Week 8

This week I decided to start having lunch with various homeroom classes. It has been fun so far. I've learned about people's families, been asked a multitude of personal questions, sang, and had to determine if I thought their teacher was handsome. One class showed me their baby pictures and told me about their families in English. In this class one of the boys sang part of the song "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston. He was pretty good and was prompted to sing because he had asked me a question about her. In two other classes I was asked by the students if I thought their homeroom teacher (male) was handsome or if I liked them. Since the teachers were still in the classroom it was a little awkward but I evaded the question quite successfully in my opinion by responding with either "I think you (the boy asking the question) are more handsome!" or "I like him just as much as I like all of you (in reference to the class)!" this was clearly not the answer they were looking for but it worked. In another class they asked if I sang or liked to sing and when I responded with a yes I was asked and expected to sing for the class. Being completely caught unaware and blanking on songs to sing I decided to sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and made the students join me.

One night while buying dinner (rou gen mien) I was questioned about my nationality per usual since I confuse people by looking like I should speak perfect Chinese and then being completely baffled by the menu since I am in all respects illiterate. After having the words explained to me the woman cooking my food asked me if I were Japanese. When I responded with a negative she said she was wondering since I have such white teeth. I wanted to die laughing but I kept it inside and told her thank you for thinking I have such white teeth and then left when I received my food. So if you have white teeth it means you're Japanese!

Friday was host family night when we met our host families for the first time. My family includes Grace my mom and Denny her son who will be my host brother. He brought along his roommate too so I met Johnny as well. They are very nice and sweet. Grace teaches at an elementary school in Suao. Both Denny and Johnny are 2nd year students at Yilan University studying chemistry.

My host family

(Denny, me, Grace)

Everyone

(Johnny is Denny's roommate)

On Saturday I went to a bbq hosted by Amy's family. She is Jessica's LET and it was a community barbeque where the whole neighborhood gets together and celebrates for the Moon Festival. There are raffles and prizes to be won as well. Amy's family prepared a lot of food for us to eat and were very welcoming.

Jessica and Amy (her LET)

(look at that food!)

Excited about the food

Amy and her husband

All the girls

(Monica, Me, Jessica, Kim)

For your entertainment purposes:

This is my scooter it's a silver 100cc SYM Mio. I'm in my humongous helmet and raincoat which I have since realized is too short. I should have bought an XXL instead of just an XL. I'm considered tall here!

Week 7

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)

Waterfall #3

(bottom half)

Week 6

I can't believe how much time flies. As I was posting this I realized that this is the 6th week that I have been in Taiwan. In some ways I think that I have adjusted quickly probably because I can speak Mandarin and understand a lot of what is going on around me or what people are saying to me. However, I still miss home, family, and friends.

My students this week at Fu-Shing are now pretty used to seeing me around now. I've had a few students come to the office to introduce themselves and talk to me. One student in particular only says 2 sentences. "Hello Deborah" and then "Goodbye Deborah". Everytime I see him it's the same too lines and I reply with "Hi Tony" and when I attempt to ask him any more questions he says his second line "Goodbye Deborah" and walks away. Poor kid I must confuse him with the additional English.

I started taking Chinese classes this week in the attempt to become literate. I've also been taking home Chinese menus from restaurants so I can learn to read them. My ultimate goal is to be able to read signs and menus. I'm well on my way now since I've learned the names for different types of meat and fruits. I may not know how it is cooked but I know what meat is in that dish or what fruit is in that tea drink.

This is my first week of really scootering around. It has been interesting... I drive pretty slowly and stay far to the right so the fast scooters can zoom past me. I'm pretty good at balancing so that's a plus. Unfortunately this week has been extremely rainy. Driving in the rain is NOT fun and you need a good raincoat which has been added to my shopping list for the week. My poncho is a little too square and does not cover my arms or legs completely. I've been told that Yilan county is the rainiest place in Taiwan which is why many of the old people have attached a small windshield with windshield wipers to the front of their scooters. I've considered it as a possible investment but was told that only old people have it. It would keep the wind from hitting my face and make sure that no bugs hit my face while I'm driving. However, its definitely not cool. (pictures to be coming soon)

I had my first KTV (karaoke) experience this weekend. The English songs were limited and not current hits so our group belted out some classics like "Oops I Did it Again", "As Long as You Love Me", "Fergalicious", and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

Eric looking for songs, Jessica and Monica already singing

We really wanted to sing these songs more than once

(confused about how to use the remote)

Rockin' out to some song

Kim and I