Monday, December 28, 2009
Foggy Mountain Adventures
Sunday we woke up "early" and drove into the mountains. Here are pictures from our adventure. The hike was through the foggy foresty mountain wonder and it was a joy to be back out in the woods with Josh.
Christmas Abroad and at Home
Christmas was on Friday and Josh and I had a cozy little Christmas. Wednesday night I got home from work to find that Josh had stuffed my stocking, and bought a tiny little christmas tree, complete with trimmings and blinking lights. I laid the gifts "under" the tree; mostly from my mother.
We woke up to find our hiking plans dashed upon the shores of rainy soils. We made cocoa and skyped with my parents to open gifts. After saying goodbye, Josh and I exchanged gifts. He opened my super lame contribution to his new camera. His gift to me was a sweet day pack to replace my ailing one. Inside was a new and warm jacket. I've been borrowing and layering in order to stay warm on my scooter drive at home, and so this maroon wonder is the perfect wardrobe addition. So thoughtful and sweet.
Mom gave Josh the 5th season of the West Wing, which we promptly watched and actually finished yesterday (this is in 3 days...). It's been quite cold, so lots of sweatshirts and Martin Sheen. Christmas night we went to a Russian restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner, gift from Josh's parents. Nothing like a log interior restaurant with Taiwanese servers, a Belorussian Santa Clause, and Chinese/Russian/English menus.
Skyped with family again Saturday morning before rushing off to class. They were celebrating their Christmas dinner as I was waking up on the 26th.
On Saturday I taught a class of rambunctious youngsters (7-8). Then I met Josh at a strawberry patch where we picked to kilograms of berries. Then on to Josh's soccer game where he scored the only two goals of the game. Returned home to lots of food and west wing and early to bed so we could go hiking on Sunday. and now alas I am tired again. More on Sunday's Dashueshan trip to come.
We woke up to find our hiking plans dashed upon the shores of rainy soils. We made cocoa and skyped with my parents to open gifts. After saying goodbye, Josh and I exchanged gifts. He opened my super lame contribution to his new camera. His gift to me was a sweet day pack to replace my ailing one. Inside was a new and warm jacket. I've been borrowing and layering in order to stay warm on my scooter drive at home, and so this maroon wonder is the perfect wardrobe addition. So thoughtful and sweet.
Mom gave Josh the 5th season of the West Wing, which we promptly watched and actually finished yesterday (this is in 3 days...). It's been quite cold, so lots of sweatshirts and Martin Sheen. Christmas night we went to a Russian restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner, gift from Josh's parents. Nothing like a log interior restaurant with Taiwanese servers, a Belorussian Santa Clause, and Chinese/Russian/English menus.
Skyped with family again Saturday morning before rushing off to class. They were celebrating their Christmas dinner as I was waking up on the 26th.
On Saturday I taught a class of rambunctious youngsters (7-8). Then I met Josh at a strawberry patch where we picked to kilograms of berries. Then on to Josh's soccer game where he scored the only two goals of the game. Returned home to lots of food and west wing and early to bed so we could go hiking on Sunday. and now alas I am tired again. More on Sunday's Dashueshan trip to come.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Half-Marathon Hunny
This weekend Josh and I went to Taipei, where he competed in the half marathon on Sunday. Time 1:37:52. He placed 286 out of at least 7700 runners. I'm very proud :0). He's been running 4-5 times a week at the gym or on the outdoor bike path. He's also playing soccer now with his team at night.
After the race, we went to the hostel to organize our life, and then jumped on the train and bus. We spent the damp and cold afternoon in the National Palace Museum. We saw bronze age artifacts, old religious relics, amazing stone carvings, early caligraphy, and famous artwork.
One of the story books I teach has a class go on a field trip to the museum. It was cool to see some of the things I am teaching my students.
Check it:
http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/collection/selections_02.htm?docno=867&catno=16&pageno=2
After the race, we went to the hostel to organize our life, and then jumped on the train and bus. We spent the damp and cold afternoon in the National Palace Museum. We saw bronze age artifacts, old religious relics, amazing stone carvings, early caligraphy, and famous artwork.
One of the story books I teach has a class go on a field trip to the museum. It was cool to see some of the things I am teaching my students.
Check it:
http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/collection/selections_02.htm?docno=867&catno=16&pageno=2
Friends and the Phillipines
First...Josh and I had to do some last minute changes to our Chinese New Year plans. As we knew, airline tickets are quite expensive because of the new year, but this is the time when we have a whole week off of work, so we definitely are traveling. I have days off from Saturday, Feb 13 (I normally work on Saturdays) through the next saturday (20). Initially we had planned an amazing trip to the island of Borneo-going to Kotakinabalu Malaysia and then to Brunei. This would give practically untouched jungles in which to go hiking, and the summit of Mt. Kinabalu. Of course, yesterday Josh realized that Chinese New Year is ALSO an official holiday in Malaysia and traveling within the country would be narly impossible.
SO, we spent the evening researching plane tickets, and discovered that the Phillipines will be reasonably priced. We bought tickets and are heading for Manila in the wee hours of the 13th. The tentative plan includes swimming with whale sharks, hiking on volcanos, and exploring the forests. Hopefully we'll have some boat-travel between islands and potentially small aircraft flights between. It should be pretty sweet, and although I'll miss going to the Sultanate of Brunei (and its treatment of women), the Phillipines should make an excellent trip.
In other news, yesterday I dropped my scooter off a half-block from work to get the oil changed. Last night, at five past 10, I realized that I had LEFT my scooter at the mechanic. I go over to look, and it is blocked by several other scooters. I go back to the branch, get a wonderful CT to come help me. She sees the same, writes down the telephone number and calls. No answer. We go back over, this time with a contingent of 2 more, and bang on the gate. Finally it opens. In Chinese, my friends explain that I'm a total idiot, and if I could please have my scooter. The man was very nice, got my scooter, joked in broken English about giving him tips, and then charged me 150 NT for the oil change. That's 5 dollars and the standard rate.
Needless to say, I will be buying lots of chocolates today to try to restore my "guanxi"...I have asked too many favors and done too little for all my friends at work. AND NOW they totally saved my butt.
Alas, I thought I was living in Taiwan just fine.
Christmas is on Friday. What are you doing? We have been required to take the day off. I'm assuming we'll open gifts, drink hot chocolate, and watch a movie. Maybe go hiking in the afternoon? I work on Christmas Eve until 11, and then on sat the 26th I have to work at 10 am. Christmas will be a nice break!
SO, we spent the evening researching plane tickets, and discovered that the Phillipines will be reasonably priced. We bought tickets and are heading for Manila in the wee hours of the 13th. The tentative plan includes swimming with whale sharks, hiking on volcanos, and exploring the forests. Hopefully we'll have some boat-travel between islands and potentially small aircraft flights between. It should be pretty sweet, and although I'll miss going to the Sultanate of Brunei (and its treatment of women), the Phillipines should make an excellent trip.
In other news, yesterday I dropped my scooter off a half-block from work to get the oil changed. Last night, at five past 10, I realized that I had LEFT my scooter at the mechanic. I go over to look, and it is blocked by several other scooters. I go back to the branch, get a wonderful CT to come help me. She sees the same, writes down the telephone number and calls. No answer. We go back over, this time with a contingent of 2 more, and bang on the gate. Finally it opens. In Chinese, my friends explain that I'm a total idiot, and if I could please have my scooter. The man was very nice, got my scooter, joked in broken English about giving him tips, and then charged me 150 NT for the oil change. That's 5 dollars and the standard rate.
Needless to say, I will be buying lots of chocolates today to try to restore my "guanxi"...I have asked too many favors and done too little for all my friends at work. AND NOW they totally saved my butt.
Alas, I thought I was living in Taiwan just fine.
Christmas is on Friday. What are you doing? We have been required to take the day off. I'm assuming we'll open gifts, drink hot chocolate, and watch a movie. Maybe go hiking in the afternoon? I work on Christmas Eve until 11, and then on sat the 26th I have to work at 10 am. Christmas will be a nice break!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Ailment and Birthday and Christmas
Sunday was Josh's birthday! We celebrated by going camera shopping. My gift was a contribution to a new and awesome camera yet to be picked out. Along with some little things that make Josh wary of how sneaky I can be...like a video purchased from the gift store of a national park in the middle of the mountains...purchased while he was in the store. On his B-day we went to a soccer kick around, bought Dominoes and watched a movie. All around a good birthday I hope. Oh, and Friday I snuck into his work and we had a little chocolate cake dessert before lunch.
I am sick. I lost my voice yesterday, which sucks when you are a teacher. It is coming back I hope. Tomorrow I have a Chirstmas party at work, then I have to drive back to my city where I am subbing a kindy class, and then back to Taichung where I will teach night classes.
Christmas is coming! I have been scrambling to get gifts off to my parents, etc., and for our secret santa tomorrow. I feel like the final product is just a few small gifts, but geez I feel like I have wrapped a lot of things. I will seriously miss christmas at home. I have thinking for several days about Christmas Eve, when Charlotte and I would stay up very late wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings. I am worried that Mom wonders if they should have stockings at all...I am worried who will stuff them :0(. Anyway, I'll miss staying up late with Charlotte being sneaky.
Pasta is finished and warm and ready to eat, and it's 11 at night so almost bed time. I can say I was more fulfilled as a teacher in one day of Kindergarten than I have been the rest of my time here. Maybe this is not true, but I feel that the construction paper christmas tree proves it.
I am sick. I lost my voice yesterday, which sucks when you are a teacher. It is coming back I hope. Tomorrow I have a Chirstmas party at work, then I have to drive back to my city where I am subbing a kindy class, and then back to Taichung where I will teach night classes.
Christmas is coming! I have been scrambling to get gifts off to my parents, etc., and for our secret santa tomorrow. I feel like the final product is just a few small gifts, but geez I feel like I have wrapped a lot of things. I will seriously miss christmas at home. I have thinking for several days about Christmas Eve, when Charlotte and I would stay up very late wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings. I am worried that Mom wonders if they should have stockings at all...I am worried who will stuff them :0(. Anyway, I'll miss staying up late with Charlotte being sneaky.
Pasta is finished and warm and ready to eat, and it's 11 at night so almost bed time. I can say I was more fulfilled as a teacher in one day of Kindergarten than I have been the rest of my time here. Maybe this is not true, but I feel that the construction paper christmas tree proves it.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
non-fancy Titles for Non-Fancy Words
Life continues to be normal-I don't think much happens out of the ordinary. Josh practiced with both teams tonight (the all get together for one big soccer practice). I went after work and watched for about an hour. The evening became very damp; dew on the grass and on scooter helmets, grass stuck to soccer balls, and a very cold me on the bleachers.
We had just met when Josh and I first played soccer together. One night he texted me to ask if I ever played because he thought I might have. I said "I used to, but I suck now." But he picked me up anyway and we went to the sports center at Pitt to play pick up with the soccer club-type organization. Turns out I was worse than expected, and Josh was the best player on the field. I later found out he was going to play for Pitt but got injured right before so that night I was totally embarrassed and couldn't believe I went.
Once we started dating, I went to a few soccer games he played with a team in Pittsburgh. One of those games was the first time I met his parents. Then he asked if I wanted to play with them...his first gift to me was a pair of cleats. I wasn't very good, but I helped teams meet the "girl" quota, and I once had an assist to Josh. Aw, how cute.
Now he has found a team here and I am so glad he's playing again. It comes with an obsessive play-by-play of the game afterward, but it's totally worth it to see him so happy.
I don't know why I told you this, but now you know. Maybe I'll be inspired to start excersizing again...but probably not :0).
We had just met when Josh and I first played soccer together. One night he texted me to ask if I ever played because he thought I might have. I said "I used to, but I suck now." But he picked me up anyway and we went to the sports center at Pitt to play pick up with the soccer club-type organization. Turns out I was worse than expected, and Josh was the best player on the field. I later found out he was going to play for Pitt but got injured right before so that night I was totally embarrassed and couldn't believe I went.
Once we started dating, I went to a few soccer games he played with a team in Pittsburgh. One of those games was the first time I met his parents. Then he asked if I wanted to play with them...his first gift to me was a pair of cleats. I wasn't very good, but I helped teams meet the "girl" quota, and I once had an assist to Josh. Aw, how cute.
Now he has found a team here and I am so glad he's playing again. It comes with an obsessive play-by-play of the game afterward, but it's totally worth it to see him so happy.
I don't know why I told you this, but now you know. Maybe I'll be inspired to start excersizing again...but probably not :0).
Sunday, December 6, 2009
This weekend was fun and boring. Went to work Saturday morning, lunch with two new teachers, then back to school to get my things. Some students were practicing for a speech competition so I stayed for a bit, then home. Josh and I had dinner and watched Love Actually and a bit of Transformers 2 (excellent movies).
Sunday, Josh played in a soccer game with a bunch of expats. Nice guys on the team and it seems both of the expat teams in Taichung want Josh to play for them. It is still odd to be with such a big group of foreigners...hearing English in a conversation is a little bizarre. This will be good for us. I'm pretty sure we need friends.
Time to grade homework and write lesson plans. Today is a rough day-I have three classes (2 hours each); at 2 I'm subbing again for my friend, at 4:50 we have a games day, and at 7 I'm subbing an upper level class for a friend and I have never been trained on this type. The games day will be particularly interesting because I don't think the CT likes me, and I screwed up again. I will only have 50 minutes to prepare for the whole 2 hours because I have that early 2 o'clock class. School opens at 1:30, so basically I'm in trouble. Hopefully I can plan a bit here before I go.
Cheers!
Sunday, Josh played in a soccer game with a bunch of expats. Nice guys on the team and it seems both of the expat teams in Taichung want Josh to play for them. It is still odd to be with such a big group of foreigners...hearing English in a conversation is a little bizarre. This will be good for us. I'm pretty sure we need friends.
Time to grade homework and write lesson plans. Today is a rough day-I have three classes (2 hours each); at 2 I'm subbing again for my friend, at 4:50 we have a games day, and at 7 I'm subbing an upper level class for a friend and I have never been trained on this type. The games day will be particularly interesting because I don't think the CT likes me, and I screwed up again. I will only have 50 minutes to prepare for the whole 2 hours because I have that early 2 o'clock class. School opens at 1:30, so basically I'm in trouble. Hopefully I can plan a bit here before I go.
Cheers!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Happenings
Things of interest to me:
I sent my first international fax yesterday with the help of several teachers at school and my mom in the US. Transcripts ordered.
It's starting to get cold. The scooter ride on the way home from school is no longer cozy in a sweatshirt and light jacket.
Payday is Monday. This will pay for a jacket if I can stomach the cost. I am proud to say I lived the last week (5 days) on about 400 NT...maybe 13 US dollars. Instead of eating lunch out everyday I made a big bag of pasta for the week. Lots of fresh fruit and water and I feel much happier and healthier because of it. I miss spending lunch with Josh, but we are working on spending time together without spending lots of money on food!
Josh joined a soccer group of people. A bunch of expats get together and he went on Wednesday and of course was amazing. They've asked him to play this Sunday in a league game! Not sure how I feel being a soccer wife, but I'm excited to be outside and to watch some good competition. We need friends...
What else: We have a new teacher at our branch. He's really nice and hard working. He and his gf are from New England. Hope to meet her soon. He bought a guitar the other day, so maybe there will be music back in my life. I really wish there was a group to sing with here...I can't stand being away from music. At school I had SOP, and home I had mom (and dad!). Now I have itunes.
First grad apps will be in tomorrow. Hope to have them all finished by early next week. Then I can have my life back. I've been working 3 or 4 hours every morning to finish up, and I can't wait to be able to go walking, etc during that time. Just as it gets cold and overcast...
MY PARENTS ARE VISITING. Before they come I will be teaching 30 hours a week (maybe 50 hours of work all together) because of the subbing. Then they come for 10 days. Then Josh and I are planning to go to Indonesia for 10 days. Those plans are not finalized, but they will be happening. Excited to get my passport stamped again. Right now the only things in it are my visitor and resident visa here.
Did I mention I have my health insurance card? Good good. Medical expenses are SO cheap here. Even without health insurance, a doctor's visit is less than my US co-pay of 30 dollars.
I should grade these essays.
I know that I am not very good at keeping this blog. I feel like most of the day to day is quite boring. Anyone have any questions about life or teaching here? Then I can justify writing about myself more :0)
I sent my first international fax yesterday with the help of several teachers at school and my mom in the US. Transcripts ordered.
It's starting to get cold. The scooter ride on the way home from school is no longer cozy in a sweatshirt and light jacket.
Payday is Monday. This will pay for a jacket if I can stomach the cost. I am proud to say I lived the last week (5 days) on about 400 NT...maybe 13 US dollars. Instead of eating lunch out everyday I made a big bag of pasta for the week. Lots of fresh fruit and water and I feel much happier and healthier because of it. I miss spending lunch with Josh, but we are working on spending time together without spending lots of money on food!
Josh joined a soccer group of people. A bunch of expats get together and he went on Wednesday and of course was amazing. They've asked him to play this Sunday in a league game! Not sure how I feel being a soccer wife, but I'm excited to be outside and to watch some good competition. We need friends...
What else: We have a new teacher at our branch. He's really nice and hard working. He and his gf are from New England. Hope to meet her soon. He bought a guitar the other day, so maybe there will be music back in my life. I really wish there was a group to sing with here...I can't stand being away from music. At school I had SOP, and home I had mom (and dad!). Now I have itunes.
First grad apps will be in tomorrow. Hope to have them all finished by early next week. Then I can have my life back. I've been working 3 or 4 hours every morning to finish up, and I can't wait to be able to go walking, etc during that time. Just as it gets cold and overcast...
MY PARENTS ARE VISITING. Before they come I will be teaching 30 hours a week (maybe 50 hours of work all together) because of the subbing. Then they come for 10 days. Then Josh and I are planning to go to Indonesia for 10 days. Those plans are not finalized, but they will be happening. Excited to get my passport stamped again. Right now the only things in it are my visitor and resident visa here.
Did I mention I have my health insurance card? Good good. Medical expenses are SO cheap here. Even without health insurance, a doctor's visit is less than my US co-pay of 30 dollars.
I should grade these essays.
I know that I am not very good at keeping this blog. I feel like most of the day to day is quite boring. Anyone have any questions about life or teaching here? Then I can justify writing about myself more :0)
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