One of the things I love doing is to walk around the city.

You can’t really do that back in the Philippines, especially because the streets are simply not safe. Pollution is technically the same, but walking in Taipei even at night is relatively safe.

Even at the peak of summer, I find walking at night to be especially peaceful. It’s also nice if you’re walking with someone special, and all you guys do is to walk and talk, appreciating your surroundings at the same time.

My boyfriend and I walked around Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall last week, and that was really nice. Other favorite destinations include the Chang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, which is absolutely stunning at night, and the water shores of Danshui.

Of course, my boyfriend would complain. He sweats fairly easily and hates the heat. But I always appreciate his effort to compromising sometimes, and accompanying me in these walks.

Don’t forget your mosquito insect repellant though. The mosquitoes here would eat you alive.

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As they say, it’s not really what you do, it’s who you’re with that’s most important.

I find this to be very true.

Earlier this week, I made a salad and boiled chicken dinner, and watched movie, “Pacifier” with my boyfriend. Now, people who know me also know that I’m very inept in the kitchen. My boyfriend even took the trouble of teaching me how to chop vegetables.

I think he was afraid I would chop my fingers or something.

Sigh, that’s the problem when you grew up in a household with maids. You get really spoiled. When I came to Taiwan, I didn’t even know how to operate a washing machine!

Sidenote: I do now.

Nevertheless, it was really nice spending a quiet evening at home.

It’s funny. I used to be Miss Social Butterfly.

Every day used to be very eventful, be it dinner with friends or going clubbing. I find it surprising that I’m turning into Miss Domesticated. Not only can I now chop vegetables, I can clean up too!

Not that I’m complaining, of course.

It’s just different.

I’m just a little worried on how this will affect my social routine once my boyfriend leaves for his month-long vacation to the US.

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I was talking to a very good friend of mine the other day.

Her boyfriend is now in Europe for a business-and-pleasure vacation. I was asking her if she could ask her boyfriend to get us some Swiss chocolates since European chocolates are definitely tastier and creamier than those you can get from Duty Free.

“If he calls you and asks, ‘Honey, what do you want?’ tell him that I want some chocolates!” I joked.

She then told me that her boyfriend, being a foreigner, is unlike many guys.

Traveling very often, her boyfriend isn’t really prone of bringing back pasalubongs (gifts/souvenirs from abroad). Hence, she doesn’t really expect anything, but if she gets something, she won’t be surprised.

I told her that if it was me, I’d be disappointed if I didn’t get anything, especially since he’s coming from his hometown. It would be nice if he was thoughtful enough to get me something after weeks of being away. I know I’d get my hubby something if I went back to the Philippines. It’s not really the gift that’s important. But the fact that he thought of buying me something is.

I also think that as the girlfriend, I have the right to make reasonable requests.

I know that if I ask my boyfriend to get my friends something from the US, he would gladly do it, and find a space in his luggage to bring it back.

And chocolates are not very heavy.

“Well, if he asks, I’ll make the request,” my friend conceded.

Sigh, it’s not the gift that bothers me. Personally, I don’t really care about chocolates. It’s the not being able to freely ask that bothers me.

But then again, this is none of my business.

As a wise man once said, “If there comes a choice between her boyfriend and you… you will lose hands down!”

Unless she asks, I will keep my mouth shut.

It clearly disturbed her too, so we hastily changed the subject.

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Congrats to my little brother who is now student council president of his university! I’m so proud of him!