Love Hands : Lost in Translation

I have so many ideas for what to write about and so little time to write.  But this week we have some time off for the moon festival so I am hoping to post more frequently this coming week- so there will probably be a few posts this week.  And keep the comments coming on the posts- I love comments.   Anyway, for today's post, I just wanted to share some stories that I think are funny. 
The first one is fairly short and has to do with idioms. 
I gave my students a rubric in which I stated that all items listed needed to be addressed "in some way, shape or form".  The next day, I had a couple of strange conversations with students in which they kept asking me questions like, "Do I need to use different shapes- like circles and squares- on my assignment?"  or "What are the different forms that we can use?".  I had no idea what they were talking about, and kept saying you just need to write in paragraphs- until one student pulled out a rubric and showed me where I had clearly written "in some way, shape or form". 
Another funny story involves a vocabulary review game that I learned from one Ms. Benskey, in which you put the vocabulary words up on the board and give two students fly swatters and the first person to swat the right word for the definition wins the round. 
Fly swatters were not high on the list of items packed and so Myron and I headed off to the store that we call "Walmart" as it seems to have everything and it is cheap.  However, as I scanned each aisle packed with items, I could not find a fly swatter, so I headed off to find someone who could help me. 
The woman working couldn't speak any English, so she grabbed some paper and a pen. 
I drew my version of a fly- which wasn't a great drawing- and I began to hit the bug several times with my hand.   She didn't understand and led me to some butterfly nets.  So I had to go back to the drawing, hit the bug several times again, and say "kill, kill, kill"-  I think this terrified the woman as she looked at me with great distaste.
And then I thought, oh my gosh, maybe swatting flies is some sort of savage American thing that other countries would never dream of and I got more and more embarrassed thinking about how awful swatting and killing flies might really be. 
She did finally lead me to the aisle with bug traps and sprays, but there were no fly swatters. 
So then I went off on a search for something I could use that would work just as well and came across this:

Perfect!  It even has a finger pointing to what would be the correct vocabulary word. 
So I bring these in the next day and pull them out of my school bag and there is an audible gasp from all of my students.
And I say, "What is wrong?'
And they promptly proceed to explain to me that these are known as "love hands" and teachers and parents use them to hit the students when they misbehave.  You have to hold out your hand and the teacher uses this to swat your palm. 
So, in my search to find a fly swatter, I inadvertently found and brought in a child swatter- Hah! But don't worry- so far I've just used them to play the vocab. game. They work perfectly.  

Biker Mama

Back in college when I was a Resident Assistant, all the RA's gave each other nicknames based on our first two weeks of knowing each other.  My nickname came from when we had all gone around in a circle and stated what we thought we were most likely to do during our mid-life crisis.  I projected that I would end up motorcycling around the country- I believe that summer I had just finished reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. And so my nickname was "Biker Mama" and I wore it proudly embossed on the back of the RA sweatshirt that they gave me- I still wear it, actually, much to the chagrin of my parents who are tired of seeing me in the same sweatshirt after 10 years -and perhaps reasonably so.  

Anyway, fast forward 10 years and I marry a man with a motorcycle.

 We don't ride around the country but we do ride around Colorado and I love it!  Riding on the back of a motorcycle to me is the equivalent of flying- I feel free.  All of my worries, all of my stress seems to melt away and I take the time to feel the wind, smell the trees, and breathe in deeply.  Of course, I am also always aware that Myron and I may die at any moment- which is obviously the exact opposite of feeling relaxed and is a huge adrenaline rush.  And I guess that is why I like motorcycling- it forces me to be in the moment- paying attention to how I can feel so simultaneously relaxed and alert all at the same time.  

For the time being, Myron's motorcyle is in storage, but last weekend we went to Taitung, which is on the eastern side of Taiwan.  

Overall, it was a really wonderful trip away.  We stayed at the Royal Hotel Chihpen, relaxed in their hot springs, particularly enjoying the rose-flavored hot springs, watched an aboriginal dance show, bought Buddha Head Fruit, went to the ocean (the beach was a bit rocky) but we still got to walk along the coast,

 and we hiked around the Chihpen Forest Recreation Area, which was very beautiful.  
But my favorite thing that we did was rent a scooter. And I got to drive.  Biker Mama was in her element!  And Myron was just hanging on for dear life! 

And while I am on the subject of scooters, I have to take this opportunity to mention the Biker Dogs of Taiwan.  Far more amazing than the sight of me on a scooter, is the sight of the many dogs that ride perched on scooters.  Perhaps they too find their moment of zen, wind blowing through their hair, the sights and smells of Taiwan rushing past. 

 

TYPHOON DAY!

Dear reader,
I realize that typhoons that can cause serious damage and can lead to destruction and death.  However, I must tell you that last night I wished for a typhoon day (one that wouldn't cause destruction and death, but that would give me a day off from school) and my wish came true this morning.  Don't you love it when your wishes come to fruition?
A typhoon day is the equivalent, as far as I can tell, to a snow day in Colorado.  Based upon the veteran teachers' stories, it sounds as if you are guaranteed at least one typhoon day a year.  It is actually the Taiwanese government that makes the call in regards to whether school will be held or not, and today, based upon the quickly approaching typhoon  (or tropical storm) called Lionrock, they decided to call off school.  From my standpoint, having survived Colorado winter storms, it seems a bit strange that school was called off based upon some wind and some rain,  but I guess the challenging thing about typhoons is that they move quickly and it is hard to predict just how much damage they will cause (is that about right, sister Amy, the atmospheric scientist?)  Here is a picture of what it looked like out of our window today:

Anyway, I really needed a day off.   I am tired.
While packing up and leaving our whole wonderful life in Colorado and moving around the world to begin what will certainly be one of the greatest adventures of our lives in Taiwan has been incredibly exciting and has made even the most mundane tasks- like buying toilet paper or figuring out what to eat for supper- seem like something refreshingly new and interesting- I am tired.
Because as I look back over previous blog entries, so far, I think I have really only presented one side of the story- and that is the side where I share all of the wonderful adventures that we are having- which truly have been fantastic.  That is the side that makes it look like we are on vacation every day.   
But the other side of the story is that we are living here- and trying to teach, and plan, and grade, and set up your home, figure out transportation, get cell phones, set up bank accounts, pay bills, get prescription medicine, and adapt to a new culture in a country where you do not speak the language is EXHAUSTING.
Exhilarating, but exhausting.
And everything is a process.  When you don't know the rules or the language, you spend a lot of time guessing and trying things out- and to be honest, at least in this first month-  most of the time- you get it wrong.
Take for example, getting cell phone service.  First of all, you don't really have any idea where to go to get cell phone service.  What to do?  You can look it up online, but you will probably get back a site that is written in Chinese characters.  So you start talking to people at school.  You will get a bunch of different answers.  So you talk with your loving husband over all of the many options- and you feel overwhelmed.  You wait awhile.  Someone at school offers to take you to a cell phone place to set up your phones.  You thankfully agree.  You take a taxi and meet up with your colleague.  You walk for 30 minutes.  You get to the cell phone place and discover that it is 5 minutes from where you live.  Unfortunately, it is closed.  You find out the hours so that you can come back later when it is open.  The next day at school, you find out another colleague is going to a different cell phone place next week with a translator.  You realize it may be easier if you have a translator.  You wait as another week passes and you still don't have cell phone service.  You think really hard about everything that you will need to get cell phone service- your resident card, your health insurance card, your visa, money, your cell phones that you bought in the states last year because T-mobile told you that they would work when you moved abroad.  You even bring the phone chargers with you.  You get to the cell phone place.  You meet up with the translator.  You wait in line.  You find out after an hour of waiting that the Taiwan sim card won't work in your phone.  You debate whether to buy a new phone or to try to figure out how to unlock your old phone.  You decide that since the US phones are only a year old and the phones that you can buy here are in Chinese and you aren't familiar with how to use them, that you will try to unlock your old phones.  You leave, again without cell phone service.  Your husband begins the process of researching how to unlock your phones.  He manages to use the greatest invention ever- SKYPE- to call T-mobile- and they promise to send the codes and instructions to unlock the phones in 48 hours- and you are back to waiting.  3 weeks, 2 visits to 2 different cell phone stores, 1 translator, and still no cell phone service.
This is just one example.
So sorry, dear reader, I hope I have not bored you.  But I want to make sure that I paint a realistic picture on this blog for anyone who reads it and is thinking about moving abroad.
I would tell that person not to hesitate for a moment- do it- take the chance- move abroad- take your ordinary life and make it extraordinary-
but bring your patience, your sense of humor, and keep your fingers crossed for a typhoon day- that will come just exactly when you need a little bit of time to take a deep breath, slow things down, and relax.

Buddha Head Fruit

So much to blog about this week, so little time left in the weekend.  So I think I will use what time I have to talk about a new discovery for me- the Buddha head fruit, also known as a custard apple, also known as a sweet sop, also known as a sugar apple- and pictured here.  

The Buddha head fruit was introduced by a colleague earlier in the week, when she brought in this bizarre shaped fruit, ripped off the top, and told us to help ourselves to the fruit.  You basically grab a chunk of the fruit and eat around the long black seed that lies within each chunk.  It tastes like a sweet custard, especially when it has been refrigerated- which I guess is how you are supposed to eat it.   Anyway, I liked the fruit so much, that I purchased my own at a night fruit market and had it for breakfast this week.  This fruit is really filling. I have yet to finish anywhere close to a whole one yet.  I can eat the top part and then I am stuffed- most likely because the BHF is really high in calories.

Then, this weekend, we traveled to the Taitong area- which I guess is known for their production of Buddha head fruit.  We rented a scooter- more on that in a future blog- and as we scooted around, we found Buddha head fruit stands everywhere.  There were even statues and billboards dedicated to the glorious BHF and so here is Myron on a scooter next to a giant replica of the Buddha head fruit with a Buddha head fruit billboard thrown in as well in the background, for good measure. 

The Last 2 Weekends In Pictures

Last weekend Myron and I headed out to the art museum (see picture above). The art was quite modern, surprisingly, and Myron and I had fun interacting with some of the art as pictured here.

 This weekend we decided to head out to the night market.  The sights, the smells, and the amount of people was a bit overwhelming.  By far, the most overwhelming smell of all was that of a dish known as stinky tofu.  Apparently, it is a local favorite, but in attending this particular market, I can say that the smell of stinky tofu did not entice me to want to eat it nor anything else at the market.  Myron and I commented that it would have been nice if we had had a night market guide- someone who could recommend what to try that we wouldn't later regret. 

 

Finally, this weekend we also hiked up Monkey Mountain, which is my very favorite of all that we have done in Kaohsiung thus far.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  Truly beautiful and minutes away from where we live.  

Next weekend we are heading out of the big city to Taitung, which is up in the mountains and out on the eastern coast,  where supposedly we will relax in hot springs, one of which will apparently be in our 5 star hotel room.  Want to come visit yet? 

Abnormal Norms

Myron and I made it through our first week of school!  The week was very busy and we have enjoyed relaxing this weekend.  We have also been having a fun time discovering some of the social norms of our new country. 

Norm Number One:  We have a swimming pool in our housing complex.  As you can see from the pictures, the pool is quite beautiful.  We went swimming this weekend and it was great!  
However, in Taiwan, you must wear a swim cap in the pool.  Also, gentlemen are not allowed to wear trunks into the pool- they must wear speedos- a strange social norm for a country in which they don't seem to reveal a lot of skin on a regular basis. 

Here is a picture of us in our new swim caps.  
Norm Number Two:  Recycling is a big deal here, which I think is wonderful.  You must sort your trash, and pull out all plastic, paper, and glass to be recycled.  You are also supposed to pull out your leftover food and put that into a separate container.  We thought that this was for composting, but have also heard that it is food for the Taiwanese pigs.  Yum, yum. 
Norm Number Three:  I think we have decided to purchase a car instead of a scooter, so we are about to learn a lot more about norm number three, which is basically that when it comes to driving, there really seems to be no rules.  A red light here is taken as more of a suggestion than anything else, pedestrian crosswalks or right of way mean absolutely nothing, and apparently the best advice that anyone can give you when it comes to getting around is to just focus on what is in front of you.  We were told not to use our rearview mirrors as the second you take to look behind you is the second that you will probably crash into the pedestrian, scooter, or car that just pulled in front of you.  Actually, that seems to be a good metaphor for life- focus on what is in front of you, don't worry about what is behind you.  
And dear reader, that is what I will leave you with, as it is time for me to start focusing on what awaits me this week- our second week of school.  

First Day of School

Congratulations must go out to my husband who has now taught his first class on the first day of school.  After the summer off, I am reminded just how hard this profession is.  Only halfway through the day, my throat was dry and my back was aching.  My thoughts go out to all the teachers heading back into the classroom for the new school year.  May this be a great year!

My first day was great!  Tiring, but great! I knew I was no longer teaching in an American classroom based upon the following:
1).  When Myron and I showed up this morning students waved to us, looked us in the eye, said things like "Good morning" and "Hello".  There were no nods of acknowledgment or heads cast downward- and these students did not even know us yet.
2).  Students didn't pack up their backpacks before the bell rang.  The students waited to be dismissed and even after being dismissed at the end of the school day after a full day of class, students stayed in my classroom! 

But I don't want to create too perfect of a picture.  Teaching three new preps is going to be a challenge and is going to require a lot of work- Myron and I went into school from 12- 7 on Sunday, which I guess is common practice here, and means since we have arrived in Taiwan, we have only really had one day off.  Expectations from both students and parents are high, which I feel creates a higher pressure situation than I am used to.  I understand why there are high expectations- parents are paying around 15000 US dollars for their kid to attend our school.  Finally, my students definitely have a varying degree of English comprehension- some are very fluent and some clearly struggle to write a full sentence or to even understand what I am saying- and they are all in the same class.  To try to read Shakespeare with these students- any suggestions?  ideas?  Offers to be a para in my class?

Well, I must go eat dinner and get ready for Day 2.