My Taiwan Adventure

This Friday came about and we had two more raids! Woohoo! No...... I had brought my computer in to show my kids some videos and it's not exactly light. Somehow I grabbed it and my bag as I ran out. This time it was not funny, just awkward. We all ran to Starbucks again- it's the only place nearby where we can sit down and wait. Then at lunch time we were told that it will happen again in the afternoon and we should go now and wait till they give us a call to come back... maybe we wouldn't be able to teach in the afternoon at all. So we waited in our usual place and played crosswords together for an hour. Then we were told we could just go home. (Sorry it's blurry- bad lighting) Yesterday, (Saturday) we had our Christmas party for the students and parents. We've been practicing and getting ready for this since Parent's Day which was last month. Each class had to do a 7-10 minute performance. Two songs: one in English and one in either Japanese or French. I ...

Today was super hilarious- got raided twice today. Totally out of the blue! When you see someone pointing at you, saying "Go go!" you just run and get out of the building. Second time was at the end of the day and I was in the middle of eating a guava. I got the signal and I threw my guava in the direction of the table, grabbed my stuff and ran to my other classroom to get my shoes. I burst in on their Chinese time and say "WO DE XIE ZI!" (my shoes) Someone grabs them for me in a panic. My socks were inside but I didn't have a grip on them so as I run out the door my socks fly everywhere. So I'm running on the street in my bare feet because no time to put them on. One of my students managed to give another teacher one of my socks while they were getting out though. Everything's fine and no harm done. It was just really funny. This hasn't happened in a long time, and never twice in one day. I wasn't allowed to go back in and clean up that guava....

Today, 10-10 (aka. October 10th) is the Republic of China's 100th birthday! Yay! There was a big presentation live on TV with President Ma Ying-Jeou. Only a few representatives from other countries attended but the only one I recognized was Guatemala. (notice China and the United States were not accounted for o.O) I went to Maokong to look over Taipei and saw some fireworks from the rooftop of our apartment building! How did you celebrate 10-10? ;)

So I get to do something special up until the 15th (this Saturday). A few branches in my school's company are hosting a Sports Day for students and parents. It's going to be basically a mini-olympics for the older students in kindergarten. There's going to be an opening ceremony, games and everything. What's even more is that there will be a half-time cheerleading show. Woohoo! It's actually pretty outrageous if you know more of the details. We're doing some mild choreography which include lifts and other stunts. (notice we're not professionals) We've been practicing at least one day every week- five hours at a time. We don't get home until after 1am, which is not inconvient if it's not a weeknight. I really hope we get some compensation for these extra, late-night hours! This week will be intense because we're practicing every night except Tuesday (tomorrow). I hope everything goes well for the big show on Saturday! Everyone's workin...

I got to go to my first Taiwanese Wedding this weekend! I worked with Ivy (the bride) for a year in the same classroom so it was even more special for me. Weddings are totally different from those in America so let me walk you through it! :) First of all, you can call every wedding a "wedding banquet" because it's all about eating. They typically take place in a restaurant that specializes in weddings. In the one I attended there were a whole bunch of round tables set up in a large banquet hall with a red carpet leading up to a stage. I sat down with friends from work and we chatted and looked at the engagement pictures together. Five minutes before the ceremony started a slideshow came on of the bride and groom as they were growing up. There was a lot of hired photographers at the wedding too! Plus everyone else taking pictures, it kinda felt like the paparazzi! After the slideshow the groom came out holding the bouquet. He walked halfway up the red carpet, turned ...

This past weekend I got my first teacher's award!!!!!!! Hess (the company I work for) gives awards every year for best children's performances and for good teachers, etc. I got an "Excellent Teacher Award." It's such a big company that I couldn't believe I got picked to get one! I tried to play it cool...  But this is how I really felt! Yay!  I can't believe how far I've come since I arrived in Taiwan. I was so intimitated about being a teacher and I had no idea how to take charge in the classroom. But now I love my job so much! It's gotten a lot easier, obviously, and being around my students keeps me super happy. I had no idea when I moved across the world to try a completely new job that it would become so easy and comfortable. To think back to two years ago, it didn't even cross my mind that I could get an award for what I do! Anyways, I'm super proud of myself and things can only get better from here! ;)

(Finally I got some photos edited) Beijing Tian'anmen Square First stop of the day was to go to Tian'anmen Square and let me tell you it was crowded. It's name in English is The Gate of Heavenly Peace. Basically it's a super large concrete area with many communist buildings surrounding it, and one side that goes into the Forbidden City. It's a popular place for everyone to gather because it's cool in the summer. If you don't have AC you can go here and feel more comfortable. In the middle is the Monument to the People's Heroes, a granite tower made in 1958. It's a very communist monument, basically. Mao's mausoleum is also around here, and so is the Great Hall of the People (Chinese legislature) but we didn't go in any buildings. Just walked through the square and headed into the Forbidden City. Great Hall of the People This building should be Zian Men, formerly part of a city gate, it is now a museum on the history of Beijing ...