Living a life lost in translation

So I took my first real scooter trip with some new friends I have made at the Language School. It was so amazing! Jeremy was right, it's easier to appreciate how far away you are from home if you see things you wouldn't see there. I saw the most gorgeous waterfall, drove on winding roads through the mountains, and spent time around a campfire at the top of a mountain in Taoyuan.

Driving a scooter through the mountains is really quite surreal. It's a trip with friends, so on the many stops along the way, I was able to talk, relate, and express my awe with people I like. At the same time when you're on your scooter with a helmet on and people going at various speeds, it's a solitary experience. There were so many times when I looked around me and thought, "There is no way that Illinois and Taiwan can exist in the same world." It was like I was exploring some distant planet.

The waterfall was probably my favorite part. I'm not sure I remember ever seeing a waterfall so up close! It was amazing. Looking at trees that have never been touched by human hands, and realizing there were probably trees beyond that no one has ever even seen... I was truly in awe. No better words to describe it.

I'm so happy that Marianne invited me, and that I met someone so kind.

On a random sidenote... I have to mention that just ten minutes ago I saw a Chinese man dressed as Jesus dragging a huge cross through the rain on a busy road. Haha.