Wake me up when August ends....
It is just another 17 days to go, and somehow, the usually calm and composed me cannot contain my excitement. It is less than 3 weeks now, and it was barely 4 days ago that I have made the 'abrupt' decision that I shall take time off to travel next month. Somehow I feel like the decision was made more than 4 months ago instead and I have been waiting for ages since.
Taipei's accommodation is settled. Staying in a very nice hostel, and only USD 35 per night. Really cheap, and the place is also conveniently located. Next step would be to plan my trip. Although I have already been to Taipei several times, it has been a while since I last went to Taiwan, so I guess there will be lots of changes. And furthermore I am only familiar with Kaohsiung, not so of Taipei, so I still have to figure my way around a little when I arrive.
I am not sure if I should meet my relatives. I should meet them, and I want to meet them too. But it is subjected to what my mum thinks about me meeting them individually. It has always been a complicating issue of 'needing face' and 'having face' with my Taiwan's family, so there are lots of things my mum has said to them that are not really true, and I am perhaps not aware of.... E.g. I may be some managing director/CEO in a company now, and travelling to Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and anywhere else for some business trip clinching some million dollar deals with big conglomerates... when in truth I am only a small potato in a company, and travelled to Korea, and anywhere else only to play and study. From young I have been exposed to this - I always come first in class, when in actual fact I am always fall just short of the top 20 all the time; my teachers always sing praises for me, when in actual fact I am never in my teachers' favourite books; I always did extremely well for piano exams, and skipped a few grades as a result, but in actual fact, I did skip twice but not with exceptional grades or anything..... To my Taiwanese relatives, I am a good girl and possibly a genius. In their eyes, my dad is also a very diligent and capable man, powerful in his work, who probably brings home at least 20K a month. My mum is a businesswoman, living a damn comfortable life with no worries at all. In actual fact, I am not so much of a good kid and my IQ is probably less than 100, thus I am quite stupid. It would be 'hallelujah' if I didn't flunk any exams. My dad only earns enough for our family to live comfortably, but not extravagantly. My mum is not living comfortably, and worries so much for me and dad all the time, and only had a brief stint doing business. We are just one ordinary family with ordinary capabilities. There is seriously nothing to brag about. Nothing at all.
When I was young, my mum always sat me and my dad down for a lecture and rehearsal before getting on the plane to Taiwan. It is just so that we know what she has said to them and we need to follow suit. I have always hated this because of my bad memory, and I do not like like to lie. Thus I am usually quite quiet when I am with the elders for fear I may blurt out something wrong. When I get a chance I will always slip off the dinner table and play with my cousins, who were all younger than me, so they wouldn't be asking me questions that I would end up potentially betray my mother. I love my cousins though because we played with each other so well. And I really really miss them although I don't think I am able to meet them this time.
I understand about the 'face' issue though I do not agree with it. Especially so when I am consistently being compared to my older cousin, who excelled in her studies. She went to one of the most prestigious schools in Taiwan. She was always first in class and scored straight As... It would be odd if she came second in class! I honestly do not care if I was never an A student. Are grades really that important? I am living pretty comfortably and happily now... I am earning enough for me to even afford travelling twice a year, get by life pretty OK, and still pay my rent on time. My life is about as good as my cousin who currently resides in New York. Is anyone able tell I was a a C student before based on my current status?
Unless my mom decides to come along with me to Taiwan (which I doubt she would), I don't think I am able to meet anyone. I have told her I am happy to meet anyone as long as she thinks it is OK. And if she is OK I will have to sit down with her for a long lecture again... I wonder which rung of the ladder am I at now? CEO? Regional director? Boss??
I may only have time for Taipei, but I have an aunt in Taipei whom I hope to meet. I hope I can possibly travel down to Kaohsiung for a couple of days, though it may be kinda rushed. I shall see how things go! At the moment, assuming I am not meeting anyone, I have loads to do in Taipei. Food and shopping are the best there! Lots for me to catch up on in Taiwan.... It has been a long while!
I will not start packing just as yet because if I start taking out my luggage and throw things in I will be itching to fly all the more. Anyway I would be travelling light this time. Probably bringing only two tops and a pair of shorts, and I would buy the rest in SG/TW. I don't want to be struggling with my luggage everytime I return to Melbourne not able to fit everything into my luggage, and having to send some things by post back before I exceed the baggage limit.
Still 5 more days remaining before August is over. I just wish I can sleep through this period of time and wake up when it is almost time to depart!
Taipei's accommodation is settled. Staying in a very nice hostel, and only USD 35 per night. Really cheap, and the place is also conveniently located. Next step would be to plan my trip. Although I have already been to Taipei several times, it has been a while since I last went to Taiwan, so I guess there will be lots of changes. And furthermore I am only familiar with Kaohsiung, not so of Taipei, so I still have to figure my way around a little when I arrive.
I am not sure if I should meet my relatives. I should meet them, and I want to meet them too. But it is subjected to what my mum thinks about me meeting them individually. It has always been a complicating issue of 'needing face' and 'having face' with my Taiwan's family, so there are lots of things my mum has said to them that are not really true, and I am perhaps not aware of.... E.g. I may be some managing director/CEO in a company now, and travelling to Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and anywhere else for some business trip clinching some million dollar deals with big conglomerates... when in truth I am only a small potato in a company, and travelled to Korea, and anywhere else only to play and study. From young I have been exposed to this - I always come first in class, when in actual fact I am always fall just short of the top 20 all the time; my teachers always sing praises for me, when in actual fact I am never in my teachers' favourite books; I always did extremely well for piano exams, and skipped a few grades as a result, but in actual fact, I did skip twice but not with exceptional grades or anything..... To my Taiwanese relatives, I am a good girl and possibly a genius. In their eyes, my dad is also a very diligent and capable man, powerful in his work, who probably brings home at least 20K a month. My mum is a businesswoman, living a damn comfortable life with no worries at all. In actual fact, I am not so much of a good kid and my IQ is probably less than 100, thus I am quite stupid. It would be 'hallelujah' if I didn't flunk any exams. My dad only earns enough for our family to live comfortably, but not extravagantly. My mum is not living comfortably, and worries so much for me and dad all the time, and only had a brief stint doing business. We are just one ordinary family with ordinary capabilities. There is seriously nothing to brag about. Nothing at all.
When I was young, my mum always sat me and my dad down for a lecture and rehearsal before getting on the plane to Taiwan. It is just so that we know what she has said to them and we need to follow suit. I have always hated this because of my bad memory, and I do not like like to lie. Thus I am usually quite quiet when I am with the elders for fear I may blurt out something wrong. When I get a chance I will always slip off the dinner table and play with my cousins, who were all younger than me, so they wouldn't be asking me questions that I would end up potentially betray my mother. I love my cousins though because we played with each other so well. And I really really miss them although I don't think I am able to meet them this time.
I understand about the 'face' issue though I do not agree with it. Especially so when I am consistently being compared to my older cousin, who excelled in her studies. She went to one of the most prestigious schools in Taiwan. She was always first in class and scored straight As... It would be odd if she came second in class! I honestly do not care if I was never an A student. Are grades really that important? I am living pretty comfortably and happily now... I am earning enough for me to even afford travelling twice a year, get by life pretty OK, and still pay my rent on time. My life is about as good as my cousin who currently resides in New York. Is anyone able tell I was a a C student before based on my current status?
Unless my mom decides to come along with me to Taiwan (which I doubt she would), I don't think I am able to meet anyone. I have told her I am happy to meet anyone as long as she thinks it is OK. And if she is OK I will have to sit down with her for a long lecture again... I wonder which rung of the ladder am I at now? CEO? Regional director? Boss??
I may only have time for Taipei, but I have an aunt in Taipei whom I hope to meet. I hope I can possibly travel down to Kaohsiung for a couple of days, though it may be kinda rushed. I shall see how things go! At the moment, assuming I am not meeting anyone, I have loads to do in Taipei. Food and shopping are the best there! Lots for me to catch up on in Taiwan.... It has been a long while!
I will not start packing just as yet because if I start taking out my luggage and throw things in I will be itching to fly all the more. Anyway I would be travelling light this time. Probably bringing only two tops and a pair of shorts, and I would buy the rest in SG/TW. I don't want to be struggling with my luggage everytime I return to Melbourne not able to fit everything into my luggage, and having to send some things by post back before I exceed the baggage limit.
Still 5 more days remaining before August is over. I just wish I can sleep through this period of time and wake up when it is almost time to depart!
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