2 0 1 7 // A REFLECTION

Hola! It's definitely been a while since the last post. What can I say? Life just got h e c tic or comfortably mundane. I finally finished 3/4 semesters of teacher's college, and now ecstatic to soon go into the last. Going into 2018, I think making new year resolutions is equally important to taking the time to reflect on your past. Like J. Dewey says, "We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience." Mhmmm. This is what teacher's college has done to me - reflect! reflect! reflect!

I think it is easy to be caught up with what is front of us - the numerous errands that you have to do, bills you have to pay, and shows you got to watch - that you often forget the bigger picture. Make the time to recognize where you started, see how much you have changed and refocus. If there are any positive changes then give yourself a high-5 and continue them.

If you realize that you evolved into a human being with terrible characteristics and habits then do something about them. If you realize that you need to readjust your priorities then rearrange your time. Don't get discourage if you fail to follow your new goals 3 weeks or 2 days later, each day is a new opportunity to become a better you! You shift that mentality whenever you want. 

If you remember me sticking my phone in front of your face between 2015 - 2017 screaming "do something for my ONE SEC OF THE DAY," voila it's finally done. Better late than never, I finally compiled all of my one second of the days and edited my cottage vlog. 

I got reminiscent of all the great times I had when I was putting it altogether; but, it also forced me to rethink my past because... it wasn't entirely that g r e a t. Like my mom battling cancer, losing a relative unexpectedly, heartbreaks and steep learning curves with adjusting to teacher's ed /adulting. It made me realize a) how grateful I am to have the friends and family in my life, b) the privilege I have in experiencing certain events, and c) that I have conformed to societal norms. dun dun dun. People only want to share the positive aspects of their life online so that it 'candidly' showcases a perfect lifestyle. I think that it's neither a bad or good thing but, just remember the next time you start to compare yourself with someone else's, that not everything is what it seems. At the end of the day, another great philosopher J. Cole once said, "No such thing as a life that's better than yours. Love yourz." 

If you are curious to how my 1 sec of the day footage turned out, see below :) tbh, it's boring though; I just want to make it for my own memories. 

                                         

1 Sec a Day // 2015 - 2017

Cottage Trip // 2017

If you are still reading this, I hope 2018 is everything you wish for, aim for and work for. 

Until next time,

becca

#BOOKWORMbecca // SUMMER READS

Hola :) I hope you have been doing well! In the past few months, I finally got some time to leisurely read. So I got a few books that I would definitely recommend :) I got suggestions that might appeal to the inner kid-at-heart you, or even satisfy your wanna-be grown up interests. So if you were looking for a book to enjoy under the sun, LOOK NO FURTHER and just consider the following: 

1. HYPERBOLE AND A HALF: unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things (by Allie Brosh) // Fiction

+ for giggles and chuckles - it's a fast read that will make you laugh out loud, totally doing its job as a comic book.

2. READY PLAYER ONE (by Ernest Cline) // Fiction

+ can't stop won't stop - it's a page turner! it got me rooting for the main character and really wondering what the future would be like in terms of infrastructure and technology. 

3. MODERN LOVE: an investigation (by Aziz Ansari)  // Non- Fiction

+ love 101 - if you like psychology/ sociology, then this book is a fun read in learning something new about people and society! I mean Aziz wrote it! It's not only funny but super interesting as he explores today's culture. 

4. ASAP SCIENCE: answers to the world's weirdest questions, most persistent rumours, and unexplained phenomena (by Mitchell Moffit and Greg Brown)  // Non - Fiction

+ asap LEARNING - I love learning about random things, and a sucker for how things work so if you are too... then seriously check this book out! 

5. GIRL BOSS (by Sophia Amoruso) // Non- Fiction

+ getIT getIT - I finished this book in one sitting! it's a little inspiring, a little motivating and just plain captivating in how she was able to achieve so much by being herself. I understand it may also take a little luck, but it left me feeling kinda hopeful and driven to achieve more with my life. 

BONUS suggestion - just TRUST me!

6. DEFINING DECADES:  why your twenties matter and how to make the most of them now (by Meg Jay) // Non- Fiction

DOUBLE BONUS WIN suggestion for the non-readers out there

if you don't like to read but rather listen to stories instead, then check out the following podcast! (if you haven't realized that there are Podcasts on Spotify then go find it RIGHT NOW!) It's called Millennial, produced by Megan Tan, she basically talks about her life (as you may have guessed it, as A MILLENNIAL.) If you don't have Spotify that is alright too, just check out the website: http://www.millennialpodcast.org to give it a listen! As simple or boring as that may sound it's awesome just because any twenty-something can relate, and the way that she presents the stories are so cathartic to the ears! 

Let me know if you ended up liking any of the above :) 

Thanks for reading! 

Until next time,

Becca 

  

IB Trip // FEB-MAR 2016

Hola! ♡ (if I can insert an even bigger heart emoticon, I would) 

Just because this time, I know it's reallllly been a while.

is this a big enough heart?

My semester this term was sardine-packed with a lot of things happening throughout the four months. For an example, back in February/March I got the opportunity to travel to Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Hong Kong for 2 weeks. This trip was a component of my International Business concentration, utimately making it an invaluable experience shared with my classmates. For 2 weeks worth of footage, I was able to cram it all into a 9 min video. If you are interested to see what it was like CLICK BELOW :) 

IF you rather read about my key takeaways from the trip theeeen, 

@KL I LEARNED: 

+ It is more developed than I imagined it to be, making it a place I consider revisiting again in the future - as it makes a great winter escape destination ;D 

+ In comparison to Taiwan, despite the similar hot climate, it didn't feel like they had as many mosquitos. Which is an awesome thing because I actually made it out of the country with only being bitten once WOOOO 

+ Nightlife in KL earns an A+ as it offers a lot of different bar & club options and high possibility that there is free drink / cover for ladies. 

@SHG I LEARNED: 

+ I should improve my Mandarin skills because it is kind of great when I can understand what they are saying to me, but not great when I can't properly communicate back. In some situations my butchered Mandarin worked, and then sometimes the tone was just not correct, making it instantly a game of charades. 

+ $20CDN body massages exist in this part of world, and they are totally the best things ever. Yes, the Chinese technique may be a little bit more painful in the sense that they seem to be punching all those pressure points way too forcefully accurately, but, hey the feeling afterwards is just

(great + cool as YOU feel GREAT afterwards and COOL because your just survived a gentle beating)

+ If you wanted a designer looking keyword LOOKING! bag or watch or jewellery or branded anything possible, it is most likely available at this market for a suuuuuuper low price. Simply bring your A game ready to bargain: just remember 

1. to aim for 1/3 of their asking price, (e.g. if they ask for 60 go for 20 but start super low at 10 so you can bring it up to 20) 

2. don't show your true interest e v e r about the product (USE THAT POKERFACE) and, 

3. if you must ... just pretend to walk away or actually walk away because there is a high chance to find it in another stall nearby anyways (they all sell similar products). 

@HK I LEARNED:

+ it is very easy to travel around using their subway system. The subway underground still provides wifi service, and announcements for stops are still made in English (so you don't have to worry if you don't understand Cantonese or Mandarin).

+ Google in Hong Kong has a nap room, thus, I totally think that it is the way of the future. I now aspire to work at a company that supports their employee with a napping facility.

HK Google Nap Room

+ Out of the 3 destinations, the most favourable location to work abroad in is Hong Kong. Just because 1) there are a lot of expats that also work abroad in Hong Kong, 2) I can communicate with my Cantonese skills and if I can't then 3) English is still widely used 4) the food options is so diverse and broad that it's just AMAZING  5) I can live with the commuting, walking or biking life and 6) from the water view to mountain views it's all available on that little island.  

+ McDonalds in Asia is simply amazing because of exhibit a) Taro Pies b) Taro McFlurries c) Chicken Wings and d) and e) and f) and g)... z) CHICKEN WINGS. See, if i never traveled abroad I would've never knew that such yummy wings exist at such an unexpected place. 

Thus, I truly and highly recommend any opportunity you may get to do it, GO travel! Just because it provides you with a chance to gain a new perspective. It may require you to step out of your comfort zone; but, in the end why not? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  I mean if you only live once, you mind as well try to learn and discover all that there is to see right? 

& that is it, 

until next time,

Becca

2 0 1 5 // a reflection

2015 was incredibly bumpy, incredibly emotional and incredibly unforgettable at the same time. I potentially say that every year, however, with this blog and my vlogs… THIS year is definitely unforgettable since it is so simple to just repeat replay history. It was filled with a lot of great adventures, new experiences and many WTF am I doing moments. 

Ending this school term alive, hence the 4 months of being MIA, I could not be anymore happier with how things turned out. Yet, at the same time very sad with how fast time traveled.

At the moment, I am very much still learning, still improving and still understanding myself. Though does that process really ever end? So for a lack of better words, maybe I should have just said that I am still on a pursuit of … contentment. Of course, happiness is a state of mind where one chooses to be optimistic and happy. Thus, contentment (although technically a synonym) is what I want to use to portray a bundle of satisfactory level of physical health and mental health, and balanced relationship with friends, family and school. So I guess I personally think that contentment can be measured and happiness can not be. 

This time, when I say that I am excited for 2016, I actually mean it. I know it’s bad to consider a fresh start once the New Year hits but realistically who doesn’t like to drag old familiar behaviour longer until absolutely required to change. It’s the act of human adaptation at its finest right? AND who wouldn’t want fireworks, bright lights or a screaming batch of people saying “happy new year” to solidify a new beginning? It’s much more encouraging that way from my own understanding. So I hope your 2016 will be everything you hoped for, aimed for and worked for. 

Remember, do better; but, definitely try not to compare yourself to others. Look back, admire how different you are now than the past, and simply improve. Eliminate the bugs and make changes. Develop -insert your name here- 2.0 .. or should I really say John Smith 2.016 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

To the future self: keep trying whatever your mind gears you towards, keep doing what your heart says, and eating whatever the hell your stomach desires. Here’s to more challenges yet to come, to numerous foreseen trials and errors on figuring out what you can do or want to do in the near future, to healthier food choices, extra sit-ups and better eye cream. & as always, h 2 o is the way to go, so stay hydrated homies! 

Here's to 

h a p p y NEW y e a r!

Until next time, 
Becca

MEXICO // August 2015

Hola, Chicos and Chicas! Beuno Dias.

It’s been 6 days since I got back from Mexico annnnd man do I miss it. It’s definitely that stress-free feeling that I miss and maybe that unlimited supply of pina colada haha.

So baaasic summer recap, yes it all started with my first out-of-the-country-venture-on-your-own trip to Taiwan, transitioned into traveling with friends to New York city and finished my summer off with a vacation with my parents. Yup, I was indeed bit by that nasty travel bug. 

It was an AWESOME vacation, it had a mix of sightseeing, adventure and a lot of food...which really meant nachos. But hey! they made really yummy guacamole.  (I swear I had it for almost every meal, embarrassingly enough even for breakfast too). Mexico is such a beautiful place with their starry night skies, cenotes, and natural parks. They also try hard to help preserve it, e.g. by spreading information about using all-natural sunscreen and repellent so that when you're in the water it wouldn't damage the coral reefs, and so then tourists can still continue to visit these wonderful places for many years to come. It was hot and humid too, just like Taiwan. IF you watch my vlog, you can actually see the humidity . . . there are footages where you'll know LOL

if YOU get a chance: (definitely check out)

1. Xplor Park

2. Xel-Ha Park

3. Chichen- Itza (totes pronounced as chicken-pizza)

If you want to see it all, check out my vlog. Essentially 7 days in less than 7 mins (;

#1 Lesson that I Learned this Summer: are you ready for this cliché?
TAKE THOSE CHANCES. 

Sometimes it could work out amazingly; e.g, going through most of summer (f)unemployed.  

ORRR it doesn't. . like look at me trying to catch a rice ball LOL

Summer 2015 is filled with a lot of people i'm grateful for and cherishable moments, as it had a touch of everything. It was filled with so much laughter, love, new experiences, kindness, hard work, luck and joy! Thank you universe for a summer to remember. As my summer is nearing an end, or yours is maybe just beginning.. I really hope you make the most of it, and then prepare for another great year :) All the best! 

Thanks for reading,

& of course until next time,

Becca

NEW YORK // July 2015

Hola!

It's been a while, I know. Since my trip to Taiwan I've been out and about; hanged out with friends, volunteered, and soon enough I was on a plane again ready for my next adventure. 

(YYZzzz - oh early flights)

This time I got the opportunity to travel to New York for 4 days with some pretty kool people or just noobs.

(Noobs of New York)

What I learned about New York in that short period of time:

1. New Yorkers can walk. They can walk 10 blocks up/down/to their right or left and it's consider EEEEz or it's possibly the fastest / simplest way. One time, we asked for directions to the nearest subway entrance and the person just laughed at why we didn't walk it instead ... even though  it was 10 blocks or so away.  They're totally my kind of people though in the department of fast pace walkers. If they're not walking then they are indeed biking in their super nice bike lanes. 

2. Yes, you already assumed it right New York is a packed city. So we probably did a really good job at hitting up all the major tourists sites or it is just a crowded city indeed. The city is alive from morning to night!

3. New York Taxi Drivers are VERY skillful drivers. Safe? well I guess since I survived ha. The second time we rode in a taxi, our driver was fast ... and furious. That man made such a sharp turn from a tiny opening, sped through behind a firetruck, and bravely yelled at others to get out of the way because of the firetruck LOL. 

4.  While it's like a sauna down in the subway station. it's not a bad idea to purchase a metro card and  do what the New Yorkers do. Load it with money, and you would save a couple of cents if you're using it more than once.

5. There are hot dog stands and ice cream trucks basically on every street corner. If you have to stop at any stand DEFINITELY stop by The Halal Guys. Apparently there are fake ones and real ones according to The Halal Guy worker. 

(Monday Morning)

If you ever get a chance to visit New York, here are my top 3 tips:

1. Since it is very hot there during the summer time. Pack a hat, wear sun screen and bring a reusable bottle! Stay hydrated! 

2. If you are planning to visit most of the major NY attractions consider getting a New York Pass. The beauty of it is that it allows you to skip the long line ups at a few places, and by visiting a few on their list of attractions you would then already cover the cost of the pass.

Places We Visited (with it):

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• 9/11 Tribute Centre
• Central Park Bicycle Rentals & Tours
• New York Skyride 
• Rockefeller Center Tour
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Top of the Rock
• Statue of Liberty

3. Don't be afraid to just wing it. GO explore the city! The beauty of getting lost is the unexpected. We ended up at Time Square. PLUS there is bound to be wifi or someone to ask for directions nearby in case you do start to panic. If the person is just nodding to all your assumptions of direction, ask someone else just to be sure.  OR just let them speak first. 

To wrap it all up, here is my New York VLOG.

I actually regret not capturing more footage, but since I took this trip more as a vacation I guess my focus really wasn't on it. With whatever I got and made out of it, I know there are still some improvements to be made. Hopefully you still enjoyed it.

Thank you for reading :)

Until next time,

Becca

AIESEC TAIWAN // The Last Week

Hello, Hello! 

It's officially been a week since I have been back in Canada and I finally got to buckle down and edit.

Here, I present to you the last vlog of my whole AIESEC experience. 

Highlights of My Last Week:

1. Going to Jiufen

(check out that view!)

                                                        

On my AIESEC exchange bucket list, going to Jiufen was one of the listed items. I really wanted to see "The Real-Life Spirited Away" after reading this article. However, I never really expected to be able to go there since it is sooo far north from where I was located. I was lucky because my last host family actually brought me up there. He bought one High Speed Rail ticket for himself and one for me.  That train is SUPER FASSSST as it took us 1.5hrs to get to Hsinchu. We rode the High Speed Rail to Hsinchu and then his sister and husband drove us pass Taipei and then to Jiufen, which took another 2/3hrs. If one doesn't use the HSR and just drove to Taipei then that would take about 6hrs. 

Now do you see why I feel so lucky that someone was actually willing to take me?

Even though it was a 1 day trip, I thought that it was still worth the whole day. The view was amazing, the food was yummy, and the air OMG (beats the south in a heartbeat). 

2. The Last Week's Host Family

(this is Amy)

 They made my last week's stay so comfortable, so welcoming and so fun that they really made it hard for me to want to leave. It was nice to go through the last week with someone that I can have english conversations with, enjoy some restaurant-quality meals that my host family cooked, and meeting the rest of their family... I got to learn some more about the world through her grandpa (who travels A LOT). 

2.5 Check out this Milk Tea Latte

Amy brought me to a cafe near her home to see that! I honestly haven't seen anything like that before so that was cool. 

3. Eating McDonald's Fried Chicken / Mango Shaved Ice for the LAST TIME

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

4. Saying Goodbye 

There was an assembly that I got to say my final goodbye  speech and then was showered with lots of love, cards and gifts. I really didn't expect the gifts, nor me crying but I did. &pretty much didn't stop  ever since after that assembly LOL It really is the people that you're going to miss when you have to leave a place. It isn't the food or the scenery because those can always be some-what replicated. The specific people that I met ( from teachers, students, parents, to their relatives and pets) can't be. 

which leads into...

If you are ever considering to go on an AIESEC exchange I would say do it! IF you have the time, the money and up for it, just do it! Or just take that extra courage to say why not? and go for it because you definitely will not regret it! 

Ps. I'm sorry that it took so long for the last vlog, as a bonus HERE is a vlog on my first cottage experience :) 

Thank you for reading,

Becca 

AIESEC TAIWAN // The Sixth Week

Hola!

This week really gone by super fast (in an awesome way).

All I remember is that I ate a lot more than usual and bit more than I can chew (literally and figuratively). I really wanted it to be a memorable last week not only for me but also for the students soooo I asked the principal if I can do a little dance with the students. Originally by little dance, I meant doing the harlem shake.. but from his understanding of the word little dance he thought it was more like a choreographed dance routine for the school. 

So for the first time ever, stepping waaayy out of my comfort zone as I tried to CHOREOGRAPH a super mini dance (oh I know I'm no dancer so let me walk you through my logic).

1. Harlem Shake - seems fun, editing would be fun too

2. Make Up Dance - it's a thing in Taiwan (so I must include this - inspired by this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km8sLL1uNFs )
3. Gotta do something with the hands 

4. Gotta do something with the fingers 

5. "We're All in This Together" - HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL MOVE YES 

6. Rush Hour shoulder slides - totes yes why not

7. Dumbledore disappearance clap - to finish it off

however, then the teacher recommended that it should be repeated because it went by too fast so

REPEAT 

BUT now instead of the Dumbledore clap (if you don't get the reference CHECK HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkBIqwyn0VI)

 my inner Red Agent Ice Breaker says why not attempt 

..the Nae Nae??!? (it was a part of a chant that we had)

and so instead of Huah - Huah - HUAAHH.. replace it with Ba- Ba - Ba Gua 

(because that's the name of the school) 

yupp and then thankfully by having a teacher that can actually dance and that is super supportive of my idea, helped me demonstrate it tremendously. In the end, I had a lot of fun (more than expected) and so did the kids; hopefully coming from all the giggling and laughing throughout the whole time. 

(yupp let me teach you how to nae nae)

(the whole school - minus the grade 2s)

(rush hour shoulder slides yes)

Sooo basically Highlights of the Week include:

1. Dancing with the whole school

2. Eating Mango Shaved Ice for the first time and millionth time 

3. 

 Meeting my doppelgänger here in Taiwan. DO you think we look alike? LOL

4. Speaking at the Grade 6 Graduation & then having dinner after

5. Naming 4 people in Taiwan: Peng's Niece + (2) Nephew & Ting Ting 

6. Eating a lot of yummy food

7. Finally trying KFC's chicken (as a fried chicken connoisseur I needed to know)

(interesting fact 1: in Taiwan they have a packet of salt & pepper already together / fact 2: in Taiwan the packet says pepper & salt)  

& now with 3 more days before I leave, I really regret not choosing to stay longer... but I mean all things must end eventually right? Don't worry though, one thing that isn't ending yet is my vlogs ;)  my official last one will be up next week!

Thanks for reading,

until next time,

Becca

AIESEC TAIWAN // The Fifth Week

Helllo, Hello.

bad news first: this past week I slacked.

the motivation to vlog was low, and the footage that I took wasn't to my liking... 

so this vlog is currently a slow work in progress, sorry.

This week was a bluuuur it started so slow and then ZOOooM now it is Monday and I have no vlog edited and still don't know how to feel about the week. 

Highlight #1: The principal was super excited for me to visit a farm in Damorlee last week because it was owned by a Canadian. So, I started my week from going on a school trip to visit the country side of Taiwan last Sunday and then got sick.  It was the constant change of temperature from being in the burning hot weather to super cold air conditioned bus. It also rained that day so that didn't help. Since I got sick and really wasn't having it that day, that trip is debatable  to be labeled as "fun". The farm is also suppose to be special in the fact that the owners built the buildings themselves by making/ using newspaper cement. They mix newspaper into the cement and lastly put a water bottle in the middle for support.. when it dries after 2 weeks the brick is SUPER light. Don't worry altogether as a building it's sturdy. This whole time, I was thinking that it isn't that special like why newspaper cement? Arn't they just basically using cement still and just adding newspaper inside? But, now that I actually have to reflect back about the week ... it actually is pretty cool because the difference is maybe they don't have to use as much cement + it was a super light brick! 

Besides being sick physically, I also got a little home sick too. This week's host family didn't have wifi, and so maybe it was knowing that I definitely couldn't contact my parents that made me miss / want to call them even more. Thus, I spent basically half the week at a very low / sad drifting mood  

( yup my words for yah ) just waiting for it to be over. On the plus side of the week: I got to go exploring streets and department stores by myself, found something that may be better than fried chicken - this fried fish pancake thing and . . . Highlight #2: EP Gathering weekend. All the other participants on exchange and I were dropped off at a subway station Saturday morning and we all went to Taitung for the weekend. This weekend was mainly loooong subway rides (2.5 hr), bus rides (30 mins - 2 hour ones), walking distances (30 mins or so), and biking distances (city length kms)... which was AWESOME in the sense that I finally got some exercise. We hit up Teihua Village, The Garage (old sugar refinery factor), Jimmy Village and Sansiantai Island. Basically they were all amusing landmarks .... for about 5 mins (enough for me to take pictures) and then the "wow" factor was gone. The best part of the whole weekend was definitely just the aspect of hanging out with other EPS, and chatting about each others experiences. I found it interesting to hear what others trip was like so far. For an example, I found out that one of the EP is at an elementary school with an indoor swimming pool, a room with the arcade basketball machine, a rock climbing wall and has AC. #canibeyou? 

(basically had my own Tour de Taitung)

(8 EPs and the rest are the AIESEC execs at Jimmy Village)

(Sansiantai Island)

what I learned this week:

* Friday was the second time that I've ever seen a lizard within 30cm away from me. Right before going to bed, I saw one crawling on the wall and then eventually making its way behind a bookshelf. My natural instinct was to whip off my slipper and squish it SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Y'ALL but my brain kicked in seconds later with the reality of a) I'm not wearing slippers, b) it isn't a mosquito so would that method even work? and c) I don't even have the nerve to squish it. period. so I called the host family's son immediately over. Explained to him about the lizard, used a lot of hand gestures to demonstrate a lizard and how it ran behind a bookcase, asked him if you normally hit it with a shoe? and then finally asked him what would one usually do in these situations because I am definately not use to it... he then takes a min to process what I was trying to say and then breaks the silence with telling me that you just leave it because it helps eat the mosquitos in the house. I also learned that they sometimes make this weird noise at night, I have yet to find out why but the mom says its like they're singing a song. You could have guessed that I did not sleep well that night knowing that I had a roommate.. I was paranoid about getting bitten by not only mosquitos but by that lizard (despite the mom saying that it wouldn't ever bite people) and at one point I was awoken by it's "singing". 

* Grade 4 is not for me. short and simple lesson of the week haha

good news last: you're done reading <3
+ 918038123 hours later HERE IS THE VLOG:

so Thank YOU for reading!

Until next time,

Becca 

AIESEC TAIWAN // The Fourth Week

Hello, Hello! 

Week 4 surprisingly went by super quick, a few highlights include: 

                                             

1. Going to Ping Tung and then up a mountain on a rainy day. My initial reaction was why would anyone even want to go up a mountain on a rainy day? After the experience I would say, it may even be better than a sunny day! Because there isn't as many people out there, it's cooler (the temp), and it's a nice view to see (the sky constantly changes from cloudy, to foggy and then it would rain and repeat). + IT LOOKED LIKE I VISITED THE FOG OF LOST SOULS ( if you got that reference, GO YOU :) )

·    2. Visiting Costco LOL. I was surprised to hear that Kaohsiung had one, so I had to visit. It's basically the same as the one at home, many food samples and lots of bulk items. The only thing that was different may be the options offered at the food cafeteria. (They had churros, mushroom soup and mango shaved ice!!!) Don't worry hot dog fans, they still have that combo in Taiwan too! 

3. Visiting Dream Mall. Was it a dream? no not really.. it just made me really miss and appreciate Square One though.

4. Visiting Kaohsiung's new Public Library. That was a DREAM. It had a sterilizing book machine,  AC,  super nice decor and a patio. I could study all day there. 

5. Visiting the doctors was the most memorable part of my week. Simply because I was so shocked to see how much my previous host family cared for me. Honestly, I really didn't think that I had life threatening bites but they sure thought it was. It may have swelled and looked pretty darn gross but maybe I just didn't know better. In the end, after pills and ointment it got better. 

5. Visiting Chi Mei Museum. I learned lots through the english audio tour my host family kindly got me, definitely one of the fanciest museums I have ever visited. 

Wonders of the Week:

*This week my host family solidified the idea that Taiwan builds vertically and not horizontally. Her house was 5 floors! Climbing to my room everyday was a workout ( I never had since summer started LOL). 

*I think I know why Taiwan people have such nice skin now, my hypothesis is because of the fruits. They're so sweet and full of natural sugar! This week I was so well fed with fruits (had it for breakfast and after dinner) that I think my skin got more supple? or maybe fatter LMAO. My host family is amazing, she prepares at least 3 different fruits in the morning (all cut and ready to be eaten). 

If you're still with me on this journey, there's about 16 more days to go and I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am LOL 

Thanks for reading,

Becca 

AIESEC TAIWAN // The Third Week

HOLA! 

Another week, another vlog. Here is my 3rd week in a glance :)

Truthfully, I know that this isn't one of my best edits so if you watched it and was disappointed.. I am sorry :)) But, I tried.  This week was surprisingly not what I expected (in a good way). Going into the week, I remember being really nervous to move to my next host family's home because their english was so-so. I have been use to speaking decent english with the previous 2 teachers/ host families, that it made me think that I will spend a whole week not speaking. Turns out, I got a lot of opportunity to. I was lucky to meet other relatives that could speak decent enough english + the kids were willing to at least learn / go out of their comfort zone to try to speak (by the end of the week, they got the basic english phrases that I always ask such as are you tried? do you like -blah-? are you full? are you hungry? :) ) & if they really didn't understand then Google Translate was right at their finger tips.  

(THE FAM)

Highlights of the Week:

1. Going to Din Tai Fung to try out those steamed buns and dumplings. It was pretty good, just not worth dying for :B The spicy one..possibly. 

2. Visiting a salon to get my hair washed and braided. It's super cheap to get it washed + you get a head massage + a shoulder massage. IT was awesome. The best part of visiting that salon, was bumping into a student there haha.

3. Going bowling, reminded me of how weak I am and how bad I am at bowling LOL

4. Going shopping with the daughter of the host family and cousin ( Han Shin Mall and Xin Jue Jiang). Shopping with just the girls is more fun than with the whole family because then I don't feel bad for taking a little longer than usual. Merp. 

5. Visiting Fo Guang Shan temple. My host family wondered why I would even want to visit the temple because it seems pretty boring to go there. But, I really wanted to see how big it was and since I was already in Taiwan then why not.  

6. Attempting Taiwan's MRT system. Indeed, it was pretty easy to use and navigate. You don't have to worry too much about getting lost because the announcer speaks Mandarin, English and Japanese. As long as you know where you are going, you would just have to listen for it or look for it on the map. I find their ticket buying system to be very environmentally friendly, besides using a pre-loaded card you could also just buy a token. With this token, you just have to wave it over the scanner thing which will open the gates to lead you to the subway. Once you get to your destination you insert your token to open the gates again so that you can exit the subway system. No paper or ticket was printed. I am also amazed that people can get signal down there for their cellphones.

Wonders of the Week:

* I am constantly amazed at Taiwan people and their skin. Most of them have such flawless skin it's unbelievable. I always ask what their skincare routine is, and they all tell me that they just wash it with a facial cleanser and that's it. No moisturizer, no toner, nothing. I then proceed to just stand there thinking honestly what is your secret? because I really need to find this super awesome cleanser  that does magic to your face. 

* If you are thinking of going to anywhere hot and moist definitely pack bug spray! Where it is hot and moist, there must be a lot of bugs too. My bug bites counter is still going on strong at 15. 

* It is finally raining season, which is good for me because more rain = "cooler" weather and more water = less chance of having a drought during my stay in Taiwan. 

* In Taiwan, most places that you visit (like the grocery store, mall and even restaurants) with a car, you would have to pay for parking. Unless, you went to a place where there is parking on the side of the road of course. I was a little surprised when I finally figured that out because in Canada, most parking is free.

* Taiwan fashion is soooOooooOoo admirable. However, the sizes available is not.

Going into my fourth week, with only 3 more weeks left I think it will fly right by.
Until Next Time,
Becca