About Me

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Yilan, Taiwan
I just returned back to the States after 11 years in Taiwan with my daughter. Taiwan is an excellent base for us explore Asia, while living in relative (gun free) safety, while benefiting from a cheap and efficient national health care system. The people are amazing too. I have Taiwanese friendships that are 20 years old and I'm always making new ones! My coworker here in CO is from Taiwan.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Luck of the Irish

One March Saturday, I was feeling unusually feisty so I went to the beach with Z and still I needed to do something out of my ordinary. Then I remembered it was St. Patrick's Day, an excuse to wear ridiculous amounts of green and drink beer. Z was excited for some of Willy's pizza so after we rinsed off our sand and salt, we headed not to far down Jiankang. There was a small group of green clad foreigners already beer buzzing from their green beers (they probably were of Irish descent, they cheered me and Z with a group, "Happy St. Patrick's Day, wooo-hoo!"). I ran into my old friend Gregorio and after we finished our pizza, played a long game of pool. It had been years since I played and after he beat me, he and Z played against me (I still lost.)


I was heading out the door, when Z and some boys starting throwing darts with a kind gentlemen teaching them how to play. It was kind of scary seeing her with real darts but she was in good hands and having moved a few inches from the dartboard, finally hit the bull's eye. I made some new friends, the  boys' father was Robert creator of the Tainan Bulletin (where would Tainan be w/o it) and the man teaching the kids darts is the Lion's new pitcher all the way from Iowa, Eric.  Bumped into Eric a few times since, he starts this Sunday (Go Tainan Lions!)


Eric and Z
 

me with Robert
  We ended the night going to the flower night market on the other end of Hai-an street, Z wasn't too thrilled about that, hating the crowds, but an all together lucky St. Paddy's Day.


2 comments:

jgreen said...

Hi Kathy!

I am an ESL teacher here in the states and am looking to teach in Taiwan with my 4 year old daughter. I imagine you are immensely busy, but if you find the time I would love to pick your brain about choosing a school that will allow me to support myself and my daughter. My email is: jgreenw3@gmu.edu

I would greatly appreciate it!

Jenny

Kathy (杜 言 艷) said...

Hi Jenny, if you are a certified teacher you will have TONS more options for finding a good private school. I looked at the website www.tealit. com where I found my school. Taiwanese are very friendly and helpful if you have children. Just look at private kindergartens and start applying, be upfront that you want your 4 year old to go to school with you and see what kind of deduction they can give you on your child's tuition (this is the main reason I went to my current school and not their competitor). Best of luck! Now is the time schools are looking for teachers for the next semster (August) so start applying!!