Big bang !! The Junkoes are in town !!

My friend Junko received the visit of another friend of hers, Junko from Tokyo, Japan, this weekend. So this weekend is the "Junko and Junko Weekend". The Junkoes are in town !!

During the weekend, I got to meet with the visiting Junko who taught me the newest-latest slang used it Shibuya, Tokyo. My memory doesn't allow me to remember all the slangs she taught me, but she initiated me the words Shibuya people use to describe different degree of feeling, and th

e highest of all is "Big Bang".

For instance, if I want to say that a ramen is super tasty, like the best ramen I've ever had in the world in my life, it won't be "sugoi oichii" or "chio oishii" anymore. It has to be "Big bang oishii".

The visiting Junko came along with their mutual friend Aya, here at the center of the picture.

Despite the typhoon that sort of followed them here, bringing violent winds and rain, Aya and Junko spent their time strolling on Taipei's streets, shopping and eating.

We also went to Luxy, one of the most frequented and appreciated night clubs in Taipei's night life. You can read more in my friend, Marcus' blog about this. Marcus is a keen hip hop dancer who teaches English in Taipei.

Typhoon Vacation

Finally, we're having a typhoon vacation this year ! It has been a long time islanders here haven't had any day off due to typhoon. We didn't get to have a holiday when the previous typhoon visited Taiwan two weeks ago, but with the coming of this one, Fung-Wong, we finally get a typhoon holiday.

Typhoon vacations are most expected among office workers, students, salarymen and salarywomen and other categories of white/blue collars who would like to do something of their own when they're off work.

Although it is nice to have a day off, the coming of a typhoon often causes unwanted damages, mostly in agriculture and transport sectors. While we're laying back at our home, many others are struggling out there for their living, or helping others.

Ahem, while I am enjoying my day off home, I hope that there won't be too much damage as Fung-Wong, which means "Phoenix", passes by.

Pandora's box

There is a part of my past deeply buried in my Pandora's box. I have long forgotten about this part of my past that started in January 1989. I hated it. I really did.

Now it seems that I have to reopen it, because of an encounter last month on the MRT, when to my biggest surprise, my junior high school Chinese teacher whom I haven't seen for 18 years shouted out my name without hesitation.

All the memories from that time surfaced to the deep blue sea of my unwanted past. The feeling of being laughed at, being rejected and isolated, being far from an environment I would die to be in... The feeling of being unhappy because I just didn't want to be there.

I still remember the feeling of the dust from the playground on my wooden little desk, among 50 others. The feeling of wearing a uniform. The feeling of being beaten on my both palms. The smell of the sweat after running to the class and the sound of mischievous laughters from people teasing at someone.

Maybe I have to open it, and kill the bad memory in it. Or should I just burn the Pandora's box, and forget again about this past? You who are reading these lines, tell me what to do...