Lots To Tell

OK It has been a long time so I will give a bit of an update.

Teaching is going really well. I am especially enjoying kindergarten. The kids are eager to learn and just adorable. We play games for three hours, all focused on learning English vocabulary and sentence patterns. They are really really bright too. We just had a major spelling test and they all did super well. I feel like I played a pretty big part in their noticeable improvement in the last few weeks. I have seriously begun thinking of going to Teacher's College and to focus on younger kids. We'll see how things work out. Here are some pics from a water fight day they had on Thursday...very cute!!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2351687&l=c2149&id=28101260

In terms of Taiwan, I have explored some more. Today was a national holiday so a few of the teachers went up to the nearby mountains, which are beautiful. We rode up in our scooters and swam under the waterfalls. There wasn't much water as rain season hasn't started yet but otherwise it was pretty fun.

Although I have generally really enjoyed my time here, I will say that I am not a huge fan of the food. It's all too greasy, too meaty, and some of it just disgusting. I realize there is a cultural bias on my party, but really is rice and congealed pigs blood appetizing? Or stinky tofu? (which smells like manure btw)...I have found a few good places but am making an effort to eat more fruit and cereal and improve my diet. On that note I have also started working out everyday. I go right after kindy and bike and lift weights. I have done this before but lets hope my commitment is a little more consistent now.

OK signing out

Still Alive

OK it has been a while. so much to say not sure where to start.

Teaching is going quite well. HESS is pretty professional, the people are friendly and helpful and I am getting better everyday. Most of the students are pretty awesome, although I have the occasional rowdy class. In general I have been very impressed with the proficiency of these students in English. Especially the kindergarten kids!!! I go to Taipei next week to get my new passport and to do a one month follow up training.

Kaohsiung and Taiwan has been quite the experience. 7-11's on every corner (not exaggerating), red lights seem to be an optional traffic directive, the pollution is pretty shitty, but on the bright side the weather is awesome and we have monkey's living near here. I am going hiking with some friends to see them on Sunday.

I am trying my best to keep in touch with friends back home, staying up to date with new music and working on music production stuff here. Anyways, gotta hit the bed as I have teaching in the morning. All the best.

PS my phone number is 0915498384

Big Update

well it has been a few days and lots has changed. we finally got out of taipei and arrived in kaohsiung on thursday. it's a pretty sweet place, very chill, palm trees, friendly people...etc...the air quality sucks but otherwise it is better than Taipei IMHO.

we have been going non stop since arriving. i met up with my old friend emily, who has been teaching for HESS for 3 and a half years. We have been observing classes for the last couple of days, and I am anxious to just teach. Also found a place to live in, a huge apartment that i will be sharing with an Australian fellow. I have my own private bathroom and balcony. It is pretty sweet :) I will spending a good chunk of today unpacking and making the space mine. we get internet on tuesday so i may not be really available before then.

i am quite liking things here...lots of odditys...scooters everywhere (i am getting my own soon), awesome dumpling food stands, busy night markets, and even a mountain called monkey mountain!!! Lots more to describe but it slips my mind right now.

The music scene seems to be lacking but i just got a dj gig in april which made me quite happy. i need to discuss the intricacies of techno so people please talk to me!!!

ok all the best to my friends. pictures to be posted soon.

Over A Hump...

Well just had a super intense demo today, which we all spent hours and hours working on into the weeee hours of the night. Mine went pretty well, but I am anxious to get into the class room and starting picking up all the practical skills you can only really get from real teaching. HESS has a very set out curriculum, which is nice as it will make lesson planning very straight forward but comes with a lot more preparation.

OK on other news Taiwan is quite an odd place to say the least. There is a 7-11 like every second block (I'm not exaggerating!!!). Food is so cheap and for the most part tastey but there is lots of odd foods, often with fishy tastes that aren't suppose to be there. The people are super friendly though, and I think this will make life much easier.

I am off to Kaohsiung on Thursday to meet my head teacher, go to my school and meet other teachers. It is only 1.5 hours by super train from Taipei, so it should be a quick zip down there. I will have a roomate, and we are going to look for places to live. Rent is pretty cheap too. I will be working a lot, which is good in terms of money for my loan payments, but will limit my ability to pick up a language class. We'll see when there.

OK off for beers with fellow teachers!!!

Intense Training Week

Well I am into my second full day of training and it has been draining with long hours, but I am learning plenty. After quickly trying to get caught up on the first day, having to stay up quite late to work on a presentation for today, getting to class today at 8am and finishing at 6pm I am pretty exhausted. We have reviewed teaching kindergarten, which surprisingly seems super fun, and some higher level classes. There is more of the same tomorrow and thankfully we have Saturday off to check out some of the city. The food is ok and the beer is cheap ($1 for a can of good beer).

My fellow teachers for the most part are super friendly and have made friends. I am always initially shy but by the second day I was talking to people about music, politics and all sorts of other things.

I am really looking forward to Kaohsiung and the beautiful weather, beaches etc., there. Not to metion teaching and such. Travel plans to Hong Kong and Australia are also being put together.

Hope everyone is having fun. Hopefully I will have some photos up soon :)

In Taipei Safe and Sound

OK...looks like the long ordeal is finally over and I am here in Taiwan, with passport/visa/health in hand (knock on wood).

After the 14 hour flight, where they made me check in a third bag (which meant rescuing PomPom and Carlito-my beloved stuffed toys- so they wouldn't get checked) I arrived in Taipei at 6AM there time (I am 17 hours ahead of Torontonians). The flight was uneventful but saw some good movies, slept and had noodles for breakfast.

I am a little behind the training for my job as I was suppose to arrive Saturday but was delayed due to the passport fiasco. But today I rest.

I also met my hotel roomate who is from New Zealand and will also be teaching in Kaoshiung. All is well otherwise. I will go sleep for a bit and get refreshed for what is sure to be a long two weeks.

On a positive note people here seem to be really friendly. Even the customs agent had a chuckle when i told him about my ordeal in LA!!!

Rough Start

Well what a way to start off my adventure. After a long flight to LA and a long drive to my gramma's i realize that I had left my passport behind at the airport parking lot. Despite desperate attempts to find it, calling everyone, looking everywhere, it has gone. I have spent the last 24 hours starting the complex process of getting a replacement, getting a new Taiwanese VISA, informing my employer in Taiwan that I will be running a few days later than expected, and rescheduling my flight to Sunday (I was originally leaving Thursday). It looks like things are moving in a positive direction but all will not be completed until Friday. This has been such a stressful couple of days and I am sure in the future I'll have a good laugh about it all but wow...a roller coaster week for sure.

Wish me well.

UPDATE: It is Friday night, I have my passport, visa, and new flight itinerary . I am lucky to have my grandmother, aunt and uncle here to help me out. Wow what a ride :p