I see the moon and the moon sees me...

As I was scooting around last night I noticed that not only was the moon beautifully orange, but it was also in more of a U shape than a C crescent. I was intrigued. I vaguely remembered a friend mentioning the moon being like this when they were abroad. After a little research I have discovered that the moon looks different from different countries, due to geography. We see the part of the moon that is lit by sunlight as everything spins and orbits in that way that it does, meaning different hemispheres see the moon differently. Then countries on the equator are a different vantage point again. I can't work out why I can see a U shape from here...it doesn't make exact geographical sense but it's super interesting. I am such a geek at heart! I just find it really weird that we're all looking at the same moon and unless it's a full moon, we're all seeing different things! 

I went and did 'exercise' with some Taiwanese friends yesterday. When you say exercise to me I imagine breaking into a sweat will be inevitable and in the morning I will ache a little. Not for Taiwanese! It consisted of a walk around the track field a few times, (to me walking is not exercise...but saying that the Taiwanese walk INSANELY SLOW just in their everyday life, so I can see how to them it is...sometimes it does infuriate me no end...super slow and scuffing their shoes with every step. Grrrrrrr!) throwing a frisbee, (this to me is just one of those things you do at the beach or at a park, not really that vigurous.) and badminton with no net. So the badminton bit was the most exercise like thing. Exercise and fitness isn't really a huge thing over, mainly because there's just nowhere conducive to do so. Running is an almost impossible task, there are no pavements and cars and scooters don't stop or move for pedestrians. Unless you wanna go for a run around a track field it's not really worth trying. And gyms are just a little too 麻煩! But I think this is all to do with the schooling here. In England doing PE in school is pretty fun, interesting and varied. In Taiwan PE consists of running around a track field. That's it! So it's not really the most exhilarating experience. It only really gets more varied if they do PE in uni...then they get to experience badminton and volleyball. It was interesting learning how differently sports are viewed. 

I keep thinking to myself what is the one thing that unites everybody...I've decided it's not cooking or food because what one man perceives as food, another sees as garbage. It's certainly not sports. And as much as I would like it to be music, I don't think it's that either. So what does bring people from different cultures together? What brings people to have the same principles and values? How is it that a white girl, totally clueless to the ways of Taiwan can be accepted by a collection of Taiwanese people? And how on earth is it possible that amongst my friends, there are 10 different countries represented...how have we not fallen out over cultural differences? Truly a humbling thought. 

Tuneage...going all classical piano with Brian Crain - Dream of Flying.

it's really not a good shot, but this is sorta what the moon looks like here...