TaiwanTaiwanRongguangShipai25°6’49” N 121°31’18” E
October 30, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌧 25 °C
When I arrived in Taipei, I didn't get much of an impression. I headed straight to Matthieu's and Vivi's home, the friends with who I am staying with in Taipei.
The public transport is easy and straightforward, just like Japans. I acquired an EasyCard, the IC-card of Taiwan and got smoothly to Shipai, the closest station to where my friends live.
I got a warm welcome from the couple and their child (well, the child was shy, but that's pretty normal for a 2 year old) and Matthieu and I caught up about what was happening in our lifes. We haven't seen each other for more than 10(?) years, so there was a lot we were talking about.
Matthieu grew up in France and Switzerland, but started working in Australia when he was 18 and later on would go to Taiwan to learn Chinese, heading back to Switzerland for some time before doing his Bachelor in Taiwan, getting a job in a foreign company and staying in Taiwan.
It sounded like a quite interesting life and it made me think if I should maybe study in a foreign country. I never considered this, even though I used to be around so many people that studied abroad.
But I think this is something to consider later. I want to focus on my travels now.
We ordered some food, ate and laughed together, drank some wine, which was such a swiss gesture, and I asked some questions about Taiwan.
From Vivi and Matthieu I know now, that taiwanese people are very friendly and open and they don't follow strict practices and rules. For example, you wouldn't be considered rude if you do something different in a temple as the locals would do - everybody has their own way to pray.
Which I saw firsthand when I visited a temple the next day. There where a lot of people praying and even without my face, my fit check (a cap, a funny pack slung across and sunglasses hanging on my shirt), screamed foreigner/tourist.
The woman working there still showed me very friendly where I can stand to pray and even though I didn't go in there to pray, I still folded my hands and prayed.
I prayed for the weather to be better next week. Because this is the week I will be starting my bicycle tour and even though I have a rain jacket, I still don't want to get rained on.
Maybe you guys can pray with me.Read more
TaiwanTaiwanTaipei CityYuchaokeng25°6’50” N 121°31’18” E
November 15, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
And this was my last day of my tour!
Today, I went from Keelung to Taipei, around 43km. Not very far if you compare with some other days, haha.
The americans took a different route than me, so for my last day, I was alone again (just like I started, haha).
After some trouble getting out of Keelung (roads can sometimes be a little bit confusing, especially if you follow the signs for route 1 biking tour and they turn out to be wrong), I was able to pass some nice bike ways next to some rivers. The last hour was basically alongside the Keelung river. The weather was great, though I knew tomorrow it could worsen as there is another rain front coming my way.
But it was very nice ending the tour with the scenery of the river, away from the (very) busy road.
Coming back to Taipei, I first took a shower before going to a dumpling restaurant and eating 25 dumplings, a block of braised tofu and a cup of soy milk. After that, I was able to get back and let the evening come in with watching a movie and being lazy. After all, I think I deserved that.
Here some breakdowns of the tour:
Day 1: Taipei - Hsinchu (94km)
Day 2: Hsinchu - Taichung (110km)
Day 3: Taichung - Chiayi (108km)
Day 4: Chayi- Tainan (75km)
Day 5: Tainan - Kaohsiung (53km)
Day 6: Kaohsiung - Checheng (89km)
Day 7: Rest day in Checheng (0km)
Day 8: Checheng - Taitung (120km)
Day 9: Taitung - Ruisui (115km)
Day 10: Ruisui - Hualien (76km)
Day 11: Hualien - (Trainride to Suao) - Keelung (97km)
Day 12: Keelung - Taipei (43km)
Days spent: 12
Km done: 980km
Highlights:
Day 2: got chased by a pack of dogs.
Day 5: Daiy took me out to an expensive steak restaurant.
Day 7: My sports bra got stolen in the hostel. But I swam in the ocean for the first time since I started my trip.
Day 8: Bought a new sports bra.
Day 9: Very bad rain all day. Best lunch so far. Very nice dinner with a taiwanese lady.
Day 11: Secreeet tunnneeeell (Old Caoling Tunnel) and best night market in Keelung (really loved the vibes there).Read more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaXiananzi25°7’3” N 121°31’7” E July 10, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌧 27 °C
Hey travel journal,
It was a late start today with the lecture not starting until 10am. After getting ready and heading downstairs we headed over to the main building. We had a big introduction and got booklets that outlines the two week program. And went over our timetable for the two weeks. Then we passed the microphone around and everyone introduced themselves by name, uni and major. The other two schools are all nursing students. Last year so was qut so they get so confused that we are all completely different majors. We have the same group number as the other two groups put them together. But makes it fun. Then we headed out onto the main steps and got a big group photo and then headed out for a campus tour with our individual buddies. Except we didn't really do it, we just went to the library. It's pretty cool. There was circle stair case in the middle that went up to the third floor. Its a big circle and on the bottom floor were swinging love seats and couches and computers and stuff. It's pretty cool. Then we headed back to the conference room and ate sooo much food at the epic buffet they put on for us. There was rice, chicken, port, fish, dumplings, salad, fruit, cake and fruit juice. It was insane. So much food. And there were three buddies with birthdays this month so they had a birthday cake and after singing happy birthday it got cut up and spread around. After we all ate way to much we headed back to the dorms. We were meant to go to the Australian embassy tonight but there has been a government 4pm lock down for the typhoon. So we put our stuff down and Sophie, Sam, Sara and I headed out to food street to get some fruit. Once we got back and put what we had in the fridge we headed up stairs and I was antisocial for most of the afternoon. To be honest its a pretty good day to be in the dorm because I have had the worst upset stomach this arvo. So I just sat and watched Netflix and iced my knee. Around dinner time I went down stairs and got my welcome lunch left overs (dumplings) and fruit and had that as dinner. Then when I got the urge to start studying for my essay I went out to the lounge room and joined the other girls. They played cards and watched tennis and we all just chatted and waited for the storm to blow in. After a bit I went and had a shower and crawled into bed. After doing my Peter prescribed exercises and watched more Netflix and now I'm gonna crash. Hoping the storm passes quickly so that classes tomorrow aren't cancelled because I really want to do acupuncture and mindfulness. Crossing my fingers and toes. Night xoRead more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaLanya25°7’4” N 121°31’6” E July 3, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Hey travel journal,
So it's day two and it was just as busy as day one. Omg I'm so tired and my feet are so sore.
The day started with a group of us heading to a local store that sells traditional Taiwanese breakfasts. We spent a good 15 with a translation app and a list of foods a buddy gave us and we think we figured out some of the menu and all decided to have rice and vegis but then somehow got to ordering and ended up with egg in pastry and an iced tea (which was probably a bit on the sweet side for me) but both were very nice. Then back to the dorms and got ready and headed off to the bus which took us to a private hospital - shin King Wu ho-su memorial hospital, where we are doing our observations. We were ushered into a meeting room and given a weekly itinerary, a pen and a Chinese newspaper. We had a welcome and learnt a little bit about the hospital and their values. I have learnt that they are very people orientated and have many staff to ensure that people are followed throughout their hospital experience and that as an 800 bed hospital they are considered small (I know right.. What!?). I also learnt that they don't have a level four because that is the number for death, so the levels skip the number four. everything in the hospital is a combination of Chinese and English, especially the patient diagnosis on the charts as they hand over diagnosis in English. It's so bilingual, I love it. After our quick intro and tour of the bottom floor. We broke up into two groups and had a tour of either the surgical ward or medical ward and then swapped. We started in the general surgical ward were they look after patients who have had abdominal, breast or thyroid surgeries. They explained that they have stretchers they put out next to each of the patients beds, where they have a family member stay with the patient and help them with everything they need like eating or getting up to go to the toilet. And each room only has a suction and oxygen port. They use portable monitoring equipment if the patient requires observations to be completed. They showed us the store room where they keep all of their drugs and equipment, and the new cloud computer system. Everything is barcode controlled. The patients IDs the staff IDs, even monitoring the monitors are scanned and then the cloud attaches the results to the patients file. They have an electronic whiteboard at the nurses station that had each of the beds on the screen with icons that say of they are contagious, gender, condition, if they have a DNR etc. And you just have to click the bed on the map and everything about the patient comes up and on their computer the entire patients file and all test results can be accessed. After the surgical ward we headed over to medicine where the ward structure is the same. Interesting they apparently don't have a specific in patient cancer care ward, so patients who are on cancer medications get put onto a general ward and their meds get put in a locked cupboard and the general ward nurses dispense them. After our ward tours we went to lunch. We walked down a side street near the hospital and we all stopped at different vendors to get some lunch. I had a scallion which is pretty much naan bread which an egg layer and corn. It was so tasty. Then we headed back to the hospital and had a tour of the Osce centre where students take their practical assessments. The rooms are proper examination rooms and a resus room but they have one way windows on one side so that the professor can stand on the outside and see and hear everything without the students being able to see them. They have twelve hurdle assessments they need to pass in this section. Then we had a tour of the cancer treatment prevention centre which is pretty much just an office and a consultation room. This is where cancer screening is undertaken and then if diagnosed the patient gets a case manager who looks after them for a minimum of 5 years regardless of if they go into remission or not. And they are provided with an oncologist. The support team just provides them with any assistance and provides regular assessments and check ups. After that we were done for the day and half the group headed back to the dorm while all of us parameds caught the train into the city and had an explore. We stopped at a few shops and spent some time in a winnie the pooh store where Nikki brought something for her sister and then we went to a 511 store where they boys brought some pants, a top and torches between them. It was mostly cloths and bags, which I was hoping for a little more gadgets and stuff but that's ok. And then we wandered and looked around on the way back to the train where we headed to some night markets to meet up with the rest of the group. The night markets were pretty cool. Absolutely huge and very similar to all Asian markets really. We all just wandered for ages and brought different foods and shared them around. Fried stinky tofu is ok but weird, pig blood cake is just like chewy weird texture grossness, vegetable dumplings are soo good, and spicy mushroom chunks are also super tasty. While there we came across a temple which was nice and traditional with people praying which I loved because it shows its functional in the community. And we all pulled a fortune stick but the fortunes are all in Chinese so I have no idea what mine says lol. Then we headed back to the dorms, showered and now I'm soo ready to sleep the screen is blurry. Night xoRead more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaXiananzi25°7’5” N 121°31’5” E July 12, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Hey travel journal,
So the typhoon was super anticlimactic. It was pretty much a regular brissy summer storm. Some strong winds and a heavy rain. Apart from the branches around the grounds of uni, you wouldn't even know it happened. Except for the poor girls on the other side of our dorm. Because there is no external glass on the windows of our dorm at either end (I'm assuming to allow for wind passage to reduce damage in typhoon season) the rain came straight through and hit that side of the buidling. When I got up and looked down the other end of the hall I saw water everywhere, which for sure would have gone under the doors and into the rooms. Our end of the building was completely uneffected. Actually, I slept through the whole thing. But good thing was, it passed really quickly so no classes where cancelled :) so, up early, got ready and headed over to a class room. It was like a normal lecture room with desks and chairs and a screen and projector at the front. Except the back and side of the room were lined with made hospital beds - clearly a nursing training room. We took our seats and settled in for our first 3 hr lecture (which I was honestly worried I wouldn't struggle through. 3 hrs is a long time). The lecturer is was a doctor who is an acupuncturist. She talked about what chi is, and how the body is made up of Maridions that run the length of the body and how everything is connected. The importance of the yin and yang balance and how the natural cycles of the body should be listened to. She spent time going through a few of the points - what they are, what they do, their anatomical location, and got us to find them on ourselves. She also came around and showed us, which was painful when you find a point with your fingers because of the amount of pressure that needs to be applied but super cool. Then she gave us all an alcohol swab and an acupuncture needle and we put it in our hands on the webbing between the thumb and forefinger)(position L14) to help with headaches and cold & flu symptoms. Which is quite fitting because the flu seems to be making the rounds through the Aussies. She was impressed with my positioning and I got the needle in first go, but she took over and twisted it further in for me, which is good because she put it deeper then I probably would have but it was definitely in the right place. Then I just sat and chatted for 25 mins with the needle in my hand. Then after what felt like 10mins of the class starting it had been over 3 hrs and we had an hr to organise some lunch. Sharni wasn't feeling the best so she headed back to the dorm while the rest of us went to what we have now effectionately named eat street or food street. Which is the local markets where all the food vendors are. We had originally planned on going to a dumpling restaurant for lunch but after walking over there we found it was closed. There are definitely more options on food street at night, but we still had loads to choose from. We ended up stopping at this place that did these meals that had rice, beef in gravey with onion and garlic, cabbage, sprouts, vegetables and a fried egg on top. It was super peppery, but super tasty. We got our food and I got a juice from the juice shop (wanted pineapple but think I got guava?? Meh still cold and refreshing - it was hit and muggy as shit today). We headed back to the classroom, picking up Sharni on the way and sat on the front porch (no food allowed in the rooms) and ate. Then we headed back in and the desks had been moved to line the room in a u shape. The afternoon lecture was on meditation and mindfulness. The lecturer was amazing. She is a oncologist at the local hospital (well on of the local hospitals), a Chinese medicine specialist and a monk. She was calm and realistic and tried to involve everyone and encouraged participation. She talked about what mindfullness is and how it integrates with today's modern society (not just completely bagging smartphones, etc). She also talked about acceptance and how life is a cycle and how once we learn that things and people never end they just change shape (for example, a cloud doesnt stop existing when you can't see it, it becomes rain, which becomes water, which can be used in tea or to grow crops, etc) then we can stop being afraid of the what if, and start living in the present. At various points throughout her presentation she got us to stop and meditate for 1 minute at a time. She talked about how meditation is different for everyone and it can be as simple as being completely present in yourself at that point in time. Whether you have your eyes closed or open, or sitting watching a river or what ever it may be. That personalising it is ok, but deep breathing and mindfulness should be incorporated. Her presentation was a lot longer then she actually presented which we should hopefully get a copy of from the buddies. She wanted to focus more on what she called games or exercises. One that we did was that we stood in teams, two lines of 6 across from each other. The person at the front held a bowl that was filled to the brim with water. They then had to stand on one foot and jump 5 times, while spilling as little water as possible. Then pass it to the next person who did the same and repeat. At the end of the first line, they had to fill a slightly smaller bowl with the water that was left over from the bigger bowl (ours still completely filled the little bowl) and the process started again. I was the 12th person in our group. We were the second group to finish. And when comparing the three groups final bowls to decide who had the most water left, we totally won - team 'compassion' for the win :) (at the beginning of class we all had to give ourselves team names, we had things like trust, tranquillity, Zen, etc). The second game was on a piece of paper we had to individually draw a labrenth. Mine was a circle and had four sections but was kinda like a yin yang. It had two exits and I named them faith and honesty. I made my start point right in the centre with Honesty being easier to get to then faith. I was meant to put myself on the labrenth somewhere but I couldn't quite decide on a spot. Everyone had such different shapes and mazes and names for the exits. It was really interesting. Then right at the end of class we did half an hr of Tai chi. Which was very cool. It's kind of like yoga, but you never really stop moving, it's like constant flowing motion. The time went so quick I can't believe how fast the 3hrs went. After class Sam was talking to her about learning natural medicine here in Taipei and she gave her the name of the institution I think she runs or is very involved with and her contact details and said once she has graduated back home, if she is still keen to contact her. Very cool. Then we headed back to the dorm, where I read for a bit and then hung out in Sam, Sara and Sharni"s room with the girls and Sophie. Sara isn't very well and had fallen asleep while we were chatting and then the rest of us headed out to dinner with salami, Andy, Toni and Jim. We went down to the sushi express and Sharni ate her. Weight in sushi. It was pretty fun. After dinner the group wanted to head into town to go to the night markets and I knew the party girls had headed out to girls night at a club somewhere, but I decided to have a night in. So they headed to the train station and I headed back to the dorm. When I got back I just sat outside and enjoyed the breeze and quite for a bit and then headed up to the dorm. I just hung around, watch Netflix, tidied, took the rubbish out, physio exercises, showered - you know typical, boring, night in - have the dorm to your self type stuff and climbed into bed. All and all it was an awesome day and I am glad it didn't get cancelled. Tomorrow is cupping and a Chinese pharmacy visit. So it should be another exciting one :) night xoRead more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaXiananzi25°7’5” N 121°31’5” E July 10, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌙 27 °C
Hey travel journal,
Today was a nice chilled day which was awesome. We got up and I had breaky (from my food draw which was so nice) and then headed down stairs and onto the bus to head over to the memorial hospital for the last time. We started the day with presentations on the birthing suits and hospice centre before heading out into the wards. Then we headed up into the paediatric ICU were there were lot of tiny little sick babies and so many of them intubated or on nasal oxygen, a couple in humidifiers and on intubated bubbles was on a vibration machine that apparently helps to stimulate the respiratory system and diaphragm function. First they showed us an empty room set up ready with a humidifier just in case something happens and they need it. Then from the neonatal wards we went into paediatric ICU where they only have two beds. Both had girls around the age of 5 years, intubated and under intensive care with meningitis / encephalitis. Things can change so quickly Sharni was telling me tonight that when her group went into this ward the second girl was blocked off because her family had had a meeting with the doc and they had been informed that she was brain dead and would never survive off life support, so they were saying their goodbyes as they had opted to turn off the ventilator. She was is a semi sit position when I saw her with the back of the bed elevated and her legs propped up with a blanket under the knees. I remember thinking how clever it was that they had blown up a glove and used two of the middle fingers tied together to hold the ET tube and the body of the glove to keep it elevated from the girls chest. So clever. But a reminder of just how fragile life is and how fast a patients condition can change. After that we went into neonate ICU ward that had four babies in cribes and one in a humidifier. This room was for premature babies (anyone under 2kg). With two of the babies having growing to over 2kg, one having just been weaned of nasal oxygen and one still on Nasal but he was looking around and blowing bubbles despite the Nasal pronges taped to his face. And two tiny tiny babies, doing amazing and breathing on their own but just so tiny. Then we went into the breastfeeding room, where a special chair is set up for mums with a big curtain that can provide them with privacy and three other babies in this room in bassinets on monitoring equipment. The littlest bubble in this room was sucking on what looked like a cue tip, and although his ecg was ok, his heart was over 180 (which isn't actually too bad for a bub his size) but his resp rate was nearly 60. We told the doctor and he said that it has actually improved and he is not requiring oxygen at the moment but he does have lung disease. Then we headed over to the hospice centre. They have 8 palliative care beds in this area, a lounge room, a bath room and a death room (as they call it, and is exactly what it sounds like). People who qualify for this room are those who require high levels of care and have less then 6 months to live. The lounge is a multi function room with a TV, couches, table and a fish tank. And is used for family visits, to get patients out of their room for a bit (there are oxygen ports and suction on the walls for those who need it), weddings, graduation photos with families, meetings etc. The patients have activities such as crafts they can do, and can get massage and aromatherapy. The bathroom is amazing. The views from the one way glass windows are amazing of the hills and the bath has a removable bed that they patient lays on and the bed. And bath tub can be moved to help immerse the patient, who can then have a shower, bath or spa. It's pretty fancy. The room is also used for hair cuts and has a. Radio in the corner so they can chill out and listen to music. Then we went into what they call the death room. When a patient is just about to pass away they move them into this room and can change the wall to being neutral clouds, Buddhist or Christian images. They can change the lighting and covering on the windows. Play any music, sounds or chanting they want. And the family can spend up to 8hrs in with the patient and do any family rituals or prey or just sit with the family member. The temp in the room is also 16 degrees so that once the patient has passed the body doesn't smell. Lovely, thoughtful idea, weird room to be in. And it started a conversation about if ghosts are real... After hospice we headed down to the delivery room. After looking at the three bus born today in the baby. Room through the window we gowned up and headed into the birthing suits. The first part of the ward is single rooms that mums in labour hangout in until they are fully dilated. There is a bed, a chair and a bathroom,.as well as monitoring equipment for both mum and feral heart rate, etc. After mum is fully dilated she is taken into the delivery room where a doctor will deliver her baby. The delivery room is a massive chair with strip's. It was so funny Andy jumped up on the chair and Jimmy pretended to be the catcher and I played 'dad' while people took pictures. After the delivery rooms we headed back to the conference room where they gave us all lunch and bubble tea, a popper, jasmine tea, a muffin and a biscuit. Seriously I brought a bunch of it back to the dorm. In full Andy fashion he ate all of it, had two bubble teas and finished off like three other meals apart from his own. Damn that kid can eat. Then we took a final group photo and said our goodbyes before heading out. We all went to the stationary store. Unfortunately the back pack Sophie wanted wasn't there but between us we still managed to spend a lot of money. I brought some note books which I really don't need but that we're very cool and a few book marks. I found awesome bookmarks in Chinese characters but when I asked someone to translate they had weird meanings so I decided not to go there. Jim tried to help me with an app the best he could but in the end we gave up. Then we all jumped on the MRT and went to the supermarket to get final typhoon prep. The supermarket was hectic. There were people everywhere and shelves were empty everywhere. Once we were all done we headed back to the dorms. I checked my emails and applied for a QAS PTS job and took photos of my knee for babs to show to Peter of all my bruising and soreness. Then a bunch of us headed out down to food street for dinner. I got curry fried rice with vegetables. And we all headed back to the dorm to eat. The girls joined a bunch of the others on level 5 to play cards and I decided to be antisocial and headed back to the room and ate while watching Netflix. Getting out of the elevator was a shock I was hit with a sea of Korean students. This program has three schools Qut, Korea and Singapore and officially starts tomorrow. Because of our holiday dates are different to Asia we come a week earlier and get to spend time at the memorial hospital, which the other schools don't get. So they have all arrived. And they have taken over. I had to wait soo long to get into the shower because everytime I attempted they were just everywhere. Then after a shower, it was time for bed. Keen for the lectures to start tomorrow. Night xo.Read more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaLanya25°7’6” N 121°31’7” E July 14, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌬 34 °C
Hey travel journal,
I woke up early this morning. So I took my time getting up and getting ready for the day. Then we headed over to the classroom and had a talk about aids prevention in nurses. They talked about how they aim for prevention through awareness and education. Unfortunately they didn't really go into how the program works or many of the statistics. But they did say that over 38000 people in Taiwan have aids, that nurses have to prove work acquired transmission for financial support and that they have achieved 88% of the population being free from HIV through medication and their programs. After a group photo we then headed to lunch. Today we went to a vegetarian buffet place where we chose our own food and headed back to campus. Sophie, Sam, Sara and I then sat on the fields and ate lunch under the shade of a tree before heading up to the dorm and chilling before heading out to the gondolas. The gondolas were pretty awesome, although it took ages to get there. Two trains and about an hour, followed by a short walk and lots of lining up. Then we all split up and went in different gondolas. In mine was Sophie, Sam, Sara, Joanne and jerry and the views of the mountains and city were epic. Once we got to the top we walked through winding roads with greenery on both sides with the epic views past vendors, a little township and restaurants over looking the view. After a couple of km's. We got to a cool outdoor tea house were we sat looking over the mountains and tea fields and shared different local teas, and ate dumplings and just chatted for ages while the sun went down.The four party girls headed off early because they had booked an air bnb somewhere. It was an awesome and relaxing afternoon. Sophie and Andy even had a nap. Then we walked back to the gondolas and watched the city lights as we rode the 30mins back to the main station, followed by the epic train journey home. After we got back we all broke off and headed down food street to get dinner. Sahama and I got fried rice and met the other girls back in the dorm lounge and we just sat and ate and chatted for ages. It was so nice. Sophie and Sam where clearly on something, they kept cracking up laughing at the most insignificant things. It was rediculously amazing. Even better, we actually have a day with no classes tomorrow and we have a plan to go to a place called a thousand Lakes, but we aren't leaving until 11am. Yay, we get a sleep in!! But for now, I'm stuffed so I'm passing out. Night xoRead more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaXiananzi25°7’6” N 121°31’8” E July 13, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C
Hey travel journal,
Not much to write about today because I slept for most of the arvo.
This morning we got up and jumped on the bus and headed towards a therapy clinic that was about an hour away. They have a doctor, three physiotherapist, two occupational therapists and two speech therapists. First we had a talk on occupational therapy and the five areas they work in including mental illness, physical disability, children rehabilitation, re-training and employment and community work. Then we had a talk about physical therapy. Their physical therapy includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. All of which they offer in this clinic. First he showed us a type slacking gun therapy. Which just vibrates and they use to push into tight muscles. He did my shoulders, and lats as a demonstration. It really helped to get ride of the tension. They use a type of electro therapy where the therapist holds a little machine and then touches the patient and the conduction runs through them and into the patient at points where the therapist touches. We all stood in a circle and held hands and the current ran through the whole group. Then one at a time he touched out faces around our eyes and asked what colour we see. White is normal but if you see a rainbow it can indicate something is wrong neurologically. Interesting.. It also induced muscle twitches. As he did each person they left the circle so but he end I was the last one, my hands where tingly with the current and my facial twitching was pretty epic. It felt so weird. Then we started cupping. First he demonstrated (on me again) and put the cup on my trap. It kinda hurt while he was doing it. He put the cup on and then I had to push my shoulder up against resistance and then relax down, 10 times. Then we all practiced on each other. We did cupping on our traps, deltoid muscles and lumber spine. Then to finish off the session we had a competition to see who could put 12 cups on someone's back the fastest. I came second by 2 seconds! If only I hadn't dropped one of the cups. Oh well, it was still fun and I didn't mind loosing to Sophie. She won an air cupping set. Which is soo cool. Then we jumped on the bus and headed back to the dorm. At the dorm I ate my left over typhoon food (apple and two minute noodles) and had a sleep. I had a pretty epic head ache. So every one else went out on a bike ride and watched the sunset at a river and went to the night markets but I had a really quite night in. I just slept, watched Netflix, kind of started my essay, and read. I went out for dinner and got my self sorted and then had a shower and an early night. A quite arvo/evening is just what I needed.
Night xoRead more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaXiananzi25°7’6” N 121°31’8” E July 17, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌬 28 °C
Hey travel journal,
This morning we were up early and jumped on a bus and headed over to a public hospital for a tour. The Taipei city public hospital has 8 branches, each of which have a different focus. For example oncology, neurological deficit, aged care etc. The branch we went to today were the Chinese medicine specialist. The hospital is primarily an out patient facility and integrates Western medicine with traditional Chinese medicine. There are floors in the hospital for things such as blood testing and HIV management, while others are dedicated to acupuncture, manual manipulation (chiropractic) and a massive Chinese medicine pharmacy. The prescribed compounded powders are covered by their national insurance, which other herbs, plants etc are all charged to the patient. First we watched a video on the public health system and the 8 branches, as well as one on the focus of the integrated branch. All of the doctors and pharmacist are trained both in Western and Chinese medicine, and can practice both types of medicine. Then after a group photo we had a tour of the acupuncture clinic and they showed us all the different needles they use, including these tiny ones that look like splinters stuck to a sticky pad, which they can apparently place on the patient and leave on for a few days to help provide prolonged pain relief. Then we went to the manual manipulation area which was a big room with lots of massage tables. They asked for volunteers to be part of the demonstration and Andy put his hand up and said that he had a sore back. The doc said his spine was a bit out of alignment and used a little pillow that he put on Andy's back where it is out and then used his body weight and pressure pushed up against the pillow to help crack his back. He said it felt so much better. Then everyone volunteered me for the second demonstration, which I didn't really want to do in front on everyone but I have been thinking about making a chiro appointment for next week, so figured why not. I told him about my knee pain and he said that most of the times knees are sore because the patients back and pelvis are out. So hey lay me on my side and cracked my back, and did both sides. The crack was pretty epic and then did my pelvis. I have never had a pelvic realignment before so the was new. He put the hard pillow in the small of my back while I was laying on my back and then I bent my knees and opened them putting my feet together. And then I don't know what he did but I slide my feet down the bed and he did some kind of resistance and it cracked well. My knee still hurts, but my back feels so much better. The sharp pain I have been getting in my lower back is gone which is amazing. Then we had a tour of the pharmacy. It was pretty decent in size with lots of little cubicles where pharmacists were compounding powered prescriptions for patients and in the back they had a traditional pharmacy set up with all the shelves and things in pots on the wall. I wonder if the set up and the order that things are stored have some kind of meaning?... Then after trying some things (or I should say, eating goji berries), we went downstairs to see the vats where they make all of the liquid mixes. Then it was time to head off. A small group stayed at the hospital and headed off to indoor rock climbing (which was a 3m climbing wall with no harnesses), while the rest of us headed back to campus. On the way back to the dorm we headed to food street and got some food. Sara, Sophie and I first went to my new juice shop and got a drink. I tried the dragon fruit one today, it was pretty good. They also had samples of this raspberry crush thingy that was also pretty tasty. I then got the rice, beef, egg and vegetables thingy from the other day but curry instead of black pepper flavour. The girls decided to just eat some stuff that they had back at the dorms, so then we headed back. Unfortunately Sharni missed the day as she stayed at the dorm with vomiting and diarrhoea. Sophie was also pretty sick, Danny was nauseated and I also had the runs. We all ate the same thing for lunch yesterday, so we are thinking it's food poisoning from that. I felt pretty shit house in the arvo so I just watched Netflix, went to the toilet (I don't even know how many times) and slept for a bit. When I woke up I was so sweaty and foggy, it was like I had just gotten out of the shower. Despite my upset tummy, I have still been hungry all afternoon (maybe I have worms...). Apparently a bunch of people played volleyball in the afternoon and then one group of people were heading to hotpot for dinner and another group were going on a bit of a walk/did the mountain behind campus. Sophie and I decided to head out and go to the juice place and get soda and cranberry drinks and vegetable fried rice and headed back to the dorms and retreated back into our respective rooms to hide from the world. After a while I did my physio stretches and convinced my self that I had energy for a shower. Now, I am laying in bed wide awake a midnight because I slept all arvo. Whoops. Oh well, at least my tummy has settled and tomorrow should be a better day. Night xoRead more
TaiwanTaiwanZhenhuaXiananzi25°7’6” N 121°31’8” E July 19, 2018 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
Hey travel journal,
This morning we were up early and headed over to the class room to have the second half of our acupuncture class. We talked through the rest of the meridians and body regions and were shown how to do a facial massage with your fingers and a scalp massage with a thing that looks like a comb. Then after we were done with the acupoints, we were shown....... Which uses incense and heat for healing. The main form is a really thick incense stick that looks like a cigar that you light at one end and hold it close to the skin surface. There was also little cones that you light and stick onto the skin, a box that goes on your head for centre point meridian and a thing that looks like a hammer. You put the stick in the top and use the end like massage wand. We gave them all a go and then we all cleaned up and said goodbye to the teacher. We all headed to lunch together and ended up at this Japanese restaurant that had different rice or noodle meals. We were all sitting upstairs eating when one of the servers came out and asked Sam's instagram for the guy behind the counter. She agreed because we go home very soon. We all waved to him as we left, poor guy. He started messaging within a few hours. He is 17 and wants to take Sam to dinner. :p cute. She said no. Then we headed back to the dorms and we all met up on level 7 in the lounge to talk about what we are doing for our group presentation tomorrow. We decided to go with a brief overview of our health system (with each dorm doing one section) and then the follow a patients journey through each of our departments (with each person writing about their own degree). We did the out outline for the paramedics one really quick and then I padded it out and did the slides. And for our dorm we got introduction, which we found a video that sums up our system really well, so we were. Done pretty quick. Sam did an amazing job putting it all together and then we were done. After chilling for a bit we all headed out to the night markets. Sophie and I ended up having a little shopping date and got all the things we wanted for people back home and then after stopping for a donut we headed back on the MRT. We went to the juice shop on the way home from the station but it was closing just as we got there. Sad face. So we just went back to the dorm. Once back I started organising everyone to get a pile together of the gifts for the buddies and teacher tomorrow. We have a class in the morning, then our presentation and a farewell lunch and afternoon. We decided to make a little gift pack for each of the buddies and toni is going to run out in the morning and get bags so they look pretty. Then I showered and now it's time for bed because I'm not going to get much sleep tonight. Night xoRead more
You might also know this place by the following names:
Zhenhua Village, Zhenhua, 振華里
