Fire Lion Festival

The past few weeks have been very busy for Erin and me; mostly for Erin as she has attempted to adapt to teaching three new English classes in a different school and different country.  While I have some planning and grading to do for my two classes, it is nothing compared to the piles of work she brings home each night.  With first quarter grades due two weeks ago and parent-teacher conferences this week it has been our primary focus.

Last weekend, with grades in, it was time to relax and celebrate.  Erin went out Friday for a "Lady's Night" as I stayed at home and relaxed.  Then on Saturday morning we both got a full-body massage.  The place had been recommended by one of the teachers at school because the masseuse was supposed to be gentler than the hard massages people seem to prefer here.  I say "supposed to" because we still found it very hard.  We probably should have said something, but the two hour massage did feel good aside from a few sharp moments.  Then again we were both sore for the rest of the weekend so I'm not sure I'll go back.

The most exciting part of last weekend came on Sunday when we were treated to VIP status at a local Fire Lion Festival at Lotus Pond.  We arrived at our school (which is a few blocks away from the pond/lake) around 4pm and walked with a tour guide as he described the history of the area.  We went to a local temple to a god of medecine and learned the lengthy ritual to get a prescription for chinese herbs (let's just say it involves a lot of random picking and block tossing).  We then went to two pagodas that sit on the lake with a tiger sitting in front of one and a dragon in front of the other.  You walk in the mouth of the dragon and out the mouth of the tiger for some traditional reason (after the medical god prescription process I was starting to lose interest).


We then walked over to the other side of the lake to take part in the Fire Lion festival.  This involved writing our wishes for our family, friends, and future on little slips of paper that would be attached (or bound up) in a large paper lion that would be burnt taking our wishes to heaven.  With that written up and attached to a line we took a trip around the lake in a boat as we learned more about the area.  It was a very nice evening as the temperature is finally starting to get cooler and more comfortable.  After the boat ride we walked over to a very nice hotel for dinner.  The dinner was a nice banquet style meal though we weren't particularly fond of the food.  Once we were finished it was dark out and time to head back for the fire lion parade.



It was at this time that we began to realize our true VIP status at this event.  As we rushed back to the lake we found ourselves walking in front of people watching the parade so that it was the parade going one way in the road, us walking the other way in the road, and everyone else standing on the side of the road watching it all.  Our tour guides led us toward a main stage where we were soon given front-row seats to watch the festivities.  There we were given up close performances by dancers and martial artists with incense, flaming staffs, and flaming swords.  At one point the mayor of Kaohsiung (apparently the third most politically powerful person in Taiwan) arrived and greeted us.  It was all very exciting, though a little embarrassing, having so much attention lavished on us.  You can see more about the festival on the city's website here: http://cabu2.kcg.gov.tw/ks2010_eng/ (warning: music player in upper-right hand of pages)


Finally the lions which had been brought up earlier were set on fire with a cavalcade of fireworks and a water show out on the lake.  It was all very spectacular and we were glad that we had the opportunity to participate.  It was a reminder of why we're here and working so hard to adapt to this foreign culture. 

Living it up in Kaohsiung

These past two weeks Erin and I have been getting to know Kaohsiung a little better rather than traveling out of town.  That's mainly been driven by a need to get caught up with work more than anything else.  It's always fun to get out of town, but it also involves more planning and can be stressful dealing with yet another foreign place.  So the past two weeks have been a bit more easy going.


During that time one question that we've been struggling with has been what to do about transportation.  After watching how chaotic scooter drivers can be in the city and even noticing two in minor accidents we soon ruled that out for the city (we still like to get them in less populated areas).  Next we considered a car and started the process for getting one.  However, we soon learned that our apartment doesn't come with a parking space which would mean we would have to rent it ourselves.  At about US$75 a month it would be a major part of owning a car.  What's more, finding car parking in the city can be difficult and driving can be stressful.  Well, we finally decided that our current practice of walking, taking cabs, and using the subway was working just fine.  We're pretty lucky to live very close to a subway stop that allows us easy access to much of the city.  We may get something else in the future, but for now I think we'll just stick with that.


Staying in town on the weekends we've been going on to eat much more often.  A week ago Friday Erin went out with some girl friends to watch a movie and have margaritas while I met a friend from college who happened to be in town.  On Saturday night we made reservations and ate at a wonderful rooftop Thai restaurant downtown.  The views were great and the food was delicious.  It's definitely a place we'll be going back to.  On Sunday we rented and rode bikes down the river to an outback Steakhouse for a large Western-style dinner.


During the week we've gone out to a variety of places as well.  We've been out for Italian, Indian, Thai, Western, and local cuisine.  We're even going out for a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner tonight (same kinds of food, different day).  Back in the States I don't think we would have been able to eat out so much, but here it is one of our few expenses with our place already paid for.



Getting to know the city we had a chance to walk around the Central Park last weekend.  Then last night we took a five-minute ferry ride across the harbor to Cijin island.  It was nice to rent a bike and ride around.  We got to check out the lighthouse and an old fort as well as some beautiful views of the city that they provided.  It was also nice just sitting and listening to the waves on the beach before going back and having some dinner and shaved ice with mango. 

Moon Festival on Penghu Island

Erin and I have returned to work this week after a very relaxing vacation last week.  Last week started off very exciting as Typhoon Fanapi blew through on Sunday.  While Erin and I stayed comfortably inside watching the wind and the rain the storm dropped enough rain to cause school to be closed on Monday.  Going in to school after the storm had passed I saw some of the damage it had wreaked with downed trees and flooding in some of the school's classrooms.  It also meant a short work week (one day) as we were scheduled to have our Moon Festival vacation starting on Wednesday.


So after a busy Tuesday at work we woke up Wednesday morning and went to the airport.  For this vacation we had decided on Penghu; an archipelago of the Western coast of Taiwan described as "The Hawaii of Taiwan" in our guidebook.  Getting on the plane in Kaohsiung was a breeze (no need to take off shoes or take out liquids) and we we're soon flying to the main island of Penghu.  It was a short flight though (about 30 minutes) and before we knew it we were getting picked up at the airport from one of the owners of the B&B we were staying at.



With our bags dropped off we were soon on a scooter exploring the beaches and temples of the island.  We came across some wonderful sandy beach spots with warm waters, numerous sea shells, some very interesting temples and beautiful clear skies to go with it all.  It's probably no wonder then that we found ourselves sunburned after only our first day.  That night we rode into the main city on the island, Magong, for dinner and to have a look around.



The next day Erin was determined to ride her own scooter after having practiced on the one we had the day before.  So we rode out on separate scooters to explore the island.  As an archipeligo, Penghu is actually made up of several small islands connected by bridges.  Because there's only one way out to (and one way back from) the farthest island,

Thursday ended up being a long day.  During the day we saw the aquarium with some wonderful turtles, a large banyan tree sprawling across a courtyard leading to a temple, basalt columns formed by the volcanic birth of the island, a traditional village built from that same basalt, and a lighthouse at the very end of the last island.  After riding all day we got into Magong to see the sun set before getting some dinner and heading home (though not before seeing a fireworks display, seeing a small parade, and stopping for a drink at the pub).  It was wonderful seeing and doing everything, but we were exhausted.


On Friday we took it much easier and spent most of the day relaxing at a tree-filled park next to a beach.  The day included a lot of rest and a long walk on the beach as we found beautiful shells and coral.  That night, as the wind grew stronger we decided to rent a taxi to take us into town for dinner.  Not being able to read the menu we ended up getting mainly what was pictured which turned out well, though somewhat strange (they put bbq sauce on our spaghetti).

For Saturday our hosts had recommended a small island accessible by ferry called Tong-pan which had a nice path and some stunning basalt formations.  We got to the dock just in time for the ferry, paid the gruff captain our fair, and agreed to be back for pick up in two hours.  A short ride later found us on the small island which was very easy to walk around.  The ferry back arrived with just a little hesitation (and anxiety on our part to be able to leave the small island), but we were soon back at the B&B packing up to go.  The host shuttled us back to the airport while telling us of his wind surfing and kite surfing passion.  With the amount of wind the islands get, he certainly seems to be in a good place.


Back home we did some Costco shopping and then spent all of Sunday working in preparation to go back to school.  It was quite a trip and I'm glad the weather cooperated so well.  It was a good reminder of why we go through all of the challenges of living in a foriegn country.

Typhoons, Bicycling Down Love River, Friends, Sickness, and Taipei

I've been slacking on writing the blog for a few weeks now and it's not for lack of things going on (as you can tell from the title of this post).

As this month started our new island home was being buffeted by typhoons with heavy rains and winds.  One storm looked liked it would be so bad that school was closed for a day (decided by the city).  We went in like we do every day and the superintendent was standing there at the front of the school telling us that there wouldn't be school.  It was nice to go back home and relax even if the storm wasn't really that bad.  It seems like we've had stronger storms since then, but no more days off school.

The following weekend we got up Sunday morning and walked over to the river where we found a stand to rent bikes.  After figuring out the automated stand we had our bikes and were riding down along the river.  It was a nice ride that took us down to the bay and showed us an Outback Steakhouse that was serving American-style brunch.  We eventually made our way back to the original stand, put the bikes back, and would have paid for the rental if my credit card hadn't had a block put on it. 



Later on Sunday I had some friends that were in town so we met them for tea.  We had a chance to see them again the following Wednesday night.  They were so nice to help us with getting SIM cards for our phones and showing us a good place to get some Belgian beers.  Afterwards they took us to a Szechuan hot-pot place for dinner.  It was fun dunking the different food in the pot of boiling broth and the food tasted really good.

Unfortunately the next day neither of us weren't feeling very good.  I guess our stomachs haven't quite become accustomed to Taiwanese food.  Erin soon got better, but my stomach/colon has issues so it's taken me longer to recover.  In order to get a refill on prescriptions and hopefully get better a very nice teacher at school agreed to take me to see a doctor at the hospital.  It was an interesting experience as appointments are made based on a number (like when you take a number at DMV), not by time.  So when we got to the hospital with the doctor I learned we had number 59 and the doctor we were seeing was at number 24 (and moving slowly).  We eventually saw the doctor and I got some medicine, but the whole process took several hours.  On the plus side, the doctor's visit plus medication for a month came to a total of about US $15 (compared to hundreds I would pay back in the US).

Even though I wasn't feeling well Erin and I had a room booked in Taipei last Saturday and I didn't want to pass up the opportunity.  We took a very nice ride in the fast train Saturday morning which allowed us to see the beautiful countryside.  Once in Taipei we had dumplings at a great lunch place before going to the National Museum.  The museum had many antiques from China including jade carved to look like a leaf of cabbage and another carved to look like a piece of pork.  After the museum we saw the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial before heading out for some delicious pizza.  Our final adventure was a traditional Chinese opera which was very peculiar, but entertaining.  Exhausted, we returned to our room at the Grand Hotel.  We came back to Kaohsiung on Sunday morning.


Those are the highlights from the past few weeks and I'm sure Erin will have more detailed stories in her blog.  Going back over it I'm amazed at all that we've done and yet we're just getting started.

The challenges and joys of getting away for a weekend

This past week has been a busy one as Erin and I continue to settle in to our new home.  We've gotten a foam top for our very hard bed and a toaster/oven for the kitchen while we've struggled to dry and iron our clothes.  At work, my teaching counterpart Peter has taken over my 4th and 5th grade classes giving me more time to fix issues with spam emails and Windows administration.  Meanwhile Erin is neck-deep in grading while keeping in mind the demands of some of the parents she met at an Open House night on Thursday.



With all of these things happening we were looking forward to getting out of town for the weekend at a hot springs resort on the Eastern coast of Taiwan.  In order to do this we received a lot of help from a fellow teacher who booked our room and got our train tickets.  She even wrote out notes in Chinese that we could show people for help.  So on Friday after school we took a taxi and rushed down to the train station.  We were able to find our platform and our train amongst the throng of people though the rush had left us a little stressed.  Fortunately the train ride was pretty and serene, but when we got out at our station we were confronted with a challenge.



Our friend at school had told us there would be someone waiting for us with a sign when we got off the train, but when we arrived they weren't there.  In our hurry to leave we hadn't bothered to ask where we were staying and so we felt a bit stranded at the train station.  Fortunately, more people from the school were coming on a later train and when they got there someone from the hotel showed up with their name on a sign and we were all able to get to the hotel for check in.



We had arrived so late though that our best option for dinner seemed to be room service.  When I called what I thought was room service though I couldn't get anyone who spoke English.  So someone would answer, I would ask for something or ask if they spoke English, they would indicate that they didn't and seem like they would find someone who did.  Unfortunately this routine played out several times as one person after another would pick up the phone, find out I spoke English, and put the phone back down as they tried to find someone there who also spoke English.  We were so tired and stressed that it was all we could do but laugh at the whole exchange.  We finally got some dinner and went to bed shortly after.

After some sleep on our room's very hard bed we woke up the next day feeling better.  After some breakfast we took a walk around the hotel to see the hot springs, koi pond, and some aggressive black swans (among other caged animals).  We then went back to town to rent some scooters to ride up and down the coast.  It was very liberating to have our own transportation and using it to find our own secluded beach made things even better.  We even found some roads with little to no traffic for Erin to practice her scooter driving on.  It was definitely a fun way to see the island.

While out riding we saw many stands for a fruit that's supposed to be very popular here.  Someone back at school called it "Buddha-head" fruit because it looks like a Buddha's head I guess.  So on our way back from riding we stopped at one of the stands and got some.  They're tasty, though a little messy.


Saturday night we watched an aboriginal dance show which was fun.  While the dances looked traditional the music seemed to be influenced more by Lady Gaga than traditional music.  It was all a bit funky.  Afterwards we went to the spas that were the draw for the hotel.  They had a wide variety of spas and we eventually settled in one that was colored and scented by roses.


On Sunday we took a trip over to a nearby national forest which turned out to be very nice.  Our camera broke after taking the first shot so we didn't get many pictures, but it felt very jungle like with some beautiful waterfalls.


Getting back to Kaohsiung turned out to be very easy and now we're left to prepare for next week.  The trip ended up being relaxing, but there were definitely some challenges that went along with it.  I'm glad we did it and now I feel we'll be better prepared for the next time we go out of town.

Busy Days and Fun Nights in Kaohsiung

This past week has been a blur of work and going out.  Monday night I cooked up some tilapia (fish) that we had gotten at a gourmet store.  It turned out well and it was good to know that there are some things that we can have at home here.  With the language barrier it's actually easier cooking and eating in (as long as we've got some food in the fridge) rather than eating out like it would be in the US.


Then again, on Tuesday night we went out to a brick-oven pizza place, and it was delicious.  We're still mainly walking everywhere, but the distance doesn't seem too bad.  Taxis can get kind of expensive and the subway, while great, is somewhat limited.


On Wednesday night we went out with many of the other teachers for some bowling.  Apparently the bowling alley is open 24 hours and it looks like it has been that way since the 60's.  It was fun to hang out with our coworkers outside of school and relax a bit.  We hadn't had dinner yet though, so we only bowled one game before getting some dinner at a nearby pub.  The food there was okay, but I don't think Erin will be getting their quesadilla again.


After work on Thursday we were invited out to dinner with Jana (whom we share a taxi to school each morning) and her husband Joe.  They had found a good local restaurant with some servers that spoke English.  The food was delicious and we are grateful to Joe and Jana not only for picking us up in their car, but also showing us such a good place.


By Friday after school we were ready for a drink so we met up with most of the staff for happy hour at a bar called The Lighthouse.  Again it was fun seeing everyone outside of work.  Plus this place actually had good quesadillas which made up for the ones Erin had earlier in the week.


Saturday was busy as we got up and went out to Starbucks to start our day.  We followed that by a trip up to a mall for some grocery shopping at a specialty shop called Matsusei.  By specialty I mean it was kind of like Trader Joe's back in the US.  We were able to find several items that we're more familiar with.  By the time we had walked back with our bags through the humid weather we were ready for a dip in the pool.  It's always so refreshing and peaceful that we always tell ourselves that we'll go more often.  To finish the night off we went to the local night market filled with a wide variety of food stalls, carnival-style games, and tons of people.  By this time I was exhausted and just wanted to go home.


One reason I wanted to get to bed early was because we were meeting our friends at 6:30am and going for a hike up Monkey Mountain.  You can see pictures from our hike here:

MonkeyMountain

After our hike we set off in search of brunch.  It was 10am, but the places we tried were closed.  We finally ended up waiting for a place called "Bagel Bagel" to open at 11am.  I had seen a sign outside for "Classic American Brunch", but when I tried to order it they informed me that it wasn't served until 2pm - 5pm on weekdays.  Disheartened, I was still able to get some tasty bagels.  The morning seemed to typify life abroad: there are great adventures and new things to see, but don't expect to get brunch in the morning...or something like that.

First Week of Teaching

While it was Erin and my second week in Taiwan last week, it was my first week teaching.  The amount of preparation and work involved has left me feeling more in awe of teachers and Erin in particular than ever before.  We have returned home each day last week exhausted and looking forward to the weekend.

So on Saturday we slept in before heading out to the Art Museum.  It was a very peaceful place with plenty of modern art.  Unfortunately we spent the next hour or so searching for a place that was open at 2pm for lunch.  Having gotten hot and sweaty from all the walking we returned to our place for a dip in the pool.  It was very refreshing and something we'll need to do more often.  That night we went out to the movie theater.  The experience was largely like going to see movies at home: crowds of people on a Saturday night, expensive movie food, and English movies.  There were the small things like Chinese subtitles and assigned seating, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

Today it was back to work for us.  I'm starting to get a handle on the teaching part, but I still prefer the other part of my job: being the school's IT Coordinator.  It's still got it's challenges, but they're challenges that I've grown accustomed to and excel at solving.  Hopefully teaching will prove to be similar before the end of the year.