An Airy Feeling

Being back in Taiwan is like coming home. Last summer, when I arrived in Taiwan I experienced an overdose of culture shock. Though it didn’t take too long to overcome it. I’m a rather adventurous person so exploring Taiwan was my playground. Some people might not understand that about me. From then on, I loved this little island.

This year, as I stepped off the airplane, I knew, this is Taiwan. I didn’t remember the smell being so distinct when I was describing Taiwan to my friends and family last summer, but being back here definitely brought back that memory. Also the weather is distinctly unique. The weather is not overwhelmingly hot right now. I left last summer at the peak of the hot season in August. It is only the beginning of summer so I expect the weather to heat up.

Last night, I had the opportunity to play basketball for the first time in Taiwan since last summer. Just like last year, my clothes were soaked in sweat. I had a lot of fun in spit of the fact that I couldn’t shoot a lick. To give you a little perspective on how it feels to play basketball in Taiwan: We have to play at night because it is cooler, well slightly cooler. It feels like my entire body is being dipped in wax. My pores can’t breathe and my only access to oxygen comes from a tiny hole in my head called a mouth. My hands can slide down my arms on a slide of sweat. And I can shake the sweat off my leg hairs like a dog.

When I got home last night, I took a cold shower that was quite refreshing. However, when I dried off, I found my body still wet. So I dried off again. This constant wetting would not succumb to my drying. Thus my body’s excretion of sweat won the long battle and I fell asleep in a pool of sweat. Don’t worry, I am fully hydrated. My two Nalgene bottles are in full use. I have only felt these unique feelings of heat from two places: 1) Taiwan, and 2) a sauna.