Dr. Strangeland or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Taiwan

10.16.2003

Hey everybody,

Once again these pages have been empty and silent for far too long. I must apologize for there is a lot to tell.

First, I would like to say congratulations to my sister for her wedding. It was a great day. It was a small, but wonderful ceremony and reception with close friends and family.

I was MC at the reception and as a nervous wreck. People told me that I did a good job, so I guess I was able to pull it off and hide my nerves long enough to get through the night.

The whole day went off without a hitch, and I'm sure Cathy couldn't have wished for anything to have happened better.

So, congartulations to Cathy and Chris Niergarth. Have a wonderful, long and fruitful relationship together.


After Cathy's wedding it was back to Taiwan for my third tour of duty.

Louise flew back at the same time as me, but she had a much better experience than I did. She got to ride in cushy Business Class. I was stuck beside two people who didn't seem to have any concept about personal hygiene and personal space. I had an aisle seat and was in the section closer to the window.

The guy right beside me also never seemed to have been on a plane in his life. He didn't know about ringing the bell for the Air Mattress (sorry Flight Attendant). He just kept leaning into me and trying to get their attention. It became very annoying very quickly.

Then there was the idiot at the window who leaned into the absent minded moron beside me. Forcing him into my space. And the breath on this man could bring tears to an onion.

The flight, other than that, was pretty good. The movies weren't anything special as far as I can remember, but they kept me entertained for the flight.



The beginning of my time back in Taiwan was a balance between settling myself into a routine and trying to help Jackie find jobs. It was really strange. When I landed Adrian showed me around and I was totally lost confused and ready to run for it back to Canada.

Now, two years later I am the one showing someone around and it's weird to realize how much I have grown and experienced in the past two years. Makes me proud to be me.

September is a blur of fighting slight culture shock, struggling to find a good job for Jackie, and trying to fit classes into an already full schedule. So here is my schedule as it has come to be.

MONDAY: 9:00 - 3:35 Yu Dah (high school)
6:30 - 9:40 David's (Adult Class)

TUESDAY: 10:00 - 12:00 David's
2:00 - 3:30 David's
6:30 - 9:00 David's

WEDNESDAY: 8:00 - 3:35 Yu Dah
6:30 - 9:40 David's

THURSDAY: 10:00 - 12:00 David's
2:00 - 4:00 Language Exchange
6:30 - 9:00 David's

FRIDAY: 9:30 - 11:30 Music Teachers
1:30 - 3:00 David's
3:30 - 4:30 Music Students
6:30 - 9:40 David's

SATURDAY: 10:00 - 12:00 David's

So it is a fairly full week. Every morning afternoon and evening is full. But that way it keeps me from getting bored and spending all of my money.

Stay tuned for the misadventures you can have on prescription medicine. . .



- "So what happened to you at the end of September?"

- "I'm not too sure, but let me tell you it was a blast, I think? . . . "


I got a bit of a head cold at the end of the month and usually I don't go to the doctor here but it was getting a little bad so off to the ear nose throat doc I went.

I have been to this guy before and the last time was for my throat and he cleared it up in a day or two. So I thought what is the worst that could happen? So, I sit down in the chair and tell him that I have a stuffed nose. Before I can say "Schlameel Schalmazzle Hossenfeffer Incorporated" he's got these reverse tweezers up my schnozz and he's prying it open. He then says he wants to inspect my discharge and I'm suddenly wondering how those two places are located.

And boom he's got this "tube" stuck up my . . .
nose. He's sucking snot out and looking at it. That's when my respect for physicians rose a notch. Anyone who can do that without hesitation is worth all the medicare money I have spent in my life.

Then out comes the tube, and in goes some sort of hose and he sprays this "stuff" up my nose that makes me sneeze and my eyes water.

Doc walks to his computer and tells me that he will give me some meds and I should be good to go in a few days. But there was a catch. One of the pills will make me drowsy. He said that last time and so I didn't worry about it. I got my meds went home and then took my pills and headed to David's to teach that night.

Everything was going fine and I got home and then ************BAM****************** it was like I was on every drug under the sun. Well, not that bad, bad I was rocking back and forth while brushing my teeth and crawled into bed. That was Tuesday night.

Wednesday at Yu Dah was a blur. I played games all day because I couldn't string two coherent thoughts together. Then at David's it wasn't too bad. That night again though was rough. And the pills gave me the worst cotton mouth you could imagine. I felt like Jim Carrey in Me Myself & Irene.

But Thursday was awful. It was a bad come down after a week long party. Miller, remember my five day hangover? I was feeling about day three. I had class in the morning and then ate lunch and took a nap. After my nap I took a shower. I couldn't even stand in the shower. I was like a rape victim in a movie (crude allusion but it's all I have ever seen where a person sits helpless in the bottom a bathtub with water running on them). Just sitting there almost unable to gather the energy to wash my self. That's when I decided no more meds. My cold was gone and I felt worse on the medication than I did with the cold.

So that's how I think I spent the end of September. I called my parents in that time and then forgot that I'd called my parents.

Hey everybody,

Once again these pages have been empty and silent for far too long. I must apologize for there is a lot to tell.

First, I would like to say congratulations to my sister for her wedding. It was a great day. It was a small, but wonderful ceremony and reception with close friends and family.

I was MC at the reception and as a nervous wreck. People told me that I did a good job, so I guess I was able to pull it off and hide my nerves long enough to get through the night.

The whole day went off without a hitch, and I'm sure Cathy couldn't have wished for anything to have happened better.

So, congartulations to Cathy and Chris Niergarth. Have a wonderful, long and fruitful relationship together.


 
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