Just click your heels three times...

Let me tell you about yesterday...

It started off normally, I don't teach on Wednesdays so I read and stayed on FB until my battery ran out.  I had a staff meeting, they introduced me, and then I was allowed to leave, because it was in Chinese and didn't apply to me.  I got some bad news too, the apartment I chose is no longer available.  (big sigh) So Billy and Brenda are still trying to find a better place for me.
   I had made plans to go to Miaoli with Peggy and Thomas, that helped a little with my disappointment.  Linda was there as well, and Peggy brought Chris, one of her co-teachers.  It was really helpful being with people who understand what I'm going through.  Linda and Peggy are having transportation issues, so we took turns venting.  We had a nice dinner, and it was helpful having Chris there to read the menu, lol.  We went to a night market/carnival to mark the end of Ghost month.  The food was so different, I had some kind of fish-shaped pastry filled with cream cheese, and a sweet potato ball.  Around 8, we said our goodbyes and all headed home, Linda and Thomas to different parts of Miaoli, Peggy and Chris to Sanyi, and I boarded the train to Tongxiao.  And that's where the fun started.
  My plan was to take the train to Zhunan, transfer lines, and take a second train to Tongxiao.  Should have taken an hour.  I got to Zhunan just fine, and bought my ticket.  It was a little more expensive than usual, which should have been the first red flag, but what do I know.  I rode the train for a few minutes, then started to get nervous.  I didn't recognize any of the stops, except Hsinchu.  I finally talked to a conductor, who told me I was indeed headed in the wrong direction.  I got off the train at the next stop, in Zhubei.  I spoke with a ticket agent who sold me the correct ticket, and which train to take when I got back to Hsinchu.  I attempted to ask a stranger which platform, she didn't speak English, but found someone who did (have I mentioned how awesome and kind these people are?) and got me on the train to Hsinchu.  I spoke with an employee at the station, who told me which platform to go to.  I checked again with a conductor, the first woman was wrong, but hey, she tried.  When the train arrived, he indicated I should get on, then all of the sudden, got my attention and let me know before the train moved that I was again on the wrong train.  I eventually got on the right train, with the help of a second conductor.  Everytime he came through the car he said "Not your stop.  Don't leave, I tell you when we are in Tongxiao."  or "25 minutes to Tongxiao.  15 minutes to Tongxiao"  I made it back to Tongxiao at 11:30, after an extensive visit to two counties, I have never been so happy to see that crappy one room apartment, lol.