#2012.08.19

FINALLY I went to get my hair dyed. YAY!

I wanted an ombre, but I got more of a brownish color and a light milk-tea color on the tips. I'm okay with it, I quite like it actually. Reminds me a lot of flan, and I like flan. The people at the salon were quite confused with my request, but I think they did a decent job. In total it took about 3 hours and I paid 2100 NT... worth it, I think. I was afraid my hair would pull orange and look brassy, but it actually looks ashy and not bad. This is starting to sound like a personal post.

In the salon, getting my hair processed...

I might go and get it touched up because I want the color to be even more obvious... but I like it!

(Ignore the drawn-on faces. I don't know how to pose for pictures!)

Afterwards, the starving Joanna and I went to 幾分甜 (How Sweet), a chain bakery. I got some savory stuff because... I don't know, I felt like it?

I brought it home and ate it~ It wasn't bad, actually. A bit sweet (Asia tends to like sweet bread, even if it's covered in supposed-to-be-savory toppings) but good nonetheless.

Anyways, the more exciting part (and less picture-filled, whoops) was when Joanna and I went to Wufenpu. Yeah, I still didn't get pictures. I seriously don't know how I forget every time. Next time, next time.

I bought a lot of stuff................ like, a lot. (8 pieces of clothing?) Whoops. Hopefully, I won't spend any more, but to be honest I'm not trying to hold myself back that much because I don't know the next time I'll be in Taiwan.

Oh yeah, today when we were in Wufenpu, Joanna had a friendly conversation with a store employee. He was pretty funny and we kind of talked like we were friends. I noticed that I'm still remarkably awkward with Chinese (I guess I forgot that when I was talking with Michelle in camp or something?) and he noticed. He said something quickly in Chinese and I wasn't paying attention, so I got confused and he asked me if I was better at speaking than listening/understanding. I don't know if anyone is better at speaking than listening, but I'm definitely not. I didn't know how to respond, so I just didn't say anything.

That reminds me! Mini rant. There are some questions that people ask me in Chinese that I understand one hundred percent, but just need time to answer, whether it be for grammar/sentence structure purposes, or simply not knowing the answer. When I take time to answer, they automatically assume that I can't speak Chinese... I can! A bit! Just give me time! The guy that Joanna and I were talking to today talked to us about a lot of stuff, like if we could bargain in America, what grades we were in, our families, how we knew Chinese, our education... Then, he asked me what my favorite food in Taiwan was. I really don't know (bubble tea? oyster omelet? chicken egg cake?) so I took a while to answer... and he automatically assumed that I didn't understand his question. Like, what? I understood everything else we just talked about, so isn't it obvious I would understand a simple sentence like that? Sigh.

Same happened with Joanna's cousin. I laughed when everyone else laughed at jokes (because I understood them, not because people were laughing, okay), responded to people's questions, and asked questions of my own in Chinese. Later, he pointed to me and asked Joanna if I understood Chinese. I don't think they realize how much Chinese they unconsciously experience, because I was well-aware of how much I needed to understand to comfortably communicate with them. It was a strange experience. (By the way, of course I understand Chinese. Some, at least.)

Another thing, people here tend to think I'm not Taiwanese. They think I'm Japanese or Korean (mostly Korean though). The thing is, I'm 100% Taiwanese. I don't have any Japanese or Korean accent, and I can't speak either language... so why do people always think I'm Japanese or Korean? It amazes me. It's a long-running joke in America that all Asians look the same, but I guess even some Taiwanese can't tell that I'm of their kind. Weird.

Okay this was more of a rambly post! Hope you don't mind, but I hope it makes up for the mainly-picture posts this blog tends to have, seeing as I typically upload it during the early morning hours.