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木瓜牛奶!



Three peanuts and a Starburst jelly bean!













我每天喝两个!













I still can't identify this animal.







Pictures from my trip to Taiwan. I'm so thankful my grandma bought my tickets for this -- I saw Richard, Sunny, and everyone I hadn't seen in such a long time. It was a humongous family reunion/vacation, which we haven't had since I was in high school!

Serena made time for me everyday after work -- we'd go to night markets and try new, amazing restaurants. Aunt Debbie took me shopping as well, and let me choose an agnes b. bag as a gift from Shirley. Of course I chose black; it's very structured, cute, and a perfect size for everyday school happenings. It's also the first "designer" bag I got while being in the actual, namestake store (as opposed to Nordstrom or another carrier), so that was really exciting; I could relive that feeling daily.

I got red envelopes, which is probably reason enough for everyone to want to be Taiwanese/Asian, ha! I'm terrified of growing too old for it, but also excited to one day, be rich enough to hand red envelopes out to the next generation and have them think I am awesome for giving them these crimson gifts of godliness. I've always thought it was funny to be Taiwanese (or just Asian, period). I mean, you have these common codes of courteousness -- there's that standard, initial refusal that's open and chiding from the adult, and shy (and most definitely overshadowed by the adult "No, no, no! Don't do this!") and confused look from the kid. I can't even begin to recount how many times I've desperately looked at and awkwardly edged toward my mother whenever presented with a red envelope, and it's as if that's a visual cue for the giver to edge toward you, brandishing the red envelope like a sword. After 30 seconds (though it can go up to a minute or so) of refusal (or insistence from the other side) of why the red envelope should and shouldn't be given, it's somehow shoved down the kid's throat and then a slew of laughter and "thank you"s are thrown all over the place instead. And THEN, even though you've already said your meek "thank you," the conversation will, guaranteed, go like this:

Mom: DID YOU SAY THANK YOU?!
You: Yeahhhh
Giver: Yes, she did! She's such a great kid!

And then I'm left holding this red envelope in my hand, playing the game, Pretend You Have X-Ray Vision And Can Tell How Much Is Enclosed. What I've realized now though, is that I need to start my own refusals while my mother or grandmother look on, and it is very, very awkward. Secret's out, Asian children; I've just exposed the mind's Red Envelope routine.

But anyway, I'm behind in school work, but the trip was well worth it.