More on the weekend...

So this weekend I went to the zoo. It was hotter than all hell, and I am convinced Satan is mad at me for not having any beer recently. Either way I was happy to see the African animals were hot too since I realized I wasn't the only hot one. But I was happier to see the vending machines with cold drinks. Then I went to the Sun Yat Sen Memorial, which was cool. I was able to see the changing of the guard. That was memorable since one of the guards snapped the stock of his rifle during the ceremony. After that I walked to the Taipei 101 building and checked out the mall full of expensive designer clothes (too expensive for me and besides there is a Lacoste store just across the street from my place). Finally, I went to the Longshan temple. Usually most temples are pretty similar, and therefore get boring quickly, but this one was super ornate. Then I came back home and had my beef noodle soup for dinner and read a book at the bookstore--better to use their AC than to use my own since I have to pay for it.

I was planning to do laundry on Sunday but ended going to lunch with my boss and his family at the American club. Strangely, there were few Americans. But I didn't care, the lunch buffet was amazing/to die for/etc and I probably had 5 plates since it was so good (it was the first time I used a fork in two weeks). Then we went to Costco...yes Costco. There are two in the city.

Side note: I am reading "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman. A must read for anyone remotely interested in world affairs. It talks of globalization and how the playing field is being leveled, which is a good thing. Well my first world is flat moment was at work. I am an American working for a Taiwanese company who had to sort out supply chain issues with a Swiss machine part supplier and convey those to the machine operators who are Filipinos. The second world is flat moment came in Costco. Everything was the same as the U.S. All of products and quality were the EXACT same. If not for everyone being Taiwanese, you would never know you had left the U.S. Incredible, just incredible.

Today at work I was learning things from the ground up. That meant learning from the Filipino machine operators, who speak decent English. They were amazed that I wanted to leave the U.S. Who in their right mind they would want to leave the very country they all wanted to go to and make money for a job that doesn't pay much in Taiwan? That aside, they are pretty cool dudes, even though they have to work a ton more than I do. Sure made me feel thankful for all I have and hopefully I never complain since they have it so much worse than me, and yet they do it all with a smile since they are grateful for the opportunity.