What I'm Eating

I apologize for not posting lately. After reporting on my trip much of the happenings seem quite unremarkable to write about. I have been keeping busy with classes and extra study, as well as fun with friends. I have been riding my bike a lot either exploring the city or going to an area I have discovered. Chinese noodle shops have become a favorite place to eat. During lunch you are lucky to find a place to sit in what seems to be a hole in the wall; if you are not eating during a rush you can watch your noodles being made from dough and then boiled.
After the few weeks I've been here I have also developed quite the taste for bubble tea. Just recently 'developed' in Taiwan, bubble tea usually consists of cold milk and tea with small tapioca balls, bubbles, in the bottom. With a thick straw one's tasty beverage also becomes a snack, and nearly unlimited varieties have become available. Fifty cents- I drink too many I think.
The cafeteria has quite a selection of Chinese food; after quite a bit of experimenting I've found egg fried rice, cucumbers, spicy beef, or the pumpkin to be my usual's for lunch. It is appropriate to eat dishes oneself or to order a number of dishes for a group of people- which is customary in China. I find sharing a few dishes a great way to have a meal, rather than ordering a plate for each person as we do in the states. Though for a quick meal in the cafeteria I often order my own plates.
After being here one is certain to get tired of Chinese food. The usual complaint is the excessive use of oil, but there is also a certain aspect to most dishes which distinctly says 'made in China'. At first I would run to Western restaurants for haven, but lately I have found Korean and Japanese food even suffice. I have become a fan of Korean stone pots which is rice, then an array of fresh vegetables, then hot sauce and an egg served in a hot metal pot. Korean hot pots, more of a soup, also make a great meal. At the nearby Korean restaurants I like to go upstairs where you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor; sitting on the floor offers a unique way to lounge while having a meal.
For a treat I like to go for sushi. A quick bike ride away is a Japanese restaurant with a conveyor belt which I could sit in front of all day eating Sushi. Although my wallet limits me to just under an hour usually. I have frequented another restaurant with maybe the best sushi I've had, but overall there are few places to eat Japanese.
I admit I miss a good sandwich, burrito, salad, or steak. But I have found the diet here to fulfill me quite well, given the freedom to mix it up. In fact I already anticipate missing quite a few dishes when I return to the states.

I'll start posting more regularly now.