Miscellany

I have one more week here in Taiwan before I head back to the States for some R&R during the summer. I figure it'd be appropriate to start writing now, since this summer is going to be super travel-packed. New York, Eastern Europe, Boston, D.C., YEAH!!! :)

Two of the "Signs of Memory" windows by Takafumi Hara, displayed outside the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei when I went to check out the LaChapelle exhibit on May 23rd:

“我希望台灣未來

大家能和平相處

不要爲了政黨的

事情被左右”

The sovereignty of Taiwan, aka the Republic of China, aka Chinese Taipei in the athletic circles, aka Formosa as a Portuguese/Dutch colony, is a politically sticky subject in regards to its heavyweight neighbor, the People's Republic of China. Taiwanese call the PRC several names, some unsavory, some simply geologically relative to the island. Da lu (大陸) and nei di (內地) respectively mean large continent and inner land, a simple locational juxtaposition. I personally take no sides as to whether or not Taiwan should "return" to China or declare independence (whatever those conditions mean anyway), but it's undeniable that the people who currently live in Taiwan are mostly composed of ethnic Han Chinese, and we trace back to the same cultural practices and beliefs as our mainland neighbors.

Anyway, I should kick off this blog with Taiwan, beyond political definitions it is still a Chinese region (and therefore qualifies in The Mission). Just feel like I should clarify things so I don't get verbally flogged. Please don't yell at me, I'm just a humble traveler!

Then after that I'll be up and down some major cities on the U.S. eastern seaboard, so I'll probably write about some more mundane American stuff. Luckily, my mother's taking me to Eastern Europe on a retired/old person tour! That should be plenty of fun (no sarcasm intended) especially since I've never been to Europe before.

So, The Mission shall be held off until September when I finally get shipped off to Nanjing. I guess my summer traveling will be like the mini-movies before a Pixar film. They'll be awesome too. :)

The Mission

Hello, you can call me Miffy. Some background information:

I am a 26 year old female, born and raised in New York City (formative years in Queens, young adult+ years in the city). I lived there for 25 years straight.

I like: pirate ships, vinegar, stripey cats, manga, terrariums, scuba diving, mountain pinnacles, watermelon, peonies, fantasy books, belgian chocolate ice cream, economics, toro, biking, cuddling, Shiraz, intellectual banter, lamb chops, lemonade, smart girls and considerate boys (I like considerate girls and smart boys much less).

I dislike: lectures, shrimp/squid sashimi, being sick, flakiness, wet socks, uninformed beliefs, all types of bugs, unsolved puzzles, acne, white chocolate, drizzle, NYC transit in the summer, Powerpoint, hangnails, killing (eating raw oysters being the only exception), Long Island Iced Teas, being told No.

I came to Taiwan 1 year and 3 months ago hoping to achieve reading proficiency in Chinese.

I believe I have done a pretty good job so far.

But not good enough!

This fall, I will be attending the Hopkins Nanjing Center in China, where all my classes will be taught in Chinese. Afterwards, I will come back to the United States to finish up my Masters in International Economics and China Studies at John Hopkins SAIS.

Then, who knows.

But before I have to figure out what to do with the rest of my life, there's a fair amount of exploring that I want to do... specifically...

THE MISSION:

TRAVEL ALL THE PROVINCES IN CHINA.

It's a lofty goal given the fact that I'll be a full-time grad student, but let's give it a try. :) This is my attempt documenting my thoughts/adventures with you all.

Cheers!