Too Much Of A Good Thing

This year I've been living in Taichung City and although I like being closer to foreigners and foreign food it's becoming too much of a good thing. For one thing, foreign food is more expensive so my wallet feels lighter than when I lived in Wuchi. But, perhaps, the biggest issue is that I'm missing out on the Taiwanese culture. I'm not practicing Chinese as I surround myself with foreigners and Taiwanese people who want to learn English. Also, the predominately younger foreign crowd is well, let's just say immature and running fast. In addition, the foreign crowd tends to be filled with malcontents. Yeah, they may put on a smile and act happy, especially after kicking a few back, but the stress of living in a foreign country is there in them. I don't care who you are. You are going to feel it. It's natural and I speak from personal experience. Once the group psychology gets going the manifestation of this stress can be quite strong if you are sensitive to it. I didn't really notice it until I visited some teachers in Wuchi. Most foreigners never notice it because they never leave the comfort circle of familiarity. There is something to be said for 'easing into new waters', but eventually you just have to jump in and swim. So, how does that translate into action for me? Buy a bicycle and join a cycling club. Find a Taiwanese hiking and mountaineering club. Learn Chinese and spend my free time in places where I can use it. Learn some Taiwanese songs so my time playing guitar in the park may generate some contact and maybe conversation. I'm sure I will come up with more ideas, but I'm glad that I've had this realization. I know it will make my experience in Taiwan richer and more enjoyable.

Teaching At Chun-An and Aboriginal Cultures

I'm teaching at two elementary schools this year. I teach two days at Hui-Lai and three days at Chun-An. Chun-An is a very interesting school. The demographics are more diverse than Hui-Lai. There are a lot of aboriginal (Paiwan) students that go to school at Chun-An. In fact, there is a Paiwanese teacher that teaches their language to the students. Taiwan has made some very strong efforts to support and retain their aboriginal cultures. It has not always been this way, but they recognize the value of this cultural heritage. The recognized tribal groups of Taiwan are the Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Tao, Thoa, Tsou, Truku, Sakizaya, and the Sediq.

The school is going through some big changes right now. They have built a new school, but some classes are still being held in the old school. The old school will be torn down this year and another new wing will be built where the old school is.


This is the old school that will be torn down.

 The sixth graders playing T-ball.

 There are signs everywhere encouraging students to learn English.

 This is my classroom in the old school. I will move to the new school this year, but then I will not have my own classroom. I will have to move to each homeroom.

 This is the new wing at Chun-An. Once they tear down the old school they will build another wing where the old school is now.

Teaching At Hui-Lai

Hui-Lai is a new elementary school in Taichung city. The facilities are excellent. They have a small English Village in the school. An English Village is a great opportunity for the kids to practice their English in role-plays using props and mock situations. Hui-Lai was visited by some teachers from the UK last week who were doing research on technology in the classroom. They were very impressed with school.

This is my wonderful classroom.

This is the hallway outside of my classroom. Happy, smiling animals to greet me every morning.

This is another view of my classroom. You can see the various stations of the English Village.

My desk with the Smart Board, projector, and white board. The Smart Board is basically a large interactive screen. I can project the screen from the computer onto the Smart Board and interact with it just like I would on my computer. We have interactive textbooks that I can put on the Smart Board too. I like the Smart Board a lot, but I still use flashcards and the white board.

Cliff Jumping In The Mountains Near Taichung

It's great having a scooter. I feel like a normal person, almost. I took a trip with a group of friends to a waterfall and cliffs near Taichung. It's about 45 minutes away from downtown Taichung. There's a nice pool that you can jump into. It was also the first time I saw a rock monkey. It lost it's grip and went crashing down the cliffs and landed on a ledge above the pool. The little dude was okay, but seemed a bit shaken up. I guess they'll try to steal your stuff so I think he was moving in for the take. Just don't take the beer!

Back In Taiwan

My time in the United States was good. It was great to catch up with family and friends, but my path is crooked and winding and sometimes lonely. My life doesn't always give me what I want, but it gives me what I need. There are always moments in our life when we have decisions which can change us in ways we cannot understand. Paths that seem dangerous and uncertain. Theses are the moments when we must be true to our nature. These are the moments that can fill us with experience and sensation if we choose to take the path. I have always chosen the path less traveled. The path that looks like it will lead me to someplace that no else has seen. Of course, our lives are always inexplicably our own. This beautiful isolation and subjective aspect of living is what makes the journey so wonderful. Well, I'm back in Taiwan and living in Taichung city. I have many Taiwanese and foreign friends in Taichung city, but loneliness is stronger than anything I've known. I was quite comfortable being alone in Colorado or in Chicago, but in Taiwan I find myself feeling a deep need for being around people. Sometimes I will go out for dinner just so I can sit around other people. I may not know anyone or know what it being said around me, but there is a comfort in being around other people. I carry my loneliness and glide along in crowds of people. It's a potent yet strangely fulfilling experience. It's an experience I think everyone should feel at sometime in their life.


This is the view of Taichung from the balcony of my 20th floor apartment on Wenxin Road and Dadun 6th Street. When the haze is not too bad you can see the mountains.

This is the inside of my one room apartment. There's a small washing machine outside on the small balcony, which is a lot better than washing my clothes by hand. This apartment is in a very nice building (marble floors, two guards at the entrance, a small garden on the ground floor with tables and chairs, etc.). It costs about $260 USD a month and includes Internet (I also get 15 channels for free too, but they're all in Chinese...I never liked TV than much anyway). This is considered expensive by Taichung standards.

This is my new girlfriend. I picked her up at a shop in Longjing for about $280 USD. She fits nicely in my lap and she's got a nice deep voice. It's a Grace guitar made in Vietnam but designed by Gilet guitars of Australia. I call her Grace and I play her almost every day. She's got pickups too so I'm ready to perform at some open mics. In the words of Jimi Hendrix, "Music sweet music, I wish I could caress, caress, caress."

Cycling and Climbing in Fort Collins

I took a short trip up to Fort Collins to ride some trails and climb some rocks. I lived in Fort Collins for several years while I was getting my teaching license at Colorado State University. I used to do this route often. I would start at my house on the southwest side of the city. I could ride to "Gopher Gulch" (my name) where I would start with some bouldering (short climbing and traversing) before riding along the foothills to the north side of the city. To my surprise, the long climbing traverse on the north side of Fort Collins had been buried under many tons of rock. The traverse is at the base of one of the dams that makes Horsetooth Reservoir. They reinforced the dam and had to bury the climbing area. How things change yet remain the same.

This is 'Gopher Gulch'. I don't know what the real name of this park is, but there are lots of prairie dogs so I call it 'Gopher Gulch'.

That cliff band is the first climbing area I will bike to. It is called the "Torture Chamber" and is good for top roping and bouldering. Since I am biking and climbing alone I want to find some bouldering which will reduce my chances of getting seriously hurt. Bouldering means climbing short climbs or boulders. It is always good to have a spotter and a pad to fall on, but you can still challenge your skills and never climb more than a few feet off the ground.

 

 At the Torture Chamber you will find the beautiful and clean S-Crack route. This route is a 5.10+ (advanced intermediate) and although it is only 30 feet tall I will not attempt to climb it without a rope. There is an excellent traverse along the bottom that is still challenging.

 My climbing shoes are 12 years old. The soles are starting split off from the shoes.  It's time for some new rock shoes.

 

 After my 30 minutes of climbing at the Torture Chamber I bike 10 miles north along the foothills of Ft. Collins to the next climbing area.

 

 I'm usually shooting pictures while I'm bicycling. I know, it's a little dangerous, but I take it slow.

 The trail goes by the Colorado State University stadium. This is where the CSU Rams play football.

Well, I used to climb in this area but now it is buried under tons on rock. There was a great traverse in this area. Oh well, it is better to make climbers find another place to climb than have the dam break.

Bicycling In Denver And Biding My Time

Denver, and Colorado in general, is very bicycle-friendly. There are many bike lanes along the streets and hundreds of miles of dedicated bike paths that pass under the roads and highways. In Denver I can ride my bicycle for 40 miles and never have to cross a street or watch for traffic. Well, you have to watch for other bicyclists, pedestrians, and the occasional equestrian, but the bike paths are motor traffic free. As I wait for my next 'assignment' these bike paths are an excellent distraction and stress reducer. 

Ralston Creek Trail to Clear Creek Trail Loop (30 miles)

This is where I began. It is where the Ralston Creek Trail meets the Clear Creek Trail. I will follow the Ralston Creek Trail west for about 15 miles. In the foothills, I will go south and meet the Clear Creek Trail and follow that back to this spot. 

One of the many parks along the trail. The short pole with chains in the middle of the picture is for frisbee golf.  The guy on the right is getting ready to throw over the creek.

So, this is one of the many underpasses for the bicycle trails in Denver.

A flock of ducks relaxing on a small dam. The bicycle paths usually follow creeks and canals so there is a good chance you will see some wildlife.

I always stop at this bench on the Ralston Creek Trail.

Geese on the gold course. Golf is very popular in Colorado too.

The trail is starting to climb and turn up the foothills. I'm coming to the end of the Ralston Creek Trail.

This sign is not a joke. You may see people riding horses along these trails.

The view from my front wheel. I'm cycling south to the Clear Creek Trail. That is South Table Mountain. I will bike along South Table Mountain, but there are trails to the top and hundreds of sport climbing routes on the cliffs near the top.

Yeah, watch for flooding.

There are some police that patrol the trails on mountain bikes, but I've never seen them clocking for speeders.

Longs Peak- The Loft Couloir

Longs Peak denies me again. This time it wasn't weather or exhaustion that turned me around, but a boot blowout that kept me from the top. I tried the Loft couloir route since it is less popular than the easier Keyhole route. 



The blowout that turned me back. These boots are over ten years old and saw many miles of trail. Is it time to buy new boots?

On our way to camp with Longs Peak behind us. It's good to camp on the mountain since the hike is very long and strenuous.

 This is Mount Meeker and Longs Peak with the snowy Loft couloir in the middle.

 This was our route up the Loft couloir. We made it to the second snow field before my boots said, "No!"

A loose and sketchy couloir with a high risk for rock fall. We saw some rocks the size of our heads fall off the cliffs and tumble down the talus. A fist sized rock tumbling at those speeds will kill you if it hits you in the head. I wear a helmet on climbs like the Loft couloir.

 A fat, fuzzy marmot that was sleeping on the rocks. They are cute, but they will steal your socks and your food from your camp.

 Moving up the Loft couloir about 30 minutes before the blowout.

 Looking down the Loft couloir and at our trail to the couloir.

 This is the beautiful rock face of the Diamond with it's many technical climbing routes.