Christmas

So it's Christmas time in Taiwan. Not a real popular holiday, though the music and occasional decorations reminds one of the otherwise festive nature. Simply because Christmas is so popular the world over allows it to even blip on the radar here in Taipei,the only truly international city in Taiwan. We have a gift exchange at work, ahh, first I should give you a snapshot of the "office". The office, or simply "Kojen" as we like to call it, consists of roughly 20 Taiwanese girls ranging from 19 to 30 in age. There are two Taiwanese guys, our AD Mike (a rough, cold, indigintally repugnant man in his late thirties) and nine Westerners. Two Aussies, a Canadian, an Aussie/Taiwanese mix, and the other five Americans. About ten of the girls are talkative and responsive, the rest are too limited/shy with English, or for some unknown reason dislike us. Regardless, one of the girls sets up and organizes a gift exchange, a very easy, efficient process. She plans a month ahead, has all the rules, what-if's, and possible queries and answers in line. As one could guess most Westerners would end up with a Taiwanese girl, as I did. Long story short, bought a scarf and hat for her, since they can't handle the "cold." Exchange/party is Saturday. Sunday were making a proper brunch in honor of Christmas. Going to buy multiple ducks, potatoes, bread, fruit, cheese, a regular schmorgusborg. Getting colder now, especially when upon a bike at night. Temp's consistently reading mid-teens, low fifties for the centrigrate challenged. Chinese is going well now, making it a regular habit, able to actually comprehend what some people say sometimes, a major contemporary hurdle. Want to make a note that my alumuni, Appalachian State University, have won a 2nd straight NCAA I-AA, though now it is called D-I, National Championship. Last year was the first Championship for the school and the State of North Carolina in football, and of which I am proud to say I was privy. My friend, and college roomate Matthew is making an apperance in Taipei for a few days after he returns from his trip to India. Should make for good times. Also an Alaskan friend and fellow App alumnus, Jamie, has made plans to visit for two weeks in April, hoping to check out China or Japan during that time. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Oh, in case you were wondering, we do have a day off for both Monday's, though they label it here as Chinese Consitution Day and Labor Day, so as not to arouse suspicion amongst hard-working parents.