North American Dialect Map

Neato!



Hat tip: Marginal Revolution

Goodbye, Thick Skin

I've lost my resolve and decided it's prudent to buy a jacket.

It's winter here and at night the temperature drops down to around 50 F. In the morning, when I bike to work, it's still only about 60 F. That's pleasant compared to the Minnesota winter I came from, but slowly I've acclimated and sixty degrees now feels like twenty to me.

I can't wait for summer; everyone tells me it's hot and miserable.

Dick In A Box

 The original dick in a box:

Pretty sure the Chinese  translate to: "Not gonna get  you a diamond ring; that sorta gift don't mean anything."

Gingerbread Houses

Today the kids made gingerbread houses. Wilson being the exception. He just couldn't resist the delicious, delicious sugar. He spent the hour asking for more frosting to glue his house together and then licking it off his fingers. haha...

Wilson usually cracks me up - this was the icing on the cake gingerbread house.

 Notice the other kids in the background patiently holding their houses together and waiting for the frosting to dry.




As if this weren't enough, another student was singing, "He knows when you're awake. He knows when Wilson has eats his house!"

Christmas Mashup

Christmas classics all mashed up:

http://www.bootiemashup.com/xmas/

I like track 8 on the green side.

Things That Make Benson Cry

One kindergarten student starts crying all the time.

Most kids' crying is pretty standard - time outs, a super awesome block castle getting knocked over, etc. Also, the stages are really pronounced and predictable. First, there's the incident. Next, the eyes well up and a frown develops. From there, I can start a countdown until tears and screaming of a variable magnitude.

But Benson is different. One second he's fine and the next he's crying his eyes out. The progression of tear up to full on crying is practically instantaneous. Also, his triggers are numerous and unpredictable. After a while, it became kind of entertaining, and I had to start documenting. I don't think that's cruel.*

Here is the ever-expanding list of things that make Benson cry. 

Some make sense:

•  Time outs - given; time outs will break many a three year old's spirit.
• A cockroach - I don't like them much, either.
• Stepping in spilled water - crying is better than swearing or punching other kids, I guess.

Others not so much: 

• A plastic toy lobster - it's red?
• The tiny geckos that run around everywhere - glass jar, anyone?
• His Christmas costume - sure, it wasn't a matador costume, but Uncle Sam is still awesome!
• A leaf that blew into the classroom - the other students didn't think it looked threatening.

Lastly, some things leave me scratching my head:

• When kindergartners have to use they bathroom they ask in a few different ways. Some will simply tap me and say, "May I go to the bathroom?" Others are more crude and just grab their junk and pantomime "peeing all over everything." Others still, just leave the classroom and go. I'm fine with all of those. Guess which method Benson prefers? None of the above - he just starts crying. 

• Last week, a puppy wandered into the schoolyard. It was black, about the size of a shoe and frolicking all around with big 'ol puppy dog eyes. It was adorable. All the kids ran toward the dog, and I was worried it would get trampled. Basically, the epitome of childhood curiosity. Everyone was ecstatic about the little puppy. ... Except Benson. Benson started crying. 

Addendum:
*I cried when I started kindergarten. It sucked - I missed my mom, couldn't cut my own hair, and playtime wasn't all the time. My teacher let me use the computer for a little while every day. (Ms. Grace, thank you for being so patient and understanding while I adjusted to my new environment.) And adjust I did: a few days later, I stopped crying and proceeded to be hardened by public school. ;)

Anyhow, I really can't empathize with Benson's situation. I tried the first couple times, but come on, an adorable puppy...

Documenting will continue. This may turn into a series if it continues to be fresh.

Airport Near my House

Taiwan is becoming more open to general aviation. Prior to arriving, I read about the flying situation on the internet and it looked bleak. Now, I regret leaving my license and logbooks at home.
I found out that there's a small airport in Dapeng Bay, basically my backyard.

It's a one runway (18/36) airfield. The FBO has a fleet of three ultralight aircraft. One really piqued my interest: an Aeroprakt A-22. Its design is similar to the first airplane I ever flew, the Remos G3 light sport. I need to get in that airplane. 

Hopefully, I'll be in the skies soon flying around Dapeng Bay. I plan to offer English lessons and my token whiteness* in exchange for flight time. 

*The Taiwanese like white people and I enjoy very high status here. Having a token white person around gives places face. I'll explain the concept of face in more detail later as I'm still learning the dynamics.

Bah! Humbug!

I'm less at odds with myself now. A voice inside my head kept saying, "Dude, it's Christmas. You should be feeling homesick, and stuff, wishing to celebrate Christmas in The States. This is only your second away from the family."

After the Kenting trip, my friend and I made rough plans to meet up, cook dinner, and watch Christmas classics. I wanted to appease the do-Christmas-stuff voice inside my head. But Christmas has come quickly and it's less than a week away. Now, I'm kinda cringing at the idea of spending money to hastily celebrate. Orchestrating everything isn't my strong suite -that's what other people, like grandmas, are for.

Anyhow, it just feels like a boon. So why force it? I don't really feel like doing anything Christmasy for Christmas and that's fine.

I thought I had to. I don't. I thought I would feel a void if I wasn't doing something(symbolic) to celebrate the holiday. I won't.

Glad I've finally self-actualized and convinced myself it's cool to do what makes me happy. 

My Christmas will be best spent paragliding in a Santa costume I'll borrow from my school. 

Making choices independent of obligation kicks ass! 

Engrish Christmas

My school had a Christmas performance. The students had been practicing music and dances throughout December. Last Friday was the big day. All of the parents came to the school to watch their kids perform.

Altogether, I thought Asian Christmas was hilarious.

Mostly, the costumes. No expense was spared and everyone had a costume. By costume, I don't mean ugly sweaters. There were Indians, pink tutus, a few different dashiki and kufi combinations, Uncle Sam penguin suits, and my favorite, the matador costume.

Of course, myself and the other foreign teachers were dressed as Santa Clause. We had to break character a few times because the costume was confusing and even scary for some of the kids. About halfway through the whole thing we changed out of the Santa costumes and into our Pope costumes. I was giddy the entire time, completely enjoying the well-intended sacrilege.

Anyhow, the rest is textbook. Little kids performing dances and music is really cute and funny. Adding costumes, a few crying kids, and Engrish to the mix made everything even cuter and funnier.

I forgot my camera, and now I'm really kicking myself. I'll try to get some photos from the school or parents. Hopefully I'll get them while it's still relevant.

Pigeon Races

Here, pigeons that have plastic bands around their ankles are for racing.

Thankfully, someone pointed this out to me. Unassisted, I would have assumed either escaped domesticate or part of an ecology observation and shrugged it off. Nope, it's for racing. The band has the owner's contact information and usually a prize for calling in a found bird.

I'm told the races have large prizes. Thus, breeding, raising, and owning successful racing pigeons can be very lucrative. Naturally, a successful racing pigeon is valuable. How valuable? Valuable enough to create a secondary market.

The slightly-less-than-scrupulous capitalize on pigeon-napping. These pigeon-nappers will strategically set up giant nets to trap racing birds. Then, they'll call the owners and demand a ransom for its return. Devious... I'm slightly amused by the whole thing.

Bird racers are not. Obviously, it throws a wrench in the bird racing schematic. It's such a problem that the government has outlawed it, and cities hire scouts to find the bird-nappers. My paragliding coach tells me he's sometimes hired by a city to do aerial scouting before a big race.

I wonder how, "Give me 10,000 unmarked bills if you ever want to see your prized pigeon again." sounds in Mandarin...

Chinese New Year

Very exciting day: I'm booking my plane ticket to Thailand for Chinese New Year, the first week in February. I'm going to spend the week in Ko Samui, a small island. I'm told that Ko Samui is an island paradise/party mecca for CNY breakers. I can't stop thinking about the beach-scape; likely, it will be the best I've seen to date.


View Larger Map

Perspective: The Beach (2000) was filmed on a similar but smaller island in Thailand (Ko Phi Phi Le).

This Weekend

Don't expect any posts tomorrow; I have a busy weekend ahead of me:

Tonight, I'm going to Kaohsiung for a night out with a cute Taiwanese girl. I met her at the gym and initially had some serious reservations about the ethics of skeezing at the gym, but ultimately, I'm glad I did. Haha: silly in hindsight, like I'd ever regret skeezing - no way. Anyhow, she's going to give me a tour of the city, and afterwords, we'll meet up with some friends for drinks. Ideally, I'll sleep *cough*getsome*cough* at her place. More realistically, I'll catch a late bus back to my place. After all, it's the first time we are hanging out - demonstrating my awesomeness usually spans a few hangouts.

Saturday, we are going to spend a day doing some traveling in Pingtung county. Maybe an aquarium. Maybe picking fruit at some orchards. It's a surprise. She also volunteered to help me find a gym and motorcycle because my solo trip was a failure. What a sweetheart.

Sunday, we are picking out carpet samples. Just kidding.

Actually, I'm starting paragliding lessons on Sunday. I'm pretty stoked about it, too. My pilot license does me little good here with the language barrier, suffocating airspace restrictions, and lack of general aviation infrastructure. Paragliding will get me back into the skies and it's pretty economic, comparatively. My good friend started paragliding last summer and sparked my intrigue. Here, the winter winds are ideal for paragliding, so I've decided to forgo scuba diving until summer in lieu of paragliding.

Did I mention I'm stoked about it? I am. 

Teaching Update - The Good Ones

Previously, I wrote about the bad kids. It would be completely unfair to forget about the really good students who punctuate my job with fun and smiles.

Wayne, from my younger kindergarten class, is a good example. He's just the right mix of smart and rambunctious. My favorite Wayne moment happened during a lunch hour a few weeks ago. I was chowing down on some noodles when Wayne looked at me, pointed to himself and said, "Linbian." Then, he pointed to me, all wide-eyed.

Linbian is the town he lives in. I knew what he was asking and replied, "I live in Donggang."

Sure enough, Wayne lit up with a smile and exclaimed to the class, "Teacher Timmm ... ... ...   TeacherTimliveDONGGANG!"

Immediately after, Arthur said something to Wayne and Wayne responded. Then, Clare asked Wayne a question. Wayne said something to Clare, Clare smiled, and a conversation about something broke out amongst all the students.

My Chinese co-teacher explained the situation to me. Turns out, Arthur asked Wayne, in Taiwanese, about his conversation with teacher. Only Arthur and Wayne speak Taiwanese - Clare asked Wayne for the Mandarin translation.

Yeppo, Wayne asked me a question in English, explained the answer to Arthur in Taiwanese, and explained that answer to everyone in Mandarin. Wayne is four years old, fyi. 

About once a week, Wayne and I have a conversation about where we live: he points to me and says, "Donggang." I point to him and say, "Linbian."

Wiki Wiki What?

Lately, a lot of my internet time is devoted to reading WikiLeaks cables; It's hard not to. Here are some interesting ones:

Texas Company Helped Pimp Little Boys To Stoned Afghan Cops.  No summation necessary.

Someone in the Middle East, not an eighth grader in history class, wants the US to bomb Iran.

The US is writing copyright laws for Spain. English story here. Spanish story here. New Zealand, not so much.

Amazon sells out at the gov's behest. Not a leak itself, but worth reading. Worthwhile commentary about that, here.

[Update]  The Guardian does a much better job than me - here. 

What I'm Eating - Hot Pot

This is a hot pot. In Taiwan, It's also called shabu-shabu, the Japanese variation of hot pot. Japan occupied Taiwan from 1895-1945; Japanese influence still permeates Taiwanese culture, this being a conspicuous example.

1: This is the hot pot itself - a stock with cabbage, carrots, Daikon, and bean curd. All of the other "stuff" is dipped into the hot pot briefly and cooked.

2: Sliced beef. This was brought out before the hot pot so my first thought was, "This tartare looks a touch bland." Well, it wasn't tartare, and fortunately, my hosts saved me from food poisoning.

3: Salty pork fried with scallions. It's already cooked so doesn't need the hot pot treatment. There is no shortage of scallions in Asian cuisine - I love it.

4: Cow tongue with a ginger, red pepper, and scallion slaw. Very good.

5: From left to right: heart, liver, tripe, and pancreas. Tripe has an interesting texture. The heart is pretty dense meat. The pancreas was my favorite. However, I don't think that the hot pot is ideal for preparing sweetbreads. Blanched then grilled or fried is the ticket. (Reminiscing: Argentine mollejas and Malbec) Prior to the pancreas, I've only tried the thymus gland. In the future, I would like to compare them, ceteris paribus.

6: Fish paste. This is pulverized swordfish, ginger, and scallions. The raw paste looks like mayonnaise and has a similar viscosity. After being cooked, it has a rubbery texture (wikipedia says it's because of myosin polymerization). I liked the fish balls.

I really liked the hot pot experience - it's tasty and interactive. I'm going to carefully work the hot pot into my culinary repertoire. Carefully being operative.

After all, my coworker didn't get the same impression. He shook his head and bemoaned the time his girlfriend made him hot pot: "We sat around for a few hours boiling vegetables. It was awful." Haha, I hope things slanted more towards interactive for him.

Fact: sometimes wine pairs better with spankings than coq au vin.

Goddamn Proboscis!

The mosquitoes in the United States are larger, slower, and easier to swat.

Here, they are smaller, more nimble, and more strategic. Not certain, but I think the species is Anopheles minimus. They selectively bite ankles. It's very uncommon to be bitten anywhere else. Only the ankles and only for a fleeting moment. The instant I realize, "goddamn proboscis," the mosquito is gone, and I'm left without the satisfying recourse of a swat.

(Unrelated) I can't help but draw a parallel between these mosquitoes and why I was always really awful at playing Halo.

Additionally, mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles are malaria carriers. Fortunately, malaria has been curbed. Unfortunately, Aedes aegypti are also prevalent in the South and they spread Dengue fever. Not my cup 'o tea.

And here I was, worried about the Russell's Pit Viper.

Engrish

I'm expanding the scope of my "Engrish" series to include the spoken word. This is the latest gem:

"If you no remember, I will punish you with stick!"
 11/30/2010

I Have a Halo

It's become hard to ignore, especially after a weekend field trip. I am on the receiving end of the halo effect: my perceived general aptitude is downgraded on account of my almost nonexistent language skills. However, it's not just me. I've seen friends who are more proficient get the same treatment. Generally, I think the Taiwanese have pretty low expectations for foreigners.

Here are some more memorable instances where Taiwanese reactions range from surprised to utterly incredulous:

*using chopsticks 
*cooking food for myself
*using a washing machine
*building a shelf
*shooting a paintball gun
*sledding down a hill
*mending a tear in my backpack 

Sometimes, I think it's cute. Other times, I furrow my brows. 

Teaching Update

Previously, I explained that I like teaching at the kindergarten more than cram school. Well, I still do. I promised updates about the cram school. This is the first installment: the bad class. 

Candidly, one class kind of sucks. Mostly the boys - their behavior is a problem. I keep a journal/organizer. (It's titled Power Notebook! and I drew lightning bolts on the cover). Here is an excerpt about bad class:

 The boys are shitheads. Anything is a toy: socks, rocks, coins, pencils. [They are] constantly shuffling around, talking, falling, fighting, and spilling water. No focus or participation.

I can empathize because once upon a time I was the problem child. My mom could tell you about my preschool alter-ego whom I named Sassy. In high school, I was suspended for putting laxatives in a teacher's coffee. However, I'm a grown up now. (?) More importantly, a teacher who is being paid well by these kids' parents.

Classroom management is critical to teaching this class effectually.

My first method started with putting names on the board and adding X's. The students knew that three X's were bad. This was a poorly planned idea. Creating a threshold only encourages more dicking-off up until the threshold. Basically, I clarified precisely how much dicking-off was allowed: 2.9999999 X's. Also, fear was short lived - soon they were less scared and more curious about that third X. I thought about a few options that, ultimately, would have been too lax or, on the other extreme, gotten them beaten (seriously) by their parents. I didn't like either option.

Next, I tried a combination of publicity and physical punishment. I had the troublemakers stand up on their chairs and hold their arms straight out. This was too much a distraction (and dangerous).

Then, I singled out troublemakers with a barrage of reading and questions. Better, but singling out one kid gives the others free reign. Also, the problem is compounded when the girls get bored because they aren't engaged.

Lastly, I started constantly walking around and standing over their shoulders. To date, this has been the most effective tactic for keeping them under control. Obviously, not effective when I must be at the whiteboard. Also, it makes me feel like such a disciplinarian.

I'm not too worried, though, as I think my disciplinarian role will be short term. Eventually, they'll be conditioned. When that happens, I'll lighten up and start to have more fun with the class.

I'll be the pack leader:

Tsst
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

Just great, South Park - much better than advice from TEFL books. You can watch the full episode here: http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s10e07-tsst

Kenting

I hadn't planned on traveling for a while but couldn't resist a study abroad reunion. I went to Kenting this past weekend to meet an old friend. Dramatic travel guide-like description: Kenting is marked by its idyllic coastal highway, a plethora of beaches, and as a surf and scuba mecca. (I think I nailed that.)

Firstly, it was great seeing an old friend after two years. Last time I saw this girl was in Buenos Aires, where nights out frequently enveloped breakfast. Generally, I will admit to being a touch apprehensive before a reunion. Often, I find it less than comfortable/enjoyable reuniting with friends past. More particularly, ones that don't meet expectations and leave me feeling nostalgic. Well, this weekend was a comfortable mix of catching up and catching sun. I mentioned it was great seeing her. It really was - her impress stands the test of time.

Also, I realized my luck having chosen to live in Donggang, situated between Kaohsiung and Kenting. It will be convenient for me to spend weekends surfing and scuba diving in Kenting. My friend had to take the high speed rail from Taipei to Kaohsiung. Then, a bus from Kaohsiung to Kenting. Altogether, about a four or five hour trip. For me, only a little longer than hour bus ride to white sand.

Shortly after arrival in Kenting, we rented scooters. The scooters made everything more accessible and were really fun to drive. I thought of them as more toy than transport, however, the scooters (90cc) easily reached speeds of 80-90 kph. I officially caught scooter fever.

On day one, we scootered to a scenic lighthouse right before sunset and spent some time hiking by the ocean. Later, dinner and drinks with a new friend from the hostel. This turned into more drinks. Then, walking around and more drinks and more friends. 'Twas a later night than expected but totally worth sleeping a few extra hours the next morning. (I can't resist a bro-out.)

Sunday, we scootered to another beach popular with surfers. I wasn't sure about trying surfing, but the cool dude from the previous night was there and offered free lessons. I couldn't pass up free pointers. I always imagine trying a new sport and just being a natural. That hasn't happened yet. Surfing is hard. "You look like a shipwreck out there," succinctly sums it up. Still, it's fun.

We left the surf beach and slowly scootered home, stopping along the way to check out landmarks, take pictures, and do some snorkeling.

Altogether, a great weekend.

Sorry, Bros and Libertarians

I've heard Four Loko is now banned in the States. Animated Taiwanese news reports:


Highlights: 0:13, 0:38,

Also related, I perked up when I saw Robin Hanson took notice. I usually perk up when I read his blog. Anyhow, he remarks :

The FDA likes to present itself as a paragon of scientific rigor, but there is no rigor here. No randomized experiments or even careful regressions. Just public pressure to “do something” about vivid examples of “those people” hurting themselves. 

Little remains of the rule of law precept to treat people equally. ... Clearly the goal is to target particular vaguely-imagined classes of people, and regulators would be fine with having the law specify ... whatever it took to get to “them” without overly bothering “us.”

Read his entire post here. 

On the bright side, I haven't seen any Thanksgiving recipes that required Four Loko as an ingredient.

My Rooftop View

Here is the view from the rooftop of my apartment complex. 

Dapeng Bay

At night

Looking at Donggang

At night

Look at the last two pictures; Kaohsiung's skyline is barely visible by day but jumps out at night. I am going to spend a lot of nights on the rooftop. To date, it's the best I've had - no trespassing necessary.

It's Still Dre Day

First track release from Dr. Dre's forthcoming album: http://www.drdre.com/kush/Revealed.aspx. Yeah, I'm stoked. 

Canada is Gay...

...At least according to OkTrends, the enthralling blog that crunches OkCupid's wealth of data. The content is fresh, empirical, and plenty jocular. So yeah, basically the opposite of this post's low-brow title. Anyhow, read the entire article here: http://blog.okcupid.com/index.php/gay-sex-vs-straight-sex/. You're welcome.

Field Trip

Today was government inspection day at the school. Government inspection day also means field trip day for foreign kindergarten teachers, unlicensed teachers, and enough students to put the school's pupil count within regulation.

There are three foreign teachers and we rotate field trips. I feel like I drew the short straw: today's trip was a nearby park. Yes, parks are nice, but compared to an aquarium or water purification plant field trip!!! We're talking SHARKS!!! And FLOCCULATION!!! Respectively, I hope.

Maybe next time...

DIY Bamboo Organizer

I needed a kitchen rack and couldn't find anything suitable. Bamboo is cheap and abundant so I decided to make one. I used duct tape, some twine, and a Leatherman multi tool.

Step 1. Cut all of the bamboo to size. Bamboo is hollow, so this was easily doable with a Leatherman.




 Step 2. Clean off the bamboo. The stalk on the left was fresh out of the plastic. The right was after cleaning. What a difference.

I think bamboo is a cool material because it has a lot of character. 


Step 3. Lash the vertical and horizontal posts together.


Step 4. Keep lashing.



Step 5. Add racks accordingly. I wanted the organizer to be utilitarian so the top rack doubles as a cutting board. I added S hooks to the hanging shelf so it can hold spatulas, tea strainers, etc.

I'm happy with the final product.

One Month

Today marks one month, but I still feel more transient than resident.

On a macro level, I've been incredibly systematic. Step one was job searching, then interviews, then deciding which job to accept. Then, I accepted a job and moved into a permanent apartment. Roots planted? Check.  

However, on a micro level, there are still voids both materially and otherwise.

For example, I'm writing this post not from my living room but instead leaned over my balcony, the only spot I can pirate a bar of precious unencrypted wireless. My apartment is still a work in progress.  Shopping is still an adventure, as is getting food. I don't have a go-to list of my favorite places for x, y, and z like in Minneapolis.

Also, if you asked, "Tim, what is your schedule like?" I couldn't really tell you because my schedule is still peppered with transitional stuff. Aside from work, I don't have a routine but really want one. That's not meant be taken ad absurdum or romanticized: "Tim, traveling is all about spontaneity bla bla bla embrace bla bla." No. I'm not traveling abroad. I'm living abroad. It's a different concept.

That also explains why my transition has been pretty uneventful. I want to be settled in before I start my kick-ass weekend adventures. I'm plenty spontaneous but more pragmatic, I guess. I think settled in means the following:

1. I feel my apartment is adequate.
2. I have an ARC.
3. I have my "regular" venues. 
4. My Monday-Friday has some structure. 

What I'm Eating - Pigs' Feet

Someone recommended that I try pigs' feet. Here it is, with soup to the right:

I liked the soup. It was light on the palate and had a really silky finish with just a hint of sweetness. Its smell actually reminded me of hay and there was no lipid layer. I guessed it was a plant based soup. Wrong-o. It was made from dehydrated Skipjack tuna. The tuna is dehydrated whole, thinly sliced, and then made into stock. The stock is consumed as soup or used to cook with. I had most all of the soup because I wasn't keen on the pigs' feet.

The feet were braised, and I can't imagine them being prepared another way because there is oh-so-much connective tissue, fat, and bone. Not that I particularly dislike any of those things - in the contrary, my favorite cut of steak is the bone-in ribeye - I just need a suitable ratio. Next, the skin had a chewy, waxy combination of a texture. Not in the slightest was there any delicious baconesque flavor. Contrary, think lard flavored jello. For me, this was a one-and-done.

Bring Some Duct Tape

Lately, I have been Macgyvering some things around my new apartment and I'm reminded how useful duct tape is. It stops small leaks in plumbing, ripping and tearing in furniture, bug-proofs screens with holes, and reinforces all types of things. It even allowed me to build a bamboo kitchen organizer without investing in clamps. The kitchen organizer is wicked-cool looking and functional - thanks, duct tape. 

I always bring duct tape with me while doing any serious traveling and advise others do the same; it is well worth its storage space given its almost infinite utility.

I have used duct tape to:
fix rips and tears in rain gear, bug nets, and my backpack cover
tamper proof baggage
tape my camera to ad hoc tripods/trees/rocks/walls/etc
tape shirts or pillow cases to a curtainless window
tape over a drain to wash clothes
create makeshift bandages

All small potatoes, though, Mythbusters lifted a car with duct tape.

What I'm Eating - Sushi

Yeahhhhhhhhhh :

Top left to right: smoked carp, crab, smoked carp, and two swordfish. Bottom left to right: don't know, don't know, don't know, roe, and octopus. My favorite was the swordfish and first two don't knows. Cost: 3.00$USD. This is the tip of the sushi iceberg - I haven't been to the fish market yet, nor is it Bluefin season.

(Update [Thanks, Cheech]) : The yellow wrap on the bottom row is tofu skin, which has a spongy texture and more subtle flavor than seaweed. 

First Chinese Lesson

Last Friday, I had my first language exchange with another teacher from the school.

The language exchange is mutually beneficial (but more for me?). My teacher gets to practice her English while teaching me Chinese. 

The first lesson was the Chinese alphabet. We are working on pronunciation. Some sounds are completely new so lack English words I could use to approximate the sound. This is why vocal coaching is important. First, I would say a letter until a had the pronunciation correct. Then, I thought about what I was doing with my mouth to make the correct sound. For example, where is my tongue, what shape are my lips in, is my throat open or closed? I took notes for practicing independently.  

After the alphabet, we practiced saying different tones. Chinese is a tonal language with four basic tones: high, rising, falling, and falling then rising. Also, a fifth neutral tone. English is not a tonal language, however, we do vary our tones. Think about a question where you expect an affirmative answer. Say this out loud: "You're coming with, right?" "Right," is the rising tone. And a desist command like, "No!" is falling. I use references like this to help me say things correctly.

I think this step is critical. Also, It's not something I can teach myself so having a native speaker helping me is invaluable.

First Week of Teaching

Last week was my first full week of teaching. My schedule is kindergarten in the morning and cram school in the afternoon.

Monday to Friday, I teach kindergarten with a Taiwanese co-teacher 9-11:30am. Here, kindergarten is three years long. The youngest kids are three. I sort of feel bad for them - I was at home cutting patches out of my hair until age five.

My first two classes every day are with the youngest kids. It is a class of nine students. Small classes are easier to control. The lessons are simple: numbers, phonics, running around and pointing to colors and stuff. These kids are really really young and also really restless. If they get squirmy, then I'll have them run around. That's the gist of classroom management. These two periods are a cakewalk.

My third class is with middle age kids. This class is also easy, but I have to teach them things beyond a few words and running around. In fact, I have to discourage running around because the class is larger; misbehavior quickly crescendos.

My morning classes end at 11:30 when lunch starts. Lunch is free and usually pretty good. Today was calamari, veggies, chicken, and thick lo mein noodles. I have a two hour lunch break every day. I have been running errands during that time, but ultimately hope to fill this time with a cool activity which is TBD.

My afternoons in the cram school start at 2pm. The cram school is more difficult. More to come regarding the cram school... 

Adios, Kaohsiung

I left Kaohsiung last weekend. I'll miss a few things.

Mostly, I'll miss my new friends, Nato and Chista. Nato owns the hostel and Chista is his girlfriend. Life would have been difficult without all of their assistance - getting food, getting places, and getting a phone to name a few. Faithful blog followers will remember Nato as the tangerine-giver from my "Taiwanese Nice" post.

Anyhow, his hostel, Chez Kiki, was the cleanest I have ever stayed at. The interior design was refreshing and thoughtful. Nato has a great place and works hard to ensure sure his guests make the most of their stay. For that, I am grateful. Check out Nato's blog here: natojay.blogspot.com. 

Here is the inside of the hostel (main room, third floor):

Here is Kiki, the mascot of the hostel: 

Awweeeeeee ...

When Pointing Fails...

This is about the time I tried to buy a cell phone and failed. Usually, some creative gesturing, a word or phrase, and, of course, patience get me things. Not this time. So, it marks a first: feeling helpless.

In Taiwan, a work permit or long-term visa is necessary to buy a scooter, get internet, or have a monthly cell phone plan. However, my go-to guy, the hostel owner, said it was possible to buy a pay-as-you-go phone without either.

Start time : 9:50am. 
I walked to the nearest Carrefour. Carrefour is the Walmart of South America, Asia, and Europe. Here, Carrefour sells everything ranging from produce to motorized scooters. In the electronics section, I pointed to a phone. Hurray, the phone was taken out of the display case and ready for purchase. Next step, I pointed to a phone card to buy minutes. Nothing. Little more gesturing: card plus phone, card and phone connecting, card and phone dancing. "Phone no work," said store clerk. I nodded my head and pointed to the card again. Nope, no card, just a head shake for no. Maybe this phone was only available with a plan. I didn't know and didn't want to buy a useless phone. I decided to go back to the hostel and research more.

I walked back to where I entered the store. Wrong; the entrance and exit are not juxtaposed or even close to each other. In order to exit, I had to walk through the entire store and three floors. I did, however, find a clerk who asked what I needed in Engrish. "Nothing," I said, "I tried to buy a phone, but wasn't able to." Next, the process repeated with more people around. I learned new stuff, though. Turns out, I needed a SIM card because these phones did not have them. I was given directions to a nearby store, Telnet, that would have them.

11:45am.
I exit Carrefour with only a six pack of tiny(330ml) cans of Coca-Cola and start walking to Telnet.


At Telnet, I got a little further. I point to a phone. Good. SIM card. Good. Next was paperwork. I filled in my name. Next is the identification. I pulled out my passport. Then, my drivers license as a second form. Again, standstill. I couldn't explain that I wanted a prepaid phone so didn't need an ARC or visa. I couldn't even buy Coca-Cola here. I just left.

12:25pm.
I felt defeated every single step I took while walking home on that uncomfortably humid day.

1:30pm. 
I explained to the hostel owner what happened. He volunteered to help me. I couldn't refuse. First, we went to get a SIM card. That was pretty involved and he had to explain my passport, why I didn't have visa, and that I didn't need a work permit for a prepaid phone. Next, we got a compatible phone.

All of this would have been impossible without a translator.

3:25 pm. 
I got a phone.

In the States, I feel competent and even resourceful. Feeling helpless is tough to grapple with.

Anyhow, I think I'm writing about this because in the future I'll feel frustrated learning Chinese. I want to remind future Tim that staying up late and learning new vocab and grammar, however frustrating, will indeed serve a larger purpose.

Busy Like A Bee

Bees probably have similes comparing themselves to me; I've been doing mad-crazy work this week. Consequently, I have a backlog of things to post, but no time to post them. Sorry for micro-blogging.

Today, I'll move from the hostel to my own apartment. Then, I'll spend a few days cleaning with bleach, buying some essentials, and making the space my own. Then, I'll spend a few days without internet.

Thennnnnn, I'm gonna post things things like it's 1999.

Apartment

I signed the lease for an ohhhh so sick apartment. I got a killer deal: 7000NT (230USD) a month. I'm also lucky because housing isn't the easiest to find in Donggang - lot's of places are at capacity.

I move my two backpacks of stuff into my giant apartment Sunday so expect pictures then.

Short term, I'll probably put baby powder on the floors and slide around wearing only tube socks and underwear. Long term, I hope to find a roommate or put up a couchsurfing offer because wasting space is uncool.

I can't wait to show everyone the view from the rooftop.

Surfin' the Web

Don't click on this link if you are studying/trying to be productive.

Long Day

Today was a loooonnnnggggg day.

I was up at the crack of dawn and on a bus for my new school in Donggang. In the morning, I watched a couple of the foreign teachers' lessons. Then, I taught some classes so the administrator and principle could evaluate and critique. There will be much more of that throughout the training period. Chicken curry, rice, and cabbage soup for lunch provided by the school. Free lunch = awesome.

After lunch, I had to get pictures taken for the multitude of documents that will be processed in the following week or so. The first of which was the physical examination from today. Cost: two photos, $50USD, and a test tube of precious blood and plasma. Benefit: I got to do a little scouting and was impressed with the nursing staff, mostly young and cute. I hope they live in the city.

Afterwords, more paperwork at the school.

The day ended with apartment hunting. The school administrator also helps foreign teachers find housing in Donggang. Today, we looked at two housing options.

The first was a huge apartment. Three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and two mini-balconies. It was somewhat furnished, ie., a couch, some chairs, a bed that looked like it came straight out of a telo, drawers, a refrigerator, and cabinets. I told Vivian that it was way too big for one person.

The apartment manager mentioned three Latter-day Saints living on the 4th floor interested in another roommate. I politely said, "No fucking way!" 

Next, I looked at option two, the suite. The suite is a dorm room. It had a bed. No kitchen, no refrigerator, and a shared bathroom. This is the more economical option, but frugal as I am, I don't want to live there for a year. It was dingy, even by my exceedingly low standards. 

Ideally, I'll find a studio or one bedroom apartment with a kitchen. Unfortunately, I get the impression that housing options are one extreme or the other.

I asked Vivian to call and ask about the rental rate of the first apartment. Hopefully I can justify the higher cost to avoid the suite and Mormons.

Bravo, Display Designer

I am not versed in advertising, but storefronts placarded with Chinese convey zero information to me. Thus, I rely on visualizations quite a bit more than I would stateside. I like this one.

Particularly, I think this display is effective because it elicits an emotional response and also a direct link to the product.

I saw this and was instantly transported from sidewalk to cockpit. The mental shift from pedestrian to pilot in command widened my eyes, perked my brows, and put Kenny Loggins on repeat in my skull while I visualized blue skies. Even if I wasn't a pilot, I know I would look at those instruments for a second and think, "I could do that!"

Then I start to think about how important those instruments are. And what they do? This is where, for me, emotions start transferring to the watches. How could I possibly fly a plane without an altimeter, attitude indicator, or engine gauges? How can I keep time with anything less precise than a Bell & Ross watch? This watch provides a direct link to badassness (think Iceman and Maverick) even when I'm not tearing up the skies.

This display does more for me than most. For example, pictures of food at a restaurant leaving little to the imagination - it's direct, and I get it - fair. Others, not so much: a scantily clad schoolgirl and air conditioners? Yeah, I'm thinking, but not about air conditioners. If anything, that advertisement transfers to the babe I just walked past, re-incarnated as a schoolgirl, and mindfu...yeah, you get it.

The watch display just totally nails it, and I can appreciate that.

Engrish

Are you white? A male? Well, I've got just the toothpaste for you !

What I'm Drinking

I had to try it...

It exceeded my expectations, however, was only 20% juice. Flavored sugar water never disappoints.

Decision Donggang

After plenty 'o deliberation, I decided to accept the position in Donggang.

I think I was hesitant because larger cities have a certain allure; being an urbanite is sexy. I say that because I grew up in a very small town. Aside from visiting my parents and seeing old friends, Chilton, WI has nothing to offer me - the routine of life there is pretty stagnant. On subconscious level, I equated Donggang with my hometown, and that made me cringe. After talking to a few friends, I realized it was an awful comparison and my aversion to Donggang was more emotional than rational.  Donggang will be plenty stimulating and more congruous with my goals on the island. I am happy with my decision.

So, yeah. Job hunting is officially over. Time to start the process of obtaining a work permit, finding housing, and planting some roots. Wooohoooo !

Kaohsiung vs. Donggang

I have spent most of yesterday and today agonizing over whether to take a job in the smaller town of Donggang, which is an hour bus ride south of Kaohsiung. Donggang is a harbor city most well known for fishing. Population is ~50k. 

Pros of Donggang :

• Few English speakers would force exposure to Chinese *
• Distraction-free environment for self-improvement **
• Cheaper cost of living
• More coconuts 
• A nursing school
• Seafood capital of Taiwan
• Closer to Kenting (scuba diving, surfing)  
• Ferry city for Liouciou Island

Pros of Kaohsiung:

• More resources, conveniences, talent and opportunity ***
• Higher salary 
• Cultural epicenter ****
• Nightlife 
• A really cute girl from Poland 
• A few universities 
• Huge network of foreigners 

* I am here to learn Chinese. Clearly, living away from other English speakers would force more exposure. Constant Chinese would be frustrating and unrelenting, but effective for learning the quickest. In a big city, I would speak English a lot. It would be hard not to, regardless of intent. Here, the smaller city acts as a commitment device. Click on the "commitment device" link and read a little - I like Thomas Schelling a lot.

** I would be relatively isolated living in the small town. That means a lot less distraction. It would be my Walden Pond, and I could really focus on self-improvement: reading, studying, and new hobbies like surfing or paragliding on the weekends. At my core, I am a party animal. I know my own limitations and would probably not be able to choose studying over swilling beer and chasing tail. Obviously, living up to higher pursuits would be easier with the latter far removed.

*** Bigger cities have more stuff. More stuff to eat, see, and do. This aspect worries me a little.. What good is the freshest seafood in all of Taiwan without a talented chef? I would be leaving behind Museums, restaurants, and a myriad of other venues. You find talent in big cities. End of story. However, thinking about all of the things giant Kaohsiung has that tiny Donggang doesn't is somewhat unfair. Perspective: after four years, Minneapolis still had a lot of things I hadn't done. It's time consuming scouring a city and taking advantage of everything there is to offer. I think it's a situation where ambition exceeds time constraints. If I didn't cover all the ground in Minneapolis in four years, why should I expect to here with the addition of a language barrier?

**** Lastly, I also think cities are cultural epicenters. There are museums, theatres, and orchestra halls. Again, not so in the small town. But how much would I appreciate a play I couldn't understand? I think eventually, I'll be able to check these things out when I have a basic grasp on the language. When I do, I'm an hour bus ride away.

I am clearly leaning towards moving to the small town. I just need to convince myself. It's not easy when everyone in Kaohsiung tells me to stay here. They even try to find jobs for me with a sense of exigence. Will I regret this six months from now because I'm bored and lonely? I don't know but feel like I should try and find out. 

More pragmatically, it's where I have a guaranteed job.

Input? Much appreciated, comments please.

What I'm Eating - Raddish Squares

My standard breakfast:

The white squares are [phonetically] lo bo gow. They are made from Daikon and rice puree. Their taste is crisp and fresh but more mellow than biting into a radish - could be the addition of rice. Anyhow, the puree is formed into squares, dried, and then grilled.

The green things are [phonetically] jee-ow bing. Bing is popular as a breakfast food and it's basically a crepe / scrambled egg combination. The "jee-ow" part is what signifies the green color - I think the addition of green squash into the mix. The owner of the hostel suggested that this may be a special recipe because dan bing [you guessed it, phonetic] is more popular.

Dan bing is white and pictured here with lo bo gow :

I prefer the green one because of a crispier texture and the squash adding a more-than-flour flavor. The details of "What I'm Eating" posts will improve as I learn Chinese.

Taiwan Nice.2

Today, I went to a nearby town to check out a school. When I got there, I asked for directions to the school and it was futile. So I went to a little restaurant and asked to use their phone to call the school. Well, gestured to use the phone, of course. Instead, the lady working called the school on my behalf and then gave me a ride there on the back of her scooter. We almost got hit by a car. I think scooters are somewhat dangerous, but I'll still buy one. The Taiwanese are nice.

Engrish

Couldn't resist. Engrish will be a series. Starting with ...

 

Gatoradesque ?

Pro Sweat: when there are no professional athletes around to lick.

Job Hunting Update

About one week into the search, here is where I stand:

1- job offer (start immediately)
1- waiting for a final decision 
1- currently interviewing
2- waiting for interview offer
3- rejected / no response

I'm happy with the progress, and having a definite offer gives me a little security. I like the administration and schedule where I was offered a job. I have reservations about the location because it is a smaller city. I'll probably make a T-chart tomorrow. Then I'll likely rationalize disregarding the T-chart and decide arbitrarily.

Typhoon Megi

Typhoon Megi is west of Taiwan tracking north towards Hong Kong. It's not likely the storm will hit Taiwan directly. Still, the school I visited this morning sent their kids home midday. Most businesses in the area have closed, and there is little activity in the streets. I'm holed up for the night with a Tsingtao and cache of instant noodles watching Nat Geo waiting for some action. So far, just some transient rain and gusts of wind. [update: I am on the southern part of the island.]

Taiwan Nice

Ordinarily, I'm pretty leery about all-inclusive, blanket generalizations but I'm feeling a little hasty. I'm convinced that everyone in Taiwan is abnormally friendly and good-spirited. Everyone.

Taking out a map and looking around is like Taiwanese bait - works every time. And they don't just point down the street to dismiss me because I can't communicate. Teams are assembled, maps are drawn, and phone calls are made on my behalf. Ok, maybe this doesn't sound that impressive. Or, maybe it's just because I'm noticeably a tourist and everyone likes to help tourists. Nope. Today, on my way to get bubble tea, scooterists made a blockade to stop traffic while a convenience store employee helped a really old lady cross the street. I bet the idiots in the store didn't even steal anything while the clerk was gone.

Next, let's talk about exploitation, which would detract from helpful in the kindness equation. Exchanging money presents a pretty good opportunity for exploitation. Let's start with my most frequent purchase: food.  I have been getting breakfast at a small place across the street from my hostel and lunch at a few nearby locations. Surely, I could be getting overcharged, at least slightly, but am not.

Being jaded, I realize choosing not to exploit me could be advantageous sans altruistic nice. Exploiting me at the breakfast place might not be an optimal strategy because the game is sequential. Thus, exploitation for higher profit in the present might prevent future payoffs from repeat business. When I get lunch, a manager type figure is eyeballing the bejeesus out of each employee. His tongue would touch the cashiers' ear if he stuck it out. Here, supervision is a barrier to exploitation.

We need a better example, and I think taxi drivers provide a nice indicator of exploitation. Repeat business is not likely in large cities. There is no direct oversight, and a fare meter is not an effective barrier to exploitation. Case in point: while studying abroad, I paid one hundred dollars for my first cab ride in Argentina. My host mom's jaw dropped before she explained the "idiot rate." Turned out, meters could be tampered with. Anyhow, you guessed it, no price gouging here in Taiwan.

Before my teaching demo, I found this on the table outside my room. It means big luck big profit.

I would have been content with, "Good luck."

I realize that I have only been in Taiwan a week but I'm still convinced everyone is nice. My inner skeptic beckons me to probe, though, so I'll probably start resorting to more desperate nice-sorting methods like leaving valuable things out in public, seeking out the more dubious types, and telling people I still use Windows Media Player.

Teach Me How To Bucky

I grew up in Wisconsin and went to college in the Twin Cities, where I cheer for the Gophers. Yes, four years of ridicule bordering harassment from close friends and my brother. Still, I'll concede, this is pretty awesome.

Teaching Demonstration

My first teaching demonstration was yesterday. After the demonstration, I spoke with the school's president for a debriefing. Here are the takeaway points from both: 
 
I have an energetic, clear, well-enunciated speaking voice. This was a major selling point and a good thing to have in the "well-done" category. Because speaking style is more a characteristic than behavior, modifying it would be much more painstaking. Cool.

Speed, idioms, and phrasal verbs. Before the lesson, I consciously reminded myself to speak slowly and avoid idiomatic expressions. Easy enough, right? Not exactly. Public speaking slow and ESL slow are different. ESL slow for a newcomer like myself seems patronizing and uncomfortably slow. And idioms and phrasal verbs pepper the English language. For example, look at the second sentence in this post: "Here are the takeaway points." For my English audience, the intent is clear : the synopsis of my demonstration. However, it's actually a sports term describing a backswing in golf or change of possession in other sports and we just make the connection. In a practical sense, asking,  "Class, what is the answer?" rather than, "Class, what did you come up with?" elicits a response instead of blank stares. 

This is a biggie: my awful whiteboard writing. I hadn't thought about this prior to the demonstration but should have. I have awful handwriting and that translates to awful whiteboard writing. Markedly, it's not precise, and usually that is fine. However, these little kids are like sponges. When they see semi-cursive, mashed letters or a mid-word capital letter, they get confused and wonder why they get yelled at for doing what Teacher Tim just did.

Overall, I left the school with a sense of accomplishment. I have one demonstration under my belt and know what needs to be improved upon. I am up against five other teachers who are interviewing and demoing throughout the week. I will get an e-mail after the school has made a decision. While I'm waiting, I'll continue job hunting.

Lesson Plan

Ok, here's how the teaching demonstration works. It's a one hour presentation with a real class that the owner of the language institute will use while considering me against other candidates.  I'll have one hour to cover two pages of material, one page phonetics and one page grammar.

My interviewer gave me the following tips, things "the boss" will like to see:
     1. Energy and fast-paced teaching
     2. Clear writing and use of the whiteboard

     3. Engaging the students and eliciting answers

Incorporating those elements and the well-received advice of my friend, here is my lesson plan. Thanks, Lauren. And Chris...?

Introduction [ 10 minutes] 

Tim from the United States will explain that it's very cold in Minneapolis and that is why I moved to Kaohsiung, where the weather is beautiful. I'll open the floor for questions about me to engage the kids and get a sense of participation levels.

Then, I'll start the transition to the first lesson by telling the kids a few things they should know about me. I'll introduce one of my favorite things and bro-essential, the high five. [Goals of high five: introduce an interactive cultural element that can be used to reward correct answers, encourage participation, or simply get kids moving if they become restless. Oh yeah, and it's awesome.] Next, I'll write a few things on the board and ask students to read them.

     1. Tim is an English teacher. 

     2. Tim is a good teacher. 

Note the hard "g" in each sentence. Next, a volunteer comes to the front of the class and stands next to me. Clearly, a new sentence goes on the board. 

      3. Tim is a giant. Like a giraffe?

Again, a volunteer reads the sentence and soft "g" is introduced. 

Phonetics Lesson [ 20 minutes ]

I'll write a "G" on the board and then branch it into hard and soft. I'll ask kids what the hard g sounds like and eventually will get to writing down "gu" followed by some example words we'll practice. Next is soft g and the same process. Introduce, Rule: when e, i, or y comes after the g, the g usually stands for the soft g sound.

Then we'll do the workbook page and match words to pictures of badges, giraffes, hedges, and gems. Even generals. I'll call on kids to say what the picture is. The class will repeat things like, "It is a badge." 

Very good, class. Phonetics ends with a high five, duh.

Grammar [ 20 minutes]

The objective in this section is combining subjects and predicates. I'll start by having the kids diagram a sentence - something my generation didn't do in school because of sharing, feel-good, "creative" shit like free-journaling.

"I enjoy English class at KNS!" Will be written on the board. I like this sentence because it avoids a predicate nominative like the previous three sentences and brown-noses. High five to everyone reading. After the students diagram the sentence, I'll know how to proceed with the lesson.

Maybe we talk about subjects and predicates, I don't know. If the kids know what's going on, then we'll start combining sentences. I'll draw a diagram with a basic sentence-combining algorithm. Then we'll do a few guided examples and I'll question them about the mechanics of a correct answer. We'll finish with the workbook page.

In Sum 

Of my 60 minutes, I've used 10 for the introduction + 20 for phonetics + 20 for grammar. I'm left with 10 minutes of wiggle room. I'll use this for the closing notes : a quick and concise review of phonetics and sentence combining. If the class moves faster than I planned, then I have another page of grammar on reserve to burn time, I mean re-enforce the previous page.

NB: I am a practiced and confident presenter, but not an educator. If you are, please comment.

First Interview

Wooohoo! My first job interview went well. I learned what to expect in future interviews, gained some insight into the expatriate network here, and most importantly, received an offer for a teaching demonstration.

NB: victory, not D-bag

In sum, it was pretty relaxed. I met the school's local recruiter at a Starbucks - in the Kaohsiung Cultural Center. Yep, Cultural Center. Oolong tea cost more than my usual lunch. Ok, anyhow, me: dress pants, shirt and tie. Him: cargo shorts, polo, bowling ball in camouflage. The interview was more a conversation. I talked about why I was in Kaohsiung and interested in teaching, my experience with kids, and my comfort-level presenting in front of groups.

In the process, I learned more about the expats and English teaching scene. There's a lot of camaraderie amongst the foreigners here - we come and go so exchange housing, mopeds, and furniture. It is definitely insular but inviting - I will take up the offer to go bowling on Mondays, but only after I lock down a job.

 When the interview ended I got an offer to teach a demonstration. It felt nice. I hitched a ride on the back of my interviewer's scooter and went to the school. I looked at the books, peeked in some classrooms, and met a few of the teachers. It seems like a cool place to work and I'm excited to demo tomorrow.

Job Hunting In Kaohsiung

Some updates :

Firstly, I successfully battled exhaustion yesterday and stayed awake until a reasonable hour before sleeping. I woke up at 5am this morning and am not complaining - I think maybe I'll be a morning person here. First time for everything, eh? More importantly, I started the job hunt.

I started searching online because most schools were closed yesterday. There are a few popular message boards used by the expats in Kaohsiung: Tealit, Forumosa, and a yahoo group. I started here and found two job openings that looked promising. I have heard back on one and am setting up an interview today or tomorrow. I am pretty excited and hope I like the school, the interview goes well, and I could potentially start immediately.

I am happy to have lined up an interview, but that doesn't guarantee a job. Today is Monday, so I'll actually start walking to schools and asking about employment. I think being on the ground and in person will give me an advantage compared to online applications.

American Vampire

Guess I'm not impervious to Jet lag - my circadian rhythm is all messed up. My first night timed out well: got off the plane around midnight and was sleeping by 2am. I woke up the next day at 8am and after breakfast and planning took a train to Kaohsiung, in the South. All well so far into day two.


After some map-pointing, a taxi, and more map-pointing I was at my Kaohsiung hostel by 3pm and decided to take a nap at 6pm - huge mistake - I woke up at 3am. Not cool, but the solitude facilitated reading a city guide and memorizing some phrases to get breakfast. Now, it is 4pm and, again, huge mistake: I just checked the time in Minneapolis (3am). Instantly I'm exhausted, but I need to stay awake and break the vampire cycle. 

My plan to re-adjust is three fold : 1) Caffeine-up by drinking tea - this is easy because it's fantastic. Expect posts about tea in the future. 2) Sunlight - being outside and walking around reminds my body it is daytime. Problem is the midday overcast clouds. 3) Stop looking at the time in Minneapolis - my internal clock doesn't need a conscious reminder it's off.

Ten Minutes From Boarding

And it starts now from the janky airport computer. People kept asking if I was nervous prior leaving. I wasn't. Still not nervous, however, I do somewhat regret my shoddy landing-plans : use my phrasebook to find shelter after landing. I wanted to "wing it" and now I'm committed! I'll let everyone know how it goes after I find lodging and internet some twenty five hours from now.