My cross-country trip

Sounds impressive, right? Taiwan can be driven across in something like 7 hours though, so I suppose it's not saying much.

As you've noticed, (I know by your admonishments), I haven't written much lately. I'll start with my arrival at NTU - there are things I'd still like to say about my summer, but I should write a little about what I'm doing now.

Alright - time for a narrative.
It was a sunny Sunday morning when I meant to leave, three weeks ago now. I'd returned to Tainan from Jia Yi the previous evening, seen a few of the remaining teachers, and then stayed up late to say goodbye to the Canadians (they left at 3 AM, because, as godless Canadians, they have awful lives; I like them anyway, though).

That sunny Sunday morning I mentioned was nearly over by the time I got up. So I showered, went to eat, came back, and found that a big group was going to leave for lunch. I'd just eaten and needed to pack, so I figured they'd eat and come back soon enough, and I'd be done packing, and could say goodbye then.
I packed my stuff.
And I waited.

Something I might have mentioned before is that the students here seemed to like us. So, while I was waiting, there were two students just hanging out at the World Passport office - Emily and Vinnie, whom I'd never met before. There was nothing else to do, they were nice, and they seemed to like me, so we spent some time talking; they told me I could take the bus instead of the train, and that it was cheaper but just as fast. We checked it out online, and sure enough, the bus was a better deal. Also important: I brought enough stuff for a year, and I gained quite a bit more stuff while teaching - so I had two bags weighing about 50 lbs apiece - and that's very difficult to maneuver with, or even find a place for on the train. The bus has a place for luggage.

I kept waiting: around 3 or 3:30, most of the people who'd left came back. I have a volunteer at NTU who's supposed to show me around and help me out, and I'd emailed her saying I'd be getting in sometime Sunday afternoon - originally I'd planned on it being around 4 or 5, but, as time went on and my coworkers didn't return, I emailed her saying I'd be there around 7 or 8. Things would have been much easier with a phone, but I didn't have one at the time. I decided I'd say goodbye to the people who were there, and then leave, since I couldn't afford to wait any longer. So that's what I did.

The two girls I mentioned, Emily and Vinnie, offered to go with me to the train station. This was very kind, especially as the buses are kind of confusing (where they go is not clearly labeled most of the time, at least, not in English), and the station was a ways away. I also didn't know where it was. The one girl said she'd meet us there, and left on her bike. I wasn't sure why at the time. The other rode with me in the cab. When we were most of the way there, it occurred to me I didn't know how they were getting back. So I offered to pay their way back, but the one riding with me (Vinnie, I think - sorry, it's been several weeks, and we only met the one time) said the other (Emily) would give her a ride back on her bike. Here in Taiwan they've got these special gladiatorial-looking spikes sticking out from the back tires of their bikes that can be used as footrests for a second rider. I didn't think that sounded like a good option, but she refused to consider taking a cab back, and said the bike wouldn't fit anyway. There wasn't much I could do, so I let her do what she wanted.

We arrived at the bus station about 4:00 - right as the bus for Taipei pulled away. I thought there'd be another right away, but, like usual, I was wrong. We went up to the counter, the girls negotiated the purchase of a ticket, and they told me the next bus wouldn't be until 4:30 or so. I thought I'd wait that long - the bus was $300 NT cheaper than the train (like $10...I know, it doesn't sound like that much).

As we were waiting, an announcement was made - the bus would actually be later than scheduled. I considered for a few minutes whether I should just get a refund and ride the train (the train station is right by the bus station), but, while I was thinking, another bus pulled up - bound for Taipei! I really can't commend these girls enough for their kindness - they were willing to sit with me the entire time, until I got on the bus, even if it was late. However, I am certain they would rather not have sat around in the heat (like most things in Taiwan, the waiting area for the buses is outside), and they knew I'd like to get to Taipei at a reasonable time. Once everyone was on the bus, they asked if I could maybe ride that one instead - I think it was a nicer bus than what I paid for. There was a seat left, so the driver let me on. I really appreciate that - and I really want to thank Emily and Vinnie for all their help, though I don't know if they'll ever read this.

So I rode the bus.

It seems like there shouldn't be much to write about, and there isn't - except that I forgot something obvious.
Buses drive on roads.
On Sunday evenings, everyone drives back into the cities from whatever nicer places they've gone.
And that means gridlock.

I noticed we were not making very good time, and I was nervous - I hoped my volunteer was not waiting for me. I hadn't told her any time or place to meet at, but.... Anyway, I did have her phone number, but no phone, and no phone card. When we did make a rest stop (twice? Three times?) there was no announcement on how long we'd be there, and I doubt I'd have had enough time to buy a card and call - the buses here do not wait. So I was a little nervous. (Side note: the bus did have a bathroom, which was downstairs with the luggage - it was only about four feet high, though, and it had a squat toilet. If you are thinking, "you're a guy! What would you care?", then I will tell you why it matters. It matters because squat toilets do not have high sides - there is liquid sloshing around in them, contained by at best a 4 inch high barrier, and if there is a sudden stop, I imagine you'd get a little wet, no matter where you were standing. Anyway, it's not comfortable).

I didn't get into Taipei until about 10:30 PM.
I thought I'd find a convenience store and a payphone, so I could call Rae (that's my volunteer's name), but as soon as I stepped off the bus I was hailed by a taxi driver. Keep in mind that it's late and I'm tired, and don't especially want to lug around two 50 lb bags looking for a place to buy a phone card, and especially not through crowds of people.
So I take the cab.

And discover that I've lost the business card listing who to call at the school (not that it'd really matter, since it was almost 11 on a Sunday evening by then), and I remember I don't really know where to go. So I tell the driver I want to go to 台大 ("Taida" - the quick way of saying 國立台灣大學 "guoli taiwan daxue"). He gets me there in about 10 minutes - it's not far. Since I don't know where to go, I try telling him to just drop me off at the front gate, but he doesn't understand, or he wants to drive me all the way, or something. So we drive around aimlessly, trying to figure out where I'm supposed to be. I have no idea, of course - earlier in the day, I'd tried to open up the documents and emails I had explaining where to go, who to contact, and in what order, but they just wouldn't work (thank you very much, Adobe Acrobat reader - you work just as well as one would expect from an acrobat made of adobe. Why would I want something like that in charge of reading anything, anyway?)

He finally becomes convinced he's found the right place, so I agree that it must be right, and I get out of the car. I get my stuff, pay him, and then slowly walk toward the entrance of the building, because I know for a fact it is not the right place. I hope he'll leave so I can walk to the front gate. I've already walked off a little distance, and I'm out of his sight. I turn around: of course, he's still there - oblivious to me, he's pissing on a tree. That's the first time I've seen anyone do that in Taiwan. So I linger for a minute, he leaves, and I go to the front gate.

And there is a payphone!
So I rush to use it - and find it only takes calling cards.

Instead, I walk to the guard shack to try to get some help. The guard does not speak English, and I speak only enough Chinese to confuse him. He pulls out a map, I point at where I want to go (I don't know where I am, only the location of the building I want to go to), and he understands. He circles our location, then the destination (unfortunately on opposite sides of the campus), and traces a path that is so indirect I wonder if there's some mystical Chinese bullshit to be learned from it.
There is not.

Keep in mind that though it's past 11 at this point, it's still something like 85 degrees, with almost 100% humidity, and that I'm lugging two fifty-pound bags across the entire campus; that's not mentioning my backpack, which is also full, and good not only at holding things, but retaining heat as well.

Across campus, 30(?) minutes later, and about 10 pounds lighter (water loss!) -

I find the dorm. It is locked. I am despondent, and decide to go find a hotel...though I hadn't seen any nearby. Suddenly, a girl shows up and lets me in. I'm glad for her help, but there's no one at the desk to check me in, and I don't know where my room is. So, after a little looking, I decide I'm going to go find a convenience store to call Rae, or a hotel, whichever comes first.

Something I should mention about this campus - it seems extradimensional. Somehow, the path you take never quite takes you where you'd expect. I ended up at an exit, though, and, out of desperation, I asked the guard if he knew where I could find a phone. He offered that I could use his. Very gratefully, I did.
Rae seemed surprised and confounded to hear from me so late - but she got things straightened out. She called the guy in charge of the dorm, told him I'd be by, and gave me his number.

So I thanked her, and the guard, then walked back to the dorm.

The guy in charge was there, lounging on the porch, which made me insanely angry - sure, he's there late, just trying to help me, but I've just spent the last 45 minutes literally dragging 100 pounds around, with almost no water, in fairly unpleasant weather, and my clothes are all soaked with sweat. To see someone relaxed, lounging around, just waiting for me - well, I wanted to crush him under my bags.

And then there was paperwork.


I finally got into my dorm about 12:15 or so, met my new roommate for the first time by waking him up, smelled the horrors of the room, saw the bed, and decided I really didn't care. I was tired.

So I slept.


And so went my first day at NTU.