還有兩個星期!

One thing I have come to appreciate from Asian culture is a strong family bond is important. Truthfully, sometimes I am quick to judge the culture and feel they're a little too much in each others pockets...but on the flip side all too often in Western cultures families are no longer units, and that's just as sad. In the Philippines divorce is not allowed, so families very much stay together as a unit. No doubt they have their struggles, but with divorce not even being a legal option, the only thing they can do is learn how to make it work. 

I still feel a balance is needed so as not to be in each others pockets. But I think it's definitely admirable to keep a family close. In Western culture it's all to easy to forget about people -with out even meaning to - because life gets so hectic and busy, just from the basic and necessary things. But I'm hoping that with a new perspective I will be able to try and combat that a little better, and keep better focused on the more important things. 

Changing the subject completely...I have always known there are big spiders in Taiwan but I have never actually seen one. Well that all changed the other day! As I was about to walk in to the bathroom, straight ahead of me was the biggest spider I have ever seen! Needless to say I ran out! But I was also curious so I grabbed my camera...kept my distance and zoomed in on the camera...there was no way I was gonna get too close to that thing! When I came back from the meeting I was hoping it would be gone, but no he was still sat there guarding the bathroom. I know a lot of people will be all - how can you leave it there, I couldn't sleep knowing it was there. Well, the spiders eat the cockroaches and other bugs so I figure I would rather have a spider that up until now I had been blissfully unaware of than gross, evil cockroaches running around causing havoc! Also at this point I wasn't sure what kind of spider it was and whether it would get angry at me. I would much rather him stay there instead of me attempt to catch him and him run off into the unknown! After investigation turns out he was a huntsman spider. He sits patiently waiting for his dinner to come near and then he makes a run for it and sprints over to them and enjoys his supper. So chances are, if I did try to catch it, he would have outrun me! I laugh to myself, why does a spider freak me out? I'm way bigger than he is. Just because he has more legs and eyes than I do, I get intimidated by it! The spider has discovered there is nothing to eat in the bathroom and has moved on. 
I really don't like sharing a house with pests! At least the common house spiders of England shouldn't be a problem for me any more! 

I can't believe it's 2 weeks until I come home. It's all very weird.

Tune of the day...Ben Cocks - So Cold. Stunning piano!

(Look away if you don't like spiders. Very big, brown spider below.)

i think he ate my gecko friend..