One Month Anniversary

Would you look at the time (ok, I mean calendar), today is the 1-month anniversary of my arrival in Taiwan.  I've accomplished a lot in a month, but I think there are a few basic goals which I will highly regret if I don't accomplish them soon: learn basic directions around the city (getting from point A to point B without calling for directions every time would be a welcome change), go to a store (a department store preferably, I'd like basic things like a clothes rack, and a garbage can), get ahead on class planning rather than playing 'catch-up' by planning lessons on the day they are taught (I hear its possible, but I don't think most teachers actually do that), learn to produce the tones in Chinese so I can actually start learning the language, and visit Buddha (I live approximately a 20 minute walk away from the largest statue of Buddha in all of Taiwan, and I still haven't gone to see it). I have a lot of other things to accomplish this month, but those are the things that I should have done already.

This was my first week at school without any observation classes, and I must say that I enjoy the official teacher status I have achieved now.  I'm starting to get to know the students, which helps me to plan activities that will actually promote interaction, rather than promoting that 'I wish my teacher would shut up' facial expression that all teachers come to know.  During the school week I had several firsts including the delivery of my first (two) written and oral exams, I level-checked (interviewed) my first prospective private student (which is the teacher's chance to gauge the student's abilities, and the student's chance to decide if they like the teacher) and got my interviewee to sign-up for my class (which means I get a bonus of NT150), my first manager observed class (which I will get the results from this week, but if I had to guess, I would say that I will get a positive review) and my first paycheck.  The highlight of my school week came from a conversation I had with my manager early in the week though.  We were talking about some of the responsibilities I would have in the near future, and she told me that she thinks I was born to be a teacher!  I was literally 'all smiles' the rest of that day!

This weekend was dedicated to the exploration of Taichung, which is the third biggest city on the island (and is approximately a 15 minute train ride away from my city of Changhua). Yesterday I went to a beautiful concert put on by one of the other foreign teachers in the area, following which, the group celebrated week 2 of birthdays at a 'white party' (which was about clothing color, but every one of us laughed at the irony of inviting a bunch of Caucasians to a 'white party').

Dancing at Freedom for the "white party".

Today was my chance to introduce my friends to something new (since I came here I haven't been much of an event coordinator because I haven't had much of an idea of the possible options around here).  I took several of my friends on a geocaching trip in Taichung.  We only successfully found one cache today (we only attempted two however, so I guess 50-50 isn't too bad) which was in an abandoned military tank under an underpass (it was a very cool location).  It was fun to be able to introduce everyone to a piece of my home life (and it is a great way for me to explore the island).  The night ended with dinner at an Indian restaurant (which is slowing becoming my favorite food group) called Bollywood.

Here we are with our successfully obtained geocache (also, we are in a tank).

One of the aspects of Taiwanese culture that I would like to look into further while I am here is the Taiwanese funeral customs (which have been coming to my attention a lot in this past week because an apartment across the street from where I live is in mourning).  The mourning period of a family tends to be at least a week (and the body should be kept in the house during this time), during which time tents, pictures of the deceased, and floral arrangements are common outside of the family's house.  The aspect of funerals here which is most unusual in comparison to western funerals is the presence of funeral strippers.  That was not a typo, it is common (though it has become less common over the last few years) for strippers to be part of a funeral (there are many possible explanations for this tradition, among which are the belief that it is an 'offering' to appease lower-gods).  In time I will research this subject further.