GONE DADDY GONE

I just received the email that he made it home safe and sound. Here I sit, reflecting on the visit where two of my worlds collided. We both made an effort to avoid the known problem areas, and make this visit good, and for the most part it was!! Dad really put his heart into it. He tried any food, went anywhere. He had one of my Chinese books with him, and if he wanted something he just pointed in his book. He had friends in the park by the time he left.

Halloween was a great night out!! I had people over here before we went out, so dad could have a few drinks with us. At about midnight we headed to the club. It is the biggest night of the year here. It is the night when people that don't normally go out, party hard!! It was a great night, I danced my ass off, and crawled into the house about 6:30 am, snuck upstairs just as I heard dad start to rise. I felt like I was in highschool again! Goodtimes!!!

Last week I took a few days off work and Pops and I toured the island. Some highlights and memorable moments:

Boarding the already packed train from the back, and beelining for two empty seats. I set my pack in the one seat and was making my way to the chair as this middle aged biotch slid in, and looked everywhere but at me! I was raging!!! What I should have done was pick up my pack and sit beside her, but I was too pissed to think. I called her a C*nt Face B*tch to her face, and stormed to the back to stand with my dad. Big pet peeve in this country...And sort of transportation. Survival of the fittest! Lots of pushing and eye contact avoidance. AARRGGHH!!
We stopped in a small town south of here to see the alleged 'largest seated Buddha'. He is big, and he is pretty hot!! Dad was snapping pictures like crazy and then slyly said to me "Do you know what we should do?" Being of the same genes, and childish sense of humour, I knew instantly "take pictures picking his nose" So we stood infront angled the camera just right, and picked Buddha's nose. At least we don't have to worry about going to hell!! Our biggest concern is that we may come back as a booger!! So mature, so much fun! Father daughter bonding moments!

We made our way to the East of Taiwan. It is beautiful!! Met up with D and L. D ran in the half marathon in the big gorge!! YAY DAVEY!! He did really well, so proud!! Dad bought a new wallet at the airport on our homeward leg. The four of us were sitting around the departures lounge and dad transfered his shit into his new wallet. We decided to see what would happen if we just set he empty old wallet down on a seat. Not a minute later, this Taiwanese guy circles around it like he has seen a suitcase strewn with wires, ticking like a cheap alarm clock. Without breaking a 10 foot radius, the guy goes and gets the security guard. The security guard picks it up with the tips of two fingers and peers in to see if there is anything in it. He then makes a grandiose show of carrying it across the lounge with arm outstretched as if someone had dropped a steaming log in it. We were trying so hard to keep a straight face, as tears streamed down my face!!

Yeah, overall...Great visit. It has left me a bit sad, and homesick for a home that I don't really have. But also, proud of the life that I have made for myself here. I got to show off my Chinese, and my students. He got to meet my friends, and see that I have a bit of a home away from home going on here. It is good to know that when I do finally leave this place, there are people close to me that have experienced this with me. Make it seem less like the strange dream that it will inevitably feel like.