Movie

The Bourne Supremacy sucks in Asia too. ****photo courtesy of mitcho****

KTV Photos

KTV is a popular pasttime in much of Asia. It involves renting out a private room for any number of friends and singing karaoke displayed on fancy tvs. Food, drinks, horrible songs are all part of the experience. This is from Holiday KTV this past weekend.

****Laura****

****Mitcho in Japanese****
****Jules****
***Jules/Jeannie/Meg/Casey/Jenny/Laura****
****Jules/Avril****
****K80/Mitcho****

Typhoon Day in Taipei

Orientation for the past week has been running a little something like this:
8:50: Board the bus by the 7-11 on the corner (you can navigate by 7-11's here, which they call "7's" as in" 你要去７嗎？/You want go 7 ma? - for example, "Turn right at my 7, walk straight down Taishan Lu and turn right into the apartments by the next 7"). The bus is a special education bus, which I hope someone in Taiwan derives amusement from; our group may be more aptly named Foolbrights or Halfbrights (a couple of puns provided by a Vietnamese Fulbrighter back at OU a few months ago).
9:00-12:00: Deal with assorted orientation details. One day was a long discussion about the educational system in Taiwan, certifications for teachers, politics in relation to public schools, etc. We have also been running errands applying for Alien Resident Cards (IDs), Bank Accounts, and SIM Cards for phones.
12:00-1:30: Lunch and emails.
1:30-4:00: More orientation, such as Chinese practice or more errands.
Evenings have been free, but full of tying up loose ends from the orientation bits and returning to destinations pointed out during the day to further explore. Of course, we eat well too.

It's not really as cut and dry as it seems, and this is only for the first week. The next two weeks will involve practice teaching, pedagogical information, and getting to know our co-teachers, with whom we will be paired one-to-one and working exceptionally close with in the following year.

"Be Flexible":
How so not cut and dry? Of course, with any type of program abroad, it is impossible to cover all angles, so there's always some unexpected fun. The immigration office reversed a couple of numbers from my passport, so my ARC is currently invalid and the bank account, not yet acquired. No problem as I have enough cash to float for now and all will come in due time.

The special ed bus also blew out a tire on one bus ride home. Indicative of the great network of relationships that commerce runs on in Taiwan (known as guanxi/relationships), all the driver had to do was wheel it across the road unannounced to the nearest Dunlop place, wait half an hour for the repair, and start her up again. The service industry is infused with cultural attitudes about establishing and maintaining relationships, such that I've heard taking the time to know your scooter salesman creates the opportunity for free repairs on small items in the future.

****Bus at the Dunlop Place pre-op****

The group saw this while purchasing cellphones the other day. The Nokia dealer knew he was about to sell 12 phones. Appreciating past and current business with the Fulbright foundation, and hoping for future sales, he was glad to offer discounted prices on phones, present our Foundation advisor with a gift (some phone accessory from off the wall), and offer us discounted minutes all year. Business like that is logical; you keep your customers coming back. However, the formalities such as initially asking a slightly higher price than both buyer and seller know the item would ultimately go for, the buyer offering profuse thanks for the eventual reduction to the final, fair price, and the exchange of personal name cards/mingpian/名片, all work to further personalize a typical purchase. Straight capitalistic exchange does not require much dialogue nor give berth to much creative interaction between the buyer and seller; a burger's a burger and you're looking for 99cents. However, this exchange is one that builds a relationship/guanxi that works out to everyone's advantage.

****Another example: we all purchased bikes from these lovely men who annually give Fulbrighters a great deal, work efficiently to help out with repairs whenever its needed, and buy them back at the end of the year. I'd say not a friendlier couple of guys on the island, but most I've met have been so.****

So orientation has been a broad process of settling into Taiwanese culture and visiting relevant locations in the new city well beyond the classroom/handout orientation aspect. Our academic advisor, Dr. Timothy Collins, frequently says that to "be flexible" is the best thing you can do to get along in Taiwan. With that lesson in mind I turn to the topic mentioned in the title.

Typhoon Weather
Taiwan was hit by a couple of typhoons recently(Pabuk: Tuesday/Wednesday and Wutip: Thursday) which were more rain than wind intensive (we broke out the window-tape for reinforcement anyway). Truth is, they missed their predicted mark (Yilan, where we are staying) and ended up further South. Pabuk was mostly rain and Wutip, well I didn't see any of it. We were given the day off from orientation today in preparation for it, and it ended up being splendid weather. Fog days in high school don't compare to getting a beautiful day off because of a predicted typhoon while living in Taiwan.


Taking advantage of the Day Off:
So two days ago we ran internet through the apartment; my two roommates and I spent an unnecessarily lengthy amount of time scratching a computer-itch that had been unspokenly neglected, I'm sure, since all of us began traveling. A few hours of writing, emailing, surfing, and so forthing later, I headed off to bed, leaving my computer up and on (Mitcho, the mac/computer whizz in the house set it up as broadcasting wireless hub for the others to feed from until we purchased a router; fascinating thing number 7,231 I didn't know you could do with this computer).

When I woke up in the morning, the computer was frozen; restarting it presented only a gray screen with a flashing file-folder and question mark on it - a sign that the computer could not find a hard-drive or had some sort of corrupt system file. Mitcho tried a variety of alternative start-up methods, such as booting from an install DVD and running the PRAM startup, all with no success. While I was convinced that the neighbors (heavily tattooed young men, who clearly must be gang members suspicious of us moving in and setting up wireless internet) hacked into my computer and stole my system, Mitcho didn't agree and suggested we go to an Apple store in Taipei. His computer was dealing with screen problems as well, and so we considered this our best chance to wrangle a working computer between us.

The trip to Taipei to fix the computers turned out to be quite an informative and efficient adventure. Mitcho and I had the experience of navigating the train station, riding the hour-forty to Taipei, hopping off and quickly onto the MRT Rail system, finding Xinsheng Zhong Rd and the impressive computer district, and entering the trendy Youth Apple Store.

****Myself with the hanging "mice" in the computer district - reminiscent of hanging duck in restaurant windows. Photo courtesy of mitcho****

Harddrive? What's that? Why would I want one of those?
A young Taiwanese named Bryan tried to turn on the computer twice, and announced quietly "your harddrive's dead. we can give you a new one." Really simple; no fuss; just dead. I asked about recovering data, which he said would run 1,800NT and didn't guarantee they were able to recover anything. After diagnosing Mitcho's trouble, I told him I would like to try to make the recovery. He offered to try for free, and only charge me should recovery of any data be successful, which was great because I was torn about the attempted recovery. Most of everything is backed up in the States. All I really lost were photographs from San Francisco (sorry Shelbs :-/ ) and the first few days in Taiwan, and contact info from my address book (of all things to neglect backing up). Also, all the settings that I used over the past 6 months to personalize my interface are gone, going, gone, everything gone, give a damn.

In some ways, this was quite the bummer, but at the same time, it's quite liberating. My new harddrive is stacked with plenty of applications (almost all that I had personally downloaded myself, plus many I've never heard of). Initially, everything was set in traditional Chinese. I have since reverted most to English, though login pages and some applications are in Chinese only. This is actually a good incentive for me to keep studying. Being here for even this brief amount of time has really enhanced my passion for Chinese; I am determined to learn traditional characters, read an entire menu, and listen and speak with fluency. It may take a while, but I'll get there.

****A little tip for anyone else studying Chinese: start studying traditional! They are tougher characters, but it is much easier going from traditional to simplified than the other way around. Also, check out the Taiwanese phonetic system, bopomofo or ㄣㄆㄇㄈ; it will really help with your pronunciation!****

MRT
While I left the camera at home, I also left my Taipei MRT card for riding the rails. This meant that I purchased single use chips each time. Jerry (new friend and Fulbright advisor in Taipei) tells me later that these chips are really new, perhaps just a few weeks. It's an interesting system. You pay 20/25/30NT for a blue plastic chip. Apparently it is electronically tagged for just that amount, and it scans as you enter the paid area (past the yellow line where you surely must not chew gum). You just deposit it on your way out and they are reused. Voila. Quite a nifty system.
****Manual for the ultra-new bluechip system; fun-fun****

So, computers taken care of (I walked away with my new harddrive as well as a trendy cover for the keypad that takes care of palmrest smudges - darn white macs - spills and damage, as well as has the bopomofo system written on the keys! ) Mitcho and I enjoyed an excellent dinner at a Korean BBQ restaurant: Seafood Pancake, Kimchi, Steamed Cabbage and Onions, and a plate of lamb and beef. The meat comes out raw and you place it on the grill in front of you, with veggies steaming on the side. Truly one of my favorite ways of eating and a throwback to the Shandong, China trip 3 years ago (a regular staple).

Dinner Gossip
We enjoyed an interesting conversation with Jerry and Ellen from the Fulbright office, learning much about Taiwanese politics (storefront signs can be politicized: stripped down and simple, blue for Kuomintang - Nationalists fled China 1949 post-CCP uprising - and reunification, green for independence - of course, it's never that simple, but you get the gist), Taiwanese friendship (often avoid discussing heavy issues, especially where one could be polarized from your friend, ie, politics, where you can be deep blue, light blue, light green, or deep green), Dr. Wu in the Fulbright office (famous psycholigist - every Taiwanese kid had to read one of his books in middle school - and artist/performer - invented a major dance genre famous in Taiwan), and about where to find the most scantily clad betel nut girls (apparently Yunlin, according to Ellen - why she offered the information, Mitcho and I still are not sure).

****More than likely unintentional, but a lot of green in one place caused me to pull out the camera; I'm seeing color politics in everything now****

So that's the gist of a typhoon day: spectacular weather, good friends, easy travel, excellent food, and so on...I told Mitcho I couldn't imagine being happier to crash a harddrive.

The View From My Window

The group is currently split between four apartments, two in Luodong and two in Yilan City (both places in Yilan county). I am living with the two other males in the group, Mitcho and Josue in a three bedroom. The apartment is clean, partially furnished (beds, dressers, desks in each is very friendly (studied professional music in Italy - quick with a smile, too), and is coming by to supply us with blinds for our shower windows (I've been playing exhibitionist for a few days, though not that that is a problem), but she says she will "think about" getting us something to cook on. I am hoping this is just this culture's way of saying "of course I will do that, but I do not want to give in too much on first meeting." All of us like to cook (I'm sure I have much to room, a fridge, wooden chairs and two small tables) but we currently lack a stove. The landlady learn from the roomies here) and don't want to eat out every night. This apartment arrangement is just until school starts on the 30th, at which time we will receive permanent housing arrangements at the apartment closest to our assigned schools. We are all just happy to be here, willing to be flexible, and will certainly make do.

For now though, here are a few shots of the view from my balcony:
The Track on the right hand side of this one is part of a high school and becomes active around 5AM with joggers, walkers, runners, etc. Morning exercise, even light stretching or simple, slow Tai Chi is very prevalent here.The view arches around the whole Western skyline. I've yet to venture up there, but the roof is apparently open, so I should have some sunrise pictures sooner than later.

Formosa – Portugese for beautiful

***Note*** New to blogspot? Pictures can be enlarged. Just click on them.


For those of you who don't know yet, I am in Taiwan. I have just begun an 11 month commitment to the Fulbright Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (FSE) during which I will teach English to Elementary children in Yilan County (North Eastern Taiwan). There are 11 other English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) who received the same grant from the US. We will be living together in small groups in Yilan and Luodong and teaching at different elementary schools. We will also be responsible for designing course materials, creating teaching aids, and assisting with curriculums that emphasize local cultures. Look for a later post that outlines the details (after I receive them myself).

The people here are all extremely friendly. The stares of a few (curious or irritated?) senior citizens aside, I have not felt like the obtrusive tourist I do in other countries (even while toting a not-so-small camera and trendy caribener clipped water bottle). Everyone associated with the FSE has been more than welcoming, from the young welcoming committee at the gate to the senior administrators in the office. Taiwanese on the whole are cheerful and quick with a smile, and in fact, some of the funniest (either they are particularly quick-witted or their humor gels well with mine) people I have ever met.

The care has been both extensive and intensive so far. We were picked up at the airport by a wonderful welcoming staff, taken to the Jade Hotel, where everyone was given a large room (mine with a glass-walled, black tiled bathroom with a Jacuzzi style tub) to recuperate. The FSE building is a gem of creative architecture and design, with white walls and floors accented by multi-colored criss-crossed lines that resemble subway maps across a city, tons of natural lighting, computer resources, conference rooms, und so weiter. Well fed throughout the day we were given an introduction to the plan for the next week and for the temporary housing for the next month, as well as a healthy “settling-in allowance” in NTD. All physical needs are being met, and the good company and excitement of the positive work well be doing in the year continually nourish the spirit.

A little bit About the Island:
It is a subtropical island, with winter weather dipping into the 45s at night and summer weather jumping above 100. The humidity is so thick it seems to weigh down on you, like the pressure of an interior planet whenever you're outside. Okay, it's not that intense at all. I actually really enjoy the high humidity. Walking through the palpable air kind of sparks the senses and snaps your mind into awareness of the immediate environment. I feel very much alive in such a place.

Much more to come on About the Island (food, languages, outdoor recreation, natural beauty, religious/spiritual culture) – look for near-future posts on what I am looking forward to in Taiwan.

And Taipei:

We are in Taipei (the capital, population 2.7 million) at the moment, where the FSE building is located. The streets are punctuated with large palm trees, lined with scooters (in seemingly random parking spaces).

Construction:

The buildings are littered with advertisements (I'm curious about regulation or lack thereof), such as this one, which I call camera alley (the Nikon store on the corner caught my eye – fingers-crossed for cheaper lenses):

The streets are busy with construction, pedestrians (walk forward, don't look left or right - "Just go gonzo" says Dr. Collins), scooters, and cars.

Bubble milk tea costs a dollar (trendy-city residents will note they can run 5 or 6USD in the states), so go tapioca balls!

No-No’s
There are a few minor things you are not allowed to do in Taiwan, which has led to some fun already. You may not chew gum on the subways, as one sign warns (below a picture of Chinese chess pieces on opposite signs of a yellow line similar to that you cross entering the subway area) “it doesn't matter whether you are a king or a pawn, once you cross the yellow line it is against the law to chew gum in the paid subway area." Interestingly enough, I very obtrusively offered gum to all of the other ETAs and our guides as soon as we sat down in the subway the first time. Actually waving the packet in the air between handing out pieces, it took four of us violating this rule before an FSE assistant told me “you know, you actually can’t do that. I would put that away and just don't chew the whole time.” Taking stock of my surroundings I saw a middle-aged woman wearing a stern but amused look and taut, motherly lips (when she knows you're goofing off like you shouldn't be), who pointed to a sign that indicated a potential 15,000 NTD (New Taiwan Dollar – about 300USD), fine for food or gum. It was on the walk out that I saw the large chess sign.

There are also heavy regulations about separating trash (recyclables must be in specific containers – even during private trash collection). Look for a future post on the details of the trash system and what the US could learn from Taiwan.

Here's a shot of a trash can at the Taipei Botanical Garden (note the red for plastics and babies and the yellow for aluminum, etc.):

Also, most public places are equipped with large “no-no” signs. At the gate to the botanical gardens a large board full of park rules is coupled with a set of pictures (like various no-smoking signs) that clearly indicate you shouldn’t touch the turtles, step on the plants, swim in the lotus pond, etc.

There are also strict regulations about what ID photos must look like (such as for our Alien Resident Cards): no teeth in the smiles, hair pulled behind ears, body centered correctly.

Regulations such as these are really minor details that essentially ensure a uniform level of formality in citizens and in fact enhance a sense of civic-duty. There are many more positive no-no’s, most of which I am sure I am unaware, as the absence of violations have not brought them to my attention. One example is no ashing cigarettes or leaving butts in the streets. While littering is against the law in major US cities, you could swim in the curbside cigarette butts making their way to the drains. I've yet to see a cigarette butt on the ground in Taipei.

Photos

***Note about Pictures*** I am using a Nikon D80 SLR camera as of two weeks ago. I've always enjoyed taking pictures and feel that I have outgrown the limitations of the digital point and shoot. Most of the pictures you will see on this blog from here on out will have been taken with this camera.

It’s a new toy and one which I’ve yet to master (the camera itself; photography is a lifelong thing arguably never mastered). I plan to showcase many pictures on this website, as well as eventually getting a full photo website up and running. Please, enjoy!

Here are some early shots:

Vino Tinto, Marysville

Alex, Marysville

Frances, Marysville

Buca di Beppo,Worthington

Leslie, Marysville

Church, SF

Hummingbird, SanFran

Shelby, SF

Profile Picture

Looking to add a profile picture to the blog and don't have a website to pull it from, so for your viewing pleasure - here's me: