What are some things people have strong opinions about?

I know, I haven't been posting much lately and here I am six hours after my last post. I don't know what to tell you other than it's Saturday and I happen to have a decent amount of free time to myself.

That and my last class tonight got me thinking...

It's my favorite Wow class. Those kids are just awesome and it's encouraging because rather than simply sticking to the book, we have actual conversations. Sometimes it's about complete crap — let's just say you can tell I have a bunch of 13-15 year old boys in my class — but sometimes it's honestly inspiring.

I taught this QA twice this week. Once in my Thursday night Wow class and once in my final class of the week which is the same level.

"What are some things people have strong opinions about?"

Honestly, I went into it a little freaked out and kind of not knowing how it would go over because I don't know many hot button issues in Taiwan (Cross-Strait Relations... yeah that's it). Turns out a lot of them are similar to those of Americans (and anywhere else, duh): politics, sports teams, religion.

One thing that I anticipated having trouble explaining — abortion — ended up not being any trouble at all. The kids just knew.

Thursday when I taught the QA, though, it was like pulling teeth.

I went through each of the ten or so options and then, like I always do, I asked the kids to try to think up a couple of their own. They had nothing.

Of course, I can never get that class to talk Apparently it's not just on my day, they also don't talk on my co-teacher's day. But I thought I could get something out of someone. Eventually, I just added education and health care to the list so I felt like I taught them something.

Well today when I taught the same QA, my kids gave me so much feedback I could hardly keep up. We ended up with 15 extra answers including: sexuality, climate change and immigration.

Sometimes it's funny to think that even half-way around the world they're thinking about the same issues. Granted Taiwan sometimes seems like a little America and climate change certainly has a global effect. But — despite the fact that I sort of (really?) am an immigrant — I don't think of this tiny island as a country with major immigration issues.

That just goes to show how much I know — and how much I am just like all of those other self-important, self-absorbed Americans out there.

I think I learned just as much as my 15-year-olds did today.

When it rains, it drizzles?

There are some classes that I honestly feel like you just can't win over and the WOW class I was teaching tonight is definitely one of them.

I can feel the 'tweens in that class judging my every move. I'm not nearly cool enough or thin enough for them and therefore anything I do in class hardly warrants participation.

Result: a very quiet classroom, a very irritated teacher, and some seriously bored kids.

I know I'm supposed to teach through games, but I just can't bring myself to reward them with games. They don't deserve it. Then again I may just be feeding the fire by only playing one game per class.

You win some, you lose some.

Outside the classroom, I slept most of the day (we stayed out too late for Danielle's birthday last night...) and then spent time looking ahead at what I might do after my year is up here in Taiwan. While it is always an option to stay here (and I am considering it) I am also looking at where (or how) else I can grow. Of course, my ultimate goal is to put that journalism degree to good use, so that's also on my brain.

Also, it started raining sometime this afternoon and it hasn't stopped since. That's the thing about rain in Taiwan versus rain in Texas.

Texas: When it rains, it pours. That's not simply a figure of speech. It literally pours whenever it rains in Texas and then next thing you know the evidence it gone except for some wet grass (and the aftermath of a flash-flood or two).

Taiwan: When it rains, it drizzles... OK, maybe it's a little more than a drizzle, but what I mean is that it pretty much rains softly all day.

While I miss being able to hear the rain (probably my favorite noise of all time), it's nice that it's not pouring down when I'm on the scooter driving to work.

Apparently it's supposed to rain through Saturday.

At least it will be gone in time to have a fun Sunday! I'm thinking I might go to the National Palace Museum. Suggestions?

Why is that group of foreigners soaking wet?

My classes Saturday went really well. I didn't budget my time quite perfectly, but there were certainly no disasters.

My yellow book class was actually really fun and all the kids were really responsive. This is apparently unusual. I've heard many people say they dread yellow book classes, especially subbing them, because the kids can be really difficult.

It's not so much that they're obstinate. The kid are all just at that age.

Honestly, I had more trouble with the WOW class I subbed. These kids are all in late junior high or high school and they were SO not getting into it. I had no idea what to do.

My saving grace was this one girl, Ginger. Her English was GREAT and she was willing to answer questions and help me out with the Chinese. Luckily, the co-teacher for that class was also really cool. We ended up having a lot of fun even though it initially seemed like it was going to be the most boring hour and a half of my life.

Saturday evening Megan and I went to this great little coffee shop and I had milk tea for the first time. I really like milk tea. We just sat there at chatted about a little bit of everything. Classes, the people in the dorm — I'm still getting to know everyone — learning Chinese, etc.

After we got back I left almost immediately when some other people who live in the dorm to go bowling.

Bowling is the thing to do here. I'm going to see if I can eventually get some people to start playing pool with me. I'm hoping I can locate a dart board as well. But, for now, bowling will have to do. My game could use some work anyway.

I ended up staying up pretty late that night. We didn't get home from the bowling alley until 3 a.m. (it stays open 24/7, so glad Main Event wasn't like that). A few of the others apparently never went to sleep.

This is the problem with "dorm" life.

I never lived in a dorm in college so it's something to get used to. I did my share of running around and staying up all night, but it's different when you live with 15 other people.

Because I stayed up half the night, I slept most of the day, but that's OK. It was Sunday, I'm allowed to do that.

I ate McDonalds on Sunday. I know, I know, everyone is so disappointed. I just really wanted a cheeseburger. Something to note, the Taiwanese really like eggs. They put eggs on everything. This includes a fried egg on a cheeseburger. McD's doesn't do that though so I felt safe going there.

I have since decided that I may never go to McDonalds again. It wasn't terrible, but I felt so sick afterward because I've been eating nothing but rice, noodles, vegetables and very little grease.

Maybe I'll have some french fries now and then.

When I got home from McD's the living room was soaked. Yes, I said soaked.



Megan planned this big water gun fight to go down in the park at 6 p.m. She went and bought a ton of water guns (becuase they're like $3) and they filled them up and were all sitting in the living room waiting for everyone to get going. Next thing you know, they're all shooting each other in the living.


It was hilarious to walk in to.

When we finally got to the park and started playing, we ended up drawing a huge crowd. People just started standing around us and watching. Some were taking pictures of us.


Crazy foreigners.