Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all enjoyed wonderful dinners with lots ( A LOT, just for you Ms. Seymour), of turkey, mashed potatoes, and my favorite part--the canned cranberry sauce!
This last week was certainly busy but a great deal of fun. I introduced the history of Thanksgiving to my fifth grade classes and had them make hand turkeys. Inside their turkey they had to write what they were thankful for. One student copied the examples from the board, which were (I am thankful for...) my mom and dad, my friends, my teachers, and then added "my Nicki'. A lot of students said that they were thankful for their moms and dads for raising them and taking care of them. One student was particularly thankful for his dad picking him up from school every day. The hand turkeys also brought out the romantic side of some students--one little boy wrote that he was thankful for Lily, the little girl who he sits next to in class every day.
In some classes I had the students make Thanksgiving trees that they could hang in their homerooms. The students traced their hands on yellow, orange, and red paper to make the leaves, and I cut a large brown tree trunk for them. Since the example I had made was of a turkey on white paper, many of the students also decorated their colored paper as turkeys as well, so we ended up with turkey trees. It was too cute!
On Tuesday night after work Rebekah, Katie, Danni, Shana, and I went to a baking party organized by members of AIT (American Institute in Taiwan). We made chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, an apple pie, and Rice Crispy treats. We were all designated specific positions (with the exception of Shana who filled in wherever she was needed): Danni was cookie girl, Katie was oven girl, Rebekah was given the unfortunate title of lard girl (she was handling the Crisco), and I was Rice Crispy girl since I manned the marshmallows and mixed in the cereal. We tried to sneak bites of things here and there, but she was watching us all very carefully, so I formally asked for permission to eat a spoonful of cookie dough. The branch chief brought home pizza for dinner, which we devoured as we watched American military T.V. in his too-good-to-be-true family room. We ate the chocolate chip cookies while they were still warm, and Jan packed up the peanut butter cookies to take home. We also divided the Rice Crispy treats into hunks to take home. Pretty much the only thing we didn't eat was the apple pie, and we probably would've eaten that too if it had been baked.
On Thursday night all of the ETAs gathered with some of our LETs (local English teachers) and Fulbright advisers to have Thanksgiving dinner at the branch chief's home. As soon as we walked in it smelled like Thanksgiving. There were two turkeys, green bean casserole, orange jello salad, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and rolls. This was my first time ever trying green bean casserole, and I have to say, I was quite impressed! Those French's onions definitely give it a little something extra! The ETAs all squeezed on the couches and pulled up chairs until all of us were gathered around a small coffee table. We decided to keep our home traditions alive and share what we were all thankful for. We had each filled our plates with a little bit of everything and even got the chance to go back for seconds. Jan had made more cookies, so there was a fresh supply of chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies for dessert. She bought delicious pumpkin pies from Costco, and brought out the large apple that we had made and she had freshly baked that morning. It was a really great evening, and we were all thankful to be in the company of one another, finding our own way to be with family on Thanksgiving.
This past Saturday Wen Fu held a school-wide sports day to celebrate it's 6th birthday. Some of the homeroom teachers and student teachers planned a surprise dance to perform when the student cheerleading teams performed, and I was able to join them. It was a really fun hip-hop routine and I got to know a few of the teachers much better. After rehearsing on Friday night, we went out to eat at a popular curry restaurant near the school. It felt really great to be included, and I was even happier when I got my own Wen Fu polo to wear on Saturday at the event. There were vendors selling delicious snacks and it was great to see many of my students so excited to buy their favorite foods and win medals in the races.
The rest of the weekend has been spent inside as I've somehow managed to become sick again. Lots of rest and fluids...and seven pills three times a day! It's crazy how much medicine you can take at once here. Tomorrow there is no school at Wen Fu to make up for sports day, so I will happily stay in bed and read the books I just received in my package from home.
In approximately one hour and twenty minutes it will officially be December here. The month is already filling up with trips with our host families and holiday parties, so I'm sure there will be plenty more to write about soon. Our apartment is planning on having another party to treat our host families and co-teachers, and Maya and I recently discovered that many of the stationary stores nearby carry tons of Christmas decorations which we will purchase soon. Tonight we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas and I played a few songs from my Christmas playlist to get us in the mood. I also just received my fleece pj pants with "Merry" written all over them in red and green in the package and I brought my Christmas toe socks with me, along with a Santa hat and a stocking, so I think we're in business! The guards have been stringing massive amounts of Christmas lights, both white and colored, around the courtyard during their shifts on duty, and I can't wait to see what it looks like all lit up!
I wish you all a very festive December, complete with hot cocoa, gingerbread lattes, candy canes, warm and fuzzy decorations, snow, holiday music, and the joy of shopping in overcrowded malls (this is not sarcasm--I really do love it!). May your days be merry and bright, and may all your December days be white!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Content (v.)
Last week's weather was amazing--I was really able to dress to match the spirit of fall :) Last Tuesday afternoon Shana and I were both off, so we ate lunch together in the family room and watched the Friends episode where Ross and Joey are napping buddies to get in the mood for our long, lazy afternoon naps. We woke up a couple of hours later and headed out into the cool weather for some strolling and shopping. It had actually been a while since our last visits our favorite stores, so we made the usual rounds. NET is always first on our list since it sits right around the corner from our apartment. There's usually a giant sale table that Shana and I rummage through, tossing about shirts that we think would look good on the other. I scored with a cute royal blue and black flower print dress that I found on the sale rack and Shana found the perfect plaid shirt that she had been looking for. With our new purchases in hand, we had found our way into shopping mode, and stopped over at KoKo to look for signature pieces. I found a great smock blouse that was made out of the softest material, and although I didn't think it would work, Shana insisted that I try it. It turned out to be a great success, and we walked over to Jenny Lee, our go-to store for dresses to match every occasion. I decided I needed a short jacket to pair with my many dress/leggings outfits that are growing in number. They had just gotten a bunch of new dresses in, and before Shana and I could say we weren't really looking for dresses, they had Shana in the most beautiful white baby doll dress, and me in a black and white one. I also found a really cute muted purple high collared jacket in the process of trying on the many things they threw our way, and it was an incredibly successful shopping day. With bags in hand we headed over to Apartment C for some Costco pizza and watched Mulan (I can't help but sing along to "I'll Make a Man out of You" every time). It was the first time we'd all seen each other in a while, and we were introduced to the newest members of Apt. C--Sonic and Milo, two adorable puppies that they adopted.
I might also have an addition to my two-member Leo and Nicki family. I wrote before about a bunny that I pass every morning on my way to work. He was shy at first, but now recognizes me and always starts hopping around when he sees me. He comes to the front of his cage and sticks his nose out for me to pet him. He seems very sweet tempered and it breaks my heart that he sits in his cage which is too small for him anyway. The owners are nice, and keep him clean and well fed, it's just that they have so many other dogs and cats, that they never really take him out to play. The woman saw me stopping to pet him every day and asked if I would like to take him home. I originally said no, but she asked again this past Friday when I stopped to pet him, and now that I see how excited the little guy is to see me, I'm having a hard time saying no. I'm going to look for a suitable cage tomorrow and the setup I would need for him.
On Friday night I went with Julianna and her kids to the rally at the Cultural Center to support last Saturday's referendum to lower class size to 25 students. The average class size in Kaohsiung City elementary schools is about 35. It was exciting to be there, especially since this is the first time in Taiwan's history that a referendum has been brought forth by a non-political organization. A famous Taiwanese singer came to support the cause, and dance teams from a local middle and high school performed. It was great to see teachers from Wen Fu and many other schools there with their children, fighting for something they have such an investment in. They needed over 50% turnout of eligible voters with the support of half these voters for the referendum to pass. The turnout rate was quite low, but at least it put the issue on the map and increased awareness.
After the event, I stopped in to visit my friend Kinki at work, and then met up with Shana on her way out to pick up her cousin who was visiting from Taipei. We stayed in on Friday night, watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with the rest of our roommates, and playing with Leo. On Saturday morning when we got ready for our trip to the beach and the old British Consulate, Shana and I both decided to wear our new dresses. Jennifer, her cousin, liked them and wanted to check out the store where we had bought them. We went for lunch at the dumpling restaurant next store, and then hopped over to take a peek. I picked out a dress for Jennifer and it turned out to be perfect for her. We decided to make one more stop (ok, maybe a few more) at a store where Shana and I bought dresses for a black and white party last minute when we first arrived in Taiwan. I did that really dangerous thing where I try something on thinking it will never work and then it does. For those of you who read my blog and are not interested in the details of my shopping sprees, I apologize for , and I'll leave the rest for pictures. Suffice it to say I bought too many ridiculously cute dresses this month.
When we got to the beach in mid-afternoon, we climbed up to the Consulate and had a mini photo shoot. The Consulate is a popular spot for local tourists too, most of whom are taking their own pictures, so we only felt a little silly staging pictures. In fact, it came in handy to have people watching us because then we could have them take the picture for us. Saves us the trouble of finding the "good arm" in the group--you know, the person who always holds the camera in do-it-yourself photos. We did end up trying that method too, and it turns out that Jennifer is the arm in our posse of three. I've posted them here for your amusement.
After we left the British Consulate we took the MRT over to Rui Feng Night Market for some tasty snacks. We had mini cakes with cream or taro inside, Taiwanese style sandwiches with chicken and lots and lots and LOTS of onions, and assorted drinks. After browsing the market and finishing our snacks, we walked around the corner to Han Shen Department Store to rest for a bit--we had been walking around all day, and despite the cool temperatures last week, the weather was considerably warmer on the weekend--and look at their shoe selection. I walked in, immediately spotted a Baskin Robbins, and my heart skipped a beat. I ordered a scoop of espresso biscotti and Ghost World (something like S'mores), and felt right at home. I asked Jennifer if she wanted to try some, and was very pleased to find that she seemed to enjoy it as much as me. After a little rest we went to check out the boots--every girl's got a pair this season. It's hard for me to find shoes here because I have bigger feet than most Taiwanese girls (not to mention my left foot is significantly bigger than my right), and it's even harder to find boots since they not only have to fit my feet but also my calves. I immediately liked one of the first pairs I tried on, but said they seemed to be a bit too small so that I wouldn't get killed if I decided not to buy them. After a lot of browsing, I came back to the original pair, and although I was a little hesitant because of the price, I gave in when she showed me the final price with the large discount included. We closed out the store, and left for home tired from a long, but very fun day.
On Sunday, Maya, Gered, Shana, Jennifer, and I went to a nearby Japanese restaurant for lunch. We decided to go after Shana's co-teacher recommended it for its good eats and affordable prices. We had some good sushi for lunch and chatted for a while, talking about the funny and frustrating aspects of teaching, and it was "quality apartment time" (inspired by Uncle Joe's infamous "quality family time" line, and of course, we can't forget "in every life, some rain must fall"). On our walk home for lunch we discovered another supermarket that actually sells fresh food! We were incredibly excited as it is the only alternative to the overpriced department store supermarket that is a convenient walking distance from the apartment. We stocked up on a few fresh vegetables and meats to make various kinds of soups and noodles for dinner, and I was even able to buy my favorite "straw" mushrooms as I call them!
On Sunday night I met my new friend Chel for dinner. I met Chel the day that Henry came to take me to his art gallery; she is his business partner. She likes being outside and going to various places around Taiwan, especially where there is great art to be seen, and she offered to take me anywhere I'd like to go. She made me tea the day I was sick and sent me a message last week to check on me and also to remind me that she could take me out whenever I wanted. We agreed on dinner this past weekend, and she took me to a great hot pot restaurant. She ordered for us, and we had quite the spread! She sent me home with two large bags of our leftovers that were so heavy, my forearm was sore the next day from carrying them on the walk home. Chel's very easy to talk to and comfortable to be with, so I'm really looking forward to our first day trip, whatever it happens to be.
Shana turned in early on Sunday night, so Jennifer came into my room and we got to hang out for a while. Originally, I was just keeping her company while Shana got ready for bed, but we continued to find more things to talk about, and before I knew it was pretty late. She gave me some of her favorite Chinese music that she had brought and I lent her the Taiwanese and Korean DVDs I bought a few weeks ago. She was curious about my life in America so I showed her pictures from home with my family and friends, and I told her funny stories and good memories from high school and college. It was really fun to get to know her, especially since she's related to Shana, and I'm hoping the three of us can have another weekend together soon.
I was crazy tired on Monday morning from the eventful weekend and the late night chat, but I found myself really happy by the time I got to school that morning. On my daily walk over from the bus station I saw the street sweepers who always smile at me from under their wide brimmed hats, multiple layers of clothing to protect them from the sun, and their surgical masks and wave very enthusiastically when they see me. They usually say "hello" or "good morning," but this time they also asked if I was a teacher. I was surprised at how well they spoke English and their willingness to use it with me, especially since many people in Taiwan think their English is not good enough to even practice speaking it. That immediately put me in a good mood, and when I turned to continue walking down the street, I saw the usual Monday crossing guard waving hello with his orange baton. I couldn't help but laugh at how excited he was to see me, so I gave him a big wave back. This time he also spoke more English with me than usual, so I spoke a few more sentences in English myself. He startled me a little when he reached out to touch the side of my glasses, but when he gave me a big nod and a thumbs up, I knew he was telling me that he liked them.
It's hard to explain, but it's the little day-to-day things like this that make me incredibly happy to be here. As cheesy as it sounds, it really makes me feel like I'm contributing something to the Fulbright program--that I'm doing what one individual can do to engage with others and show them that I, both as an individual and an American, am interested in sharing my culture and language with them while learning about theirs. Tonight all of the ETAs met with Alex, our program advisor who came down from his office in Taipei, for dinner and discussion about our midterm evaluations that are coming up. When he saw me he said that I looked different than usual, very bright. I thought about it for a second since I was dressed very casually and considered that I probably looked quite tired today, but then I realized--I like my life here and I guess I show it. I absolutely love teaching at Wen Fu and all of the time that I get to spend with Julianna (she's my main co-teacher), both in and outside the classroom. Yesterday was a great day with my students. They worked so hard in class on a worksheet that I made for them. It tested for different levels, so at least some parts were pretty challenging for most of them, but they were so determined to finish it. One of my students, the most darling little girl I've ever met, knows next to know English, but she comes in smiling every day, happy to be in class. She asked for my help on the worksheet, and when she got a little bored when I had to help the others, she stood by my side, playing with my hair. The kids told me about what a great time they had at English Village; they shouted out everything they learned. I've met so many friends who are willing to take me all around Kaohsiung and even the rest of Taiwan. Just today my friend Jessie messaged me to say that she was sorry we hadn't seen each other in a long time, but that she hoped I remembered that we will celebrate my birthday together. I can't say that I never miss home or wish that I was in the U.S. to wear my favorite winter coat or just go to each of my favorite places to go with friends, or even to sleep and wake up in my own bed, but I never miss home because I'm unhappy here, only because it's just not the same. And it seems like that's a good feeling to have.
Tonight was also a great night. After dinner with Alex, Shana and I went to Blockbuster to check out the newest selection of movies, and then made our weekly trip to the fruit stand and to the pet store to buy dinner for Leo. The pet store owner has a really cute white Scottie complete with beard and curly hair on his legs, although the rest of his hair is cut quite short. This was Shana's first time seeing him and she asked me (completely seriously I might add), "Why is he wearing pants but no shirt?" I paused to consider her question and then responded: "Shana, it's his fur." By the time we walked in the door, the dog had wandered off, which is odd since he usually comes to greet me with a sniff or two. I went to find him and found him doing his business in one of the isles. The owner recognizes me since I bought Leo from him and I always stop by to buy worms, so I walked up to him, pointed to his dog, and said, "he just went to the bathroom." He looked at me for a second and then said "bathroom?" and then "him?" When I said yes, he made the funniest disappointed/angry noise and looked at the dog like he was really in for it. This alone was funny since the owner is a tall man of substantial size and masculine characteristics and the dog quite small and cute looking. The dog hung his head and hurried over to the side of the front counter, giving me a look that said "I don't know if you're allowed to pet me since I'm supposed to be in trouble now." After the owner cleaned up the mess, I bought my usual 10NTs worth of worms and then left.
Shana and I stopped by another DVD rental place that we found on our last trip to the fruit stand, which turns out to be considerable cheaper than Blockbuster, and discovered that they have a great collection of TV drama series. A very kind woman saw us eyeing a particular Korean soap and said that not only was it funny and moving, but the main guy was incredibly good looking. She gave Shana and I plenty of recommendations of what to rent, and introduced us to the owner of the shop who then explained how rentals work. Everyone there was incredibly friendly, and as Shana noticed, the woman who introduced us to which dramas had the cutest actors immediately addressed me in Chinese, looking straight at me instead of looking at Shana in that questioning way that many people tend to do when they're wandering if a girl who looks so foreign can really understand Chinese. We thanked everyone for their help and then went to buy a drink before we went back for the night.
At the drink place an incredibly smiley guy with Dragon Ball Z hair and a bit of an underbite welcomed us (with the other five or so workers echoing in unison) and asked us what we wanted to drink. We usually choose to go to the place next door, so I asked if he could recommend something. He told me that their "honey" 绿茶 (green tea) was their specialty, only that's not what he really said. Shana and I were both surprised to hear this, only because we've never heard anyone here say the English word for honey--they just say it in Chinese (蜂蜜 feng1mi4). But we asked what was in it and again we heard "honey" 跟绿茶, which means honey and green tea. I've had this sort of drink at other places, and I had a taste for it tonight, so I said that I'd take one cup. Shana and I noticed that the guy was really giggly, but we thought it was just because he was trying his best to use little English expressions like "ok, ok," "yes," and "thank you" despite the fact that he felt his English wasn't good. We sat down to wait, and I noticed one of the other workers pouring what was clearly beer from a green bottle into one of the drink cups. I looked at Shana, and said "Is that beer?! I hope it's not mine..." First of all, it was incredibly funny to see beer going into drinks at a place where they sell yogurt, milk, and tea drinks. Secondly, I thought it probably wasn't really beer. And third, I thought that even if it was, it couldn't be mine, because I would have heard 啤酒 pi2jiu3 (the word for beer) and not "honey" and "green tea. " I got my drink, took a sip, and sure enough, there was beer in it! I told Shana she had to taste it to confirm, and she did, indeed, concur. I was initially stunned that people would even think to put beer in green tea, and then I wandered how I came to supposedly order it. It suddenly dawned at me that what I had seen was a Heineken bottle, and Heineken here is often called "Heini." He hadn't been saying "honey" at all--he had been saying "Heini"! Even better, when Shana and I heard “honey 跟绿茶," he had really been saying 海尼根(hai3 ni2 gen1), the phonetic translation from the English word Heineken. The Chinese word "gen" can mean "and" as well as "root" (used here for the sound closest to that of the "ken" in Heineken) since both are first tones. The only way to tell the difference is by context and the different characters. Either could work in this case. Shana and I laughed all the way home, even to the point where I was doubled over and trying to breathe. I found it especially funny that when he asked me how much sugar I wanted I had said (in Chinese, all except the word "honey"), "well, if there's honey in it, it will probably already be sweet, so only half sugar." He probably thought I was a crazy American and/or a lush. Ha! Sure enough, when I looked on the label it read Heineken Green Tea. Awesome. It wasn't bad either...
I might also have an addition to my two-member Leo and Nicki family. I wrote before about a bunny that I pass every morning on my way to work. He was shy at first, but now recognizes me and always starts hopping around when he sees me. He comes to the front of his cage and sticks his nose out for me to pet him. He seems very sweet tempered and it breaks my heart that he sits in his cage which is too small for him anyway. The owners are nice, and keep him clean and well fed, it's just that they have so many other dogs and cats, that they never really take him out to play. The woman saw me stopping to pet him every day and asked if I would like to take him home. I originally said no, but she asked again this past Friday when I stopped to pet him, and now that I see how excited the little guy is to see me, I'm having a hard time saying no. I'm going to look for a suitable cage tomorrow and the setup I would need for him.
On Friday night I went with Julianna and her kids to the rally at the Cultural Center to support last Saturday's referendum to lower class size to 25 students. The average class size in Kaohsiung City elementary schools is about 35. It was exciting to be there, especially since this is the first time in Taiwan's history that a referendum has been brought forth by a non-political organization. A famous Taiwanese singer came to support the cause, and dance teams from a local middle and high school performed. It was great to see teachers from Wen Fu and many other schools there with their children, fighting for something they have such an investment in. They needed over 50% turnout of eligible voters with the support of half these voters for the referendum to pass. The turnout rate was quite low, but at least it put the issue on the map and increased awareness.
After the event, I stopped in to visit my friend Kinki at work, and then met up with Shana on her way out to pick up her cousin who was visiting from Taipei. We stayed in on Friday night, watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with the rest of our roommates, and playing with Leo. On Saturday morning when we got ready for our trip to the beach and the old British Consulate, Shana and I both decided to wear our new dresses. Jennifer, her cousin, liked them and wanted to check out the store where we had bought them. We went for lunch at the dumpling restaurant next store, and then hopped over to take a peek. I picked out a dress for Jennifer and it turned out to be perfect for her. We decided to make one more stop (ok, maybe a few more) at a store where Shana and I bought dresses for a black and white party last minute when we first arrived in Taiwan. I did that really dangerous thing where I try something on thinking it will never work and then it does. For those of you who read my blog and are not interested in the details of my shopping sprees, I apologize for , and I'll leave the rest for pictures. Suffice it to say I bought too many ridiculously cute dresses this month.
When we got to the beach in mid-afternoon, we climbed up to the Consulate and had a mini photo shoot. The Consulate is a popular spot for local tourists too, most of whom are taking their own pictures, so we only felt a little silly staging pictures. In fact, it came in handy to have people watching us because then we could have them take the picture for us. Saves us the trouble of finding the "good arm" in the group--you know, the person who always holds the camera in do-it-yourself photos. We did end up trying that method too, and it turns out that Jennifer is the arm in our posse of three. I've posted them here for your amusement.
After we left the British Consulate we took the MRT over to Rui Feng Night Market for some tasty snacks. We had mini cakes with cream or taro inside, Taiwanese style sandwiches with chicken and lots and lots and LOTS of onions, and assorted drinks. After browsing the market and finishing our snacks, we walked around the corner to Han Shen Department Store to rest for a bit--we had been walking around all day, and despite the cool temperatures last week, the weather was considerably warmer on the weekend--and look at their shoe selection. I walked in, immediately spotted a Baskin Robbins, and my heart skipped a beat. I ordered a scoop of espresso biscotti and Ghost World (something like S'mores), and felt right at home. I asked Jennifer if she wanted to try some, and was very pleased to find that she seemed to enjoy it as much as me. After a little rest we went to check out the boots--every girl's got a pair this season. It's hard for me to find shoes here because I have bigger feet than most Taiwanese girls (not to mention my left foot is significantly bigger than my right), and it's even harder to find boots since they not only have to fit my feet but also my calves. I immediately liked one of the first pairs I tried on, but said they seemed to be a bit too small so that I wouldn't get killed if I decided not to buy them. After a lot of browsing, I came back to the original pair, and although I was a little hesitant because of the price, I gave in when she showed me the final price with the large discount included. We closed out the store, and left for home tired from a long, but very fun day.
On Sunday, Maya, Gered, Shana, Jennifer, and I went to a nearby Japanese restaurant for lunch. We decided to go after Shana's co-teacher recommended it for its good eats and affordable prices. We had some good sushi for lunch and chatted for a while, talking about the funny and frustrating aspects of teaching, and it was "quality apartment time" (inspired by Uncle Joe's infamous "quality family time" line, and of course, we can't forget "in every life, some rain must fall"). On our walk home for lunch we discovered another supermarket that actually sells fresh food! We were incredibly excited as it is the only alternative to the overpriced department store supermarket that is a convenient walking distance from the apartment. We stocked up on a few fresh vegetables and meats to make various kinds of soups and noodles for dinner, and I was even able to buy my favorite "straw" mushrooms as I call them!
On Sunday night I met my new friend Chel for dinner. I met Chel the day that Henry came to take me to his art gallery; she is his business partner. She likes being outside and going to various places around Taiwan, especially where there is great art to be seen, and she offered to take me anywhere I'd like to go. She made me tea the day I was sick and sent me a message last week to check on me and also to remind me that she could take me out whenever I wanted. We agreed on dinner this past weekend, and she took me to a great hot pot restaurant. She ordered for us, and we had quite the spread! She sent me home with two large bags of our leftovers that were so heavy, my forearm was sore the next day from carrying them on the walk home. Chel's very easy to talk to and comfortable to be with, so I'm really looking forward to our first day trip, whatever it happens to be.
Shana turned in early on Sunday night, so Jennifer came into my room and we got to hang out for a while. Originally, I was just keeping her company while Shana got ready for bed, but we continued to find more things to talk about, and before I knew it was pretty late. She gave me some of her favorite Chinese music that she had brought and I lent her the Taiwanese and Korean DVDs I bought a few weeks ago. She was curious about my life in America so I showed her pictures from home with my family and friends, and I told her funny stories and good memories from high school and college. It was really fun to get to know her, especially since she's related to Shana, and I'm hoping the three of us can have another weekend together soon.
I was crazy tired on Monday morning from the eventful weekend and the late night chat, but I found myself really happy by the time I got to school that morning. On my daily walk over from the bus station I saw the street sweepers who always smile at me from under their wide brimmed hats, multiple layers of clothing to protect them from the sun, and their surgical masks and wave very enthusiastically when they see me. They usually say "hello" or "good morning," but this time they also asked if I was a teacher. I was surprised at how well they spoke English and their willingness to use it with me, especially since many people in Taiwan think their English is not good enough to even practice speaking it. That immediately put me in a good mood, and when I turned to continue walking down the street, I saw the usual Monday crossing guard waving hello with his orange baton. I couldn't help but laugh at how excited he was to see me, so I gave him a big wave back. This time he also spoke more English with me than usual, so I spoke a few more sentences in English myself. He startled me a little when he reached out to touch the side of my glasses, but when he gave me a big nod and a thumbs up, I knew he was telling me that he liked them.
It's hard to explain, but it's the little day-to-day things like this that make me incredibly happy to be here. As cheesy as it sounds, it really makes me feel like I'm contributing something to the Fulbright program--that I'm doing what one individual can do to engage with others and show them that I, both as an individual and an American, am interested in sharing my culture and language with them while learning about theirs. Tonight all of the ETAs met with Alex, our program advisor who came down from his office in Taipei, for dinner and discussion about our midterm evaluations that are coming up. When he saw me he said that I looked different than usual, very bright. I thought about it for a second since I was dressed very casually and considered that I probably looked quite tired today, but then I realized--I like my life here and I guess I show it. I absolutely love teaching at Wen Fu and all of the time that I get to spend with Julianna (she's my main co-teacher), both in and outside the classroom. Yesterday was a great day with my students. They worked so hard in class on a worksheet that I made for them. It tested for different levels, so at least some parts were pretty challenging for most of them, but they were so determined to finish it. One of my students, the most darling little girl I've ever met, knows next to know English, but she comes in smiling every day, happy to be in class. She asked for my help on the worksheet, and when she got a little bored when I had to help the others, she stood by my side, playing with my hair. The kids told me about what a great time they had at English Village; they shouted out everything they learned. I've met so many friends who are willing to take me all around Kaohsiung and even the rest of Taiwan. Just today my friend Jessie messaged me to say that she was sorry we hadn't seen each other in a long time, but that she hoped I remembered that we will celebrate my birthday together. I can't say that I never miss home or wish that I was in the U.S. to wear my favorite winter coat or just go to each of my favorite places to go with friends, or even to sleep and wake up in my own bed, but I never miss home because I'm unhappy here, only because it's just not the same. And it seems like that's a good feeling to have.
Tonight was also a great night. After dinner with Alex, Shana and I went to Blockbuster to check out the newest selection of movies, and then made our weekly trip to the fruit stand and to the pet store to buy dinner for Leo. The pet store owner has a really cute white Scottie complete with beard and curly hair on his legs, although the rest of his hair is cut quite short. This was Shana's first time seeing him and she asked me (completely seriously I might add), "Why is he wearing pants but no shirt?" I paused to consider her question and then responded: "Shana, it's his fur." By the time we walked in the door, the dog had wandered off, which is odd since he usually comes to greet me with a sniff or two. I went to find him and found him doing his business in one of the isles. The owner recognizes me since I bought Leo from him and I always stop by to buy worms, so I walked up to him, pointed to his dog, and said, "he just went to the bathroom." He looked at me for a second and then said "bathroom?" and then "him?" When I said yes, he made the funniest disappointed/angry noise and looked at the dog like he was really in for it. This alone was funny since the owner is a tall man of substantial size and masculine characteristics and the dog quite small and cute looking. The dog hung his head and hurried over to the side of the front counter, giving me a look that said "I don't know if you're allowed to pet me since I'm supposed to be in trouble now." After the owner cleaned up the mess, I bought my usual 10NTs worth of worms and then left.
Shana and I stopped by another DVD rental place that we found on our last trip to the fruit stand, which turns out to be considerable cheaper than Blockbuster, and discovered that they have a great collection of TV drama series. A very kind woman saw us eyeing a particular Korean soap and said that not only was it funny and moving, but the main guy was incredibly good looking. She gave Shana and I plenty of recommendations of what to rent, and introduced us to the owner of the shop who then explained how rentals work. Everyone there was incredibly friendly, and as Shana noticed, the woman who introduced us to which dramas had the cutest actors immediately addressed me in Chinese, looking straight at me instead of looking at Shana in that questioning way that many people tend to do when they're wandering if a girl who looks so foreign can really understand Chinese. We thanked everyone for their help and then went to buy a drink before we went back for the night.
At the drink place an incredibly smiley guy with Dragon Ball Z hair and a bit of an underbite welcomed us (with the other five or so workers echoing in unison) and asked us what we wanted to drink. We usually choose to go to the place next door, so I asked if he could recommend something. He told me that their "honey" 绿茶 (green tea) was their specialty, only that's not what he really said. Shana and I were both surprised to hear this, only because we've never heard anyone here say the English word for honey--they just say it in Chinese (蜂蜜 feng1mi4). But we asked what was in it and again we heard "honey" 跟绿茶, which means honey and green tea. I've had this sort of drink at other places, and I had a taste for it tonight, so I said that I'd take one cup. Shana and I noticed that the guy was really giggly, but we thought it was just because he was trying his best to use little English expressions like "ok, ok," "yes," and "thank you" despite the fact that he felt his English wasn't good. We sat down to wait, and I noticed one of the other workers pouring what was clearly beer from a green bottle into one of the drink cups. I looked at Shana, and said "Is that beer?! I hope it's not mine..." First of all, it was incredibly funny to see beer going into drinks at a place where they sell yogurt, milk, and tea drinks. Secondly, I thought it probably wasn't really beer. And third, I thought that even if it was, it couldn't be mine, because I would have heard 啤酒 pi2jiu3 (the word for beer) and not "honey" and "green tea. " I got my drink, took a sip, and sure enough, there was beer in it! I told Shana she had to taste it to confirm, and she did, indeed, concur. I was initially stunned that people would even think to put beer in green tea, and then I wandered how I came to supposedly order it. It suddenly dawned at me that what I had seen was a Heineken bottle, and Heineken here is often called "Heini." He hadn't been saying "honey" at all--he had been saying "Heini"! Even better, when Shana and I heard “honey 跟绿茶," he had really been saying 海尼根(hai3 ni2 gen1), the phonetic translation from the English word Heineken. The Chinese word "gen" can mean "and" as well as "root" (used here for the sound closest to that of the "ken" in Heineken) since both are first tones. The only way to tell the difference is by context and the different characters. Either could work in this case. Shana and I laughed all the way home, even to the point where I was doubled over and trying to breathe. I found it especially funny that when he asked me how much sugar I wanted I had said (in Chinese, all except the word "honey"), "well, if there's honey in it, it will probably already be sweet, so only half sugar." He probably thought I was a crazy American and/or a lush. Ha! Sure enough, when I looked on the label it read Heineken Green Tea. Awesome. It wasn't bad either...
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Oh, what a week!
I apologize for another long delay between posts. The last time I posted I was in the midst of a week-long Halloween celebration at Wen Fu. Friday brought the celebration to a close with more class visits, desk-to-desk trick-or-treating, and orange jack-o-lantern balloons. The kids seemed to have a great time, and it was really nice to visit the students who I do not have an opportunity to teach on a regular basis. Since I normally teach classes on Friday morning, the students in those classes accompanied me to the classrooms of the younger students. Many of them dressed up and were exceptionally great in helping the younger kids use the markers and tie their balloons.
On Friday afternoon I had an extra shift at English Village (EV). I was totally exhausted from working overtime, and I tried to teach the kids the songs and chants that I had done with my own students at Wen Fu, but by the last 15 minute session I had the kids playing "ghost ghost witch"--ha! They had a great time, and technically, they were using English, so that was good enough for me. After EV, all of the ETAs and some of our coworkers met at a nearby all you can eat hot pot restaurant to celebrate Gered's birthday (actually on Halloween!). Shana and I shared one of the pots at our table; she was happy to get an endless supply of beef, and I was happy to have plate after plate of those white, thin, straw-like mushrooms that I love so much. Gered's host mom bought a delicious chocolate cake from Costco that we all devoured before (for all of you present at my 19th birthday) singing "Happy Birthday" in about 5 different languages. All of my apartment mates piled in a cab and headed for home where we watched Hocus Pocus to continue Gered's birthday tradition--what an awesome movie! We had already watched it three times or so since being here, two being that week, and I was totally feeling it the third time around, but I was absolutely exhausted. I went to rest on my bed for a few minutes and passed out...at 9:30 pm! When I woke up it was 6:30 am. A few hours later I went for a much needed massage, and got back just in time to prepare for our apartment Halloween party. We invited over our host families and the children of our co-teachers for some room-to-room trick-or-treating and Halloween games. The kids painted masks, watched Hocus Pocus, and best of all, had a donut eating competition...which I also took part in. It was a close call, but I was able to pull a victory over Isabella, Gered's 12 year old host sister. After our many guests had left and the cleanup was done, Shana and I walked to a nearby night market with her grandmother. We stopped at lots of restaurants for a taste for some of the local favorites, Shana and I got our fill of vegetarian jelly (爱玉), which I promise is way more delicious than it sounds (think of jello in a sweet yet refreshing lemon syrup) and walked around in the fairly cool night air before heading home to let her grandma rest.
The next day I woke up at 7 am (and on a Sunday, too) to meet my host family for hiking at Guanyin Mountain (观音山). The day started out rough when I managed to be late for yet another early morning meeting with them because of an unpredictable MRT schedule, but once we got going, it was great! The scenery was beautiful and it felt good to work my muscles. We hiked for a few hours, I embarrassed the girls by taking lots of pictures, and on the way down, we browsed the traditional organic market that lined the sides of the path. I bought a scallion pancake and vegetarian jelly for the girls and I to share, and we tried samples of tea and herbal remedies that my host mom gave us. We gathered under a tent with classmates of my host sister for a traditional Taiwanese barbecue. Whole chickens, corn cobs, yams, and vegetables were seasoned and wrapped in bags and foil before being buried inside a charcoal stove that had been dug in the ground. After lunch, the girls and I went to nap in the car while our mom chatted outside with other parents.
Soon after we drove back to the city, and I met my friend Claire for a beach cleanup at Zhongshan University. We drove her scooter to the beach and met up with Tim and a good number of his classmates and friends to clean up an area of the beach as much as we could for about two hour. While we were cleaning, about a dozen or so couples came to the beach to have their wedding photographs taken. It was fun to see the variety in dress--some brides to be wore what we would consider more traditional dresses, long and white with sequins, while others wore brightly colored party dresses, one short and hot pink complete with black bows, one long and neon yellow, and another an...interesting shade of green. After the cleanup, a few of us went to get supplies while some of the guys built a fire by the beach. It was one of the few times I've been at the beach at night, and the first time in a while that we actually were able to see some stars. Claire and I stood next to each other side by side leaning against a large rock facing the ocean and letting the waves crash on our legs as we talked. On the scooter ride back we planned our next date together--a pajama party for just the two of us at her apartment complete with cocktails, costumes (she never really got to celebrate Halloween), pizza, dancing/singing, and movies. It was a great day spent outside, and by the time I got home at 10:30 that night, I was both very happy and very tired.
This past week started off well. On Monday afternoon Julianna made me apple cider and gave me a little snack to get me through my last class. She also gave me a wonderful gift--a personalized key chain, embroidered in pink (because she says she likes the color on me) with my name in white letters. It's especially meaningful because she got it at the market right outside of my apartment when she was walking around with her family after our Halloween party. I was incredibly touched by her thoughtfulness, especially since it was a thank you for "everything I've done for the students"--Julianna has done way more for me than I can even hope to do for the kids in the entire time I'm here. I have been trying to think of something really special for her--I want to make sure it will always remind her of me.
Late Monday night I started to get sick. I had to teach at EV the next morning, which meant talking for two hours straight, and it only got worse. Luckily, I did not have class Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday and was able to rest. I had scheduled an appointment for a while ago to meet with the dealer of the painting that I wrote about before, and since he was driving all the way over to take me to his gallery, I felt bad cancelling. I ended up buying the painting, and stayed a while to have tea and chat with his business partner. She suggested that I go see a doctor, even though I told her it was just a cold, so Henry (the art dealer), stopped at a clinic on the way back to drop me off. It did turn out just to be a cold, but I was feeling like death, so I was happy when I saw that I got a whole bunch of medicine just for my cold (I'm used to doctors in the US telling me to wait it out). I made it home just in time to see CNN report that Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States and to watch McCain's succession speech and Obama's victory speech, both which I thought were well done. It was an exciting day in our apartment, and we all wished we could have been in the States celebrating.
I was squeaking and without a voice on Thursday, and after I survived EV, I felt pretty awful. I ended up not teaching on Thursday and Friday, and although the rest really helped, I was going crazy from being confined to my room. Shana kept checking on me to make sure I wasn't dead and brought me cup after cup of hot tea. On Friday night I broke out of my room, figuring going to a movie would be ok. Shana, me, and our friend Kelly went to see High School Musical 3! That's right! It was fabulous. I believe I got chills...more than once. My away message since last night has read "whoever says romance is dead clearly hasn't seen HSM3." It's true.
Today I laid low again, which was pretty fitting for a rainy day, leaving the house only to take Leo back to the vets for another dose of mite medicine and to get dinner. I stopped in to get carry-out, but I realized that the only two other customers in the restaurant were staring at me, so I said hello and waited for their questions. They turned out to be Freda and Carol, English majors at the nearby university. They speak English very well, so well that I was able to use my normal fast pace. I sat down at their table and we chatted for a half hour or so before I left with my luke-warm take out and headed home. Then, I also passed the store where my friend Kinki works, and found that she was working tonight. I went inside to say hello and also saw Angie, another friend. They introduced me to a few of their classmates, and I chatted with them for another 10 minutes before I started home. I was so hungry by the time I got home that I wolfed down my food and got a tummy ache :(. Still, I'd say the two new friends were well worth it.
Tomorrow's likely to prove another r&r day. There's supposed to be a cold front coming in--one that drops the temperature from about 30C to 11C. I can only hope! I hope you are all well and enjoying the four seasons in the States.
With love from Taiwan,
Nicki
On Friday afternoon I had an extra shift at English Village (EV). I was totally exhausted from working overtime, and I tried to teach the kids the songs and chants that I had done with my own students at Wen Fu, but by the last 15 minute session I had the kids playing "ghost ghost witch"--ha! They had a great time, and technically, they were using English, so that was good enough for me. After EV, all of the ETAs and some of our coworkers met at a nearby all you can eat hot pot restaurant to celebrate Gered's birthday (actually on Halloween!). Shana and I shared one of the pots at our table; she was happy to get an endless supply of beef, and I was happy to have plate after plate of those white, thin, straw-like mushrooms that I love so much. Gered's host mom bought a delicious chocolate cake from Costco that we all devoured before (for all of you present at my 19th birthday) singing "Happy Birthday" in about 5 different languages. All of my apartment mates piled in a cab and headed for home where we watched Hocus Pocus to continue Gered's birthday tradition--what an awesome movie! We had already watched it three times or so since being here, two being that week, and I was totally feeling it the third time around, but I was absolutely exhausted. I went to rest on my bed for a few minutes and passed out...at 9:30 pm! When I woke up it was 6:30 am. A few hours later I went for a much needed massage, and got back just in time to prepare for our apartment Halloween party. We invited over our host families and the children of our co-teachers for some room-to-room trick-or-treating and Halloween games. The kids painted masks, watched Hocus Pocus, and best of all, had a donut eating competition...which I also took part in. It was a close call, but I was able to pull a victory over Isabella, Gered's 12 year old host sister. After our many guests had left and the cleanup was done, Shana and I walked to a nearby night market with her grandmother. We stopped at lots of restaurants for a taste for some of the local favorites, Shana and I got our fill of vegetarian jelly (爱玉), which I promise is way more delicious than it sounds (think of jello in a sweet yet refreshing lemon syrup) and walked around in the fairly cool night air before heading home to let her grandma rest.
The next day I woke up at 7 am (and on a Sunday, too) to meet my host family for hiking at Guanyin Mountain (观音山). The day started out rough when I managed to be late for yet another early morning meeting with them because of an unpredictable MRT schedule, but once we got going, it was great! The scenery was beautiful and it felt good to work my muscles. We hiked for a few hours, I embarrassed the girls by taking lots of pictures, and on the way down, we browsed the traditional organic market that lined the sides of the path. I bought a scallion pancake and vegetarian jelly for the girls and I to share, and we tried samples of tea and herbal remedies that my host mom gave us. We gathered under a tent with classmates of my host sister for a traditional Taiwanese barbecue. Whole chickens, corn cobs, yams, and vegetables were seasoned and wrapped in bags and foil before being buried inside a charcoal stove that had been dug in the ground. After lunch, the girls and I went to nap in the car while our mom chatted outside with other parents.
Soon after we drove back to the city, and I met my friend Claire for a beach cleanup at Zhongshan University. We drove her scooter to the beach and met up with Tim and a good number of his classmates and friends to clean up an area of the beach as much as we could for about two hour. While we were cleaning, about a dozen or so couples came to the beach to have their wedding photographs taken. It was fun to see the variety in dress--some brides to be wore what we would consider more traditional dresses, long and white with sequins, while others wore brightly colored party dresses, one short and hot pink complete with black bows, one long and neon yellow, and another an...interesting shade of green. After the cleanup, a few of us went to get supplies while some of the guys built a fire by the beach. It was one of the few times I've been at the beach at night, and the first time in a while that we actually were able to see some stars. Claire and I stood next to each other side by side leaning against a large rock facing the ocean and letting the waves crash on our legs as we talked. On the scooter ride back we planned our next date together--a pajama party for just the two of us at her apartment complete with cocktails, costumes (she never really got to celebrate Halloween), pizza, dancing/singing, and movies. It was a great day spent outside, and by the time I got home at 10:30 that night, I was both very happy and very tired.
This past week started off well. On Monday afternoon Julianna made me apple cider and gave me a little snack to get me through my last class. She also gave me a wonderful gift--a personalized key chain, embroidered in pink (because she says she likes the color on me) with my name in white letters. It's especially meaningful because she got it at the market right outside of my apartment when she was walking around with her family after our Halloween party. I was incredibly touched by her thoughtfulness, especially since it was a thank you for "everything I've done for the students"--Julianna has done way more for me than I can even hope to do for the kids in the entire time I'm here. I have been trying to think of something really special for her--I want to make sure it will always remind her of me.
Late Monday night I started to get sick. I had to teach at EV the next morning, which meant talking for two hours straight, and it only got worse. Luckily, I did not have class Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday and was able to rest. I had scheduled an appointment for a while ago to meet with the dealer of the painting that I wrote about before, and since he was driving all the way over to take me to his gallery, I felt bad cancelling. I ended up buying the painting, and stayed a while to have tea and chat with his business partner. She suggested that I go see a doctor, even though I told her it was just a cold, so Henry (the art dealer), stopped at a clinic on the way back to drop me off. It did turn out just to be a cold, but I was feeling like death, so I was happy when I saw that I got a whole bunch of medicine just for my cold (I'm used to doctors in the US telling me to wait it out). I made it home just in time to see CNN report that Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States and to watch McCain's succession speech and Obama's victory speech, both which I thought were well done. It was an exciting day in our apartment, and we all wished we could have been in the States celebrating.
I was squeaking and without a voice on Thursday, and after I survived EV, I felt pretty awful. I ended up not teaching on Thursday and Friday, and although the rest really helped, I was going crazy from being confined to my room. Shana kept checking on me to make sure I wasn't dead and brought me cup after cup of hot tea. On Friday night I broke out of my room, figuring going to a movie would be ok. Shana, me, and our friend Kelly went to see High School Musical 3! That's right! It was fabulous. I believe I got chills...more than once. My away message since last night has read "whoever says romance is dead clearly hasn't seen HSM3." It's true.
Today I laid low again, which was pretty fitting for a rainy day, leaving the house only to take Leo back to the vets for another dose of mite medicine and to get dinner. I stopped in to get carry-out, but I realized that the only two other customers in the restaurant were staring at me, so I said hello and waited for their questions. They turned out to be Freda and Carol, English majors at the nearby university. They speak English very well, so well that I was able to use my normal fast pace. I sat down at their table and we chatted for a half hour or so before I left with my luke-warm take out and headed home. Then, I also passed the store where my friend Kinki works, and found that she was working tonight. I went inside to say hello and also saw Angie, another friend. They introduced me to a few of their classmates, and I chatted with them for another 10 minutes before I started home. I was so hungry by the time I got home that I wolfed down my food and got a tummy ache :(. Still, I'd say the two new friends were well worth it.
Tomorrow's likely to prove another r&r day. There's supposed to be a cold front coming in--one that drops the temperature from about 30C to 11C. I can only hope! I hope you are all well and enjoying the four seasons in the States.
With love from Taiwan,
Nicki
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