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.
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