I have no idea why I stopped writing after the previous post in April. Please don't think that it's because I did a serious post and felt like I can never write casually about my travels and random amusements again, at least for a shot while. Please don't think that, because that would be completely wrong. May was the last month in Vienna, and the month was concluded with travels to Traunsee in Austria – probably one of my favorite places so far, then Germany. I think I just wanted to focus all my attention on the present and where I was living, to spend time with people whom I can actually see face to face, and whom I had limited time with... and I was meeting some new friends that last couple of weeks too. Now I start a new post without any definite intention, without knowing how often I plan to write or how I would like to document my life. Well, I will admit it. I am just here early at the gate waiting to board my flight in about ninety minutes... and I am just bored.
I jokingly say that I have been traveling every Monday in the past few weeks. First, Wien to Gmunden; the following Monday Gmunden to Altmünster (supposed to be a five-minute train ride but I had some issues so it became longer), then (on a Thursday) Salzburg to Fürstenzell (that sort of turned into a disaster too); the next Monday Fürstenzell to Brakel/Schmechten (a little longer, about a five-hour train ride, you could actually put these places on Google Map if you are that curious); the following Monday to Düsseldorf Flughafen then London, and a marvelous excursion to Devon during my stay in the UK; the following Monday was London to our very endearing Tacoma, Washington – you see, the journey just grows longer and longer every Monday! And now, guess where I am embarking for? Hint, it's another continent. Destination: Taipei, Taiwan.
The story goes I was very fortunate and received from University of Puget Sound a summer research grant in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. I proposed an ethnomusicological research project. Personally I believe it's more anthropology than anything else, so think anthropology, qualitative research, etc, and that will get you a more accurate picture. Basically for the rest of this summer I will be investigating the relationship between music – specifically the juxtaposition of two Chinese Opera styles – and national identity in Taiwan, doing some fieldwork in Taiwan, and then some more library research in Tacoma, Washington. This is sort of another adventure for me, so maybe my blog posts will be focused on my research project.
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