Back in Taiwan

Back to my lab and field work in Taiwan. I have been here since Oct 27, but trying to catch up with what I left behind the last time, thus did not have much time to write until now. I will be here until end of January 2014, and then will be going to Singapore for a couple of weeks (for Chinese New Year) before heading back to Auckland.

The goals for this trip is :
- finish all the microbial DNA samples for experiment 1, and send it for sequencing
- conduct experiment 2 (lab manipulation flow-temperature) and part of experiment 3 (field manipulation flow-temperature)
- extract microbial DNA samples for experiment 2 and experiment 3, and send it for sequencing

Hannah is joining me in Taiwan on January 1st, 2004! We know that it is a luxury when our budget is so tight. However, I knew that it is going to be tough for both of us when I am going to be away for 3 months (especially through Christmas, New Year and our wedding anniversary!). Therefore, I convinced her that we should try to get her on this trip, and we would save more when the school starts next year. Also, we feel that it is a good time to visit my parents for Chinese New Year as well.

I am trying to get as much done as possible before Hannah reaches Taiwan. I was (secretly, hopefully) hoping that I can get the last week off from work so that I can tour around Taiwan with Hannah. Believe it or not, this is my third trip, and I have only been around the research institute and my field site! Not much touring around the rest of Taiwan.

This time I am staying in the hostel in Academia Sinica. The place is SO MUCH better than the last one (I will try to put up some photos soon) and the rent is cheap as well. Accommodation is paid using the research funds, but I need as much funds as possible for all the stuffs that I need to work on.

Busy, busy...