Starting out: Highlights and Lowlights

We‘ve been in Taipei for a little over 2 weeks now. We‘re settling in much faster than I expected.  Sharing a few family highlights and lowlights. 

Highlights: 

• Food - It goes without saying that the food is here is delicious, inexpensive, and everywhere.  We start most mornings trying out all the neighborhood eats.  W is a different kind of person here, who is constantly looking for the next best thing to try.  

Poi Poi joining for Ice cream Friday, which now Dessert Friday.  (It's really like dessert every day!)

• Shopping - This is really Lexi‘s highlight since none of the rest of us enjoy the shopping, but  since it’s so hot, the malls here are a respite for the heat.  Ellie loves the plethora of Summiko Gurashi characters everywhere.  Her favorite is Cinnamonroll. 
• MRT - Tori loves taking the MRT and swiping the card. Our place is only a few mins from the MRT and public transportation is awesome here.  I don't miss having a car, but I do miss having a bike.

Tori loving the MRT

• Swimming - when it's hot outside, swimming is delightful.  We go every other day.  For anyone who wants to visit us, this apartment complex has a pool!  
• Friends & Family - meeting up with friends local and those visiting have helped us with settling in and welcoming us to our new city.  My mom (Poi Poi) joined the adventure to Taiwan and has been getting to spend time with the girls almost every day.  

Hanging with the Lau's at the Night Market

Deb & Patrick sharing all their lessons learned after 6 years in Taipei 

Lowlights:

1. It’s hot - as expected, it’s very hot.  This means taking note of when you leave the home and walking distances. It also means a family with eczema gets flared up, itchy, and stingy. 
2. Bugs - related to eczema/skin, we are not accustomed to bug bites in SF.  Lots and lots of bites.  
3. Paper - there’s way less digital workflows here than I expected and things require cash and paper to process.  It will take us 4 visits to the National Immigration Center to complete everything for various reasons. 
4. Starting over makes you slower - Trying to figure out how to do life here makes you feel inefficient and out of place. For example, we miss Amazon Prime…haha.  A few friends are teaching us the local alternatives. 

Overall, our adventure year is starting out with a good amount of discomfort to stretch us into something new and also plenty of things that have been easier than expected.