This week, the final week of camp, brings us to India! Petrea wrote most of the curriculum, so we once again had a contrasting form of course materials. She did a great job writing some interesting lesson plans, I think because she had visited India a few years ago and found it very interesting. Some of the most notable lessons included: Indian dress which included trying on a Sari, cooking Naan with Judy, playing Cricket with a Cricket paddle (quite different from baseball), and Indian music.
I had group C, the same group I had the first week. It was nice to come full circle and teach that class of very thoughtful kids again. My group really liked making Naan, especially eating it! They also like playing Cricket, especially the girls. The boys tried to swing like in baseball, but it is a completely different kind of game. The girls caught on how to swing and scored a lot of runs for their teams. They also seemed interested in the music class, where I included a few videos of snake charmers which they found very intriguing.
For Bible School, we taught the Easter story. Petrea suggested we watch a video about Easter and then review the story in the Bible verse station (the part that I taught). The video taught the Easter story with a bit of a strange spin, so I pretty much had to retell the story during our time. I'm not sure how much it stuck with the kids considering they heard the story in two very different contexts, but it is a step. We played musical chairs to help remember the verse, which was a lot of fun and really helped them remember.
On Thursday, we devoted the class time to first landing our "plane" in Taiwan, bringing our trip around the world to a close. We then taught the story of Grace (Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and its relevance in our lives) We had been preparing for this class for about a week, seeing that it would be our last chance to display to our students why faith is so important to us and how we want to share that hope with them. Cana with the help of Erin translated "The Father's Love Letter" into Chinese for the class. We also made a worksheet with the story of Grace and questions concerning it. We also had a craft that had a verse about God's unending love to make in class.
I was concerned that my class may not understand the concepts that I was trying to display to them. Cana can speak Mandarin and Petrea has worked with these kids, so I feel like they would be able to reach their groups well. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would give my group understanding and give me the words to say. I took my time teaching this lesson because I felt like it was the most important. We first read the story of Grace and worked on the worksheet. I was quite surprised by their responses. Many of them gave me very genuine and thoughtful answers. Reiterating some of the aspects of the story in questions, I received many answers that were spot on. Even with a language barrier and many foreign concepts for this culture, I feel like seeds were planted. Do I know exactly where they are faith wise? No, but I know that every journey begins with a step and I think that many kids took their first steps in that class. When will they take the next step? Maybe next week, in year, or fifty years. I don't know, but I do know that I was an instrument for that journey to begin or continue, and someday another person will continue where I left.
Friday was our last day of camp and our final field trip. We visited a rice noodle factory, which included a yummy snack of cold noodles. We then visited an oyster farm. We made a craft with oyster shells and then searched for shells in an oyster-less pool. It was fun to get muddy and explore with the kids. The final place we visited was a park adjacent to the beach. We walked to the beach, spotting a wind farm on the way. The beach was rocky, so we just walked along the coast. It was quite bittersweet to spend this last day with the kids. After a month of teaching, playing, and laughing with them, it was hard to say goodbye, especially with so many asking "You're coming back next year right?" After goodbyes with the kids, I had to say goodbyes to my coteachers at CELA. That was equally as hard. In four short weeks, we have all become very good friends. We have traveled around Chiayi county together, had countless dinners together, and had discussions about faith, life, and a variety of other things. I found that I witnessed to my coworkers as much if not more than the students, which I was not expecting but was glad that the opportunity arose.
My last night in Taiwan was spent at Friday night Bible study at the Lutheran church in Chiayi with the fellow Christians of the city. It was a nice way to end this experience, bonding with the body of Christ in this place. After the Bible study, I ran to the night market with Erin for one last walk around this very Taiwanese place. Scootering back to the Practice Hotel, it hit me how much I will miss Taiwan. It is so different from Korea, but I find it beautiful in its own way. Life moves at a much slower pace than Korea and people have a very honest way about themselves. It will be strange to return to the very plugged in, fast paced culture in Seoul after spending a month in small town Taiwan.
After packing and goodbyes at the practice hotel, it was time to head to the airport. My flight for Hong Kong was scheduled for about 8am the next morning, so Cana and I left on a bus for the airport around 2am. It was a very long journey, especially since we didn't sleep before the bus and didn't want to sleep on the bus to make sure we didn't miss anything. We arrived at the airport around 6am. I checked in and said goodbye to Cana, who would board a plane for the USA later that morning. Cana and I were partners in crime teaching at the camp from start to finish. In that time we were able to work together, discuss matters of faith and current events, and learn more about Taiwan together. She encouraged me in my faith by her genuine love for God. I will miss her very much and hope that someday we can work together on another trip.
So this journey has come to an end. There are so many things that I take away from this experience.
First, I was reminded that there are so many things that are universal, namely:
1. Regardless of the culture, kids are kids
2. The desire for a connection with the Creator and a means of salvation after death is the fundamental search for every man.
Second, it is important to open your eyes to every aspect of a culture in order to understand the big picture. The more I learned about the way of life, religion, and history of Taiwan, the more I could see why my coworkers and students thought and acted in the way they did.
Third, unexpected situations will occur, but it is those events that are really meaningful. I did not expect that our ministry to the teachers would be a prominent as it would, but because of that, the two Christians in the office will be having a Bible study with the other teachers at the request of the non-Christian teachers.
Fourth, God's timing is not what I expected, but He can see the big picture and I am merely an instrument to reveal a piece of that picture. This is something that I have been learning through LAMP and now here in Taiwan. While I can't see the seeds grow and blossom, I was a part of planting them to be nurtured by the other teachers at CELA. It is my prayer that each of the children and teachers of this camp will grow in faith in the coming years.
Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Weekend in Chiayi
We spent the weekend exploring more of Chiayi. It has been our home for three weeks, but there was still a lot that we had not seen. On Saturday, we went to a local craftsman's home to make pottery. It has been a long time since I have been able to using a pottery wheel, so it was quite a challenge. I eventually was able to muster a side dish bowl that will be quite useful at home when I cook Korean food. The area around the shop was absolutely lovely with open spaces filled with rice paddies.
We then ate dinner together with Judy dand her family and then walked around Chiayi park. It was beautiful to see the park come to life at night. As the sun went down, the park came to life with lights and the elderly doing various activities. We joined a group of older ladies practicing drums, trying to learn a series of rhythms as they tried to give us directions in Mandarin. It was quite a sight! They were very sweet and laughed with us as we tried to keep up.
We then went to the top of Chiayi tower, which is located in the park. It was late, so we were the only people in the observatory. It was beautiful to see this expansive town from above, the dark expanse below lighting up as it go darker.
Sunday morning we went to church at two different Lutheran churches in the city. We first went to the service with the missionaries with the service translated in English by one of the members. Once again we had those earpieces as we listened to the service. It was quite bittersweet knowing that this would be the last week I would be worshiping with these friends in Taiwan. Even though we were only there for a month, the pastor and members were so welcoming and were a great encouragement for me. After this service, we went to Pearl's church. Pearl is one of the teachers at CELA and one of two Christians in the office. She has incredible faith and continually tries to answer her coworkers questions about Christianity. We attended her church's first English service, which was a combination of praise songs and a Bible study. It was nice to attend a very informal service and have some discussion time with the members.
On our way back to the Practice Hotel, we came across several families burning ghost money outside their homes and stores. The middle of August is the beginning of Ghost Month for the Taiwanese, a superstitious time where people believe that the dead return to the living world to pay a visit. Taiwanese believe that during this time they should leave food and burn paper that is called Ghost Money for their dead relatives and other wandering spirits. These acts ensure that the coming year will be prosperous.
It is something that I think is very unique to Taiwan. The Communist revolutions on the Mainland have pretty much wiped out any remnants of traditional rituals. Japan and Korea both have some form of ancient superstition (namely Shintoism, which is still annually recognized by the Japanese, and for Korea Shamanism, which is only utilized by the most superstitious for things like future plans) but both of these cultures do not practice their traditional religion with as much zeal as the Taiwanese.
For the majority of Taiwanese, this time of year is filled with fear in failing to complete ritual. Many of the shops were closed today because of the belief that this is the day that the spirits visit in search for food and Ghost Money.
It breaks my heart especially to see the terror on face of children as they witness their parents fearfully burning paper and leaving food on their doorstep. Most of the kids in the camp have talked about how they dislike this time of year because they are afraid of the ghosts. It has been a great opportunity for me to share that they do not have to fear these spirits, because God is so much greater than them. I think it is hard for them to understand this concept when the fear of ghosts permeates in so many aspects of society, especially in Chiayi. I continue to pray that the Light will shine through the darkness that continues to seize so many people in Taiwan.
We then ate dinner together with Judy dand her family and then walked around Chiayi park. It was beautiful to see the park come to life at night. As the sun went down, the park came to life with lights and the elderly doing various activities. We joined a group of older ladies practicing drums, trying to learn a series of rhythms as they tried to give us directions in Mandarin. It was quite a sight! They were very sweet and laughed with us as we tried to keep up.
We then went to the top of Chiayi tower, which is located in the park. It was late, so we were the only people in the observatory. It was beautiful to see this expansive town from above, the dark expanse below lighting up as it go darker.
Sunday morning we went to church at two different Lutheran churches in the city. We first went to the service with the missionaries with the service translated in English by one of the members. Once again we had those earpieces as we listened to the service. It was quite bittersweet knowing that this would be the last week I would be worshiping with these friends in Taiwan. Even though we were only there for a month, the pastor and members were so welcoming and were a great encouragement for me. After this service, we went to Pearl's church. Pearl is one of the teachers at CELA and one of two Christians in the office. She has incredible faith and continually tries to answer her coworkers questions about Christianity. We attended her church's first English service, which was a combination of praise songs and a Bible study. It was nice to attend a very informal service and have some discussion time with the members.
On our way back to the Practice Hotel, we came across several families burning ghost money outside their homes and stores. The middle of August is the beginning of Ghost Month for the Taiwanese, a superstitious time where people believe that the dead return to the living world to pay a visit. Taiwanese believe that during this time they should leave food and burn paper that is called Ghost Money for their dead relatives and other wandering spirits. These acts ensure that the coming year will be prosperous.
It is something that I think is very unique to Taiwan. The Communist revolutions on the Mainland have pretty much wiped out any remnants of traditional rituals. Japan and Korea both have some form of ancient superstition (namely Shintoism, which is still annually recognized by the Japanese, and for Korea Shamanism, which is only utilized by the most superstitious for things like future plans) but both of these cultures do not practice their traditional religion with as much zeal as the Taiwanese.
For the majority of Taiwanese, this time of year is filled with fear in failing to complete ritual. Many of the shops were closed today because of the belief that this is the day that the spirits visit in search for food and Ghost Money.
It breaks my heart especially to see the terror on face of children as they witness their parents fearfully burning paper and leaving food on their doorstep. Most of the kids in the camp have talked about how they dislike this time of year because they are afraid of the ghosts. It has been a great opportunity for me to share that they do not have to fear these spirits, because God is so much greater than them. I think it is hard for them to understand this concept when the fear of ghosts permeates in so many aspects of society, especially in Chiayi. I continue to pray that the Light will shine through the darkness that continues to seize so many people in Taiwan.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Hola from CELA
This week, the camp went to Mexico! It was a unique experience teaching about a culture that is so close to my own regionally, yet is so different culturally. I suppose the same assumptions that my colleagues made that I would be very knowledgeable about Mexico because of its close proximity to my own country is the same belief that I held a few years ago in regards to countries in East Asia.
Mikey made our lesson plans this week and boy were they detailed! He had so many resources for our class and wrote a great curriculum for the week. I was very happy to have a lot of information to begin with and the flexibility to adjust it for my class. Some of our lessons included traditional Mexican food with a segment on cooking nachos, Pinatas and the creation/destruction of a class pinata, Mexican music and dance, and a lesson in Spanish (which was quite interesting since I know about as much Spanish as the average American).
I had class B this week for classes. It was an adjustment yet again to see the dynamics of this class: the kids who can speak English well, the kids who can't speak at all, and of course the kids who just want nothing more than to enjoy their summer free of classes.
One of my favorite classes was cooking the nachos. Most of the kids had never heard of Mexican food and certainly never tried it. It was fun for me to introduce one of my favorite styles of food to the kids in a way that they could experience it. Each child had the instructions for making the nachos, so together as a group they worked together to assemble their pan of nachos. I was happy to see that all the kids loved the nachos, with several of them being salsa monsters! One boy insisted that salsa tasted incredible just on its own, but the rest of them enjoyed dipping their chips in the spicy Mexican sauce.
For the Bible School portion of the week, we taught the story of Jesus healing Jairus' daughter and the woman. The teachers first told the story in a skit, and later we had the kids act it out. We had a pretty good group of actors I must say! The Bible verse portion went well, we played Sparkle once again so it was a familiar game for the kids which I think helped them learn it better.
The ladies at CELA have been so welcoming and hospitable to me and Cana. Every night this week we spent time with a different teacher from the department, eating dinner and visiting an area of Chiayi. It has been great to form a close bond to each of these teachers and learn more about their lives in this part of the world.
On Friday was our field trip. This week we went to an amusement park that has models of famous buildings from around the world. The English name for the park went something like "Tiny World." Each teacher had a group of about six to spend time in the park. My group was determined to ride all the thrilling rides in the park which included a raft ride, rollercoaster, and their favorite the tidal wave raft ride. We rode this tidal wave four times, kids screaming and squealing with delight each time. The kids were insistent on wearing rain ponchos while riding this water monster. I was the lone wolf in riding it without gear, I wanted to get wet, it was really hot outside. It was so great to see the kids laughing in surprise as I walked off the ride soaking wet. I really enjoyed this opportunity to be an ride buddy for the kids and spend time with them in a more informal setting. I learned more about them in this one day than in three weeks of teaching. Fun times with the kids!
Mikey made our lesson plans this week and boy were they detailed! He had so many resources for our class and wrote a great curriculum for the week. I was very happy to have a lot of information to begin with and the flexibility to adjust it for my class. Some of our lessons included traditional Mexican food with a segment on cooking nachos, Pinatas and the creation/destruction of a class pinata, Mexican music and dance, and a lesson in Spanish (which was quite interesting since I know about as much Spanish as the average American).
I had class B this week for classes. It was an adjustment yet again to see the dynamics of this class: the kids who can speak English well, the kids who can't speak at all, and of course the kids who just want nothing more than to enjoy their summer free of classes.
One of my favorite classes was cooking the nachos. Most of the kids had never heard of Mexican food and certainly never tried it. It was fun for me to introduce one of my favorite styles of food to the kids in a way that they could experience it. Each child had the instructions for making the nachos, so together as a group they worked together to assemble their pan of nachos. I was happy to see that all the kids loved the nachos, with several of them being salsa monsters! One boy insisted that salsa tasted incredible just on its own, but the rest of them enjoyed dipping their chips in the spicy Mexican sauce.
For the Bible School portion of the week, we taught the story of Jesus healing Jairus' daughter and the woman. The teachers first told the story in a skit, and later we had the kids act it out. We had a pretty good group of actors I must say! The Bible verse portion went well, we played Sparkle once again so it was a familiar game for the kids which I think helped them learn it better.
The ladies at CELA have been so welcoming and hospitable to me and Cana. Every night this week we spent time with a different teacher from the department, eating dinner and visiting an area of Chiayi. It has been great to form a close bond to each of these teachers and learn more about their lives in this part of the world.
On Friday was our field trip. This week we went to an amusement park that has models of famous buildings from around the world. The English name for the park went something like "Tiny World." Each teacher had a group of about six to spend time in the park. My group was determined to ride all the thrilling rides in the park which included a raft ride, rollercoaster, and their favorite the tidal wave raft ride. We rode this tidal wave four times, kids screaming and squealing with delight each time. The kids were insistent on wearing rain ponchos while riding this water monster. I was the lone wolf in riding it without gear, I wanted to get wet, it was really hot outside. It was so great to see the kids laughing in surprise as I walked off the ride soaking wet. I really enjoyed this opportunity to be an ride buddy for the kids and spend time with them in a more informal setting. I learned more about them in this one day than in three weeks of teaching. Fun times with the kids!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Weekend in Chiayi and Tainan
After the week of teaching Scotland, I had a nice weekend spending more time with my co-teachers at CELA touring the area. The ladies at CELA love spending time with me and Cana, so we spent the weekend visiting Chiayi and Tainan with them.
On Saturday, we went hiking with Callie and her two kids Meredith and Jeremiah. Meredith attends the camp and loves attention while Jeremiah is too old for the camp and likes to discuss different subjects from school to the best superhero.
We went hiking near Chiayi park, which is about twenty minutes from school. We did a shorter hike, but the humidity made it feel quite substantial. The scenery was gorgeous: banana trees, the view of the city (not too hazy), the variety of flowers...I could go on. It was nice to spend time with Callie outside of work and enjoy the afternoon with her kids.
Later that afternoon I went with some of the missionaries and friends from church to see Harry Potter at the Chiayi theater. It was nice to spend more time with both the teachers as well as the Taiwanese Christians.
Sunday morning we left early to tour Tainan with Callie and her two kids Jeremiah and Meredith along with Christy, a friend from church. Tainan is about an hour from Chiayi on the East China Sea. We first went to the Tainan Salt Festival close to the beach. Tainan is famous for its sea salt, so we were able to see the yearly festival as well as climb a hill of salt.
We then went to the city to see a treehouse built amongst the trees that grew over a Japanese official building from the early 20th century. It was quite a unique place considering the history and present use of the area. The trees were massive, they were there before the Japanese, but the trees overtook the building after they were abandoned.
As we came back from the treehouse, we stumbled across a huge temple preparing for the upcoming Ghost Month, which begins in mid August and ends in September. There were crowds of people buying and burning ghost money, which they believe will be sent to the world of the dead to their family members. The smell of both the ghost money and incense sticks was quite overwhelming, with the humidity and heat it made it quite difficult to see or breathe. There were also a lot of stands selling food and other amulets.
We then went to the beach to put our feet in the East China Sea and watch the sun prepare to set. It was so beautiful to see the distant rocks in the sea and to play with Jeremiah and Meredith. We built a doomed sandcastle, which is a sandcastle built too close to the waves, but the challenge is to see how long it will survive. We built two defensive walls, but in the end we had to leave. It was nice to spend more time with Callie's family and with Christy, with all the hustle and bustle of the week, it was refreshing to slow down and enjoy time with them.
On Saturday, we went hiking with Callie and her two kids Meredith and Jeremiah. Meredith attends the camp and loves attention while Jeremiah is too old for the camp and likes to discuss different subjects from school to the best superhero.
We went hiking near Chiayi park, which is about twenty minutes from school. We did a shorter hike, but the humidity made it feel quite substantial. The scenery was gorgeous: banana trees, the view of the city (not too hazy), the variety of flowers...I could go on. It was nice to spend time with Callie outside of work and enjoy the afternoon with her kids.
Later that afternoon I went with some of the missionaries and friends from church to see Harry Potter at the Chiayi theater. It was nice to spend more time with both the teachers as well as the Taiwanese Christians.
Sunday morning we left early to tour Tainan with Callie and her two kids Jeremiah and Meredith along with Christy, a friend from church. Tainan is about an hour from Chiayi on the East China Sea. We first went to the Tainan Salt Festival close to the beach. Tainan is famous for its sea salt, so we were able to see the yearly festival as well as climb a hill of salt.
We then went to the city to see a treehouse built amongst the trees that grew over a Japanese official building from the early 20th century. It was quite a unique place considering the history and present use of the area. The trees were massive, they were there before the Japanese, but the trees overtook the building after they were abandoned.
As we came back from the treehouse, we stumbled across a huge temple preparing for the upcoming Ghost Month, which begins in mid August and ends in September. There were crowds of people buying and burning ghost money, which they believe will be sent to the world of the dead to their family members. The smell of both the ghost money and incense sticks was quite overwhelming, with the humidity and heat it made it quite difficult to see or breathe. There were also a lot of stands selling food and other amulets.
We then went to the beach to put our feet in the East China Sea and watch the sun prepare to set. It was so beautiful to see the distant rocks in the sea and to play with Jeremiah and Meredith. We built a doomed sandcastle, which is a sandcastle built too close to the waves, but the challenge is to see how long it will survive. We built two defensive walls, but in the end we had to leave. It was nice to spend more time with Callie's family and with Christy, with all the hustle and bustle of the week, it was refreshing to slow down and enjoy time with them.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
CELA Travels to Scotland
Week 2 of CELA Summer English Camp took the students to the rolling hills of Scotland. After we landed our plane, we learned about history, famous places, music, dance, and culture of Scotland. The teachers rotated classes, so I had a new group of about 20 students. It was an adjustment to learn the dynamics of the class and find the best ways to teach them. This class was much more engaged and eager than the class I taught last week, but this eagerness can turn into a lot of energy expressed in misbehavior. Overall, they were a great class and very sweet kids.
Bible School went fairly well. For the Bible verse challenge, we played musical chairs with words from the verse attached to the chairs. When the music stopped the students had to say their word. They really enjoyed this method of learning the verse while playing a game. It was very cute to see the students so eager to say their word, waiting excitedly for their turn.
During our morning activities, we played Scottish Highland games. It was so neat to see a culture so far from here come to life as the kids played tug of war and various weight throw games. They loved playing the games, especially when me and Cana challenged the winning tug of war team to go against the two of us. We were able to move the mob of seven kids about three inches before they completely dominated the two of us, pulling us well past the winning mark. It became the topic of the day "Teacher Rebecca, you need to become strong like us so you can beat us in tug of war"
My class like I said was very thoughtful and hungry to learn. They would ask me complex questions about Scotland like "Teacher, why did Queen Mary's cousin Elizabeth kill her?" "Teacher, why is Scotland part of England now?" I have been shocked at some of the kids English. For the most part, I can speak at a normal pace and dictate words to students without writing them on the board and they will understand and answer my questions. At first, I spoke at a teaching English as a second language pace, but I soon realized that most of the kids can understand when I'm speaking with the other teachers. I've decided to challenge them until it seems to be too overwhelming for them, then I will slow back down. So far, they have exceeded my expectations and I will continue to teach at an accelerated rate.
This week, we said goodbye to Ben and Amy, two of the missionaries here in Taiwan that have served two years. They are moving to St Louis so that Ben can begin Seminary. They were the missionaries here at the Practice Hotel that helped us get settled in and acquainted with Chiayi, so it was sad to see them leave, but I suppose that is the nature of life in this place, people come and go but there mark remains. Ben and Amy's mark is quite significant as they helped paint and rearrange the Practice Hotel, transforming the space in a year from a warehouse like space to a welcoming home like atmosphere. What is an even more significant mark is the legacy they will leave through their friends. Watching them say goodbye to their fellow missionaries and Taiwanese friends showed me how one person can make a huge difference in the life of those around them.
A few of the returning missionaries arrived around this time as well, once again the coming and going of people in this place is quite unique. Some of the returning teachers included Rachel a middle school teacher here at CELA, Mark the newly appointed Taiwan go to person since the Wasmunds left last year, Graham a missionary I met in Korea when he came to visit the Wasmunds, and Petrea a CELA teacher that will teach at the camp next week.
In addition to the returnees, we had a group of guys from Minnesota come to play music for students at the school: Daddy Doug, Papa Doug, and Jacob Daddy Doug's son. They have been staying in the Practice hotel and have added a new dynamic to the place. They are always singing, laughing, or arguing politics with the few poor missionaries that are liberals. It's all in good fun though, and really keeps things interesting. They have been coming to the school for several years, so they are regulars this time of year.
On Thursday, I had the opportunity to join the students on a swimming excursion to the local pool in the afternoon. I have been wanting the opportunity to spend time with the kids outside of being Teacher Rebecca, so it was nice to be a pupil at their swim lesson and a waterslide buddy after lessons. They were absolutely adorable in their lesson, repeating stretches counting in Mandarin (the only part I could repeat with them), and doing all sorts of swim drills in the pool with their very intense swim teacher. After the lesson, we went outside to the waterslide area, which included a small wide slide and "the big slide." Luckily, one of the eight year olds from my class, who is quite a trouble maker yet at the same time, one of the smartest in my class, Bobo, took me by the hand when I told him the big slide looked scary, reassuring me "don't worry teacher Rebecca, it's not scary, it's fun I will go with you." He continued to tell me "Don't look down" as we climbed the stairs, and showed me the right way to sit while going down the slide. He is such a sweetheart even though he can be quite crazy when trying to get attention from the other students. After Bobo helped down the slide, several other students wanted to help me down the big slide. It was neat to see them take a caring and responsible role.
Friday was the Dougs' and Jacob's concert in downtown Chiayi. We went to support them and the church as they reached out to the community in this concert. The music was in English, but they had a translator and some of the lyrics were printed in Chinese on the screen. It was nice to see the community of believers in Chiayi come together in this concert and minister to the people who came.
Bible School went fairly well. For the Bible verse challenge, we played musical chairs with words from the verse attached to the chairs. When the music stopped the students had to say their word. They really enjoyed this method of learning the verse while playing a game. It was very cute to see the students so eager to say their word, waiting excitedly for their turn.
During our morning activities, we played Scottish Highland games. It was so neat to see a culture so far from here come to life as the kids played tug of war and various weight throw games. They loved playing the games, especially when me and Cana challenged the winning tug of war team to go against the two of us. We were able to move the mob of seven kids about three inches before they completely dominated the two of us, pulling us well past the winning mark. It became the topic of the day "Teacher Rebecca, you need to become strong like us so you can beat us in tug of war"
My class like I said was very thoughtful and hungry to learn. They would ask me complex questions about Scotland like "Teacher, why did Queen Mary's cousin Elizabeth kill her?" "Teacher, why is Scotland part of England now?" I have been shocked at some of the kids English. For the most part, I can speak at a normal pace and dictate words to students without writing them on the board and they will understand and answer my questions. At first, I spoke at a teaching English as a second language pace, but I soon realized that most of the kids can understand when I'm speaking with the other teachers. I've decided to challenge them until it seems to be too overwhelming for them, then I will slow back down. So far, they have exceeded my expectations and I will continue to teach at an accelerated rate.
This week, we said goodbye to Ben and Amy, two of the missionaries here in Taiwan that have served two years. They are moving to St Louis so that Ben can begin Seminary. They were the missionaries here at the Practice Hotel that helped us get settled in and acquainted with Chiayi, so it was sad to see them leave, but I suppose that is the nature of life in this place, people come and go but there mark remains. Ben and Amy's mark is quite significant as they helped paint and rearrange the Practice Hotel, transforming the space in a year from a warehouse like space to a welcoming home like atmosphere. What is an even more significant mark is the legacy they will leave through their friends. Watching them say goodbye to their fellow missionaries and Taiwanese friends showed me how one person can make a huge difference in the life of those around them.
A few of the returning missionaries arrived around this time as well, once again the coming and going of people in this place is quite unique. Some of the returning teachers included Rachel a middle school teacher here at CELA, Mark the newly appointed Taiwan go to person since the Wasmunds left last year, Graham a missionary I met in Korea when he came to visit the Wasmunds, and Petrea a CELA teacher that will teach at the camp next week.
In addition to the returnees, we had a group of guys from Minnesota come to play music for students at the school: Daddy Doug, Papa Doug, and Jacob Daddy Doug's son. They have been staying in the Practice hotel and have added a new dynamic to the place. They are always singing, laughing, or arguing politics with the few poor missionaries that are liberals. It's all in good fun though, and really keeps things interesting. They have been coming to the school for several years, so they are regulars this time of year.
On Thursday, I had the opportunity to join the students on a swimming excursion to the local pool in the afternoon. I have been wanting the opportunity to spend time with the kids outside of being Teacher Rebecca, so it was nice to be a pupil at their swim lesson and a waterslide buddy after lessons. They were absolutely adorable in their lesson, repeating stretches counting in Mandarin (the only part I could repeat with them), and doing all sorts of swim drills in the pool with their very intense swim teacher. After the lesson, we went outside to the waterslide area, which included a small wide slide and "the big slide." Luckily, one of the eight year olds from my class, who is quite a trouble maker yet at the same time, one of the smartest in my class, Bobo, took me by the hand when I told him the big slide looked scary, reassuring me "don't worry teacher Rebecca, it's not scary, it's fun I will go with you." He continued to tell me "Don't look down" as we climbed the stairs, and showed me the right way to sit while going down the slide. He is such a sweetheart even though he can be quite crazy when trying to get attention from the other students. After Bobo helped down the slide, several other students wanted to help me down the big slide. It was neat to see them take a caring and responsible role.
Friday was the Dougs' and Jacob's concert in downtown Chiayi. We went to support them and the church as they reached out to the community in this concert. The music was in English, but they had a translator and some of the lyrics were printed in Chinese on the screen. It was nice to see the community of believers in Chiayi come together in this concert and minister to the people who came.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Taipei in a Day
This weekend, Ryan left for Nebraska to begin teaching again at his school. I joined him and Cana to tour Taipei all day Saturday before his flight on Sunday.
We left Chiayi on Friday afternoon on the high speed rail. Chiayi is located in the southern portion of the island, while Taipei is in the north. We were able to make the trip in under an hour, where a bus ride would take over three. We were zooming across the country just as the sun was setting, which made the trip beautiful. I have been surprised by how much Taiwan is like Korea. Apart from the tropical plants, Taiwan has a similar set of infrastructure and transportation. I suppose it has to do with the fact that they are both smaller countries with incredibly large economies in respect to their size.
We arrived in Taipei Friday night and walked around one of the night markets close to our hostel. The area we were staying was a popular area for young people, so there were a lot of college students and foreigners mingling about.
We were determined to see as much of Taipei as humanly possible on Saturday, so we woke up bright and early. We first took the subway to Taipei 101. Taipei 101 is the second tallest building currently in the world. I find both its height and design breathtaking. It is designed to appear like a bamboo stalk with some traditional architecture references. It is beautiful to see the old (bamboo, pagoda design) meet the new (a tower dominating the city skyline). We viewed the city from the top of the 101, which was quite a decent view even with the haze looming over the nearby mountains.
After visiting the 101, we went to the National Palace Museum. This museum holds the largest collection of Chinese history and art in the world. It was built after the ROC government fled to Taiwan, taking with them the majority of China's greatest historical artifacts. When Mao took power and established the DPRK, he wanted to eliminate any indication of the past, which included these artifacts. The ROC took them to Taiwan to preserve this aspect of China's history. Today, Taiwan and China are in an interesting situation. China would like to have these pieces back. However, it was the government that exists today in China technically speaking that desired to destroy them. At the same time, these pieces are not significant in Taiwan's history, but the history of China, a country that they proudly state that they are independent from. In the meantime, this museum provides the greatest window into China outside of China itself. I especially enjoyed the ancient calligraphy and artwork portion of this massive museum.
After the museum, we went to the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Park. This park located downtown is home to the performance hall of Taipei as well as a mausoleum honoring the late president. Chiang Kai Shek is quite an interesting figure in history. He succeeded Sun Yat-sen as president of the ROC. Under his presidency, he witnessed his nation torn in a civil war and he led the exiled ROC to Taiwan. From what I have seen in a week of visiting Taiwan, he both revered and criticized for his actions. I hope in the next few weeks I will be able to learn more about him from the Taiwanese people and see from them who Chiang Kai Shek really was as a president.
We finished our day taking a gondola ride through the nearby mountains to view the city at night. We rode the gondola just as the sun was setting and arrived at the viewing area as the lights in the city were coming on. We ate some dinner while listening to the bustle of the city. It was bittersweet after a week of working together to wish Ryan off to home in the States. It was nice to reminisce about the week together before sending him on his way and preparing for the week ahead.
Sunday morning before returning to Chiayi, Cana and I attended Taipei International Christian Church for Sunday service. This church is located right downtown Taipei and represents a variety of denominations. I think one of the most beautiful things in the world is a group of Christians that vary in culture and denominations coming together to worship. The church was about half Taiwanese and half foreigner. The service included traditional as well as contemporary aspects to the service. I though it was a great mesh of both old and new, it really displayed the heritage and the different ways we can praise our God. I think the Christian Church spends way too much time and energy arguing about our differences instead of focusing on the one aspect of our faith that is the defining piece: Faith in Jesus Christ. Attending an international church like the one in Taipei displays for me that Christians may have their differences, but we can come together and unite in our love for our Savior. I pray that the Holy Spirit will unite the Christian church as one body.
We left Chiayi on Friday afternoon on the high speed rail. Chiayi is located in the southern portion of the island, while Taipei is in the north. We were able to make the trip in under an hour, where a bus ride would take over three. We were zooming across the country just as the sun was setting, which made the trip beautiful. I have been surprised by how much Taiwan is like Korea. Apart from the tropical plants, Taiwan has a similar set of infrastructure and transportation. I suppose it has to do with the fact that they are both smaller countries with incredibly large economies in respect to their size.
We arrived in Taipei Friday night and walked around one of the night markets close to our hostel. The area we were staying was a popular area for young people, so there were a lot of college students and foreigners mingling about.
We were determined to see as much of Taipei as humanly possible on Saturday, so we woke up bright and early. We first took the subway to Taipei 101. Taipei 101 is the second tallest building currently in the world. I find both its height and design breathtaking. It is designed to appear like a bamboo stalk with some traditional architecture references. It is beautiful to see the old (bamboo, pagoda design) meet the new (a tower dominating the city skyline). We viewed the city from the top of the 101, which was quite a decent view even with the haze looming over the nearby mountains.
After visiting the 101, we went to the National Palace Museum. This museum holds the largest collection of Chinese history and art in the world. It was built after the ROC government fled to Taiwan, taking with them the majority of China's greatest historical artifacts. When Mao took power and established the DPRK, he wanted to eliminate any indication of the past, which included these artifacts. The ROC took them to Taiwan to preserve this aspect of China's history. Today, Taiwan and China are in an interesting situation. China would like to have these pieces back. However, it was the government that exists today in China technically speaking that desired to destroy them. At the same time, these pieces are not significant in Taiwan's history, but the history of China, a country that they proudly state that they are independent from. In the meantime, this museum provides the greatest window into China outside of China itself. I especially enjoyed the ancient calligraphy and artwork portion of this massive museum.
After the museum, we went to the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Park. This park located downtown is home to the performance hall of Taipei as well as a mausoleum honoring the late president. Chiang Kai Shek is quite an interesting figure in history. He succeeded Sun Yat-sen as president of the ROC. Under his presidency, he witnessed his nation torn in a civil war and he led the exiled ROC to Taiwan. From what I have seen in a week of visiting Taiwan, he both revered and criticized for his actions. I hope in the next few weeks I will be able to learn more about him from the Taiwanese people and see from them who Chiang Kai Shek really was as a president.
We finished our day taking a gondola ride through the nearby mountains to view the city at night. We rode the gondola just as the sun was setting and arrived at the viewing area as the lights in the city were coming on. We ate some dinner while listening to the bustle of the city. It was bittersweet after a week of working together to wish Ryan off to home in the States. It was nice to reminisce about the week together before sending him on his way and preparing for the week ahead.
Sunday morning before returning to Chiayi, Cana and I attended Taipei International Christian Church for Sunday service. This church is located right downtown Taipei and represents a variety of denominations. I think one of the most beautiful things in the world is a group of Christians that vary in culture and denominations coming together to worship. The church was about half Taiwanese and half foreigner. The service included traditional as well as contemporary aspects to the service. I though it was a great mesh of both old and new, it really displayed the heritage and the different ways we can praise our God. I think the Christian Church spends way too much time and energy arguing about our differences instead of focusing on the one aspect of our faith that is the defining piece: Faith in Jesus Christ. Attending an international church like the one in Taipei displays for me that Christians may have their differences, but we can come together and unite in our love for our Savior. I pray that the Holy Spirit will unite the Christian church as one body.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Around the World in 20 Days
This is the theme of our summer camp here at CELA (Concordia English Langauge Academy, the elementary portion of Concordia). Every Monday in the morning, we have VBS followed by English class. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we have English lessons and activities. On Friday, we take the students on a fieldtrip. The students range from First to Sixth Grade. There are three classes that each consist of a variety of these ages, so it can be quite a challenge teaching a variety of English abilities.
The camp is traveling to three countries: Scotland, India, and Mexico. For each country, we will talk about the history, culture, and interesting travel locations. This past week, we have talked about traveling and the process of reserving and taking a plane to a foreign country. Next week we will talk about Scotland.
The VBS portion of Monday went very well. We had the entire group (about 60 kids) together for the story, which was Jesus visiting the temple when he was young. After the story, we split them into their three groups for recreation, Bible verse, and songs. I joined Amy in leading the Bible verse, which they were able to memorize in twenty minutes quite well. When we asked them questions about the meaning of the verse, some of the kids were able to answer pretty well. I hope as the weeks progress, we will receive more inquisitive questions and answers.
I am teaching a group of about twenty students. I have an assistant, which is great. His name is Isaiah, he is an American/Taiwanese student. He is very helpful in keeping the younger boys in line (seven year old boys everywhere have this universal ability to wiggle while in a class).
The first day was quite a challenge for me I have to admit. I do not have a formal teaching degree like my fellow two volunteers. I do not have the same experience like the other teachers here. However, I love working with kids, and I've reaffirmed my belief that kids everywhere are the same in a lot of ways: the desire to learn something that interests them, the wish to have fun in any situation, and the joy on their faces when the realize something new. I want to be able to make this camp fun while helping them learn more about English and their Lord, so I have been very attentive in learning the best ways to teach in this culture as I go along.
The second and third days of teaching went much better. I am still trying to find my groove in how to present the information in a way that all of the ages in my class can understand. I am also trying to find ways to challenge the students with a better understanding of English without neglecting the needs of the others.
The kids are great! It has been such a contrast from working in the Cree culture, where freedom for children to explore and learn on their own is the norm. I love Cree culture, but it is an adjustment to engross yourself in a culture where you will not be able to get every child to sit down and listen to you. Taiwan is completely different. The first day, I told my students "Alright class, everyone please take their seats." Five seconds later, every child was sitting, eyes focused on my every move. I was shocked! It took me a moment to grasp what had just happened. There is no tolerance for anything but this in the classroom. The classroom environment is something that I am still getting used to compared to my past experiences.
Today, the students practiced all of their airport skills by boarding a plane to Scotland on CELA airlines. The camp leaders built this amazing plane using two of the classrooms. There was First, Business, and Economy classes, each with different seats and snacks. The students were placed in families and received money for class participation. Depending on how much they had, they could purchase different tickets. I a flight attendant working at the ticket booth and the plane. It was fun to see the students really engaged in the process, thinking hard about what they should ask about the flight and how to answer questions at customs. Another twist on our flight was that it was hijacked by one of the teachers! Me, Ryan, and Cana were quite surprised that the teachers wanted to include this in the lesson, but it is their camp, so we obliged. It ended up quite adorable, probably the cutest way to hijack a plane. The teacher said the reason he hijacked the plane was that he missed his mom and wanted to return to Taiwan. Before he could take control, a police officer (another teacher) stops him. It was so funny, when he tried to hijack Economy, the seven year olds would have none of it. Before he could take a hostage with a fork as his weapon, three of the boys jumped on him and took him to the ground. It was so cute "Quick, let's get the teacher!" I think they enjoyed the opportunity to attack a teacher.
Tomorrow we are going to a real airport to show them all the things we have learned. It will be quite interesting leading 60 students through the airport.
The camp is traveling to three countries: Scotland, India, and Mexico. For each country, we will talk about the history, culture, and interesting travel locations. This past week, we have talked about traveling and the process of reserving and taking a plane to a foreign country. Next week we will talk about Scotland.
The VBS portion of Monday went very well. We had the entire group (about 60 kids) together for the story, which was Jesus visiting the temple when he was young. After the story, we split them into their three groups for recreation, Bible verse, and songs. I joined Amy in leading the Bible verse, which they were able to memorize in twenty minutes quite well. When we asked them questions about the meaning of the verse, some of the kids were able to answer pretty well. I hope as the weeks progress, we will receive more inquisitive questions and answers.
I am teaching a group of about twenty students. I have an assistant, which is great. His name is Isaiah, he is an American/Taiwanese student. He is very helpful in keeping the younger boys in line (seven year old boys everywhere have this universal ability to wiggle while in a class).
The first day was quite a challenge for me I have to admit. I do not have a formal teaching degree like my fellow two volunteers. I do not have the same experience like the other teachers here. However, I love working with kids, and I've reaffirmed my belief that kids everywhere are the same in a lot of ways: the desire to learn something that interests them, the wish to have fun in any situation, and the joy on their faces when the realize something new. I want to be able to make this camp fun while helping them learn more about English and their Lord, so I have been very attentive in learning the best ways to teach in this culture as I go along.
The second and third days of teaching went much better. I am still trying to find my groove in how to present the information in a way that all of the ages in my class can understand. I am also trying to find ways to challenge the students with a better understanding of English without neglecting the needs of the others.
The kids are great! It has been such a contrast from working in the Cree culture, where freedom for children to explore and learn on their own is the norm. I love Cree culture, but it is an adjustment to engross yourself in a culture where you will not be able to get every child to sit down and listen to you. Taiwan is completely different. The first day, I told my students "Alright class, everyone please take their seats." Five seconds later, every child was sitting, eyes focused on my every move. I was shocked! It took me a moment to grasp what had just happened. There is no tolerance for anything but this in the classroom. The classroom environment is something that I am still getting used to compared to my past experiences.
Today, the students practiced all of their airport skills by boarding a plane to Scotland on CELA airlines. The camp leaders built this amazing plane using two of the classrooms. There was First, Business, and Economy classes, each with different seats and snacks. The students were placed in families and received money for class participation. Depending on how much they had, they could purchase different tickets. I a flight attendant working at the ticket booth and the plane. It was fun to see the students really engaged in the process, thinking hard about what they should ask about the flight and how to answer questions at customs. Another twist on our flight was that it was hijacked by one of the teachers! Me, Ryan, and Cana were quite surprised that the teachers wanted to include this in the lesson, but it is their camp, so we obliged. It ended up quite adorable, probably the cutest way to hijack a plane. The teacher said the reason he hijacked the plane was that he missed his mom and wanted to return to Taiwan. Before he could take control, a police officer (another teacher) stops him. It was so funny, when he tried to hijack Economy, the seven year olds would have none of it. Before he could take a hostage with a fork as his weapon, three of the boys jumped on him and took him to the ground. It was so cute "Quick, let's get the teacher!" I think they enjoyed the opportunity to attack a teacher.
Tomorrow we are going to a real airport to show them all the things we have learned. It will be quite interesting leading 60 students through the airport.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Taiwan: The Heart of Asia
I arrived to Taiwan safe and sound. Of course, there was some interesting things that happened along the way. I flew from Incheon to Qingdao at 8am. When I connected in Qingdao, I was put in a "time out" of sorts because I didn't have a Chinese visa. After I convinced the two officials as they examined my itinerary and passport that I will be leaving Qingdao in two hours and that I will not be leaving the airport, they allowed me to continue on my way. I never seem to have a dull moment at airports, even when I am prepared with everything I need, there always seems to be some misunderstanding or bump in the road. Oh well
I arrived in Taipei around 4pm Saturday. I waited at the airport for one of my fellow volunteers to arrive as well as two of the long term missionaries. While I waited in the "meeting place" area of the airport, I was able to watch the home run derby of the Taiwanese baseball league. It was very dynamic as the winner was able to hit twelve home runs. My fellow volunteer, Cana, arrived around 7:30. She is a Law student from Sheboygan (she was a student at my uncle's high school, it is a small Synod!) The two missionaries were late to arrive because one of them learned that his luggage was still in Chicago. Once they gave the airport information on where to send the luggage, we headed to the bus terminal.
The two missionaries, Kevin and Matthew, have taught in Taiwan for about seven years. They told me and Cana a lot about the school and Taiwan in general on our three hour bus ride to Chiayi.
When we arrived, we met the other two missionaries that are here, Amy and Ben, as well as the other volunteer, Ryan. We are staying on the campus of Concordia Middle School in the teacher dormitory. It has several rooms as well as a kitchen and a common room.
The next morning, we went to the Lutheran church in town for the service. It's quite interesting where God puts you at His determined times. A year ago, I was in Brochet attending the evening prayer Mass in Cree. A year later, I am in Taiwan worshiping with Taiwanese brothers and sisters in Mandarin. We were fortunate to have a translator summarizing the sermon and any other parts of the service that was not listed in the bulletin. The translator is English, so we all agreed it was like Liam Neeson interpreting. The pastor is incredible, he has so much passion for God that even though I couldn't understand what he was saying, I could feel his love for his Savior.
After church, we met our coordinator Callie to get some lunch. We bought some turkey rice to take back to where we are staying. On our way, we passed several groups of people participating in a Taoist ceremony for one of the deities. It was interesting hearing Callie discuss this type of ritual. She talked about how scared she was when she was young of these deities and rituals. Taiwan is a mix of religions: Taoism, ancestor worship, Buddhism, and a small amount of Christianity. Many Taiwanese will mix bits and pieces of the first three religions, a ritual here, an offering there. The Taiwanese people are so hungry for answers that they turn to every option hoping to find it. I pray that they will see that there is only one person who can bring them peace and salvation: Jesus Christ.
Later in the afternoon, we had a meeting about the camp. Before arriving, we were not given too much information about the camp, so we were excited to learn more about it. Each of us will teach a group of about twenty various English conversation skills. We will also teach VBS every Monday morning. I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It seems the motto for the week is "Be flexible and have fun." It is summer, I hope to make this experience fun for the kids. Learning should always be fun, especially in the summer.
After the meeting, we went to two different markets: the evening fruit market and the night market. At the first, we bought a variety of fruits including pineapple and papaya. The market was packed with local farmers selling their crop and people from the city eager to buy some summer fruit. One thing that I have noticed since coming here is there are scooters, a lot of scooters. As we walked the market, what seemed like a stampede of motors would fly past us. It is most definitely the means of transportation choice.
The night market was very dynamic. Joining us were Ben, Amy, Kevin, and Callie's two children Jeremiah and Meredith. I love markets, so I was beyond myself walking around this huge market selling various foods, clothing, toys, the list goes on. We walked around the market, viewing the kaleidoscope of colors in the clothes and other products, smelling the various Taiwanese foods, and listening to the yelling of the vendors. We stopped by the arcade area of the market, where several of us tried our hand at some of the games. Cana and I decided to try this one particular game where you throw soft plastic balls at a screen with moving characters. We were joined by Jeremiah as well as two other curious kids in trying to set a new record.
We then walked around the food vendors to pick up some food. I asked Callie to take me to buy some of here favorite street food. She first took me to buy this seafood pancake that had shellfish and shrimp fried with an egg and dough. We then found a vendor selling stinky tofu, which she told me tastes much better than its smell. It was very good, I liked that it was fried rather than boiled like most tofu I have had in Korea. I was also able to chat with Callie about her family. She is so sweet and accommodating.
The tourism motto of Taiwan is "The Heart of Asia." While I don't know if it could be considered the heart of the continent, the people of Taiwan have such open and warm hearts. The culture is quite similar to Korea in that people will go above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable in their country. I am curious in the next few days as I teach and explore more of the city what I will learn about this unique part of East Asia.
I arrived in Taipei around 4pm Saturday. I waited at the airport for one of my fellow volunteers to arrive as well as two of the long term missionaries. While I waited in the "meeting place" area of the airport, I was able to watch the home run derby of the Taiwanese baseball league. It was very dynamic as the winner was able to hit twelve home runs. My fellow volunteer, Cana, arrived around 7:30. She is a Law student from Sheboygan (she was a student at my uncle's high school, it is a small Synod!) The two missionaries were late to arrive because one of them learned that his luggage was still in Chicago. Once they gave the airport information on where to send the luggage, we headed to the bus terminal.
The two missionaries, Kevin and Matthew, have taught in Taiwan for about seven years. They told me and Cana a lot about the school and Taiwan in general on our three hour bus ride to Chiayi.
When we arrived, we met the other two missionaries that are here, Amy and Ben, as well as the other volunteer, Ryan. We are staying on the campus of Concordia Middle School in the teacher dormitory. It has several rooms as well as a kitchen and a common room.
The next morning, we went to the Lutheran church in town for the service. It's quite interesting where God puts you at His determined times. A year ago, I was in Brochet attending the evening prayer Mass in Cree. A year later, I am in Taiwan worshiping with Taiwanese brothers and sisters in Mandarin. We were fortunate to have a translator summarizing the sermon and any other parts of the service that was not listed in the bulletin. The translator is English, so we all agreed it was like Liam Neeson interpreting. The pastor is incredible, he has so much passion for God that even though I couldn't understand what he was saying, I could feel his love for his Savior.
After church, we met our coordinator Callie to get some lunch. We bought some turkey rice to take back to where we are staying. On our way, we passed several groups of people participating in a Taoist ceremony for one of the deities. It was interesting hearing Callie discuss this type of ritual. She talked about how scared she was when she was young of these deities and rituals. Taiwan is a mix of religions: Taoism, ancestor worship, Buddhism, and a small amount of Christianity. Many Taiwanese will mix bits and pieces of the first three religions, a ritual here, an offering there. The Taiwanese people are so hungry for answers that they turn to every option hoping to find it. I pray that they will see that there is only one person who can bring them peace and salvation: Jesus Christ.
Later in the afternoon, we had a meeting about the camp. Before arriving, we were not given too much information about the camp, so we were excited to learn more about it. Each of us will teach a group of about twenty various English conversation skills. We will also teach VBS every Monday morning. I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It seems the motto for the week is "Be flexible and have fun." It is summer, I hope to make this experience fun for the kids. Learning should always be fun, especially in the summer.
After the meeting, we went to two different markets: the evening fruit market and the night market. At the first, we bought a variety of fruits including pineapple and papaya. The market was packed with local farmers selling their crop and people from the city eager to buy some summer fruit. One thing that I have noticed since coming here is there are scooters, a lot of scooters. As we walked the market, what seemed like a stampede of motors would fly past us. It is most definitely the means of transportation choice.
The night market was very dynamic. Joining us were Ben, Amy, Kevin, and Callie's two children Jeremiah and Meredith. I love markets, so I was beyond myself walking around this huge market selling various foods, clothing, toys, the list goes on. We walked around the market, viewing the kaleidoscope of colors in the clothes and other products, smelling the various Taiwanese foods, and listening to the yelling of the vendors. We stopped by the arcade area of the market, where several of us tried our hand at some of the games. Cana and I decided to try this one particular game where you throw soft plastic balls at a screen with moving characters. We were joined by Jeremiah as well as two other curious kids in trying to set a new record.
We then walked around the food vendors to pick up some food. I asked Callie to take me to buy some of here favorite street food. She first took me to buy this seafood pancake that had shellfish and shrimp fried with an egg and dough. We then found a vendor selling stinky tofu, which she told me tastes much better than its smell. It was very good, I liked that it was fried rather than boiled like most tofu I have had in Korea. I was also able to chat with Callie about her family. She is so sweet and accommodating.
The tourism motto of Taiwan is "The Heart of Asia." While I don't know if it could be considered the heart of the continent, the people of Taiwan have such open and warm hearts. The culture is quite similar to Korea in that people will go above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable in their country. I am curious in the next few days as I teach and explore more of the city what I will learn about this unique part of East Asia.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)