Asia the Humid Land of Anime and the Future

Humid, hot, polluted, smelly, and big ass bugs. Those are just some of the things that just come to mind when I think of Taiwan. Yes yes I know, I've heard of all the great things bout Taiwan too. How I can buy anything I want for cheap (i.e. Folex watches and Chenel purses) as well as their awesome phones and really good food.

But despite the wonderful tales of travel told by friends and what I've seen in National Geographic, Taiwan is a great place but I never had any real desire to go. The places I've always wanted to visit has been Europe to see the famous buildings and paintings that exist.

But this year, I must say I got an opportunity that was too good to pass up and so I'm headed off to Taiwan for a month and then Japan for a week and a half...woo woo.

To give a little background, I've never been out of North America before. That is not to say I haven't traveled extensively. I've been all over Canada as well as West and East coast but just never to other continents. Canada can't really count as traveling to a foreign country since it's just a little America except cleaner and more polite.

Now, back to the present. So earlier this year my parents made me apply to this program where if you get in the Taiwanese gov't pays for those American born kids to come to Taiwan for a month and I guess see what there is there. It's kinda cool since room and board are paid for, and being unemployed free food is always a plus. Since I'm out in Taiwan I'd probably get more bang for my buck if I go to other places in Asia too, hence my stop for a week and a half in Japan.

So for this trip, I'll be blogging here bout my experiences and impressions of Taiwan and Japan through the eyes of a white washed Asian kid haha. I must say I have a lot of preconceived notions of Asia shaped through friends, movies, and generally what my weird mindset conceives. I'll be posting up selected pics and stories here, but if you want to check out all my pics I'll be uploading as I go along on my digital portfolio here: http://d40dan.shutterfly.com/

I head out July 7th through Aug 6th to Taiwan and then Aug 6th through the 14th in Japan. If you guys want anything let me know!

(still getting the hang of this site so some posts may show up funny or I'll have to test things out, but click below to be a follower or a member of my portfolio, the more the merrier!!)


-edit-

yes yes I know the pics below aren't of Taiwan yet, it's from my portfolio and using that album as a test one lol (Taiwan pics will come!)