My last day abroad after 5 countries, 23 cities, 342 days, and a lot of pictures. We leave tomorrow morning for JFK, West Grove, DC, Pittsburgh, and Bloomington.
I'm not sure how I will react to all the transitions that I'll face, and perhaps I'll see no difference. Somehow I don't seem to be very perceptive when traveling...broken glass and stinky trash don't bother me, cats or dogs, minarets. I seem to miss the differences. This is is all to say I'm not sure how I will react to the States. I think it will just be the same? Plus, Bloomington is an entirely new city also, so it's not as if I'm really going "home" yet. Not until the paintings are on the walls.
Next stop, Peru.
This is NOT "that year I traveled when I was young."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Alexandria and the Med
Today we had a looong day trip to Alexandria and it was wonderful.
Short story: my perception of Cairo changed a bit last night when we went to the market in Islamic Cairo away from tourist stops and most touts. Shopkeepers hassled less and children smiled and even dad's smiled.
Short story: my perception of Cairo changed a bit last night when we went to the market in Islamic Cairo away from tourist stops and most touts. Shopkeepers hassled less and children smiled and even dad's smiled.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Cairo Days 1 and 2
Saturday, August 14th and Sunday, August 15th
I've been grumpy recently. We took the night train Friday from Luxor to Cairo. Very cool, although I was afraid we wouldn't wake up for our stop, so I didn't sleep very well. Since we've arrived in Cairo, I've been hot, unhappy, and altogether have an unfortunate view of the city. The people at our hostel are very nice, but here are some of the factors contributing.
We arrived at 6:30 in the morning, 45 minutes after we told the hostel we would be there. After searching for the driver they had sent, we hired our own taxi, thinking the driver was not there. Nearing our hotel area, the driver didn't have a clue where to go, so we got out on the street with our huge backpacks and small bags, totaling 7. Josh left me with the bags near some policemen guarding something. All fine and well until a few (45?) minutes later they started to really wonder what I was doing there. After a lout of shouting to each other, they found a guard who spoke English and I explained to him. Just after this fiasco, Josh returned, having finally found our hostel down a back alley.
We spent the morning and afternoon in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, a beautiful building full of glass and wooden containers. The museum holds many interesting treasures, including most things found in King Tutankhamun's tomb. Unfortunately, most artifacts are stored in poorly lit glass boxes. The museum is not climate controlled, and most displays are not labeled. A whole corridor is filled with sarcophagi, only in old glass boxes. The lack of interpretive information severely limited our understanding of what we were looking at. Several exceptions include the animal mummy room, which gave explicit details about animal mummification. The royal mummies room, at a cost of 100 pounds, had the bodies of many famous Phaorohs, including several whose tombs and temples I have already seen. We saw Ramesses II, III, IV, V, IV, Amenhotep II, Hapshetsut, Tuthmosis III, and several others. It was most interesting to see Ramesses II, famous Phaoroh of the old testament. Although we couldn't learn a lot about the artifacts themselves, or about their excavation, we did see many amazing things from Ancient Egypt.
One of the most fascinating were the Roman mummies, preserved as the Egyptians did it, but with painted faces in Roman style.
After the museum, we walked to an island on the Nile which we had heard was more western, and might have restaurants open before 6:30. After walking for several hours from the museum, we weren't able to find anything. Finally, we got in a taxi and directed him to a street which had a restaurant. He, in arabic, explained to us something like "it's closed" and dropped us in front of a shop with meat hanging in the window (sans glass). After a round of misunderstanding, the waiter brought us something unrecognizable, bread, and tahina. We ate the bread and tahina and gave the shredded lamb, chicken, fat, intestine or something to the men gathered on the street breaking their fast.
Finally, we walked further down a row of embassies (yes, the meat shop was within two blocks of the Algerian embassy) and found "Euro Cafe." Maybe our food experience is funny now, but it was one of the most expensive meals we've had here and we couldn't even eat it.
Cairo is crowded, dusty, stinky and full of trash. Some people are extraordinarily nice, but it's become hard to trust anyone after continual attempts to cheat us. This perception continued while we visited the pyramids today, as camel drivers and touts continually offered us rides and souvineers, sometimes relenting only after 17 attempts.
We're going to walk to a nearby park now. Last night's walk afforded some good shade and green areas, until the dinner fiasco. We're going to go explore, but it's difficult not knowing where I will be eating tonight.
A recap of the pyramids will have to wait. Just know...they're big. It's sandy. There are lots of police officers. The step pyramid of Djoser is really interesting too, and accompanied by a well done museum about the architect and related finds. I'm also fascinated, but it's exhausting and I can't articulate enthusiastically what I find intersesting. I'll try again soon!
I've been grumpy recently. We took the night train Friday from Luxor to Cairo. Very cool, although I was afraid we wouldn't wake up for our stop, so I didn't sleep very well. Since we've arrived in Cairo, I've been hot, unhappy, and altogether have an unfortunate view of the city. The people at our hostel are very nice, but here are some of the factors contributing.
We arrived at 6:30 in the morning, 45 minutes after we told the hostel we would be there. After searching for the driver they had sent, we hired our own taxi, thinking the driver was not there. Nearing our hotel area, the driver didn't have a clue where to go, so we got out on the street with our huge backpacks and small bags, totaling 7. Josh left me with the bags near some policemen guarding something. All fine and well until a few (45?) minutes later they started to really wonder what I was doing there. After a lout of shouting to each other, they found a guard who spoke English and I explained to him. Just after this fiasco, Josh returned, having finally found our hostel down a back alley.
We spent the morning and afternoon in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, a beautiful building full of glass and wooden containers. The museum holds many interesting treasures, including most things found in King Tutankhamun's tomb. Unfortunately, most artifacts are stored in poorly lit glass boxes. The museum is not climate controlled, and most displays are not labeled. A whole corridor is filled with sarcophagi, only in old glass boxes. The lack of interpretive information severely limited our understanding of what we were looking at. Several exceptions include the animal mummy room, which gave explicit details about animal mummification. The royal mummies room, at a cost of 100 pounds, had the bodies of many famous Phaorohs, including several whose tombs and temples I have already seen. We saw Ramesses II, III, IV, V, IV, Amenhotep II, Hapshetsut, Tuthmosis III, and several others. It was most interesting to see Ramesses II, famous Phaoroh of the old testament. Although we couldn't learn a lot about the artifacts themselves, or about their excavation, we did see many amazing things from Ancient Egypt.
One of the most fascinating were the Roman mummies, preserved as the Egyptians did it, but with painted faces in Roman style.
After the museum, we walked to an island on the Nile which we had heard was more western, and might have restaurants open before 6:30. After walking for several hours from the museum, we weren't able to find anything. Finally, we got in a taxi and directed him to a street which had a restaurant. He, in arabic, explained to us something like "it's closed" and dropped us in front of a shop with meat hanging in the window (sans glass). After a round of misunderstanding, the waiter brought us something unrecognizable, bread, and tahina. We ate the bread and tahina and gave the shredded lamb, chicken, fat, intestine or something to the men gathered on the street breaking their fast.
Finally, we walked further down a row of embassies (yes, the meat shop was within two blocks of the Algerian embassy) and found "Euro Cafe." Maybe our food experience is funny now, but it was one of the most expensive meals we've had here and we couldn't even eat it.
Cairo is crowded, dusty, stinky and full of trash. Some people are extraordinarily nice, but it's become hard to trust anyone after continual attempts to cheat us. This perception continued while we visited the pyramids today, as camel drivers and touts continually offered us rides and souvineers, sometimes relenting only after 17 attempts.
We're going to walk to a nearby park now. Last night's walk afforded some good shade and green areas, until the dinner fiasco. We're going to go explore, but it's difficult not knowing where I will be eating tonight.
A recap of the pyramids will have to wait. Just know...they're big. It's sandy. There are lots of police officers. The step pyramid of Djoser is really interesting too, and accompanied by a well done museum about the architect and related finds. I'm also fascinated, but it's exhausting and I can't articulate enthusiastically what I find intersesting. I'll try again soon!
A Plague of Lotus
Thursday August, 12
Day four in Luxor, Egypt. We started the morning with a wonderful felucca ride down the Nile. Last night we were offered a ride by a nice-looking guy outside of a restaurant. This morning we saw him immediately and asked how much. He was very pleased that we remembered him from the day before, and turned out to be a very honest captain. He needed to get a tugboat to pull us upstream because there was very little wind. Sometimes, a felucca captain will then, at the end of the ride, add a lot of extra costs to what you had agreed on. But nothing from Abdul. Then he offered to take us across the river for free, and he took us with a driver around to two other West Bank sites we couldn’t see during our tour. It’s amazing in countries like this, that drivers will wait an hour, or six hours, while you do what you want. It was this way in Cambodia and we see it here. Abdul was a very kind man.
I’ve noticed here that some shop owners and service providers make sure to say “no hassle here.” There are so many touts who sell fakes or get up in your face, that honest business owners must have a hard time getting customers to trust them. For example, we went to a jewelry store just to look around, and the man had to repeat several times that he wouldn’t hassle us. We make the decisions, etc. Of course, in saying “no hassle” it’s a little hassle, but I’ve found generally these men who say it mean it. We found the same in one alabaster store and a papyrus store. The same was with Abdul. Continually they assure us that “this is our job, so take your time.”
After we got back from the West Bank, we went to get some soda and water. Then back to the hostel to rest, then out for a great dinner, where we ran into an Argentinean we had seen earlier in the day. We talked for a great while about his travels, what we’re doing, American politics, etc. It’s been a good trip for meeting interesting people (and making me realize just how little I’ve traveled in this world).
On Ramadan: Ramadan started on Wednesday, the third day we were in Egypt. It is a month long festival in Islam for which people fast from sunup to sundown. They eat breakfast early in the morning, and then go without food, water, cigarettes until 6:30 at night. At 6:30 everyone breaks fast with a huge meal of delicious things, in restaurants, on the streets, in homes. Josh and I have tried to keep a modified version. Because we are spending enormous amounts of time in the hot desert sun, we drink water as we need it. When the hunger gets bad and we’re starting to get sleepy/delirious we stop for a fanta. The first day we had to sneak a little bread left over from dinner the night before, but yesterday we made it on liquid. Of course, it makes health sense to eat the bread instead of drink a soda, but it goes a long way in making friends here if we can be just as happy when 6:30 comes around.
Day four in Luxor, Egypt. We started the morning with a wonderful felucca ride down the Nile. Last night we were offered a ride by a nice-looking guy outside of a restaurant. This morning we saw him immediately and asked how much. He was very pleased that we remembered him from the day before, and turned out to be a very honest captain. He needed to get a tugboat to pull us upstream because there was very little wind. Sometimes, a felucca captain will then, at the end of the ride, add a lot of extra costs to what you had agreed on. But nothing from Abdul. Then he offered to take us across the river for free, and he took us with a driver around to two other West Bank sites we couldn’t see during our tour. It’s amazing in countries like this, that drivers will wait an hour, or six hours, while you do what you want. It was this way in Cambodia and we see it here. Abdul was a very kind man.
I’ve noticed here that some shop owners and service providers make sure to say “no hassle here.” There are so many touts who sell fakes or get up in your face, that honest business owners must have a hard time getting customers to trust them. For example, we went to a jewelry store just to look around, and the man had to repeat several times that he wouldn’t hassle us. We make the decisions, etc. Of course, in saying “no hassle” it’s a little hassle, but I’ve found generally these men who say it mean it. We found the same in one alabaster store and a papyrus store. The same was with Abdul. Continually they assure us that “this is our job, so take your time.”
After we got back from the West Bank, we went to get some soda and water. Then back to the hostel to rest, then out for a great dinner, where we ran into an Argentinean we had seen earlier in the day. We talked for a great while about his travels, what we’re doing, American politics, etc. It’s been a good trip for meeting interesting people (and making me realize just how little I’ve traveled in this world).
On Ramadan: Ramadan started on Wednesday, the third day we were in Egypt. It is a month long festival in Islam for which people fast from sunup to sundown. They eat breakfast early in the morning, and then go without food, water, cigarettes until 6:30 at night. At 6:30 everyone breaks fast with a huge meal of delicious things, in restaurants, on the streets, in homes. Josh and I have tried to keep a modified version. Because we are spending enormous amounts of time in the hot desert sun, we drink water as we need it. When the hunger gets bad and we’re starting to get sleepy/delirious we stop for a fanta. The first day we had to sneak a little bread left over from dinner the night before, but yesterday we made it on liquid. Of course, it makes health sense to eat the bread instead of drink a soda, but it goes a long way in making friends here if we can be just as happy when 6:30 comes around.
Day 3
We took the morning easy today, getting up slowly and eating breakfast before going to Karnak. We spent into the afternoon wandering among some of the most impressive monuments here. In the Great Hypostyle Hall, huge pillars shaped as lotuses rose up from their bases. Each was engraved with hieroglyphics, and remaining spots of color suggest the entire hall was once covered in vibrant blues and reds. From there we turned right and went out into a field covered in old stones, as if they were being sorted through to rebuild. Then, a quite Egyptian man ushered us up some steps onto the roof of a temple. From there you could see the lay of Karnak. Our next stop was a quiet room behind a locked door with colors you couldn’t believe. The whole room was still vibrant with hue, in the best condition we have seen since being here.
We spent the rest of our time wandering around the now outdoor temples, and resting in the far corner on some cardboard. When we sat down, I wondered how many of the tourists at Karnak today would give no thought to sitting in a trashy corner to rest….maybe 50%? Then along came a fellow who pulled up a piece of cardboard.
After Karnak, we went to the Mummification museum, an expensive one-room trip that holds the tools of mummification, including the pincers for the brain. Mmm.
Walked to a restaurant we’d been to before for drinks (no food) and headed back to our hostel for a brief rest before we broke fast. As we were walking down the street of our hostel, a young man shouted down from a balcony “want to eat?” It was a small restaurant, with four tables. At a big one, three men sat with a beautiful meal, so we joined them for the Ramadan feast. Brown rice or lentil soup (Josh and I disagree), greek salad, rice with a cooked potato and tomato dish, and for Josh, a chicken leg. At the end, they told me it was 20 pounds for the two of us. For the record, 1 US dollar is 5.65 Egyptian pounds. So we paid approximately 4 US for this incredible meal. We spent the rest of the evening wandering around down by luxor temple, people watching and trying to avoid touts. Overall a beautiful evening.
We spent the rest of our time wandering around the now outdoor temples, and resting in the far corner on some cardboard. When we sat down, I wondered how many of the tourists at Karnak today would give no thought to sitting in a trashy corner to rest….maybe 50%? Then along came a fellow who pulled up a piece of cardboard.
After Karnak, we went to the Mummification museum, an expensive one-room trip that holds the tools of mummification, including the pincers for the brain. Mmm.
Walked to a restaurant we’d been to before for drinks (no food) and headed back to our hostel for a brief rest before we broke fast. As we were walking down the street of our hostel, a young man shouted down from a balcony “want to eat?” It was a small restaurant, with four tables. At a big one, three men sat with a beautiful meal, so we joined them for the Ramadan feast. Brown rice or lentil soup (Josh and I disagree), greek salad, rice with a cooked potato and tomato dish, and for Josh, a chicken leg. At the end, they told me it was 20 pounds for the two of us. For the record, 1 US dollar is 5.65 Egyptian pounds. So we paid approximately 4 US for this incredible meal. We spent the rest of the evening wandering around down by luxor temple, people watching and trying to avoid touts. Overall a beautiful evening.
Nile Story
...the name of a cruise ship but also the reason for West Bank tombs.
The touts continued today. Understanding that we are tourists, being offered a look in a shop is not problematic to me. The rest, however, is. By the end of the day, we are too exhausted for more bartering, and simply walk away.
This morning we joined several other couples form our hostel for a guided tour of the major sites in Luxor. We decided an aircon bus and a tour guide was worth the hassle of being crowded and kept to a schedule. It turned out to be lots of interesting young people and just about the right amount of time.
First, we went to the valley of the kings. This is where many ramses were buried. We saw the tombs of Ramses I, III, and IX. Josh and I then paid an extraordinary amount of money to go see the tomb of Tut, which of course is just as empty as the others. There is a mummy inside which, based on differing reports is a copy, or is Tut himself. Most of the treasures from the tomb are in the Luxor and Cairo museums. The paintings on the walls of each tomb are much more impressive than I thought they would be. Everything is first carved into the stone or plaster, and then painted. Understanding what each scene is makes it all more tangible and engaging. Note: Ramses II is the Ramses in the bible, so we saw his grandfather and…son? I’m not sure how Ramses II and III are related. Ramses II’s dad is Seti I. Ramses I and II are some of the most famous and powerful pharaohs.
After visiting the Valley of the Kings, we went to the temple of Hapshetsut. The temple is three stories, built into the side of the mountain. Our actual first glimpse came yesterday, as Josh and I looked across the Nile from our restaurant. It was enormous from across the river, and just as big up close. We were not allowed to take pictures in the Valley of the Kings, so we scrambled around with our cameras, hoping to get a few shots from the day. We saw many statues of Hapshetsut, one of the most important female pharaohs. Hapshetsut was the wife of a pharaoh, but she only “bore him” four daughters. Her husband found another woman to marry, who then had a son. When the Pharaoh died, the baby son was supposed to take the throne. Hapshetsut was pissed, so she dressed herself as a man, and took the throne by herself. She ruled for 21 years, bringing henna and many spices and goods to Egypt from abroad. In her temple, you can see statues of the goddess of love, Hathor, and a relief of Hapshetsut drinking the love milk of Hathor the cow.
After Hapshetsut, we went to the Valley of the Queens, where we saw the tomb of one queen and the tombs of her two sons who died at 11 and 16. She was so distraught at the death of one of her sons, that she miscarried the baby she was pregnant with. The mummy of the fetus is displayed in one of the tombs.
Then to the Collosi of Memnon, two giant statues erected for Amenhotep III. They guarded a temple that is now long destroyed.
That all happened before 2 pm, when we returned to the hostel. Very hungry after a measly breakfast, I had a snack of bread to recover. Then, we walked a mile to the Luxor museum where there are many wonderful things displayed. Then we walked along the nile (after dark) back to Luxor, stopped for a snack of greek salad and french fries, and mosied back to the hostel. It was a terribly long day, with sore feet by 2…before the 7 hour walk we took.
It’s a wonderful and interesting place here. So far I’ve only talked about Ancient Egypt, but soon I will try to touch on the modern, or at least my outsider interpretation of it.
The touts continued today. Understanding that we are tourists, being offered a look in a shop is not problematic to me. The rest, however, is. By the end of the day, we are too exhausted for more bartering, and simply walk away.
This morning we joined several other couples form our hostel for a guided tour of the major sites in Luxor. We decided an aircon bus and a tour guide was worth the hassle of being crowded and kept to a schedule. It turned out to be lots of interesting young people and just about the right amount of time.
First, we went to the valley of the kings. This is where many ramses were buried. We saw the tombs of Ramses I, III, and IX. Josh and I then paid an extraordinary amount of money to go see the tomb of Tut, which of course is just as empty as the others. There is a mummy inside which, based on differing reports is a copy, or is Tut himself. Most of the treasures from the tomb are in the Luxor and Cairo museums. The paintings on the walls of each tomb are much more impressive than I thought they would be. Everything is first carved into the stone or plaster, and then painted. Understanding what each scene is makes it all more tangible and engaging. Note: Ramses II is the Ramses in the bible, so we saw his grandfather and…son? I’m not sure how Ramses II and III are related. Ramses II’s dad is Seti I. Ramses I and II are some of the most famous and powerful pharaohs.
After visiting the Valley of the Kings, we went to the temple of Hapshetsut. The temple is three stories, built into the side of the mountain. Our actual first glimpse came yesterday, as Josh and I looked across the Nile from our restaurant. It was enormous from across the river, and just as big up close. We were not allowed to take pictures in the Valley of the Kings, so we scrambled around with our cameras, hoping to get a few shots from the day. We saw many statues of Hapshetsut, one of the most important female pharaohs. Hapshetsut was the wife of a pharaoh, but she only “bore him” four daughters. Her husband found another woman to marry, who then had a son. When the Pharaoh died, the baby son was supposed to take the throne. Hapshetsut was pissed, so she dressed herself as a man, and took the throne by herself. She ruled for 21 years, bringing henna and many spices and goods to Egypt from abroad. In her temple, you can see statues of the goddess of love, Hathor, and a relief of Hapshetsut drinking the love milk of Hathor the cow.
After Hapshetsut, we went to the Valley of the Queens, where we saw the tomb of one queen and the tombs of her two sons who died at 11 and 16. She was so distraught at the death of one of her sons, that she miscarried the baby she was pregnant with. The mummy of the fetus is displayed in one of the tombs.
Then to the Collosi of Memnon, two giant statues erected for Amenhotep III. They guarded a temple that is now long destroyed.
That all happened before 2 pm, when we returned to the hostel. Very hungry after a measly breakfast, I had a snack of bread to recover. Then, we walked a mile to the Luxor museum where there are many wonderful things displayed. Then we walked along the nile (after dark) back to Luxor, stopped for a snack of greek salad and french fries, and mosied back to the hostel. It was a terribly long day, with sore feet by 2…before the 7 hour walk we took.
It’s a wonderful and interesting place here. So far I’ve only talked about Ancient Egypt, but soon I will try to touch on the modern, or at least my outsider interpretation of it.
Song Long and Hello
After about 31 hours of traveling, we are in Egypt! Layovers in Bangkok and Kuwait afforded plenty of people watching, especially as many Egyptian men gathered at our gate, buying duty-free tang and mars bars for their family. From the window flickered the lit coast of China, the Persian gulf, dusty hills and patches of farmland in Iran, Kuwait, Saudia Arabia and oil tankers off the coast, the Red Sea and finally Egypt’s dry rugged landscape and the green band of the Nile Valley.
We landed in Luxor at 11:30, and after a fight to procure a luggage cart, met our host outside. A cab ride to the hostel included views of Luxor temple, the Luxor museum and mummification museum, feluccas along the river, and many side streets and alleys of Luxor.
After settling into our hostel room, Josh and I went wandering for lunch/dinner. We had had four airline meals before this, and although the filafal in the last flight was tasty, we were looking for something with a little more sustenance. Trying to balance between stern and polite, we walked through a market of venders, touting their goods. Putting a scarf on my shoulder and refusing to take it back is not the way to get my money. We actually want to go shopping, and probably would buy a lot of things, but the constant assurance of a fair deal turns off our desire to look for one. We bought a couple of paintings on “papyrus” that is probably banana leaf. They are beautiful, so I guess we’re not too concerned about their authenticity.
After our meal, we went out on a felucca for sunset. Leaving at 5, Josh and I, a German guy staying at the hostel, our boatman (17 years old) and his helper (10) spent three hours up and down the Nile. The birds are incredible, and the flocks of egrets exactly how I imagined them. We got off at banana island to rest and explore. I’m assuming the island is named for the banana farm we walked though. Our captain has us smell the different fruit tree leaves, identifying mango, guava, mandarin, orange, and fig. I was fortunate to see a Hoopoe (also found on Kinmen, Taiwan) and get an excellent picture. After a snack of bananas, we got back on the felucca and sailed for several hours, watching to sunset and enjoying the fresh air and water.
We landed in Luxor at 11:30, and after a fight to procure a luggage cart, met our host outside. A cab ride to the hostel included views of Luxor temple, the Luxor museum and mummification museum, feluccas along the river, and many side streets and alleys of Luxor.
After settling into our hostel room, Josh and I went wandering for lunch/dinner. We had had four airline meals before this, and although the filafal in the last flight was tasty, we were looking for something with a little more sustenance. Trying to balance between stern and polite, we walked through a market of venders, touting their goods. Putting a scarf on my shoulder and refusing to take it back is not the way to get my money. We actually want to go shopping, and probably would buy a lot of things, but the constant assurance of a fair deal turns off our desire to look for one. We bought a couple of paintings on “papyrus” that is probably banana leaf. They are beautiful, so I guess we’re not too concerned about their authenticity.
After our meal, we went out on a felucca for sunset. Leaving at 5, Josh and I, a German guy staying at the hostel, our boatman (17 years old) and his helper (10) spent three hours up and down the Nile. The birds are incredible, and the flocks of egrets exactly how I imagined them. We got off at banana island to rest and explore. I’m assuming the island is named for the banana farm we walked though. Our captain has us smell the different fruit tree leaves, identifying mango, guava, mandarin, orange, and fig. I was fortunate to see a Hoopoe (also found on Kinmen, Taiwan) and get an excellent picture. After a snack of bananas, we got back on the felucca and sailed for several hours, watching to sunset and enjoying the fresh air and water.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Mantis
This mantis below was outside of a lantern shop by my apartment building. Incredibly really. I am taking pictures as a man with a fishing pole needs to get by. I stand to let him pass. Not wondering what I was taking a picture of, or caring about things other than himself, he steps directly on the mantis, luckily alerting it of danger and allowing it to scurry away with only a sore exoskeleton. After, he looked at me in confusion. Maybe I should be understanding, maybe he was in a hurry, but he never said excuse me, didn't bother to see why I had stopped. Often I wonder if this disregard of surroundings is because I am white and can't communicate. Would people say "excuse me" if they knew I could understand? I sound angrier than I am because you have not experienced it...it's more observation than anger, curiosity. It only becomes anger when we almost get killed on the road. This time, it was "just a mantis" I'm sure.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Canon Rebel T1i
I am the proud owner of a new camera! I remember two years ago, this July I was in Washington just receiving my new camera (replacing the one I left in Michigan). This time I have a wonderful companion to drive around with. We spent some time with it last night and this morning we drove up to the temple on the hill outside of Fengyuan. From there we compared zooms, practiced with the polarizing filter, and saw the clearest view we've had of Taichung. Great fun!
Below are some pictures I've taken in the first two days of use.
On my old camera:
On my new camera:
At Careforr...anyone want manly fashion socks?
The picture I took:
Cropped on the computer:
Me! Notice the depth of field!
Serious Portrait of a book
From the temple, the city is a mix of Fengyuan and Taichung:
A Muller's Barbet, taken from a distance and cropped on the computer. A sufficient tool for bird identification I would say!
Nothing spectacular yet, but much much improvement over the previous. Just learning how to change lenses quickly, adjust aperture, etc. Hopefully Egypt will be recorded nicely!!
Below are some pictures I've taken in the first two days of use.
On my old camera:
On my new camera:
At Careforr...anyone want manly fashion socks?
The picture I took:
Cropped on the computer:
Me! Notice the depth of field!
Serious Portrait of a book
From the temple, the city is a mix of Fengyuan and Taichung:
A Muller's Barbet, taken from a distance and cropped on the computer. A sufficient tool for bird identification I would say!
Nothing spectacular yet, but much much improvement over the previous. Just learning how to change lenses quickly, adjust aperture, etc. Hopefully Egypt will be recorded nicely!!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The rain held and the day continued nicely. I had a farewell lunch with people from my school, and it was a great time. Good-ish western style food and great company. I will really miss some of the chinese teachers, and I've a great relationship with the NSTs. It will be sad to say goodbye next Saturday.
Chinese class was great. I love our teacher...she's so sweet and patient and interesting. Asks us about the world cup and what school is like in America.
Class was fine, although I had to sub for a teacher who called in sick and got stuck grading an upper level test instead of lower level homework.
My camera is not here yet because the customs office keeps saying I have to pay duty on it because it's sent from America so maybe tomorrow I can finally figure it out!
Chinese class was great. I love our teacher...she's so sweet and patient and interesting. Asks us about the world cup and what school is like in America.
Class was fine, although I had to sub for a teacher who called in sick and got stuck grading an upper level test instead of lower level homework.
My camera is not here yet because the customs office keeps saying I have to pay duty on it because it's sent from America so maybe tomorrow I can finally figure it out!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
What a Beautiful Morning!
It's been raining for at least five days. On Saturday and Sunday we had a soccer tournament that was visited by regular spritzings. On Sunday, during the final, the sky opened and torrential downpour made the game a bit more interesting. Adorned in garbage bags, we all watched from the side as some good friends of ours won the tournament.
After the game, the official awards presentation was done with everyone huddled around. When it came time to award the MVP trophy for the tournament, we were surprised and excited to see that the refs had voted Josh as MVP! He is an amazing player, with lots of commitment. He took A LOT of hits this weekend, but he's a brick and I love to watch him play.
I played for a Tubbies team 2...full of old guys who threw a team together for the tournament. It was more to my speed and an overall great time. I got some high compliments and played a lot more than I have before. Ouch!
Performance day on Monday went fine. Three parents for five kids, so it was a small audience.
The rain stopped last night long enough for some coworkers and I to go to a barbecue place. Two taiwanese friends, two NSTs, plus me. We had fun practicing Chinese and English, eating barbecue (until I started feeling sick), and relaxing. It's nice to be friends outside of school.
My new camera will come today! I hope to have new pictures up soon!
AND, the rain is gone for now! Predicted to last until Tuesday, it's at least giving us a little respite before the next downpour. The sun is shining on the mountains I see from my window. I can't wait to take pictures pictures pictures.
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After the game, the official awards presentation was done with everyone huddled around. When it came time to award the MVP trophy for the tournament, we were surprised and excited to see that the refs had voted Josh as MVP! He is an amazing player, with lots of commitment. He took A LOT of hits this weekend, but he's a brick and I love to watch him play.
I played for a Tubbies team 2...full of old guys who threw a team together for the tournament. It was more to my speed and an overall great time. I got some high compliments and played a lot more than I have before. Ouch!
Performance day on Monday went fine. Three parents for five kids, so it was a small audience.
The rain stopped last night long enough for some coworkers and I to go to a barbecue place. Two taiwanese friends, two NSTs, plus me. We had fun practicing Chinese and English, eating barbecue (until I started feeling sick), and relaxing. It's nice to be friends outside of school.
My new camera will come today! I hope to have new pictures up soon!
AND, the rain is gone for now! Predicted to last until Tuesday, it's at least giving us a little respite before the next downpour. The sun is shining on the mountains I see from my window. I can't wait to take pictures pictures pictures.
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Friday, July 23, 2010
My kids did so well today! They are great little animals in the Tortoise and the Hare. Our branch director came to watch today, and she had a great time. She thought it was really interesting, the kids were adorable, danced well, and were very smart. I'm very proud of them...almost disappointed I won't keep teaching them next year.
I designed a book for my higher level students to write their book report in. I only teach half of the level, and then there will be some subs and a new teacher, but I found myself mapping out the whole course in my head. I realized I wasn't going to teach it all only after I got home and was telling Josh about the book.
It's always awkward to teach 14 year olds-class time can be really quiet-but sometimes they really surprise me. They had to brainstorm for a persuasive essay last week...the topic was school uniforms. One student who is fairly quiet (and an avid Bon Jovi fan) thought of some really convincing and original reasons not to wear them. I forget sometimes that they are trying to communicate in a second language, and maybe don't give them enough time to think about their arguments. But they seemed to do quite well anyway, and I'm excited to see the final results when I collect them tomorrow.
It's 11:28 on Friday night and I've just stopped work-related things so I should go be a real person or something. I've been on a National Geographic kick and have gone through 2 and a half magazines cover to cover in the last 6 days. I'm also going to try to study up on the Egyptian gods and pharohs :0).
I designed a book for my higher level students to write their book report in. I only teach half of the level, and then there will be some subs and a new teacher, but I found myself mapping out the whole course in my head. I realized I wasn't going to teach it all only after I got home and was telling Josh about the book.
It's always awkward to teach 14 year olds-class time can be really quiet-but sometimes they really surprise me. They had to brainstorm for a persuasive essay last week...the topic was school uniforms. One student who is fairly quiet (and an avid Bon Jovi fan) thought of some really convincing and original reasons not to wear them. I forget sometimes that they are trying to communicate in a second language, and maybe don't give them enough time to think about their arguments. But they seemed to do quite well anyway, and I'm excited to see the final results when I collect them tomorrow.
It's 11:28 on Friday night and I've just stopped work-related things so I should go be a real person or something. I've been on a National Geographic kick and have gone through 2 and a half magazines cover to cover in the last 6 days. I'm also going to try to study up on the Egyptian gods and pharohs :0).
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
0ne Month
...from yesterday Josh and I will get back to PA.
Things are winding down at work. My students took their last unit quiz yesterday, and take their final big test tomorrow. On Monday we're putting on a play for our parents. Then on Wednesday we'll have a party and play games.
For my other classes, there aren't any major happenings. Last week I gave most oral tests, which meant little class preparation. This week I was lucky to have two lessons where we don't collect homework. Two full weeks of school left. I need to write a lot of final reports before I leave, because some classes will end the week or two after I go. I volunteered to write them early so the students have some NST feedback. The last week of school I don't teach my 3-days a week class, so I will be subbing a couple of classes for another teacher.
Mostly work is going well. I have been staying a lot to make props, etc, so I get to chat with some of the teachers more. It will actually be sad to leave them.
Last night I told one class that I was leaving. I started teaching this class the week I got here, so it's been about 11 months. One of the students also participated in a speech competition that I helped her with a lot. Her reaction was adorably sweet when she realized that I was going home...she got a little flustered and started writing furiously on her new books. After class, I told her I would miss her. At first she didn't understand til I fake cried and then she said "oh. yes." There are some students like that who make your job easier.
Things are winding down at work. My students took their last unit quiz yesterday, and take their final big test tomorrow. On Monday we're putting on a play for our parents. Then on Wednesday we'll have a party and play games.
For my other classes, there aren't any major happenings. Last week I gave most oral tests, which meant little class preparation. This week I was lucky to have two lessons where we don't collect homework. Two full weeks of school left. I need to write a lot of final reports before I leave, because some classes will end the week or two after I go. I volunteered to write them early so the students have some NST feedback. The last week of school I don't teach my 3-days a week class, so I will be subbing a couple of classes for another teacher.
Mostly work is going well. I have been staying a lot to make props, etc, so I get to chat with some of the teachers more. It will actually be sad to leave them.
Last night I told one class that I was leaving. I started teaching this class the week I got here, so it's been about 11 months. One of the students also participated in a speech competition that I helped her with a lot. Her reaction was adorably sweet when she realized that I was going home...she got a little flustered and started writing furiously on her new books. After class, I told her I would miss her. At first she didn't understand til I fake cried and then she said "oh. yes." There are some students like that who make your job easier.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Put put put
Three weeks from today I'll be in Egypt...and I've started to tell my classes.
Today my scooter shut off voluntarily at 6 different points on my drive to work. I found out that it's too old to sell, so I'm out 7000NT...about 230 US. On the same day that I just spent WAY too much on a camera...
Today my scooter shut off voluntarily at 6 different points on my drive to work. I found out that it's too old to sell, so I'm out 7000NT...about 230 US. On the same day that I just spent WAY too much on a camera...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
And the Seasons, they go Round and Round
There's too much to do before I leave!!
Plan Egypt, study econ/stat, get in shape, make friends, drink tea, spend more time with friends, work I guess, take with people at IU, and enjoy my last three weeks in Taiwan. Three weeks from this coming Sunday, Josh and I will be on a plane to Egypt. We'll be back in the states on Wednesday the 18th, and I'll be at my parents house until Saturday morning the 21st. Oh boy!
Plan Egypt, study econ/stat, get in shape, make friends, drink tea, spend more time with friends, work I guess, take with people at IU, and enjoy my last three weeks in Taiwan. Three weeks from this coming Sunday, Josh and I will be on a plane to Egypt. We'll be back in the states on Wednesday the 18th, and I'll be at my parents house until Saturday morning the 21st. Oh boy!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Today Jamie left for America...and for a brief minute it was extraordinarily quiet.
Then, I met Josh for a quick lunch, rushed off to Chinese class, from which I rushed to school to prepare for a graduation. Today, a class I have been teaching for 10 months graduated from our program. It was very tiring (which means I can't imagine how tiring it was for the Chinese teacher who did most of the work). Honestly, it's a little unfair that my name gets put on everything first and I get to speak first at the performance and I get to hand out the awards...this teacher has been teaching these students much longer than I, and she worked so hard for the performance day. I think our company wants to emphasize that these students have a foreign teacher...
It was great having Jamie here. She has made it a point to visit me in both Seattle and Taiwan (and Pittsburgh), and we always have a good time. We tried to show her as much as we could of Taiwan, which might have been a bit overwhelming. I know that I have chilled out a lot about traveling since I first moved here, but I still worried too much about every detail. This is something I hope to fix before we leave for Egypt in THREE AND A HALF WEEKS.
Yikes! So much life to live here before then.
Then, I met Josh for a quick lunch, rushed off to Chinese class, from which I rushed to school to prepare for a graduation. Today, a class I have been teaching for 10 months graduated from our program. It was very tiring (which means I can't imagine how tiring it was for the Chinese teacher who did most of the work). Honestly, it's a little unfair that my name gets put on everything first and I get to speak first at the performance and I get to hand out the awards...this teacher has been teaching these students much longer than I, and she worked so hard for the performance day. I think our company wants to emphasize that these students have a foreign teacher...
It was great having Jamie here. She has made it a point to visit me in both Seattle and Taiwan (and Pittsburgh), and we always have a good time. We tried to show her as much as we could of Taiwan, which might have been a bit overwhelming. I know that I have chilled out a lot about traveling since I first moved here, but I still worried too much about every detail. This is something I hope to fix before we leave for Egypt in THREE AND A HALF WEEKS.
Yikes! So much life to live here before then.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Adventures with Jamie
Met Jamie in Taipei nearly two weeks ago. We spent the morning wandering around the city, and returned to Fengyuan by early afternoon. Last weekend, Jamie, Josh and I flew to Kinmen, a Taiwanese island 6000 meters off the coast of China. We spent a long weekend driving around and around the island, looking at old and active military sites, observing birds, going to museums, and eating Taiwanese food. For Sunday, we took a ferry to Little Kinmen, borrowed bikes from the park service and rode 18 km around the island.
Kinmen is an interesting place to us for many reasons. It was the main site of the Chinese civil war in 1949, so there are many remnants of that. These include a man who makes knives out of the propaganda shells that the communists launched onto Kinmen. 280 bird species. Museums depicting several famous battles. Wetlands. Beaches unwalkable..."Danger! Mines!"
Josh totally geeked out. He had so much fun trying to figure out exactly where everything happened, what it looked like, what the modern military was doing, seeing Mainland China off the coast, driving endlessly down small roads to see what was there... :0)
There were incredible birds. I identified bee eaters, hoopies, magpies, oriental magpie robins, mynas, intermediate egrets, black crowned night herons, a gray heron, and many others.
Jamie was very brave and tried some traditional Taiwanese soup, which she dutifully ate a bit of before being totally grossed out by the liver, tiny shelled shrimp, and strong fish oil taste. We were so proud. and politely declined a taste.
During the week we have been hanging out, eating food, going shopping.
This past weekend the three of us took a train down to Chaiyi where we rented scooters and drove into the high mountains. We stayed in Alishan Village, at 2200 meters. It was a very cold drive after sunset. We then got up at 5 the next morning to drive to Yushan National Park. It was gloriously clear in the morning, so we had spectacular views, including Yushan (Jade Mountain), the tallest in Taiwan. By 10 dense fog had moved in, so we did a bit more hiking, but without the same views. Saw laughing thrushes and a nutcracker. Good exercise. The fog also encouraged us to head down the mountain before it got too cold. The drive was very chilly, but we didn't get rained on until we were farther down and it was a bit warmer. When we got back to Chaiyi, the sun was shining and it was hot. It's amazing how different mountain climates are!
We bought tickets but there weren't any seats available, so we sat on the floor for the hour and half ride home.
Went to bed at 10, got up at 2. We watched the world cup final (by that I mean Jamie and Josh watched with our friends and I slept on the couch).
Now it is Monday morning, Jamie's last full day here. She's packaging some things to send to friends and I am relaxing after a week of very very little sleep.
It's been a good visit, and really interesting to watch her go through the same observations and culture shock that I did when I first got here. I guess more on that as I pack up and leave in the next month.
Kinmen is an interesting place to us for many reasons. It was the main site of the Chinese civil war in 1949, so there are many remnants of that. These include a man who makes knives out of the propaganda shells that the communists launched onto Kinmen. 280 bird species. Museums depicting several famous battles. Wetlands. Beaches unwalkable..."Danger! Mines!"
Josh totally geeked out. He had so much fun trying to figure out exactly where everything happened, what it looked like, what the modern military was doing, seeing Mainland China off the coast, driving endlessly down small roads to see what was there... :0)
There were incredible birds. I identified bee eaters, hoopies, magpies, oriental magpie robins, mynas, intermediate egrets, black crowned night herons, a gray heron, and many others.
Jamie was very brave and tried some traditional Taiwanese soup, which she dutifully ate a bit of before being totally grossed out by the liver, tiny shelled shrimp, and strong fish oil taste. We were so proud. and politely declined a taste.
During the week we have been hanging out, eating food, going shopping.
This past weekend the three of us took a train down to Chaiyi where we rented scooters and drove into the high mountains. We stayed in Alishan Village, at 2200 meters. It was a very cold drive after sunset. We then got up at 5 the next morning to drive to Yushan National Park. It was gloriously clear in the morning, so we had spectacular views, including Yushan (Jade Mountain), the tallest in Taiwan. By 10 dense fog had moved in, so we did a bit more hiking, but without the same views. Saw laughing thrushes and a nutcracker. Good exercise. The fog also encouraged us to head down the mountain before it got too cold. The drive was very chilly, but we didn't get rained on until we were farther down and it was a bit warmer. When we got back to Chaiyi, the sun was shining and it was hot. It's amazing how different mountain climates are!
We bought tickets but there weren't any seats available, so we sat on the floor for the hour and half ride home.
Went to bed at 10, got up at 2. We watched the world cup final (by that I mean Jamie and Josh watched with our friends and I slept on the couch).
Now it is Monday morning, Jamie's last full day here. She's packaging some things to send to friends and I am relaxing after a week of very very little sleep.
It's been a good visit, and really interesting to watch her go through the same observations and culture shock that I did when I first got here. I guess more on that as I pack up and leave in the next month.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
World Cup!
We have been watching the world cup obsessively, only to be truly disappointed by the US showing against Ghana. The drive home at 6 am after the game was, however, spectacular. We played our own world cup on Sunday through torrential downpours and puddles.
Dragon Boat Festival Festivities
We were in Kenting for Dragon Boat festival, so the weekend after we took a train/bus to Lukang. Lukang means Deer Port, as there used to be Taiwan deer all over the area. Traders used to come for skins until the deer disappeared.
Lukang is famous for it's old section of town and several temples that honor the god (goddess?) Matsu. We were fortunate to see a parade/festival at the Matsu temple, which included enormous figures of the gods, and men beating themselves and dancing. We saw several other parades throughout the day, including man in drag on stilts. Getting shimmied at from four feet above by a Taiwanese man in makeup and silk is an experience to remember!
We spent the afternoon wandering around buying trinkets and looking at some very interesting foods. We found an old man painting beautiful pictures, so I asked if he could paint the Mikado Pheasant (the national bird). A crowd of people gathered as I tried to explain this bird, until i took out a 1000 bill and showed them the bird on the back. The man (a famous Taiwanese painter I am told) had to use the bill to paint the bird. When I told them the female was brown, the woman helping him told me it would be more beautiful if it was blue...I asked that it be brown so I got a part brown/blue female. The most amazing part was the throng of people that gathered as soon as I stepped over to the artist...both when I ordered the painting and when I came back to pick it up. Where noone had been...tens of people stood...
A good day in a new town!
Lukang is famous for it's old section of town and several temples that honor the god (goddess?) Matsu. We were fortunate to see a parade/festival at the Matsu temple, which included enormous figures of the gods, and men beating themselves and dancing. We saw several other parades throughout the day, including man in drag on stilts. Getting shimmied at from four feet above by a Taiwanese man in makeup and silk is an experience to remember!
We spent the afternoon wandering around buying trinkets and looking at some very interesting foods. We found an old man painting beautiful pictures, so I asked if he could paint the Mikado Pheasant (the national bird). A crowd of people gathered as I tried to explain this bird, until i took out a 1000 bill and showed them the bird on the back. The man (a famous Taiwanese painter I am told) had to use the bill to paint the bird. When I told them the female was brown, the woman helping him told me it would be more beautiful if it was blue...I asked that it be brown so I got a part brown/blue female. The most amazing part was the throng of people that gathered as soon as I stepped over to the artist...both when I ordered the painting and when I came back to pick it up. Where noone had been...tens of people stood...
A good day in a new town!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
7 Planets
We're back from three days in Kenting, in southern Taiwan. More to come tomorrow, but it was quite an adventure. Rented a scooter and explored the national park, coastline, etc. Lots of really interesting creature sitings. The geology was so different from Fengyuan. For one, there are several huge foreign rocks that jut out of the volcanic rock to form striking mountains. There are sand dunes and old-coral shores, sandy beaches, rock cliffs, and windswept fields that suggest Ireland. Deciduous forests unexpectedly dry below the tropic line.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
All five of my students got 100 on their Unit 6 quiz, and the big test was as follows: 97, 98, 98, 98, 100.
I have four hours of training today. Josh will be there.
I'm getting help on Econ from some grad students at IU. Thank goodness!
I'm reading a book called Opium Season about poppy eradication, and his group's efforts to get a "cash for work" program working in Helmand province. Right now in the book, 5 of his men just died and they are shutting down the project...
Josh and I are playing in our own world cup on Sunday.
Sunday, I am going to see a Chinese version of the musical "Hello, Dolly" or as my mom likes to call it, "Ni Hao, Dolly."
Monday we leave for Jinmen island!
So busy, so tired, need to eat, happy to be in Taiwan, still not ready to be at IU, learning Chinese, playing soccer, the weather is beautiful off and on, had tea with the parents of the girl I tutor yesterday. They loved Josh. He was charming and wonderful with Samantha, and when we left at the end of the afternoon, she cried. As a joke, her mom had said "do you want to go with Shannon?" and when we got up to leave, she said, in Taiwanese, "I thought I was going too!" I've only seen her cry once before. Then, when she knew I had to go to Chinese class, she decided that it was okay, but only if Josh stayed. We told her Josh had to go too, so she cried again! But calmed herself down and I think it was nap time.
Saving LOTS. In May, I was 300 US under my monthly budget. (that's on top of the savings I put away at the beginning of the month)
I have four hours of training today. Josh will be there.
I'm getting help on Econ from some grad students at IU. Thank goodness!
I'm reading a book called Opium Season about poppy eradication, and his group's efforts to get a "cash for work" program working in Helmand province. Right now in the book, 5 of his men just died and they are shutting down the project...
Josh and I are playing in our own world cup on Sunday.
Sunday, I am going to see a Chinese version of the musical "Hello, Dolly" or as my mom likes to call it, "Ni Hao, Dolly."
Monday we leave for Jinmen island!
So busy, so tired, need to eat, happy to be in Taiwan, still not ready to be at IU, learning Chinese, playing soccer, the weather is beautiful off and on, had tea with the parents of the girl I tutor yesterday. They loved Josh. He was charming and wonderful with Samantha, and when we left at the end of the afternoon, she cried. As a joke, her mom had said "do you want to go with Shannon?" and when we got up to leave, she said, in Taiwanese, "I thought I was going too!" I've only seen her cry once before. Then, when she knew I had to go to Chinese class, she decided that it was okay, but only if Josh stayed. We told her Josh had to go too, so she cried again! But calmed herself down and I think it was nap time.
Saving LOTS. In May, I was 300 US under my monthly budget. (that's on top of the savings I put away at the beginning of the month)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Indiana
I'm moving to Indiana in 2 and half months and I have a house and a housemate (who's totally cool) and I'm getting excited. This is running through my head...Straight No Chaser, "Indiana Christmas"
The moonlight shines on the sycamores
Now they are calling to me
In the city it's snowing, the sidewalks glowing
But there's somewhere I'd rather be
Thousands of people all walking by
Somehow I'm still alone
I'm gonna spend winter my way
Get on the highway
I'm ready to find the way home
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
This time of year
You know how I feel
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
Where Christmas will always be real
We'll build up a fire, tell a story or two
With good friends we always invite
The old and young come together as one
And we sing into the night
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
This time of year
You know how I feel
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
Where Christmas will always be real
And I remember those who are gone
Looking down on my home from above
Deep in December it's where I belong
Sharing the days with the ones who i love
Indiana (echo)
Indiana (echo)
Where Christmas will always be real
The moonlight shines on the sycamores
And now they are calling to me
The moonlight shines on the sycamores
Now they are calling to me
In the city it's snowing, the sidewalks glowing
But there's somewhere I'd rather be
Thousands of people all walking by
Somehow I'm still alone
I'm gonna spend winter my way
Get on the highway
I'm ready to find the way home
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
This time of year
You know how I feel
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
Where Christmas will always be real
We'll build up a fire, tell a story or two
With good friends we always invite
The old and young come together as one
And we sing into the night
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
This time of year
You know how I feel
(Indiana)
That's where I'm going
Where Christmas will always be real
And I remember those who are gone
Looking down on my home from above
Deep in December it's where I belong
Sharing the days with the ones who i love
Indiana (echo)
Indiana (echo)
Where Christmas will always be real
The moonlight shines on the sycamores
And now they are calling to me
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Dakeng and Do Liu
This morning (Monday) I woke up, my body still witness to the effects of this weekend...On Saturday, Josh met me after work. After a long lunch, we drove up into the mountains to "Dakeng Scenic Area," known for it's numerous trails and adventures. It is only 30 minutes from our apt, but we've never really managed to get there successfully (we tried once and ended up somewhere else). We found trail 2, which I had heard of because of it's ropes. It was about 4:30 when we started, and quite overcast. The trail led us up into the mountains, quickly. The whole thing is built of logs-a staircase through the mountains, hand rails on either side, and sometimes steep drops there too. It was grueling the first few inclines, as my muscles got used to the vertical and my brain got used to the height. We found a pace and settled in, agreeing we would turn back before it got dark.
The insects were incredible. A tiny shrimp-like thing, almost sheer, with a neon blue tail the likes of fake Christmas tree trim. A praying mantis an inch long, her tail like a scorpion, perfectly camouflaged to the green around her. A tiny (pinky-nail sized) white creature, with four feather-like appendages sticking straight up from it's back. And cicadas. Making a most ridiculous racket, louder than the city below.
After an argument about when "before dark" was, I finally convinced Josh to turn around and head home. As we returned to the cement beginning of the trail, we saw several people watching the trees. Indeed, there were at least three monkeys, meters off the path. How funny that in our hour+ in the mountains there were no monkeys. Only when we could see the metal house of a vendor were there monkeys. Interesting really. But the insects were incredible.
We returned home, made dinner, watched a movie, and read books. Sunday, we left around 11 for the train station. Met our soccer team in Taichung and caught a train to Do Liu. We had a make-shift soccer tournament with three other teams. The field looked like a prairie...it was badly in need of a haircut. We played well, but not nearly as well as I would have liked. We lost a very frustrating team that we should have crushed, but had a lot of fun. One team we played was a local concoction of players. During this game we switched positions and let everyone play where they wanted. After putting in my time at defense, our goal keeper (now playing striker), switched so I could play up top. Two minutes later, and 1 minute before the end of the game, a cross came in and I scored! It might have been a sloppy goal, but it was well placed and well intentioned. Pretty exciting, as all the boys had been saying that today I'd get my goal. Jokes were made that Josh would now sit on the bench and I'd be a starting forward. It felt good to play well for a day. I had a few good tackles, caught a few guys on breakaways, etc. Felt like part of the team. I even started two (of three) games. Of course it was only for a day when we were playing crappy teams and our whole team wasn't present, but still makes for a good Sunday.
So indeed, I'm tired and sore and not ready for another week to begin...
The insects were incredible. A tiny shrimp-like thing, almost sheer, with a neon blue tail the likes of fake Christmas tree trim. A praying mantis an inch long, her tail like a scorpion, perfectly camouflaged to the green around her. A tiny (pinky-nail sized) white creature, with four feather-like appendages sticking straight up from it's back. And cicadas. Making a most ridiculous racket, louder than the city below.
After an argument about when "before dark" was, I finally convinced Josh to turn around and head home. As we returned to the cement beginning of the trail, we saw several people watching the trees. Indeed, there were at least three monkeys, meters off the path. How funny that in our hour+ in the mountains there were no monkeys. Only when we could see the metal house of a vendor were there monkeys. Interesting really. But the insects were incredible.
We returned home, made dinner, watched a movie, and read books. Sunday, we left around 11 for the train station. Met our soccer team in Taichung and caught a train to Do Liu. We had a make-shift soccer tournament with three other teams. The field looked like a prairie...it was badly in need of a haircut. We played well, but not nearly as well as I would have liked. We lost a very frustrating team that we should have crushed, but had a lot of fun. One team we played was a local concoction of players. During this game we switched positions and let everyone play where they wanted. After putting in my time at defense, our goal keeper (now playing striker), switched so I could play up top. Two minutes later, and 1 minute before the end of the game, a cross came in and I scored! It might have been a sloppy goal, but it was well placed and well intentioned. Pretty exciting, as all the boys had been saying that today I'd get my goal. Jokes were made that Josh would now sit on the bench and I'd be a starting forward. It felt good to play well for a day. I had a few good tackles, caught a few guys on breakaways, etc. Felt like part of the team. I even started two (of three) games. Of course it was only for a day when we were playing crappy teams and our whole team wasn't present, but still makes for a good Sunday.
So indeed, I'm tired and sore and not ready for another week to begin...
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Joe's Trader Joe's
I got the best surprise on Wednesday! After soccer practice I came home to a big package from Don and Barbara, full of delicious things to eat. I've started eating at home a lot more, and craving salsa, jams, etc that aren't super processed and expensive. This Trader Joe's bounty was amazing. THEN yesterday I got the second box...wow wow wow.
Things are going well. I have found a potential roommate, and we are in the stage of seeing if we would be good housemates. More to come once it's settled.
We have a soccer tournament this weekend on Sunday. New town!
Things are going well. I have found a potential roommate, and we are in the stage of seeing if we would be good housemates. More to come once it's settled.
We have a soccer tournament this weekend on Sunday. New town!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
I'm Dancin' and Singin' in the Rain...
Good week. Had a performance day in one of my classes that went pretty well. Yesterday our friends had a goodbye party for their house, which they are being forced to move from three months before they are leaving Taiwan. It was a wonderful pot luck and I'm proud to say that my lovely boyfriend danced with me and left me swooning. Great food, friends, and motivation to get our scooter headlights fixed...the mountains are quite dark at night.
Today it absolutely poured down rain. I'm sure it is nothing compared to a typhoon, but it was windy and wet. Thunder heard in the distance for the first time since I've been here.
Spent the day reading, grading homework, watching Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (originally to show Josh "Singin in the rain", watching WW2 propaganda films, and we plan to watch a movie before sleep ends the day. Made a trip under umbrellas to our favorite dumpling and rice places, and picked up some vegetables from the grocery store (no markets today). No reason to be on a scooter in this weather!!
Time to study Economics and Chinese for a productive note in a rainy Sunday.
Today it absolutely poured down rain. I'm sure it is nothing compared to a typhoon, but it was windy and wet. Thunder heard in the distance for the first time since I've been here.
Spent the day reading, grading homework, watching Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (originally to show Josh "Singin in the rain", watching WW2 propaganda films, and we plan to watch a movie before sleep ends the day. Made a trip under umbrellas to our favorite dumpling and rice places, and picked up some vegetables from the grocery store (no markets today). No reason to be on a scooter in this weather!!
Time to study Economics and Chinese for a productive note in a rainy Sunday.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The End of the Road
This morning Josh and I left for another mountain adventure. We have been to Dashueshan Forest Recreation Area several times before, mostly driving through foggy, chilly mountains hoping for a glimpse beyond the next hill. We drove thousands of meters into the air today along familiar road, then kept going until the road petered out at a path that led to a sacred tree. This tree was 1400 years old, had a diameter of 4 meters, and a perimeter of 13. Incredible in size and majesty, we hiked for a bit in it's pine forest, feeling the soft give of old needles below.
Today was a wonderful day of smells. of Rhodedendrons just finishing their bloom, of pine needles, and of old rotting logs that split under foot.
On our drive up we spotted a man along the side of the road in full camouflage with his enormous camera lens disguised as the forest. I assured Josh he was waiting for the Mikado pheasant, an elusive species endemic to Taiwan. Five hours later, as we were driving back down the mountain, we were surprised to see a crowd where just this man had been before. There, two feet from the road were both male and female mikado pheasant. We hurridly joined the group, binoculars and cameras in hand. This bird cannot be justified with pictures, and was a species I was sure was going to elude me in Taiwan. It's striking blue feathers, black and white markings on the wings, vibrant red around the eye, exquisite, long tail-feathers, and shy composure win this bird a spot on the 1000 NT note. I nearly cried as I watched it feed silently near us.
Of course I couldn't explain to those around me that I had wished to see this bird for months, but had relegated myself to pictures. I think those around me were excited that a foreigner was so interested in their bird, for I caught at least several women taking pictures of ME while I was looking at the bird. It's such a wonderful thing to see people so excited about these two, relatively small creatures.
And now I am thinking about Charlie as I remember the vibrant blue of the male and the muted brown of the female and the words from Hair,
"I would just like to say...that it is my conviction
That longer hair and other flamboyant affectations
Of appearance are nothing more
Than the male`s emergence from his drab camoflage
Into the gaudy plumage
Which is the birthright of his sex"
So we descended from the chilly mountain humidity to the sticky night of Fengyuan and are gearing up for another week. That pheasant has haunted my thoughts thus far...
Today was a wonderful day of smells. of Rhodedendrons just finishing their bloom, of pine needles, and of old rotting logs that split under foot.
On our drive up we spotted a man along the side of the road in full camouflage with his enormous camera lens disguised as the forest. I assured Josh he was waiting for the Mikado pheasant, an elusive species endemic to Taiwan. Five hours later, as we were driving back down the mountain, we were surprised to see a crowd where just this man had been before. There, two feet from the road were both male and female mikado pheasant. We hurridly joined the group, binoculars and cameras in hand. This bird cannot be justified with pictures, and was a species I was sure was going to elude me in Taiwan. It's striking blue feathers, black and white markings on the wings, vibrant red around the eye, exquisite, long tail-feathers, and shy composure win this bird a spot on the 1000 NT note. I nearly cried as I watched it feed silently near us.
Of course I couldn't explain to those around me that I had wished to see this bird for months, but had relegated myself to pictures. I think those around me were excited that a foreigner was so interested in their bird, for I caught at least several women taking pictures of ME while I was looking at the bird. It's such a wonderful thing to see people so excited about these two, relatively small creatures.
And now I am thinking about Charlie as I remember the vibrant blue of the male and the muted brown of the female and the words from Hair,
"I would just like to say...that it is my conviction
That longer hair and other flamboyant affectations
Of appearance are nothing more
Than the male`s emergence from his drab camoflage
Into the gaudy plumage
Which is the birthright of his sex"
So we descended from the chilly mountain humidity to the sticky night of Fengyuan and are gearing up for another week. That pheasant has haunted my thoughts thus far...
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Foreigner Card
Today was a pretty good morning actually. It's Saturday first off. I woke up at 6:30, met my ride at 7:30, and ended up at a junior high school in the mountains at 8. The teacher who normally teaches this class is doing plays (as is Teacher Josh) all day today, so i was subbing for him. The school was so cool. It's in the mountains, most of the classrooms are full of windows (and fans! no AC). The hallways are all outside (although under roofs) and there are plants and trees everywhere. It was foggy today so you couldn't see the town below. The back of the school faces a forest.
I taught two, two-hour classes of the same material. The material was sort of lame, but with adverbs of frequency you can make fun of anyone...like "you never wash your hands?!" and "How often does your mom brush your teeth." Anyway, the classes both went really well-just pick out the loud, obnoxious junior high school boys and make fun of them. Everyone is laughing and having a good time.
I'm sure it's not this easy on a normal day, but I was a substitute, and they are junior high school students, which means they are really curious about me. So there you have the foreigner card-there's a new white girl in front of us making fun of the popular boys. This is hilarious. So they were surprisingly energetic for a Saturday morning and it was overall a good time.
Back home for a minute before trying to find out where Josh's plays are. We'll hopefully meet for lunch soon, and then I'll go watch a grueling 2 hours of little kids putting on English plays...I'm pretty excited to see Josh's play in final form!
I taught two, two-hour classes of the same material. The material was sort of lame, but with adverbs of frequency you can make fun of anyone...like "you never wash your hands?!" and "How often does your mom brush your teeth." Anyway, the classes both went really well-just pick out the loud, obnoxious junior high school boys and make fun of them. Everyone is laughing and having a good time.
I'm sure it's not this easy on a normal day, but I was a substitute, and they are junior high school students, which means they are really curious about me. So there you have the foreigner card-there's a new white girl in front of us making fun of the popular boys. This is hilarious. So they were surprisingly energetic for a Saturday morning and it was overall a good time.
Back home for a minute before trying to find out where Josh's plays are. We'll hopefully meet for lunch soon, and then I'll go watch a grueling 2 hours of little kids putting on English plays...I'm pretty excited to see Josh's play in final form!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tummy Woes
On Wednesday night, after two hours of soccer, I started to feel a little nauseous. When Josh and I stopped for gas, I quickly gave him my keys and stumbled over to some grass in a side street and lost my lunch. After three more times, including once on the street, Josh walked me to the hospital (which is less than a block away and which I didn't get to without another stop on the side of the road). Still don't know if it was food poisoning of not, but I slept for the entirety of yesterday except for two hours when we went to get lunch/go to the bank, and two hours when Josh brought me dinner.
It's Friday morning and I'm feeling a bit better. Still a little weak and tired, but overall less shaky. Glad it's almost over!
It's Friday morning and I'm feeling a bit better. Still a little weak and tired, but overall less shaky. Glad it's almost over!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
I want a girl, just like the girl, that married dear OLD dad ;0)
Happy Mother's Day to Mom and Grandma and all my aunts and psuedo moms and the women in my life and the women in the lives of my friends for loving and setting good examples (of what not to do ;0).
This weekend was wonderful despite moodiness. On Saturday we visited a friend at her mountain home for a delicious lunch of salad, bread, and fruit. She and another friend live in a log cabin community a drive out of Fengyuan. We spent the afternoon discussing British politics (She's from Devonshire) and a bit of American nonsense thrown in there. Saturday evening we laid low and I accidentally bought 300 dollar fish (10 US).
Sunday we actually got up early and were in Taichung for lunch. We went to a restaurant owned by a Chinese teacher at my school. Then we went to the Taichung Art Museum, which had mostly modern art that we didn't understand and didn't provoke many emotions other than being creeped out. There were a couple of galleries dedicated to traditional Chinese ink paintings which were beautiful and steal worthy.
After the museum we went to soccer practice (on the north side of Taichung). Low turnout, so 5 on 5. The humidity and heat was killer, causing fatigue lasting through now and predictable until tomorrow. After soccer we cleaned up at the field and went back into Taichung to go to the major bookstore with friend, Justin. No luck in finding a good Egypt guide (I already got Josh the Lonely Planet for our anniversary, but we were seeking a second opinion.) Then to Subway (weird) and home to call our Mommies!
Sunday we actually got up early and were in Taichung for lunch. We went to a restaurant owned by a Chinese teacher at my school. Then we went to the Taichung Art Museum, which had mostly modern art that we didn't understand and didn't provoke many emotions other than being creeped out. There were a couple of galleries dedicated to traditional Chinese ink paintings which were beautiful and steal worthy.
After the museum we went to soccer practice (on the north side of Taichung). Low turnout, so 5 on 5. The humidity and heat was killer, causing fatigue lasting through now and predictable until tomorrow. After soccer we cleaned up at the field and went back into Taichung to go to the major bookstore with friend, Justin. No luck in finding a good Egypt guide (I already got Josh the Lonely Planet for our anniversary, but we were seeking a second opinion.) Then to Subway (weird) and home to call our Mommies!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
I've had a few crosses into the center of the field, and maybe a few assists, some significance in the defense, but only once have a scored a goal playing here. That was probably three months ago. Last night I had a shot on goal that almost went it, save a balancing act by their keeper. It was just practice, but I think sometimes I'm earning approximately the respect I deserve (not just an empty pair of cleats...and not the player that Josh is).
Anyway, the weather here is HOT. Yesterday I wore a cotton dress but it was so humid that the cloth just stuck to my legs. Putting it on after soccer practice was a dumb idea for the same reason. Today it's a bit cooler, but still damp. The summer has begun and it's going to be long. It's supposed to get up to 32 (89.6 F)today, and today is colder by a long shot than yesterday. Our hopes of cool weather only come tomorrow, with an 80% chance of rain. Which is terribly inconvenient on a scooter.
Anyway, the weather here is HOT. Yesterday I wore a cotton dress but it was so humid that the cloth just stuck to my legs. Putting it on after soccer practice was a dumb idea for the same reason. Today it's a bit cooler, but still damp. The summer has begun and it's going to be long. It's supposed to get up to 32 (89.6 F)today, and today is colder by a long shot than yesterday. Our hopes of cool weather only come tomorrow, with an 80% chance of rain. Which is terribly inconvenient on a scooter.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Sometimes I feel at home
Josh often asks me, as we return from an overnight trip, "does it feel like home yet?"
Because my schedule is so disjointed with all of my friends, sometimes I sit at home without fully embracing life in Fengyuan. and subbing kindy didn't help, as my only free time was taken with lunch out with Josh or two hours in Taichung during which I graded homework. Every morning I tutor, which is good to get me out of the house. And this morning I went to the kindy early to laminate some things (I subbed for a friend yesterday and Monday).
Today, on the way home from tutoring, I stopped to buy vegetables from the woman with the truck and table of vegetables. Every day these shop keepers (laoban) set up vegetable stands along the road between the railroad tracks and the inner ring road. In Chinese class we are learning a lot about foods, how to ask for things, and how to ask the price. So, I said "please give me one jin of tomatoes (a jin in 600 grams...), a loaf of cucumber (seriously, the measure word for bread (actually, they call it toast), banana, and cucumber are all the same because they are long), and this thing (brocolli...I don't know how to say it in chinese). Yes, I want that (the stalk)." Total price, 95 NT or aprox. 3 US dollars.
The tomatoes and cucumber are marinating in the fridge in some dressing compliments of Mom bringing me a packet of Italian dressing powder.
THEN, the next "stand" over, really a card table, was selling flowers. Maybe sweet peas? and roses. So I asked "how much for this" (a whole bundle). 100 NT-too rich for my blood. "How much is 1?"
Aside: Chinese is difficult. Here's why. First of all, your inflection has to be perfect, or you end up saying nonsense, or worse, curse words. For example, Lin (second tone) Laoshi (teacher) means Teacher Lin. Lin (first tone) Laoshi (teacher) means something that noone will tell me because it's so bad...I think it means something like "screw you teacher" to be said when angry.
SECOND, they have a measure word for everything. "ge" is the generic one you can use most of the time..."Wo yao ei ge mian bao." I want one bread. (Bread means roll here, toast means bread in loaf form...I don't know what they call bread after it's been toasted...they don't seem to think that's toast.) We say "one" cucumber. They say "one loaf" cucumber. So we say "a head" of broccoli, and there's another measure word for that. Maybe in the US you walk into a restaurant and say "Give me a coke." Here, you have to specify between bottle (ping) and cup (bei) and can (not sure if it's ping or bei)...even if you don't KNOW or CARE about the container.
Basically, you can't say "Give me one." You have to add a word onto one that describes the thing you want. Which is fine because I mostly say "ei ge" and they understand. But I'm getting to the point where I can sort of understand what people are saying, or at least follow it a little. So today I want one flower, and the shopkeeper (laoban) says, "ni yao ei zi hua ma?" (You want one flower?...hua is flower, ma is the question mark that you actually say) It's fast, but I hear it! Ah ha! Zi is the measure word for flower. So I used it in conversation with the flower lady. Sounds trivial to you, but that's a big deal to me :0D
Back to the story: Then this lady next to me starts asking if I speak Chinese, I say"...uh...a little." They laugh. Next question. "Are you married?" I say I don't understand. They say "husband." I say, "Haha, I don't have a husband." Then she touches my waist and in English, says "beautiful" and the woman behind the table makes the typical womanly figure shape. I blush and laugh. Say "xie xie" (thank you) and as I'm getting on my scooter, the younger girl (my age) who spoke English pretty well, hands me a rose and says in English, "for you."
And that's why I like Taiwan. Because people are really freakin nice, if not a little nosey. I'm fine with nosey...and the nice is much appreciated.
Because my schedule is so disjointed with all of my friends, sometimes I sit at home without fully embracing life in Fengyuan. and subbing kindy didn't help, as my only free time was taken with lunch out with Josh or two hours in Taichung during which I graded homework. Every morning I tutor, which is good to get me out of the house. And this morning I went to the kindy early to laminate some things (I subbed for a friend yesterday and Monday).
Today, on the way home from tutoring, I stopped to buy vegetables from the woman with the truck and table of vegetables. Every day these shop keepers (laoban) set up vegetable stands along the road between the railroad tracks and the inner ring road. In Chinese class we are learning a lot about foods, how to ask for things, and how to ask the price. So, I said "please give me one jin of tomatoes (a jin in 600 grams...), a loaf of cucumber (seriously, the measure word for bread (actually, they call it toast), banana, and cucumber are all the same because they are long), and this thing (brocolli...I don't know how to say it in chinese). Yes, I want that (the stalk)." Total price, 95 NT or aprox. 3 US dollars.
The tomatoes and cucumber are marinating in the fridge in some dressing compliments of Mom bringing me a packet of Italian dressing powder.
THEN, the next "stand" over, really a card table, was selling flowers. Maybe sweet peas? and roses. So I asked "how much for this" (a whole bundle). 100 NT-too rich for my blood. "How much is 1?"
Aside: Chinese is difficult. Here's why. First of all, your inflection has to be perfect, or you end up saying nonsense, or worse, curse words. For example, Lin (second tone) Laoshi (teacher) means Teacher Lin. Lin (first tone) Laoshi (teacher) means something that noone will tell me because it's so bad...I think it means something like "screw you teacher" to be said when angry.
SECOND, they have a measure word for everything. "ge" is the generic one you can use most of the time..."Wo yao ei ge mian bao." I want one bread. (Bread means roll here, toast means bread in loaf form...I don't know what they call bread after it's been toasted...they don't seem to think that's toast.) We say "one" cucumber. They say "one loaf" cucumber. So we say "a head" of broccoli, and there's another measure word for that. Maybe in the US you walk into a restaurant and say "Give me a coke." Here, you have to specify between bottle (ping) and cup (bei) and can (not sure if it's ping or bei)...even if you don't KNOW or CARE about the container.
Basically, you can't say "Give me one." You have to add a word onto one that describes the thing you want. Which is fine because I mostly say "ei ge" and they understand. But I'm getting to the point where I can sort of understand what people are saying, or at least follow it a little. So today I want one flower, and the shopkeeper (laoban) says, "ni yao ei zi hua ma?" (You want one flower?...hua is flower, ma is the question mark that you actually say) It's fast, but I hear it! Ah ha! Zi is the measure word for flower. So I used it in conversation with the flower lady. Sounds trivial to you, but that's a big deal to me :0D
Back to the story: Then this lady next to me starts asking if I speak Chinese, I say"...uh...a little." They laugh. Next question. "Are you married?" I say I don't understand. They say "husband." I say, "Haha, I don't have a husband." Then she touches my waist and in English, says "beautiful" and the woman behind the table makes the typical womanly figure shape. I blush and laugh. Say "xie xie" (thank you) and as I'm getting on my scooter, the younger girl (my age) who spoke English pretty well, hands me a rose and says in English, "for you."
And that's why I like Taiwan. Because people are really freakin nice, if not a little nosey. I'm fine with nosey...and the nice is much appreciated.
Monday, May 3, 2010
profundity
Moments like these make my day...
today I subbed a yoyo class for my friend...this means I taught a 14 student class or 2 year olds. The sentence pattern was "I love you" so I spent the day hugging kids and singing "skidamarink." Then this afternoon I got an e-mail from a student who is 2 months from graduating. The best student in this class. Here is his note:
Hello teacher.
This is my first letter for you.
About the story book, it said fate can't be changed.
I agree it, and I think all of our changes are our fate.
How do you think?
Be happy every day.
Your student
today I subbed a yoyo class for my friend...this means I taught a 14 student class or 2 year olds. The sentence pattern was "I love you" so I spent the day hugging kids and singing "skidamarink." Then this afternoon I got an e-mail from a student who is 2 months from graduating. The best student in this class. Here is his note:
Hello teacher.
This is my first letter for you.
About the story book, it said fate can't be changed.
I agree it, and I think all of our changes are our fate.
How do you think?
Be happy every day.
Your student
Go Hoosiers!
Not sure if I've made it public: I will be attending Indiana University (in Bloomington)'s School of Public and Environmental Affairs in the fall. I'll be pursuing my PhD in environmental policy.
Josh is going to American University law school to get his JD with a focus in international law (or maybe how national security interests and civil rights coordinate or conflict). He hopes to pursue a masters degree in his second and third year at law school...again with interests in terrorism, international law, US national security...I think oil and asia still play a role in his studies.
We will be back in the states in the middle or August, together making a brief stop (a day or two) at our respective parents' homes in the process of moving our lives 1000 miles apart... thank goodness for skype and gmail and cell phones and cars and airplanes and love, huh?
Josh is going to American University law school to get his JD with a focus in international law (or maybe how national security interests and civil rights coordinate or conflict). He hopes to pursue a masters degree in his second and third year at law school...again with interests in terrorism, international law, US national security...I think oil and asia still play a role in his studies.
We will be back in the states in the middle or August, together making a brief stop (a day or two) at our respective parents' homes in the process of moving our lives 1000 miles apart... thank goodness for skype and gmail and cell phones and cars and airplanes and love, huh?
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Dancing Fools
Yesterday, Josh and I spent the evening choreographing a hip-hop dance for his tree-house 6 play. How do you make hip-hop easy to learn and non-sexual...I hope we did it...the play goes on in 2 weeks and we haven't made a dance for "You're the one that I want" from Grease yet...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Language Exchange-Can someone please give me Chinese?
all quiet here. Josh and I had a quiet weekend of movies and a soccer game. A nice respite from our three weekends on the road (including Thailand/Cambodia). Since kindy ended last Wednesday, I've aggressively cleaned parts of the apartment, studied a lot of chinese, and actually talked to my parents for once. I've returned to my daily tutoring job.
This afternoon we will have a couch-surfer come stay with us for two days. I'm excited about having a guest!
Josh and I are taking a chinese class now. We meet once a week for two hours with our teacher. Just the two of us which means lots of practice. Our teacher is quite funny, and understands that we want to move quickly, so she goes through the material in the book at a clip. Then, we talk about other interesting things we can say based off of the book. I also set up a language exchange for us with a coworker at my school. She lives in Fengyuan, so we meet for an hour on Tuesday and two hours on Friday. She helps us with pronunciation, asks us questions (quickly), and listens to Josh and I talk to each other. We ask extra questions, etc. It's a great way to study the material in advance. It's a pretty one sided exchange-she hasn't asked much of us in the way of English education.
I've also set up a one-hour language exchange with another friend of mine for Wednesdays. I have a two hour break in Fengyuan from 4-6, so she and I will go out for an hour in between. Yesterday we went to the fruit stand and I learned how to read the prices - 3 for 100 dollars, or 1 jin (a measure word meaning 600 grams) for 12 dollars. This way I can actually comparison shop!
Time to face the day. Training today for two hours, then a four hour break in Taichung (what a waste of time), and then class. Without kindy, it's a pretty good life.
This afternoon we will have a couch-surfer come stay with us for two days. I'm excited about having a guest!
Josh and I are taking a chinese class now. We meet once a week for two hours with our teacher. Just the two of us which means lots of practice. Our teacher is quite funny, and understands that we want to move quickly, so she goes through the material in the book at a clip. Then, we talk about other interesting things we can say based off of the book. I also set up a language exchange for us with a coworker at my school. She lives in Fengyuan, so we meet for an hour on Tuesday and two hours on Friday. She helps us with pronunciation, asks us questions (quickly), and listens to Josh and I talk to each other. We ask extra questions, etc. It's a great way to study the material in advance. It's a pretty one sided exchange-she hasn't asked much of us in the way of English education.
I've also set up a one-hour language exchange with another friend of mine for Wednesdays. I have a two hour break in Fengyuan from 4-6, so she and I will go out for an hour in between. Yesterday we went to the fruit stand and I learned how to read the prices - 3 for 100 dollars, or 1 jin (a measure word meaning 600 grams) for 12 dollars. This way I can actually comparison shop!
Time to face the day. Training today for two hours, then a four hour break in Taichung (what a waste of time), and then class. Without kindy, it's a pretty good life.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Taipei Times
After a loong week, we spent a lovely weekend in Taipei. Leaving after work on Saturday, we arrived in Taipei late afternoon. After checking into our hostel, we spent the first few hours trying to find and then enjoying food. Our attempts to find a mexican restaurant that was in our Lonely Planet failed when we got to the corner only to be told there was a restaurant there a few months ago. Then off to a small Taiwanese-run western food dive with fajitas and creamy tomato soup (my first in Taiwan) and, oh to our pleasant surprise, Dr. Pepper. Our soda of choice, it was maybe a bit pathetic to see our excitement over this find.
Our trip was inspired by contact from a friend of Josh's from his study abroad in India (2007). She and her boyfriend had flown in from Italy on business, and asked if we wanted to have dinner Saturday night. We heard from them around 9, after they got out of a business function, so we met them at the famous Shilin night market, and after a very brief walk, settled down at a little tea shop to catch up/meet each other.
Today we went to the Taipei botanical gardens, a shockingly serene and beautiful respite from the bustling city of fishnets (here considered cute more than sexy)and blinking neon signs in Chinese. The drizzle put a special mystique over the adventure. At the lotus pond, we spotted two Malay (or Malaysian) night herons, a black crowned night heron, what I am assuming to be a great egret (maybe an intermediate), a white-breasted waterhen (new species), several common moorhens (n.s), a gray treepie (n.s), many light-vented bulbuls, and one thrush-type and two ducks I have yet to (can't) identify. On the train north I spotted many cattle egrets in breeeding plumage-beautiful orange fealthers on the chest and neck.
After the gardens, we found our way to a singapore style restaurant where we studied chinese (bpmf) and ate some good food. Then to Eslite bookstore, the largest store of the chain. Josh sought a book in Chinese that he can set as his goal, and Animal Farm struck us as an appropriate choice. Then to coldstone for a guilty indulgence and back on the bus home.
Wednesday is the last day that I sub kindy! I am thrilled at the prospect of having free time again-on tuesday and thursday I don't teach until 7pm!
Time for some rest before the final push toward freedom.
Our trip was inspired by contact from a friend of Josh's from his study abroad in India (2007). She and her boyfriend had flown in from Italy on business, and asked if we wanted to have dinner Saturday night. We heard from them around 9, after they got out of a business function, so we met them at the famous Shilin night market, and after a very brief walk, settled down at a little tea shop to catch up/meet each other.
Today we went to the Taipei botanical gardens, a shockingly serene and beautiful respite from the bustling city of fishnets (here considered cute more than sexy)and blinking neon signs in Chinese. The drizzle put a special mystique over the adventure. At the lotus pond, we spotted two Malay (or Malaysian) night herons, a black crowned night heron, what I am assuming to be a great egret (maybe an intermediate), a white-breasted waterhen (new species), several common moorhens (n.s), a gray treepie (n.s), many light-vented bulbuls, and one thrush-type and two ducks I have yet to (can't) identify. On the train north I spotted many cattle egrets in breeeding plumage-beautiful orange fealthers on the chest and neck.
After the gardens, we found our way to a singapore style restaurant where we studied chinese (bpmf) and ate some good food. Then to Eslite bookstore, the largest store of the chain. Josh sought a book in Chinese that he can set as his goal, and Animal Farm struck us as an appropriate choice. Then to coldstone for a guilty indulgence and back on the bus home.
Wednesday is the last day that I sub kindy! I am thrilled at the prospect of having free time again-on tuesday and thursday I don't teach until 7pm!
Time for some rest before the final push toward freedom.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tainan Tourney
We had a tournament this weekend. I had to miss the first two games because of work, and then I spent way too much money taking the high speed rail down. BUT, it was fun for the most part. I didn't think Josh and I would still have to deal with silly drunken irresponsible team mates once we were out of college, but it seems that never ends. Still, we had a good time. The weather was great-warm and sunny with some actual blue skies (it's been mostly overcast here).
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Ankor WHAT?!
Josh and I returned on Wednesday night from a quick jaunt to Thailand and Cambodia. Truly, quick is an apt word. We left Taipei Saturday evening, to get into Bankok at around 9. After a bus, taxi (I think), and skytrain, we found a hotel to crash in for four hours. Sunday, we caught the 5:30 bus to the Thailand-Cambodia border, where we ate delicious rice noodles with shrimp and peanuts, and caught a tuktuk. Right before we reached the actual border, the tuk tuk turned off on a side road where a guy tried to convince us that "this is the border" and we needed to pay 1200 bat (40$) to get our visa. After we politely said "no" for about five minutes, the tuk tuk driver got back in drove us two minutes to the real border. We got our visa (20$), waited in hot lines for stamps, and entered Cambodia.
At the border, we met a couple from California, so we shared a taxi to Siep Reap, about a two hour drive from the border. The road had just been paved within the last year or so. Before that, it was known to have been a 6-14 hour trip, depending on the rain. We made excellent time on Sunday, and had over two hours to go to the park, get our pass, and visit some of the temples. We watched the sunset over the jungle from atop one of the temples. After, we went to a buffet and performance, where we watched traditional Cambodian dance from the second row.
Monday we spent the entire day in the park. We met our tuk tuk driver at 5 and drove to Ankor Wat for sunrise. (aside here: the temples and ruins around Siem Reap all have different names, were commissioned by different Khmer rulers, and had separate villages and hundreds of thousands of people around them. Ankor Thum is one such city center. Ankor Wat is the associated temple.) We went back to the guest house for breakfast and then back to the park for about 10 hours of templeing. During the heat of the day (which, I assure you, was HOT), we found a great little "restaurant" where we got noodles and rice and watch tourists go by. Talked with our driver a bit about Khmer customs. Went shopping a little at the stands.
We completed our day where we began, further exploring Ankor Wat and watching the sun set on its other side. After the park closed at 6:30, our driver took us to a local "restaurant" that where he often eats. Delicious food. We got four meals between the three of us, Josh got a coke, I got a fresh mango shake (I mean really fresh). The whole thing cost 6 US dollars.
I think we went to sleep after that. Tuesday we woke up early again and drove about 10 km outside of Siem Reap to the oldest of the ruins (a distance from the rest). This ancient temple (circa 1000 BCE) sits atop an interesting rock mountain that juts up from the surrounding, flat countryside. From the top, we could see Lake Tonle Sap, the biggest lake in southeast asia. It was the dry season when we were there, so all of the dwellings around us were on stilts sticking out of the visible ground. During the wet season, the Mekong floods so much that the flow of the lake is reversed and thus quadruples in size, spilling out in the surrounding countryside. The roads are on dikes. The houses 8 feet in the air.
Tuesday around noon we took a car back to Aranyaprathet (at the border), walked across to Thailand, and then took another bus to Bangkok. That evening we found food at a little shop. Humorous to me, it was the only bad food I'd had on our trip...and it was in the only restaurant that would meet western standards of "decency." Crap food though. Air conditioning that Josh appreciated. In the morning, we walked around a bit, went to a book store where Josh bought a National Geographic in Thai (to add to the collection). Saw the riot police waiting for the red shirts to block the streets and storm the airport (if you've been following the news, we just missed some crazy events that have gone down in Bangkok).
Overall a fantastic trip; we didn't feel rushed in our two days at Ankor and we saw all that we wanted to. Spent too much money but returned home to pay day-I worked 3/2 the normal number of hours this month, so the paycheck will certainly cover our trip. Pictures on facebook :0)
At the border, we met a couple from California, so we shared a taxi to Siep Reap, about a two hour drive from the border. The road had just been paved within the last year or so. Before that, it was known to have been a 6-14 hour trip, depending on the rain. We made excellent time on Sunday, and had over two hours to go to the park, get our pass, and visit some of the temples. We watched the sunset over the jungle from atop one of the temples. After, we went to a buffet and performance, where we watched traditional Cambodian dance from the second row.
Monday we spent the entire day in the park. We met our tuk tuk driver at 5 and drove to Ankor Wat for sunrise. (aside here: the temples and ruins around Siem Reap all have different names, were commissioned by different Khmer rulers, and had separate villages and hundreds of thousands of people around them. Ankor Thum is one such city center. Ankor Wat is the associated temple.) We went back to the guest house for breakfast and then back to the park for about 10 hours of templeing. During the heat of the day (which, I assure you, was HOT), we found a great little "restaurant" where we got noodles and rice and watch tourists go by. Talked with our driver a bit about Khmer customs. Went shopping a little at the stands.
We completed our day where we began, further exploring Ankor Wat and watching the sun set on its other side. After the park closed at 6:30, our driver took us to a local "restaurant" that where he often eats. Delicious food. We got four meals between the three of us, Josh got a coke, I got a fresh mango shake (I mean really fresh). The whole thing cost 6 US dollars.
I think we went to sleep after that. Tuesday we woke up early again and drove about 10 km outside of Siem Reap to the oldest of the ruins (a distance from the rest). This ancient temple (circa 1000 BCE) sits atop an interesting rock mountain that juts up from the surrounding, flat countryside. From the top, we could see Lake Tonle Sap, the biggest lake in southeast asia. It was the dry season when we were there, so all of the dwellings around us were on stilts sticking out of the visible ground. During the wet season, the Mekong floods so much that the flow of the lake is reversed and thus quadruples in size, spilling out in the surrounding countryside. The roads are on dikes. The houses 8 feet in the air.
Tuesday around noon we took a car back to Aranyaprathet (at the border), walked across to Thailand, and then took another bus to Bangkok. That evening we found food at a little shop. Humorous to me, it was the only bad food I'd had on our trip...and it was in the only restaurant that would meet western standards of "decency." Crap food though. Air conditioning that Josh appreciated. In the morning, we walked around a bit, went to a book store where Josh bought a National Geographic in Thai (to add to the collection). Saw the riot police waiting for the red shirts to block the streets and storm the airport (if you've been following the news, we just missed some crazy events that have gone down in Bangkok).
Overall a fantastic trip; we didn't feel rushed in our two days at Ankor and we saw all that we wanted to. Spent too much money but returned home to pay day-I worked 3/2 the normal number of hours this month, so the paycheck will certainly cover our trip. Pictures on facebook :0)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Life and Times...are boring :0)
Kindy is going well so far...three days down and three to go for my week. I have taught 19.2 hours in the last three days...which is the number of hours I normally work in a week...the next three days are a bit lighter and I am looking forward to that.
Today we had a talent show at school. The three "big" kindy classes (5 and 6 years old) got together in the library to put on our talent show. It was overall a great success-they sat still quite well, were very interested in their friends, and only a few bugged out and didn't go. On a very self-promoting note...I talked to the branch manager after the talent show to see what she thought, and her response was "I liked it. Especially your class. No, I mean especially you." For coming in three days before the thing and planning it all for "my" class, that seems like pretty high praise. Something I needed after this long few days. I've been working I think quite hard (at least cerebrally) on my teaching (or teaching philosophy) and I'm glad to see that the cerebellum is becoming practicum.
Did I mention that at soccer on Sunday I got hit by a 150 kg. guy (intentionally). I had just stolen the ball from him, and he was...upset. put his shoulder into me and I flew like a rubber chicken. The bruise on my leg is going down. All in all, I think Josh get's beat up way more than I do but I can't get over this bruise on my leg.
Tonight we had practice which was quite fun for me. As much as I fight the "girl" image on the field, it's nice to hear everyone so supportive when I have a nice tackle or good pass. I'm getting a lot faster (and gaining weight in the process) so I'm not nearly as winded. All in all good, and I try to shake of the bad in honor of the exercise I'm getting. Still seeking constant affirmation that they want me there, but I think I'm earning my spot on the team.
Not much else to tell-haven't gone hiking in a long time because of soccer games. Going to Cambodia in a week and a half, so maybe that will be of interest. I'm pretty sure we're counting that as my birthday celebration. If only I could convince Josh to count it as my birthday gift.
Off for now; fried rice is calling
Today we had a talent show at school. The three "big" kindy classes (5 and 6 years old) got together in the library to put on our talent show. It was overall a great success-they sat still quite well, were very interested in their friends, and only a few bugged out and didn't go. On a very self-promoting note...I talked to the branch manager after the talent show to see what she thought, and her response was "I liked it. Especially your class. No, I mean especially you." For coming in three days before the thing and planning it all for "my" class, that seems like pretty high praise. Something I needed after this long few days. I've been working I think quite hard (at least cerebrally) on my teaching (or teaching philosophy) and I'm glad to see that the cerebellum is becoming practicum.
Did I mention that at soccer on Sunday I got hit by a 150 kg. guy (intentionally). I had just stolen the ball from him, and he was...upset. put his shoulder into me and I flew like a rubber chicken. The bruise on my leg is going down. All in all, I think Josh get's beat up way more than I do but I can't get over this bruise on my leg.
Tonight we had practice which was quite fun for me. As much as I fight the "girl" image on the field, it's nice to hear everyone so supportive when I have a nice tackle or good pass. I'm getting a lot faster (and gaining weight in the process) so I'm not nearly as winded. All in all good, and I try to shake of the bad in honor of the exercise I'm getting. Still seeking constant affirmation that they want me there, but I think I'm earning my spot on the team.
Not much else to tell-haven't gone hiking in a long time because of soccer games. Going to Cambodia in a week and a half, so maybe that will be of interest. I'm pretty sure we're counting that as my birthday celebration. If only I could convince Josh to count it as my birthday gift.
Off for now; fried rice is calling
Friday, March 19, 2010
I'm on the verge of a nutty and I'm unsure why. I am teaching 9 classes including a tree house that meets MWF and comes with lots of parent involvement (good and bad). I have a student who gets at least verbal abuse if she goes home with poor marks or comments in her communication book. I have a student who appears totally confident and competent in class but then goes home and forgets how to write his homework. I have a student who seems pretty secure in class and on homework but then come test time writes "No, there is't on the table" instead of "No, there aren't any blocks on the table." There are only 6 students in this class. Josh teaches the same class but has 19 students. We are envious of each other. He has tons of homework to grade and rowdy kids to control. I have no excuse if a kid gets below a 100 because it's so easy for me to spend time with them. Sometimes they just forget an "s"...sorry Ma.
I have an upper level class Saturday morning that doesn't want to be there which makes ME not want to be there. The slowest student in class had to miss three lessons because his Junior High School had make up classes on Saturday morning. So I had three make up classes with him. Couldn't he have just gotten make up classes for the make up classes at Junior High School and still come to mine? He came to take the quiz on the third make-up lesson, but he was so unprepared I studied with him for an hour and sent him home. Finally, when he did take the quiz, he was 11% points below the class average that included his grade.
I'm taking an economics class online free from MIT, and would love to spend more time doing it, but I can't because I have to grade homework. I am really interested as of now, and it's great to be back "in school."
I will hear back on Tuesday/Wednesday from the University of Indiana...one of if not the best program in the country for what I want to do...meaning that I am super nervous, not sure I'll get in, and not even sure I'd accept if I did get in. I'm liking Seattle a lot which means I'm thinking about the prospect of moving 3500 miles away from the person I intend to marry. Who I don't even see that much now and when we do we are either talking about work or eating lunch.
I am tutoring this really awesome kid. But it breaks up my morning and takes away about an hour every day.
I will start subbing kindy at Josh's school on Monday. For wednesday, I have to have my new class prepared for a kindy performance show. The "untalented" kids will be singing "sorry sorry sorry"...a very popular korean (?) song with a funny dance. I am hoping that the hugs and time with kids will be relaxing and rejuvenating like last time, but I am afraid it will just be exhausting.
I have a friend at work who is my CT for the only two classes where I teach all of the lessons. She's really hard-working, which, to me, gets to the point of overbearing. We had set up a language exchange to teach each other Chinese/English, but we just started talking about work... She has several times incorrectly corrected my students, and will interrupt their speaking to reprimand them for sitting improperly. It's hard because both of us micro manage. AND, I found out that part of the reason she is like that for Tree House is because we have six students (including a new one). This means, if one student drops out, the class closes. Talk about pressure now. No saying "no" to a parent now! (PS-their kids are 7 years old. How hard can they push them? I guess I'll see).
Okay. That's all. We have a soccer game on Sunday, and I'm hurting from Wednesday's practice. I hurt a guy, and in the process, hurt my shoulder. I have a couple of skinned knees that I'm proud of and am getting fast enough to run with some of the big boys. Now I just need to be able to play soccer...
Trying to save money, I think I have been neglecting eating enough. I'm hoping that once that starts again, I'll have more energy!
I apologize for wasting your time, but I am sick of talking to people about my classes but know I need to get my nervous energy out. I'm afraid if I keep talking about my weaker students at school, they will just think I'm a bad teacher. At some point, I expect my students to study at home.
For the most part, things ARE going well. I love Tree House, and after these make-up classes are over, I will have substantial breaks in my day. Long enough for books and walks, etc. THEN, after I finish subbing this one month of kindy, I will be back to 20 hours of class a week, with one class (7-9 pm) on T/Th. Glorious. On April 8th (Payday) I'm going to take the huge wad of cash they pay me and open a bank account. Transfer some money back home. and start SAVING again. WhooHoo!
PS-Josh and I are going to Thailand and Cambodia in April. We'll have 5 days including travel days, and about 2 full days in Siem Reap (Ankor Wat). Long and exhausting maybe, but needed and exciting!
Here's a toast to toast. Actually. With crappy blueberry jam :0) I'm Honggree!
I have an upper level class Saturday morning that doesn't want to be there which makes ME not want to be there. The slowest student in class had to miss three lessons because his Junior High School had make up classes on Saturday morning. So I had three make up classes with him. Couldn't he have just gotten make up classes for the make up classes at Junior High School and still come to mine? He came to take the quiz on the third make-up lesson, but he was so unprepared I studied with him for an hour and sent him home. Finally, when he did take the quiz, he was 11% points below the class average that included his grade.
I'm taking an economics class online free from MIT, and would love to spend more time doing it, but I can't because I have to grade homework. I am really interested as of now, and it's great to be back "in school."
I will hear back on Tuesday/Wednesday from the University of Indiana...one of if not the best program in the country for what I want to do...meaning that I am super nervous, not sure I'll get in, and not even sure I'd accept if I did get in. I'm liking Seattle a lot which means I'm thinking about the prospect of moving 3500 miles away from the person I intend to marry. Who I don't even see that much now and when we do we are either talking about work or eating lunch.
I am tutoring this really awesome kid. But it breaks up my morning and takes away about an hour every day.
I will start subbing kindy at Josh's school on Monday. For wednesday, I have to have my new class prepared for a kindy performance show. The "untalented" kids will be singing "sorry sorry sorry"...a very popular korean (?) song with a funny dance. I am hoping that the hugs and time with kids will be relaxing and rejuvenating like last time, but I am afraid it will just be exhausting.
I have a friend at work who is my CT for the only two classes where I teach all of the lessons. She's really hard-working, which, to me, gets to the point of overbearing. We had set up a language exchange to teach each other Chinese/English, but we just started talking about work... She has several times incorrectly corrected my students, and will interrupt their speaking to reprimand them for sitting improperly. It's hard because both of us micro manage. AND, I found out that part of the reason she is like that for Tree House is because we have six students (including a new one). This means, if one student drops out, the class closes. Talk about pressure now. No saying "no" to a parent now! (PS-their kids are 7 years old. How hard can they push them? I guess I'll see).
Okay. That's all. We have a soccer game on Sunday, and I'm hurting from Wednesday's practice. I hurt a guy, and in the process, hurt my shoulder. I have a couple of skinned knees that I'm proud of and am getting fast enough to run with some of the big boys. Now I just need to be able to play soccer...
Trying to save money, I think I have been neglecting eating enough. I'm hoping that once that starts again, I'll have more energy!
I apologize for wasting your time, but I am sick of talking to people about my classes but know I need to get my nervous energy out. I'm afraid if I keep talking about my weaker students at school, they will just think I'm a bad teacher. At some point, I expect my students to study at home.
For the most part, things ARE going well. I love Tree House, and after these make-up classes are over, I will have substantial breaks in my day. Long enough for books and walks, etc. THEN, after I finish subbing this one month of kindy, I will be back to 20 hours of class a week, with one class (7-9 pm) on T/Th. Glorious. On April 8th (Payday) I'm going to take the huge wad of cash they pay me and open a bank account. Transfer some money back home. and start SAVING again. WhooHoo!
PS-Josh and I are going to Thailand and Cambodia in April. We'll have 5 days including travel days, and about 2 full days in Siem Reap (Ankor Wat). Long and exhausting maybe, but needed and exciting!
Here's a toast to toast. Actually. With crappy blueberry jam :0) I'm Honggree!
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