Little Liuchao

Another holiday here in Taiwan. On Saturday, the island celebrated Double Ten Day, the fist day of the Wuchang Uprising in 1911. The Uprising led to the end of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912. In 1949, at the end of the Chinese Civil War, the ROC government moved to Taiwan while the People's Republic established it's communist regime on the mainland. So, the celebrations were a little crazy.

To celebrate Double Ten (and by that I mean to take advantage of the day off from school), Josh and I went to Kaohsuing, which is in the south. Our one year anniversary is this coming Thursday, so this trip was our primary gift to each other. After watching our train pull away from the Fengyuan train station without us at noon, we caught the 1 o'clock train on Saturday and enjoyed a 3+ hour train ride through Taiwan. Our hotel was directly outside of the train station (so easy) so we dropped out things off and took a cab (I know, ritzy) to the port. Kaohsuing is the fourth or fifth largest port in the world, and my water and ship obsessed boyfriend and I walked the pier passed the fishermen, trying not to slip on seaweed and fall in. We watched the sunset from the pier, watching enormous tankers enter and exit the port, anchored out in the straights or emerging from the port after unloading or picking their goods. We watched as a few adventurous senior high Taiwanese boys (one wearing a pink polo shirt, the other a shirt that read "nip and tuck season 3" on the back) jumped down onto the cement monstrosities protecting the coast from the continual pounding of waves. Laughing as the tide came in, they made it back to their group of friends who had been taking cell phone pictures the whole time.
After we had sufficiently drank the sunset, we went to the Love River, a converted rags-to-riches river that has become the pride of Kaohsiung. Five years ago the river was a mess, but now it is lined with paths, trees, and street vendors. We took a 20 minute boat ride tour of the river, watching the neon of the city and the neon of the boat mix with the neon of the bridges and the echos of fireworks. Hungry and without food, we went to one of two restaurants we could find-Outback Steakhouse. We sat by the river after dinner and then watched movies until we fell asleep.
Sunday we had a traveling adventure. Four different bus stations finally got us a bus to the south, where we going to catch a ferry to Shaoliuchao Island. When we got to Donggong (the place with the ferry), I was famished...some of you know that kind of hunger in me means almost throwing up, so it was crucial we found a place with recognizable food (for me) and air conditioning (for el Joshua). Finally we did, and the noodles were delicious (although when the Tainese say juice they mean something like watered down Tang). THEN, to the ferry (which, had I not eaten, would have been BAD news) and to the island. We rented a scooter and got, as quickly as we could, away from the throngs of people. We had three hours before we needed to be on the last ferry that left the island. After stopping a few places to take pictures and breath fresh air (finally!), we found a little cove which people were leaving. For a few brief minutes, we had the cove to ourselves or shared it only with a couple or two. The water was warm and greenish blue and the waves were just perfect. The "sand" was broken coral and so interesting. Here I am, a white girl in a bikini, hoping to get just a little sun, and here are pretty asian girls, in long pants and and jackets over their head, hoping to stay as light as possible. Our cultural ideas of beauty are weird.
After swimming, we got back on our scooter and drove around the rest of the island. The whole thing was beautiful. Exquisite temples for what we estimated was every three people. The whole drive would take 30 minutes in one shot. Island navigation, as pointed out to me by the driver, is easy. Just keep the water on the left and stay as close to it as possible, and we'll get back to the boat. Indeed we did, with time to spare (12 minutes. Josh would call this too early. I call it three minutes late. We're working on our timing.)
The ferry ride back was crowded with scooters, but we got a spot along the edge and watched the sun set as we traveled back to the mainland. Upon our arrival, we were greeting by a parade (probably 10/10). Lit temple-types being pulled and pushed and connected to a generator, rocket fire works being lit at our feet on the streets, and groups in paint and costumes. Incredible celebrations on the streets. We caught the hour and half bus back to Kaohsiung, and then caught the 3.5 hour train back home. Hopped on our scooters at the train station with our bags balanced at our feet, and were home by midnight-thirty.
It was an adventure definitely. Josh likes the thrill of rushing to a train, etc. and I like the thrill of having everything planned in advance, so it is an interesting dynamic with the two of us. but ultimately traveling with him is wonderful because I'm allowed to like birds, or sit when I need to, or eat when my body gets angry, and once our schedule is figured out and I relax a little, we laugh and learn and explore and now I've been swimming in the Taiwan straights.

Up Before Dawn

Yep, we were up before dawn yesterday. Waaay before. We left the house a little after 5 and headed to Taichung. As Josh got ready for the race, I watched some hilarious warm-ups led by a 20+ woman with a microphone and followed by some scantily clad older runners. I am now an excellent counter to 8 in Chinese. The gun went off and I searched the 9000 runners for a bearded foreigner with no luck, and I spent the next hour on the scooter driving around Taipei trying to find a place where I could watch the race and/or the finish. I was having no luck until I would take off my helmet, the cops would see a hopeless foreigner, and let me go around the cones to the next cop who would do the same thing. Finally I got a few blocks away from the finish and walked there to watch Josh finish. With a final burst of speed (so fast that as I was running back to the finish line to get a picture, he passed two guys and signaled he was finished with a resounding grunt). He took 109th out of 2000 and I am very proud. We stayed to watch the Kenyans finish the marathon (insane) and we met a few expats.
Then home for a nap, to lunch (teppenyaki again!), flower buying and cloth shopping (our walls are two white), and then home to watch a movie. Josh's boss invited us to dinner last night. She lives on the top of a Mt. Washington-esque overlook of the city in a beautiful house. Dinner was chicken and mashed potatoes and vegetables and extra delicious. The perfect post-race meal for Josh and the perfect I-know-what-I'm-eating meal for me.
Overall a good and exhausting day that leads to Monday which is a work day. I didn't grade any homework or get any applications under way, but it was a great weekend.

The Week in Review

This week I spent in Taipei training. I met some wicked cool people and had lots of fun adventures. Learned much about my new job and about relationship building. Wednesday night we went to a night market, but it started to pour so we took shelter in an arcade and played games all night. Thursday night we sang KTV which is Karaoke in a private room with lots of food and drinks and friends. Took the train home Friday morning, taught two classes Friday night, and then crashed big time. Today Josh and I went to lunch at teppenyaki and then buying, but somehow ended up without the four most important things on the list (including contact solution and cheese).
Then home briefly and to the mountains outside of the city. In five minutes we were in the jungle. Somewhat frightening scooter ride to the top, pausing on the way to watch the sun set. Then home and to dinner. A slight detour on the way home because of hilariously incorrect t-shirts. I now own a shirt that says "recycle, reuge." This was the least of the problems. A good chuckle, a purchase of some actually cute t-shirts (50 NT each...the exchange rate is 1US:32NT) and to get the contact solution we couldn't find the first time around. Now it is off to sleep. Josh runs in a half-marathon tomorrow morning which starts at 6...which means up at 4...which is now less than 6 hours away. An exhausting day that will be surpassed by tomorrow.

Pictures

I'm quite tired and have an early morning tomorrow, so I have just posted some pictures. I haven't cropped or messed with color at all, so forgive me. Yesterday Josh and I went to the zoo, to dinner, and Taipei 101. It was an incredible day full of laughing and animals and at dinner I laughed so hard I cried. Today was training all day with lots of new and interesting people. Fun dinner and rain adventures and hopes for more tomorrow.

Working on the railroad

It’s hard to motivate a blog entry when it would be about how exhausted one is, so here is my summary of the last several days. Now that it is my one-day weekend, I can rest and catch (you) up a bit.
I have been working since last Friday, the day after I arrived in Taiwan. I wrote about Sunday’s adventures already, and since then I have had more training, observations, and classes. I have taught 6 hours of class thus far, and have worked probably 40 hours. I only get paid for teaching hours, so I will be very happy when my lesson plans take 15 minutes instead of 2 hours, and same for grading homework.
This morning I taught my second full (two hour) class, and after, graded the homework that had been collected from the lesson before. I had to grade it right away, because immediately after leaving school, Josh and I went to test drive and purchase a friend’s scooter, drive home, quickly pack things, and catch a train to Taipei. We will be in Taipei for tonight and tomorrow, and then Josh returns home while I stay in Taipei for training. Most of my fellow-new-hires will be arriving in Taiwan today or tomorrow, and will be jumping into training right away. I have had the (fortunate or unfortunate) opportunity to train in advance, so I hope I don’t screw up. It should be much easier for me, considering I have already taught some classes, but we will be training for the kindergarten curriculum and others that I have not learned anything about (other than watching the adorable Teacher Josh). My company is pretty corny, and it’s been a long week, so I hope the new folks are cool and sane and altogether interesting to be around.
I have had some interesting experiences in the last several days. I think the main cause of my exhaustion (other than working until 11) has been that I am running on very few calories. The following is not meant to frighten or complain, just to explain that my bubble of protection is more interesting than it is perfect. At first I was willing to try lots of new foods because I was never hungry, so if I didn’t like it, I was fine. Then I started getting hungry. And I stayed hungry. I am hungry now. Lots of crackers and fruit and new fruits and some vegetables, but because I was working from 3-11, I didn’t really eat much. I can order dinner at work, but I haven’t been very good at it. Anyway, I was getting very hungry. Yesterday morning I found the scale in our apartment and I was 47 kilograms. This means that I have lost 14 pounds since the start of the kidney stone; about 6 since I left the US. Being the wonderful and worried boyfriend that he is, Josh took me out to lunch to a place that he knew I liked. We had that same teppanyaki and I again got shrimp and I ate the whole thing. Faster than he did. I was full and happy and it was actually a fairly emotional felling of relief. …but then I didn’t really eat dinner so there you go…but there is hope and I am feeling better and Taipei promises lots of delicious foods and adventures.
Next story: I have had some neat music experiences in the last several days. On Sunday, when Josh and I were hiking, the music from the town wafted up into the mountains. As we took in the birds and the jungle and the village below, the music (and incense) made it seem the quintessential Taiwanese experience. 2. The book store. Josh and I were on various missions – he to find a cd for his Chinese book; I to find a bird book that I could understand. As I am looking through the book, writing down names so I didn’t have to pay for it, I realize I am singing along to the instrumental music playing. Then words formed in my head: “Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you….away, you rolling river…” Next song: Simple Gifts. And for finish: “Home, Home on the Range.” I wonder if anyone there knew what they were hearing. Knew the way I remembered Brackenridge friends on the Plaza with a guitar singing “you rolling river” in 6 part harmony. Or if they knew that Simple Gifts is Lord of the Dance and that makes Bill grin and mom cry. Or if they knew I sang Home on the Range in the back of the plane as loud as I could cause no one could hear me over the engine and we were going to Iowa. In Taiwan there are not any ice cream trucks. I think there are ice cream bicycles, but I have not yet experienced one. I did however learn that there aren’t any ice cream trucks when I heard a truck drive by playing music, grinned with joy, only to find out it was the garbage truck. There are no ice cream trucks in Taiwan.
Two days ago, I met this girl on the train. Her name is “Jenny” and she is 17 and she goes to school in Taichung and has been going to English cram school for five years. I met her because I was a foreigner and a seat opened. She and her friend beckoned me to sit. They giggled nervously as they tried to speak. “Our English is not very good.” “That’s okay, my Chinese is worse!” They helped me practice my numbers and saying “excuse me.” Jenny and I got off in Fongyuan; her friend stayed on. Jenny and I said goodbye.
Yesterday, I took the train home again. I watched in the windows for Jenny, and I found her. When I got on, she was in the back corner and I couldn’t get her attention. Eventually, Jenny’s friend saw me, giggled, and called me over. We talked about food. Jenny and I got off in Fongyuan, I told her to keep practicing, and she giggled as she met Josh. I told her I was getting a scooter and I wouldn’t be taking the train anymore. I know it’s strange, but I want to take the loud, smelly train now so I can talk to the shy girl with a big spirit.
For the record, Taiwan is beautiful.

Zhong and Chang are the same character

I am slowly learning some chinese, both spoken and written. I have been trying to connect the characters on road signs to the names of the roads, and so far it has been pretty effective. Looking for familiar characters among the thousands of store signs and billboards is a great way to pass the time on the back of the scooter. Especially because the arabic spellings are sometimes very different for the same character (see title). Josh is expert at food words which I find amusing, and I can barely count to ten. Sleep now, work tomorrow.

school day numero uno

A day of school...after straightening things in the apartment, hanging a couple of pictures from home (R-S-G in Chicago, etc.), I met Josh for lunch. Met other teachers from his school, and then watched him teach the beginning of a class (7-ish yrs). Then off to do observations at my branch, where I met two of the Taiwanese women with whom I will teach, and lots of other interesting people. My boss is excellent thus far. Sleepy sleepy right now, and an early and late day of work tomorrow. Wednesday is my first day of class!