Sunday, December 20, 2015

"The bad news is, time flies. The good news is, you're the pilot."

It is now the sixth month of my third year in Taiwan, not including those two wonderful Summer months back in the States. The ghosts and ghouls have come and gone, we have shared our thanks and gratitude to the simple things in life. Now the holidays, cold winds, and new resolutions are among us. There has always been big changes in my life from year to year, and the next will be no different.
Nonetheless, this post is to reflect back on this past Fall.
Late September, a wonderful new teacher-friend, Lauren, Brittany, and I went on a weekend trip of shopping, restaurants, and of course when in the capital of Taipei- a night out. 
Catching the last MRT of the night. 

For the first time EVER, Taiwan had it's very own Forever 21 and H&M open up in the capital!
Before, this luxury was only available when traveling to bigger cities in other SE Asia, or those few weeks when visiting the States. As you can tell the trip centered around the chance to shop for some stylish quality deals. (It wasn't even a month later before two(!) H&M's opened in my city of Taichung!)We also had a couple of fantastic meals at Gordon Biersch and Beer and Cheese.  During the day we also spent some time at a farmer's market, because, well when Taiwan wants to continue to surprise you with markets full of generous people, delicious samples, and coin-dropping deals, you accept it. Plus who doesn't wanna take a picture with a giant basket of fruit! ^_^
At the farmer's market with Lauren and Brittany.
After that three day weekend, we had our first Typhoon Day at school caused by Typhoon Dujuan. Living on the 19th floor, we could hear some pretty scary sounding wind.  Luckily, everyone I knew stayed safe, and the damage throughout the city was noticeable, but not nearly as awful as it could have been. 

Every year prior to this one, the owner of the school, Bih Hua, has hosted a "BBQ" for the foreign staff at her house with an outdoor meal (usually the last steak I have of the year), a speech or two, photos galore, and videos of her ballroom dancing. This year, for many reasons, but also gratefully, we had a BBQ up in the mountains with ALL of the staff, Taiwanese and English.  Our taxis had no idea where the correct dropping point was, so a clan of us ended up hiking the cement paved mountain, sweating profusely, as they waved to us from the top.  
Uncle Michael's wife, Joy cooking up some BBQ for T. Mike, T. Lauren, and myself.
My student Christy is behind me laughing or waiting for me to go play. Hard to tell. 
It was a beautiful day and even more so when we noticed how many people came, some families too who brought their kids/our students. The food was simple, but scrumptious. Uncle Michael and T. Brock had their guitars, we all table hopped and mingled. Later on, everyone paired up and jumped onto a sled with continuous track wheels to roll down the mountain. 
Taiwan flag windmills my students made in Chinese class for 10/10. 
For Taiwan's birthday in October, I was fortunate enough to go on another diving trip with my good friend Totto and Eason, this time to Green Island. It's about a 5-6 hour drive to the port city of Taitung, where you then take an hour boat ride to Green Island. Totto loaded us up and rocked that 3 am drive all the way there, with maybe one stop for gas. I've never met anyone so full of energy and spunk while driving through the middle of the night. She could have a conversation with anyone about anything for hours on end. She is quite the lady. 
Totto being a goof on the boat ride back from Green Island.
The boats were packed full and in this room we were all sprawled out on the floor.
Felt like we were immigrants trying to sneak back to mainland.
Live The Dream. 
I completed my 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th dive that weekend. All throughout Green Island's shoreline, once you reach the water, you must then walk over coral rock for another 10-12 meters with the full gear on. The waves and random holes in the rocks will also make it quite the challenge. We had thought there would be another typhoon that weekend, instead we had amazing visibility (35 meters/ 115 feet)! 
Green Island is home to a famous prison that was used from 1895 to 1992.
A long history, and many changes of prisoners in those years. Click here to read more. 
Totto and I getting ready for dive #2!
The parrot fish were out to play among the dozens of other fish I have yet to learn the names of. On my first dive of the day, I swam right above a sea turtle, the closest I've been to date. I also was sidetracked watching some fish playing together and bumped into a coral that scratched me up and stung me pretty badly. I couldn't tell you what creature or anemone I ran into, but in a weeks time I would be waking up in the middle of the night with the most intense itching and sweating. I did go to the hospital finally, got a shot, a half a dozen Chinese medications, and it soon healed completely.
In other exciting news, on my first day I saw my first wild cuttlefish, three clams the size of basketballs AND I held one :-D, a sea snake, a few sea slugs -the size of my future husband's arms ;-) one of my favorites, the trumpet fish and a white puffer. I had no issues with my ears this time, which led to much more relaxed dives.
This area was known to the local divers as "The Church" due to the way the light came in through 
Day two I had my longest dive to date, one hour and one minute! Visibility was between 20-25 meters/ 65-80 feet. We swam through a tunnel, saw huge underwater coral rocks full of life, and then the three of us, plus our instructor, just enjoyed the open blue water at our own pace.
Eason and I trying to look as tough as the jailbirds.
Of course, I couldn't leave an island of Taiwan
without some outdoor BBQ and a little souvenir shopping. 


Also this weekend was the Burning of the Plague God Boat in Donggang.
It happens once every three years in Taiwan. 
At the end of October, three of my students had birthdays. Jo on the 25th, and the twins, Cindy and Steven on the 29th. Yes, three birthdays the week of Halloween. 'Twas an exciting week! :-)
Cindy making a wish.
Birthday Girl Jo!
We learned about frog and butterfly life cycles, clothing and accessories, clouds, and the water cycle.  We also had our Cornel's Got Talent Yoga Video posted on the school's website which is pretty cheesy, but super adorable.



If this video doesn't work try going to this link on Cornel's facebook page. 
Don't mind the Nebraska in the beginning. I lived in Omaha at the time I came to Taiwan.
True Proud Iowan at heart! 

Cornel also put on a Halloween themed Spelling Bee that was a HUGE success. Two levels of kindergarten classes, and all the other grade levels up to sixth, participate. The majority being the kindergartners. I was the Daban Kindergarten judge with over 20 contestants. (1/3 being from my own class). Later, a costume contest took place. I was so happy to see my student Annie win most creative for her minion costume! 

The Wonderful staff of Cornel 2015-2016
At school, we celebrated on a Friday. The kindy staff and I dressed as the characters from the recent Disney Pixar movie, Inside Out. We all spent the morning doing Halloween activities; a haunted house, chocolate covered apples, a costume contest, sensory play, build a monster, games, and a spooooky craft!
T. Sarah caught all the emotions! I'm Disgust! ;-)
Pirates built a scary monster!
Some costumes from our class. Jo (bottom right) won most creative! 
Nan Men Campus!! 
The whole gang on Halloween Night!
 Brittany and I were the lucky cats of Maneki-neko, a Japanese lucky charm.
Being a lazy cat with my cute mimes. 
Genie in the Palace. 
Feeling frisky!
New friends :-) 
The Jazz Festival came a little later this year, but still an October delight in Taichung. I enjoyed three or four evenings at People's Park among over a million others who come to be a part of the audience.
Early November I went to Vietnam. When I returned half of November was over.

At school, we celebrated Thanksgiving with the traditional pose
with a cooked turkey, a movie (
Free Birds), and crafts.
I'm Thankful For...these kids!
The Saturday before Thanksgiving, Shang An Campus hosted the Cornel Thanksgiving Dinner. There were two turkeys this year, mashed potatoes, dumplings, pizzas, curry, duck, sushi, no-bake cookies, an endless assortment of food to meet the varied cravings. I even stepped up my game and made BBQ chicken dippers. The evening turned even more special when one of the staff members was surprised with a proposal.

The crowd waiting among the balloons and candles for the soon to be fiance to arrive.
Late November, the Pirates celebrate the 100th day of school with a day of
100 second games, crafts, 
The Minions movie, ice cream, and popcorn!
Very strange to have 100 days of school before Christmas.
My students, Ryder and Christy, also had late November birthdays to celebrate.
Christy's Birthday with a visit from Nina, an old classmate.
We continued to cover topics such as endangered animals,
the seven continents, world maps, occupations, and Winter.
A small group of us went camping with Uncle Michael, his wife, and five to six other Taiwanese families. It was great weather, and having families there provided much more to do. We all enjoyed late night BBQ, hot pot, and songs around the fire. Times like this I'm always grateful for the bit of background my mother and grandmother gave me in camping, setting up tents, starting fires, and telling a good ghost story.

My Chinese Teacher, Jacklyn and her baby boy, Brittany and her Chinese Teacher Angel with her family and Lauren. 
Real talk with the boys around the campfire. 
Country Roads....Take Me Home...
Uncle Michael put this all together. He's the one wearing his hat sideways. Haha.

Mid- December I attended my second wedding since being here, along with some other friends of the bride. Glory was the first Taiwanese staff I worked closely with my very first summer here in July 2013. She is spunky, loving, smart, and an incredibly hard-worker. She left Cornel the following year, and we didn't stay in touch. However, I was very grateful to be apart of her special day.

Michelle, Krista, Glory, me and Brittany at the wedding. 
Weekends disappear with a crew like this.
Sure do love them though.

The Daban classes of Nan Men Campus, the Pirates and the Tigers, sang and danced for a special Christmas Performance at Mode Mall.
Our letters to Santa! 
I have been continuing to meet with Olivia every two weeks for language exchange. While I am learning a lot, and she always seems so proud of my progress, I still hesitate to practice my Chinese out in the real world.
My class was extremely excited to have this COLD (artificial) snow to play with. 
I signed for a fourth year as the Head Teacher of Shang An Campus. I will no longer be a full day teacher, but overseeing the duties and responsibilities from new teacher training to class performances, scheduling to updating the curriculum. I am thrilled for the challenge and excited for the new adventure. However, I am holding on to every moment with my incredible, smart, fun, adorable class. They are the best part of my life in Taiwan this year. I will miss being their teacher.
At the Cornel Annual Kindy Christmas Performances.
The four Daban (and Andy) elf helpers with Santa Brock. 
Eating and chatting with two of my sweethearts! 
The gang got together for a night of Tyler Trivia
for Tyler's 23rd Birthday! Great fun. 
My two amigos & I hanging out on Christmas night. 
Third Year Red Door Christmas.Molly, Michael, Josilin, Jake, and Britt.
White elephant gift exchange, good food, games, and wine! :-)
Socks and stickers for my amazing students! 
2015 is just about through. Christmas shopping and performances have been in full swing. We don't get two weeks off of school for the Christmas/New Year holiday (we have to wait until Chinese New Year in February), but we do get the day of Christmas and New Year's off. Which happen to be Friday's this year.
Preparing for pot luck lunches with friends, white elephant gifts, trips to Taipei, fireworks, dancing, and a ballroom style wedding in which every lady must wear a gown and men must wear suits to kick off the new year of 2016! The pictures added below will be from the following weekends.

Thanks for reading. :-)