Bruv...I think your hair style looks good here, I hope to see this hair do when I get back!!! (please don't have it like this)

ooohhhhh yesssss...bruv the look is...if only you were puckering your lips more!

Albert...are those clippers in your hair???...and the look on your face...hahaha!!

Albert...bruv...(silence)

The trials and tribulations of Albert's hair-do...

So whats this you ask me!? whats so friggin important about some ABC's haircut!!?? well...for many a month I was stroking that non-cut, finely tuned, finely washed, fine smelling...ok I didnt actually smell it...ok I did maybe a couple of times, hahaha...hair like a cat. infact I was not the only one, kaori did stroking too! Of his hair for those sickos out there who read more into it!!!

*MIAOW* (sound I used to make when stroking alberts hair).

anyways well I heard alby has finally got it cut...ok where did the Big C take you to have it cut? I hope it was not Yellow Ted!?

I hope you have not cut it too short man, I thought that whole dishevelled look suited you quite well, hahaha.

well people I have left some pictures of the process of albert whilst in the salon on that 'special' day, wish I coulda been there to laugh at you in person bruv!!~~

David at random pub in Bristol...watcha looking at!?

Emily, Ben and Edd at random pub in Bristol.

Felix....uhhmmm mate....

Emily at random pub in Bristol...darling you are a little insane when you are drunk no!?

David outside somewhere looking drunk...hahaha.

Kevin, Danny and David at Taiwanese ball at soda bar in Bristol February 2004 ...crazy night~~

Tom, Edd, Roland, David and David at Sixth form Ball in 2000. Gotta love my tux~~

David and Edd at the Sixth form Ball in 2000...Edd what were you doing mate!? ahhhh the white tux...gotta love it~~

David and David (me) at the Sixth form Ball in 2000...man...I looked young!

Its cold, its foggy, its raining....its the U.K.!!!!

One chapter finishes, another begins. Its been four weeks since I left Taiwan, this period has been a strange one for myself. I have to admit when I was sat there on the plane I had thoughts of screw it I can't go back 'home' now. I guess there are some things in life I just have to do and this is one of them. Even though I will have to come back some time this really does not seem like home anymore to me. Strangely enough I felt right at home in Taipei, I had found myself properly, I was well...happy, yeah, that's how I would describe it. Sometimes I think it is because of the fact that I was only a student in Taipei however I imagine that even if I were to work in Taipei, life would still seem the same. I think it's the convenience of the place that appeals to my character. I believe that's a novelty that will never wear off on me.

Sometimes I think why did I really come back to Taiwan, was it really just to learn Chinese? People have been telling me again and again how Chinese is the next big language, how the markets are opening in China and there are so many opportunities there in the future...yadda yadda. I have to admit I went back to find myself. I don?t know what other overseas Chinese feel, but I have always had some sort of identity crisis. All sorts of issues have hounded my life the biggest being where do I belong? I have grown up with white people, they have never made me feel different but no matter what I feel it and I know I am. This of course posses the larger question of who and what does that make me? I go back to Taiwan and I am seen as an overseas Taiwanese, I seem to belong nowhere...suddenly at work the other day a random white, late 60s to early 70s male customer asks me "why are you not working in a Chinese shop?" I was speechless for a second and all I could say was "excuse me!?" I think anyone else could have easily have been extremely offended by this remark or would have gone ballistic and shouted "DIE RACIST PIG!" at the top of their voice. I don't think he really meant what many would have believed to be a blatant racist remark; however it confirmed that no matter what kind of identity crisis I do have I really don't belong here.

I have met and spoke to many an overseas Chinese/Taiwanese (added both as I want to be as controversial as possible!) and everyone has a different perspective. Some even define themselves as a, and I quote "banana" (yellow on the outside, white on the inside...uhmmmm oookkkk. Hey if that's how they feel then that's cool, I just feel a little sad for them that's all. It seems they have turned their back on their culture or have not been properly introduced to it.

I remember when I first arrived back in the u.k. and saw my parents. My first reaction was man... how much have they aged!? In that moment no matter how much I missed my darling, my friends and my new 'life' I remembered my main reason for coming back. I don't think I am strange or ashamed to admit that I enjoy hanging with my parents. They are cool/random people and I guess I have discovered we have and always will have differences between us (come on they are my parents!) but I love them to bits and they've been cool with giving me a choice in life rather than "we have set out your entire future, next week you are starting law school in Dubai!"

Life in England I have found is quite a bit slower than in Taiwan. I find myself itching at times, perhaps I did not notice it as much before as I had a full time job and the evenings were either spent dead and lifeless on the couch at home/falling asleep straight after dinner or heading out for a drink or fifty in Bristol with my friends. At present I am still finding my feet here as things are so different.

I have seen quite a few of my friends and its been cool, we've headed out for drinks down our local pub and in the city...ahhh the city what a random place...

"Its not werf it Wayne, leave it, leave it!"

Its strange being in the village pubs after all this time and seeing random people you knew many years ago and who you have never seen since. The random friendliness is also quite welcoming at times.

Example:

(scene) Knot of Rope pub, Friday night 9.30pm ish. Large bloke wearing long leather jacket strides past our table and into the otherside of the bar. I barely recognise him as I have not seen this guy in at least 3-4 years. Suddenly...

David: Hey James Fry!?

James: Hey mate how are you doing?

David: I'm good, what you up to nowadays, still working down Bristol and West in Bristol?

James: nah mate making 3000 poun(d) a week being a recruitment consultment.

David: cool man, drinks on you tonight then mate!?

James smiles his cheeky grin which has not changed since the age of 9 years old (I went to junior school with him) and coolly exits the room swishing his long leather coat behind him.

See you in four more years James...RANDOM.

Since I have been back I thought I would get some part time work so as to prepare for my trip back to Taiwan. Looking back at all the jobs that I have done in the past, there is really no type of work I could not do.
My month spent at Bristol Bending Services when I was 18 years working in a warehouse unjigging and jigging fuel lighters was quite an eye opener. I remember two guys who worked there; Jason and Joe.
Jason was an early thirties guy who had been working in warehouses and factories since he was 16 years old. He had an amazing singing voice and we continuously told him that he should go on Stars in Your Eyes! He was an interesting guy to me as he was not formally educated (you don't HAVE to be formally educated I know that) and he came from a pretty rough background however he had such hope and great aspirations for his two kids to rise above what he had made with his life. I really admired that.
The other guy Joe was in his late sixties and had once been in the merchant marines. He told me about all the countries he had visited when he was younger and told me all about Taiwan in the sixties. I distinctly remember thinking wow this is a guy who has really lived. Who gives a damn about education, status and wealth? this guy has been there and experienced it all. I learnt that I cannot judge anyone on just their level of education or their stature in the world. It also made me realised how lucky I have been in life so far and that you gotta live for those precious seconds. More importantly I discovered that I had better do better at university otherwise I would seriously end up in a place like this for the rest of my life... not an easy living believe me!

Well enough of my random banter, I have included some pictures of my friends in the u.k. and also of myself when I was much younger and well... 'healthier' is how I would best describe it, hahahahaha. Some of them make me feel so old now...time is passing by and...well...check them out, you'll understand what I mean.

NOTE TO ALBERT LUOH: bruv...where the hell are you? you have dissappeared again!! I hear things are chugging along with a certain Big C (*wink wink*). Email me sometime mate, keep me updated!