Taiwan 2010

for my annual trip out to the far east, i met up with my family in our taiwan home base in taichung. it was a welcome trip out of dc, and luckily, right before the snow storm hit the east coast. plus, it has been a couple of years since i've seen my brother and several more since i've seen my grandmother...so a nice family reunion was to be had.

i remember when i was younger, making these trips was very much a chore. always having to ditch my friends during our very few chances to meet up, never really haven't any friends out in asia, always being bored spending time with parents. and sure, those problems still exist now, but i have come to truly appreciate what these trips are for me. being so far away from my family, i have to take the very view chances i get to see them (any why not...it's not on my dime :P)

and this trip was no different...my brother flew down from shanghai to spend a several days with the family. we brought my grandmother over so we could take family photos. we went on a short in-island vacation to the local hot springs of yilan. and we ate...ate...and then ate some more.

though this will be the first year that i didn't celebrate a new years eve with excessive drinking and eventual vomiting, i'll take this clam and quiet transition to another year as an omen of a tranquil and stable 2011.