About Me

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Yilan, Taiwan
I just returned back to the States after 11 years in Taiwan with my daughter. Taiwan is an excellent base for us explore Asia, while living in relative (gun free) safety, while benefiting from a cheap and efficient national health care system. The people are amazing too. I have Taiwanese friendships that are 20 years old and I'm always making new ones! My coworker here in CO is from Taiwan.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

To World Gym or Not?

One of the minor questions I was facing prior to CNY holiday was if I should join World Gym  or not. Finally, a first rate gym was coming to Yilan! Yilan City has been inundated with airdrop raids of flyers that have littered every available wall space and mailbox.  I could use a shot in the arm regarding jazzing up my fitness routines. I haven't exactly gained weight on the scale, but my clothes are noticeably tighter this semester.
Train here and you can look like her or attract her

My  memories of going to the local gym in Anping are mostly blissful, it would be great to have that community again. I miss mostly the classes, yoga and kickboxing, so I checked out World's gym schedule and they're basically is like 24 Hour Fitness back home. They offer the same "Turbo" kick-box classes, etc in other words they bought the rights to use the choreographed materials. World Gym had cheaper sign up fees before the Lunar New Year so I was feeling pressured to sign before my trip.

World Gym is located in the Yoai Department Store. Parking is available free for 2 hours in the basement of Yoai or across the street. I went to go see them, ready to sign up. First of all, I had to consider my schedule and if it was worth paying 1,000NT a month. I already go to Super Fitness on Tues/Thurs and Saturdays for TRX or weight training and am happy there. I do have my friends and sweat comradery. Also I recently started ballet on Wednesdays and strip tease dancing (class) on Mondays. So I would really only use World Gym on  Sundays or Fridays (usually busy). I was already on the fence, but I was willing to pay the 1000NT (for a 2 year contract, 1 year was twice as much) for going to yoga or kick-box classes.

I guarantee she does no TRX

What I didn't like is that it would be automatically taken out of my account and they wanted a credit card. I know thats the way the world works. Yet, I like having the choice and when given the choice I prefer to pay cash. My debit card is a Visa and they wouldn't accept that which is nuts because I use it online to buy things regularly. The only credit card I have is from the US and I only like to use that when I absolutely have to (like when my ATM card got eaten in Borneo last year). They were unwilling to use my Visa debit card. So forget it. I use YouTube videos a lot for yoga and I am in walking distance to the Sports Park. There is also a new gym "Green Light" that just opened near me, much like Super Fitness (TRX and weight training classes) just down the street from the University.

I should mention they weren't too keen with my kid waiting at the sofas by the entrance doing her homework. I had to explain I didn't have a spouse or extended family to watch her, and I have been going to gyms in Taiwan for 7 years and no one ever had an issue with her hanging around.


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