A Birthday Workout

Hike across green Ireland;
Bike the USA;
Backpack through New Zealand,
But don’t call it a day…

Do yoga in lovely Paris;
Jump rope in Katmandu;
Avoid Italian pasta,
(Well, maybe taste, but don’t you chew!)

Climb atop Mt. Everest;
Do aerobics on China’s Wall;
Lift weights on Mexican Beaches;
And honey, that’s not all…

Shake your booty with native dances
In Fiji and Bora Bora;
Move your body and exercise
Like you’ve never done befora.

Okay; that’s good; you’re finished;
Now you can take a break;
You’ve finally burned enough calories
To have your birthday cake!

多伦多的春天终于悄悄的到来了。虽然只有零上9度，可是已经让久宅在屋的我开心了。于是周日打算开车去downtown湖边散步。新手一般少有敢开去dowtown。这downtown就像上海的小路，路窄车多人多，不同的是，马路上各色人种都有，冷不丁还有个疯子在路边大吵大叫。还好找到一高手，乐意牺牲周日美好时光，坐在帮边帮我指点谜经（就是罗嗦了一点*(&)*(^%&*(^&*&）。

我们沿着Brimely一路南开，再右转一直向西，就到了熟悉的唐人街。唐人街还是那样的繁荣，车水马龙，让我想到了以前家门口的上浦路。街边的小商小贩把蔬菜，杂货一替四噶地铺到了路边，据说“运气好“还能碰到法轮功游行。看看时间，已经下午两点了，还是先慰劳一下我的胃吧。走进一家粤菜馆，点了几笼点心。记着以前在上海和蓬蓬一起吃粤式点心，大概新鲜，觉得还不错，可是现在看着汤包，肠粉，觉得味道怎么都一样，怀念小杨生煎拉。酒足饭饱，走出餐馆，真是天公作美，一小时前还绵绵细雨，现在已经放晴了。三月底的风刮在脸上还是阵阵凉意，不过很快就被太阳的暖意取代了。看着CN tower的指向，大约半小时，我们就走到了湖边。看来还是时候太早，渡船要再等半个月才开，只看到稀稀落落几个人在溜狗，湖面上倒是飞着不少海鸥。坐在湖边的长凳上，看着远处发发呆，想象着到了八月，这里该多美好，绿树成荫，碧波荡漾的湖面有很多帆船，快艇。做了一会儿，旁边那位老兄穿得太单薄，看来已经撑不住了，于是就打车又回到了唐人街。时候不早了，还是开着我那辆小车回家吧。downtown路边还有很多有趣的小店，也没时间逛了，等天气暖和一点再来。

Hi, dear friends at Kaohsiung

 

I will be going back to Shanghai next Wednesday. Four months here have just flown by, and it’s time to say goodbye. I would say leaving Taiwan is a little sad experience. Needless to say, it is the friendly people I have met here and friendships that have established make me like Taiwan.

 

The past four months in Taiwan have been really great. I've been able to work on site to learn production support at one of our company’s largest customers, deliver training and see creative and prosperous semiconductor industry in Taiwan. Working in Taiwan has been a great experience which will stay with me for the rest of my life.

 

Living and traveling in Taiwan have been nice too. I have found the local people incredibly friendly and welcoming, maybe the most friendly I have ever met. Even a few words of asking directions or shopping in the store often lead to a short conversation. During the four months here I have visited three cities, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei. The charming seascape at Kaohsiung Harbor, the beautiful scenery on the street of Taichung city, and a mix of tradition and modern life in Taipei - the time I spent there will always be in my memory.

 

There's many adventures and stories I'll be taking with me, and many people I'd like to thank for their friendship over the past four months while I've been here.

 

Thanks to Brad for coaching me through and reviewing my work. The working atmosphere in Kaohsiung office is so harmonic and I am sure the business in the South will become more and more prosperous.

 

Thanks to my colleagues and friends: Jason and Te-Yuan at ASET site, Bryan, Tony, Eric and Jia-min at PSK site for taking time out to answer all my questions and sharing your knowledge and thoughts on the work. I know sometimes the work at customer site is very hard, but you always keep the smile.

 

Thanks to other colleagues and friends at Kaohsiung office: Bill, Sheng-Hsien, Chin-Cheng, David, Creek and our great salesman Eric for sharing your knowledge, expertise, and most of all your sense of humour, especially the “Eric type” of humour.  

 

Thanks to my friends Gary and Sky at Jtron for your guidance and support on any and all of my questions. Thanks for taking a ride and showing me around the city on holidays. You are the typical enthusiastic and nice Taiwanese and hope to see you at the 2008 Beijing Olympics!

 

Thanks to my Thailand friends Tanabat, ketchuda, tawee and montawat for taking me to the Thailand restaurant and this is the first time that I try the famous and delicious Thailand food. The journey we went to Taipei was also great too! The National Museum,  drama "The Notre Dame" at Taipei Arena and delicious food at the night market - travelling together is fun!

 

I'll really miss you all, and as I wipe a tear - I'm sure it won't be the last time we see each other. I'm sure I'll be back to visit and spend more time travelling throughout Taiwan, and I hope to see you in Shanghai in the near future!

 

 

Thanks again and best wishes.

 

Jing-jing