I don't even know

why I haven't been updating my blog. But now I'm back, so all is well.

The first week of school has been the first sprinting leg of a ninth month marathon. A good sprint, but rather tiring nonetheless. I've realized that I am functional away from my parents, aside from a wee moment of damp-eyes when my friend played my mom's favor

ite Norah Jones song (oh jeez, here I go again). But I am functional. I can eat, exercise, shower, brush my teeth, do homework all without someone telling me. Simple as it may be, it's comforting to know that for some reason.

Yesterday was the school's annual Harbor Cruise. Honestly, I haven't spent much time on boats. I've romanticized them and told myself I'd be a great...er...boat person. I know your probably expecting a story about me vomiting off the port side for four hours, but it wasn't so! I was able to keep my sea legs under me the entire ride, except for a slight bought of nausea at the very beginning (and after I ate an entire cup of fondue chocolate, but that's another story).

And the dancing helped as well. Okay, people at my school can dance. Not just ballet dance and coreography dance. But dance. Even I danced, though not nearly as well and with that awkwardness known specifically to white females who get excited because everyone else is dancing and they want to too and end up looking like an awkward white person. But I had fun. Lots of it. It was four hours of dancing and friends and other such happy things.

My dad wrote me a very touching email yesterday. During my skype session with my parents, I related to them how much I missed them. I always do, but I guess I really did sound pitiful. So a little while later, my dad wrote me a message about the importance of routine in combating home sickness. Taking out the trash, running, going for a walk, doing dishes, doing homework and so on are all good routines to have. I'd been doing those, but on automatic. If I can see that I'm doing that to stay happy and sane (as humans go), I think I'll have much fewer Nora Jones incidences. But it's been great here. The people are great, the teachers are great, and the vegetarian selection is tres bien.

Alors, I must go and start another beautiful fall day.

Happily Here.

I meant to post en route...it was even going to be titled "En Route", but I was distracted by the plethora of stores and other stimuli. Anyways, I am safely in Boston. I am on cloud nine. The campus is b-e-a-utiful and filled with trees and oxygen. The flights went well and I even slept eight out of the eleven hours from Taipei to San Francisco, and then absolutely nothing on the San Fran Boston flight. But it's alright, because I was awake and alert to watch a flight attendant bawl out many a person for holding their bags in their laps, or milling about the cabin, or not knowing how to operate the emergency exit down to the nub. Granted, I want someone who knows their stuff sitting in the emergency exits, but I don't expect a thesis out of them. But, I digress, again. I use that phrase far too much on this blog.

The people here are amazing. I already have friends. They are all incredibly mature and hilarious. Right now, as I try to write this, we are chillaxing in my dorm room with my roomate (who is quite amazing herself), and two other dorm mates. Right, so, here are some pictures of my journey. I promise to post more of the campus and my room after I decorate a little more. It's amazing to be following a dream and to be following that dream at a place like my new school. Thank you cosmos.

Adventures with Emma.

Emma and I make quite an odd pair. In fact, we are the two oddest people I know.

Exhibit A: We both have a fascination with medicine and odd maladies.

This morning, when any normal pair of teenage girls would have been shopping, or watching movies, or discussing boys and bodies, Emma and I explored a hospital. I am aware that this is a questionable activity, seeing as hospitals are places of illness, vulnerability, and healing. The idea sprung upon us last night, whilst eating Thai food. We agreed that we both have a slightly morbid fascination with sick people. Emma is very interested in being a specialist doctor, while I am interested in psychology. But I digress. So, seeing as it was a nice Saturday morning,w e decided to visit the hospital in our neighborhood. Now, here comes the slightly controversial part. Emma had a pair of dark sunglasses with her, and not wanting to look like two brainless teens trolling the hospital hallways, we decided that she would feign blindness, and I would be her guide. I must say, as awful as some people might see this, it worked. Emma is a very convincing blind person. We walked the halls and wards, from Nephrology, to pediatric surgery, to OBGYN, to the NICU. We even had a run in with the infectious disease ward, though we didn't linger long. And it smelled awful on that floor. The elevators were slightly creepy, and the hallways were most silent, save for the occsaional passing orderly or patient.

It rather reminded me of the scene from SPEAK, when Melinda Sordino camps out in a hospital bed to have a "rest". We didn't find any hospital beds. After spending about an hour walking around, we decided it was best not to push our luck, and we left without incidence. I was pleased, because we got to visit the psychology department, though it was down a long twisting, creepy corridor. We didn't spend much time there.

I realize there are many "Exhibits", likr our late night tendencies, and much more, though I have limited time to post today. To close, I think that this is what friendship is about. It's about having adventures, trusting each other (she even let me lead her down a neverending stairwell when we tired of waiting for rickety hospital elevators, with her eyes closed!), and celebrating those mutual quirks that make us who we are. Love you Emma, you made my weekend!

Ils me manquent.

I will miss them. Them, who?

My hilarious awesome OCD sweet supportive parents:

The weather and beautiful walking places:

The hiking trails in abundance(though I hear there are a lot of trails where I'm going):
My friends (of course):
REAL Chinese food (No, Panda Express does not constitute as Chinese Food):And now, perhaps the thing I will miss most...the cause of my most bitter tears...
Uli's Mashed Potatoes:

In retrospect, I realize how much of the 12 years I've been in Taiwan I spent bemoaning it. For some reason, I felt unfortunate to have missed out growing up in the States. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved it here. It is my second home to Alaska. My first and most dear home, in some ways. In the past couple months, on the brink of my departure, I realize how very lucky I am. Taiwan is a wonderful, safe, cultural, crazy, crazy-hot country. I love it. Mayhap I've just matured that last iota to make me see the truth in my fortune. Go figure it would happen in my last few months here. There are many more things I hold dear and will miss dearly, but I'd better give my blog a break for the night. Until next post.