When I wrote my application to come to Taiwan, I said that I was coming to study tea. My proposal was primarily to conduct scientific study of environmental impacts of tea farming. However, the logistics of conducting a meaningful study of anything related to environmental science appear to be quickly withering away my time in …
Drinking hot water For years I have carried around a hot water thermos, usually filled with tea but sometimes water. Sometimes the water is hot, sometimes it is cold. It ranks just below my phone and my wallet for my essentials when leaving the house. In reality, these habits are fairly strange for an American. …
I have been particularly keen on food in Taiwan. Well that’s not a particularly new mental state for me, nor is it a surprising focus to have as either a visitor or a resident of this island. But along with the usual considerations of what food to eat, what food tastes good, and how to …
This is more writing related to research that I’m working on – I think I might also be including more posts like this here. I’ll tag them appropriately so if you’re interested in other aspects of my life instead, you can skip them. Originally, my goal going into this section of research was simply to …
It didn’t take long after my arrival in Taipei for me to realize that an umbrella is an essential part of everyday life. In the summer, they are great for helping cut down on overheating while walking in the sun. Sure – they also prevent developing an unfashionable tan, which can be touted as a …
Happy late Thanksgiving! Last week my family came to visit me in Taiwan, which was truly awesome. We all took a vacation to some places around the island, ate foods of total deliciousness, and generally had a good time. Also, upon reflection, I’ve now reached the point of more-time-abroad-than-ever before in my life. I don’t …
I apologize for the dearth of posts in the past few weeks. It has not been a lack of things to write about. I’ve been busy, but mostly I had no desire to sit at my computer any longer than I already am when I am working. This post is all about what I mean when …
Of the challenges presented by traveling abroad, I’ve found that classic question of identity is still every bit a relevant and interesting. For example, the little cultural things I didn’t realize that I took for granted but are part of the way that I act: are these habits and viewpoints what make me who I …
This post is more than a week late for its topic, but it is too interesting to not write some about. Last week was October 10. In Taiwan, this is the National Day holiday 國慶日, commemorating the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC) which now governs Taiwan. For short, it’s often referred to as …
This is a gratuitous post about things that I have been eating.