July 22, 2009

Chicago

After 2 years I was reunited with the grandparents, cousins, and Enyi Biao jie (my cousin Esther from AZ who is now in St. Louis, MO). What did we spend our time doing? Well obviously eating, making food, taking pictures, eating, going into downtown Naperville, jumping pictures, Chicago, getting lost, shopping, wafting lessons, getting the coffee toffee twisted frosty, did I mention we ate a LOT!!

Puo Puo, Esther, Gong Gong, me
(in front of the house the morning that Esther left)

Cousins! Ting Ting, Enyi, Me, Ning Xing
(smiling after we had completed making dinner)

Our first adventure in Chicago!
(we got lost and our friend, Henry, showed us a whole new world underneath the amtrak station - he kindly drove us to the exit and showed us how to get out.. wheww it was creepy down there like scenes from The Dark Knight)

Fountains in Millennium Park
(amazed that it shoots out water at innocent bystanders)

The BEAN!!!
(jumping picture attempts.. there were many
me, ning xing, katie)

Michigan Ave: The Magnificent Mile
(incredibly excited to be here and trying to make
sure we got in the picture with the sign)

Fountain
(nice smiling picture)

Downtown Naperville spices store
(teaching Samuel the proper technique of wafting to smell the spices)

Shout out to the Curry School of Education!!
(so universally known...)

Gap Dressing Room
(new outfit for Samuel)

Red Mango
(yummy froyo with mochi and mango)

Naperville Riverwalk
(directions? Samuel knows where we are going)

(finally the man decided to take us and give Priscilla a piggyback ride too)

Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty
(it didn't look like the commercials but it tasted alright)

Mac > PC
Example 1: Photobooth

Double the Fun or Trouble?
(t-b: Rachel, Christina, Me, Priscilla, Samuel)

Cousins



July 16, 2009

Richmond


My time after graduation has been spent very productively so far... sleeping, eating, reading, lynchburg, bubble tea, greek festival, guitar hero, shopping, ping pong, and catching up with old friends among other activities

practicing my asian pose for Taiwan


lynchburg
(l-r: top row - Matthew, Dee, Timmy, Ricky;
bottom - me, Baa, Christine)

Guitar Hero (Christine & Timmy)

Christine's House
(our attempt at playing Ping Pong... we gave up soon after to play nintendo)

shopping (clearly we love those cowboy hats)

bored and waiting on the couch at AE

bubble tea (Chris, Christine, Jorge)

Richmond Greek Festival (shish kebobs, gyros, etc.)

Timothy's Senior Piano Recital

My Godmother (Ching Hua Ayi)

July 15, 2009

Graduation

May 17, 2009

A great day! I finally graduated from the University of Virginia with my bachelors and masters.

Receiving both diplomas!




















Family













With the grandparents












Friends
Matthew and Timothy came too!











Busi! (I've known her since 1st year and we both stayed for an extra year to finish a masters program)










Ed School Friends

Lauren will be teaching overseas in Spain next year












Housemates (The Ed school ones - Becky, me, Bevin, Jessica, Abbie)












Kim and Katie (Resstaff and ESOL)














My Chinese Ed School Friends (Christina & Erica) Elementary Ed represent!










Dinner
















Anjie (apartmentmate 2nd year)
Cecilia & Corinne (Summer 2007 apartment and FDF w/Mayline)

sisters















brothers (clearly more interested in playing tap tap revolution on the yang's itouch)









parents















Bernard and Jei

Welcome

Hello everyone!

This blog will primarily be focused on my teaching adventures/misadventures in Taiwan as well as a snapshot into my life (i.e. eating, shopping, riding a moped possibly, and traveling). I will be in Yilan County, Taiwan for the next year teaching English through a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grant.

However, before I leave I'll be posting accounts of what I've been doing since I graduated in May.