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!!