Full week and Fun Weekend

This week was a full week of teaching and I spent another weekend in Toufen, with my friend, Mariah.

All this week, I taught in the clinic situation, with grades 3-6. On Wednesday, we held English club, and decided that our production for this semester would be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We have about 37 kids to fit into this production, but I believe it will be a lot of fun, especially to see the little kids dancing around and singing the Oompa Loopma parts.

On Thursday night, I met my friend, Karin, and we went to an event held by Oriented. Oriented is a social-networking organization for professionals around the world. Most major cities have an Oriented organization, and the last Thursday of the month, they hold an Happy Hour to give members a chance to network. I met a few people and exchanged information. I'm hoping by participating in these types of events, I can create a network of friends here in Taiwan.

On Friday, I climbed on a bus again to visit Mariah. I met her at her school because she was having Parents' Night, or Open House. It was interesting because her students do not see many foreigners, so they were fascinated that there were two! Afterwards, we went to Hsinshu and went to a few pubs where foreigners are known to hang out. It was a lot of fun and we ran into a few people we had met last weekend.

Saturday, we woke up, put on our bathing suits and went to a beach in Jhunan. The beach was amazing. The beach is on the Taiwan Straits, and theoretically, you could swim to China, but we decided against that. We sat in the water and watched the wind surfers for awhile. Then we hiked back to town, and met up with Mariah's co-teacher, Angel. This weekend had a bigger purpose than getting away from the hustle and bustle of Taipei. We were organizing supplies to deliver to needy families throughout Miaoli County. After we finished, Maraih and I went to a local night market.

Sunday morning, Angel and 6 other volunteers picked Mariah and I up in a van loaded with supplies and we headed off for Nanjhuang. We delivered supplies to about 8-10 families, who were all very appreciative of everything they received. It was very humbling to experience, but I am so glad I had the oppportunity to participate.

On Wednesday, I received my first care-package from America. My parents were kind enough to send me deoderant, a few t-shirts I had left behind, a Downy fabric softener ball, and best of all, a picture of my whole family. It's wonderful to have some small comforts from home, but it does take quite awhile for things to arrive. My package took about 2 weeks for it to arrive and a letter from my grandparents took about a week. It's a great feeling to see your name on a piece of mail that isn't a bill and has no Chinese writing on it :-)

I hope this blog keeps everyone interested in my adventures, and feel free to leave comments! Until next time!

http://picasaweb.google.com/Staycie82/2009_0926?authkey=Gv1sRgCIOR6IedoJmKaw#

7 weeks in Taiwan

I cannot believe I have been in this beautiful country for 7 weeks already! It feels like just yesterday I was boarding a plane in Indianapolis, and now I've been teaching almost a month and been experiencing Taiwan for almost 2. Time flies when you are having fun, I suppose!

This week was the start of our school's English club. On Wednesday afternoons, elementary students do not have school, and there are opportunities for them to participate in clubs, like sports, and in English club. Wednesday morning, my co-teacher, Silvia, said to expect 31 students. When the kids were brought into our village, we recounted and had 37! Silvia said 6 more students decided to sign up at the last minute. Students from grades 1-6 are allowed to participate and we will be putting on a performance at the end of the semester for the teachers and parents. I love being around the first graders; they are so cute! I was even able to name two who had not yet received their English names. I named one Jason and the other Max. There was one first grader, Josh, whom I fell in love with instantly. When I asked my roommate, Monica, if we could take him home, she said his family probably wouldn't appreciate that, so I just have to look forward to Wednesdays! :-)

I taught every day this week, starting with 3rd and 4th grade on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, in the supermarket setting, and 5th and 6th grade in the clinic situation on Thursday and Friday. The fifth grade class I had reminded me of how much I enjoyed teaching my 5th graders last year, and they did so well, I let them ask me a couple of questions at the end of the period. One boy, Leo, asked if I had a boyfriend, and when I answered no, he then asked me if I wanted a boyfriend. I love that kids are not afraid to ask you anything!

On Tuesday night, I met up with my friend, Karin, and we went to the Shihlin Night Market. Karin had already gone there during orientation, but I had skipped out due to jet-lag. We grabbed some fried chicken and watermelon juice and sat on a bench, people-watching and talking about all sorts of girl things. We then went in search of clothes, as both of us were getting sick of the limited offerings of our individual closets. We found some cute shirts that satisfied the shopping bug for both of us.

On Friday, I took a bus to Toufen, in Miaoli County, where my friend Mariah lives. It takes about an hour and half to get there, and I had a nice young college student who helped me get off the bus in the right city. The hustle and bustle of Taipei was beginning to wear me out, so off I went. I realize now that this is probably the longest stretch I've gone without traveling somewhere.

Once I arrived at Mariah's, we took a taxi to Hsinchu, a town about 30 minutes away to meet up with another FET (foreign English teacher) to scan the pub scene there. The nightlife is a bit more relaxed than in Taipei, which was a welcome change for me. I met a lot of different people, some from Taiwan, and others who were traveling through Taiwan or who had been here for a couple of years. It was an enjoyable night and just what I need to relax a bit.

On Saturday, Mariah and I took a bus to Jhunan, one city over from Toufen, to indulge in a little pampering. We had our hair washed at a local salon and I was able to get my split ends cut. When I say getting my hair washed, some may think this is a mundane event, but not here. When you get your hair washed, the salon technician washes your hair while you sit up, and she gives you a neck and shoulder massage. You go back to sink, lay down, and the technician rinses out the shampoo, conditions your hair, rubs your scalp a bit, then puts a hot towel on your face and massages your cheekbones and temples. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world! After all of this, you go back to your seat and the stylist dries and styles your hair. For a wash, a cut, massage, and style it cost me about $14 US dollars! I was a bit anxious to get my hair cut because I have not had any one new cut my hair in 14 years, but the stylist did a wonderful job.

After the hair salon, we went to get a manicure and our toes polished. The nail technician, Ashley, was so sweet and she kept telling she was nervous to talk English with me because she doesn't speak very well. When I told her her English was much better than my Chinese, she seemed to relax and we chit chatted for a couple of minutes. After pampering ourselves, I caught the bus back to Taipei.

In a couple of weeks, I will be heading to Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan, for Double 10th day. It is similar to our Independence Day, but on a smaller scale. In November, I will head back to Hualien to run in the Taroko Gorge Marathon, but will only be participating in the 5K race. This body cannot handle a full marathon, even after 3 half-marathons! The gorge is one of the biggest attractions in Taiwan, and I feel that this is an amazing opportunity that I couldn't pass up.

I'm hoping the weather will start to cool soon. This past week was very hot and humid, and a teacher told me this week that it is fairly late in the season for such hot weather. I have to say, I am pretty envious of the mild weather Indiana is having this summer; I would love a day where I can look at the thermometer and the heat index doesn't tell me it feels like 105 degrees! Typhoon season is almost over, which means the weather should start cooling down.

Because I never know how to end these postings, I will just say, until next time...

Deaflympics and more

This was the first full week of teaching! I taught 2 classes, a third grade on Monday and a 4th grade on Tuesday. Rough schedule, I know! The first day was a bit frustrating, but the second day made up for it. I am teaching the kids English through a "situational" classroom. My situation is the clinic, and sometimes the supermarket. The kids learn songs and chants about different parts of going to the doctor or shopping in a supermarket, and then practice a dialogue to improve their English skills. Each class also has a grammar portion that is taught by the native Taiwanese-English teachers. Soon, I will be going into 2nd grade classrooms to read stories and teach a few comprehension lessons, which I am looking forward to.

On Thursday, I bought a bike to help get to school. It is pink (of course!), and looks similar to a miniature Schwinn. It has a basket on the front and already has a name: Earth Angel. No, I did not name the bike this, but thought is was fitting that it is printed on the bike, so I went with it.

Tuesday night, another teacher, Karin, and I sought out a bar called the Brass Monkey (like the Beastie Boys song!) for Salsa night. We had lots of fun watching the melding of two cultures, Taiwanese and Spanish, in an English themed bar. Quite the experience. While we were watching the salsa dancing, we were inundated with athletes and tourists in town for the Deaflympics. I even ran into the gentleman from France, whom I had met on the train the previous Friday. It was fun to meet some of his friends and again, speak and interpret what little I remember of the sign language I've picked up.

On Friday, three foreign teachers from around the country came up to Taipei to enjoy the Deaflympic festivities. Friday night, we all went out to a karaoke bar, or KTV. This is a bit different from American karaoke because you rent a small room with your friends and only have to embarrass yourself in front of a few people, instead of many. We sang songs from "Manic Monday" to "Billie Jean" and "I Got You Babe." A fun time was had by all!

The Friday night KTV group

Saturday, I woke up early to attend my school's Parents' Day, or open house. It felt like the Friday of Parent/Teacher conferences because no one came to talk to us! It was nice to have a relaxing morning after a late night.

All seven of the FETs who were in town met up at the soccer fields to watch Germany and Russia in football. It was a very intense game, and while I don't normally enjoy soccer, it was a interesting to watch and see the interactions between the players and the coaches.

Deaflympics mascot

Russia vs. Germany

After the soccer game, we made our way back to Taipei Stadium where we watched the table tennis competition. While it's nothing like the scenes from Forrest Gump, it was altogether entertaining.

Deaflympics Table Tennis

I continue to love living in Taiwan, although I could really use a relief from this hot and humid weather! Most days, the outside temperature is about 90 degrees, and feels around 95-100 or more. Rumor has it that the air will start to cool in a couple of weeks, but I'm still skeptical.

Although my teaching schedule is very low stress, I do find myself missing the everyday interaction with the same group of kids, and forming the bonds a teacher and students have. I'm finding new places and meeting new people, trying new things, and being open to the possibilities this year brings. I have begun to start planning some weekends away from Taipei and visits to other parts of Taiwan, which I am really looking forward to.

Hope this finds everyone doing well! Until next time...

First week of school/Weekend visitor!

This week was the first week of school with the kids, although I didn't get to teach. On Monday, August 31, the administrators joined the two English teachers, myself and Monica, in greeting the students on the first day of school. We all dressed up in "fairy" costumes and the students passed through an archway on their way to class. I found it very interesting that all of the parents were taking pictures and video taping the first day. The kids were a little intimidated to pass by, but most of them were brave and offered a "Good morning!" to us.

As I said, I did not get to teach this week, but we did test about 400 students to determine their level of English and it help us determine which group each student would be in. I have been making flash cards and posters to help with the instruction. My first day with a class is tomorrow, September 7, and while I am very excited to finally start teaching, I am also quite anxious. Although I have taught kindergarten and ESL students with very low English abilities, I am faced with the challenge of having 15 little faces looking at me as if I'm speaking a foreign language; Oh wait! I will be! It's a very intimidating feat do undertake, but I truly am looking forward to seeing the progress the kids make.

On Friday, I met two other FETs in Taipei, Karin and Avrum, out to celebrate our first paychecks. It was so nice to have a paycheck; I hadn't been paid since the end of June and as any teacher knows, that first paycheck does not come fast enough. One thing I will have to get used to is being paid once a month. The three of us sought out an English pub called "On Tap." It was a great time and we had a lot of fun celebrating our first month in Taipei, first week of school, and our first paychecks. On my way to meeting Karin and Avrum, I sat next to a tourist from Paris, France who is here in Taipei to see the Deaflympics. (http://english.2009deaflympics.org/bin/home.php) I asked if they needed any help finding where they were going, which led to a conversation being held on paper because both gentlemen were deaf, and unfortunately, my sign language is limited to "sorry" and "thank you." It was an extremely interesting experience, and it just goes to show the value of non-verbal communication. I am looking forward more and more to going to some events next weekend with some friends from around Taiwan.

Saturday morning, my friend Mariah traveled to Taipei from Miaoli (about an hour and a half away) to spend the weekend exploring Taipei. Saturday morning we took the MRT to the end of one of the lines to find a park I had read about. After walking for about 20 minutes, we found a path that others were traveling up and decided to follow the masses. It ended up being Sun Moon Cave and Temple. The temple is at the top of a mountain, and the hike was a steep, uphill journey over uneven concrete. Along the way we saw small shrines of worship, vendors selling anything from bags to religious objects, and even a musician playing what appeared to be a violin/viola instrument. When we reached the temple, we were sprayed with "sacred" water on our hands, chest and backs. The temple grounds were an amazing experience and being able to see all of Taipei was magnificent. As we were going back down the steep hill, an older Taiwanese man approached us and asked us, in English, if we had enjoyed the temple and when we responded, that, yes, it was a beautiful temple, he told us we had just visited the best temple! He then asked how long we were going to be in Taiwan and why we were here, which are two questions you are asked on an almost daily basis.

Mariah and I then hopped on a train and went to see the Confucious Temple. It was a breathtaking temple, filled with history and homage.

The temple is a shrine to Confucious, who was an advocate for education for everyone. September 28 is Confucious Day, or Teachers' Day. After a long day of walking around Taipei, Mariah and I met 3 other FETs out and exchanged stories about the first week of school. It's amazing some of the similarities and differences you can experience. Every now and again, I have to remind myself that I am teaching in a foreign country.

On Sunday, Mariah and I went to two underground malls in Taipei. I was able to finally shop, which is something I've really missed. It's been a bit difficult to find things because most of the time there are no dressing rooms to try things on in, and the sizes are quite different. I did find a new purse, a new wallet, shoes, and a dress. I now have a place I know I can find clothes, which is good because the clothes I brought with me are starting to not fit. Mostly, this is due to the fact that most American clothes are made from cotton, and reshape themselves in the dryer. In Taiwan, most people do not own dryers, including me, so everything is air-dried. I'd like to think my clothes don't fit well because I've lost weight, but most of it is because of the fabric.

Tomorrow is the first day I begin teaching. My first class will be a low level 3rd grade class. We will be learning about going to the doctor's office to get a check-up. I'm very excited, but extremely nervous also. On Tuesday, I will be teaching a 4th grade class, and I'm anxious to see how things go. It should be very interesting, but fun also. We'll be learning through songs and chants and having conversations with each other. Can't wait to be able to share the stories next week!

Here are more pictures from this week:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Staycie82/RecentlyUpdated