I awoke to a loud knock at my door; 8:00am had come too quickly. We had breakfast, packed our bags, and checked out of the hotel. Once the car was packed, I drove to the Snake Kiln, continuing the trip’s theme of ceramics and teapots. Cathy thoroughly enjoyed the kiln, while I had a chance to chat and see some new sights. We browsed the gift shop, made a few purchases, and continued along the highway to Tainan.

We had breakfast at the hotel from the same chain across the street. Full of energy, I started my drive around the lake. First, I stopped at Wen Wu Temple, a large and well-visited complex. I wandered throughout it, explaining its small nuances as we went. In front of the temple, Cathy bought a bag of tangerines before we returned to the car. Second, we visited a peacock farm. Having seen only a few peacocks in my life, I found them intriguing. The birds appeared to be in mating season, with courtship displays occurring everywhere. Third, we visited a small Aboriginal village through which the road passed, where we browsed the gift shops and Cathy eventually purchased a bamboo teapot. Fourth, we saw a huge …

I ate breakfast on my own, as my parents had decided to eat the hotel’s “free” food. Once I arrived, my dad went to pick up the car while Cathy and I chatted and eventually waited by the street. Just as I was beginning to worry, the car appeared, its occupants having only “gotten lost a few times” and “tried to turn down a few one-way streets.” Once on the freeway, I passed through several tollbooths and got only semi-lost while trying to find the perfect area to see blossoms. I found $20 in the bushes next to a large dam, picked it up, and decided not to think too hard about why it was there.

Early in the morning, I took the bus to the hotel, knocked on the door, and wandered across the street to a breakfast place. We ordered enough food for my parents to sample a little of everything, and soon we were off. I needed to check in with work to take another day off, so I brought my parents to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. We left the MRT and entered the pavilion, with the National Theatre and National Concert Hall on either side. I could only imagine how it felt for my parents to stand somewhere they had seen in photographs just weeks earlier. We climbed the steps to see CKS’s enormous statue, glanced at the guards, walked through the gardens, and headed to the Taiwanese Handicraft shop.

I waited for the big green bus, but my companion needed to leave to teach. When the bus arrived, I asked a woman behind me in my limited Chinese, “Does this go to the…?” “Airport,” she replied. I jumped aboard and started the journey. That evening, my dad and stepmother, Cathy, were arriving in Taipei. It was rush hour, so I tried to leave plenty of time. I started waiting at around 5:45, but the bus didn’t arrive until almost 6:20. Leaving Taipei was painful; the streets were a parking lot. The bus finally reached the freeway, and by 7:00, about the time my parents were arriving, I was still 20 minutes away. I was somewhat relieved, knowing they would need to collect their …

The taxman has come yet again. I’m especially proud of myself this year: my taxes were completely finished by April 13, which certainly beat last year, when I had about two hours left. I fared quite well and, considering I didn’t work that much, will even be getting a slight refund! My state tax was especially interesting: I wasn’t sure how Oregon should treat income earned while I was working remotely from another country, so I reported it rather than rely on my own interpretation. It seemed like a situation best handled cautiously.

I’m a bussing man, I’ll admit it. In middle school I had a great bike and could ride all over town. Then, in high school, I had a car and could drive all over town. When I went to uni, I lived in the middle of a big city and didn’t need a car, so I sold it. Since then, I’ve been riding buses everywhere. They’re cheap and good for the environment; I can’t complain.

This weekend I went to CKS Memorial Hall and saw my first Taiwanese opera. I had expected powerful singing to dominate the performance, but instead there was plenty of dancing, staged swordplay, and elaborate costumes. Although I went mainly at someone else’s urging, I genuinely enjoyed myself. If you are in Taiwan and have a chance to see an opera, don’t miss it!

My life has slowed down to a pleasant pace. Almost every day I wake up, have breakfast at home, then head to Mr. Brown’s Coffeeshop. So, why Mr. Brown’s? Because it offers free internet. Throughout the day, I read, study, and work on the web, trying to build something successful. While it should be obvious, I thoroughly enjoy technology and travel. One of the things I plan to add to my list next is an MBA, although I want to achieve this goal with a little pizzazz.

In the morning, I packed and headed back to Peggy’s. I snacked throughout the day while Peggy baked banana bread. That night, my companion, Peggy’s family, and I went to a steak restaurant and enjoyed a generous meal. I was slightly too full by the end, but that is part of a big dinner. Later, I visited a night market held in a large parking lot and sampled a little more food. Once I became tired, I walked back to the car, returned to Peggy’s house, and quickly fell asleep. The next day, I would say goodbye and head back to Taipei with plenty of memories.