Ben's life

Ben is a very private person (up until today). I'm about to bust open the can of secrecy.

He lives in a small 2 story apartment just about 50 feet from the day/night market. The door is just off a very narrow street marked by a big fork. There is a small Buddhist temple just a few buildings down where people burn fake money for good luck and prosperity.

His scooter is named Show Hey (not correct spelling) which means "Cute Little Black One". He uses it to go to a tutoring job with a bright young man out in the country. Helmets are the norm and it takes some gutsy driving to get around.

His other job is teaching 9 year olds at Honor Roll English School, a 5 classroom private "cram" school. He has a set curriculum of grammar and literacy and hates the work. The kids are difficult to manage. This job allows him a resident card for government funded health care.

He loves exploring and has been to the south of the Island and around the outskirts of Taipei. During this visit, we will be going to the southcentral and south east part.

His apartment has a microwave, a fridge and a washer. His only other furniture consists of a chair, 2 cushions, an end table, a small bookcase and a mattress (in the sleeping loft) but it is enough for this small apartment. The bathroom is about 1/5 the size of the first floor. The whole room becomes a shower with a drain in the floor and a shower sprayer on the wall.

He has a beloved cat, Robinson Crusoe. Robby is a house cat, but pretty much runs the place. He is shy at first, but jumps at stuff and loves a good game of cat and mouse. Ben got him when he was just a puma. He's good company.

When we're out in the neighborhood, he knows quite a few people well enough to stop and talk, always in Chinese. He texts on his cell phone also in Chinese. He speaks Mandarin well enough to ask questions, order food, converse comfortably. It is really wonderful to see his passion for learning the language and refusing to speak English even if it is easier.

Reality#2: When you see ex-pats, ignore them as they will ignore you. You both prefer to be considered better than the other with purer intentions about living here.