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
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