This week I began my staff conversation classes and had my first real English Club meeting. In English club I played the Cha Cha Slide and taught it to the students but I think the speed of the directions makes it hard for them to understand. So I just end up modeling everything in the song and my students follow a few beats behind. But when it comes to the cha cha real slow part I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing myself. So I just told them to dance around whatever way that they would like but those directions were not enough for them.
I've also started my staff conversation classes at Fu-Shing. There are two classes in the first one we discuss various topics such as countries we want to travel to and holidays. The other is more serious and we read articles that I choose from NYTimes online. I love the New York Times online!
On Friday we went to Toucheng (a city near the beach in Yilan County) for the Chang-Gu or Grappling with the Ghosts. About 2-3 weeks after we arrived in Taiwan Ghost Month started. For Taiwanese people they believe that this is the month (on the lunar calendar it's July I think) when the ghosts of people who have died all come out. I've seen people burning paper (I think it is supposed to represent money) in large metal containers on the street. Also many store owners prepare offerings of food and incense for their ghost brothers that are placed in the front of their stores. People are very superstitious during this month and avoid doing a lot of traveling, going to the beach (they believe the ghosts may drag you down and drown you), getting married, and making large purchases such as cars/houses. At the end of the month there is a large celebration where teams compete to cut down the flag at the top of this structure made of wood and bamboo. This celebration and competition only happens in two places in Taiwan and I happen to live close enough that I could go see it. At one point this festival was suspended for a few years because some people were killed when attempting to climb the pole. In this competition 12 teams attempt to climb up a pole greased with pig fat to reach the top and cut off the flag. The first person to do this will have good luck for the year. I think the reason that this competition is done is to pay homage to the ghosts and send them back to where they came from. There are many sacrifices made to the ghosts at this festival. We saw whole pigs that were used as offerings. I asked my LETs about this and some other Taiwanese people and learned that only men are allowed to climb the pole and go in closer to see the competition. Apparently women are not good luck or considered "clean". We decided to stay until one team had made it to the first platform because it was so late (the competition started around midnight) and it was much slower than we had anticipated. For more information about this festival you can go here!
Chang-Gu
(big pole things covered in pig fat/oil/grease)
Pretty Lanterns
the whole group
(Jessica, Gabe, Kim, Monica, Nikka, Me, Ian, Eric)
Bonfire
(burning paper)
holding some paper offerings
(Kim, Eric, Ian, Jessica)
Pig Sacrifices
Fireworks!
(look it's a smiley face)
On Saturday I went to see Waterfalls in Jiaosi which is about a 10 min train ride away with Jodi and Eric. Instead of hiking it was climbing stairs to the 3 different waterfalls. It was beautiful!
Waterfall #1
(Jodi, Me, Eric)
Waterfall #2
Being random
On a rock below Waterfall #2
(classic pose)
Waterfall #3
(top half)
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