Zhong Ke Hotel Taichung

... to be on a Sunday night. We got lined up at the volleyball court and we played a couple games against some Taiwanese high schoolers. We won our first 3 games and then lost our last 2. I had a lot of fun and it actually was a nice night. Normally it doesn't cool down much at night, it is just constantly HOT here. But tonight it cooled down and there was actually a cool breeze. I felt like sitting outside all night.

It has been a nice ...

... here!!

On Monday morning there was an earthquake felt throughout Taiwan. I was at school when it was felt but I didn't feel it. There were some teachers that were able to feel it. This was the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan this year. It had a 6.5 magnitude but in Taichung County it only registered as a 3.0. There was no immediate injuries or damage from the quake. Also there is a new tropical storm that has developed in the Pacific. As of ...

... samples. It is like a weekend outing for some people and they go there to eat their meal in free food samples. I have heard it is something that I need to experience at least once. I think I will save that experience for a later date!

On Sunday my roommate and I headed out to breakfast at a little place called Early Bird. They serve normal Western breakfast (pancakes, eggs, potatoes). Almost as good as Perkins! ;) It was a little taste of home! We then met up with 2 other ...

... fall....with my camera in my hand! Everyone was so concerned about me but all I was worried about was my camera....luckily both me and the camera are ok now.

We ended our Saturday we a group dinner at Bollywood, an Indian restaurant. It is so nice that everyone gets along so well and we are able to go do all sorts of things as a group! There are no plans for Sunday...maybe going out for breakfast and doing some more exploring!

Until later...love ya and miss ya!

We've been in Taiwan for about two weeks now and I’m LOVIN’ it more and more every day! I’ve grown accustomed and assimilated well to many aspects of this city. My brother, Allen, asked me what it smells like in Taiwan, to him every place has its certain smell, and now thinking back to the countries and states I’ve been to I see how he is right in this. Before I could answer his ...

... There are many (just like in the states) who feel the necessity to cut people off. They carry their groceries, carry their dog, cat, and many cases, their baby children while driving. Scooters are a main form of transportation around here. They are cheap, easy to fix, efficient, inexpensive to fill up (I literally spend less than $3 a week on gas), and can be found everywhere in this country. All staff were provided with a poorly ...

... the lakeshore. At one point, they sat down on a set of steps and posed in a manner similar to Rodin's "The Thinker" statue. After they had their photo taken, I quickly joined them and asked that I get my picture taken with them. They all laughed hysterically and eagerly obliged my request. We even got a large group photo featuring the foreign teachers with the high school travelers. It never ceases to amaze me how friendly and open the people are in this country ...

... and brought many funny and entertaining moments. I have found, so far, that I really miss teaching the middle school age level. I feel as though, curriculum-wise, I cannot do the same with this group of students. They enjoy the simple things in life like coloring or word searches. It takes them 30 seconds to answer a simple question like, "what weighs more, a feather or a brick?" They are not worried about high school or preparing for college or anything ...

... don't picture that changing much as long as I'm teaching and feel I will never get much sleep before the first day of school. I remembered from my student teaching/field study/first year teaching experiences that it is important to establish and explain classroom routines early for your students and to correct any behavioral problems as soon as they arise. The idea behind this is to make managing your classroom a breeze throughout the ...

Today, the new teachers and myself decided to go exploring around the island and have a taste of what life is like outside of the city we have been living in for the past three weeks. We all decided to take our scooters to the mountains for a fun-filled day of riding scooters, hiking, and swimming in some of Taiwan's world renouned hot springs. The day started off with all of us meeting at "The Red Door House" (we have some clever names for ...