Some Gifts and Cards From Students and Teachers

These are some gifts and cards I got from my students and teachers.

A gift from some teachers at school. A 'fire' bull glass sculpture from Tittot. It is titled "Akin To Kindling Fire" and the sub-title reads (from translation): My dreams you pump vigor / Our friendship your passions enriched / I plow deep and strive to reach / Come and light my fire with your fervor.

 

A gift from my advanced 7th grade class. I have a reputation at school for always being happy and it's true. Just call me Mr. Happy!

These are some of the wonderful cards I received from my classes. Wow, it's enough to melt your heart! I will keep these forever.

Taipei Dragon Boat Race and Tittot Glass Museum

I went to Taipei a couple of weeks ago. Many of the foreign teachers with the Ministry of Education met in Taipei for the Dragon Boat Race. We had a team that raced a boat. The Taiwanese were very impressed by the waigourens who came in last but managed to finish. Most teams train for weeks before the race. The team had no time to get together to train, but they kept the boat going straight and grabbed  the flag. No small feat since some of the other boats did go in circles or didn't finish. We came in last, but we were proud of our accomplishment all the same. And, it's always cool to participate in the local holidays and customs. It's good to be a positive ambassador. 

So, with my free time in Taipei I had a chance to visit with some the foreign English teachers I've come to know so well and see some of Taipei. I visited the Tittot glass museum. Tittot is a very famous glass manufacturer of detailed glass castings. They have also collected some excellent glass art from around the world. The museum also provides a great historical perspective of the history and process of glass and has many examples of antique glass.

This is a glass casting made by Tittot.

This is another glass casting made by Tittot.

Some of the examples of antique glass. The origins of glass can be traced back to 3500 BC in Mesopotamia.

Going Away BBQ

Well, it's hard to believe that I've been in Taiwan almost a year. Well, 11 months to be exact. It's a bitter sweet feeling for me. I have made some good friends and had many wonderful experiences. Spend a year anywhere and you are bound to leave some of yourself behind.

Some teachers from my school had a going away BBQ for me a couple of weeks ago. The table has holes cut into the middle where small grills fit. Everyone sits around the table and you just keep throwing food on the grill. We drank beer and ate for over four hours. A short list of the foods on the menu: sausage, beef, pork, oysters, fish, corn, peppers, mushrooms, and stuffed rice sausage. Instead of wrapping meat in bread they wrap food in romaine lettuce and top with veggies. Yummy!

Weekend In Kenting

A picture from the bluffs about 25 kilometers up the coast from Kenting

Flowers on the beach

A little resort town near Sail Rock

I'm a happy man. Relying on buses, taxis, and my bicycle for a year it was great to have my own motorized transportation.

Sail Rock

Me and Peter Ferguson on the bluffs. Like me, Peter is a teacher working for the Taiwan Ministry of Education but he lives in Hengchung (a city near Kenting). He and his girlfriend were nice enough to let me sleep in their spare bedroom. I've learned a lot about gestures over the years. Brits would be offended by this gesture.

A gang of English teachers taking over a breakfast shop on Sunday morning. One of Peter's students wanted to get in the picture too. Our Taiwanese director and her niece are sitting at the back of the table.

Peter, Andrea (Peter's girlfriend), and me giving the obligatory Taiwanese 'V' gesture. In Taiwan it's not a gesture for 'peace' but seen as making a 'Y' as in "Oh, yeah!"

How To Fight A Snake?

So, as you know from previous posts, there is a strong drinking culture in Taiwan. Occasionally, I have lunch with teachers, retired teachers, and other members of the community. A retired teacher is very fond of making me 'gambei', or finish my drink (that's why they drink beer out of shot glasses). In my circle of Taiwanese teachers he is known as the snake teacher. He is a small dragon, if you will, as he has influence and likes to assert his power when drinking. Well, I told a Taiwanese friend about my situation and she told me to 'gambei' him first and then 'gambei' him again and, just to make sure, hit him with a third to make sure he knows you're not playing. Well, last time we had lunch I tried it. He eyes were open with amazement when I hit him with the first 'gambei'. The second one he gave me a thumbs up. When I hit him with the third 'gambei' he waved me off. So, how do you fight a snake? You bite the snake first.