Hello from Taichung! We finally have a working computer and Internet access in our home again, so I recently added pictures to the blog. Yay! I hope this message finds each of you happy and healthy.
We are now living in Taichung city, which is much closer to school and our friends. We live in an older building across the street from a bamboo forest. Our building is close to an area filled with various food carts and restaurants, retail shops and fruit stands, as well as bingo parlors, laundry services and much more. It's a very convenient neighborhood. We have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment. If anyone would like to visit, we would love to have you! There is much to see and do around Taiwan.
My kindergarten class is great and improving all the time. I work with two Chinese teachers and our communication, flow and overall working relationships seem to improve constantly, which is encouraging. They work very hard to take care of the children and manage the classroom, so I appreciate their contributions. Recently, a boy from America joined our class. Max's mother is Chinese and his father is Caucasian. They are from the Boston area of the US. He is adorable and of course, speaks English very well, but is just beginning to learn Chinese. He is also a picky eater, which has been a bit tricky during lunch time. Every day, we have lunch served to us, which usually consists of rice, meat and vegetables, all prepared with Chinese sauces and flavors. It's very good and I love lunch because I sit with the kids and they try to teach me a little Chinese and we talk about the meal and discuss the English names for the foods. When Max first arrived, he only liked bread and chicken nuggets, neither of which is ever served for lunch. After the first week, Max started to like just white rice. He's doing better and quickly assimilating to the classroom and foods. The other girls in the class have taken a strong liking to him, too. Since he doesn't speak any Chinese I try to help him out when needed. He's a good little one. Socially, he's adjusting really well, so that's how I know he's doing great. Children are so adaptable!
Another student, Jane is so funny. She's a younger student in class and her English needs strengthening. I think she's particularly interesting because she reminds me a lot of myself at a young age. She chats in class (when the students should be paying attention to the lesson) and often whines and tattles on the other students. Ah Jane, so cute and a bit of a naughty one. I absolutely identify with her. :)
Simon has been in New Zealand for the last few weeks visiting family and friends. His grandmother just turned 100 and they are having a big party for her. While I have missed him, I've really enjoyed living alone for a bit, as I was very used to this lifestyle in California. I've also bonded with great girlfriends which has been a lot of fun and great comfort.
I now navigate the streets on my scooter with ease and enjoyment. To be honest, I'm a little worried about driving again in the US. There are so many rules that can be broken on the roads here, that it's really easy and fun.
My Chinese is slowing improving as I learn. Currently, I take one class a week, but am hoping to start taking 3 classes a week very soon. I've learned the basic greetings and can understand more of the numbers and bargaining parts of the language, so when I shop, especially at the markets, I can work in some Chinese. My favorite sayings are "Tai guay le la", meaning "that's expensive" and "hou kur ai o", meaning "so cute, isn't it?" Also, when entering my school, I ring the bell and proudly say to the front desk woman "Wo shr inguen lao shir!", which means, "I am English Teacher". The school staff seems to enjoy my attempts at speaking Chinese.
One of the other aspects I love and appreciate is the nurturing environment for music. Simon is a self-taught percussionist and since being in Taiwan, he's cultivated his passion for drumming and has started a band. He practices constantly and his band the "Spybots" perform often at a bar called Grooveyard for their open mic night. Also, a few weeks back, they performed at a restaurant lounge called Bollywood. It was very fun and I am a dedicated "bandaid" attending all performances. Also, a cool, fun and super sweet woman named Faye Blais is my friend and co-worker. She is a very talented musician and I recently bought her CD. She performs through out Taichung often. I've linked her to my blog, so check her out!
That's it for me. I'm hosting a crafternoon today, so need to prepare. Much love to you all!
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