It's all happening here....

Here's the first line or two of a letter that came the other day:

So, we go to Taiwan about 21 August, all being well! I'm madly doing lots of on-line research about various things from student visas, through places to live and transport in Taipei, (an English bus map is downloading as I type!!). The trip's a few months away yet, but I like to get straight on things.=) I've just heard from the lady who does the admin for these stipends and she turns out to be someone I taught in East Asian Studies during my first year there. She also told me that I was selected out of a large number of applicants, so I'm really bowled over. I did write (quite honestly) that I was interested in learning about very specific Taiwanese things and, as they're interested in people with a passion for Taiwan as opposed to those who just want money to learn Chinese anywhere they can, so that must have done it. I'm really stunned and delighted!
Not much college work done, which won't surprise anyone, but I have got the Japanese cord more or less done. This is what it looks like and how it's made on the card. Please don't ask me to describe how it's done!!

Here are 3 of the photos I took in the V&A. Sadly, most just don't come out well and I don't know whether one can use flash or not. I did on some, but not on most, so I have only 4 or 5 worth showing. Will try again in July-ish when we take a visa trip to London. Here we have a Korean embroidered screen, an amazing thread painting and one that I just can't remember, but I think is possibly German as, in this section, I was focusing on Medieval English, German and Korean stuff.
Next time anyone's in London, check out CassArt. They have 4 branches and they sell genuine, big name art supplies for a fraction of the high street cost. DH bought me a set of 10 Winsor & Newton artists' quality watercolour tube paints for £19.99 that normally cost about £60. I have my eye on a 24 pan set that should be over £120, but that they sell for just under £30! And I want to see if they do Daler Rowney Sapphire watercolour brushes etc. Some things I'll just get in Taiwan, where it's also a lot cheaper than the UK, but then, where isn't, huh?