changes

I have been wanting to wait until I have some pictures, but it may take a bit longer so I thought a small update on the myriad of changes that have been happening would be appropriate to slip in first. Now, there are a lot of big items on here, hence all the exclamation marks ;)

• As of a few weeks ago Judge is officially no longer a soldier (!!!!)
• He got a job at a world-renound-world-leading semiconductor manufacturing company. Some cool facts:
• It was the first and only job he applied and interviewed for
• From application submission to offer it took him all of 3 days
• The company actually pays fair amount for the work their employees do (!!!!)
• There is a new regulation in place that requires employees to not stay later than 8:30pm (so only 12 hour days vs the 15-16+ hour days that were common before)
• We found an apartment and moved in last week
• It's technically in Judge's township (just not in 'down-town')
• It is located 10 min from his parents and grandma/auntie's place and 10-15 min scooter from his work, so it's perfect! 
• It's same style as we were in before (two-storied bachelor suite) and though a bit smaller upstairs, it has tons of closet/cabinet space all over upstairs and downstairs, so all our stuff can be tucked way rather than stacked around (!!!!)
• Also, it has continued great view - and a balcony (glass-encased with a washer and cloths-drying pole...and space to put the suitcase that cannot be stashed anywhere else)
• I FINALLY figured out and completed all (!!!) the paperwork for my joining-family resident visa and picked it up
• It has taken a *long.long* time and had many unexpected twists and turns and road-blocks and misinformations along the way...even picking it up was full of trouble: day 1 - not done ("machine broke"...do I believe them? perhaps not so much); day 2 - incomplete address; day 3 - finally correct~! 
• I am now here as a wife and don't need a working visa to work legally or have any other excuse to stay here (ie student)  (!!!)
• I decided to find a teaching job again because:
• Realistically finding an accounting job when I don't read and write Chinese businessly is, well, not realistic
• An accounting job would pay less and have more hours than an English teaching job
• I started last Monday and actually enjoy one of my classes (!!!)
• Just as I accepted this reality of having to be a teacher in Taiwan I got an interview for a financial controller position~!! I got through three interviews and have a feeling there's actually a chance I could get an offer (wow~!)
• After being summoned by Judge's dad to meet with them face-to-face a couple weeks ago I have been accepted - and the slow process of building up a relationship with his parents is finally open for effort (!!!!!)

Our Life Plan has of course continued on it's standard roller-coaster complete with flips, turns, loops and all. I am almost at a point where I am considering just taking life in 6 month increments or so, keeping the Big Picture in mind in terms of the kind of life we strive to live and general goals without getting stuck on ie. if we will be moving for our first stint in Norway in 2 years or 3 years or 5 years or ...  Life is just too tumultuous and changing right now (still) to be able to peg times down. Kind of boo to that.

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