Finally, Someone Comes to Visit Me!!!

Hi y'all!  I apologize for my LONG absence from the blogging world, which seems particularly inexcusable given all the excitement of the past three weeks!  Mostly I just want to share some pictures and stories from the FANTASTIC visit I had!  My sister and my friend Jenn came to visit Taiwan (and me!!!)  It was so nice to finally be able to share my life here with the people I care about (and they got to meet my adorable students).  Plus, it was interesting to hear their insights about Taiwan.  I've lived here quite awhile now, and I think in some ways I don't realize how different things here can be from life in America, or how challenging the language barrier can be.  This is my reality now, so I'm used to it!
Here are some pictures of our time together!
We spent some time in Taipei:

At the National Palace Museum with their first bubble teas!

The 101 building view is surprisingly awesome at night!!!

I am very confused why Taipei 101 thinks I need a sign...

We also did some fun things in Taichung!:

Getting drinks at Hotel ONE

My sister attempting to eat with chopsticks, which was probably the most amusing part of her visit...

A temple in Taichung I previously had no idea existed…y'all, I really don't know my own city!

And then we were off to beautiful Hualien to see Taroko Gorge and other beautiful sights!

Taiwan is really pretty...

We're so excited because it's finally not raining!

Safety first !  Yay for blue helmets!

My sister would prefer not to die in a rock slide

Also, I get really excited about stairs...

Again, really pretty!

I am soooo much happier on this trip to Taroko because I haven't run 21 km that morning!

Also, we got flower pot ice cream.  Very important!

Come back please???!!! I miss you!!!

Observations from Jenn and Jennifer:

• Taiwanese people are really nice and genuinely helpful
• Shopping is an olympic sport 
• Chicken nuggets for breakfast are great
• My students are adorable
• Chopsticks are hard (mostly for my sister)
• People stare at them a lot (2 redheads and a blonde, so I guess we deserved that)
• Taiwanese food is delicious
• My Chinese could use some work (so I don't describe things on menu as "some meat" or "something chicken"
• People here really like warm beverages

Also, here are some things that happened in the 2 weeks since Jennifer and Jenn left:

• I got the stomach flu (now 2 years in a row…)
• I got to go swimming with my adorable students
• We celebrated Victoria Day by making crowns
• I realized that in less than 2 months I will be back in America (and actually, in 2 months Monday I will be moving to NYC!) 
• We had a music and food festival where I found poutine!
• My friend Grace had a bachelorette party and we pushed cake into her face and made her do all sorts of other embarrassing things.

Grace, with cake, wig, toilet paper veil, and lot of embarrassment!

I found poutine!!! Best Day Ever!

That's all for now!  Check back in two weeks for highlights from Dragon Boat Festival festivities, my trip to South Korea, and my last half marathon before the summer!!!