heath check

becoming a teacher in taiwan means that you have to pass an obligatory health check. just a simple physical, some blood work and a week later...poof! you're one step closer to getting your work permit.

or at least, that's how it usually goes.

i got my health check done last week and went to pick it up this afternoon. when i arrived to pick it up, the lady behind the counter couldn't find it. she looked a few times, but still couldn't find it. then, she tells me that i have to go through all the health check process again. i tried to understand, but i just went through all of it last week and felt i shouldn't have to do it again. so, i acquiesced and began to fill out the necessary paperwork for a second time. feeling frustrated, i decided that i should check at home first to make sure i didn't take it with me and guess what? i did.

so, raced back to the hospital and showed her the paperwork but another hitch; it seems that i am on the borderline for my inocculations. of course, my limited chinese education didn't really touch on vaccinnations, so i went to another part of the hospital to find out what was going on. turns out, my rubella vaccination is breaking down and to be sure that i won't catch measles of mumps, they have decided to make me get another one. but before that can happen, i need to go and stand in another line and fill out more paperwork, which i did. then, i get a printout from upstairs to tell them which kind of test to pay for. i grab a number from the ticket machine and realize that there are 47 people in front of me and the line is moving about 1 person per minute. i sit down and start to wait, but after a few games of pacman i am bored and getting frustrated. so, i just happen to look down at my paperwork and suddenly realize i've got the wrong paperwork! i rush back upstairs and wait again to get my info printed out correctly. i get back downstairs only to realize i've missed my turn. feeling beyond frustrated, i decide to leave it til tomorrow morning instead.

i hate to come down on things, but honestly, i never should have even had to go through this at all. if i had actually gotten the job i was promised, they don't require health checks and would already have my work permit. instead, i'm stuck with teaching where there are a million hoops to jump through. while this process is usually streamlined for efficiency, it seems that i have to go through a few extras turns and twists before this can happen. not the least of which is trying to finagle a couple weeks extension from the visa police as i only have 3 weeks remaining on my visitors visa and would really rather not have to leave the country. hong kong visa runs are a nightmare and get costly quickly.

sigh. tomorrow is another day. i'll chalk it up to partially my fault and partially my former employers fault.

slipping back into the social side of things

was very busy this last weekend....now that i am working on saturdays, friday nights' out have become a fleeting memory. while this in itself isn't a bad thing, it does make social obligations a little more tricky to handle. this saturday, i was invited to a bbq, engagement party and a pool party. i thought i might have been able to do at least two of these events, but i was tired and could only make it to one. i decided to go to the engagement party and had a lot of fun, but also likely pissed off at least two other party organizers. so, sorry guys if you read this, but i felt like i needed to celebrate with two people who are starting their lives together.

i hope that this isn't going to become a trend. i hate disappointing people...especially when they give you an invitation to something they are putting on. i know how it feels to organize something, expecting certain people to be there and they can't make it. while i feel that my reasons are legitimate, i still can't shake the feeling of guilt about not attending.

have you ever been in this situation? it's not like i'm so popular, but what is the right thing to do? i went with the first invite that came my way and commited...was that wrong? i can't see any other way to do something....

guess i'll have to try and make it up to those people...hope other plans don't get in the way!

the last week or so

been busy the last few weeks...finally kicked the crap out of the parasite, so life is...whole once again. took a lot out of me and i hope i never have to go through that again.

aside from that, having a few problems finding work. i had a job all lined-up and ready to go, but found out that once i arrived the company didn't know what the hell i was talking about. it's a long story, but suffice it to say that i am not working for AMC as planned. i'm diappointed, but not dismayed...have a couple of other promising writing jobs lined up for interview, and the money is holding out so we're cool that way so i can take my time trying to find something. worse comes to worse, i could back to teaching...but i honestly don't really want to do that. i came back to taiwan in order to gain some more experience doing what i love, namely writing, or something else creative such as design/photography. teaching is great, and i enjoyed it a lot more than i thought i would but the thought of me back teaching kindergarten sends shivers down my spine. i feel like that would be a step backward for me, and the idea is to move ahead. the opportunities will present themselves....i just need to be patient.

leesh and i finally decided to head out for some fun this weekend. friends of ours from the states recently got engaged, so there was an engagement party for them at a mutual friends' house. good times and got to catch up with most of the people we haven't seen yet...awesome to see all of them, and once again it feels like nothing has changed. it's great to just slide back into our life here, and the transition has been easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. after the get together, most of the party headed out to sappho for some live music. can't remember the name of the band, but it was really upbeat rock, complete with a 5-piece band and an amazing lead singer (very dave matthews-esque)

sunday was feeling a little tired from the previous nights' petty excursions, so we headed to 101 for some kebabs and some shopping at jasons (foreign grocery store) which hasn't gotten any cheaper. also checked out page1 (bookstore) and they've got a lot of selection so will go back once we get paid to pick up some reading material.

i've also decided to start my own design training and have been working away through this course. i'm really enjoying the assignments and the theory, even if it is a little vague sometimes. i've even gone as far as to start my own portfolio. i've spent the last 2 years learning how to use photoshop and indesign, but i still need to train my brain on how to actually design. the book i'm using is great as it builds on the previous chapter and gives you mini-assignments which in turn help you to build a professional portfolio. once i've finished it, i'm going to take it a step further and enroll in some online courses that will give me some credentials once i've finished. good thing to put on a resume at any rate.

sleeping tonight should be interesting. i was just informed by our security guard that the power will be off between midnight and six a.m. when i pressed him further for details, he couldn't explain the inexplicable power cut. she's gonna be a hot time tonight, folks...the temp is still hovering around 32 each and every day and the humidity, while less, still hasn't broken for the fall season as of yet.

think i'll go and see if i can buy some battery-operated fans to give the illusion of cool.