My life and other things that have happened

I seem to find out something new about Taipei and Taiwan every day. It's a country of many wonders but also some oddities! I think that's what makes it so special. People just don't seem to take themselves too seriously here.  Case in point. The  A380 In-Flight Kitchen, Taipei, Taiwan This Taipei spot replicates the in-flight experience with an interior designed to look like an airplane cabin. Servers dressed like flight attendants wheel around food and beverage carts.  I mean really.... where else in the world eh? You've just got to love it. In a previous blog post I mentioned the Modern Toilet restaurant where diners sit on toilets and are served out of miniature ones. Drinks are served out of urinals. Madness.  On another note, I am constantly astonished by Taiwan's beauty. I was surprised to learn recently that Taiwan has the second highest peak in Asia - Yushan (Jade Mountain) - which rises  3,952 metres (12,966 ft). Hiking is very popu...

Thursday was the Moon Festival or the Mid-Autumn Festival which is celebrated by various countries throughout Asia. We received some Moon Cakes from our neighbours which was really nice and enjoyed a lovely day off. This festival is the equivalent of Christmas here in Taiwan and people spend the time at home with their families. Here's the story of the moon festival which I think is really poetic.  http://www.moonfestival.org/legends/chango.htm The Legend of the Moon Festival  by Thomas W. Chinn, Historian Originally named the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Moon Festival is one of the most important holidays celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. Traditionally, it is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month in observance of the bountiful Autumn harvest. Although old rituals are no longer followed, families continue to gather for a day to relax and eat moon cakes. Upon this occasion, the legend of the Moon Goddess, CHANG-O, is often told to...

Just a short post to show you what the view is like on my commute to work every day :)

I'm sick. This is not terribly unusual however it is frickin annoying. I have the dreaded Taipei lurgi, which comes in the form of a throat infection, swollen glands, stuffy nose and general exhaustion. Went to the doctors earlier in the week and he was great. Immediate diagnosis and four different kinds of drugs. Antibiotics, tablets for the fever, something for a stuffy nose and another thing for congestion. All that for less than the cost of one NHS prescription. Sweet! I've been off work for most of the week and I was hoping I would feel better but I have to admit that I still feel like crap. I've been told that the bugs/illnesses here can be pretty nasty to newcomers so I'm not going to try and fight this. Apart from a few chores I need to do I'm going to try and take it easy.  James and I haven't been up to a whole lot the past two weeks. James came down with this bug two weeks ago and then I got it last Sunday. That's not to say that we've do...

As the timetable at work has developed, I've found that I'm supporting mostly Maths classes with a few Science and one English. When I found out that's what I would be doing I was in all honestly utterly terrified. Maths has never been a strong subject for me and I can remember years ago at school where I would fake illness to avoid it. I don't think any of my ex-teachers would believe me if I told them that I was supporting students in learning Maths. They'd laugh.  To my surprise I've discovered that, despite my terror and disbelief that I would be any good at the Maths that I'm supposed to be helping kids with, I actually understand it. Today for instance we were doing improper fractions and after one example from the teacher it just all clicked and I got it. I feel like I've been given a second chance to get Maths right. It may have taken 15 yrs but for the first time since 7th grade I actually feel like I get it. And it's a very nice fe...

I can't believe it's only been a week since I last posted. This first week at work has felt like a month! My work timetable has changed about 10 times and I'm now working 4 days a week instead of 3. Suits me as the extra money will come in handy but by the time Friday came round I was totally exhausted.  I'm supporting mostly Maths and Science, which is fun, but I do feel slightly out of my element. My week is split in to in class support and one to one support with a student who is behind his peer group. It's very challenging work and takes a lot out of me but I think I'm really going to enjoy it.  The school is really nice and my colleagues have made me feel really welcome. I did feel a bit as if I'd been thrown in at the deep end this week and I guess that's why it feels like I've been at work for a month.  We had a day off work this week due to Typhoon Trami passing close to Taiwan. I'm not sure if it actually made landfall but t...

This week has been really good. Long and tiring but also good.  Wednesday night we went out for dinner with Greg, George, Sasha, Michael, Scott and Rob for Greg's birthday. We went to a local restaurant and ordered the most random food. It was a fun night. There were frog legs and all sorts! We then retired to a small cafe for more drinks. George and I have discovered that Greg and James should not be allowed to sit next to or even be near each other. They are too alike. It's scary. It was a good laugh though and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them soon.  Thursday I spent the day packing up our things at the hotel in preparation for our move to the flat. After work James turned up with a man and a van full of our boxes and we made our way to our new home. We spent the evening unpacking and sorting out the flat. It was good fun and the place really feels like home now.  Friday was a half day. We spent the morning up at the school. I worked on t...