Updates

Ok, I know I am a bit behind in the entries about traveling and such, but I will come back to them. Since the last post on South Korea, I have been to Yehliu Park in the northern Taiwan, the Taoist Institute in a mountain in a Taiwanese suburb, the Shitou forest, Jioufen (Chioufen) outside Keelung, and in only a few hours I will be leaving for a 4 day bike trip.

Classes have also been a lot more busy these days. I have a goal to get every project and paper done by May 19th, so I will not have to worry about much during June. I had a presentation today that was 80% of my grade for a course. I had to speak for 40 minutes on a chapter from our textbook and add outside research. I was quite nervous and was even more nervous when the professor told me that the Graduate Economics Department would be coming to review the class (The Economic Transition of China) during my presentation. I wouldn't call it a review, it was more of a distraction. Basically ten older Taiwanese men came in wearing suits and talking very loudly. Another guy was running around taking pictures of my classmates and me while I was presenting. I was instructed to pretend they were not there. I think the presentation went well besides the 'momentary' disruption. My topic was township and village enterprises in China, which was very very interesting. This next week our professor signed us up for a two-day economic symposium with Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman as our keynote speaker. I am determined to shake his hand.

Well, I suppose this was not the most interesting update, but many will follow with tons of pictures. I hope everyone is doing well at home and had a very nice May Day. Happy Mother's Day to everyone!