All Things Chinese

My second week of teaching flew by, bringing with it many new firsts for me.

I discovered that the girls whom I dance with form one out of nine teams competing in a school-wide cheerleading competition. The director saw me dancing with them and asked if I'd be interested in helping. It's impossible for me to dance with all nine teams, so she asked if I would be the judge. I explained the situation to the girls, and we decided that I will be the judge for the actual competition, but will continue to dance with them for fun now.

On Tuesday night I took Leo to the vet's, just to do a regular check-up. I've been reading a lot about hedgehogs online and knew that I would have to have his nails clipped soon to avoid them curling under and injuring his toe pads. You can clip them yourself, but I wanted to make sure I didn't cut them too short and injure his pads--they can lose a lot of blood if cut. I also noticed his skin was dry, which is also a sign of mites, and since Leo's a new pet, I thought it couldn't hurt just to have him checked out.

I got really lucky and happened to stop in to the animal clinic on a day when the doctor from another location was at the one right down the street from me. Dr. Chiu has worked with hedgehogs before and raises sugargliders (another exotic pet, even more so than hedgehogs) herself) so she is the ideal vet for Leo. She also speaks English well, so between using a little bit of Chinese and a lot of English, we can understand each other perfectly. She took a few skin flakes from Leo's back and found that he does, in fact, have mites. It's easily treatable with Frontline, which I only need to put on his neck once a month. I also have to give him medicine twice a day for about a week to hydrate his skin and the rest of his body. Dr. Chiu tried to make it "yummy" for him so that he'd want to eat it. It didn't work out so well the first time--he took a quick lick and then was done. When I gave her a call and she told me to add a little sugar I thought it was a bit odd, but it seemed to be the secret ingredient! Leo eats enough now to make the froth that he puts on his back. When he turns around and is busy licking his quills, I sneak a big dose in the side of his mouth. He usually makes a face and shakes his head, but it works every time!

I'm taking Leo back to the clinic this week to see how things are going, and Dr. Chiu is going to help me find a bigger cage and a special exercise wheel for him. Since sugargliders are not common in Taiwan at all, she orders a lot of her stuff from the States and said she could show me some things. The wheel would be great because it shaves his nails down as he runs. I did manage to cut his nails a bit last night and felt very accomplished. It was during our nightly bonding time when I put a towel on my lap and let him climb around or snuggle down, whichever he prefers.

On Thursday evening after teaching and dancing, I hurried back to San Min where our office is located, to have my first Chinese class. It was really great to be back in a formal sort of class setting. There are only three of us in the class, but the small size makes it feel a lot like my classes at Lawrence. The professor is great and very easy to work with. He showed us news clips and gave us a weekly news summary in Chinese to practice reading and discussing. It was challenging to use some vocabulary that I haven't used in a while, but together we seemed to communicate our ideas. Shana and Billy know a lot of vocabulary, so I sometimes feel out of their league, but it's great exposure for me. I'm looking forward to next week!

Yesterday afternoon (Friday) was my second big experience of the week--acupuncture! Amanda, who works for the foundation here and works to make all of us as comfortable as possible, took me to a place not too far down the street from the apartment. My lower back had been hurting and my shoulders were in need of some lovin', and with a discounted rate from my Taiwan health insurance card, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I wasn't too sure what to expect, but Amanda gave me a bit of a briefing before I went in. I lied face down on the table and the doctor placed a few needles in my left shoulder and the left side of my lower back. I felt a bit of pressure and a mini prick, but it wasn't painful. After he placed the needle in my skin, he did something that made my muscle feel like it was being twisted. It was a really strange sensation--one that kind of made me squirm but felt good at the same time. After the needles were inserted, a woman hooked them up to a machine that sends little waves of electricity into your body. The pulses felt like someone was gently pounding my skin, and then my arm started jumping. It didn't hurt, although it was strangely involuntary, but I gathered it wasn't supposed to happen when she called Amanda in to translate. They agreed that it might be a little too strong, so she turned it down a bit and the spasming stopped. I thought it was funny (and I suppose I was also a bit nervous too) , so I started laughing uncontrollably. Amanda and the woman both started laughing, while meanwhile I was thinking "I hope I don't lodge the needles into my back!" The electrotherapy went on for 15 minutes, after which I was glad to be done. It wasn't really painful, but I could feel my muscles starting to get a bit sore.

After the electrotherapy, another man came in to give me a sort of "massage." Here, it is crucial to understand that these types of massages (as well as most) are not mean for relaxation and pampering; rather, they are used for medicinal purposes and to increase circulation. They usually involve a lot of hard rubbing. It was pleasant for the most part, but I do feel a bit sore today. Still, this is the good kind of sore, and I feel better overall (I think). He then had me sit up with my back facing him, and before I knew it, he was pulling my arms over my head and bending me back until I heard a loud crack. It was at this time that Amanda said, "now, I think he'll do some cracking. You must be relaxed." He applied some herbal medicinal patches to my shoulders and I was done. For the rest of the night I smelled like herbs and had the feeling you get from using Icy Hot. Reading over my description I'm thinking that many of you might have the impression that it was an unpleasant experience. Actually, I'm looking forward to going back. I want to see what else they can do to me :).

Today I slept in--it was glorious! I got ready in a hurry and headed over to meet Shu-Ting, one of the local English teachers, for lunch. We went to a really nice restaurant that is known for speciality flavored hot pot. I tried the spicy coconut with pork. This specific restaurant puts everything in the soup for you, but normally you place the food into the pot as you like. You most often choose the meat and the soup base that you want, and all types of hot pot will come with cabbage, a variety of mushrooms, tofu, fish balls, and sometimes thin noodles or rice. After lunch we walked next door to a department store and shopped for some skin care products. Shu-Ting also took me to a store that she often goes to which sells more traditional Chinese style clothing with a modern twist. I played dress up for a while, and then came back home to get ready for my first wedding banquet!

This evening Julianna, one of my co-teachers, took me with her family to a friend's wedding banquet. This was my first time going to any sort of wedding event ever, so I was super excited. I got all dressed up in my new bright blue dress, and put my hair up in little twists, which has become a popular demand from all the teachers I work with. I took the bus to the HSR station where Julianna and her family picked me up. We then drove for about one hour to a city called Ping Dong. On the way there her mother, husband, two daughters, one son, and I chatted in Chinese, and I showed them pictures of Leo (Julianna had told them about him).

The banquet was held in a high school gym, which was divided into two sides with about thirty tables each for both the family and friends of the bride and groom. This was apparently an exceptional banquet, as Julianna said it was the first one she had been to that also had an MC/band. Each guest gave the bride and groom a red envelope filled with money, used to cover the cost of the banquet, upon entering and signs their name in the guest book. It's a tradition to offer candy as good luck to symbolize the sweetness of their marriage. Cartons of cold, sweetened tea and bottles of beer and wine were placed on the spinning center of the table (think lazy susan). Most banquets formally start at 6:30pm, at which time waitresses stroll down the aisles with carts filled with the first dish. All in all there are usually about 12 dishes, most of which are found at every banquet. Tonight we had a plate of five different seafood appetizers, most of them containing squid. After the "appetizers," we had shark fin soup with seafood, followed by a whole chicken cooked in a pot, a steamed fish, lobster with sashimi and squid balls, sticky rice with eel and steamed bamboo, steamed shrimp, a taro dish steamed inside a large lotus leaf, broccoli with seafood, fruit with a popular yogurt drink, and a signature soup always served at the end to signal the completion of the banquet. Throughout the banquet, the bride and groom walk around with their parents to toast each table. The bride changes her dress three times to show her beauty. Individuals at each table often offer up toasts to one another as well. We sat with co-workers of Allen, Julianna's husband, and they were all incredibly friendly. One man brought his son who is getting married next month, so they invited me to their banquet as well.

After saying goodbye and congratulating the bride and groom, we went to a nearby department store to allow the wine to wear off before we drove home. Allen, Steven (the son), Vicky (the eldest daughter), and I played arcade games in the basement for a while before we went upstairs to browse the store. I hadn't played arcade games in such long time; it was actually a lot of fun. Vicky and I shot baskets together against the clock, and then we went over to one of the impossible machines to try and grab a really cute frog with a cute watch strapped around his body. Vicky almost had him so many times, and we kept playing until the 25th time when you are guaranteed to catch one. The machine didn't give it up, however, so Allen complained to the attendant who promised to contact the company and have them give it to us. I challenged Steven to air hockey, and then I played the game where you beat down the heads of some animal with a paddle when it comes at you on the screen.

We found out that we all love to window shop, so Vicky, Maddie (the youngest daughter), Julianna and I sorted through a bin of t-shirts on sale. I bought a few more towels since Leo has pretty much taken over my old ones, and a small pillow for naptime at school (I've found that I have no problem falling asleep after lunch, but a pillow would really enhance the experience). About an hour later after we were on our way back to my apartment. We chatted about American movies, Allen made a few great plays on words that sound like my Chinese name (Deng4 Ni2 Qi3), and I gave the kids my new business cards! Steven seemed to think it was pretty cool, and was excited to see that I had MSN.

I had such a wonderful time with Julianna's family; it was like spending time with my best friends and their families from home. I can't wait for our next activity together!

Tomorrow I'm off to Qi Jin, a nearby island famous for its seafood, for my first outing with my host family since meeting them last week. Keyi (my youngest sister) has been texting me all week to keep up with what I'm doing, so I can't wait to see them! I bought the girls two pairs of hair ties with strawberries on them yesterday afternoon, so I really hope they like them. I just got a message saying they want to meet at 9 am instead of 11, so I'd better go to bed!

More about tomorrow along with pictures from today to follow soon!

September Days

I have just completed my first official week of teaching! I absolutely love Wen Fu and everyone there. The students treat me as if I'm some sort of celebrity, eyes wide, toothless grins, and a big wave as they shout "hello, Teacher Nicki!" Even though I only get to teach a group of them, all of the students say hello and are so excited to speak English with me. After just a few days I have kids running up to me and holding my hand or guiding me through the halls. They peak at me from around the corner and across the courtyard, and the really brave ones approach me to ask questions that I know they have been reciting over and over in their heads.

I work with 14 different classes, so this week's class periods were mainly used for introducing myself and having the students use English to ask me questions. I told the kids that I'm from America's east coast and live in a state very close to Washington D.C. I told them I recently graduated from college and had them guess my age (most guesses were around 25). I told them I have a younger brother who is very tall (I can gesture this easily and they think he's a giant) and plays soccer very well, and said that we have a cat who has blue eyes just like me (this gets them every time). I told them about Leo, and drew a picture so that they could associate the word hedgehog with the Chinese word. When the students got to ask me questions, I was very impressed with many of their English levels. They asked me things like what my life in America is like, how do I like Kaohsiung, what are my favorite foods here, and if I like Wen Fu (which is way too cute). It's especially cute when they ask me if I'm interested in things they like; one little boy asked me I liked hockey and archery. They were all very curious about American houses--they think we're all very rich since we live in houses with two floors--a step up from the high-rise apartments that cover the small island. Some of the questions are a bit more difficult to answer (like "Why do you have such a tall nose?"), but I am so impressed with their curiosity and willingness to take a risk asking a question when they know they may very well not say it one hundred percent correctly. I'm also very glad to see that the better students help translate for the other ones, repeating the question in Chinese, and having the student speak after me to say it in English. So far we've practiced some review sentences like "How old are you?" and "How tall are you?" with the 5th graders, and worked on shapes and introducing the Mid-Autumn Festival with the 6th graders. The next lesson for the 5th graders is called "Can You Swim," and includes other verbs, so I chose a verse from "Part of Your World" for a listening exercise. I sang the verse once and had the students listen carefully for as many words as they could. I repeated it once more and had them right what they heard on the blackboard. The third time I taught them line by line so that they could sing it too. After I sang they burst into applause and said I was a superstar. Even my co-teacher said she was surprised to hear how well I sing and said she loved my sweet-sounding voice (hear that, Aunt Jenny?). It's one of the first activities I've used on my own, so I was glad to see it go over well. It makes me a little less and nervous and more excited to plan other things for them.

Today in between classes I asked if I could play baseball with the boys. I pitched a few balls and then asked if I could try hitting. I ended up hitting a line drive on the first pitch, and got a "home run." They yelled and yelled for me to run, something I wasn't planning to do since the ground was still really muddy from the torrential rain yesterday and I was wearing wedge sandals and a skirt. I ran anyway, almost falling once, and sliding on one foot into home. They got me out but it was still pretty great. When I heard students calling my name, I looked up to find students on all sides of the courtyard leaning over the breezeways waving and watching me play. By the next class the word had spread that I can play baseball. It's a really popular sport in Taiwan, so I'm glad it's something I can share with them.

I've also started dancing after school with a group of about seven or eight 5th grade girls. They take dance lessons with a teacher, and meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the front hallway to practice. They're quite good little dancers, using a modern pop-style song and dance that they will perform in a few weeks for a competition. Every time they see me now they ask if I will join them after school. I have three of them in my classes, and it's sort of like being in on our own little secret. We have our own little smile for each other, and I find myself getting really excited when I see them in the hallways. It's super fun communicating with them--we need about all of them for me to say something to just one of them. There's one girl who acts as the overall interpreter, a few who argue about the meaning in Chinese, and a few who happen to know odd vocabulary words. The other day I showed them how to do a cartwheel, and since I can remember their routine, they seem to think I'm pretty cool. If they only knew...That's the great thing about kids--they think everything you do is amazing.

Sophia or Julianna usually wait until I'm done with dancing and then drive me to the bus station. Sophia has a spunky personality with a short hair cut and stylish clothes to match. Her skin is quite pale for a Taiwanese, and she works hard to keep it that way. Even on her way to the classroom she wears a visor that had a front mask comparable to that of a welding mask. The first time she drove me (Tuesday), I recognized that familiar smell of sunscreen as soon as I opened the car door. I saw that the front passenger window was covered was two sun protectors, but as we pulled out of the parking garage she put two more on her side and then pulled a strip of dark film over the windshield (this was all in addition to the visor/welding mask). I was very concerned about her vision, but she assured me she was a good driver. I made a quit exit from the car since there are traffic guards along the bus station who signal cars to move on when they make a stop at the station, no matter how brief. The second day (yesterday) I tried to be quick, but the guard immediately rushed to the car and began blowing his whistle. I was already halfway out, so I found it very amusing when he yelled "stop, stop!" It had been a long day and I was just seconds away from missing my bus that had already pulled up to the curb so I yelled "ok, ok!" and ran a few feet to hop onto the bus. I recognized the bus driver, a young guy whom I like very much mostly because the first day he saw me he said "Hello, how are you" in a perky, heavy accented voice. This time he gave me a sly smile, said "hello" in English again, and then asked (in Chinese), "Do you understand, Chinese?" I responded with, "Yes, I speak Chinese" and then added "they don't like me very much," pointing to the guards. He kept smiling his sly smile and I collapsed into a seat, thankful to be on my way home.

After finishing up at work around noon today and having lunch at the school, I came home for a short nap before meeting my host family. I packed the jams I bought in the U.S., each made with a local specialty fruit, and headed for the bus stop for the second time today. The first bus to come was the 72, a line I don't usually take but one I know goes to the train station. From the train station I would be able to walk to San Min, a local school where we would have a catered dinner with our host families. As we drove down the main stretch of road, we pulled up next to some sort of street parade. A few groups of men carried long bamboo poles on their shoulders, the poles supporting pagoda temple-like statues. Other men wore large majestic costumes, balancing on either stilts or perhaps the shoulders of other men as they swayed down the street. Groups of young men played classical Chinese instruments, pausing to take a deep drag from their cigarettes or to light a new one. Bubble tea cups were wedged between instruments and statues carried in carts. One man took a call on his cell phone as he participated. The wind started to pick up and the sky began turning darker; a strong typhoon is on its way to Taiwan. When we began crossing the bridge that takes me to Wen Fu, I realized that the 72 was not going to make a stop at the train station and quickly got off to catch a taxi to the school. Although the cool breeze felt amazing, I had to carefully maneuver my skirt, and the darkening sky was looking more and more threatening. I found a nice driver who was fun to chat with and got me to San Min 130NT later (the exact same price it would have taken to take a taxi from my apartment to the school--I hope this doesn't become a trend...).

When I got to San Min I learned that my host family has two daughters, one 10 and the other 12. I had already heard that they are a very nice well-educated family, and I became even more excited to meet them. Although we knew which family we had been matched with, they did not, and we had to keep it a surprise until after dinner. I was so happy when I saw a little family of three walk in wearing matching purple shirts. I tried to discreetly make my way over to them and sit by them at dinner, but I think I must have had a twinkle in my eye, because after spending a few minutes with them the my dad looked at me and said, "I think maybe you are with us." I was pleasantly surprised to find out how well both of the girls speak English, a result of a year or so living in London. They understand American humor very well and are not as shy as many of the young girls who I have met so far. When it came time for me to give clues about my family, and my dad realized that I am, indeed, his third daughter for this year, he yelled out the "we are family!" line very enthusiastically and gave me a hug as some of the local school staff and Bureau of Education members chanted "hug, hug, hug, hug!" It was awkward in the really fun way that many things in Chinese culture are, and we exchanged the gifts that we brought for one another. My family got me a really nice English-Chinese, Chinese-English dictionary from a very large and famous bookstore near their home. My mom had Moon Festival activities tonight and was unable to come, but I had the chance to learn plenty about William (my dad). He graduated from Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, one of Taiwan's most well-known universities. He is the director of some educational business programs and is based in Shanghai for work. Every Saturday for the next three months he will be taking classes at Kaohsiung Normal University just down the street from my apartment to be certified to teach Chinese to non-native speakers. Many of his classmates from Sun Yat-sen University are also very successful, so he has amazing connections (I really hit the jackpot here). I also learned that my family has two cars, one of which is very large and will be great for trips to places all around the island that may not be so easy to get otherwise. We are already talking about a trip to Kending, a beautiful coastal location in the southern tip of Taiwan.

After the dinner reception was over, William offered to drive all of my roommates and I home since the weather has already started to get a little unpredictable. The seven of us piled into his Mercedes, which was actually very spacious, with 10-year old Keyi sitting on Shana's lap, and 12-year old Ruyi on my lap. We listened to ICRT, an international channel that broadcasts a wide variety of English songs and seems to have really cool tidbits of language information in between. The song "Way Back into Love" from the American movie Music & Lyrics came on, and Shana and I sang along with Keyi and Ruyi who knew all the words. I think at one point, everyone, including my dad, was sort of humming and mumbling some words. It was really great to share such an excitement for the song (which I have not heard on U.S. radio), and I can't wait to hang out with them. My roommates love the girls and want to have them over for a movie and snack night. I could tell from chatting about Ruyi's bond with her host family in London that this is really important to them, and it was really touching to hear my dad say that from now on I will be another daughter. Keyi told me that if I could stay a little longer in July, I can be here for her birthday too (Ruyi's birthday is in January).

I'm now at home preparing for a lazy weekend all snuggled up in the apartment since a typhoon is due to hit Taiwan over the next few days. It's coming at a very inopportune time with the Mid-Autumn Festival falling on Sunday. The typhoon is likely to delay transportation, and the festival is a time when people return home to be with their families, celebrating the full moon by barbecuing beef and eating moon cakes (a round cake commonly filled with sweet red bean paste or egg yolk). It looks like I'll miss out on going home with my friend Su, a native of Kaohsiung, but she's assured me there's plenty of other holidays to celebrate together. If I do get stuck inside, I suppose it wouldn't be so bad eating grilled cheese and watching movies...

Taipei

This past Thursday we traveled to Taipei, Taiwan to meet the other Fulbright Taiwan grantees. There are 16 other recent college graduates living in Yilan, a rural area about an hour away from Taipei who are also teaching English in local elementary schools. The original Fulbright ETA program in Taiwan was established in Yilan seven years ago, and because the program is so well-established, four junior high schools were added to the mix this year. The four ETAs working on the junior high school project have also encountered some difficulties in establishing this new branch of the teaching program. The most important different is the emphasis on English language capability. Whereas the primary goal with the elementary school students in Yilan is to expose them to as much as possible to English and given them ample opportunity to interact with a native speaker (as it is in Kaohsiung), the junior high school students must diligently study English for their high school entrance exam. The drastically different attitudes toward teaching English at these two levels is creating a large gap between what the students know and what they should know, and is also making it difficult to introduce more advanced concepts to students with very simple, "young" English. It was really interesting to hear them share their experiences so far since many have been teaching for a week, and to brainstorm together about ways to overcome common obstacles.

Even more impressive were all of the graduate students and professors who have come to Taiwan to do research. About half of them are married with young children, so it was very exciting to be around American children again and have new friends to play with. Their interests include teaching subjects such as: contemporary Western music and teaching methods to Taiwanese students, art therapy, globalization, American studies, and conducting research on: quantum effects of plasmonics, explanatory models of Schizophrenia among Taiwanese patients, formation of community among Taiwanese Aborigines, increased religiousness in overseas Asians, manifestations of Daoism in modern Taiwanese society, traditional Chinese medicine, interpretations of Classics and Ancient Greek theater in modern Taiwanese society, etc. They are all extremely down to Earth and fun to talk to, and I'm already excited for December when we get to hear the progress of everyone's work. I had a particularly great time talking to one family who has just moved to Taiwan for the father/husband to do research. He has a ten year-old son who is feeling a little less excited and more apprehensive about their five-month stay in Taiwan. I was able to talk to him during some down time and learned that he is incredibly smart and has both humor and maturity way beyond his age. I asked if they might like to get together for some special trips around Taiwan, and I really hope that we do find some things to do together. It's actually incredibly comforting to meet American families and interact with them--it's the closest cultural connection I've felt to my American roots during my time in Taiwan so far. At dinner I was able to play with the four year-old son of another professor/researcher. I tried to teach him the hand game where you put your hands in the other person's palms and move them away quickly enough before the other person can slap them. He didn't quite get the concept of flipping his hands over to slap mine, so basically I just held my hands out and waited for him to slap them. We then played one of his games where he marched around and I simply followed. It was probably my happiest moment that day.

After dinner Shana, Billy, Shiela, Kate, Maya and I walked back to our hotel, pausing to take pictures at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. I had seen the characters for the name "Freedom Memorial" across the arch of the main gate, but did not learn until last night that the government was using the term as the official name for the monument. The name was changed from the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial after Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shui-Bian took office in 2000. Similarly, Taiwanese passports that once read Republic of China (R.O.C.) were changed to Taiwan under the DPP. The nature of Taiwanese politics is heavily ingrained in such changes that may seem merely logistical and unimportant to outsiders. The two major political parties in Taiwan are the KMT (Guomindang, blue party), and the DPP (green party). For many years after it fled the mainland in 1949, the KMT sought to reunite the governments of mainland China and Taiwan under its own rule. The DPP on the otherhand has stood for a Taiwan identity, and especially during the last four-year term under President Chen Shui-Bian, has pushed for an independent Taiwan. With KMT candidate Ma Ying-Jeou winning the presidential election in March earlier this year, the government is resuming a more moderate stance on the issue of Taiwan identity and independence. I have heard that the new KMT government wil reinstate the name Chiang Kai-Shek (original leader of the KMT party founded in mainland China) to the memorial.

After our nightime photo shoot, we headed to a bookstore in search for birthday presents for Shana's relatives. Right after Shana and I had left the bookstore I felt something funny happen to my foot. I looked down to find that the strap had completely torn out of my flip flop on the left side. Shana immediately tried to rush me to a shoe store, but I could only walk so fast with a broken strap. I had to swing my leg from the outside toward the inside so that the sole would slip under my foot and allow me to take a step. Shana and I laughed all the way to the store, mainly because when I first tried to walk I cried out: "now everyone in going to think I'm a gimp!" It was already getting late and most stores were closed, but we found a woman in a yarn shop who pointed us toward a store. The original store was closed but we did find a hodgepodge sort of store that sold everything. I found a pair of black, blue, and white flip flops that actually fit my feet (probably because they're made for men), and tried to be thankful that I had found shoes at all. I hung my head a little as I handed over my beautiful, sparkly and comfy flip flops for the owner to throw away.

Sunday morning I sported my clunky flipflops and feminine billowy blouse to church with my friend Nick. Nick and I met two years ago during summer at a youth group. I joined to practice Chinese and learned quite a bit about Christian religion in the process. I felt very welcome this morning as people came up to welcome me and ask about my interest in Chinese. I was happy to find that I could follow the basic idea of the sermon and follow along with most of the songs through listening and reading characters. The energy of the room was so positive that I felt myself smiling and having a great time. It felt very much like those weekly Friday night sessions where the rest of the group members took turns picking a scripture and a topic to discuss. It was always the right balance of philosophy and religion--never overbearing, just a group of college students trying to read the Bible and find out what it meant. I was really happy that Nick asked me to go and encouraged to explore different services in Kaohsiung.

After church Nick and I stopped for lunch before heading to the National Palace Museum. The museum has an incredibly large collection of calligraphy, pottery, bronze statues, furniture, etc. that span over thousands of years of history. I saw the most beautiful jewelry box and wanted to take a picture for posting, but there was no photography allowed in any part of the museum. If I remember right, the box was a brown marble with precious stones and gems set as flowers. The petals were made of the most beautiful pearl, turquoise, jade, and coral. The museum has so many artifacts that I've heard there's a new collection on display every time you go. We only stayed a few hours, so I have plenty more to see on another trip.

By the time I caught the HSR (high speed rail) on Sunday afternoon, I was more than ready to be back in Kaohsiung. As fun as this conference was, I realized how much I look forward to the weekend to recoup and reenergize before a busy week at work. When I got of at the HSR stop and headed toward the bus that I take to school every day, I felt relieved to be home.

Transportation = Adventure

As I mentioned, last Sunday Julianna picked me up to make a practice run to Wen Fu so that I would have no problems finding my way there. The trip was a bit lengthy, but easy enough; we even joked about her "showing me around" since I take public transportation every day and Julianna drives her car (I don't blame her--in the U.S. I do spend a lot of time with Zeek, my silver Escape). After returning from the practice run I figured that I would need to set aside about 2 hours for my commute to school each way, so I was very excited when Shana told me that her co-teacher had introduced her to a bus that would take me directly to the train station about three blocks away from my school. I was pretty confident that I would find the stop with no problem, so I decided to test it out on Tuesday morning when I went for the first time to introduce myself to the staff.

Tuesday morning came and I walked to where I thought the stop was supposed to be. I didn't see a sign for the bus, but I did see all of the other landmarks that had been described to me. I asked a few people on the sidewalk, but none of them were familiar with that particular bus. Passersby saw me asking directions from others and soon gathered around in attempt to determine where I needed to be. An elderly man on his scooter was the last to pull up, and when I explained that I knew I could take other bus lines that would take me to places where I could then transfer, he told me he would take me there. I was wearing a nicely tailored dress that I bought about two weeks ago to make a good impression on my first day. I looked at his scooter, then down at my dress and back to his scooter before I asked how I could ride it. He politiely told me not to worry, just to sit with my legs on the side and assured me that he would drive very slowly. It was getting late and I was worried about making it on time so I accepted the ride and made my way to the other bus station. I have to admit I did feel like a lady riding sidesaddle while trying as best I could to gracefully rest my hand on his shoulder and convince onlookers that I was a well-seasoned rider (even though it was my first time).

I realized when I got to the bus station that unless a bus came right away, I would never make it to the station with enough time to take the MRT and walk the rest of the way to school. I decided to hail a taxi and had to wait another 10 minutes before I was even successful in that. I knew it would be very expensive (by Taiwanese standards for a cab ride), but I had no choice, so I got in and told the driver the name of the school. The driver didn't seem to recognize it, but I was sure that I had told him correctly, so after a little bit of explanation about where it is located, I told him to take me to the Zuo Ying MRT station. He then proceeded to ask me about five times if I wanted to take the MRT, and each time I told him that I didn't want to take the MRT, I just wanted to go to that station so I could walk to school. My heartbeat slowed down just a little bit after I realized that he must of understood that I wanted to go to Zuo Ying when we began making our way over the bridge. By then he had said that he recognized the school, but I still had my doubts so I started saying things like, "Wen Fu is the elementary school located right by Ban Ping Mountain, right?" He always affirmed what I was saying so I thought I might be okay. And then he dropped me off at an American school...near the old Zuo Ying station. I knew I wasn't where I wanted to be but I also knew he wasn't going to get me there, so I thanked him, paid my fair and hopped out to ask the school guards where to go. I was very dismayed to know that I was, in fact, at the old station, and would need to take a transfer bus to the new station before I could walk to Wen Fu. I got to my school at 7:55, 5 minutes early, but I was a sweaty mess. Luckily I had 15 minutes to dab at my face with a tissue in an air conditioned room before I stood before all the teachers and introduced myself in both Chinese and English.

Everyone was extremely friendly and I was able to introduce myself to one of Julianna's classes. Most of the children couldn't ask me questions in English, but we let them use Chinese and Julianna translated them into English to maintain the appearance that I don't understand Chinese (that probably all went out the window the next day when the principal announced to the entire student body that they could try speaking Chinese to me too since I study it). One very eager but very shy girl in the front row asked me if I have ever used binnoculars. When Julianna asked the class if they were curious about binnoculars because they liked to use them to peep in their neighbors' windows, I knew right away it'd be a fun year. The kids were fairly shy, but I could tell they're excited to learn and I can see us getting along just fine.

The next morning I also had to be to school by 8am, this time to introduce myself to the students at the school-wide assembly. I set my alarm for 5:45...and woke up at 7:30. Without any time to get ready, I threw on a dress, clipped back my hair, grabbed my purse and rain downstairs to take another 220NT cab ride. This time the driver was wonderful and knew exactly where I needed to be. He engaged me in conversation, which calmed me down, and when I told him that I was so worried because I had overslept and was supposed to be at school in 15 minutes, he told me he understood and off we were. He was a very safe driver, but he did squeeze his way up to the front of every light so that we were the first to go. We even managed to talk about his family as we raced through town, and when we reached the front entrace as the clock turned 8:01, I had a new friend. I was so grateful for his kindness that I gave him a big tip and he in turn gave me his card and told me to call him whenever I needed to get somewhere.

The day turned out to be a great one. After I introduced myself to all of the children in the morning, I was greeted with "Hello, Teacher!" all day long. The students shyly peered into my office when they walked by, and when I smiled and waved, they broke into ear-to-ear grins and hunched their shoulders as they giggled and waved back. Some students were brave enough to come in and tell me their names and their grades. I won't have the chance to teach many of them, but I love being someone they all want to say hi to.

After cleaning up from a long day of work, I met my friend Su. I asked if she knew where I could buy a few things I needed for school and she offered to give me a ride to a mini department store. I was so excited for a real ride on a scooter that I clapped my hands as I bounced up and down. She thought it very funny to watch, and when I awkwardly climbed onto the bag of her scooter and began giggling like a maniac, she too started laughing uncontrollably. I had a song that I heard the day before on the radio stuck in my head, and when I started to sing as we rode along, she chimed in too. There we were, riding down the street with the wind that comes right before a storm whipping our hair and faces and my hands holding on to her tiny waist. It was so much fun!

After dinner at a place that we both love, I brought her by the apartment to introduce her to Leo before she took him for the weekend. Who is Leo, you might ask? My new pet hedgehog! That's right, I am now the proud parent of a hedgehog! A week ago yesterday I went back to the pet store to see if the bunnies had come in. I had been thinking about Leo ever since meeting him and found myself very excited to see him in the store again. Billy came with me, and when he commented on how in love I seemed to be with Leo, I bought him! The store owner gave me a great deal and with hedgehog in hand, I walked Leo back to his new home. He seemed a bit nervous for the first night, but we had a breakthrough the next morning. After adequate rest (hedgehogs get very grumpy if they're sleepy), I was finally able to bring him out to play on my bed. His little legs carry him pretty far pretty fast, and he's a big fan of wriggling under my comforter. Hedgehogs annoint, which means that whenever they smell something new they often lick before biting to familiarize themselves with the smell/taste. They are then supposed to make a froth from it that they lick onto their quills, but I haven't seen Leo do this step yet. So far he's just a biter. Although his teeth are a bit sharp, he doesn't draw blood, and if I stay still and push my finger toward his mouth, he usually releases. I can usually avoid him biting me if I don't shower right before I play with him and if I wait until he's walking around his cage and anxious to play. We usually have late night playdates so that he's most happy. I was sad to leave him for the weekend, but very thankful Su was really excited to take care of a hedgehog! I was too afraid to send Leo home with her on her scooter, so I called my taxi driver friend to pick them up. When I called to explain the situation and told him that I'd prefer to have Leo ride in a car than a scooter, he very firmly said he agreed with my feelings and was soon waiting down stairs to take Su and Leo back to the apartment.

With Leo in hedgehogcare and my bag packed, I was off to Taipei!

Back to School

Last Tuesday finally ended the anxiety and apprehension we felt as we worked to get to know all of the local English teachers day by day over the course of two weeks. The first day both the local English teachers (LETs) and English teaching assistants (ETAs) introduced themselves through simple Powerpoints. For the rest of the first week, we spent time with the LETs discussing models for co-teaching in the classroom, and brainstormed lesson plans and activities. Together we talked about our roles in the local elementary schools and the issues that teachers face on a daily basis.

The Taiwan school system is much different from the system that we're all familiar with in the U.S. First off, classes tend to be much bigger here. It is not uncommon for an elementary school to have over 2,000 students, averaging about 30 or so students in each class. Children begin elementary school at the age of six, completing grades first through sixth before they move on to junior high school. The subjects taught here are basically the same, but the education method is incredibly different. Rote memorization and testing play integral roles in the life of school children. Upon completion of junior high school, each student must take a standardized test that determines his or her options for high school; after completing high school, students must test again for university entry. Because of the importance of tests in determing students' educational opportunity, and therefore futures, parents place a great deal of pressure on their children to test well. What does this mean for me as a new teacher?

I am a subject teacher; I teach English only. English class is not part of the standard school curriculum, so there is less pressure on me to ensure that my students perform well in testing. English teachers, however, face a specific set of obstacles. Many students do not see the applicability of English because they have never traveled abroad and may not see leaving Taiwan in their future. Some students are simply not interested in learning English or have given up long ago because it's difficult to practice. Moreover, even as early as elementary school, students become swamped with homework and have to rush to cram school after their regular school day. The LETs know how hard the students must work, and have emphasized the need to make English class fun so that students are excited to learn. A lot of games and physical activities are often used in the classroom. Parents sometimes question whether the students learn anything through games, and want a tangible way of measuring their children's progress. English teachers must then plan school-wide events that in which the administration and parents are invited to watch the students demonstrate their learned knowledge.

I am incredibly lucky to be working with Sophia and Julianna, both very sweet and dedicated teachers. They teach fifth and sixth grades at Wen Fu Elementary School, a fairly new school established just seven years ago with a young staff. They are both very practical and realisitic about teaching goals, although it is very obvious that they both have a great passion for teaching. I will be helping them teach three different levels, since the sixth graders are separated into regular and bilingual English classes. In the bilingual classes, textbooks include less diaolgues and more formally written English. Directions and context for stories and activities are also written in English. I will also be helping in the English Village, the goal of which is to simulate everyday life situations to encourage students to use practical English. At English Village students might encounter buying something from a store, ordering at a restuarant, going to the movie theater and watching clips of film about American life, etc. I might also be teaching English to other staff members or helping out with a project like English club.

Classes started this past Friday at Wen Fu, but I do not begin teaching until next Monday. Julianna met me at my apartment yesterday afternoon to practice my route to school. I am still considering getting a scooter, but for now I need to learn the most basic method of transportation. From my apartment I can walk a few blocks to the bus stop and take the bus to the train station. From the train station I can take the MRT (think Metro) to a stop about three blocks away from Wen Fu. The school sits at the base of beautiful Ban4Ping2 Shan1 (Half Mountain), so it's a very scenic walk to the school. Tomorrow I will go to meet the entire staff. Classes start at 8:30, so I must be there around 8 am. I should probably start my commute around 6:30 to make sure I get there on time.

Today I went to a school supply store with a lot of imported materials from the States to buy some things for my classroom. I got one of the big calendars with the numbered squares and the days of the week that says "today is _____, yesterday was _____, tomorrow is _____." It also has the weather and those cool little pictures for special days like birthdays and holidays. I also got a poster that has the standard classroom rules that we use in the States, one that has cute cartoons doing basic verb actions, and a special one for the sixth graders on advanced phonics and word families (it's a big part of their curriculum). I can't wait to go back for the winter decorations!

I'm really excited to meet all the kids and get settled into class. It's a big help to know that my co-teachers are excited to work with me and the school is incredibly happy to have a native English speaker. I even have my own little desk in the English teachers' office. I have to start thinking how to decorate it!

Fun with New Friends

Today was the second day I hung out with Jessi, Angie, and Kinki. On Friday night Jessi and Angie took me to Rui Feng night market, which I have been told is the largest in Kaohsiung. The market was lined with rows upon rows of stinky tofu (aptly named), all sorts of fried food, meats, milk tea, and other things much more difficult to identify. Our first stop was at a stand with a large iron pot filled divided into three sections: half was filled with an orange-red soup, and one quarter each was filled with two types of large black chunks. I recognized one of them as the coagulated pig's blood that I had already discovered I didn't like, and I thought the other was kidney, which I had also tried and didn't really like, so I felt alright about politely declining to eat both. I got excited when Jessi said she didn't like the pig's blood and asked the woman not to include it in the soup, but my heart sank a little when she asked if I liked duck's blood. I told her I was a little unsure but I promised to try it. Luckily it's one of those things that absorbs the flavor of whatever it's cooked in, and the spicy Korean soup masked any other flavor, but the consistency was a bit weird. I stuck to eating the glutinous rice spears and the Kimchi out of the soup. I also tried the stinky tofu and liked it for the most part, although the smell began emerging in the taste. I think it's definitely a taste I could aquire and even come to miss after I leave Taiwan. I tried a few pieces of fried milk, very much the consistency of fried soft tofu and with a much sweeter taste.

After we ate all of our...treats, we moved on to drinks. Jessi and I ordered milk tea from a stand that used an exceptionally cool method for making the tea. The man poured some milk and flavoring into one large collander and tea into another. He then held them about three feet apart vertically, and poured the contents from one collander to another while moving from left to right. It was by far one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Usually such drinks come in a soft plastic cup that is placed into a machine that seels a plastic cover on top. A sharp straw is then used to quickly pierce the top, creating a hole just the right size--a great method to prevent leaking. After the mixing, however, our tea was poured into bright yellow bags that were then sealed by tightly looping a strong plastic band around the top. The handles of the bag made it easy to carry, and the unique experience made drinking this sort of milk tea a form of entertainment!

With our milk tea bags in hand we strolled around, stopping to try on oversized sunglasses or take a look at fun toys. I have been very pleased to find that Lilo & Stitch is a big hit here--I see backpacks, purses, phone charms, and everything else in the shape of Stitch or with pictures of Stitch on it. We played a game using a large, plastic Stitch that sat with his mouth wide open, and each person took a turn pressing down one of his teeth. We all shrieked and giggled as we waited for his mouth to clamp down on our fingers each time we pushed one more down. After playing with Stitch we stopped to look at the oh-so-adorable puppies that were for sale and adoption. I was doing great until we came across another stand that had a bunch of teeny tiny puppies, and as I turned the corner, one large 3-month old Bulldog. I pretty much screamed and declared that I had to have her at once. After answering rounds of questions that I fired at him, the friendly stand owner said he would take her out so that I could play with her. He put her on a leash, which she immediately started knawing on, and she was the cutest thing ever! Her pudge moved as I scratched her back, and she put her unbelievable cute face complete with underbite and squishy nose into my cupped hand--she was, in short, the perfect Bulldog! I came home and showed pictures of her to Shana in hopes that she would fall in love too and tell me to get her, but I knew it would be a hard sell. After saying goodbye and taking down the owner's number just to keep my options open, we browsed a bit more. It was a great night, and I was most happy to come home and flop onto my bed after a long long week of orientation.

Today I slept in and started the day with a delicious lunch with Jessi, Angie, Kinki, and their friend Su who also came along. One of the great things about spending time with them is they show me all these great restaurants. For lunch we ate at a small, cozy restaurant that served Italian influenced dishes. The restaurant had a selection magazines to choose from, so we each grabbed one and they filled me in on the Chinese stars they love and the ones they can't stand as we waited for our meals. After lunch we took the bus to the beach near Sun Yat-Sen University. The water was unbelievable warm, a great change from the cold waters of the Atlantic no matter what time of the year, and felt wonderful on such a hot day. We took tons of photos of each other and then turned to shoot the cutest little girl in the world. She was wearing a blue and yellow hamster print once-piece that had a little skirt, and was clearly very happy to be standing in the sand with the approaching waves barely touching her feet. Angie asked her dad if we could take a picture with her, and when she kept smiling even after I approached her, I was relieved. She took Angie's hand and walked closer to the water, giggling like crazy when the waves came, and having so much fun that she asked her dad if she could sit. A few of the waves got a bit too high, and when Angie couldn't pick her up in time she'd look a little startled and wipe her face, but she always wanted more. She was so cute to watch. After we played for a little while, we found Su and Kinki and headed for some shaved ice.

On the way there, Kinki insisted on holding my monkey and banana umbrella over me even though I insisted she take it for herself. Since I'm pretty white by their standards (and let's face it, everyone's), they worry about my skin becoming darker. I try to explain that I don't mind being a bit darker and that hardly anyone carries around umbrellas or parasols to protect them from the sun in America. I also really wanted to have her take it for herself since I am quite a bit taller than she is, and as best as she tried, the tips kept catching in my hair. As Shana later pointed out, she must like me a lot if she's willing to share umbrella space with me! Here, women go to great lengths to shield their skin. It is not uncommon to see tights worn under shorts and a sweat jacket combined with a face mask (think of a doctor) and sunglasses and a hat in the middle of a blistering afternoon. I would die. I therefore welcome tanned skin.

When we arrived at the shop I found that it was much different than what I had envisioned. People crowded the streets and climbed up and down flights of steep stairs, checking all three floors for a spot to sit. The walls were covered with writing and graffiti from years of customers. Groups of people circled around tables, waiting for someone to leave and swooping in at the first empty seat, while one person went down to put in the order. Large bowls of shaved ice covered with ice cream and all sorts of fruits appeared from a dumwaite run by a tiny, elderly woman who also bustled about gathering empty bowls and wiping down tables. Hot and thirsty from the beach, the ice was delicous. The five of us quickly finished our bowl, and then headed toward the bus stop to catch the bus back home.

For dinner we ate a quaint little restaurant located next to Pasadena, a famous Italian bakery. The menu was filled with many different options, but after an Italian lunch, I decided on hot pot, a traditional Chinese meal, for dinner. The waitress brought me a pot filled with spicy and sour Korean soup atop a burner, and a plate of vegetables and meat to cook once it began boiling. It was the most delicious hot pot I've had so far, and it was so much fun to laugh and chat with them. They asked if spending time with them was like being with my friends from home except the part about speaking only Chinese, and when I thought about it, it sort of was. They are the type of girls who are so close to one another that they pool their money together for things, share food even when one of them is sick, and can joke about anything. Kinki saw my ID with my birthday on it today when I opened my wallet, and when Jessi asked me when my birthday was, Kinki proudly announced it. I was touched that she could remember from such a quick glance, and even more so when they asked if I would want to celebrate with them or if I wanted to just be with my American friends.

I'm even more excited than usual for my birthday this year...and that's saying a lot.

Fitting In

Living four to an apartment and long days spent at orientation has really pushed me to find time for me and explore the city on my own. Tonight I took a walk around the Cultural Center to do some thinking and relax a little bit. The nights are so lively here that if you wandered around Kaohsiung only during the day or early evening you would certainly miss much of the cultural experiences the city has to offer. Nights are balmy, but much cooler in Kaohsiung than the rest of the day. It's a wonderful preview for what I hope the beginning of fall will be like.

The area next door to the apartment building was set up in market form. There was a main stage on one side which was being used by a Shanghai acting troop that performed some short pieces. I caught the end of one piece and stayed for the next. I was happy to find that I understood the plot and the humor as well. I even found myself thinking about different acting techniques and tools the performers were using, evidence of the great influence the acting class I took during my last term at Lawrence had on me. The set was quite simple, but the actors used their bodies to create the rhythm and movement often felt from a more complex set. It reminded me a bit of the style of an acting student (much more advanced than me) at Lawrence.

People came and went throughout the performances, many of them walking with their dogs. A couple with a poof of a Pomeranian walked up beside me and I tried to snap a few discreet pictures. Unfortunately, I am not very skilled with the night mode on my camera yet, and the pictures were all turning out blury. I tried using the flash, and although I did get a picture, I startled the dog with the flash and drew attention to myself.

After the performance I checked out a few of the book stands, found a great gift, and made my way over to the large circlular mall area (think National Mall, not shopping mall). I found a comfy spot on the steps and watched dozens of couples dance in a sync to a recorded tape. The best part is, anyone is really welcome to join, and this sort of group dancing is so common in any park location that just about everyone knows how to do most of them. It's so fun and uplifting to watch because elderly people participate, although the majority of dancers are probably 30-50 or so, and girlfriends invite one another to have a dance. There was one elderly man in particularly who moved in small shuffles and would come to take some of the women out for a spin when their friends alone couldn't convince them. Most of the dances seem to be crosses between commonly known routines like tango and ballroom, with spinning and twirling, and small kicks of the lower leg. I smiled and tried to signal my curiosity by moving my head and shoulders to the beat, hopeing someone would invite me to join. I got a lot of smiles and some bows, but not takers tonight. I could tell I was getting closer, so I'll keep trying. If that doesn't work, I can always move a few feet over to join the section of aerobic dancers or one more section after that to the group of mostly younger women who like to shake their hips.

I did manage to take a few pictures that turned out a bit better after playing around with my camera. I couldn't resist shooting photos when a little girl about 2 years old or so was so excited and happy to hear the music that she ran out towards the circle to dance while her mom sat by beaming at her. I tried to capture a few others of a family of three walking along the steps, and wish I could have gotten one of the mom carrying the boy bucket style as they made their way back. On my way out I also heard a girl giggling and looked over to find her struggling to give her boyfriend a piggyback. It may have been tough, but she defintiely carried him a good ways.

On my way back to the apartment I stopped for a blended ice drink, a very popular snack in Kaohsiung. Last night we tried the mango, so tonight I asked the woman for her opinion and she fixed me the chocolate one. It had pieces of a chocolate bar, Hershey's chocolate syrup, a flavored syrup (which I'm going to say was also chocolate flavored), and some sort of cocoa powder. It was refreshing, and surprisingly not too sweet. I then moved on to what I call "a cutesy store," any store that sells all these different types of hair accessories and other jewerly, purses and cell-phone cases, cute chopsticks and eating utensils, etc. I found a really cute purse for a great price and then chatted with the three girls in the shop. Turns out that young people here also like to have their friends come visit them at work. The three of them do everything together and study at the nearby university. They were really excited to find out that I was the same age as them and agreed to be my friends quickly. They are crazy and fun, and they're such good friends that they just through me into their hilarious banter. We talked about their English names--I had to explain the dangers and strange reactions that would likely be associated with names like Kinki, Jessibettica, and Sorri, and we eventually decided that Zoe, Jessi, and Angie fit their personalities respectively and would go over much better. We have dinner plans tomorrow and I can't wait to see what crazy topics we end up discussing.

This is all I can manage for now, but there's A LOT (just for you, Ms. Seymour) more to write. Don't worry! I am keeping a list of all the things I have to add so that I don't forget!