Our New Norm: Lizards, Cockroaches, and "Kitchen Burps"

Belated posts from our travels in January will be popping up in the near future. :)

As we find ourselves adapting to the local culture and acquiring more Mandarin, I’ve noticed that it’s hard to put the experience into words. This challenge partially stems from a desire to share the magic that is here in Changhua and in Taiwan. This difficulty is also partially attributed to our adaptation to our new environment. For what was initially salient is now, in some cases, our norm. For example, Taiwan has an open sewer system for sink and shower waste water which can lead to some rather interesting smells at times. While we were first repulsed by some of the odors, now we fondly refer to them as “kitchen burps.” The acceptance of that which we can’t change (or cover up with Kirkland Signature scented dryer sheets) has led to far greater ease and less stress.

We did have a visit from a local lizard who decided to take up residence in our bathroom for a day until we gently guided him back to the window using a fly swatter. That was a first for us.

It’s been cold the past few days, so we are thankful that we packed a few warmer clothes. Just as most homes in the Seattle area do not have air conditioning as it is needed for only a week out of the year (on average), the homes and apartments in Taiwan do not have heat. The good news is the cold weather is correlated with zero recent cockroach sightings. We know it won't last for long, so we are enjoying the briskness. 

We are sending love to family and friends near and far. We miss you.