Day 24/Day 25: Asian haircut and Northeast scenic trip

On Friday my cousin took me to get a haircut! I wanted to get my hair cut in Taiwan because in the US no one knows how to cut Asian hair, so I've had the same straight-across-cut since junior high. I was really nervous though because I didn't want to come out looking like a huge fob, and then have to start holding two fingers up in every photograph. Plus I didn't want my future med school classmates to think I was a freak.

My cousin semi-knows the hair cutter, so he was really friendly and did a good job (not too Asian). When he started thinning out my hair though I started to wince. When he saw my face, he said, "You look like you're in pain," but told me it wasn't that bad and kept going. Now my hair is so thin!! It was probably too late anyway, and it probably looks better this way. Anyway, here is what it looks like!

Sorry I have a weird look on my face. Also, please tell me if I made a mistake and should wear my hair up for the next six months.

Today (Saturday) I went with a relative to the northeast coast of Taiwan to eat seafood and see the scenic views. He is about my dad's age and comes from the same village as my dad, Shuhtoh, which he told me today is made up of the decendants of four brothers who were two generations above my grandfather. The village has about 200 people who I am all related to (!). So I'm not sure how I'm related to him, but I am somehow.

Also, apparently I have been calling this relative the wrong thing for a month. In Chinese it is really important what you call someone (whether you call them by their name or uncle, for instance). I have been calling him a version of uncle this whole time, but apparently he calls my dad uncle because of which generation he belongs to, so I am supposed to call him by his name. Oops! Also, I found out I have been calling my cousins incorrectly as well too! But I have been calling them by their name instead of "cousin," which is very rude! Ahh, I am very bu li mao or 'very bad mannered!'

Anyway, my relative who I have been calling uncle but should be calling by name took me to a great seafood restaurant, which is apparently well known and was very tasty, but had cockroaches crawling around. I guess they can't help it since it is so hot in Taiwan and spraying pesticides in a restaurant is worse than cockroaches, but it was still pretty gross. I kept my feet on the table legs not touching the ground. The seafood was amazingly fresh though, I have never eaten shrimp that tasted so sweet! Here is the fish head of the fish we ate in light a soup.

And the views were beautiful as usual.
When I got back, my aunt and I rushed over to my grandfather's nursing home to have dinner with him. We ate with lots of old people coming up to us and pointing at me, asking who I was (one man literally just pointing at me and saying "Who is that?" and then leaving when receiving the answer). My grandpa was so friendly and always replied proudly that was his granddaughter who just graduated from college in the US. He is still working as a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor at the age of 90 (or 91?). My family keeps telling him to retire (for his safety: he doesn't look when he crosses the street), but he keeps saying they can't find a replacement or he will retire when his new doctor's license is processed. But today we were talking about his doctor's license, and he took it out and showed it to me! Whoops! Apparently he has been tricking us. :)

Anyway, at dinner we ate one of my favorite fruits, which is yellow watermelon! I think it tastes more tender than red watermelon. Some people call it 'little jade,' which is actually my mom's nickname, although her name came first and the watermelon's name came second.