a fun conversation with the kids, and discussed all sorts of topics from America's love for guns (no joke, he asked me) to the NBA. We stopped to get some Taro ice to cool us down, and we were back on the road. We said our goodbyes to mama and the kids and took a 7-11 break this time.

I suppose I don't have to say within five minutes...we were off again, this time with a family of four from Tainan. He introduces himself as Will and after we thank him, he says "Of course no problem. We are...one world." Well put in the simplest of English. One world, connected, and should be willing to help one another. A bright moment in a time in the world where we need to love one another the most.

We parted ways with Will and his family (and business card) at the infamous Kenting McDonald's I know all too well from being there this past April for a soccer tournament/music festival. Airbnb wasn't working well, so we walked into Kenting Walkers Hostel next door and we had our place for the night.

We had made it in time for a sunset swim.

The night was a ton of fun meeting travelers from all over but really befriended some hotel interns from Taiwan and Hong Kong at a VW bus selling 50 NT$ ($1.50 USD) shots and 100 NT$ beer. We had a few drinks with them (it may or may not have been more than three), and fun was had by all well into the evening.

A fantastic day #2 in the books.

Hitchhiking Around Taiwan: Day 1

Alf and I made it to Changhua County staying with our friend Spencer! We had to kind of cheat to get here, but first let's take a step back.

Last month, my Aussie friend Alf and I went up to Yang Ming Shan for a mountain hike. But there was a problem upon our arrival to the bus stop. There were no more buses coming. It's a solid 8K walk back to the train and no taxis...so Alf suggests hitchhiking. I thought at first it was a joke, but it started to sound...necessary. We went out to the road, stuck our thumbs out and within one minute we're in a car with a friendly Taiwanese couple headed to the metro station. We talked on the train about hitchhiking in the US and Australia and how it doesn't happen often because you can't be too careful with people nowadays. It's unfortunate! However, feeling inspired, Alf mentions the possibility of hitchhiking all the way around Taiwan. A few weeks passed, and we realized since we had this Friday off, this would be the best time to try if we're ever going to.

We met up at 5 pm and started on the outskirts of Taipei, near the entrance to Highway 3 in Nanggang. Earlier that day, I made a sign out of a brown paper bag that said "Going South" in Chinese characters. We thought it'd be "hao ke ai"  (overused phrase meaning cute) to have a sign, and give us a better chance of being picked up. It took about 20 minutes for a car to stop, but it's much more difficult starting in the city. He said he was going to Taichung, which is on the opposite end of the island from where we wanted to go. He criticized our sign because where we wanted to go, Hualien, wasn't exactly south, more like south east. We were set on doing the East coast first but after about 5 minutes, we thought 'we probably should have gone with that guy to Taichung.' I should have made an adjustment and went with the flow, "south." If the general direction is right, take it.

Just as we were about to give up hope and head back to the train station to catch a train to Hualien, we get a guy in a little white Toyota pulling over. All it takes is a little patience. He said he was going to a place in between Taipei and Taichung, so this time we went with the flow, and hopped in. A Hui couldn't have been a nicer guy, and we had a good time heading down to his town of Ping Zhen. But since it was dark by the time we got to our destination, we had to cheat and take a train to Taichung. We said our goodbye to our gracious driver, and he wished us luck on our trip. We took an hour and a half train ride to Taichun,, where Spencer picked us up and is letting us crash at his place for the night.

Hopefully we'll get to Kaohsiung tomorrow, and with any luck Kenting, at the most southern tip of Taiwan. It's been a fun first day out on the journey. Only have one pic from today of Alf getting some rest in on the train. Many more to come.

Chinese New Year In Nippon

Four months ago, I started the process of deciding where I would go for my week long Chinese New Year break in early February. I had been told multiple times by friends that the break needs to be seen as a big opportunity because you won't have this long of a period off for the rest of the year and Taipei turns into a ghost town with people leaving to visit their families or go on a vacation. The top two choices were located in Southeast Asia: Cambodia and Myanmar. I wanted to visit either of these countries because it would be an adventure unlike anything I had ever experienced. A completely different culture. Both countries have had multiple military coups in the past 20 years, and Myanmar opened up its borders only five years ago, just for perspective.

Shinjuku Streets

The third option was less intense, but would be just as fascinating: Japan. My good friend Dave is teaching English there, and I had been enamored with the country ever since visiting its southern most prefecture, Okinawa, in November. As (the regular) new year approached, I had to make my decision. I thought in depth about the pros and cons, logistics, and goals. I chose Japan. I would have the opportunity to explore both Tokyo and the countryside, visiting a great friend in the process.

Shortly after I booked my trip to Tokyo, Dave texted me and said "I've got some good news for you." I texted him right back and asked what it was. He explained that one of the teachers at his high school would be interested in having me give a talk on my experiences in college and Taiwan. Best of all, I'd be paid to do it. I would have presented for free (shhh!) because I knew it would be so interesting to have a conversation with bright Japanese high school students, but getting paid was a cool bonus.

Shibuya Scramble

I remember so clearly stepping off the plane, and feeling that cool, fresh air. Invigorating. I was so ready for this trip. Narita Airport is massive, but I asked a couple information desks how to get to the city and they directed me to the correct train, which took well over one hour to get to central Tokyo.

My Airbnb (technically illegal in Japan but somehow still operates) was in Shibuya, one of the most popular districts in Tokyo. My first couple days in Tokyo consisted of me exploring Shibuya and a surrounding district, Shinjuku. That night I met up with a friend from Taipei, Jesus, and we decided on an Sumire Izakaya, classic Japanese establishments with small dishes and brews, from a blog post I had read about from 2012. I left out that last piece of info for Jesus, hoping that it would still be there as we were on our way. We arrived, were seated, and see a small plastic device on the table that says "Push Button For Service." We press it, and within about 5 seconds, a waiter appears. We ask for "ni birru, kudasai," which is improper Japanese for two beers. If only we had this kind of service everywhere else. After we finished, we get the bill and the beers are 280 yen a piece, about 3 USD, which is super cheap for Shibuya. I later found out that we were charged from the "foreigner menu." The beers for Japanese are 120 yen...

The Tower of Tokyo

I went out for a run the next day around Shibuya and Roppongi in chilly weather, with the goal of seeing and hanging out at Tokyo Tower. I made some wrong turns along the way, but I felt like I had all the time in the world. Getting lost with no set itinerary is fantastic. Do it whenever you have the chance.

I met up with Dave and his old college roommate, Hirofumi, later that evening to walk around Hirofumi's suburb. Coincidentally, he lives in Tokyo's Okinawa district, the prefecture Dave and I visited 4 months earlier. Hirofumi graciously supplied us with shelter for two nights, along with great information on Japanese culture. Among the most interesting is his kotatsu, a traditional Japanese desk/heating blanket that almost every household owns, where they curl up during the winter months to relax after a long day's work. The work culture in Japan is insane, by the way. It's hard to explain in short, but the high stress work environments cause many problems.

Imperial Palace Main Gate

We had to get a couple Okinawan donuts for breakfast the next morning to remind us of the good times on that beautiful island. I had a brand new experience as we boarded a train for Central Tokyo to explore the magnificent and beautiful Imperial Palace. Dave and Hirofumi take the only two available seats on one side of the car, and I settle for a seat on the side opposite them. I sit down right next to a lady who's with her son, and after about three seconds, she quickly gets up and moves to the other side of her son. It was so strange. She was not comfortable being that close to a foreigner. Sure, there could have been a bad experience she had with a 'gai jin', but I think it's probably the Japanese ideology of that stretches back centuries to the foundations of the country of not accepting outsiders. I believe this is quite rare nowadays, but it's still a little shocking to have this happen with how 'global' we are.

We went for dinner at a restaurant in a posh district of Tokyo called Ginza. We ordered all kinds of plates, including karaage, chicken heart with Teriyaki sauce, and tempura avacado with fish egg/mayonnaise dip. Karaage is my newly crowned all-time favorite chicken dish. Oiishi-desu...delicious. 

Cultured gentleman

After about an hour, we hear a girl at the table next to us yell out to the waiter in Japanese. Hirofumi translated as "she's dead." But it wasn't the girl who yelled out that was 'dead', it was her friend across the table she was talking about. The friend had gotten wasted, and crashed onto the table. It's now only 7 pm, and her night is already over. Meanwhile, her boss, was smirking and enjoying the scene.

It took a turn for the worst when the girl shouts (Hirofumi translating), "get us a bag, quickly!" It was too late. Her food quietly dribbled out onto her arm and the rest of the table. It was fascinating to hear Hirofumi explain the situation as well. He said, "Since you are foreigners, it's okay if you look, but if we look, it's seen as highly disrespectful." The main thing is, you have to be alert in Ginza. You never know what's going to happen.

Dave and I hopped on the Shinkansen the next afternoon, and were in Dave's quaint town in central Japan, Urasa, in an hour and a half. This was my first time on a bullet train, even though Taiwan has one of its own, ironically built by the Japanese. Cruising along at 160 mph, I thought during our short journey how outrageous it is that the US doesn't have a full scale high speed rail system. Should have been built decades ago. It's about a 15 minute walk from the train station to Dave's apartment. I knew it was going to be a great trip as we exited the station to the fresh, mountain air and some light snowfall.

The first full day in Urasa was a great one. We headed to one of Dave's high schools he teaches at, Kokusai Joho International High School. I presented first to the seniors and then to the juniors. These students are so impressive. One student's research project was based on Paul Graham's Y Combinator, the highly successful Silicon Valley incubator, and the students even knew about Coursera.org. It's rare that students in the US would be discussing these types of subjects, so obviously being in rural Japan it was even more stunning. We learned so much from each other, and the experience with them was among the most valuable I've had in Asia.

The Lodge and Niigata Mountains

Dave dropped me off the next morning at the mountain to ski for the first time since Crystal Mountain last winter. So jealous he lives only 10 minutes from a FEW ski resorts! I picked it back up quickly, and got some good runs in before an afternoon snow storm crushed my dreams of being able to competently ski backwards.

The next day, Dave and I decided we could sleep because he was taking the day off from school, and the biggest thing we had on our itinerary was visiting one of the best sake distilleries in the world, Hakkaisan Brewery. We made our way to the modern looking building and were soon taking in an all Japanese tour. We nodded our heads like we knew what our tour guide was saying, when we had absolutely zero clue. Dave astutely pointed out later our tour guide could have been 13 years old or 30. The most interesting thing about the brewery, that we could see from a picture diagram, is how they've used natural refrigeration for hundreds of years, packing a mound of snow 70 feet long and 25 feet high, keeping the building cool year round even in the sticky summer months. After a small tasting, which included tasting nearly every available sake, we went to the gift shop to buy a few bottles of our own.

My gloves and skis from the 80s #Single

Thursday was the best day yet. Dave described it as the "best day in months," both because of the weather and what we did. We got up fairly early to hit the slopes together, so we drive down there to get a 1000 yen ($10 USD) half day ticket, and pick up some rental gear. I walked into the shop and discover their gear is actually from the 80s. The skis, gloves, poles...everything. I thought I had jumped in a hot tub time machine, or maybe more like an onsen time machine. It was radical.

Winter Wonderland

We left the slopes ready to start the most important matter of business while I was in Urasa: filming a video for the Second Annual Denise M. Chesney Memorial Bike Ride. Last summer, Dave and I rode 300 miles from Seattle to Spokane to honor my mom, who passed away from breast cancer in 2007. This year, we are returning to the Pacific Northwest to ride from Seattle to Leavenworth in August. Our goal was to create a video promoting the ride and sharing our story. We collected some great footage, and our friend from Gonzaga, Yalda Rafie, pieced it together for a beautiful video. That evening, we celebrated a successful week in Urasa with some of Dave's friends from International University of Japan at the best Italian restaurant, out of two, in town. We headed out to IUJ to continue the festivities, finishing off one of those bottles of sake in the process.

The start of the second weekend in Japan began on Friday with us planning to take the Shinkansen to Tokyo at 12:45 pm. But before we knew it, the clock struck noon, and the Zags were playing in 30 minutes. We thought 'is there any reason we need to get to Tokyo before 3?' The Zags are obviously more important than getting to Tokyo two hours earlier. So a 12:45 pm departure turned into a 3:45. We arrived in Tokyo to meet a mutual friend from Australia, who stayed with us in our beautiful, albeit sketchy, Airbnb (we retrieved the key from a box attached to back fence of the apartment complex). We caught a glimpse of the Tokyo sunrise on our way back from a club in Shibuya, T2, which hosted some of the most fascinating social dynamics I'd ever seen.  

Glorious burger

We woke up a little late, but to a gorgeous Tokyo Spring-like day nonetheless, and headed out to get burgers at Blacows in Shibuya. This place is listed among the best burger joints in the world, and it actually ended up being the best burger I'd ever had. I went with the bacon-avacado (you can never wrong with California style), and it's just a big party in your mouth with the Wagyu beef and fluffy, buttery bun.

The last day in Tokyo was a special one because Dave organized a Gonzaga Day celebration at a basketball specific bar in Harajuku called Coast 2 Coast. At the event, we met a fellow Desmetonian who graduated in '58, and a few other graduates from the 80s. We took one last stroll around Tokyo before heading to the pub to watch the Arsenal-Leicester game, in which Arsenal had a 90th minute winner from my guy "WELBECKKKK!!!" Being in the ever odd ecstatic/tipsy state allowed me to miss my connecting train to Haneda Airport. Awesome. At least I made it to about 3 miles away from the airport. It could have been much worse. I made my 5 am flight back to Taipei in time for a nap before work at 2 pm that day!

Go Zags!

This trip exceeded all of my expectations, and I accomplished so much in just 12 days. From exploring the jungle that is Tokyo to skiing and sake tasting to the conversations with Japanese high school students, this was truly the trip of a lifetime. Spending time with a great friend, meeting new ones, and having all kinds of new experiences on this adventure in Japan are things I'll remember for the rest of my life. I'm thankful for how much I've been able to experience since moving to Asia, it's been an incredible journey.

5 Things I Wish I Had Done In College and 5 Things I'm Proud Of

5 Things I Wish I Had Done in College:

1. Not Sold My Books

This is easily the number one thing I wish I had done while I was in college. I sold some books I had bought for $100 for $10! Ten dollars! Absolutely absurd. Some deals were better than others, but I thought $10 was more important than information. There have been numerous occasions where I wish I could pull out an old college book, and not even a situationally relevant topic, just for the sake of curiousity. When my kids are in college, and they say at the end of the semester, "I need to sell my books to get some extra cash," my response will be, "Here's a $200 check. I'm buying your books from you and you can thank me later." Do not sell your books. Find a way to keep them. 

2. Learned How To Learn

When in college, I thought that I had kept decent notes and learned efficiently, but after reflecting on it, there was so much more that could have been done. One way to improve memorization skills and efficiently study is to implement techniques like Pomodoro and Renaissance Learning, which I found after college with Coursera's 'Learning How to Learn' class. To find other techniques, use the almighty Alphabet or ask your peers what they do to stay focused. Prepare yourself mentally for this challenge and put effort into finding resources to help improve your time mangaement and organization. Learning how to learn properly will set you up for success throughout your life, you'll be able to better adapt and learn new skills faster.

3. Studied Abroad

I believe studying abroad is an invaluable college experience. You can grow immensely from studying in a foreign country with your peers, learning and having fun together. I didn't believe I had the extra money to study abroad in the summer. I was also a sophomore transfer student, so I thought it would be difficult to take a semester off from campus life. I looked for excuses not to go. Instead, you should look for ways and reasons to go. If you don't feel like you have the money to go, ask your financial aid office how you can study abroad affordably. Sure, you might come home without much money that summer or winter, but you will look back on your time abroad in the future, and never regret it.

4.  Read More and Listened Better

This can be interpreted in many ways, and I intended it that way. I wish I had read more course material. I found myself often skimming books instead of reading closely and thinking deeply about the consumed information. I also wished I read more for fun. I felt like I didn't have the time because of the actual coursework, but that isn't the case. You are the source of time. If you truly want to read something you're interested in, you will make the time. Not only will reading material outside your coursework broaden your knowledge, it will also increase your overall wellbeing, enjoying what you're reading and a sense of accomplishment when you're finished.

Listening, like reading, should be interpreted in a couple of different ways. For one, I wish I had listened to more podcasts in college. I have listened to more podcasts in the last six months than I have in the past six years, by far. You can find incredible information on nearly any topic, my current favorites being The Tim Ferriss Show and Men In Blazers. More importantly though, I wish I had listened better to people around me. I think I did a decent job of listening during my time in school, but I didn't put enough thought into truly understanding what I had heard. Ask many questions, listen intently, and understand what people are saying.

5. Exercised More Often

It wasn't until almost two years after graduation that I realized I had put on too much weight throughout my time in college. I wish I had my made exercise a priority, running and lifting for just 30 minutes each day. The carbs at the dining hall got to me, and I didn't lose the weight I gained in college until moving abroad last year. I thought that playing intramurals, a club sport, and climbing my dorm's intense stairs would be enough to keep me in decent shape, but it wasn't. The gym is a "free" resource at most colleges, so take advantage of it and create a schedule that works for you.

The 5 Things I'm Proud Of:

1. Living Life to the Fullest

There's an easy number one to the things I'm most proud of: living life to the fullest. I think anyone who knew me can attest to that, and I really believe I had as much fun as any college student. We did things we probably shouldn't have, but we always had a great time together. Running out of gas in the middle-of-nowhere Montana on an 11 hour roadtrip to Salt Lake City for the NCAA Tournament, epic intramural championship victories, and making the cover of Sports Illustrated are just a few of the big memories. If you get asked to go anywhere or do something with friends and are not sure what to do, just say yes. These experiences will change your life. 

2. Involvement

I listed a few main goals for what I wanted to do outside the classroom before I left for school: 1. Be on a student leadership committee. 2. Actively involved in athletics 3. Join at least one club I'm passionate about. Even if you don't achieve all of the goals you set, you'll end up above the rest. I am fortunate to have achieved the goals I set for myself. I was a representative for our student section, played on the club ice hockey team, and joined Colleges Against Cancer hosting the Relay For Life event on campus. Being involved in extracurriculars without feeling overwhelmed is a key to a successful college experience. Join a club that interests you (there's something for everyone!) and build new relationships and boost your self confidence in doing something you're passionate about as a community.

3. Friends I Made and the People I Met

The friends I made at Gonzaga changed my life and continue to change it. They are the ones who were there for me when the times were tough and the ones who I had the best years of my life with. They are joyful and adventurous, and have a high level of integrity. Choose your friends wisely. They are a reflection of your character and will be guiding you positively or negatively during your time in school. Go outside your comfort zone, and 'be first' by introducing yourself to new people. If you connect, form relationships with them and make them friends that will last your lifetime. 

4. Taking Foreign Language Classes

I emphasized classes as plural because I think it is one of the most valuable things you can do in college, taking at least one foreign language course. I had the opportunity to take Latin and Mandarin Chinese, which were two of the best decisions I made. In Latin, I learned about where my own native language came from and how to decipher some of the Latin language that continues to have a big impact on our society today in economics, science, law, etc. The professor, Father Krall, a Jesuit priest, was later cemented as my favorite college professor. Mandarin Chinese gave me a glimpse into not only a new language, but also a new culture. Without taking that class, I'm not sure I would have ever actually moved to Asia.

5. Opening My Mind

I grew up in a small town in California's Central Valley, and even though I was able to experience a lot through the years, it does not compare to a living in a large city where you get to see much more each day. I was raised with a mindset that had safety and conservatism at the forefront. I admire that mindset and am proud to have grown up in it. But in college, I was able to sit down with other people and hear new thoughts and stories that changed many of my views. College opened my mind to a globally connected world, and challenged my belief system. Sit down with your friends and have long discussions about ideas, problems, etc and open your mind to all viewpoints.

Wacky Wednesday

About a month ago I discovered a new app called The List App, which is according to their website, a "social network based on the power and simplicity of lists." I am now using this app to share my thoughts, findings, or anything I think is interesting (among other things), once a week, in a post entitled "Wacky Wednesday." I named it after one of my favorite books as a kid and one I donated to my school library in elementary school: 'Wacky Wednesday' by Dr. Seuss. Also, I think sometimes the stuff that finds its way into my brain is sometimes pretty 'wacky.'

I'm starting these posts because I believe its a better way to look back and reflect upon my week in a concise, easy to read summary, instead of jumbled paragraphs. Another reason to start doing this is I think 'WW' is going to improve my mindfulness and the organization of my thoughts by encouraging consistency, curiousity, and creativity.

I hope you find these 'wacky' updates interesting and that this will more than make up for my previous lack of regular posts. Posted below are the last four 'Wacky Wednesday' links:

12.16.15

https://li.st/l/1c3rknri9wKz9XTDHgnFa6

12.23.15

https://li.st/l/3nWoboAHVPvYqhYqZSYbKo

12.31.15

https://li.st/l/5ARhV0kuIYnhqAgGDlegBu

1.7.16

https://li.st/l/60ZD7gwiMkHxiEzK7kAZCs

Quick Thoughts and Highlights On 2015

Highlights

• Going to Las Vegas in March to see the Gonzaga Bulldogs take the WCC Championship
• Gonzaga advancing to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament
• In April, visiting my sister in Lexington, Kentucky at UK. Attended my first horse races, toured Buffalo Trace bourbon distillery, and drove to Indianapolis for Final Four festivities.
• In June, my great friend David Sheppard and I raised over $5,000 for breast cancer research through the Denise M. Chesney Memorial Bike Ride across Washington State from Seattle to Spokane.
• Attending the first ever US Open in the Northwest, at Chambers Bay, on my birthday. 
• Moved to Taipei, Taiwan, getting a job teaching English in the city
• Went to Green Island, a tiny island off of Taiwan's east coast for Mid-Autumn Festival
• Traveled to Okinawa with David Sheppard and David Hoover to honor the US Military for the Armed Forces Classic basketball game between Gonzaga and Pittsburgh
• Spent Christmas in Hong Kong

Thoughts

• June 2015 probably might have been the best month of my life. Riding across Washington State in honor of my mom raising money and awareness for breast cancer, attending the US Open on my birthday, and moving to Asia. I'm very proud of and grateful for all that I was able to do, especially in that month.
• Quote that describes my year: "The greatest satisfaction in life is making a difference in somebody else's life." -Sir Richard Branson. I felt like I've made a impact on more people's lives in 2015 than any other year through coaching tennis, charity activities, and teaching English.
• It has been a transformational year for me living half of it in Asia, experiencing totally new places, lifestyles, mindsets, customs, etc and making new friends from all over the world.
• Simply put, 2015 was the greatest year of my life.