Thanksgiving, River Walking, Ice Cream, and Gua Sha

I can't believe it has already been one month since I last blogged!  Time has been flying recently here, and I have a feeling it will only get busier as I get excited about many new things...

One of my many adventures when I could've been blogging...

Also where I got completely soaked...

And made new friends!

I have had a busy past month- lesson planning, river walking with friends (yes, like walking in a river), eating too much ice cream, shopping in fancy stores, making upcoming travel plans (back to Hong Kong in November, Australia in January, Kuala Lumpur in February), not to mention celebrating Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from my preschool students- they made hand turkeys!
 (and want to go to Canada to see the snow!)

Here the big focus in school now is preparing for our upcoming Christmas shows.  My students for preschool will be perfectly adorable as usual.  I actually don't know much about the song they're singing as we've had some CD player issues.  But we will have to begin practicing soon.

Warning: extremely adorable Christmas song

My elementary school production theme is "Christmas around the World"- and no, it wasn't actually my idea, although I obviously LOVE it.  As America is just too easy for us, my 1st graders will be celebrating in Italian, and you can listen to their song above!   My fifth graders have their work cut out for them- they'll be performing Auld Lang Syne in the original Scottish of Robert Burns.

Yep, we're awesome...but only enough to do the first half.

This means lots of practicing in addition to lots of schoolwork which keeps lessons very busy.  But in a good way!

I also went to the doctor yesterday because I've been having some headaches and neck pain.  I went to a traditional Chinese doctor (which is a real doctor, by the way) and had a great conversation about why I should drink less coffee (oops), not eat cold foods (no more ice cream) and sleep more.  Sounds like a pretty good plan to me!  I also got gua sha done, which is attractive.  Basically I got my skin scraped on my back and neck (my neck is actually redder than my back) to promote my circulation and release bad things (like stress) from my neck.  Bye-bye neck pain!  I highly recommend trying it at least once.  And unless your skin is like mine, it probably won't look quite this bad!

I promise, it feels great!

All right, that picture is a little gross, so to make you (ok, me) happier....

This is an ice cream and cake place...that used to be an optometry clinic...and still looks like one...but instead of glasses in the drawers there are cakes!!!

So I will try and blog again soon with more updates on my fantastic life...like my field trip next weekend, Halloween party, and going to see Thor 2.
In the meantime, I miss you all!  (Unless if you're in Taiwan!)  

Hong Kong- Or How to Escape a Typhoon Without Really Trying

Today I have arrived back in Taichung, which is surprising in and of itself.  Wednesday night I finished teaching at 6:30 and headed downstairs to a "barbecue."  However, I was a little misinformed about said bbq- namely that we would actually be barbecuing our own food!  Yikes!  But after some help getting the grill set up, we... not really, a Taiwanese family.... took over and made our personal bbq a huge success!

Note the tin foil in front?  That's our barbecue...and we are obviously super focused on it...

Also, I think that the Kirk or FPC Greenwood should start making barbecues a DIY event.  It's pretty amazing to witness.  

Thursday afternoon my flatmate Leighnae and I headed to the Taichung Airport with our backpacks for a quick weekend trip to Hong Kong.  We flew in style on Hong Kong Airlines... where they served us a meal on our hour and a half flight!

You mad, Delta???

We arrived in BEAUTIFUL Hong Kong and proceeded to our lovely hotel, Rosedale on Park.  It had a fantastic view of the Hong Kong Skyline...and of course the moon.

Happy Moon Festival Y'all!

Hong Kong had plenty of culinary delights to offer...

Fun Fact: Taichung does NOT have Diet Coke.  But Hong Kong does!

The pumpkin muffin ALMOST makes up for Starbucks in Asia not having Pumpkin drinks.:(

From "Cheers Restaurant"...where they don't have napkins.  True Story.  But the food is so good it doesn't matter.

As well as some beautiful views...

The view of gorgeous Hong Kong from the Peak

Someday I will write a story about this building.  I will call it the Inn on the Peak.  You should all read it.

Great museums...

Y'all... Hong Kong wants to take it waaaay back.

Also they have double decker buses.  This confuses my students, because their textbook wants them to think these only exist in London.  But we know better.

Oh yeah, and then there's the shopping...

My Hong Kong purchases... two pairs of shoes, a book for my students, a purse, and some (not pictured) gifts.

If you're curious, Hong Kong also features great things like foot massages, eyebrow waxing (hey, it's not easy to find in Taichung), a Cartier on every corner.  

So now that I am safely back in Taichung and hoping my now precious HK is not being lashed too badly by Usagi, I will already begin to plan my next trip.  I may be going back to HK in December...and if I am...

"It's a Small World After All..."

On Teaching, the Gym, and Bible Study...Life in Taichung

I am so sorry for not updating sooner! I had a busy first week of teaching, internet problems this week, and taught today (Saturday!) It's a make up day for next week, when I have Thursday and Friday off...goodbye Taiwan, hello Hong Kong. I am looking forward to shopping, eating, and sightseeing! But for now I continue the amazing adventure that is Taiwan. For now, I'll try and explain many of the things that take up my time...


TEACHING. Which is probably the best part of my day. I love working with my little preschoolers, and life in the Starfish class is pretty good- no chronic criers or major behaviour problems. However, I do have a boy who is very scared of butterflies...mostly because the first time he went in our (fancy) on-campus butterfly garden, he got scared and fell in the water!!! Fortunately we only visit once a week...so our terror is always short-lived.

My students visiting the Art Museum play area

We are drawing pictures with chalk and using paint to color...pretty cool!
  American museums, why aren't you this awesome?

This week my first graders have been testing me, it seems, and I have failed many times. Between trying to explain what an attic is (especially difficult since they aren't really a thing here) and a mitt (it's a glove...you use to catch a baseball...) I sometimes feel hopeless. But today they took their first quiz and WOW! Mississippi take note... I achieved my goals for all year last year... 80% mastery by 80% of the students. Is it because I'm a fantastic, transformational teacher? NO. It's because students here are encouraged to succeed academically...and have parents who will work with them, even if they don't speak the language, to make it happen.
Fifth grade is the closest to my experience last year. Sometimes it's amazing. Sometimes it's just “so much struggle, so little bus.” I don't have another teacher with me for my two 5^th grade classes- so when they just start rambling in Chinese or don't know a word I'm on my own. My teaching style is often a mix of charades, Catchphrase, and actual education philosophy. But I love my 5^th graders, especially when they have the chance to be kids...running in circles and playing with stuffed animals.
I also subbed for a 2^nd grade class this week, which was great- I saw another teaching style and met some amazing students. Plus, my presence may have helped with their new vocabulary word- “twin!” It was fate.


Friday night is...BIBLE STUDY. I am soooo cool. It's a meeting with many of the teachers at my school, conducted in “chinglish” which is challenging but interesting. I have learned so much from the amazing women I work with. It's also a great opportunity to socialize, eat yummy food, and relax after a long week of work. This week we had a big dinner (usually we just have snacks) and it was DELICIOUS! I am so spoiled to have such wonderful coworkers. I always find I rely a lot on my faith when in a new environment or facing challenges...and teaching abroad fits both these descriptions. I am thankful to have so many friends with me as I grow in my faith. Surely I am blessed to be in such an amazing place and with such wonderful people.

I eat yummy food!  Aren't you surprised my bowls are pink?

Other than that my life is pretty boring. I go to the GYM to get laughed at while attempting yoga, and have found a great Pilates class with a very welcoming group! I even go to pop dance class...it's an experience. But it also gives me a chance to get out of the house and explore. Sometimes I find wonderful things...

10 minute walk from Starbucks!  But no pumpkin flavored drinks:(

My true inspiration for my thesis...Kinder Buenos. Now available at your local 7-11

And sometimes I am exhausted and it's raining and I wish I could apparate. But all in all, I am glad for a reason to push myself and also to get some exercise after eating so much delicious food.

Fancy buildings near my flat. 

Terrifying intersection...but worth it for Starbucks!  

That's it for now!! Next week (probably Monday night) I'll post pictures of my weekend in Hong Kong and maybe some examples of our “Mississippi Moonpies” we'll be making for the Moon Festival in preschool. Until then, I can only wish on all of you the same happiness and peace I currently feel. For the first time in a long time, I actually feel truly at peace and happy. And that is a beautiful thing.


Love always,
Lauren

We're going on a field trip here in less than a month!
Also a good representation of my current mood.

I'm back...

Hey y'all!
After a delightful two years living in the US (ok, so I was in Mexico after Beijing, and made a few small trips abroad) I am back again.  This time I'm living in beautiful Taichung, Taiwan.  I am spending the next year (at least??) teaching pre-schoolers, 1st graders, and 5th graders.  It's a far cry from the past year I spent teaching high school Spanish in many ways, but in many ways, it's also very similar.
So please check back for pictures of my many adventures and adorable new students, attempts to learn traditional characters (why did I learn simplified), and of course, my endless musings on what on earth I'm supposed to be doing with my life.  But first the question you're all asking:
Why am I here? (or, why are you moving to Taiwan?)
Last year I found myself at a crossroads

Photo by Thomas Gregory- I had to steal it because it's perfect!

Literally, the crossroads.  Like the one where Robert Johnson sold his soul. And as my life was slowly falling into shambles and I couldn't figure out where I was going, I knew it was time for a change.  I wasn't quite ready to sell my soul, and I was starting to feel like that was the only option I had left.  So when I got this job in Taiwan it seemed like a sign.  A chance to start over in a lot of ways- including building new relationships and rebuilding old ones.  This is a year to really impact a lot of students' lives, especially at such a formative age.  Mississippi changed me in a huge way, and I hope Taiwan does the same.  At the same time, I realize that I can't keeping looking back to the past, and to what I've left behind.  I have my first day of school tomorrow (yikes!) but I am already so excited to meet my new students and experience new joys (and frustrations.)
I can't wait to share my experiences with y'all, and please reach out to me and stay in touch!!
For now, some pics of my new city:

I live across the street from the Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts...so I have beautiful sidewalks to run on that are only partially covered by scooters

Crossing the street in Taiwan is fun...and notice all the scooters...that I am terrified of

The entrance to the super fancy SOGO department store...it's a block from my gym and is at least 14 stories high...crazy!

One of the big fancy skyscrapers by my building...I am definitely not in the Delta anymore

March in China- just don't say Tibet!

Hey y’all!

My sincerest apologies.  As usual, internet is a problem, except at my internship- where I can’t use my VPN, and therefore can’t get on to blog, upload pictures, etc.  So this does make life more difficult.

Today, when walking to the subway, I felt like such a grown-up.  Commuting to work in the morning, all dressed up and in a hurry, rushing back to go to the gym, picking up dinner on the way back, etc.  Why do we have to grow up?  When I dress up for work I still feel like a little girl playing princess- although I don’t wear a crown to work.  I still get to have a tea party- just with my computer.  Not so fun.

My Chinese is improving a lot in my internship, and some with my Chinese class- and I’m starting to become more comfortable speaking outside of class.  I had a lovely conversation with someone on Tuesday (International Women’s Day!) about how long it took us both to get take-out.  Baby steps, baby steps.

This week being the beginning of Lent has made me a little homesick- no pancakes on Tuesday, no Ash Wednesday service, and no one else to talk about what we’re giving up for Lent.  However, today I realized I’ve got less than 2 months until I’m actually home- so I might as well make the best of it!!!  Right?

Life here continues to be perplexing.  I miss all of y’all (family, friends, but this week especially my Morocco friends) terribly!  It can be very lonely here- this program can be alienating sometimes.  While I love my friends here, I sometimes feel like I just don’t belong on this program.  I wonder a lot if this means I don’t belong in China- it seems that Americans in China just aren’t like me.  What does that mean for my future?  Should Chinese be a part of it? And can I return to China?  I felt like I found such a great community in Morocco, not just of students but others, and I’m not sure this community exists here.

This sounds so morose, and I promise life in China isn’t all bad!  The weather is finally improving, so I’m hoping to do some outside things this weekend- possibly even running!  And classes are relatively interesting- my Chinese Women’s Studies class is going very well, and well, my political reforms class was cancelled this week.   I also went to the grocery store and managed to find some peppers!  I’m super excited to eat them and finally get some veggies in my diet.  I also bought some carrot juice- not the most appetizing, but I really need veggies.

Well, that’s it for now!  Lots of love!  Skype/email/facebook me about your life!

Love always,

Lauren

Dear Chinese Government, Please STOP Making it snow!!!

Unfortunately I can’t make this up.  So as I look out at the disgusting, slushy mess of Beijing, I get a little homesick.  The past two weeks have been lovely- highlights include a package from home (I can see again!) a trip to a beautiful park, and, as always, delicious Chinese food.

I also am having a great time at my internship here.  Although I’m not always impressed with my program, their placement for me is spot on.  I spent my last day emailing the US Ambassador, translating budget reports, and actually doing work that I found useful.  For awhile they’ve kept me busy just searching for news online, which feels very meaningless. But now they’re letting me translate documents from Chinese to English.  It’s time consuming and difficult, but then no one else has to do anything, so I feel useful.  And I really like getting the free lunch…which is actually pretty healthy.

Speaking of which, I need to give up something for Lent.  Any suggestions?  I’m not sure I can handle life without chocolate here.  I wish I could not eat fried foods- but I’d starve.  So let me know!

 I also continue to suffer from roommate drama…I hope it will improve, but at this point I’m quite sure I  But I now have an eye mask, that is helping me sleep at night- my roomie runs on a rather strange schedule.  I’m just glad I can do the best I can!  Although I also need to clean- but hey, it’s on my to do list!

In other news, I’m starting to think there might be something wrong with me for not wanting to go out and get schwasted all the time- is it really so bad that I don’t feel the need to do this every night?  I feel like as the strength I’ve taken from my work these past two years slowly leaves me (but don’t worry, I’ll be back next year!)  I feel like such an abnormal college student.  I mean, I like to have fun, but enough is enough!  Any comments?  Am I really that crazy? Or secretly already 30?

So as much as I also love you dearly, I am going out tonight with the promise of greek salad- with real feta cheese!!!  I’ll be sure to let you know if this is successful- so far Beiing is not super healthy.  But with greek salad tonight and yoga tomorrow, it only gets better from here!  I miss y’all dearly!

Love always,

Lauren

P.S. if you think I love you enough to send you mail, check your mailbox…soonish?

Happy New Year

The group in Tiananmen Square…I hear it’s famous but when you google it here nothing comes up… (Oh, China)

Greetings from Beijing, and my sincerest apologies!  The great firewall of China tried to thwart my blogging, but I am now back, with some (already on facebook) pictures and more to come this weekend!  Here’s what I’ve been up to:

It was Chinese New Year last week, a truly terrifying spectacle of fireworks.  I spent a lot of time indoors stress eating chocolate, and consequently going to my fabulously awesome gym.  There I can watch Japanese game shows and pretend I too am trying to outrun giant puzzle pieces. 

For the actual New Year, my program took us to Pingyao, a lovely city that used to be the financial center of China- a few hundred years ago.  Now, while it has lovely preserved architecture, it has become one of the most polluted cities in all of China- the weather report literally said smoke for the time we were there.  As a result, more wonderful time was spent indoors, playing card games, chatting, and talking about how dirty we felt from even going outside.  But there were also some very cool sights such as this temple:

Not my picture, but I was there!!!

Anyway, I have now spent a few relaxing days in Beijing, and unfortunately classes start again tomorrow.  This was our only break until the end of the semester- good thing I have the last week of March off because I have to go to Houston!!  So no real spring break for us, but we finish April 15^th.

Look forward to more pictures and stories soon!  Until then eat some yummy American food for me (I am craving apple pie today) and remember I like letters- so email/fb me if you want my address!

Love always,

Lauren

Oh the smog outside is frightful…