2007.01.12 - Back in Taiwan From Christmas Greetings Everyone, It has been one week since we returned back to Taiwan from Canada. We spent our two weeks holiday from the 16th to the 30th of December back home for Christmas. When we returned to our apartment, the first thing out of our mouths was not not, “Let’s go to sleep.” which is typical after being up for over 24 hours without sleep. Rather, it was, “Look at the size of that crack in the wall!” While we were away it seemed the earth decided to do some shaking. Twice within 6 minutes of the other. They were felt as a 4 and a 5 in magnitude in our city and managed to leave nice cracks along our wall and in our ceilings. Some plants fell over but thankfully none of our paintings or pictures hanging on the wall came down. With grateful hearts, we were in the comfort of the Canadian mass that never seems to move. Not even the service industry. Like one’s waist line, Red Deer and Alberta seem to be growing yet the supply of employees has not. We were warned of this before we went home but did not realize it until we ventured into the madness ourselves. We couldn’t get into Tim Horton’s (coffee and donut place for those not in the know) at 3:00PM. The 24 hour gas station in our town now closed at 8:00PM. Not only that, we seemed to notice that anyone and everyone could get a job knowing (and for ourselves clearly seeing) that they had no desire to be at that job. Episode 1. Place: Subway in the mall Event: Mike wants to order a sub. There is one man already getting his order filled while three staff members are behind the counter. One placing the veggies on the order, one sitting in the back room looking at her shoe and one walking back and forth like a wind-up toy wondering what to do. Mike has an idea; take his order. It seems the light bulb sparks and he pulls up piece of paper ready for a sub to embrace it. Yet, that is all he does. He pulls up a piece of paper and sets it onto the cutting board looking intently at Mike. Perhaps, telepathically, he is attempting to ask Mike his order. It seems like he is straining at something. Mike finally says his order without being asked for it and as though being offended, the teenager walks away...? Episode 2. Place: La Senza (lingerie store) Event: Kathy wants to buy underwear. She picks out some but wonders about the size. To Mike she asks, how will I know if they fit or not. Hearing this, a sales lady next to us pauses from her organizing of delicates and says in the most robotic and monotone voice unemotionally, “Take the underwear and wrap it around your neck by the waistband.” while demonstrating the action described. Kathy sets down her selected pairs and begins looking for the next size up. “Where was the underwear I had here?” Kathy asks. Again, lifelessly the sales lady states, “They were all smalls anyways.” Other than these few episodes, our time spent at home was great. Noticed we DO continue to call Canada home despite what some may think. This past visit has made us seriously consider where to be in the very near future. However, with all the pregnant family and friends, it seemed we needed to leave the country before we felt the impending pressure of mortgages and children. The Jones’ are hard to keep up with you know with their oil jobs and SUVs. And besides, we still have a few countries on our list that have not been seen as of yet. That leads us to our closing and heads up on our Chinese New Year trip to Cambodia. Look out landmines, here we come! Blasting off for now.