This is a post that really has no category or title–other than things and people I really will miss who helped define my life in Taiwan, and who haven’t gotten fair attention on this site.

Chia-ling.  aka. ‘Noodle Lady’.  Chia-ling owned the noodle shop directly below our apartment and was a favorite among us…for both her food and her personality.  She speaks excellent English which she claims to have learned from watching TV. She also says she learned to cook from TV–guess that goes to show what TV CAN do if applied correctly!  Chia-ling was one of the most helpful and supportive people we met in Kaohsiung–always ready to help, always ready to have fun and hang out, and the cook behind the infamous ‘Dani Special’.  Ask for it.  Its pretty darn tasty.

OMPIE!! My very reliable and very pink and slightly broken scooter!  The reason why I need to own a scooter in the near future, the cause of so much joy (and the indirect cause of a burn on my leg).  If you ever get the chance, you have to drive a scooter.  It was one of the best things I ever did…no regrets at all!  She’s now in the capable hands of my friend Gered, who will be flaunting her awesomeness all over the east coast.  (tear…wish it were me).

The ginormous lap of Ronald McD.  Seriously…every burger went straight to this guy’s hips.  But I will miss seeing his lap occupied by young ladies, grown men, and the occasional small child.  

Cisian Elementary School.  My home away from home.  The first and last school I will ever work at.  And home to some of the best students in Kaohsiung…and possibly a lot of other places too.

And last, but not least, the Hello Kittiness of it all.  This little kitty made her appearance everywhere! from burgers to bags!  There were Hello Kitty car lights and scooters, shirts, shoes, keychains, pants, masks, jewelry, headbands, printers, pretty much anything you could dream of!  This particular room is one of two Hello Kitty themed places in the Taipei International Airport.  Here we have the Hello Kitty nursery.  They other would be the Hello Kitty gate with flights mostly to Hong Kong.  LOVE IT.

Alas…goodbye Taiwan.  It was nice to meet you.  I had a great time, did a lot of cool things, and met a bunch of great people.  I wish you all the luck.  Perhaps we will meet again someday.

Love,

Dani