Firstly allow us to apologise for the lack of updates on our blog over the past few weeks but to be honest, it has taken a long time for us to get adjusted to Taiwan as well as getting to grips with working with HESS. Our schedules are different on weekly basis and sometimes we finish our days at 8:40pm! Oh....and I almost forgot I (Emlyn) have to teach on saturdays.
In other news....we are finally mobile! I bought a scooter for only 8000 NT (which is only R2000) really cheap, it only costs me 120NT for a week (R30). It is such a blessing to have and so easy to get around with, only thing is there is hardly any place to park it. I will definately get myself a scooter when I get back to SA.
This past week, I have had a bit of a run in with the government here in Taiwan. Some of you might not know this but it is illegal for foreigners to teach English to kindergarten kids. The government stages some unexpected visits to the kindergartens and my branch was the lucky one chosen! Usually when they arrive the foreign teachers need to make a run for it out the back door, but this time nobody warned me that a government official was in the building. I was sweating buckets!!! Lucky for me I can fake stupidity and constantly said "I don't know what is going on!" LOL. It was really funny but quite an experience.
Life in Taiwan is still great. Loving every minute of it. We promise to update the blog on a more regular basis.
Peace out!!!
Emlyn (Teacher Em)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Bird sounds and alarming announcements.
So we are sitting and watching tv (we have like a hundred channels but only 10 in English) when we hear what sounds like a bird. That's strange because we haven't actually seen birds here and the wind is howling outside and we're on the 9th floor. We hear it again and again..finally we realise its our doorbell!! LOL..so Emlyn answers and its a lovely neighbor checking if we know the typhoon is coming and if we've prepared. For example we have to fill up the bathtub in case the water gets cut off.
Then we're sitting and watching tv again (hey there's a typhoon outside so this is all we can do) and we hear an announcement over the local intercom..all in Mandarin of course! So we understand nothing. We start stressing when the message gets repeated a few times! But we don't see people running outside so it can't be an evacuation..hmmm..anyways we have an intercom in the apartment so we try the different buttons..we find one for the lift, so you can sit the whole day and see who goes up and down the lift! So cool! finally we find the right button for the reception desk (remember everything is written in mandarin symbols). Luckily we have an extremely friendly man working at reception and he speaks some English! So we ask him what the announcement is about... and its just about fetching cake at the reception because its Father's Day tomorrow in Taiwan! LOL....luckily we hadn't started packing our bags yet for the evacuation:). Just to explain why father's day is on the 8th of August (the 8th month) here...its because 8 in mandarin 'ba' sounds like father. Cute!
Then we're sitting and watching tv again (hey there's a typhoon outside so this is all we can do) and we hear an announcement over the local intercom..all in Mandarin of course! So we understand nothing. We start stressing when the message gets repeated a few times! But we don't see people running outside so it can't be an evacuation..hmmm..anyways we have an intercom in the apartment so we try the different buttons..we find one for the lift, so you can sit the whole day and see who goes up and down the lift! So cool! finally we find the right button for the reception desk (remember everything is written in mandarin symbols). Luckily we have an extremely friendly man working at reception and he speaks some English! So we ask him what the announcement is about... and its just about fetching cake at the reception because its Father's Day tomorrow in Taiwan! LOL....luckily we hadn't started packing our bags yet for the evacuation:). Just to explain why father's day is on the 8th of August (the 8th month) here...its because 8 in mandarin 'ba' sounds like father. Cute!
Happy Typhoon Day!!
We're experiencing our first typhoon here! check it out online if it hasn't been on the TV yet. Its basically like the cyclones in Mauritius. Emlyn was supposed to teach today but all the schools are closed and its supposed to hit either today or tomorrow morning. Its quite a big one and supposed to bring lots of rain but thats a good thing because taiwan had actually been experiencing a drought. The wind speeds are said to go up to 140-160km/hr. So we're staying in because walking is impossible!
Anyways yesterday i walked to my branch for the first time (even though the rain and wind had already started). Its a nice 30min walk and so interesting! Its like being in a computer game trying to dodge scooters, cars and other pedestrians! The branch is really nice though and can't wait to work there, hopefully monday once the typhoon is over. Although they are already predicting another one!
So afterwards I walked home again but it started to rain slightly harder. I had to stop off at the supermarket though to get typhoon supplies and you know you always buy more than you can carry! And when i finished shopping it was pouring with rain! But i thought, well its only a 10min walk home so i just went. I was sopping wet when i got home but luckily all the goods were fine! I also had my first fall because the concrete pavement gets really slippery when wet! My poor hip survived but my umbrella didn't! Haha so i'm onto my second umbrella already.
Last night we also wondered out for our first McDonald's burger! it was the closest place to walk in the weather! and they have these amazing chicken burgers here that taste just like KFC ones but better! Not a lot of beef burgers though. Oh by the way we also have a KFC nearby! But even better, is that near my branch i have this amazing fruit and vegetable market! so will doing a lot of shopping there:)
Oh the other thing i want to you tell you is about the security in the building..its very intense! we have a chip that we use to come into the main foyer and there is always a person on duty there. Then we have to use the chip to get into the lift and then again to use the buttons in the lift! The same goes for leaving. So very secure!
ok have a look at the typhoon:)
Anyways yesterday i walked to my branch for the first time (even though the rain and wind had already started). Its a nice 30min walk and so interesting! Its like being in a computer game trying to dodge scooters, cars and other pedestrians! The branch is really nice though and can't wait to work there, hopefully monday once the typhoon is over. Although they are already predicting another one!
So afterwards I walked home again but it started to rain slightly harder. I had to stop off at the supermarket though to get typhoon supplies and you know you always buy more than you can carry! And when i finished shopping it was pouring with rain! But i thought, well its only a 10min walk home so i just went. I was sopping wet when i got home but luckily all the goods were fine! I also had my first fall because the concrete pavement gets really slippery when wet! My poor hip survived but my umbrella didn't! Haha so i'm onto my second umbrella already.
Last night we also wondered out for our first McDonald's burger! it was the closest place to walk in the weather! and they have these amazing chicken burgers here that taste just like KFC ones but better! Not a lot of beef burgers though. Oh by the way we also have a KFC nearby! But even better, is that near my branch i have this amazing fruit and vegetable market! so will doing a lot of shopping there:)
Oh the other thing i want to you tell you is about the security in the building..its very intense! we have a chip that we use to come into the main foyer and there is always a person on duty there. Then we have to use the chip to get into the lift and then again to use the buttons in the lift! The same goes for leaving. So very secure!
ok have a look at the typhoon:)
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Home sweet Home
Finally we have moved into our new home. It is amazing and beautiful. It is 3 bedroom with 2 bathrooms, it will be our home for the next year. Enjoy the pictures.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Things not to do in a Taiwan summer!
When a group of foreigners get together for a game of football in the middle of Taiwanese summer, it is just a recipe for disaster. Training finished early today, and it was the opportune time to have a pick-up game in the park. Sound like a good idea? Well, not when it is about 38 degrees celcius outside, and lets not forget the humidity. We started the game, but the first half lasted only 10 minutes, and the second half could have been even shorter. Everybody was drenched from head to toe in sweat. Not a pleasant experience or sight to behold. What is the lesson to be learned from all of this? The lesson to be learned is that football is a winter sport and should be left for the bloody WINTER!!!
Training day....
Our final demonstration lesson is over! What a relief. The two of us stayed up until 2 am doing preparation of the lessons. What a taxing exercise it was but we pulled it off and presented great lesson plans. This means we are only 2 days away from moving to our branches and starting to teach with HESS. Exciting times!
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