Starting to feel like home

So it has definitely been a long time since I have written anything. Life goes on… I teach and go to church and stuff…

A few fun things have happened.

A few weeks ago, I went to the night market with some of the teachers from the school. It was fun. It was a bunch of food stands, fair games, and shops. I tried tons and tons of new food.:Oyster omelets, stinky tofu, some kind of fruit drink, and waffles. I hated the stinky tofu, tolerated the Oyster omelet, and loved the waffles. It was fun. 

Stinky Tofu

Waffles

During Halloween week, I taught about Halloween, even though it really isn't my favorite thing. After teaching about the origins of Halloween we made Halloween masks in the Jr. High School. In the regular High School classes, we had a costume contest. Most of the students did a great job and I was very impressed. In the PE classes, we bobbed for apples which was hilarious. Go check out my facebook for some fun videos.

Last weekend, I went to Tainan County with a lady from the church and several of her friends. It was interesting. We went to this mountain where there were monkeys everywhere. It was pretty cool. We also tried lots of new food.  

Last Sunday I had what I am going to term “American day.” After church, I had lunch with David and Amy Bielby (missionaries at my church). We ate hamburgers and then went to see a movie (The Three Musketeers). It felt like I was back in America for a few hours. It was really nice. 

Also the past two days (Thursday and Friday), the students had field days. It was some of the most fun days I have had since I’ve been here. Basically for two days the students competed in normal track and field activities, plus the fun field day races too. They had track races, relays, tug of war, potato sack races and so much more. It is still hot here so that was my one complaint but I had so much fun. Basically I just walked around and talked to teachers and students. I cheered for the kids and learned how to cheer in Chinese. Thursday was like the preliminary races and the top of each of those races, competed on Friday. Friday was crazy. I felt like it was the Olympics. There was an opening ceremony and each class had to do some kind of performance for the audience (dignitaries and school officials).  

Because I don’t have a specific homeroom class and I teach almost all the students in the school, I didn’t feel like I had someone to cheer for, so I kinda tagged along with my co-teacher Amanda and her 12^th Grade PE class. It is kinda funny, because I don’t actually teach them.  

At the end of the day, they had a presentation and the PE classes had a shaving cream fight (okay I admit it, I kinda had a part in it too…) Then we proceeded to take pictures. At one point, the PE boys began picking up one of the teachers and throwing them into the air with a basket toss. I started to edge away because I knew it was only a matter of time before they decided to toss me too… After they tossed all the teachers, they saw me and started after me. I ran, but they are faster… It was terrifying and hilarious and fun. I was mainly afraid that they would drop me. But they didn’t. 

I really needed these fun days because on Wednesday I had an evaluation. It was nerve wracking because about 15 people come and watch you teach. I had no idea what they are looking for and I did my best. I taught a lesson on how to write a letter. We did pen pal letters to two students in America and I thought it went really well. After class, I had to go and interview with a professor from a university in Taipei. She was the same professor who worked with us in the orientation time. She was very smiley, but she sat there for about 40 minutes and told me what I needed to do differently and change about my teaching style. Some of it was true, but some of it seemed off base because she was basing her observations off of one visit. Also some of it seemed contradictory. Also someone else talked to my co-teachers by themselves. Then they sat there and talked about me in Chinese so I didn’t understand any of it. But it is ok. I felt very defeated and upset that day, but by Thursday, I felt some better. Several of my teachers came to me and told me that they liked how I was teaching and that what I was doing worked for the school, even if she didn’t like what I was doing. I plan to change a few things, but not much. 

Church is also going very well. I have made some good friends with some of the NCKU students. I am getting more involved with my small group and am really enjoying it. 

I’ve also started running again. There is a university campus near the school where I teach so I go there after school or in the mornings. It is funny because the baseball team practices there in the afternoons. The guys are so funny because they have started saying hello. I’m pretty sure that is the only word they know in English. Other than blisters from my new tennis shoes, I’ve really enjoyed it.

It is starting to feel like home.