I'll start with last weekend's activities. On Friday night my roommates and I headed to a nearby night market for some good food and browsing. Shana and I were on a mission to find T-shirts, and that's exactly what I did! One shirt is light pink and features a cute little girl with a stack of hamburgers on her head. The background says "I eat 2 hamburgers every day." I'm a little worried that wearing it will only reaffirm the popular belief that a staple in every American's diet is hamburgers, but oh well. The second is a little yellow shirt with a darling young girl shyly holding an envelope sent from her love with a cute little mailbox in the background. I thought I'd mix it up a bit with the third shirt, a grey T with an uber cute robot. I'm pretty excited about them. I would post pictures but I couldn't wait to wear them this week so they are currently in my hamper :).
On Saturday I couldn't wait for my play date with Claire, my newest friend. Claire and I met on a website where you can find local friends and language partners. She is a cardiovascular nurse and works odd shifts, so it's hard to find time to meet. We've been chatting for a few weeks and we finally agreed to meet for this first time this past Saturday. It was such a great day! We have a lot of similar interests and clicked right away. She held my hand right away, something that would probably seem odd in America. It was unexpected at first), but it was also kind of nice, since hand holding between women here often symbolizes close friendship. We went to see Cape No. 7 since Claire had not seen it (and I clearly didn't mind seeing it again!). After the movie we went to a great Japanese restaurant for dinner and then made our way to a Latin American restaurant where they were having a party with salsa lessons. A lot of the ETAs were also there since the owner of the restaurant teaches one of my roommates Spanish, and we chatted and danced with them for a while. Diego, a native of Columbia, taught us how to move our feet and shake our hips :p. I was doing okay until I got to the turns and then I needed a little one-on-one time. Shiela (with whom I was dancing with for that lesson) and I finally got it, and it seemed like a great victory. Soon after, Claire's friends arrived and we went upstairs for drinks and chatting. I met her friend Tim, who is from Canada and pretty involved in volunteer projects concerning the environment and animals in Taiwan. He passed on information about some of their events, and I'm really looking forward to going sometime when I'm free. It was nice to meet a few other foreigners outside of the ETA group. Even though it was also my first time meeting Claire, it wasn't uncomfortable at all--in fact, they thought we had been friends for much longer since we got along so well :).
On Sunday I went on a biking trip with my host sisters and their aunt, cousin, and grandmother. We met for lunch near their house, and then rode on their bikes over to a store to rent one for me. I rode their grandmother's bike, thinking it would be no problem to carry Kayi on the back. Wrong! It took me a while to ride smoothly, learning how to balance both her weight and my own. She is quite the funny girl--she told me that it seemed she needed to pray to Jesus while she was riding on the bike with me! We had fun saying things like "watch it, dude" and "hey, man" to each other while we rode next to parked cars and scooters drifting dangerously close to us (or maybe I was drifting toward them...). We rode from the Mega Department Store over to Fisherman's Wharf , rode along the Love River and a bike path with the others participating in the trip, and then rode back to the Wharf for some iced tea. We stopped for dinner along the way home, and then I came home to prepare my Halloween costumes for this week.
I stopped at the stationary store and bought a plain cat mask along with some paint and the supplies to make a furry tail. I figured I had better think of another costume so that I 1. didn't get bored dressing as the same thing every day, and 2. didn't run out of clothing, so I also bought light lime green butterfly wings and a butterfly mask to paint for my other costume. I also bought M&Ms and Snickers to give to my students in class, and witch hats for this morning's Halloween performance. Every Wednesday morning Wen Fu has it's school-wide student assembly. I was asked to introduce Halloween and I decided last week that I would enlist the help of one of my trickier (if you have any questions about what this means exactly, send me an email), classes to help plan the program. I taught them the song "Ten Little Witches," derived from "Ten Little Indians," and when more than 10 students wanted to participate, I found roles for the others and asked them for their own suggestions. Julianna translated the history of Halloween at the beginning, and then I spoke simple sentences about how we celebrate Halloween today in the U.S. and had students introduce key words in phrases in both English and Chinese. It was a little stressful to prepare since the students were so excited, and therefore "trickier" than usual, but it was a lot of fun to watch them perform. Lynn filmed the performance and I hope to upload it soon for you all to see.
After the performance, Julianna, Lynn, and I walked around to the 5th and 6th grade classrooms all decked out in our costumes to hand out candy, wish the students Happy Halloween, and teach them the rhyme "Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat..." They all got a big kick out of the "I'll pull down your underwear" line. Ha. On Friday, we'll go around to the 1st-4th grade classrooms and make Jack-o-lanterns using orange balloons and black markers.
Although this week has been a little more stressful than usual, it's been pretty fun. Yesterday in English Village at Wen Fu we sang "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and watched part of The Lion King. It's been forever since I last watched it; I forgot how incredibly funny and witty it is! I was definitely able to appreciate the more advanced humor that went right over my head as a kid, as well as the brilliant lyrics to all of the songs.
This weekend my apartment is planning a Halloween party for all of our host siblings and little kiddie friends. I am really pushing for bobbing for apples, but the others don't seem to be too thrilled, so I think we might opt for eating donuts off a string instead (so much more practical?!). We plan to show Hocus Pocus and play lots and lots of games.
Alright, I must admit...I'm a little homesick. I am having a great time here, but I am really starting to miss fall. My screen saver is currently one of my favorite pictures ever--a picture I took of Main Hall last fall at Lawrence while walking downtown with Justine. I miss all of the smells, sights, and sounds so much that I went online last weekend to see if Yankee Candle would deliver to Taiwan--no such luck. Last fall, Justine and I used to lug all our books to Starbucks and drink gingerbread or pumpkin spice lattes as she read and I attempted my chemistry homework. We both got so excited when they put up their Christmas decorations and started to play the holiday tracks. I heard the other day that it was snowing in Minnesota...we don't even have changing foliage here and it's still 80 degrees! The weather is getting a bit cooler, and I can see a change in the lights and feel it a bit in the air, but it's still not the same. I'm starting to begin preparations for Christmas now that I realize it will take quite a bit of work to carry it off. The other day I bought Home Alone 2. My next stop is Costco for a ridiculously large fake Christmas tree. I have yet to figure out exactly how the presents part will work, but I'm sure I'll think of something.
I will leave you all with something that I can't help but share because it was written so beautifully:
"I fully appreciate you missing the sensuous delights of the changing of the seasons to fall that are so much a part of life here in Maryland. I absolutely love fall, my favorite season, because of those very smells you "miss;" the visual pleasure of watching the the greens change to vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds and then fading; the subtle sounds of the crisp leaves falling to the ground and the distinctive rustle/crackle when a person or creature ventures through them during their travels; the sounds of crows "cawing" more insistently about their "issues;" the smell of fires burning; the display of pumpkins at roadside stands and in the stores, the artsy "indian" corn and turkey displays; the "crispness" of the air. The senses are filled abundantly by all of these changes. I wish I could send these things to you so you would not have to miss them, being on the other side of the world."
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
October Updates!
It's been a while since my last entry. Last weekend the ETAs were invited to Taipei by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in a grand celebration for "Double 10" (10/10), Taiwan's National Day. We arrived late on Friday afternoon and the girls gathered in one hotel room to do hair and makeup. We met with the other Fulbright grantees in our hotel, and headed over to the Guest House for the reception. It was by far the fanciest party I have ever been to. Important people from all over the world were dressed in their finest, and some of the best chefs in Taiwan were preparing local specialities. Guests enjoyed treats like Din Tai Fung soup dumplings (小龙包), Haagen Dazs ice cream with topping of their choice, scallion pancakes, mini cakes, mango smoothies, and foods from Taiwan's ethnic minorities. Local artists were invited to perform their special talents--weaving, paper cutting, straw weaving, calligraphy, etc. President Ma was there, making his way around the room and shaking hands with guests. It was fun to dress up and attend such an important event in Taiwanese culture, although it was a little intimidating to be in a room with so many distinguished people.
On Saturday I took the MRT over to Taipei 101 to see it for the first time. The weather was cloudy and the attendant advised me that it wasn't worth the wait or the money to go to the top that day, but I had fun walking around and window shopping. I also learned the valuable lesson of not trying on any shoes unless I know for sure I want to buy them. I tried on a great pair of mid-calf black suede boots with a wedge heel at Nine West, but I just couldn't spend that much on shoes after springing for the discounted spa package this month (also, Shana has informed me that Nine West and a few other American shoe brands are more expensive here compared to the U.S.). As soon as I told the woman I would be interested in ordering them from the store at a later date, her face fell and she looked like she wanted to stab me. I thanked her over and over and then after I finally left the store, made all efforts necessary for avoiding walking past it again. Although, when I actually thought about it, I said I was just looking, she was the one who insisted I try a pair on!
I did come across a very friendly saleswoman in a store that we also have in Kaohsiung, and very close to our apartment too. I didn't bring a winter jacket with me because I won't really need one, but I decided a light-weight jacket would be good to have. I tried on a few different black ones, all cute, but the cut not quite working right. The saleswoman remembered there was one other I had not tried yet, and when I slipped it on, I immediately loved it. Mid-trench length, A-line, European style with double breast buttons, I just love it! There was also a sale on, so I chose an emerald green scarf that was basically included for free and still the price was lower than the original. They also gave a choice of an LED lamp that changes colors and comes in four different animals. Of course, I chose the cute little frog one!
That night I met with Vicky and two of her local friends to go for dinner at a rice soup (粥) restaurant. We were able to choose dishes of our choice to go with an unlimited supply of the soup with chunks of sweet potato. It was delicious and much needed after a long day of walking around. I caught one of the last trains back to Kaohsiung after the meal, and spent that night and Sunday relaxing.
The school week was busy, but a great deal of fun! On Monday I met with a sixth-grade student in one of my classes who is very eager and willing to learn English, but struggles with letters and phonics. Monday was our first meeting together, and we practiced writing the alphabet and saying the sounds of each letter. He asked me if he should come to meet me on Friday as well, which was pretty amazing since he is giving up his naptime to put in extra practice with me. On Friday we went over some letter combinations and I taught time how to sound out words. He's making good progress and he's trying so hard! He's a very smart boy, and he is also willing to talk freely to me, something many students are too shy to do.
On Tuesday I started learning the Chinese traditional flute with Yang, a homeroom teacher at Wen Fu. He is a well-known professional flutist, having played in many orchestras before he decided he wanted to be a teacher. This past week we worked on a traditional Chinese song, which he also taught me how to sing. He gave me my own flute to practice at home in between each lesson. He told me he'd treat me to soup dumplings for dinner, but when we got closer to the restaurant he asked if I would prefer sushi instead. I told him either was just fine, and insisted he pick since I had never been to either restaurant. He said we'd have soup dumplings first and then sushi, so I just assumed he meant next time we'd have sushi. Not the case. He ordered two hot and sour soups and a pan of soup dumplings, saying we couldn't eat too much because we had to leave room for sushi! I was full after the soup and the dumplings, but still we walked down the street to the sushi restaurant and ordered eel, salmon, scallop, and squid sashimi. He had ordered some sort of scallion pancake with meat wrapped inside for me to take home for a midnight snack, but I could fit nothing more in my stomach, and gave it to Shana instead. She was quite happy :)
This week in class we finished "The Owl and the Pussycat," and I played new games with the students. Some of the classes were a challenge, but a lot of the students who were causing trouble before are really starting to engage in class activities and that makes me incredibly happy. Julianna and I announced our Halloween competitions this week: a costume contest, and a scary story contest. I taught the kids jumping jacks during EV time in the sports station, and they giggled like crazy!
On Friday I went to the animal clinic to pick up the big cage I had ordered for Leo. The doctors and receptionists are all incredibly friendly, and let me play with whatever pets they have there at the time. I got to hold two baby sugar gliders, probably one of the cutest things in the world! They climbed onto my hands without fear and began licking the salt on my hands. After I played with them for a bit, I went outside to play with the big black lab who was beginning to look nervous after a big boom of thunder. I scratched her head for a while, and she seemed to be in puppy heaven, making she sure she nudged by hand with her nose if I became preoccupied with someone who talked to me when entering the clinic. The receptionist told me that Dr. Chiu had ordered special food dishes for me and wanted to give them to me as a gift to see how they worked for Leo--I have to use heavy dishes for his food, otherwise he tips them over when he's eating. I got home and set it up, only to find when I got home later that night, that Leo was on the other side of the cage. Although his body looks much too big to fit through the bars, he is much like one of those squishy cylinders filled with water--squeeze it and it'll wiggle out of your hands. I put him back in his cage and watched as he stuck his head through the hole. I thought "ha, ha! Try to get out now!" before I saw him elongate his body and squeeze through the rest of the way while looking directly at me. I have now clipped the towels I put on the floor to the sides of the cage in attempt to keep him. Last night I discovered he had escaped yet again and was curled up in my bag that I bring to school with all of my books. I needed to give him a bath to moisturize his skin and clip his nails, since the trimmer in his wheel doesn't seem to be working too well. He is the biggest baby ever! He hissed and wiggled and crawled up my arm before trying to crawl into the nook next to my neck and around onto my back. Look up "bathing hedgie" on youtube if you want to see some videos of what is pretty much the ritual Leo and I have.
After my stop at the clinic on Friday, I went with two other ETAs to a dinner party for Roger, one of the people who has been helping us run English Village at Ling Zhou. His mom and dad made an amazing meal for us, Selena (another helper in the EV) brought drinks, and Sheila, Billy, and I brought a cake for dessert. After the meal we walked to the nearby Rui Feng night market and browsed for a bit before going to the Hanshin Department Store. Sheila looked for shoes (I decided not to take a chance at having another angry encounter), and went to look at the clothes instead. I came across an uber cute hat, and after going back three times to try it on and looking at other places, I decided it was the one for me (Shana and I have devoted many a time to finding the perfect hat with no luck).
On Saturday I went to yet another wedding banquet with Julianna's family. This time I knew the groom a little, so it was especially fun to see he and his bride together and congratulate them. The decorations were very beautiful, as were the two dresses she wore. At this banquet they had the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle with the flower girl and ring bearer before the bride and groom entered. I tried to get some good shots, but everyone was lined up on the side trying to snap photos. There were also many young children at this particular banquet. The table behind us had a little baby boy who communicated through squealing and high-pitched cooing, and the table beside us had a little boy of maybe three, who was being taught how to toast with people. On the way home from the banquet we stopped by Chengching Lake for some fresh air and the view across the water. There was a beautiful traditional-style pagoda that housed an exhibition and a restaurant on the water which I'd love to go back to some time.
Today I met Julianna and her family at a high school to watch Kaohsiung City high school bands perform for their friends and family. Vicky, Julianna's daughter, plays the guitar, and we all went to support her. It was a lot of fun to see a lot of the bands perform English songs by artists like Green Day, The Killers, and Avril Lavigne (who is crazy popular here). The bands' friends and classmates formed a crowd in the front, and jumped up and down and screamed when they performed and worked the audience.
Next week will be another busy weekend. I'll be meeting my new friend Claire for the first time for shopping and quality hanging out, and on Sunday I'll be going on a biking trip with my host family. More to come then!
On Saturday I took the MRT over to Taipei 101 to see it for the first time. The weather was cloudy and the attendant advised me that it wasn't worth the wait or the money to go to the top that day, but I had fun walking around and window shopping. I also learned the valuable lesson of not trying on any shoes unless I know for sure I want to buy them. I tried on a great pair of mid-calf black suede boots with a wedge heel at Nine West, but I just couldn't spend that much on shoes after springing for the discounted spa package this month (also, Shana has informed me that Nine West and a few other American shoe brands are more expensive here compared to the U.S.). As soon as I told the woman I would be interested in ordering them from the store at a later date, her face fell and she looked like she wanted to stab me. I thanked her over and over and then after I finally left the store, made all efforts necessary for avoiding walking past it again. Although, when I actually thought about it, I said I was just looking, she was the one who insisted I try a pair on!
I did come across a very friendly saleswoman in a store that we also have in Kaohsiung, and very close to our apartment too. I didn't bring a winter jacket with me because I won't really need one, but I decided a light-weight jacket would be good to have. I tried on a few different black ones, all cute, but the cut not quite working right. The saleswoman remembered there was one other I had not tried yet, and when I slipped it on, I immediately loved it. Mid-trench length, A-line, European style with double breast buttons, I just love it! There was also a sale on, so I chose an emerald green scarf that was basically included for free and still the price was lower than the original. They also gave a choice of an LED lamp that changes colors and comes in four different animals. Of course, I chose the cute little frog one!
That night I met with Vicky and two of her local friends to go for dinner at a rice soup (粥) restaurant. We were able to choose dishes of our choice to go with an unlimited supply of the soup with chunks of sweet potato. It was delicious and much needed after a long day of walking around. I caught one of the last trains back to Kaohsiung after the meal, and spent that night and Sunday relaxing.
The school week was busy, but a great deal of fun! On Monday I met with a sixth-grade student in one of my classes who is very eager and willing to learn English, but struggles with letters and phonics. Monday was our first meeting together, and we practiced writing the alphabet and saying the sounds of each letter. He asked me if he should come to meet me on Friday as well, which was pretty amazing since he is giving up his naptime to put in extra practice with me. On Friday we went over some letter combinations and I taught time how to sound out words. He's making good progress and he's trying so hard! He's a very smart boy, and he is also willing to talk freely to me, something many students are too shy to do.
On Tuesday I started learning the Chinese traditional flute with Yang, a homeroom teacher at Wen Fu. He is a well-known professional flutist, having played in many orchestras before he decided he wanted to be a teacher. This past week we worked on a traditional Chinese song, which he also taught me how to sing. He gave me my own flute to practice at home in between each lesson. He told me he'd treat me to soup dumplings for dinner, but when we got closer to the restaurant he asked if I would prefer sushi instead. I told him either was just fine, and insisted he pick since I had never been to either restaurant. He said we'd have soup dumplings first and then sushi, so I just assumed he meant next time we'd have sushi. Not the case. He ordered two hot and sour soups and a pan of soup dumplings, saying we couldn't eat too much because we had to leave room for sushi! I was full after the soup and the dumplings, but still we walked down the street to the sushi restaurant and ordered eel, salmon, scallop, and squid sashimi. He had ordered some sort of scallion pancake with meat wrapped inside for me to take home for a midnight snack, but I could fit nothing more in my stomach, and gave it to Shana instead. She was quite happy :)
This week in class we finished "The Owl and the Pussycat," and I played new games with the students. Some of the classes were a challenge, but a lot of the students who were causing trouble before are really starting to engage in class activities and that makes me incredibly happy. Julianna and I announced our Halloween competitions this week: a costume contest, and a scary story contest. I taught the kids jumping jacks during EV time in the sports station, and they giggled like crazy!
On Friday I went to the animal clinic to pick up the big cage I had ordered for Leo. The doctors and receptionists are all incredibly friendly, and let me play with whatever pets they have there at the time. I got to hold two baby sugar gliders, probably one of the cutest things in the world! They climbed onto my hands without fear and began licking the salt on my hands. After I played with them for a bit, I went outside to play with the big black lab who was beginning to look nervous after a big boom of thunder. I scratched her head for a while, and she seemed to be in puppy heaven, making she sure she nudged by hand with her nose if I became preoccupied with someone who talked to me when entering the clinic. The receptionist told me that Dr. Chiu had ordered special food dishes for me and wanted to give them to me as a gift to see how they worked for Leo--I have to use heavy dishes for his food, otherwise he tips them over when he's eating. I got home and set it up, only to find when I got home later that night, that Leo was on the other side of the cage. Although his body looks much too big to fit through the bars, he is much like one of those squishy cylinders filled with water--squeeze it and it'll wiggle out of your hands. I put him back in his cage and watched as he stuck his head through the hole. I thought "ha, ha! Try to get out now!" before I saw him elongate his body and squeeze through the rest of the way while looking directly at me. I have now clipped the towels I put on the floor to the sides of the cage in attempt to keep him. Last night I discovered he had escaped yet again and was curled up in my bag that I bring to school with all of my books. I needed to give him a bath to moisturize his skin and clip his nails, since the trimmer in his wheel doesn't seem to be working too well. He is the biggest baby ever! He hissed and wiggled and crawled up my arm before trying to crawl into the nook next to my neck and around onto my back. Look up "bathing hedgie" on youtube if you want to see some videos of what is pretty much the ritual Leo and I have.
After my stop at the clinic on Friday, I went with two other ETAs to a dinner party for Roger, one of the people who has been helping us run English Village at Ling Zhou. His mom and dad made an amazing meal for us, Selena (another helper in the EV) brought drinks, and Sheila, Billy, and I brought a cake for dessert. After the meal we walked to the nearby Rui Feng night market and browsed for a bit before going to the Hanshin Department Store. Sheila looked for shoes (I decided not to take a chance at having another angry encounter), and went to look at the clothes instead. I came across an uber cute hat, and after going back three times to try it on and looking at other places, I decided it was the one for me (Shana and I have devoted many a time to finding the perfect hat with no luck).
On Saturday I went to yet another wedding banquet with Julianna's family. This time I knew the groom a little, so it was especially fun to see he and his bride together and congratulate them. The decorations were very beautiful, as were the two dresses she wore. At this banquet they had the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle with the flower girl and ring bearer before the bride and groom entered. I tried to get some good shots, but everyone was lined up on the side trying to snap photos. There were also many young children at this particular banquet. The table behind us had a little baby boy who communicated through squealing and high-pitched cooing, and the table beside us had a little boy of maybe three, who was being taught how to toast with people. On the way home from the banquet we stopped by Chengching Lake for some fresh air and the view across the water. There was a beautiful traditional-style pagoda that housed an exhibition and a restaurant on the water which I'd love to go back to some time.
Today I met Julianna and her family at a high school to watch Kaohsiung City high school bands perform for their friends and family. Vicky, Julianna's daughter, plays the guitar, and we all went to support her. It was a lot of fun to see a lot of the bands perform English songs by artists like Green Day, The Killers, and Avril Lavigne (who is crazy popular here). The bands' friends and classmates formed a crowd in the front, and jumped up and down and screamed when they performed and worked the audience.
Next week will be another busy weekend. I'll be meeting my new friend Claire for the first time for shopping and quality hanging out, and on Sunday I'll be going on a biking trip with my host family. More to come then!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Saturday Fun
Yesterday I called my friend Jean on a whim since I had some free time and realized I hadn't seen her in weeks. She happened to be free, so I asked if she wanted to go see Nights in Rodanthe with me. I invited Shana along too, so Jean picked the two of us up in her car and we headed for the movies. When we got there we found that the 3pm movie was no longer playing, so we bought tickets for a later one and then wandered off to kill time.
This weekend the ETAs have been invited to a fancy party in Taipei hosted by the Bureau of Education to celebrate 10/10, Taiwan's Independence Day. The invitation asks women to wear cocktail dresses, so I was in dire need of a dress! Amanda, our wonderful life coach, as Shana and I call her, mentioned a store she found where you can rent a dress, with jewelry and bag for the evening included. I had told Jean about the store, which we found out was located near her house, so she asked if I wanted to go take a look at the dresses before the movie. The shop was beautiful. The women took my measurements and then brought a number of dresses of different styles and colors for me to try. Most of the ones I really really liked weren't in my size, and although the first few dresses I tried were nice, they didn't seem to be right for me. And then they brought me an iridescent light blue dress that reminded me a little bit of the Little Mermaid. I wasn't sure if the color would work for me, but I put it on and fell in love with it. Shana and Jean approved, and then I got to select the jewelry to go with it. The saleswomen originally chose very sparkly pieces that were nice, but seemed a bit too much for me. I saw a pair of dangly starfish earrings with green, pink, and blue stones on them and wanted them right away. They took my measurements one last time to alter the dress, I paid my deposit, and left on cloud nine.
Shana and I were pretty hungry since we hadn't eaten lunch and it was almost 4:30, but most restaurants don't open until 5 for dinner (they close around 2pm after lunch and then rest and prepare for dinner). We decided on eating home style Cantonese Chinese food for dinner, and even though the restaurant was still preparing for dinner, they agree to serve us. Jean asked us what kind of dishes we liked, and I began rattling off all of my favorite dishes that I ate in Beijing on a daily basis. I was more excited than you can imagine and almost cried from excessive happiness when I saw the green pepper and beef (青椒牛肉), sweet and sour pork (糖醋排骨)，iron-plate tofu（铁板豆腐), and stir-fried cabbage (白菜). After the delicious meal, Jean took Shana and I for our first trip to Costco. It immediately smelled like home, and I squealed with delight when I saw the fake Christmas trees and Christmas decorations. We only had about an hour there before we had to get back for the movie, so I agreed to save my Christmas decoration shopping for another day, and Shana and I rushed around looking for the things we decided we needed. I found the most comfy fuzzy fleece throw that's dark grey with a white pattern on it. I love it so much because it reminds me of snowflakes. Even though it's still about 90 degrees here, the air conditioning in my room blows directly on my bed, and I was getting tired of using my robe to cover up when I napped. I broke it in today during my afternoon nap and absolutely loved it! We also bought those ginormous chocolate muffins with chocolate chips--a chocolate lover's heaven!
We rushed back to the movie theater, and even got there with ten minutes to spare. The movie was wonderful, but incredibly sad. As Shana said, we should have known since it's based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. I haven't cried that hard in a movie since I saw the Notebook and it took the whole ride home for my face to look normal again. I had a headache from the crying, but it was a great movie and totally worth it! I'll have to add it to my growing list of movies to buy...
Tonight I went to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner since I had been craving their spicy Thai hot pot. I took my book and got there early so I was one of the only customers. They have decorated for autumn and Halloween since the last time I went, and it was even more cozy inside. They had a cd playing the scores of popular 90s love songs, and I felt incredibly relaxed as I read my book and waited for my meal. When I left I asked about one of the most stunning paintings I've ever seen, one that caught my attention on my first visit there. It's the most beautiful autumn scenery, with vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows creating the foliage. I was delighted to hear that it is a piece done by an art student who is looking to sell it. The owner of the restaurant gave me the contact card and told me it shouldn't be very expensive, which I was even more delighted to hear. It's definitely one more piece to add my four favorite paintings that I bought in Xi'an at a farmer's market for way more than I should have paid. Even so, I ended up paying only $12 for them, and would have gladly paid more for something I thought so beautiful.
I'm now ready to curl up on my bed in my new blanket with my new book and one of those delectable chocolate muffins...
This weekend the ETAs have been invited to a fancy party in Taipei hosted by the Bureau of Education to celebrate 10/10, Taiwan's Independence Day. The invitation asks women to wear cocktail dresses, so I was in dire need of a dress! Amanda, our wonderful life coach, as Shana and I call her, mentioned a store she found where you can rent a dress, with jewelry and bag for the evening included. I had told Jean about the store, which we found out was located near her house, so she asked if I wanted to go take a look at the dresses before the movie. The shop was beautiful. The women took my measurements and then brought a number of dresses of different styles and colors for me to try. Most of the ones I really really liked weren't in my size, and although the first few dresses I tried were nice, they didn't seem to be right for me. And then they brought me an iridescent light blue dress that reminded me a little bit of the Little Mermaid. I wasn't sure if the color would work for me, but I put it on and fell in love with it. Shana and Jean approved, and then I got to select the jewelry to go with it. The saleswomen originally chose very sparkly pieces that were nice, but seemed a bit too much for me. I saw a pair of dangly starfish earrings with green, pink, and blue stones on them and wanted them right away. They took my measurements one last time to alter the dress, I paid my deposit, and left on cloud nine.
Shana and I were pretty hungry since we hadn't eaten lunch and it was almost 4:30, but most restaurants don't open until 5 for dinner (they close around 2pm after lunch and then rest and prepare for dinner). We decided on eating home style Cantonese Chinese food for dinner, and even though the restaurant was still preparing for dinner, they agree to serve us. Jean asked us what kind of dishes we liked, and I began rattling off all of my favorite dishes that I ate in Beijing on a daily basis. I was more excited than you can imagine and almost cried from excessive happiness when I saw the green pepper and beef (青椒牛肉), sweet and sour pork (糖醋排骨)，iron-plate tofu（铁板豆腐), and stir-fried cabbage (白菜). After the delicious meal, Jean took Shana and I for our first trip to Costco. It immediately smelled like home, and I squealed with delight when I saw the fake Christmas trees and Christmas decorations. We only had about an hour there before we had to get back for the movie, so I agreed to save my Christmas decoration shopping for another day, and Shana and I rushed around looking for the things we decided we needed. I found the most comfy fuzzy fleece throw that's dark grey with a white pattern on it. I love it so much because it reminds me of snowflakes. Even though it's still about 90 degrees here, the air conditioning in my room blows directly on my bed, and I was getting tired of using my robe to cover up when I napped. I broke it in today during my afternoon nap and absolutely loved it! We also bought those ginormous chocolate muffins with chocolate chips--a chocolate lover's heaven!
We rushed back to the movie theater, and even got there with ten minutes to spare. The movie was wonderful, but incredibly sad. As Shana said, we should have known since it's based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. I haven't cried that hard in a movie since I saw the Notebook and it took the whole ride home for my face to look normal again. I had a headache from the crying, but it was a great movie and totally worth it! I'll have to add it to my growing list of movies to buy...
Tonight I went to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner since I had been craving their spicy Thai hot pot. I took my book and got there early so I was one of the only customers. They have decorated for autumn and Halloween since the last time I went, and it was even more cozy inside. They had a cd playing the scores of popular 90s love songs, and I felt incredibly relaxed as I read my book and waited for my meal. When I left I asked about one of the most stunning paintings I've ever seen, one that caught my attention on my first visit there. It's the most beautiful autumn scenery, with vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows creating the foliage. I was delighted to hear that it is a piece done by an art student who is looking to sell it. The owner of the restaurant gave me the contact card and told me it shouldn't be very expensive, which I was even more delighted to hear. It's definitely one more piece to add my four favorite paintings that I bought in Xi'an at a farmer's market for way more than I should have paid. Even so, I ended up paying only $12 for them, and would have gladly paid more for something I thought so beautiful.
I'm now ready to curl up on my bed in my new blanket with my new book and one of those delectable chocolate muffins...
Saturday, October 4, 2008
I've fallen in love....with Taiwanese movies!
Last Sunday, Shana, Lynn (a student teacher at Wen Fu), and I met up with my host mom and sisters for an Italian lunch at New House. The biggest typhoon to hit Taiwan yet was on its way, so we decided that a day spent inside would be best. After we stuffed ourselves with soup, salad, pasta, and dessert, we braved the wind and headed across the street to the Mega Mall. The girls went home to do their homework, and my mom, Shana, Lynn and I settled on seeing Cape No. 7 (海角七号), the latest Taiwanese movie that everyone is seeing. We had all heard how amazing it was from our friends, and I couldn't wait to see it!
The movie was so good! Although it it best classified as romance, there was plenty of hilarious comedy, and a wide array of characters each with their own personality to love. There are sort of two main stories in the movie, one which happens long ago when Taiwan was colonized by Japan. A young man is too cowardly to admit his love for a girl, and even though she's ready to go back to Japan with him, he leaves without saying goodbye. The movie begins with the love letters he wrote to her thereafter, apologizing for not being brave enough to acknowledge their love and expressing his eternal love for her. The other story, needed to lighten the mood, I suppose, is about a group of misfits who try to put a local Taiwanese band together to perform an opening act and prove their city's talent at a big concert put on by a Japanese pop star. One of the band members is a senile old man who can't really play anything but traditional Chinese instruments and is always angry at the others for trying to get rid of him. Some of the funniest lines come from him. Within this rock band story exists the main love story and the way the love story from the past and present are connected, but I'll leave that for you to figure out since I don't want to give everything away. ;)
The actors and actresses in the movie speak Japanese, Mandarin, and the local Taiwanese dialect, and there were both Chinese and English subtitles. The lead actor is actually a Taiwanese pop star who was popular a few years ago but had sort of faded away until this movie. The movie actually makes use of a song he wrote a while ago, and another one that I believe was written for this movie. Immediately after the movie, Shana and I went to the Mega bookstore to see if we could find the soundtrack, but found that it hasn't been released yet. We both agreed that we want to buy the soundtrack and the movie.
Although we couldn't buy the soundtrack that day, I did find a book written by an author whom I just discovered this year. I recently read a book titled Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos, and absolutely loved it. As the title suggests, it is a book about love, but not just romantic love. The chapters alternate between two individual stories of a young girl and a woman in her 30s, whose paths cross during their respective searches for their own kind of love. It's beautifully written, and when I came across another novel, Belong to Me, written by the same author, I had to get it. I'm looking forward to starting it this weekend, now that I finally finished Life and Death in Shanghai, the story of a Chinese woman who was imprisoned for six years during China's Cultural Revolution, and The Alchemist, which is now probably one of my favorite books.
After making my purchase, Shana and I hurried home before the typhoon hit. Restaurants were closing early, so we stopped in to Domino's to get a pizza and watched a movie while we ate. Later that night we found out that there was no school the next day, since all of Taiwan was being hit with heavy winds and rain. In some places I heard that they received up to 30 inches of rain. Kaohsiung fared okay, and I am very lucky to have been placed here, especially since the other location in Yilan has been at the center of many of the typhoons that have come in the past month or so.
After work on Tuesday, Lynn invited me to see a movie with all of the student teachers at Wen Fu. We hurried across town to the Mega Mall and grabbed a quick dinner before seeing Orz Boys. It wasn't what we expected it to be, but it turned out to be great. It told the story of two elementary school boys who are good friends and have a dream of going to this make-believe world called Hyperspace. Both boys have sort of rough family lives, so most of the movie focuses on how they escape to their own world. Although a bit sad, it was also very funny, and beautifully done. It's another movie that I'm looking forward to buying and sharing with my friends back in the States.
On Wednesday, I went to another movie with Shana and Kelly, a mutual friend from work. This time we saw The Fox and Me (狐狸与我), a French film. The scenery was beautiful and Shana and I wondered how they did such an amazing job of filming chase scenes between the animals, but it was way too sad for me. The film is about a young girl who sees a fox on her way home, and devotes all of her spare time to finding this fox again. Eventually, the fox learns to trust her, and waits for to come out every day. The girl is too young to understand the delicate balance between our world and the natural world around us, and oversteps the boundary, trying to domesticate the animal. Shana and Kelly thought it was great, but it just fell into that weird category I have of things that I can't handle because it involves a sad story with either old people or animals. I've heard that a lot of European films tend to be somber and depressing, so for now I think I'll stick to the Taiwanese films!
I've been dying to see the Hollywood movie Nights in Rodanthe with Richard Gere and Diane Lane since I saw the preview this summer, so I might go this weekend. I also fell in love with the song in the preview, "Love Remains the Same" by Gavin Rossdale, and have had it set on repeat on my iTunes, so I think it's about time I see the movie. Maybe I'll take up a job as a movie critic on the side...
The movie was so good! Although it it best classified as romance, there was plenty of hilarious comedy, and a wide array of characters each with their own personality to love. There are sort of two main stories in the movie, one which happens long ago when Taiwan was colonized by Japan. A young man is too cowardly to admit his love for a girl, and even though she's ready to go back to Japan with him, he leaves without saying goodbye. The movie begins with the love letters he wrote to her thereafter, apologizing for not being brave enough to acknowledge their love and expressing his eternal love for her. The other story, needed to lighten the mood, I suppose, is about a group of misfits who try to put a local Taiwanese band together to perform an opening act and prove their city's talent at a big concert put on by a Japanese pop star. One of the band members is a senile old man who can't really play anything but traditional Chinese instruments and is always angry at the others for trying to get rid of him. Some of the funniest lines come from him. Within this rock band story exists the main love story and the way the love story from the past and present are connected, but I'll leave that for you to figure out since I don't want to give everything away. ;)
The actors and actresses in the movie speak Japanese, Mandarin, and the local Taiwanese dialect, and there were both Chinese and English subtitles. The lead actor is actually a Taiwanese pop star who was popular a few years ago but had sort of faded away until this movie. The movie actually makes use of a song he wrote a while ago, and another one that I believe was written for this movie. Immediately after the movie, Shana and I went to the Mega bookstore to see if we could find the soundtrack, but found that it hasn't been released yet. We both agreed that we want to buy the soundtrack and the movie.
Although we couldn't buy the soundtrack that day, I did find a book written by an author whom I just discovered this year. I recently read a book titled Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos, and absolutely loved it. As the title suggests, it is a book about love, but not just romantic love. The chapters alternate between two individual stories of a young girl and a woman in her 30s, whose paths cross during their respective searches for their own kind of love. It's beautifully written, and when I came across another novel, Belong to Me, written by the same author, I had to get it. I'm looking forward to starting it this weekend, now that I finally finished Life and Death in Shanghai, the story of a Chinese woman who was imprisoned for six years during China's Cultural Revolution, and The Alchemist, which is now probably one of my favorite books.
After making my purchase, Shana and I hurried home before the typhoon hit. Restaurants were closing early, so we stopped in to Domino's to get a pizza and watched a movie while we ate. Later that night we found out that there was no school the next day, since all of Taiwan was being hit with heavy winds and rain. In some places I heard that they received up to 30 inches of rain. Kaohsiung fared okay, and I am very lucky to have been placed here, especially since the other location in Yilan has been at the center of many of the typhoons that have come in the past month or so.
After work on Tuesday, Lynn invited me to see a movie with all of the student teachers at Wen Fu. We hurried across town to the Mega Mall and grabbed a quick dinner before seeing Orz Boys. It wasn't what we expected it to be, but it turned out to be great. It told the story of two elementary school boys who are good friends and have a dream of going to this make-believe world called Hyperspace. Both boys have sort of rough family lives, so most of the movie focuses on how they escape to their own world. Although a bit sad, it was also very funny, and beautifully done. It's another movie that I'm looking forward to buying and sharing with my friends back in the States.
On Wednesday, I went to another movie with Shana and Kelly, a mutual friend from work. This time we saw The Fox and Me (狐狸与我), a French film. The scenery was beautiful and Shana and I wondered how they did such an amazing job of filming chase scenes between the animals, but it was way too sad for me. The film is about a young girl who sees a fox on her way home, and devotes all of her spare time to finding this fox again. Eventually, the fox learns to trust her, and waits for to come out every day. The girl is too young to understand the delicate balance between our world and the natural world around us, and oversteps the boundary, trying to domesticate the animal. Shana and Kelly thought it was great, but it just fell into that weird category I have of things that I can't handle because it involves a sad story with either old people or animals. I've heard that a lot of European films tend to be somber and depressing, so for now I think I'll stick to the Taiwanese films!
I've been dying to see the Hollywood movie Nights in Rodanthe with Richard Gere and Diane Lane since I saw the preview this summer, so I might go this weekend. I also fell in love with the song in the preview, "Love Remains the Same" by Gavin Rossdale, and have had it set on repeat on my iTunes, so I think it's about time I see the movie. Maybe I'll take up a job as a movie critic on the side...
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