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.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Shine My Light Thru Cool Colorado Rain

Z, Garden of the Gods 2013

By the time you read this we will be on our trip home, stopping at Japan and LAX before our final DIA destination. This has been the longest month, no the longest summer ever. The whole car wreck, DMV nightmare, being in debt, borrowing, scrimping, its exhausting. I realized that working p/t has perks, I miss my weekly orphanage baby party and time to chill in my hammock. That didn't last long, I needed to work and found some short term contract work in Loudong. Living off half a salary can get me by, but certainly its no picnic in any financial emergency like the past two months. My new job offer came in the nick of time. It will be a relief to be able to save for a trip or not depend on "getting by with a little help from my friends."

Home.

Colorado skies, that dry at altitude lack of oxygen air, will I even notice? Last time we were home was Chinese New Years 2013 for my 39th birthday and my mom's 63rd. Has my heart and lungs atrophied to that of a mere sea level mortal? Probably when I try a new micro brew I'll find out. It will be nice to just relax. This Thursday we are taking an RV to New Mexico to stop at places along the way, the birth home of my mom, some backwater mountain town and of course Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Hot Springs and Pueblos. My kid needs some well deserved daily spoiledness that only grandparents can give. I have 4 brothers to catch up with and two new nephews and a niece I haven't met yet. I will have to swing by Boulder and catch up with friends there too. Busy, busy eating and drinking and making merry- oh life is tough! Of course I plan on camping, horseback riding, going to Red Rocks for a workout and hopefully a decent show.

Ice skating with her cousin 2013
I told my friends I want to do activities I can't do here, like aerial yoga, take a pole dancing class, THC yoga, hit the recently legal edible bakeries and try a little bit of everything. I also know what I don't want to do, I don't want to drink, I cant really handle it at sea level let alone a mile above sea level.  Obviously I want to eat- A LOT.

 


High quality foods (salivation commencing now) spelt tortillas, buffalo burgers, turkey bacon, amaranth flakes, rye breads, sourdough, raw cheeses, pinto beans everyday, New Mexico green chili with every meal. It goes without saying that everything is organic, because that's way my mom rolls. I am going to put my face into a big bucket of cottage cheese and bob for artichokes. The danger is easily putting on 5 kg in 4 weeks and not being able to lose it in 6 months, because I do feel like my metabolism slowed like a switch when I turned 40. I'll worry about that in September.

 


What I am bringing as gifts is tea. High quality, organic Kytoto Matcha. I got them at Santa Cruz (the health food store) and some other teas and little purses/bags. For my nieces and nephews I got age appropriate books and puzzles with Chinese and English. I am also bringing  lots of  cool clothes I've never the occasion to wear and will sell them at the Buffalo Exchange and see if I can get some money or a pair of cowboy boots.

 


I'd also really like to catch a show. I miss good live music. Of course Taipei has music and Kaohsiung and Tainan too for that matter, but I don't have the opportunity to go out much.



 Speaking of music, this is a sample of what I'll be listening to on my 24 hour trip home (in total). Anyone who knows me intimately, knows, that some of this has been my playlist for eternity, but I've got some new stuff too and all that has to do with leaving Taiwan and going home. Don't read into "falling in love" referring to any person. I know I will fall in love with Colorado again and again.

1. "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" (The Beatles), my air guitar moment.

2. Lost Sailor/St. of Circumstance (Grateful Dead)

Compass card is spinning, helm is swinging to and fro
Oh, where is the dog star, oh, where's the moon.
You're a lost sailor, been away too long at sea.

Some days the gales are howling, sometimes the sea is still as glass.
Oh, raise the main sail, oh, lash the mast.
You're a lost sailor, been away too long at sea.
Now the shorelines beckon, there is a price for being free.

There's a sea bird cryin' and there's a ghost wind blowing
And it's calling you, to that misty swirling sea.
Till the chains of your dreams are broken,
No place in this world you can be.


3. "Let It Happen" (Tame Impala)
4. "Eventually" (Tame Impala)
5. "Leaving" (Pet Shop Boys)

I know enough's enough
and you're leaving
You've had enough time to decide
on your freedom
but I can still find some hope
to believe in love

Believe in love
Don't go away

6. Hearts Like Ours (The Naked and Famous)
7. Dawned on Me (Wilco).

Every night
Is a test
To the east
From the west..
I forget 
That I know
I regret
Letting you go
Sometimes
I can't believe
How dark it can be...So far And so forth and again I will start to begin at the end

8. "Punching a Dream" (The Naked and Famous)
9. "Morning",  "Say Goodbye" (Beck)
10."Empty Threat" (Kathleen Edwards)
11. "Johnny Delusional" (FFS)
12. "Black Sun" (Death Cab for Cutie)
13. "Lampshades on Fire" (Modest Mouse)
14."Super Hero/Epic/Sunny Side Up/Midlife Crisis" (Faith No More)

Rainbows will bend for me
Curvy
Honey bees will sting for me
Stingin', stingin'





15. "From the Dead " (Faith No More). I don't know how Gould and Patton found me, but somewhere along the time space continuum, they wrote this song that is basically me at this moment or near future. I am the lion back from the dead (my family coat of arms,  my home is near mountain lions). I am dead right now, on auto pilot, my background is the Grateful Dead. If I could cry it would fill a canyon. Compared to Colorado, living in Taiwan is sleeping on the forest floor. I am going home to the open arms of old friends and family and I am going to unwind and rest. What breaks my heart about this song is I miss their Red Rocks Show by a week, which is a travesty. If I didn't start my new job Aug 31st, I'd change my plane ticket in a heartbeat. When they play this song at Red Rocks I should be there.

Homecoming parade
Welcome home my friend
There'll be no more sleeping on this forest floor
Open heaven's door
Comin' 'round the bend
Welcome home my friend
There'll be no more weeping like a canyon gorge
Hear your lion roar
Around you, 'round you
I can see you shining like a morning sun
Hear your lion roar

Around you, 'round you

I can see the parade
Welcome home my friend
We come back to history in present times
Watch your watch unwind
We've been turning mysteries to nursery rhymes
Sigils and more signs
Around you
Watch your watch unwind
Back from the dead
I can see the end

Welcome home my friend

Dinosaur Ridge, 2013

Friday, July 24, 2015

Smell You Later Kindergarten!


Today doubtlessly was my last day of teaching kindy. Its such a relief not to teach kindergarten and I love that age, with kids' brains like sponges its gratifying as a teacher. Yet teaching kindy in Taiwan is such a game show despite just leaving one of the better bosses. There were times the past 7 years (bloated graduation ceremonies on steroids, monthly telephone teaching, gate duty, leading morning exercises, PTA meetings, testing 4 year olds, irrelevant staff meetings) when I had to suck it up and grit my teeth.



Teaching kindy in Tainan and here in Yilan  (at Chung Dau and Maple Leaf) I can see what works for me and what doesn't. Share Fun in Tainan was full day English with the same class, with a focus on project/theme teaching, so I had a lot of freedom to take them as deep as I wanted and incorporate our theme into other classes, like art, science, reading, phonics. There weren't so many books (yet they could read) and the kids were busy cutting, gluing, painting, cooking and language was natural and holistic because our theme was reinforced in different subjects. I found reading material that had to do with our specific theme.


 For example, we did a K2 theme on flowers, so I focused on the two most commons flowers in Tainan, the lotus and orchid; we made vases for mother's day, had a drama area of a flower shop, learned the parts of a flower and took 2 field trips one for lotuses and one for orchids. We baked vanilla bean cupcakes, vanilla is an orchid and made vanilla bean ice-cream in zip lock bags.

 





In Chung Dau I was one of many teachers the kids were exposed to, so that was good for them listening to a Kiwi or South African accent, but too many books in my opinion and hardly acceptable ones, they seldom did art, and I never met any parents. Maple Leaf my (last school) ran like a well oiled machine, no need for staff meetings, all materials provided for, I just plugged in, but they also had tons of albeit, first rate text books. They crammed so much material in one morning at the expense of art, play, hands on science and cooking; which I suppose is the sacrifice for half day English. They had one PE class a week and one Art or Cooking class, which isn't enough. I tried to incorporate as much art as I could, and my boss encouraged me to be as creative as I wanted (yipee), but it was almost too difficult with their merciless curriculum. The books at Maple Leaf are superior, but overkill. For example, The Hooked on Phonics books of course are classic, kids need phonics to read and for pronunciation, but you don't necessarily need books for that.


A lot of what's lame about corporate kindergartens in Taiwan comes from paying parents having unrealistic and dare I say cruel expectations of their kids "performing" (come speak English for your aunts and uncles) at the expense of health and play, despite play being the ideal form of learning at this age. Having a shitload of books justifies the parents paying a majority of their paycheck to a kindergarten that sticks their foreign staff at the front gate. I may sound harsh on parents when they are victims of the system too, but they are the consumers and should have more of a say. On a personal level, most of the parents of my classes were well educated, well traveled, high earners who appreciated a holistic project oriented learning. I pretty much was blessed with great parents every semester, which isn't always the case. It was easier having a relationship with parents in an all day kindy, I missed that working part time.


Another example of a K2 theme/project was devoting a month to Foods of the World, I only remember doing Mexico and India. For the Mexican week, our reading was a Salsa recipe, which we made, along with burritos, a pinata, cactus art and we learned the Mexican Hat Dance.

 



 In Tainan I had to give my kindergarten classes (including K1 and K2) midterm and final exams including written and oral sections. We had to record the oral exams with video cameras and when the school extorted crappy results (big surprise because its no fun having a camera in your face) they started using mp3 recorders. Parents need evidence you see, or at least that's what the manufacturer/managers believe. Its end results focused and not valuing the process. Unfortunately it turns kids off learning all together. There are funner ways to assess young learners.

Other things that suck about teaching kindergarten here, is the Taiwanese staff working longer hours for less pay (sure they get much fatter Chinese New Year bonuses, a month's wages) and well its plain illegal for kids that young to learn English. I certainly wont miss jumping out doors with my indoor shoes on, in the rain because the government showed up without warning, despite having an APRC. Good riddance to all that.

Nevertheless, teaching kindergarten has its rewards, of course the kids, I got my daily fix of hugs and singing and dancing, but also its a great schedule. I have been lucky as well, my bosses were decent too. My first Sharefun boss sponsored Z's airfare one trip home and bought me a new refrigerator. There were times I needed loans for a trip and I never had a problem. My second Share Fun boss gave me a nice bonus my last year and would of doubled it if I stayed on. Of course I am highlighting the positives. On the negative side, there was little trust between management and teachers, it wasn't transparent and teachers got different treatments. The manager I worked for was an abusive, sadist and I saw dozens of good foreign teachers (with teaching licenses) leave solely because of her. Finally at Maple Leaf, it was my first time working under a foreigner, a Canadian and he was down to earth, mellow, easy going and also gave me loans and extra hours when I needed it. In fact I was happy to stay there until my new employer hunted me down and swept me off my feet.



What could improve about kindergartens in Taiwan is:

1. Make it legal, as everyone does it anyways.

2. Educate parents on the importance of play, exercise and enjoying the outdoors and incorporate this into the school's style and class curriculum.

3. Let teachers have regular raises. Years of loyalty should be respected. I know what its like to feel like a slave, being chained to a school for 5 years so I can apply for an APRC. Bonuses would be nice. Extracurricular activities at night or Saturdays, like telephone teaching or graduation ceremonies should be paid. This is time away from our families and self care. I don't think signing any contract that stipulates a monthly salary includes these kinds of activities is legal for one thing. That totally nulls the contract in my opinion and can be contested by higher powers.

4. Educate parents on how diet and lack of sleep affects their kid's ability to focus and learn in class. Inadequate sleep is a social travesty that cuts across all generations here and the problem is totally unrecognized.

I am looking forward to Monday morning and not trying to be late for punching in my time card. I have another month of this morning bliss.

young yoginis 

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Cut a Rug Canadian Style


Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends! I still have this fantasy of settling somewhere in B.C and sea kayaking along the coast everyday.


Last Saturday we went to Taipei to celebrate an early Canada Day.  As we walked from the closest MRT station,  following the trail of Canadian flags to the park, Z sang the theme song from the Quebecois TV show Just For Laughs.  She cracked me up. To her 9 year old mind that show, which she loves is her biggest connection to Canadian culture. 

The event was quite the extravaganza. Although I didn't catch up with my party hearty Canadian co-workers, we made new friends. I partied with my kid which was a treat. Z made a new friend at the bouncy castle straight away and they were inseparable. Like the other girl's Dad observed, "It was bounce at first sight", her parents both work at the Canadian embassy. Z and her new friend were dancing right in front of the stage, They were getting into it, I had to join in. The girl's Dad exclaimed, "Your daughter is a party animal!" 



 Z  rode a mechanical bull and lasted 82 seconds (the top was 94), she got the first round of applause, the organizer said, "that kid is special." She makes it look easy. Soon after she finally got thrown off, many adults followed but they didn't last as long. The adults also held on with both hands and still they didn't last as long: 7 seconds, 12, 22 and when they got off they were so dizzy they couldn't walk! Before they got on, she told the men, "See if you can beat me," which made their friends laugh. I didn't appreciate at the time how well she did, until I watched them. The one guy who came the closest was wearing jeans, was tall enough to hook his legs under the bull, and he was heavier. The winner was 94 seconds, a small guy, we met him, unfortunately we didn't see him ride.


 After the last band finished (an amazing Latin, Rumba, reggae band with trombone, trumpet and various percussion) Z somehow made it on the stage to help announce the raffle winner (as she could read the Chinese name.) My kid was quite the little Canadian girl for the day, waving her little maple leaf flag beside her new friend.


Z in the limelight

Delicious food, and beers, ales and stouts, were plentiful. I saw so many beers I'd never seen before, I didn't know where to start, so started with a stout then later had a local micro-brew from Hsinchu. Our late lunch was also our dinner. We were full from the Texas Roadhouse ribs and sliders. The night ended with a bang of a fireworks show. Z and I crashed hard on the bus ride back to Yilan, it was a late night for both of us, but she is still raving how it was the best weekend ever.


Hakka Cultural Park
Its a serene park in the middle of the big city.