Feng Jia Nightmarket Might Just Be My Favorite Hangout

Fried GIANT Octopus Tentacle-YUM!!!!
(That's sarcasm, by the way...)

Yesterday, I met a Taiwanese girl for lunch/dinner...we were supposed to go exercising, but my glasses have been giving me a headache (considering they are 5-6 years old and my prescription has changed) and wasn't up to exercise . So we decided to meet at the art museum and so I arrived there early (It's a 5-minute bike ride from my apartment) and walked around the park outside of the museum...there were lots of people and lots of sculptures so it was quite interesting! I was the only foreigner in the area and am suprised that I am already picking up TINY Chinese sentences and words and understanding them!!
For example, a woman and her kids were walking by and the woman smiled at me and then said to the kids...."Blablablabla meiguoren" meiguoren=American in Chinese and trust me I was the ONLY westerner there so she was talking about me...but the point is that I UNDERSTOOD what she said!!
I didn't go inside the museum but hope to very soon!! It looks awesome!!!

The girlfrind and I went to a cool cheap restaurant and I had a coconut cream toast (YUM!!!!!!!!!!) and a cranberry waffle and we talked about...what else? Guys :) We get along really well and I think we will be exercising next Saturday! I need more energy!!

So then boyfriend met up with us and later boyfriend and I went to Feng Jia Nightmarket...he needed his glasses fixed and I need new ones so we stopped in a glasses shop. We both had our eyes tested (FOR FREE!!) and I found a great pair of frames for only €55-60...but with the lenses (and boyfriend's power of bargain-something I NEED to learn here) My glasses AND lenses ended up costing only about €50!!!!!!!!! And boy, my right eyeis getting worse apparently :( But it was so funny, because boyfriend and I had to walk around in the store with these stupid looking optical measurement glasses and we looked so stupid, and couldnt stop laughing at each other!!!!
So my glasses are dark red plastic frames and kind of funky-finally!!! NO MORE HARRY POTTER GLASSES!!!!

Then we walked around the nightmarket and I tried some fried whole crab (still in it's shell) some Thai moon omelette thing( SOOOOOO effin spicy, but good!!) and boyfriend got Turkish Ice Cream...I WISH we would have got it on videotape because this guy was hilarious!! He put the ice cream in a container and mixed it with a long metal pole that was flat at the end...he would use the flat part to scoop the ice cream into the cone, but the ice cream would still stick onto the flat part because it seemed to be of an almost caramel consistency-gooey...so he would have the ice cream and cone hanging from the pole and reached out to give it to boyfriend...all of a sudden it seemed like boyfriend dropped it...but it was still on the pole!! The man kept doing it to boyfriend and it started drawing a crowd...I was laughing soooo hard!!! The look on boyfriend's face was priceless!!! Then we saw the man do it to other people and it was sooo funny!

We also kind of went on a nightmarket shopping spree: this CD/DVD store was closing so they were having a huge sale so I bought (don't worry mom, it's in my budget) Pan Wei Bo's CD and Pride and Prejudice VCD...boyfriend bought some National Geographic travel DVDs as well as Miami Vice and even bought me "It's a Wonderful Life" since it is a Christmas Classic:) The DVD's were only €4-5 if that. I also am in need of clothes desperately since I had to throw most of my clothes in the recycling bins in Holland (they were YEARS old and trashed/ratty and did NOT want to bring them here) so I bought some nice button down professional looking shirts, a black hoodie which ironically has Dutch writing on it and a pair of exercise pants...I probably spent about €30 on all of that.

The Taiwanese always have these arcade places....NOT with video games, but with games like toy cranes, air hockey, those basketball hoop games, Whack a mole, etc etc etc...so then we went into one and boyfriend won a couple of toys(he won me a CUTE stuffed aminal-so romantic..hee hee :) ) and then he kicked my butt in air hockey...and basketball-haha!!

As for today, not quite sure what we're doing...all I know is I have 3 classes to teach tomorrow..thank god they are speaking/oral exams and one "Games Day"

And as for integrating with the people and culture and immersion of the language: I have a nice balance of Chinese and English so that way I'm not wanting to rip my hair out...yet! And I'm meeting some great Taiwanese people here which is making my experience even more positive :)

My Decision-Follow Up from Last Post:

I have mastered the Squatter Toilet...well...OK...not really, but I have my own system ;)

Here is my decision. I decided to NOT go with plan A or B and invented a plan C which is this:

Save a few thousand NT$ and postpone taking the YL extension until I can find a suitable date at a later time. This way I have more time to research and save money as well as have some funds for social life, travelling and purchasing the things that I need to settle down here especially since I absolutely will want to move to a new apartment next year!! I need a kitchen!!! Plus, a bike is nice for now, but in a year I HAVE to get a scooter...I need to be mobile!!! So why don't I have a scooter now? Answer: Can't afford it and can't afford the expenses if I get in a wreck...

So back to my decision:
So how will I improve my teaching and confidence? Well instead of taking the course, I need to beg and plead and beg and transfer money to my mom so that she can send me my grammar books...I have NEVER needed books like this as bad as I do now!!! These books have become my lifeline!!!!! So mom, if you are reading this...I KNOW it's going to be expensive but I am on hands and knees here!!!! Please send my grammar/teaching books...I'll send you the money for it even!!!! I'm desperate!!

Also, I will try to find a way to have other books sent to me..like the book used in YL extension so that I can read it before I do take the course..just as I did with the CELTA course.

I also need to be more serious about my school's training projects that they give me. My most recent project is to devise a grammar lesson aimed at a "problem" student...Luckily I don't have problem students, but I do have a couple students that seem to have ADD/ADHD as well as one or two that may be illiterate (in English) and it worries me...I want to help them, but am a little unsure as to how. But maybe this project will help me.

I am also planning on investing in a printer/copier/scanner in one as well as a laminator and would LOVE to have Adobe Photoshop again... My mom and step-dad's printer/copier/scanner was a Godsend during the CELTA course and I feel soooooo lost without Photoshop :(
It really helped my organization and performance and layout.

Well, that is all for now. Boyfriend is busy in Japan until tonight. He asked me if I wanted anything from Japan but since you can get almost anything here I decided there is only one thing I want from Japan and that is: Cucumber Pepsi...I HAVE to try it!! So...we'll see if he remembers this request ;)

The Choices We Make and the Research We Must Do

I was a little down before my classes today. I haven't had a chance to do more research on the YL extension to the CELTA course but as I plan my lessons I feel less and less confident.

I STILL make the same mistakes as I have a few months ago...and although I've gotten into the routine for the most part, I still don't feel comfortable teaching grammar. There are still so many things that I have problems with.

The Chinese teachers are AMAZING with the technicalities and rules of grammar. I, on the other hand, choke when I see a timeline or have to explain the present perfect tense.

A few weeks ago I was teaching a higher level class (which are GREAT kids and I have so much fun with), but a grammar problem came up and my co-teacher had to explain it, but when she left the room one of the students asked me how many languages I spoke to which I answered, "German, Dutch and Spanish." Needless to say their eyes popped out of their head when I told them but that is neither here nor there. So then I asked why and he then asked if I could speak so many languages, but how is it that I don't know my grammar.

He wasn't being mean, he was just asking ( I know this because he a good kid)...and it hit me hard!!

Of course we are hired because we are native speakers of the language and speak naturally, but are all the other native speaking teachers like me?

I spent February to July trying to re-learn the English grammar and for some reason I have forgotten it all!!!!

So here are my choices:
1. Take the YL extension to the CELTA course, but have no money next year for a scooter, possibly a better apartment as well as having to put aside NT$12,000 a month out of my monthly salary and no travelling, no social life, etc, etc, etc, etc.
*Pro: One step closer to being a better teacher, MORE confidence, one step closer to the DELTA in 3 years, EXTRA experience, one more addition to my CV, plus this would mean I travel to Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand (which I've never visited before) and...
*** EXTRA GRAMMAR PRACTICE***

or

2. Don't bother with YL extension till possibly the next year and have money for a scooter, license, social life, travelling around Taiwan, a better apartment and etc.
*Con: Still suck as a teacher, STILL shite with grammar, LOW confidence and still have the inadequate feeling, plus no extra-outside training and experiencing a learning/experience plateau.

Well, I can't expect anyone to make my decision for me. I need to do it on my own, but I just wanted to vent about it. I need to do MORE research-that's the bottom line.

On a different note:
I forgot to mention that I tried Stinky Tofu this weekend which I have been saying I'd try for MONTHS now and here is my take on it:

OK, so you know when you are talking with someone and they have somewhat bad breath,not necessarily overwhelming but just enough to make you wanna turn your head...???

It tastes like that...

So needless to say, I'm not a fan...sorry!

Taichung Jazz Festival

Saturday, by complete accident, boyfriend and I ended up walking around the Taichung Jazz Festival and I'm so glad we did! It was so much fun!

Boyfriend even tried German wurst with sauerkraut and a dark Erdinger beer...I don't think he enjoyed it as much as I did...yum! I love wurst, sauerkraut and senf!!!! It also seems that I'm the drinker in the relationship..especially the beer drinker...boyfriend isn't much of a fan of beer as I am. But when you lived in Amsterdam and Germany for a few years and have hung out with Aussies, Kiwis, Irish, German, Dutch, Scottish,Mexican and British expats who know how to drink, then you develop a little bit of an appreciation for beer...

Anyways...it was really nice but unfortunately that night I felt sick and felt like I was coming down with a cold. Luckily I'm better today :)

Other than that I am boring...need to go get lunch and get ready for teaching...

But I must say...I really think I MIGHT...just MIGHT like Taichung better than Amsterdam...

Is it possible? Well, so far it is :) I'm already considering long-term plans to stay here, become fluent in Chinese, live my own life, and live in Asia...So far so good...:)

"Mad World"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071016/ap_on_re_eu/interpol_manhunt_40

By ANGELA DOLAND and JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press Writers Tue Oct 16, 4:04 PM ET

PARIS - A suspected pedophile being hunted by Interpol contributed to an online forum for teachers, and police say they believe he wrote under a pseudonym about the risks of catching HIV from oral sex and how to erase pornographic computer files "so no one will see."

Two teachers who knew and socialized with Christopher Paul Neil, a 32-year-old Canadian now being sought for allegedly abusing young boys, told The Associated Press he wrote extensively online under the pseudonym "Peter Jackson." They described him as a social, fun-loving person, and said no one in their circles suspected him of pedophilia.

The worldwide manhunt for Neil, who eluded police for years, is now centered on Thailand. Authorities say Neil flew into Bangkok on a one-way ticket Thursday and is still at large.

From Canada, Neil's brother urged him to turn himself in. "My mother is devastated and the family is in shock," Matthew Neil said from the family home in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

Before Neil disappeared last week, more than 300 messages under the name Peter Jackson had been posted on a forum for English teachers called Dave's ESL Cafe. The posts are a window into the mind of a man who portrays himself as dedicated to teaching, well-traveled and well-spoken — but with a sophomoric sense of humor. Sex is a recurring theme, though he never mentions an attraction to children...

Mom sent this to me a couple days ago and I just saw a report on it on CNN. She sent it to me because she thought maybe I knew the guy. LUCKILY, I don't know him, but I am pretty sure I've had some contact with him on Dave's ESL Cafe as I researched teaching English in South Korea on the forum there before I decided to research Taiwan.

The thought that people like this could be colleagues, neighbors, friends makes me sick!! We are teachers for christ sake!!! We are there to educate these children even if it is only in English. We are there to give them confidence, to open their minds and prepare them for the future. They are just children!!!!

It is sad that the EFL teaching career is at such a demand for teachers that anyone can become a teacher and that means people who don't care or people like this guy who is now being chased by INTERPOL...

I hope that I can bring a positive light to EFL teaching. I truly want to be a good teacher and give these kids a chance to open their minds. I may not teach them to avoid scary and dangerous situations directly, but I hope that opening their mind will help to broaden their common sense and build their confidence so that they can live a happy and innocent life.

I have also decided that in a few years I would like to adopt a Taiwanese child, regardless if I already have children or not. I've been thinking about adoption for a while and OF COURSE I'm not going do it now, but I would really like to when I am financially and mentally secure.

Last night I tried to put myself in the shoes of an adopted child. I lived a very lucky life. I had a wonderful childhood in suburban Ohio with PLENTY of food, a roof over my head, clothes, well..EVERYTHING I needed and MORE!!! I was spoiled and an only child.

There are children out there who don't have a loving family or friends or warm clothes or comfy shoes...or any shoes. They don't get to sleep in a nice warm soft bed every night. They have to eat scraps, if they get any food at all. Chances are they are being abused in the orphanage and beaten and god knows what else...the thought of it makes me want to cry!!!!! They have no chance for a future and could end up on the street the rest of their lives or even dead by 15...

I wish I could give all of them a chance, but unfortunately I assume I will be struggling to give just that one child that chance to have a nice home, a happy family and a good life. But I would like to give that one child that chance.


Back to the news story...as for weirdos on online forums...they are EVERYWHERE...I like Dave's ESL Cafe! Dave's ESL Cafe has helped me with my research on EFL teaching as well as my CELTA and other things. It is such a shame that the bitter, jaded and disturbed try to rule the roost on ANY message forum. I know at least 3 people on EVERY forum I'm on that would be considered bitter, jaded or just plain effyouseekayd up... My point is...is that there are weird people out there and that's fine-Hell we are all different in our own ways...but you HAVE to draw the line somewhere!!! When it involves hurting people mentally or physically and involves children in such a sick and twisted way-it needs to be nipped in the bud!!!!

Well, that is my two cents...I'm sorry but it kind of has me upset...this could be happening to my students and I wouldn't even know...to be honest-it scares me...

Daaammmmnn! You Taiwanese can dance!!

Pan Wei Bo - Gao Shou...this song will NOT leave my head!!!!!



I had a pretty good weekend!

Saturday, I went out to dinner with my work colleagues and had a blast!! Later that night, boyfriend and I met up with a couple of the same colleagues from earlier at this trendy jazz bar and split a bottle of champagne 8 ways...it was good!! Then we all went to a hip-hop club and danced and lemme tell ya...the Taiwanese can dance!!! The younger generation LOVES hip-hop and are AWESOME break dancers...apparently some of the 6-year-old students at the school were bustin moves one day-IF ONLY I WAS THERE..it would be on this blog :(

Anyways...A few of us aren't bad dancers ourselves and can shake what our mommas gave us pretty well so we would get into a big circle and one person would go in the middle and show off their stuff...it was soo much fun...and boyfriend....WOW!!!! He can dance!!! I've never really been with a guy who could dance before-it's GREAT!!!! And Taiwan is a beautiful country: NT$250 (for girls) All you can drink!!! It is just soooooo nice to go dancing once in a while...I can't do it like I used to in Amsterdam (EVERY weekend), but there are times when I've had a crappy week and just need to let off some steam...

One last thing because I'm too tired to write anymore:
I love Taichung in the fall/autumn...NOT too hot yet it's NOT cold, yet there is just enough wind, yet there is still BRIGHT blue sky and SUN...and palm trees...I'm tellin ya...seeing these palm trees every once in a while is a nice reminder of my happiness and of the crappy European weather...Weather affects my mood-see my poll.

Foreign Girl's Underwear Shopping Adventure in Taiwan

Underwear shopping in Taiwan is a foreign girl's nightmare:

So yesterday, I was at Carrefour because I needed some "padded" bras (apparently, "Lady Bumps" are taboo and ALL women are padded). So I am there and these women start rattling off to me in Chinese about bras and were showing me the expensive bras. OK, at the moment, I do not have much of a budget and I just wanted to make this as painless as possible-just get some underwear and get the HELL outta there!!!!! At Wal-Mart, you don't have the sales people following you around and giving you advice on your bra size and freaking out if you choose a bra that may be too small for you... Then to make things worse, they wanted to measure me and I asked if it could be done in the fitting room area, because the last thing I want is a bunch of Taiwanese people..or even worse...MY STUDENTS...to see my boobs being measured by some sales lady, but NO... they HAD to do it in the middle of the bra section and since it was a holiday, it was crowded!! I was mortified!!! And on top of things, Taiwanese/Asian sizes are smaller so now I'm an EXTRA LARGE (And I've even lost a bit of weight!!!!!!!!!)

FINALLY, after a half an hour of torture, I finally got what I needed and left!!

Other than that, yesterday was a good day. Boyfriend took me to Jing Min street and got to do some window shopping. We went to a store that sold Zara and H&M stuff (I miss H&M terribly!!) and all they had in H&M merchandise was jewelry. They were selling the jewelry for an equivalent of €20!!!!!!! In Holland I pay about €3-5 for jewelry at H&M!!!!!

But it was a nice area and so it turned out to be a nice holiday :)

Today should be a somewhat easy day teaching as my first class is review and a quiz and my second class is review and an oral test.

I finished my Chinese homework and will be going tomorrow morning-YAY!!! And...tomorrow is Friday-Yay!! :)

OK I'll write more later!

Bre:)

P.S. I broke my orchid's neck (well, I didn't-it fell over) and now it is dying :*( I think I need to buy another one...or two...

My Own Typhoon of Emotions

Lauryn Hill-I Gotta Find Peace of Mind...a GREAT song


Being bunkered down in a studio apartment for two days avoiding a typhoon can have affects on a person. For me it was laziness, and a rush of thoughts clouding my head as insecurities began to set in. Insecurities NOT about Taiwan, but once again about my performance as a teacher and about relationships.

I can't wait to get out again, teach and go to Chinese class. Because then, I don't have the negative thoughts pouring in my head-they disappear! Only the positive ones stay. I'm not sitting waiting for the phone to ring or waiting for an email or a message or a comment on Myspace. I'm out and experiencing life! And I seriously hope I can go to this Tai Chi class. I need peace of mind from all these insecurities...I don't want to be insecure!! I want to be confident! I want to be a good person and I want to be active!

I've had headaches all weekend because I've been a lazy arse, sleeping, eating junk food and watching TV. I don't like being like that-I'm not happy being like that. I need to get out, but it's still very rainy and there is nothing really opened plus I have three lessons to plan for tomorrow.

So once again, I'm praying that this Tai Chi class is closeby and at times when I'm available-please!!!

I gotta find peace of mind!


Lauryn Hill-To Zion

Riding Against Typhoon Winds:

This week has not been a very good week for me as far as teaching goes. I have a visit from my "Aunt Flo" and I am pretty miserable and have been an extra klutz and an even crazier "Teacher Bre"

But last night I had to go to the supermarket right after work as I needed to stock up for the typhoon. So it was about 22:30 and had to drop my books off, then ride my bike back to the store, but since I don't have saddlebags yet and only a front basket, I had to ride with 3 bags slung over my shoulder.

Luckily my 24 hour supermarket is only 5 minutes from my apartment and 2 minutes from my school so it's not so bad, but after stocking up and riding home...My god it was the WORKOUT of my life!!!!!! 3 somewhat heavy bags slung over my shoulder as I pedal against the beginnings of Typhoon winds...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ironically, My stepdad and I's bike ride from Amsterdam to Lisse(the Flowerfields-3 hours there and 3 hours back) was actually worse than this!!! After that bike ride I couldn't move my legs-hahaha!!! My stepdad was probably a half a kilometre ahead of me on the way home to make it worse-hahahahahaha!!!

So my supermarket has soooo many cool things!! Refridgerated, Japanese yogurt balls, Green Tea Pumpkin seeds, Plum Green Tea, etc, etc...So I have food :)


But I have to teach 3 classes on Monday now and have papers to grade and since boyfriend is away in Taipei for the weekend and the typhoon seems to be a lot stronger than the last one, it looks like I am going to be bunkered down and working or being a lazy arse this weekend-it will be great...Thank god for HBO, Cinemax, Star Movies, CNN, 24 hour anime channel and the internet!!!!

I even slept in till 11am today as the winds screaming and whistling against my window and door have kept me up most of the night...it's not that it's scary, only that it's loud...

So I am going to veg out for a few hours and maybe work on my lesson plans...:) I think today is probably the best day for vegging as I am worn out and energyless...Aunt Flo sucks the life out of me...

Zai jian!
Bre :)

New Year's Resolutions Update

My First Chinese Homework Assignment-finished :)



1. Be a better person.

• Have improved but still need more work.

2. Help others in need.

• Attempting to in my teaching, but in the outside world...ehhhh not as much as I should be....need more work.

3. Find a worthwhile job.

• For once in my life, I can check off a resolution that I have fulfilled...CHECK!!!

4. Raise self-esteem.

• Ehhhhh it's a LOT better than it was, but still needs MORE work!!!!!

5. Think Buddhism/Taoism/Zen.

• Trying-more work.

6. No relationships of ANY kind until I have a steady job.

• CHECK!!!!! But...I need to keep myself grounded and out of trouble! Learn from Germany...
  

7. Job in non-profit sector.

• Not yet...

8. Listen to others and CARE!!!!!!

• Improving but still MORE work!!!!!!
  

Getting Into the Swing of Things

I am finally starting to feel more and more comfortable as each day goes by. I am still having problems teaching grammar and giving instructions, but I feel more comfortable around my students and I don’t get that nervous feeling before each class starts.

I started my Chinese lessons today and love it!! It’s very hard, especially the 4 tones and even more so the writing of the characters, but my teacher is hilarious and so funny and I had so much fun in the class! I even retained almost all of what I learned I think! I can now count to 10 except I can never remember seven and even noticed a HUGE difference today that even before class I am starting to understand small pieces of Chinese when spoken to me…for example: I went to a tea shop and asked for Molilucha(Green Tea with Jasmine) and the girl said a couple times “Meiyou Cha” and after the third time-it hit me..Oh yeah…”No tea.” So the lightbulb went off and walked to the next tea shop and got my molilucha qing bu jia tang (Green tea with jasmine, please no sugar). Then after my class went to the smoothie place and the girl said Sanshìwu kuai and I automatically knew it meant $35!!! So I have to write a few characters out for Friday and Friday I get black saddlebags for my bike J Yay!!

So this weekend boyfriend and I went to another nightmarket not Fengjia and had my fortune told and my palm read and here is what the man said:

~I’m a hard worker
~I’m kind
~My big forehead is a symbol of something good
~I’m very highly intelligent or educated (Damn Straight Mr. Fortune Teller ;P)
…And the ones that make me laugh…
~I’ll end up making more money than boyfriend :)
~Be careful because I might be in an accident next year
~THIS year is a good time for me to get married….HA!!!! It's OK Mr. Fortune Teller, we can't get them all right you know...
~I will have 2 kids with boyfriend..(Whoa! Mr. Fortune Teller! Methinks we are being too hasty!!)

But I think he only said that stuff about marriage and kids because we were together and because I’m 27(we told him our ages) and I think traditionally the older generations push the younger ones, especially the younger females to get married and have kids…

But… he also said that I would have less and less contact with my parents which worried me (because I don’t want the Germany incident to happen again) and thank god for boyfriend’s cynicism because he told me that can’t be true because I have MSN, Skype and my mobile and so there is no way I can have less contact with my parents…and that made me feel a lot better.

So here are the foods I tried this weekend:
~Coconut milk straight from the coconut
~Taiwanese fried eggplant (I luv me sum eggplant) and fried scallions with mussels
~Taiwanese ice with milk, red bean and the other ice with barley-very good!
~Soup Dumplings-yum!!!!!!!!!
~Taichung “Sun Cakes” and “Green Bean Cakes” Yum again!!!!!

Oh and one last thing: On Friday, I get to learn how to write my Chinese name!!!!! Yay!!!! It is probably going to be one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do but will be sooooooo cool once I can do it!!!!!!! I can’t wait to post pics!!!

BTW, pics will be up soon I promise!!! Boyfriend and I are very busy so we have no time to upload pics and stuff yet…I’ll try to do it ASAP k?

Dai hui jian!