Holy Surprise! Jah is Good Everyday

Looks like I'm going to Taitung on Wednesday. A three hour train ride there and four ride back. Harsh but necessary.Z will probably tag along. Why the midweek, last minute trip?

This afternoon, I just got a surprise, out of the blue phone call and I was in happy tears, jumping around my living room!! Someone I met 2 years ago in Taitung, remembered me, saw my blog and called me. We were going for the same job at Stanley Yen (嚴長壽) 's Junyi Bilingual school, (he got the job- ). Now they want me. (Read, Tantalizing Taitung)

 The elementary school is totally Waldorf now, the  Middle School is halfway there. The salary is same as the one I had here at the bilingual school in Yilan,which is significantly better than my part time situation at the moment.  Z's tuition for the semester would be what I was paying Chung Dau every month (wonderful!).

Thankfully I hadn't booked flights back home for our August trip yet, that sort of is all up in the air. There is no way we are NOT going home, but when we do will be a factor. I am not even thinking about the stress of moving again. The move to Yilan from Tainan was boatloads harder than I expected, but we have seriously less stuff now, so for someone reason I am not concerned about another move, perhaps because its "meant to be."

I'm rushing ahead. There is still the whole process to go through again, a demo and interview that needs to be successfully completed. But I am as ever hopeful. 

Why the massive elation? 
1.) Its in Taitung, need I say more?

2.) Stanley Yen (嚴長壽) is THE mover and shaker in Taiwanese education reform. To be under his visionary leadership for my own personal values, would be like a firecracker under my wings igniting the flame of purpose. Imagine being that passionate about a job again. Its only in the void of terrible to mediocre to better than average leadership that you recognize a trail blazer, visionary when you meet him face to face.

3.) Z could go to a Waldorf school 

4.) Z could go to a Waldorf school with Aboriginal students 

I must confess that the one time Z saw me cry and in public was on the train leaving Hualien to Taipei when I found out I didn't get that job 2 years ago. I was just so pining for it. She remembers it to this day. I suppose being a single mom I have "be strong" and all that, breaking down for a good cry only occasionally, when she is asleep. She is absolutely fascinated by wanting to see me cry, she often mentions wanting to capture it on video recording which is extreme. I guess I saw my parents cry a
lot because my brother was often in the hospital, in ICU. I'm not trying to be unreal, inauthentic, I'm not the crying type to begin with. But on that train out of Hualien, when I found out they gave the job to the guy who already lives in Taitung -who happens to be getting me this job now- I let the tears roll down my face in front of everyone. As the cycle of tears keeps turning, today those tears were happy. I was moved this guy remembered me from 2 years ago and would seek me out, compliment my blogs, recognize that I share the same values, want me on his team, on Stanley Yen's team no less. 

Who doesn't love lightening bolt news out of the blue? But I do especially. Le't hope for more tears of joy.

Tantalizing Taitung

View from Junyi School

Somewhere over the rainbow, there is a less oppressive, creative education system in Taiwan, starting with reversing the brain drain in Taitung. So said my friend Tony when he invited me last minute to Taitung with him for the weekend. How could I refuse meeting uber interesting people, when Shu-min, Tony's wife would take care of my daughter? It was all systems go! I love last minute getaways, thats when the magic happens.

The trip was all leading up to meeting Taiwanese celebrity and visionary Stanley Yen (嚴長壽). He is this self made, self educated hotel mogul whose passion is education reform and mindful sustainable development of Taiwan's east coast. He was the one during DPP president Shui-Bien's term  who fought against the construction of a super highway from Taipei to Taitung, because he didn't want this last vestige of pristine nature corrupted into another Kaohsiung or even (gulp) Tainan. Although Stanley is part of the system (he was hanging with his good friend, first lady Christine Chow Ma the day before checking out the art scene in Dulan); Stanley in many ways fights against the traditional mainstream establishment by constantly reconstructing his beliefs and makes his mark on Taiwanese society by transforming people's thinking. He definitely is not shy about using his platform. For him sustainable development starts with education reform. Stanley Yen's (嚴長壽) education reform experiment, is the Junyi School for Innovative Learning, which is a 1st through 12th grade bilingual school in Taitung. 

Upon arrival we were escorted to dinner by two of Stanley Yen's (嚴長壽)'s right hand women from his NGO  The Alliance Cultural Foundation. Mei is associated with Junyi School and Cheryl Robbins is a consultant, author and licensed tour manager and guide (Tribe-Asia) with a passion/expertise for Taiwanese aboriginal culture.

Mei, Me and Cheryl after the Spoon de Chop performance

 On the menu, fresh marlin! With just the food alone, Taitung is already tastier than Tainan. Nothing beats  fresh caught deep sea food from the Pacific rather than fish farmed bla from Tainan. It was more than I could handle, Tony helped me clean my plate.We waddled back to the open aired farmer's market and caught the rest of "Okinawa Night" at the outdoor stage of Tiehua Village. Cold Okinawa beer, Orion, hit the spot on this sweaty, humid Taitung night. We caught the last band Spoon de Chops. The music was a sublime mix of modern and traditional Ryukyuan folk music with the 3 stringed lute sanshin, and taiko drums. It was a very fun, intimate show, laid back and unpretentious  I met the owner of Tiehua Village and then the lead singer after the show.

Watch video bit of show here.

That night I slept well in the female dorms. 



 In the morning Mei gave us the grand tour of Junyi school and Cheryl acted as translator. Stanley Yen  (嚴長壽) arrived  earlier than expected, which was a good thing, because we all got a good hour or two to chat before heading out together for lunch. Of course I was nervous to meet the legendary Stanley Yen (嚴長壽). But he was so unassuming and humble and so incredibly sincere and engaging, I was immediately put at ease. He talked to me as an equal confident. I could see myself work hard for, bloom under this higher vision of education reform united with indigenous led sustainable development. How rewarding to not just work for a paycheck or even just the students, but a grander, long term vision. He was very candid and to the point, which was a refreshing change from Taiwanese leaders and managers that I have known.

The school itself was impressive, a Japanese architectural design fitted with a roof of solar panels, that contributes energy to the local power station. There are uplifting quotes dotting the grounds, a small farm, outdoor covered gymnasium and a pond. How familiar to see a picturesque mountain range in the background. The students and staff had read the popular book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey), which was just a little shocking for me imagining how to teach this to 1st graders. Interestingly, it was the older students who were more resistant to the books maxims and the younger ones who were more open. He wants all his students to be ethical leaders. One of the things that won me over is Stanley's allowing part of the student body to be from economically disadvantaged indigenous, communities. He was frank on the both the good and bad aspects of that experience and how to improve upon his desire for inclusiveness.

Stanley took us all out for lunch at a cafe behind Tiehua Village, where there was more stimulating conversation.

Cheryl Robbins, me, Tony Coolidge and Stanley Yen (嚴長壽)

After lunch and goodbyes, we went across the street to the air conditioned Esl-lite Bookstore where we could see Cheryl's 3rd book newly published on the shelf.  Cheryl Robbins is an amazing and interesting, groundbreaking character in her own right. Originally from California, she married a Taiwanese man, had 2 sons, divorced and is so fluent in Mandarin she has worked as a translator before she became the first foreigner and woman to pass the Taiwanese government test to be a tour guide/manager. She easily connected with me, being divorced so long as to be a single mom, and we shared more than a few laughs about the dating scene (or lack thereof), men and the vibe of Taitung. She is passionate about sharing Taiwanese aboriginal culture by providing intimate tours of local mountain villages and knows  all the elders, chieftains, and dates of every festival (and there are loads up and down the East coast in summer). Her scene isn't the counter cultural, artsy foreigner vibe of Dulan, though she walks the beaches, but the remote mountain villages. I felt grateful to make her acquaintance. 

With her 3rd travel book on Taiwan's indigenous, this one focused on Taitung.

Will I back in Taitung and will the stay be more permanent? Time will tell, but I hope so.