Quick Update

Here's a quick review of what's been going on over the past 3 days or so. It's nothing too exciting, as the fun stuff starts next week...but here's a recap all the same:

• Joined California Fitness for super cheap. Got 10 sessions with a personal trainer (named Tai) for not so super cheap.
• Hired an amah (maid). She comes once a week and vacuums, mops, washes dishes, dusts, cleans the bathrooms, etc. for $1000 NT (about $32 US). Her name is Lily, she speaks excellent English, and she is very gracious and kind.
• Went to a party for new teachers. It was at one of the veteran teacher's house on top of a mountain overlooking the city...beautiful! Everyone is so fun, so helpful, and so interesting. The expat life is awesome!
• Went to the bank and set up my account. Thank goodness Catherine from HR came with us. I don't know how someone would figure it out on their own, though some of the agents did speak fairly good English. But still...so confusing.
• Took a trip to Ikea and just bought the bare minimum I need to function over the next few weeks...dishes, glasses, silverware, shower curtain, trashcans, etc. We were gonna bus it, but we ended up cabbing it, which was definitely worth it. It would have taken well over an hour on the bus, and cabs are cheap here. Plus, you don't tip in Taiwan.
• Tomorrow I will move out of my temporary apt. and into my permanent one. I have lots of luggage to transfer over, so I'll have to get a cab and hope they'll help me carry my 62 pound bag up the 5 flights of stairs. I'll definitely tip for that one.
• My shipment arrives Sunday...I can't wait to get settled!!!