update

Ok so I realise and apologies for the fact that I haven't updated this for SERIOUSLY long. I have no excuse except that November passed in a blur, I actually can't remember too much of it. There are two note worthy things that happened. The first being a school staff outing to Tainan. Which was really great and I plan on putting a post up about it in the next few days. The other is that got a new job...WHOOP WHOOP! not a new job as in I left the other one, but I got a new part time job. And its quite a cool story. I have been praying that God would provide a way for me to make more money, because although I am slowly pegging away at my loan, I have battling to save to much for other things like a laptop and my visit from Simon. Separately I have been praying that I could find something to do in the evenings after work. My problem is that I have been finishing work at 7.00pm which is too late to do anything, because all my friends live a good 40 minutes away, but its too early to go to bed.

Well God answer both my prayers together. I went to the hairdresser 3 weekends ago (it was a pretty good cut, and the R30 massage was AWESOME! Anyway while there the lady next to me started speaking to me, which might sound normal to you but in Ching Shuei, having someone sit next to you who speaks English is unique. Anyway so we started talking and she said that her and her husband have been looking for an English tutor. And just like that I got a job. The pay is the same as the school. And its every evening for an hour - although sometimes its more. The best thing about this job, besides the extra money - of course - is that I am getting to really experience Taiwanese Culture. Spencer's family has lived in Ching Shuei for the last 100 years or more. Already they have introduced me to so many interesting aspects of Taiwanese life.

So thank you Lord for killing two birds with one, really attractive stone! I am loving this job, its SO SO great to be teaching adults. I only realised how much I missed it when I started teaching them again. All the classes are basically just conversations...THAT I'M GETTING PAID FOR!! Of course, I do preparation and I do approach it all with learning in mind, but all round its alot of fun!

So those are the two significant events in November. I'll put the Tainan post and pictures up sometime this weekend.

Bakwa Buddah Mountain

Two weekends ago Nandi and I hopped onto our scooters and drove an hour and a half to Chunghua. It was a cool drive, although our motivation wasn't the drive it was the mountain. More specifically the HUGE buddah on top of the mountain named Bakwa.

Changhua city is in Changhua county...I'm in Ching Shuei City in TaiChung County if you were wondering...so I crossed boundaries

Anyway the whole experience was REALLY cool. The Buddha was impressive as was the whole park. There is also a MASSIVE temple up there and it has really intricate details on all the pillars. The whole thing is really impressive,with the attention to detail.


A few interesting things worth commenting on. Its a moderate walk to the top of the mountain, and all along the steps to the tops there are vendors selling food and stuff... the picture shows the Chinese idea of GOOD PADKOS... good times.

Also you can go inside the buddah and look through its eyes to see the view, but unfortunately that part was closed, i nearly snuck across the red tape, but then some people came. And I couldn't think of a way to explain my 'not understanding red tape'.

After we were tired of the Bakwa Buddha we went and had sushi at Carefour... it was incredible. R7.50 a plate, for any plate, even if it was piled with caviare. Too great.

After that we made our tired way home at dusk... got lost but thankfully Nandi managed to figure it out. I had never travelled in that direction so it was all foreign to me.

Ok this is overly late, but better late then never.

A few weeks ago was moon festival. This is a Chinese festival and coming together is celebrated. It runs on a lunar month so its when the moon is full and round, also signifying unity. Apparently all family members try to be together at this time and people normally BBQ as they say... or just braai. People also give gifts and everyone eats moon-cakes, which are cakes that are round and have special fillings... some are especially yucky and others especially nice.

I got quite a stash from my kids which is really cool.


The Pomelo is the official fruit of moon festival, the kids wear them as hats and they do all sorts of crazy things with them. Also there is this really cool vibe and atmosphere, everyone is happy and excited... it was very cool


This is a kid with the whole pomelo thing going on. Her name is Sherry, I teach her, she is only 3!!! All the teachers love her, i think she looks like a monkey, a cute monkey, but monkey nonetheless.

Ghost Month

In Chinese Culture there is a lunar month called ghost month (it was in Sep this year) when the gates of the after world are open and the dead visit the living. During this month Chinese people will burn LOTS of 'God Money', (which is money you buy from shops near the temples and which is thought to be currency in the afterlife) they also leave out food for the ghosts so that they feel welcome. You will see people burning all sorts of things in these little drums outside their houses (so be warned if you ever visit Taiwan those little ornate drums are not rubbish bins)

Obviously there are a whole pile of superstitions that go with that, like no whistling because whistling attracts the ghosts and children are not left alone because ghosts will sometimes 'take' children with them when they leave.

So on the last day of Ghost month when the 'Gates close' the temples put out HUGE amounts of food, and there is incense burning EVERYWHERE and there are all sorts of things going on. All of this is set up in the street... so the road is just closed off... interesting.

Its all really interesting and a little weird. Please don't quote me on this description because its only what I've been told and seen, I keep on meaning to research the actual festival but haven't had a chance yet. (Terrible historian, I know)There are tons more photos on facebook.

Teacher gifts

The Taiwanese sweets/things I got

So the Chinese kids and parents like to give their teachers gifts. I'm not complaining its a great way to experience their culture. So far I have been given these Taiwanese 'sweets' or 'pudding' I dont know what to call it cos its not like anything I have had before. I guess sort of like Turkish delight in texture but not in flavour. I'll find out the name and add it later. Also been given yams, milk, forrero rochers and chips. Its quite fun getting random gifts from your kids I wont lie.

Fifi

Practising my driving in a random little area of Taichung

So the last time I wrote about my scooter, it was all in the pipelines. Now its mine. Bought and paid for. The papers are all in my name and I officially own my first set of independent wheels (as my dad calls them) I have named her Fifi. There is a logic behind this bizarre name. She has Fever written on her side and Taiwan is Formosa so I went with the two 'F's but lets be honest Fefo doesn't really work. So Fifi it is.


Needless to say I am loving the independence of having wheels. It took me a few try's to get steady on her. Last weekend I was in Taichung with Chuck and Molly who were looking after Fifi for me until I could drive her home. And Venus came over to help me get used to driving around. Now anyone who has been to Taichung will know that its not the best place to learn to drive a scooter because of traffic. Fortunately Venus found a quiet little suburb and I practised ridding there. Then we went to buy a helmet (its the good looking thing you see on the left) and after that I was a for away.

I didn't ride home on Sat though cos of traffic, I waited till Sunday after church on the hope that there would be a lul in traffic at the opportune moment. I was also covered with the prayers of my church (just before I left Chuck announced to the WHOLE church that i was going solo... I'll admit to a little embarrassment)

So my trip home was good all round. I had to turn around once or twice cos I thought I was lost... both times I wasn't and ended up driving the same road twice. But I'm not to phased cos it was quite a distance a good 20km.

And now that she's home, i'm zooting around as often as possible. I'm going to make the drive back into Taichung this weekend for Church, and hopefully all goes well and I don't get 'not lost' again.


And this is evidence that I got home safe, tired but safe ;)

An amazing weekend in Taichung

So as I mentioned early I had the most amazing weekend in TaiChung this weekend. I went in on Sat morning with Nandi, we caught the train in. The Taichung train station is really beautiful and is a national heritage site, I've put a photo in for those historians following this blog. Its baroque architecture apparently... really cool.

Then we hailed a cab to take us to Nova where I bought my camera :D yay... Then we walked around that area of TaiChung which is really picturesque and has cool buildings that have plants and things growing out the side... see picture.
Then we had lunch at a restaurant called the Naked Cafe, which had really good food, that felt like home, if it weren't for all the Chinese spoken in the restaurant I would have thought I was back in SA. So after a great burger at the Naked Cafe we walked around TaiChung some more then we caught a bus to one of TaiChung's market streets (there are many) and did some clothes shopping. These markets are really cool, cos everything is super cheap (like costs under R150) and most of it looks really cool. After trawling through the night market ( I only spent R75 on a gorgeous scarf and a really nice vest) then Nandi and I parted ways. I took a taxi to Chuck and Molly's house and Nandi took a bus to take a train back to Ching Shuei.

I had a great time with Chuck and Molly (they are the couple who pastor my church, CCT) we had supper and chatted alot and then watched some of the extended version of LOTR, Chuck has them and loves the book so that was great. I slept at Chuck and Molly's, and it was SO great to get out of Ching Shuei and my apartment for a change. Chuck and Molly have been really great and have said I can stay there any time I want, no problem. So thats really cool.

The next day was church and I was there super early for a change (normally I get in just after church starts cos of the bus) and was helping the muso's set up when they mentioned they didn't have a piano player for that day, so I volunteered and ended up playing piano in church on Sunday, which was really cool. I have missed it a lot, and it was good to be involved.

Then we went to the scooter shop to scope out potential and found the baby I have bought, and after that I went out for lunch with Michael, Emily and their daughter Miley. We had proper Chinese, fried rice and something called Hun Tun, which is like a dumpling stuffed with meat and veg, they are really good.
After lunch Michael and Emily were kind enough to drive me home to Ching Shuei so I didn't have to catch a bus. And on the way home Michael mentioned that he needs someone to edit the English in his students papers (he's an engineering lecturer) and so now I have a part time job editing papers, which is great because at least my brain is getting a work out!

So that brings me up to the end of the weekend when I had a sleep and did a little skyping. All round...FANTASTIC! so that's the long and short, ok just the long of it.

SCOOTER SCOOTER SCOOTER

So the other thing I did this weekend was go scooter shopping... (If your wondering at the sudden bought of spending, my student loan took a hit this month for the sake of me getting set up and I had been saving for a camera)

People from church have been really great in helping me get settled, so this weekend, while I was in Taichung Chuck and Michael took me to a scooter shop and we looked for and found a potential scooter. I went back today and bought it, I will have it in my possession by the weekend. When I will go into TaiChung for church and also learn how to ride a scooter. I've had one practice round, so I plan on driving it around Morrison Academy, the place where church is and getting a feel for it, then I will attempt the trip home.

So I've posted a picture of me and my new scooter above, I think its really cute and I'm really excited. Thank you Lord for helping sort all this stuff out!

CAMERA CAMERA CAMERA

So this weekend I finally submitted to the typical touristy vibe in Taiwan... I went electronics shopping...with one particular camera in mind... Anyway I had scouted prices and was expecting to pay $12 000 for the Canon IXUS 100 which was really nice and small and I was stoked (I also budgeted money for the battery and memory card). So I went into NOVA the home of all electronics in TaiChung city to see if I could find it for cheaper ( I wasn't to convinced I would)

And lo and behold I found the Canon IXUS 120 (obviously the higher the number the better) on sale for $12 000 with 2 batteries and an 8 gig memory card... SO I BOUGHT IT (the cute little thing above is the picture off the box...)

And wow wow wow did it feel good, its the most expensive thing I have ever bought cash, not owing any money, and its the best one of that range on the market today (it might have changed by tomorrow knowing technology)

Either way I am really REALLY really stoked. And am having SO much fun take pictures of everything, and anything. So the above pictures are of my new camera (well from the box, cos i couldn't really take a pic of it with it...) and my 'So happy I have a new camera smile'

A comment about comments

So I'm not trying to be ungrateful or anything... or complain, but please leave comments... not essays, just a short little...READ IT!! kinda of thing... cos otherwise I don't know if anyone is actually reading my blog, I do wonder sometimes. So please please please leave a little comment if you've been here.. Thanks

The Masked Educator.

Okay so I'm a little behind with my blogging, there have been quite a few noteworthy occurrences, so I'm going to try update this thing.

The first one on my list is THE MASKED EDUCATOR, as demonstrated above and below. This is both a strange and frustrating occurrence. Swine flu, or H1N1 as they like to call it here in Taiwan is a becoming a real problem, therefore all teachers in Taiwan and ALL students are required to wear a mask to school. Furthermore temperatures have to be taken before entering the school, if your hot YOUR OUT! (view the advanced thermometor in the picture below, its the grey thing. The spray bottle is antiseptic hand cleaner all kids are sprayed on entering...nice)



So these photos are of the first day of masked teaching, when I was still laughing about it (you can see the smile in my eyes) needless to say the smiles soon wore off because masks are FRIGGING hot! And when you are teaching pronounciation it is rather important to be able to show your mouth... needless to say I spend most of my time teaching with my mask on my chin.

Its actually quite normal to see kids and teachers with their masks on their chins, and then quickly slipping them back on if a manager walks past... as I said to my kids, your chin is not the thing with germs, but I don't really have room to talk.

I almost threw in the towel and refused to wear it but then I realised that if I did get H1N1 I would feel like a real tonsil... so on the mask goes.

Meet me on the rooftop

Last weekend I discovered 'the roof' of my apartment... And what a discovery, I tell you. One of the things that have really been bugging me since coming to Taiwan is that I seemed to have lost my ability to wake up early. (for those of you who still don't believe I'm a morning person...GET WITH THE PROGRAM...I was a teenager ok!!)

Anyway this week I have been waking up at 6am and going to watch the sunrise on the roof. I have also been enjoying long conversations with the Son. What a blessing. There is a lovely morning breeze up on the roof, which is normally really hard to come by in Taiwan, and it is setting a really good tone for each day. Although I haven't had the best week it still feels good because my mornings are good...THANK YOU LORD!

God has been blessing me out of my slops (its too hot for sox) up there... every morning new blessings. This morning was Psalm 34 "rest assured in God looking out for you" God my comforter.

one more thing...

Today also happens to be the first time I heard the new Arctic Monkey's album, incidentally named 'HumBUG' (and there's a song called 'Secret door' I think you would be blind to miss the links here...right?)

I was late for work because I was busy downloading it onto my MP3 player, the potential (but unreceived) grousing from the boss was SO worth it

!!!what what what this album is too cool!!!

My favourite part so far, from a song called Crying Lightening...

..Your past times consisted of the strange
and twisted and deranged...

Tick-tack-toe

Today was the first day of the new school semester and year actually. So all my classes went up one level and I have a new working schedule. Needless to say the day was HECTIC!! My new timetable states that I teach 4 half hour classes every morning instead of 2 1hour ones, WOW!!! its hectic, you feel like you are doing a morning relay marathon, except you the runner stays the same, the track just keeps changing...good times. I don't know if its a good thing but I keep motivating myself with Abba's 'Money, Money, Money'.

To add to the hecticness of today, with all its new classes, new books, new new new... the police decided to do an inspection of the school, to check that they aren't breaking any laws (which they are) so half way through teaching one of my afternoon classes I was informed that I needed to hide... (no I'm not making this up)

So was ushered out the schools little 'backdoor' onto some unused ally behind the school with about 50 kids and Nandi, the other foreign teacher.

Let me explain quick. The school is all about making money so it always says yes to parents who apply, thus said they have more kids in reality then they are allowed and the parents know and the government knows, but they have to do these faux inspections where we are warned in advance and the inspectors pretend to be as thick as two bricks. The reason Nandi and I have to hide is because in the ROC it is illegal for kindergarten kids to be taught English, therefore kindergarten kids are not allowed to be taught by foreigners. But there are at least 2 English teaching kindergartens in each small town, and 99% of the foreign teachers in Taiwan teach kindergarten at least once a day.

My reaction is to not think about it too hard and shrug my shoulders. When in Rome right? Okay before you think that hardcore Jos is becoming a push over, I am picking my battles. I have prayed about it and am standing my ground on things which I can actually effect. Unless I went home, there isn't anything I can do about the teaching legality.

Okay that said, why the tick-tack-toe title (besides that dazzling little alliteration) well I plonked down on a little ledge in the ally where I was hiding with a band of noise kids, and about half way through noticed that it was crawling with ticks... GREAT!! ok it wasn't crawling, but there were quite a few and i kept on noticing more. So for the rest of the day my skin was crawling and I kept on imagine ticks making their way lazily up my legs... uhhhh...

The first thing i did when i got home was give myself a full head to toe examination for stray blighter's... there weren't any but if you suddenly get news me keeling over, then you know I taken for a tasty tit-bit by a Tricksy-Taiwan-Tick... (The joys of alliteration never seem to ware of)

ok signing out!

1 month in - Week 5

This pictures is of me on the bus

Week 5 -

Ok so i have updated you on my comings and goings, now more recent news. This weekend I decided to brave the foreign languages and go to Taichung to go to church. I was plenty nervous because if I caught the wrong bus or missed the right bus who knows how I would have asked for help. Needless to say I got into Taichung with only a few hiccups ( I got the bus schedual wrong, so instead of leaving at 8.30 I left at 9.30) but no biggy and I managed to get to church on time, although only just.

Also when I finally did get on the bus i was the only person on the bus, with a driver who wouldn't stop looking at me, and told me that I was beautiful at one point. The South African in me couldn't help mutter a prayer and feel a little stressed. Its really safe here, so I just had to put that little South African away.

It was really great to go to church and meet some new people. Some ladies invited me out for lunch with them, and I went with, it was pretty cool (although quite expensive) it seems that living in the proper city costs significantly more then living in one of the Townships (which is kinda like a suburb, which has a city centre)

It all went great until I had to catch the bus home again. I went to the bus stop where I had got off the bus and waited, and waited and waited. An hour and half later, I phoned the bus companies English line and they said that the bus didn't travel on the road i was on. THe woman gave me another bus stop but I had NO idea where the road was or how to get there. I will admit to feeling seriously sorry for myself having sat there for an hour and a half and watched tons of buses go by, but not one on the route i needed and not one was the bus I needed. Luckily i found a little restaurant ( i dont know if you can call it that. more of a stir-fry shop) and they let me sit at one of their tables without buying food, which was great cos i had no idea what they were cooking. and it didn't smell to good ;)

Eventually i phoned the pastor (Chuck) of the church I went to (who speaks fluent English) And he came and helped me out.

He eneded up driving me back to ChingShuei because he couldn't make heads or tails of which bus i should go on. Apparently it was some sort of religious holiday yesterday so not all the buses were running. which was SO great, I cant tell you how happy I was to finally get home. And yes, ChingShuei has become home of sorts. I felt my whole body relax when I started to recognise landmarks in my area.

The good part about this whole thing was that Chuck drove me home on a really easy route, so when I get a scooter it will be easy for me to drive to church, And i'm pretty sure I wont get lost.

Ok this all brings me up to the present. I have a few more posts I would like to write, with photo's about the markets and about everyday life here, but its 10pm and I have work tomorrow, so I am going to bed. I hope that these updates have satisfied all those who were grumpy with me for not updating.

Much love Jos

1 month in.... week 1, 2 and 3

So its been awhile since the earthquake post, I think it might be time to update this thing again... I'm sorry I haven't been more diligent at this... i actually dont have an excuse. I just haven't got around to it.

Those of you who I have spoken to will know more about what is going on so excuse me if I am repeating myself.

So i am a month in, let me re-cap what I have done over every week.

Week 1 - was all about getting to know the school. I did observation for a few days, which was very helpful. (I slept the first weekend away to try get over my jet lag, which was pretty bad) I think my previous blogs cover this week pretty well.

Week 2 - My first week of teaching (although it wasn't a full day, because I had observation of my night classes) On Friday I started with a seriously sore throat, Saturday was proper flu, and i literally slept that weekend away.

Week 3 - This was my first proper week of teaching, i taught a full day from 8.30am till 7.00pm. (there are considerable breaks in between, but its still quite hectic)I got an ear infection during the week, so the weekend was spent sleeping...AGAIN!!

1 month in... week 4

Week 4 -

I started feeling better for the first time. And by the weekend was well enough to go properly exploring. On the weekend I walked up onto the ridge that overlooks ChingShuei, it was really beautiful. Was so greatful to be out of the apartment. Because up until that point I hadn't done much but sleep and work. (oh and shop of course) That walk was really cool because you could see the whole area where i live and I got to a better sense of where things were in relation to each other. I have a whole pile of pictures up on Facebook for those who want to look. I'll add one or two on here.

Basically I walked up to the top of the ridge and went exploring there. I found a reserve, and it was great to walk through trees again. I also found a really great park, I think that once I get over being a slob I'm going to start running up there. Cos its higher up and cooler.

When I walked down the mountain I went exlporing ChingShuei, and found ChingShuei elementry which has to be one of the coolest government primary schools i have seen. Their gardens are something amazing and they let people in to walk around on weekends, so i really enjoyed strolling around.

This is a first

There was a Earthquake last night...

Ok so don't freak out, it wasn't a full on earth splitting quake, just a little tremor... the quake was on the other side of the the island. It was the first time I've ever experienced a quake or tremor... and this is how it happened:
I woke up with a start to a squeaking bed... and I'll be honest, at first i thought the people next door were umm...ya, anyway... then i was i was like, no seriously, the squeaky bed is mine, and even my beads on the wall were moving around, and thats when i realised, and SCREAMED...EARTHQUAKE...I don't wanna die... mommy...
Ok seriously, I really checked the time (2am) and just kinda lay there thinking, this is a first...

so i guess i can check that off my life experience list...earthquake...check...

School in Taiwan

Okay so its my second Saterday in Taiwan... AND IM SICK!! What a bummer, but i'm thankful thats its the weekend and i can just relax and sleep it off. Hopefully i will be feeling MUCH better on Monday, my second week of teaching, I'll be picking up an extra class every evening from 6-7pm from this week on so i think i'm going to be pretty drained until I get the hang of it. iBut now i am talking about details not yet shared... so about school.

I am working at a school called 'Sesame Street' it is a kindergarten- mid elementary school which teaches English. There are two foreign English speaking teachers at the school, myself and Nandi (my flatmate) There are about 6 Chinese, English speaking teacher who i teach with and then quite a few more chinese teachers and staff.
My normal day consists of the following (i'm sorry if i am boring you with the details, but if i dont share the m now, they will catch up with me later. I'm just giving the basic timetable here, i'll explain each class in a bit.

I arrive at school at 8.30 and have prep time until 9.30.
Then at 9.30 I go to teach my first class which is called 'Betty'
I teach them until 10.45. Then I move to my pre-ESL until 11.50am.
Lunch is at 12.00 and I normally go home and sleep. Everyone has a lumch break from 12.00-2.00, the children (and many of the staff) sleep during this time.
I have a lesson from 2.10 until 2.50 with my pre-ESL class. And then move to an ESL2 class which is from 2.55-4.30. After that i have a big break until 6.00 when i do my prep and finally an older class from 6.00-7.00pm.

So thats my day. Basically i teach children under the age of 9 every day, which is quite a change from UKZN, but i'm having a really great time. Surprisingly i have had the best connection with my 'betty' kindergarten class.

Betty is a kindergarten class of about 10 chilren. The class is very new to English, some of the children have never spoken English before and others have a basic grasp of it, being able to identify a few words. I'm having alot of fun in this class, because the teaching includes alot of games and songs. The class is really about the kids hearing english and learning an english vocabulary. A typical lesson is me showing them flash cards of objects and getting the kids to say their names in a sentence. 'This is a door' 'He is Cookie Monster' etc. I've also been teaching them actions,which is alot of fun. In this class there are two kids which I am particularily fond of and one which drives me crazy. Howard is really quite, but his English is really good, he tries really hard and is so polite. He is really cute. Doris is my favourite, she didn't know any Englis at the begining of the week and was SUPER shy, she wouldn't say anything, now, one week in she is already stringing sentences together.
Then there is Allen, he has a behavouir problem, but is really clever. He knows alot of English, but is not interested. most of the time he just lies on the floor pulling tongues at me... in any other situation i would probably laugh but 2 hours of that everyday gets a tad frustrating.

okay i'll writ more about my other classes another time... but i'm really enjoying teaching them and i think i'm getting the hang of this system. I'm quite greatful for my time of temping because its made me adaptable. Apparently the last teaching 'peiter' was still getting lost on the way to class a month in... eesh.

The best thing about this week is that we got internet in the flat, its super fast and doesn't have a cap...so i'm officially available for skype calls... if you are wondering i'm using an old laptop which one of the previous teachers left in the flat, its slow, but it works and i am so greatful that i dont have to go to the internet cafe anymore and that i can take my time deciding which laptop i want to buy.

okay thats me hope everyone who is readign this is well. Please leave a comment so i know whose read it. Jos

Hi from Carol

Hi Jos

Glad you arrived safely - Taiwan sounds great.  We are very busy in Durban on the stadium project and all working hard.  Cathryn has left UKZN and is in London for a few weeks.  Gabi says Hi