Taiwan To Me: January 2008

to the heavens, where does my help come from. My help comes from You, Maker of heaven... I hope you remember that worship song from the 90's, that proclaims the truth of Psalm 121. If you don't remember it, no worries, but that's the song that came to my mind as I came back into my empty apartment a few minutes ago after sending Claudia off to the airport in the taxi. She's been here for two weeks, and we've had a great time, even if it's been mainly focused around work and the 25 minute scooter commute I take each way every day. In the last 9 working days ('cause today is a working day, but she's gone now..uh), we had one day off (New Year's Day), and she came to work with me 6 of the other 7 days. She filed my lesson plans that had been gathering dust in my drawer for a month, she entered my test scores for all my classes which will make my future work lighter in that area, she assisted my co-workers with all kinds of things, and she made some cool bulletin boards to decorate my sad, drab classroom. All the kids loved her and my co-workers now like me better because of her. (They never expressed interest in coming to America to visit me, but they're all looking at flights now so they can go visit Claudia.) My roommates loved her and want to come visit her too, and my friend, Julie was wanting to give her a last minute tour of the city this morning before her flight, so clearly she won her over as well. I told Claudia that she made me look good, but also gave a good impression of Christians and of Americans, which is not easy to do these days in many places. All this to say, we had a great time together, and although I know I'll be in SF in 3 short weeks, I got sad to see her go this morning. It's just a reminder that I'm here without my San Francisco community, and that reality is still often hard for me to swallow, even after 21 weeks (but who's counting). I came in the door, and immediately started singing that song, "I lift my eyes up, to the heavens, where does my help come from..." because I know I cannot face even one of these next weeks in my own strength. My own strength was pretty much gone here within the first few weeks, and I've been mostly exhausted ever since (thank God for caffeine!) Yet today, I have to face four classes and begin packing for us to move this weekend. My roommates and I are getting a fourth, we're moving across the road in our huge apartment complex, and I'll save about half the rent I've been paying the last several months. This is an answer to prayer, even if the timing is rushed for me. I go to church with these great South African folks who are here teaching (you've seen their pictures before) and we'll all be living together for the next season of my life in Taiwan. So, we're packing and moving this weekend since two of them leave for home next weekend and won't return for 3-4 weeks (luckies).

So, today is Friday, and I'm ready for the weekend. I've included some photos and a couple of video's. One of the video's is from my A8 class this week. It's not great but I hope you can make out the sentences they are reading. I couldn't resist writing them out of the choices of their predetermined spelling words. (I don't choose their spelling, it comes from a phonics book. You can't make these things up!) They get five words each class session and they are usually related in some way. This list included words with "nk" endings like sink, think, junk, trunk, and skunk. How would you write sentences with these words? Check it out. There's also a video of me, Claudia and Julie, meeting up for a late dinner after work last night. Just a local dive that serves Japanese style food for cheap.

I'm looking forward to being back in the states for a few days the first two weeks of February. One of the reasons is for the great joy of getting to meet Olivia Anne Tafao, born February 8th in San Francisco to my friends Stacey and Elijah. I haven't seen a picture of her yet (hint, hint) but I'm betting she's a beauty! Congratulations to the Tafaos!

I hope this finds you all well and taking on the new year with a sense of excitement and purpose. If the purpose part hasn't dawned on you quite yet, take a moment to look at Saddleback Church's website. God is really working within that church and through their leadership, and it's always fun to watch God work. You might even get inspired.

Gotta get on the scoot for the commute, so I'll close.

Until next time, LC from TW

Psalm 121 (NIV)

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

A8 trying to say the sentences I wrote for them.

At Teppanyaki Thursday night.

Erin and Claudia acting up at TGI Fridays.

Me and Sharon at Fridays.

Annaloe, me, Mari and Claudia.

Me and Claudia in front of my apartment.

Happy New Year, 1997, everybody! (In the Chinese calendar, it's only 1997. Guess we can't sell them any Y2K software, eh?)

If you're reading this I hope it's because you're procrastinating on all your New Year's resolutions (I know I am)...but here in a minute, you're going to have to go to the gym, or clean out the garage, or whatever else you promised to do.

I'm on day three of 2008, and for the first time in my life, I've worked 2 of the 3 days so far this year! There's no rest for the workers in Chinese culture.

It's a good year, so far. My friend, Claudia, from San Francisco, arrived late Friday night (the 28th) and promptly had to get up for a work commitment I had on Saturday morning. She arrived in the coldest spell of the year and we've been experiencing the rigors of scooter riding in the freezing cold wind for the past 5 days. On top of that, there is no heat in the apartments here, so the other night when I said to Claudia, "I can turn the heater on if you want me to," and her eyes lit up with excitement, I had to let her down and say, "Just kidding! There's no heat in China. These people are hardcore!" I thought she was going to cry, but instead she found a space heater in my roommates room and it has become her new best friend. I think she may survive her visit. (IF she could just find a way to have that heater on the scooter, she'd be happy!)

I've included a video of my A7 class from Friday night singing, "Happy Birthday, Jesus" with one of my students, Cosmo, doing interpretive movement. Just so you can hear them sing (sorry you can hear me coaching them too.)

I've also included a video of one of the 300+ participants in the Kang Ning English School Reading Contest (for which I served as a judge, "certified foreign teacher judge", all day Saturday). This little boy is probably 6 years old, he read with the paper covering his face the whole time, but what a cute voice. His topic is "Owen and his pet python, Lucky". Try to listen to the whole thing and watch him walk off the stage. This was in a huge convention hall full of people.

On Sunday, we went to church, then ate Teppanyaki (Japanese style cooking on a grill in front of your table), which we both enjoyed, and spent the rest of the day holed up in the apartment trying to stay warm.

Monday, we went to work, and spent the New Year's Eve-ning chilling (literally) in the apartment with an American friend, Julie, playing a cool game called Imaginiff. We were asleep by 1:00, which meant my roommates were locked out at 3:10 when they came home from their New Year's Eve party. Claudia and I never heard them, and slept right through til I woke up and discovered their text message at 5:15. Too late, they had already gone back to sleep at their friends house. Oops!

Tuesday, New Year's Day, was a full one! We took the train into Taipei to see the worlds tallest building (o.k., now it's the 2nd tallest, but don't tell the Taiwanese since they haven't updated their displays or their audio tour). It's the Taipei 101 and it is really impressive. When we got out of the train station, we took a taxi to the 101 and it's surrounding shopping areas, complete with a Chili's, a Macaroni Grill, and a Cold Stone Creamery. (Go America!) (Shout out to my sister from the food court where we found another Teppanyaki restaurant named "Karen". Hey sis!) We ate a yummy Italian meal at Macaroni Grill and then went up in the tower for the tour. It was awesome to see the city from the sky. Claudia graduated from Cal Berkeley with a degree in Architecture so she was more impressed than I was. But, I found all the grammar mistakes in the signs...see the picture below of Claudia and the "World Fastest Elevator".

After we finished at the tower, we stopped in at Marks and Spencers to see what they had (I used to shop there in the UK and wanted to check it out), then we picked up some Cold Stone to go, both of us clinging to our old favorites, and being sorely disappointed when the girl behind the counter didn't mix it the way they do in DC (that's Daly City, not Washington). We jumped into a taxi, tried in vain to communicate "train station" to the taxi driver, complete with "choo choo" and "chug a chug a chug a chug a" and finally we got out our tickets from the earlier train to show the guy. He LOOKED like he understood and off he went. After a bit, when I didn't recognize anything, I called my friend and had her say it to him on the phone. He had understood but was just taking a different way to get there. We arrived at the station shortly after, bought a ticket and only had the option of standing on the train for the hour and fifteen minute ride back to Hsinchu, so we were tired puppies when we got off. And fearing the public toilets on the train, I was needing to get home quickly. No such luck.

As we got on the scooter and turned out of the train station parking lot, we were seconds later, met head on by a taxi whose driver was clearly not wearing his glasses. The dude just rolled right into us. It was like bizarre slow motion. The bike fell over, Claudia got her leg caught under it, the back of my leg scraped on something, my Marks and Spencers bag fell into the street and I pounded the guys hood trying to make sure he didn't keep rolling. He got out and made some motion that he'd HAD his blinker on...as if that makes it o.k. to cross traffic and roll right into a two-wheeled vehicle. I immediately called my friend and let her talk to him in Chinese. Long story shorter, he gave her his name and number, the bike was not hurt so we could drive home and get out of the cold, our "injuries" were mainly just bruises which are still with us but nothing major, and the old taxi guy made sure we were out of the street and said a number times in his broken Chinese accent, "Surry!" Sincerely offered and apology accepted, we scooted on home to the comfort of hot shower, clean clothes and leftovers from Macaroni Grill. It was a big day filled with excitement, discovery, adventure, and surprises. What more can we ask for in 2008, er uh, I mean 1997? (Prince, tonight we're gonna party like it's 19-90-9!" They still have two years before that song is old. Buy stock in Prince's music.)

We're having a great time, so far, although I'm already getting really tired of being at work all day and not being able to enjoy the visit with Claudia like I want to. Alas, as always, work really gets in the way of life doesn't it?

Have a great one. Until next time, LC (and CB) from the TW!

Taipei 101 at dusk!