Scooting my way away.

Last week I had my first scooter accident. I freaked out! Nothing serious, but never pretty. I've been meaning to write about it... you know, how the other scooter crossed my path and made me loose control, and how I impressively jumped off the scoot right on time to land on my feet and escape victoriously with only an ugly bruise on my upper right thigh. It was going to be an awesome entry. However, only in a weeks time I have an even better story to top that first one: My second scooter accident!!

Yes! It can happen twice! and in my case, the second time was worse. I was peacefully driving to my high school job when this guy comes out of an underground parking lot to the side of the road and thinks it's a good idea to make faces and the car coming behind him instead of looking at the road, where, oblivious, was I. So, with no time to break or get out of the way, the car crashed on my scooter and there I go to the floor, being dragged by inertia under my scooter, rubbing my right leg all over the pavement. The pavement was ok... my scooter was a little damaged... but the scrape on my leg says it was not a pretty accident! But it's ok. Hopefully this one will be the last. But... doesn't the alchemist say that if something happens once, it will not happen again. But if it does happen again, then it will certainly happen a third time? Oh! No! Lets hope he was wrong!

Anyway, other than a bruised and very scrapped right leg, life here in Kaohsiung is still awesome. Last week Team Armenia (our team) rocked the Charity Olympics, which featured sports such as Limbo, put the head on the cockroach, frisbee golf and pillow fighting. It was a hot and sweaty day, but most definitely fun.
Our team being INTENSE!! and my and Anya doing the Limbo!!
This weekend was also very fun. We needed to get out of the city for a while, so we decided to ride on our scoots and Anthony's new motorcycle and drive to Kenting, an awesome beach town on the very south of Taiwan. The drive there was beautiful and the town brought to us a glance of our former lives in OB, San Diego... peaceful, chill and salty. We swam, we tanned, we walked, shopped and ate... pretty perfect!

This is our hotel room. We got a sweet deal for sharing the 6 person room. Good thing we are good friends!
We also saw some cool natural fires in the middle of the mountains. It's weird! They just kinda burn, forever. We think there's natural gases coming from underground and when ignited, they just burn... maybe? Not sure, but pretty cool nonetheless. And of course, what do you do if you have eternal fires burning? A natural phenomenon? Taiwanese make popcorn! And not just any popcorn, but jiggle corn!!

Love from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Everyday wonders

It's September and I've been here for almost two months now. Life has taken its course and even though it is still exciting and different, now it's just life. My heart doesn't race as hard as it used to everytime I see a toddler and a dog riding a scooter with mom and dad. Although I was still highly impressed this past weekend when I saw a family of five riding in one little scoot - yeah, that's my record so far. However, it feels good to be more like a local just living and working and having fun.

I have left my first school and I am now teaching at two other places. One of them is right across the street from The Babbaganoush, our home, and it's a small school where I am the only English teacher. It's a bit of pressure, and I'm still getting used to the new dynamic, but I like it so far. The second job is at a public high school. It's a bit of a drive there, but oh so worth it! It reminds me on junior high in Mexico - dirty buildings, smelly teenagers, chalk boards, classes of 38+ kids - pretty fun. Their first questions are always: "Where are you from?" "Do you have a boyfriend" and "Do you like stinky tofu". Some of them are also fascinated by my nose ring and one of them asked me "how many kilograms you are". Translated: "how much do you weight" - I guess I am significantly larger than the average taiwanese 16 year old - obviously! The big classes are challenging, but I really enjoy it. I never thought I would feel comfortable teaching older kids, but it has actually been better than little ones. I am now mildly terrified of young children.

I have kept 2 of my classes at the first school. One of them is a small class of 8 older students preparing for the Enlglish test provided by the government. They are my favorite. I've gotten to know them pretty well by now and I find them so interesting and loving and cute. It will be sad to leave them, which i will unfortunately have to do because I do not qualify for an ARC (Alien Resident Card) because of my mexicanness and this one school is not willing to risk having me without one... i know! The trials of the Latinos follow me to Taiwan. But it's ok, I'm not the only one who can't get an ARC in this country and as long as I have a job, it will all be ok.

Besides work, living here is awesome. Going to the beach, water spa before class, walking around the Love River, hiking literally surrounded by monkeys, eating great food, riding on scooters, parties, friends - bottom line, it's a great place to be. Here are some pictures of these past few weeks.

This is part of a festival that has lasted about a week. They set up tents outside and people just come, pray, sing and burn incense and yellow pieces of paper and offer food to one of their gods. From what I understand as my students explained it, they do it as a prayer for prosperity.
This is up one of the mountains 10 minutes from our apartment. Mostly old people climb it - some of them barefoot. It seems like a place to hang out with friends, pray and even do some stretching exercises.

These are some of the residents at Monkey Mountain. They hang out and walk next to you. One of them almost attacked me and we have been warned not to take anything crunchy (bags, food, drinks) because they will jump you and take it! Not even joking!Oh! The Love River. Bike riders, food, pretty cafes - beautiful place.My Anya - roommate, friend, sister.
What's left of the Kaohsiung World Games '09 decorations. They used to be everywhere!
The beach after the typhoon. Trees just floated and now are stranded on the beaches. It's a beautiful sight. It smells like wet wood and ocean, the sounds the hollow logs make when they are hit by the waves make it seem unreal - it reminds me of something like a dinasour's graveyard. Taiwan has mostly recovered after the typhoon, but things like this remind you of the damage that was done.
This is our group out having Thai food for dinner celebrating Cooper visiting. He's Anya's friend from high school and our first visitor from our former lives - it was good to share our Taiwanese world with someone else.

So, come visit!
More to come later. I'll try to not dissapear for too long.
Much love.