The Art of Tug of War

At my school in the States, I have seen my fair share of Tug of War competitions. It involved staff and students, and generally was a friendly competition.

At Er Shin...Tug of War is no joke.

I heard from the other English teacher that every year there is a pretty serious Tug of War tournament. My initial thought: Ok, well it is Tug of War. How serious can it get?

Little did I know...

I decided to go and check it out during my lunchtime. I walked into the gymnasium and students were crowded up to the viewing rope to see the beginning of the competition. Each class had participants on the boys team and the girls team. I realized that one of my students was standing next to me watching, so I asked her why she wasn't participating. Her response: "I am too small. The teacher told me no."

They have cuts...for Tug of War...I mean...??

Granted the girl was small, still...it is TUG OF WAR! Everyone should have the chance to play Tug of War!!

That may have been the first clue that this was a little more than a friendly competition.

I saw the kids getting ready for their first set of games. The last kid had on a weighted vest, and the two "anchors" wore helmets.

That was definitely the second clue.

The gymnasium wasn't necessarily packed, but it was LOUD. Each homeroom was cheering on their team (because remember, not everyone made the team). One team even brought their own noisemakers - water bottles with little pellets in them - and used them while cheering.

There were referees and the beginning of the competition started off with the sound of a cap gun. Umm...at this point I realized there were more than a few clues...this tournament was serious stuff. I mean, they wore pinnies with numbers on them!

When each competition started, I noticed how seriously the kids and the teachers took this, and it was actually kind of amazing. They seemed to take the same approach and focus on the tournament, as they do in the classroom when it comes to work. It was rather strange. It just goes to show how apparent the work ethic is here! It even spills over to Tug of War!

It was really a great experience to see my kids outside of the classroom, and I could tell they appreciated my interest in watching them. Here are some pictures from the day!

Here are the boys:

First, the vests...weighted vests...



Of course, the boys need a peptalk before they compete:




In action:






Unfortunately, a loss. Look at how devastated they are!



Here is a short clip of the boys. Look at how that little guy in the front gets thrown around :(




And here are some shots of the girls:







And a clip of the girls:

雞爪

雞爪
Jī zhuǎ

This week I started tutoring a little girl...and she might be the cutest little girl in the world. A friend of mine who has been working with her while living in Taiwan, passed the job along to me when she moved back home.

Meet Iris:



Iris is three years old, and understands English like a native speaking 3 year old. She loves to color and do different activities...and just like any other three year old I know, she has a really hard time staying put doing one thing. So, it is really important that I switch things up every 10 minutes or so. The part I love the most about this new little side job is that Iris tries to teach me some Chinese, too. Yesterday, when I was over, she taught me how to say Chicken Feet. Although I don't think I will ever need to know how to say that, unless I say 我不要雞爪 (Wǒ bùyào jī zhuǎ or I don't want chicken feet), but I think it is cool to learn Chinese - regardless of what it is! Here is how it happened:

After I finish our lessons, Hannah, the housekeeper, fixes a nice dinner the three of us sit and eat it. Now, Hannah doesn't speak much English either, but we still try to have a conversation. So, we were eating this delicious soup that Hannah made. It was a light broth with ginger and chicken in it. First, I served myself some noodles (because...in Taiwan no meal is complete without noodles) and then I poured some of the chicken and broth in. I was eating it, and loving it! I was wondering why Iris kept saying something in Chinese over and over again. Then I realized she was pointing into the pot of broth. I grabbed the big ladle and scooped around trying to figure out what she was showing me. Then, when I scooped up a black chicken foot, she screamed and clapped her hands.

"Jī zhuǎ!!! Jī zhuǎ!!!"

My first thought: Wow, there is really a chicken's foot in there.
Then, I realized that Iris wanted me to repeat it, so I did. After a while, she was trying to get me to try it. But, I didn't.



Now, I am not saying I won't try it, but honestly I was full because I had eaten already. I will admit though, that I kind of want to try it because of the way Iris ate it. She sucked that thing off it's little feet bones so fast and so intently. It was like that little chicken foot was the only thing that mattered once it was in front of her. There were only two of them in the soup, and after Iris realized I wasn't going to try it, she scooped up the second one.

Here is Iris enjoying what seems to be her favorite delicacy.



All in all, it was a great day with Iris...and I now know how to say Chicken Feet in Chinese!

A lesson on getting lost

“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu

My alarm went off, and as I opened my eyes I groaned. I didn't want to get up...at all.

I had to meet someone...someone I had already decided was strange. He had agreed to take an afternoon off from work to take me to Taiwan's version of the DMV to switch ownership of his car to me.

Yes...I bought a car in Taiwan.

Long story short, after an hour and a half in the "DMV", I paid him the equivalent of $1000 USD and he handed me the keys to my car. After congratulating me with a handshake, he was gone. I got in my new ride about to venture off onto the streets of Taiwan.

And then I realized I had NO IDEA where I was going or how to get home...

A moment of relief flushed through me when I remembered that I grabbed a map from the train station. I took it out, and...

Of course it was in Chinese.

For some reason I convinced myself I would be able to "figure it out", so I started the car. Off I went...

I must have had a momentary lapse of sanity, causing me to forget that 1) I don't speak Chinese, and 2) I don't know what cities lie North, South, East, or West from where I was. Not ideal...at all.

I ended up traveling from below Taipei all the way to Keelung. Again: not ideal.

What was I thinking?

By this point I had the car for about an hour, and I didn't even want it anymore.

I pulled into a gas station. I figured it couldn't be too hard to ask for gas. All I had to do was point to it and give the man money. He smiled. I asked him if he knew how to get to my destination: Danshui. He continued to smile gently at me...but I knew he couldn't understand me.

I whipped out the map in Chinese, and played charades to ask him where on the map we are. Luckily, he understood and pointed to a spot way North in Taiwan.

Ok...not too bad.

I gave a whirl at the Chinese pronunciation of Danshui, and although it was less than perfect, he figured out I was asking how to get there. He traced his finger along the map.

Got it!

So, I got back in the car again...still mad at my stupidity for thinking that driving in Taiwan would be like navigating my way to Boston from the Mass Turn Pike. FAIL.

Now it was pouring, and just as I was starting to see smoke coming out of my ears from anger at the situation and complete waste of my day off...something happened.

I drove around a turn and all of the sudden, I saw it: the powerfully churning, mysterious, never ending ocean outlined by magnificent cliffs.

I pulled over and took a moment to just soak it in (and take some much needed deep breaths!)




I realized that I had almost missed a magnificent view...unable to truly soak up it's beauty because I was too consumed by feeling annoyed about being lost.

But sometimes, getting lost is just part of the journey.


It may not have been ideal, but what a great story it makes, and what an accomplishment!! In hindsight, I replay the day back in my head, and I have to stop and give myself a big pat on the back. With no English map, no useful Chinese, no experience driving in Taiwan, no CLUE where I was or where I was going...I somehow made it to my destination.

So, to me the purchase of this car is the beginning of a new journey. One where I will challenge myself to become more independent and resourceful; one that will push me to step outside of my comfort zone and try to speak Chinese a little more than I have been; one that will surely help me get the most out of my time in Taiwan!!

Here is my new ride!!

"I am thankful for Dear Ree" -- Class 101

Every now and then I have a moment in the classroom, where the responsibility of my job overwhelms and amazes me. Usually it is triggered by the looks of 25-50 inquisitive little eyes, all eager to hear what I am going to say and how I am going to say it.

I haven't had one of these moments yet in Taiwan, so I guess it has been a long time coming.

I am still not used to how serious the students are. They don't laugh very often, unless of course their crazy foreign English teacher is doing an impression of Lady Gaga or a modified Thriller dance. Their demeanor sometimes makes me wonder if I am impacting them at all.

I see my students twice every week, which I do not think of as a long time. However, that doesn't negate the fact that I have pairs of eyes focused on me...watching every move I make...listening to every word I say - for a solid hour. Still, I feel like there is a lack of connection between us. For starters, I have around 55 kids in each class. I barely remember their names and classes are short, so there isn't much time for the "getting to know you piece". I often feel like they aren't affected by me...at all. It really made me miss the relationships I built with my students back at home. I guess I felt like I was at a standstill while trying to build a relationship with some of these kids. I wondered if some of them even knew my name!

This week I realized that just because they don't always show it...doesn't mean it isn't there.

I had my kids do an activity where they wrote down a list of things that they were thankful for. Of course, I had to have the discussion about being thankful for "special" things versus being thankful for just "things". It all started when one of my students said he was thankful for his computer. I tried to get him to understand that although you may LOVE your computer (who doesn't?), you aren't thankful for it the same way you are thankful for your parents...or your sight...or your freedom. They started to get it, and no longer did it become an activity to just randomly write down any vocabulary word (some kids put things like clock, pencils, pens before this conversation)...but instead it became an activity where they thought of something special in Chinese, and then with a partner figured out what it meant in English.

I then handed out a worksheet where the students filled in what they were thankful for inside leaves. They colored them in and cut them out so we could hang them inside the classroom.

As the students handed them in, I adored their work, and let them know how proud I was of them.

I am thankful for my body.
I am thankful for myself.
I am thankful for my freedom.
I am thankful for Taiwan.
I am thankful for my dreams.
I am thankful for my sight. I am thankful for my hearing.

I also noticed something else. Many of them were thankful for me. They came in...one after the other...after the other.



I was flooded with warmth and pride.

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity and the pleasure to facilitate learning in a room of anxious and motivated students. I am thankful that they respect me, and that they appreciate what I do. I am thankful that I have the chance to learn from them, just as much as they learn from me. I am thankful that even though my time each week may seem limited, that I am still able to build relationships with them regardless of a language barrier. Most of all, I am thankful that I truly love, value, and own the tremendous responsibility of being a teacher.

Three months in, and my students have continued to amaze me. It is moments like these that make me realize how lucky I am to have found my passion.

Have a look at some more of our Thanksgiving Day work!

Never underestimate the power of the hand turkey!

The Subtle Disappearance of the Hand Soap

Heard the alarm. Hit the off button. Got out of bed. Toothbrush. Toothpaste. Face wash. Scrub. Glanced up from the sink.

With bubbles covering the majority of my face, I peeked through an opening and noticed something: my hand soap was almost empty.

This is how it started. This is how I began to notice that time was flying by. First, it was the hand soap. Then, I realized my shampoo and conditioner were on their way out. Finally, it hit me: time was passing, and it wasn't happening slowly.

I sat in the cab on the way to work this morning trying to make sense of where all the time had gone. I couldn't believe I have been here for almost three months!!

Bottom line: time is flying. I don't want my time in Taiwan to fly by, but I suppose it is a good sign. Hence the saying: Time flies when you are having fun!

I couldn't help but think back a few months ago. I was homesick right away. I instantly yearned for my friends, who I hadn't gone a few days without seeing. I missed my family, and I thought I wouldn't be able to survive without the Gnocchi Sorrentino from the Italian restaurant down the block from my apartment in Boston. But...as time passed, it got less and less difficult, and a whole new world opened up right before my eyes.

When I first got here, I found myself shying away from interactions with restaurants that weren't English friendly. I wasn't always willing to exchange a game of charades in the hopes that I would get the meal I wanted; I wasn't always up for eating soup with chopsticks and a weird spoon. (I mean...really?) I wasn't always in the mood for stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was embarrassed that I didn't know any Chinese, to the point that I wouldn't even attempt it. I even had a slight breakdown when the trashman yelled at me in Chinese because I was not putting my trash out properly.

But now, I embrace who I am in the experiences that I encounter. I attempt Chinese, even though I haven't the slightest clue, because I realize how far an attempt goes in this culture. Most Taiwanese people I have tried to converse with apologize that they do not speak English (which I find crazy that THEY are apologizing to ME...I mean, after all it is their country). Either way, I know they understand how I feel. They are willing to play charades with me or sit through a round of "guess what I am drawing". I welcome any opportunity to try something new, and even find normalcy in it. I even consider myself a professional when it comes to separating and putting out my trash. But, I still can't help but wonder - When did this happen?

Just like the subtle disappearance of my hand soap, the slow but apparent transformation of me into this confident, willing, and unafraid ex-pat has occurred. I can't help but realize that after three months of living abroad, so many things have happened, and so many things have changed.

This just may have been the best decision I have made in my life. What a long way I have come from the sleepless nights I spent wondering if my decision to move to Taiwan was the right one.

Well, you can't win the lottery if you don't buy tickets!!

My Home Sweet Home

People keep asking me what my apartment looks like, so I figured I would do a quick post to share.

Many schools often provide housing, which means that you would live on the school's campus. My school does not have on campus housing, so they provide me with a stipend in addition to my salary that is meant to go towards rent to subsidize the cost. In Taipei, there are a number of options you have in terms of living. You can share a large apartment with others, or you can live in a small place alone. I wanted to live alone, and I didn't want to worry about cleaning a big apartment. So, when I arrived to Taipei, my first mission was to find a place to live.

I was eager to find an apartment, and hoped I could do so right away. The agency that was helping me was kind enough to pay for my hotel until I found a place, so it wasn't like I HAD to find a place right away. The first 3 places we saw, I began to get nervous because none of them were anything close to a place I would live. I don't think I am too picky, but the thing with me is that I am definitely a "nester" and need to be 100% happy with my apartment...even if it is small. I also worried about my location. I knew I was in Taipei, but I wanted to find a place that was close to the MRT station (subway) and that also had access to some good western places to eat, along with other things to do. The places I had seen so far, just weren't okay with me! The bathroom was the thing that got me!! Most of the bathrooms I have seen in small apartments in Taiwan have a toilet, and then that area seconds as the shower. No door...no separation.

I know that Taiwan has cockroaches...trust me: I heard about them before I came. BUT I do everything in my power to make sure they stay out of my place. I don't even have a kitchen, and I clean this place non-stop. I also have a weekly spray session to make sure they don't try anything funny! I have seen only 1 cockroach and that was when I first moved in. I think not having food or a kitchen really helps. If there is nothing here for them to have...they won't come!

So my little apartment is very small, but cozy. It has no windows (which I thought would bother me, but it doesn't) but it has bright blue walls - which brightens it up. I have a large bed and a little couch with a coffee table. I have a flat screen TV, free internet, and it is a stone's throw away from the MRT. There is no kitchen, but I have a little fridge if I need it. I also have a kettle to boil water for tea. The bathroom is a regular bathroom with a nice shower! That was kind of the selling point for me! There is a washer right outside the unit, so I am able to use that as well, and then hang my clothes dry. I am really happy with my place, even if it is a glorified dorm room!

THRILLER

It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart

You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes

You're paralyzed...

I found myself singing this song in my head over the weekend while practicing a VERY modified version of the Thriller dance. (If you know me well, you know that I am by no means a dancer.) You see, I have learned that if you want to have fun in class, and you want your students to have fun in class, you CANNOT be shy! In the beginning, this was hard for me, but now I embrace it.

Every time I sit down to write my lesson plan, I think of how I can make each article more engaging. When I saw an article in the magazine on Michael Jackson and the 29th anniversary of Thriller's release, knew I had something to work with!

I began the lesson with a visual hook, so I printed out various pictures from the Thriller video. I put little magnets on the back of them, and right before the bell rang for the start of class, I hung them up. These were the two most popular ones (according to the kids' feedback!)

As soon as the first one went up, the kids looked at it and the buzz began spreading around class. Now, clearly I couldn't understand what they were saying about the pictures because it was all in Chinese, but they were smiling and I could hear: "Michael Jackson" every now and then. When the bell rang, they sat down with excitement and waited to see what I was up to this time.

We continued with the vocabulary from the article, and then read about Thriller and it's 29th anniversary. They got a kick out of knowing that the song was as old as their teacher :). After they answered the comprehension questions, and we finished talking about the article, we moved on to the fun activity: singing and dancing.

First: I gave out a copy of Clozed Thriller Lyrics. Basically, the lyrics were written down for them, and every line they had to listen to the song to fill in the proper word. (i.e. It's close to ____________ and something evil's lurking in the dark)

We listened to the first three verses about 2 times each so they could fill in the blanks. At the end of each verse, they tallied up their points. Then they totaled up their verse points up at the end of the game. Some of the kids got all 20 words, and some only got 6 words right, but we all had fun!

After the clozed activity, we sang it together, and of course I whipped out a small and very modified version of the dance. The kids got a kick out of it for sure. I mean...I was acting like a complete fool in front of them...but that is ok, because they followed suit! :)

Here are some pics from our day!!



Definitely a lesson that I enjoyed, and I am pretty confident the kids enjoyed it as well -- especially the part where I danced for them! :)