Vacation High

What a great vacation. We had tonnes of fun, relaxed, chilled out, had fun with friends, saw some sights... I feel like I've been gone for a month. I am trying to get pumped up for school again. Teaching is the reason I'm here an I am trying to get focused and do the very best job I can.

Some highlights of the trip include Hualien Ocean park, where we saw a dolphin show, a sea lion show, and a mermaid show. We also rode some wicked rides, and toured through an aquarium. The whole day was made so perfect beacuse the scenery was so amazing; the park is built up on the side of a hill beside the ocean, so we had beautiful ocean breeze and view all day. We also went to Taroko Gorge, and I did some great hiking, Indiana Jones style. Well sort of. One part was. I was walking to this shrine thing, by myself, and followed a road up a hill. And I could see this pagoda way up at teh top, and there was a bridge to get across this valley but the bridge was closed. So I was bummed because I had walked up this steep hill and I was pooped! But then I walked down, and followed the highway through a scary tunnel (actually, I ran through the tunnel because it was so narrow that when a tour bus came through it took the whole space. And there were no sidewalks. So I just ran for it, all the way through. But when I got to the end (about 20 seconds) there were like 30 Chinese people walking through. So I was glad...anyway.,..) And as it turned out I had not missed the shrine, it was up ahead. So I went and checked it out, and through the back there was a staircase, all abandoned looking and covered with pieces of fallen rock, branches and leaves....So I went up and up and up...(Very Indiana Jones-esque, but no critters) and....TA DA! The mystery pagoda I thought I wouldn't reach because the bridge was out. So that was cool. My legs are so tired today, in a good way.

Tonight church was great. I enjoy it quite a bit. Our pastor is fun, and there are some really passionate and wise people there. Now, I am going to get psyched up for this week. Its so hard coming off of vacation!