First entry after one week
We have been here for a little over a week. This first entry will probably be long, just random writing as I think about the past week.
It's hot and HUMID! Ashley has decided she doesn't like the sun and doesn't like walking during the day. We've tried going to a few parks with playgrounds and it's just so hot for the kids, we can only stay a few minutes before we're all drenched in sweat and the girls are pink from heat.
The girls are getting a lot of attention from everyone. It's rather enjoyable now, but I'm sure it will get old. It's weird to think that no matter how long we are here, we will always be foreigners and the girls will also get stared at. Even teenage boys like to play with Liz and try to get her to laugh. We had lunch today at Swensons (yes, American food) and the female and male wait staff were trying to get Liz to let them hold her - the male won, she went to him and he seemed very good with her.
People are very friendly here and like to help. Doors get opened for us (especially for me when I have the girls alone), people help us on the street to carry the stroller or go up/down the stairs.
We haven't had many issues with the language barrier, only when attempting to get a cell phone. It seems because we are foreigners, we don't get a good deal on a cell phone and service. They suggested we find a Taiwanese friend to purchase a phone for us so we can get the cheaper rate. I am hoping someone from Anthony's work can help us out on that one. I would feel a little safer having a cell phone with me while I travel around the city with the girls.
We take Taxis and walk everywhere. Taxis are interesting, most don't have usable seatbelts - very frustrating. And they drive like crazy. Most of the time, they don't speak English, but most of them seem to like kids and try to make Ashley and Elizabeth laugh and smile.
I've taken the girls to the Science Museum here and it was interesting. I'm sure Ashley will like it more as she gets older. It only cost $100 NT (about 3 us dollars) to get in and it's three stories of Science stuff - body, electricity, physics, etc. On the day we went, there were huge school groups there. Ashley had fun running around with all the kids, I think she misses daycare and playing with other kids. She's gotten good at saying "NiHau" (hi) to other kids and sometimes they respond and sometimes they just stare.
We've looked at a few apartments, found two we like. One in downtown and one near Neihu right across the street from the National Palace Museum - literally, right across the street. We have to see if we can talk the landlords down in rent before accepting and also see if any other may be available in the same buildings for less rent. The process of finding an apartment has not been easy and I think we may have upset the main guy we are supposed to be working with, but we are now working with two different local rental agents and things seem to be going better. We've seen some gorgeous places and some interesting places - some sleazy - pink toilets with black furniture everywhere - interesting! Hopefully we'll decide on a place this week as I'm getting tired of the hotel life.
The hotel is great and people know who we are now - it's nice having maid service everyday, but not having a kitchen is getting old - trying to find things for the girls to eat at all the food courts here - there are food courts in the basement of malls here, and we have Taipei 101 mall, New York New York mall, Warner Brother Village mall and Mitsukoshi Mall all within walking distance, so lots of places to eat. Buying items at the malls is expensive, clothes, jewelry, etc. They carry all designer brands and Taipei 101 has Dulce & Gabanna, Cartier, Tiffany's, Espirit, Louis Vetton, etc...we haven't figured out how people here afford to dress!
Anthony and I did go see a movie last night - we had a babysitter from the hotel watch the girls and we went out for dinner (had some REALLY awful steak) and saw "I, Robot" subtitled in Chinese. When you buy tickets here for movies, you are assigned a seat, so you know that you'll always have seats together and no standing in line to get into the theatre, which we found out after we stood at the entrance of the theatre to get in and wondered why no one was standing there since it was the opening weekend of the movie. It was good to get out without the girls and escape while watching a nonreality movie.
Until next time!
It's hot and HUMID! Ashley has decided she doesn't like the sun and doesn't like walking during the day. We've tried going to a few parks with playgrounds and it's just so hot for the kids, we can only stay a few minutes before we're all drenched in sweat and the girls are pink from heat.
The girls are getting a lot of attention from everyone. It's rather enjoyable now, but I'm sure it will get old. It's weird to think that no matter how long we are here, we will always be foreigners and the girls will also get stared at. Even teenage boys like to play with Liz and try to get her to laugh. We had lunch today at Swensons (yes, American food) and the female and male wait staff were trying to get Liz to let them hold her - the male won, she went to him and he seemed very good with her.
People are very friendly here and like to help. Doors get opened for us (especially for me when I have the girls alone), people help us on the street to carry the stroller or go up/down the stairs.
We haven't had many issues with the language barrier, only when attempting to get a cell phone. It seems because we are foreigners, we don't get a good deal on a cell phone and service. They suggested we find a Taiwanese friend to purchase a phone for us so we can get the cheaper rate. I am hoping someone from Anthony's work can help us out on that one. I would feel a little safer having a cell phone with me while I travel around the city with the girls.
We take Taxis and walk everywhere. Taxis are interesting, most don't have usable seatbelts - very frustrating. And they drive like crazy. Most of the time, they don't speak English, but most of them seem to like kids and try to make Ashley and Elizabeth laugh and smile.
I've taken the girls to the Science Museum here and it was interesting. I'm sure Ashley will like it more as she gets older. It only cost $100 NT (about 3 us dollars) to get in and it's three stories of Science stuff - body, electricity, physics, etc. On the day we went, there were huge school groups there. Ashley had fun running around with all the kids, I think she misses daycare and playing with other kids. She's gotten good at saying "NiHau" (hi) to other kids and sometimes they respond and sometimes they just stare.
We've looked at a few apartments, found two we like. One in downtown and one near Neihu right across the street from the National Palace Museum - literally, right across the street. We have to see if we can talk the landlords down in rent before accepting and also see if any other may be available in the same buildings for less rent. The process of finding an apartment has not been easy and I think we may have upset the main guy we are supposed to be working with, but we are now working with two different local rental agents and things seem to be going better. We've seen some gorgeous places and some interesting places - some sleazy - pink toilets with black furniture everywhere - interesting! Hopefully we'll decide on a place this week as I'm getting tired of the hotel life.
The hotel is great and people know who we are now - it's nice having maid service everyday, but not having a kitchen is getting old - trying to find things for the girls to eat at all the food courts here - there are food courts in the basement of malls here, and we have Taipei 101 mall, New York New York mall, Warner Brother Village mall and Mitsukoshi Mall all within walking distance, so lots of places to eat. Buying items at the malls is expensive, clothes, jewelry, etc. They carry all designer brands and Taipei 101 has Dulce & Gabanna, Cartier, Tiffany's, Espirit, Louis Vetton, etc...we haven't figured out how people here afford to dress!
Anthony and I did go see a movie last night - we had a babysitter from the hotel watch the girls and we went out for dinner (had some REALLY awful steak) and saw "I, Robot" subtitled in Chinese. When you buy tickets here for movies, you are assigned a seat, so you know that you'll always have seats together and no standing in line to get into the theatre, which we found out after we stood at the entrance of the theatre to get in and wondered why no one was standing there since it was the opening weekend of the movie. It was good to get out without the girls and escape while watching a nonreality movie.
Until next time!
posted by The Armstrongs at
8/01/2004
