Brewery 346

Now that I've been here in Taiwan for over a month the excitement of small everyday happenings (eating milky soup, watching stray dogs run around, peeing in holes) is all starting to die down. I have become quite accustomed to life here and am enjoying it very much. So much in fact that I am considering staying for an extra month (until July 30th) to continue my adventures. I haven't quite made up my mind yet, but my parents have given me the A-O.K., and both summer programs (Continued Mandarin studies and Taiwanese Culture studies) spark my interest, so there is a very good chance I will stay. This would also give me more time to visit all the places that are not yet in my travel plans like Vietnam and the Philippines for example. How lucky am I to actually have choices like this on my mind?

Now, since I last posted life here has been pretty relaxed, filled with less travel and - get this - more study! Yes, most of the exchange group left on Saturday morning for Sun Moon lake, but I had to stay behind for Confucianism and Leadership class on Sunday, so I spent the weekend doing work. I was responsible for preparing a presentation for Sunday's class; I had to write a Marketing Report for a company I may want to do an internship at; and I had to study for a Mandarin test that I had on Monday. But don't worry, I made some time for fun.

Friday afternoon I finally decided to get my hair done. It was getting really ratty and the roots are looking pretty bad too. My Chinese friend brought me there and help me explain what I wanted, but they refused to do my highlights because they said that Caucasian hair is way too different from Chinese hair. Apparently the dye is different and it could come out looking not so good- I decided not to take the risk. Unfortunately I may just have to watch my ugly roots grow out for the next 4 months.

On Friday, lovely Tammy organized another great evening out. Her friend from Holland is here for a month or so to visit and do some travelling so she wanted to introduce us all to him. She took us to this great restaurant/bar called Brewery 346.


The girls just getting settled at the table. Can you tell I got a cut?



They served Thai style food and yummy Taiwanese beer.


Diego, Nicholas, and I.


"Cheers"


The big green kegs were a lot of fun. I was thinking this would have been a great place to celebrate St Patty's day with the exchangers.


The atmosphere was really great - completely different from anything else I've seen here in Taiwan. It was a big open room with big wooden tables lined up in rows on the floor with a big bar at the side and a massive cookhouse outside.


There was also a stage at the front where a band played different sets all night. It was pretty funny when the band first started playing. I was expecting them to sing all Chinese songs, but the first song the sang was "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder - and American band that I'm sure all of you have heard on the radio numerous times. It wasn't a bad rendition either. After that they sang songs from other familiar bands including Aerosmith and Four Non Blonds (this one reminded me of you dad).


We all sang along and had a great time.

It was definitely a good place for a party too. The majority of the people there were Asian males in their 30's and 40's out with their buddies and getting tanked - Not typical of the Taiwanese.


This man thought this man thought it would be funny to stack up all of his glass beer cups on the rickety table. Guess how that ended?




These guys looked like they had been here well before we arrived. The more intoxicated they got the more they interacted with us - dancing, snapping photos and serenading us. Too Funny.

I met two of Tammy's friends from the Netherland's later in the night. One of them was staying in Taiwan for a few years to do his Master's. The other had studied at NCCU a few years ago and was back for a few months to visit. He, like the rest of us, really grew to love it here and says it is one of the places in the world that he will always love coming back to.

We finished the night off watching a great concert at a nearby club.

Saturday, with most of the exchange students gone, Tammy took a small group of us to another all you can eat sushi place about 30 minutes from campus.




The food was amazing.


And the company too.


Hein (Tammy's friend from Holland) and I


Pim and I very focused on the task at hand.

All in all a very nice chill weekend. It was good preparation for this coming weekend when a big group of us will bus down to the Spring Scream music festival that takes place on the beaches of the southern most tip of Taiwan. Stay tuned!