New Teacher Friction

Today was a kinda crazy. We had a visit from one of the big-wigs from the main office. She is a nice enough person. I'm not sure why she came to our school today. She hung around the office for about an hour and took off. While she was there, she approached me. She asked me about my work and I proceeded to explain to her that I am the best Superwriters teacher that Gram has and I am preparing for a presentation about the program for all of the other foreign teachers tomorrow. (the sentence you just read is a whopper of a run-on...lol). I told her this within ear-shot of a few of the Chinese teachers and one of the other foreign teachers in our office. Sandy, one of the Chinese teachers, started chuckling pretty loud. I turned to her and asked her why she was laughing. She said that a Taiwanese person would NEVER be so bold as to assert they are the best teacher at anything. That's when I started laughing and realized that the brazen American in me was shining brightly...lol. Here's the thing, I do think that I am the best, and there's nothing wrong with feeling that way!!

A side affect of the exchange with the big-wig was a little testiness from one of the other foreign teachers.

Carrie is one of the folks they brought in to take the place of Chris and Brent. She is a really great girl who has a cute personality. We often talk about the silliest things at work, which helps us deal with the things that are driving us nuts.

Also, earlier today, Sandy (yes, the same Sandy from earlier in this entry, she holds a lot of clout in the office) approached me while I was sitting at my desk (Carrie was sitting next to me). She told me about a Chinese-Teachers-Only meeting they had had earlier in the week that included a discussion about proofreading some of our new texts. The texts we use are full of errors because the folks in charge didn't think it was necessary to have people with proofreading skills check them over before they published them...brilliant! Anyhow, my boss was assigning the various Chinese teachers to do different tasks regarding the proofreading. She puts together teams to tackle the different aspects of the job. Each team has a foreign teacher to help them. Sandy said they were fighting over who got to have me on their team!!!! How freaking cool is that? The point of this rambling is all of this was said while Carrie was sitting next to me. I think she felt a bit slighted.

Well, I'm not certain, but it seems like she was a bit offended by my assertion that I might be a better teacher than her. Not long after the boss left she started getting a bit short with me. I think that perhaps a combination of her tough classes, cramped work-space (we share a desk, a very small desk), and the above factors are making her a little testy. I do feel sorta bad for her. She was given a few really tough classes. The classes she has are junior-high level and they are full of kids with strong personalities. She inherited these classes from Brent, who had an extremely loose teaching style. I don't think that style jives with her approach to the job. I hope she doesn't get too discouraged, I'd like her to stick around. She is a good teacher with a lot to contribute.

Time to hit the sack. Have to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the big presentation tomorrow.

Did I Mention It Rains Here?

Sheesh, I think we've had 1, maybe 2 dry days this month. My sinuses have been going berserk. I saw a great sight tonight. I was standing outside the branch school hailing a cab when I noticed a woman walking on the side of the road carrying an umbrella (um, it was raining, big surprise). Suddenly a guy on a scooter approached her and came to a stop within inches of her. He was late noticing the car in front of him had come to a complete stop. The woman was not pleased that he nearly clipped her...she proceeded to whack him over the head with her umbrella!! It was a thing of beauty. Finally, a Taiwanese person showing some aggression!! I wanted to go over and hug that woman for throwing caution to the wind and taking the direct route. Passive aggressiveness in this country is at an epidemic level, I hate it!!

Hungry for some laughter? Download ITunes and check out Jack Black's weekly diary from the set of Nacho Libre, his upcoming movie. He is freaking hilarious. I can't wait for the movie. It's written by the same guy who did Napoleon Dynamite.

The Broken Code

I wasted two hours this afternoon. I could've been sleeping, shopping, or cleaning my apartment. All of these things would have been much more rewarding than watching The Da Vinci Code. Perhaps my expectations were a bit high? The movie was boring! I read the book when I was living in Honduras, I couldn't put it down, it was fantastic. It seems like they left out the best parts of the book?? I know that books don't usually translate well onto the silver screen, this interpretation was awful. Don't waste your time & money.

This Thursday there is a foreign teachers meeting at HQ. I have to do a presentation in front of about 20 teachers...ugh. I'm going to show them the path to victory in the writers class. Many of the other foreign teachers are just starting to teach the class, I have been teaching it for 14 weeks...I'll show 'em the ropes.

Off To The Movies & The Kids Dig Me

I'm going to see The Da Vinci Code tomorrow. I hope it lives up to the hype. I loved the book, it was pretty intense. I've seen a few reviews of the movie and they have been less-than flattering. Oh well, I'm gonna give it a shot. The ads for it have saturated life here in Taipei. There are a zillion billboards and the subway cars are giant rolling ads for the movie.

It's tough to go to the theater without my buddy Perry. It just doesn't feel right. Perry & I have seen about 1000 movies together. This may sound trivial, but going to the movies with someone who is essentially on your same wavelength is great. We have always enjoyed debating the merits of the various films we've seen. It's easy when the other person likes the same stuff as you do. Next time I visit Perry and his lovely wife Andrea, I'm sure we'll see at least 3 or 4 movies together. I'll resume my place at the right-hand of the Perry.

My two classes today went really well. Every Saturday I have a couple of advanced-level classes that are pretty tough to teach. They require quite a bit of preparation, but once I'm in the class, I kick butt. The main reasons I have succeeded in these classes is because the students are all very motivated and therefore my attitude is upbeat when I enter the room.

The other day, Queenie, one of the Chinese teachers pulled me aside and told me a few interesting things. She said Jessie, one of the other Chinese teachers, is quitting and she is going to have to take over a couple of her classes. As a result of this shift, Queenie is going to be giving up one of her higher-level classes to a foreign teacher. Anyhow, the reason she was telling me this is because she asked her students in the higher-level class who they'd like to have as their teacher...she said the class resoundingly voted for me! That is so cool. This is especially cool because I have taught this particular class quite a few times and don't feel like I've ever made a real connection with the group...how silly. Nothing is official yet, I'll keep you folks in the know as soon as I know anything concrete.

I've got to go to bed, it's the end of a very long day. Stay in touch everyone.

Sucking Up to the Boss

Carol, my boss, is an interesting woman. The first few months I worked at the school she was about as tough on me as any boss I've ever had. Barely a day went by that I didn't get a skeptical look from her. She showed very little emotion when I approached her with my ideas. As time has passed, she has become one of my biggest allies. As I mentioned earlier on this thing, I had a bit of a run-in with one of the big-wigs at our HQ...she was the first person to come to my defense. I think the primary reason we have become fast friends is because she knows I love my work and I always give 110% of myself.

Last week, I was sick as a dog. The head-cold was at it's peak. I came to work and had to have Gavin, my other boss, take me to the doctor. I didn't make it back from the doctor in time to teach a class I was scheduled to teach. In a nutshell, I screwed up because I didn't have a lesson plan or anything ready...I wasn't thinking clearly. When I got back to the office, I told Carol that I goofed up and she got pretty angry. She stormed off and tried to remedy the situation. After an hour or so, she approached me and apologized for her behavior, and I did the same. I told her that I screwed up and won't do it again. Well, she was more than cool about the scene and decided it was best for me to go home and rest. As I was leaving she told me to take it easy and take the next day off so I could get better. I thought that was mighty decent of her.

Ok, so this past Sunday was Mother's Day. Carol had her first child a few months ago. To commemorate her new status, I had one of the photos I took at our last work party blown up and framed and gave it to her for Mother's Day. The photo is great, it's a group pic with virtually every teacher at the school in it. It cost me only a few bucks and she loved it. She was gushing about how much she loved it. Later that day, I was hanging out at my desk with nothing to do and she told me to go ahead and go home early (she would've NEVER said this a few months ago). I looked at her and said "are you sure I can do that????" She said I could do anything I wanted to do this week!!!!!.....lol. Looks like yours truly is in business at work...we'll see how long the honeymoon lasts...lol.

My Head Cold & Baked Good Addiction

For the past week or so, I have been battling a cold. This wouldn't be a big deal except that I live in the land of the endless head-cold. I've heard horror stories of teachers with colds that last for a month or more. I'm doing everything I can to get over this thing. I've been gulping down 1000mg of Vitamin C every day and taking the mysterious medicine the doctor gave me. My job makes this fight even tougher because there always seems to be a bunch a kids sniffling and sneezing.

My Florida Bakery addiction is taking control of my life!...lol. I have spent no less than $NT600 (about $18 American) a week there for the past 5 or 6 weeks. By Taiwanese standards, that's a lot of money. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't make a trip there every Sunday. Their stuff rivals anything I've had back home. This past week I tried the garlic french bread, sheesh, I ate the entire loaf Sunday...I'm out of control! A steady diet of cinnamon/raisin bagels and killer rye bread hasn't hurt me yet.

A Big Nose & Far Too Much Hair

Christina thinks I have funny looking ears, Gary says my nose is way too big for my face, and Sarah can't stop trying to pull the hair on my arms. These are a few of the more interesting experiences I've had with the kids at my school. Each and every one of them is priceless. There is something so incredible/genuine about the interactions I have on a daily basis with the little rug-rats.

They have been running re-runs of the last season of "Lost" here. I have been eating it up, what a great show. The reason I've brought it up is because there was an interesting scene on one of the episodes recently. It took place between the older, balding guy and the young women who has the baby. Anyhow, they were talking and she asked him why he never gets angry. He replied with a line that went something like this: "because I am no longer lost". That line really struck a chord with me. WARNING WARNING!!!! I am about to get sappy here! I can't help but feel the same way. When people ask me about my work, I can't help but gush about how wonderful it is and how I feel that I have found my niche. As most of you know, men generally define themselves by the work they do, I'm no exception. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of little things that frustrate me regarding my job, but they all pale in comparison to the things that make me feel like a million bucks.

In case any of you feel compelled to send me something, here is my address:

#280-9th Floor-E
Nen Hua Road Section 1
Banchiao City
Taipei County, Taiwan 220

I would love a care package from anyone back home with stuff that's inherently American. i.e. Reese's Cups, Mother Jones Magazines, pictures of the family, cool t-shirts with an Akron/Cleveland/Ohio connection, etc. (hint, hint)

I'm in the process of trying to figure out if I can make a trip home sometime in the near-future. It's super-expensive and trying to determine the length of stay is tricky. I'm gonna do it either in July/August or October/November...we'll see.

New Classes. The Name Game

Hello all. Checking in again from East Asia. It's hard to believe that I have been here for 8 months. Everything is going pretty well. Life here is strange, but I am dealing with the day-to-day oddities. Socially, I have been hanging with a few buddies on the weekends and exploring the city...my luck with the ladies has been a bit thin lately. Work continues to be great. The increased responsibilities since the departure of Chris & Brent have not taken much of a toll on me.

These past few weeks have been pretty big for me at work. I went from having 1 class all to myself to 3!!!!!

I now have a class of 21 kids every Saturday from 1 to 3 o'clock. They are very bright. Technically, I am sharing the class with Sandy, the Chinese teacher. She teaches them every Wednesday, and I have them every Saturday. Up until a few weeks ago, she had the class by herself, both days. She is a freaking great teacher, so these kids are sharp and excited to have a native speaker teach them. They have been great thus far.

Also, I have my own mini-class!! This is especially cool because these classes are rare. The class has only 5 kids in it and they a very dedicated...their parents pay a ton of money for the opportunity to have their kids learn from a native speaker in a small class setting. The fact that my boss has given me this class tells me that they are comfortable/happy with my teaching. I think I am getting better at this every day.

One area that I have been concentrating on is names. I am working hard on remembering as many students names as I can. It's not easy, there are about 1200 kids in the school. I think that if I make the effort, the kids will appreciate it and it will allow me to gain their trust and respect. Nothing is more important than the relationships I have with the students. If I don't have their respect and friendship, than my job becomes nearly impossible.

These past few months have been very good for my soul/spirit. It sounds corny but working with the kids has really helped me gain some insight into who I am. They bring out the best in me. I can't tell you how many days I leave my job with a smile on my face and feeling like I did something truly worthwhile...that is priceless.

A visit home may be in the workings for sometime late in the summer. I am considering making the trip in August or perhaps September...not sure. If I can amass enough cash, I'm gonna do it.

Birthday Surprise at Work

Sorry for the lag in posting, these past few weeks have been kinda wacky. A combination of work craziness, my birthday, and home improvements has eaten all of my time.

The second phase, or the post Chris and Brent era as I like to call it, is in full-swing.

It has been much more pleasant than I had anticipated. I think my boss and the Chinese teachers now realize that I am more than capable of taking the reins as the lead teacher in the office. Carol, the boss, has been very supportive of me. She has arranged my schedule so that I can concentrate on my writing class and a few other classes that are considered very valuable to the school. I think she is working hard to keep me happy...how cool!! Further evidence of this theory came today; she bought me a couple of my favorite doughnuts while she was out shopping today...hmmm.

Even more importantly, the Chinese teachers have been great! I've come to the realization that in order to be a truly successful foreign teacher here, you have to accept that you know very little. Lately, I have been approaching the Chinese teachers and asking them how they would approach/teach the various lessons. As a result, I think they see that I am serious about being a great teacher and it has strengthened my relationships with them. I have had nothing but positive feedback from them and it feels great!

I had a wonderful surprise on my birthday. I was wrapping up my work day in the office when Lydia, one of the secretaries, came out of the break room with a great birthday cake. All of the Chinese teachers sang Happy Birthday to me and we had a cool little party. It shocked the heck out of me. Afterwards, Scott told me that he was shocked because no one in the office had remembered Chris' or his birthday...interesting.

The apartment is great, I love this place. Recently, Scott hooked me up with some fabric. His girlfriend works for a company that makes textiles so she had a bunch of free fabric. I have been trying to figure out a way to get some curtains for my place on the cheap. The curtains that are on the windows are off-white...not much good for blocking the sunshine in the morning. As a result, I have been waking up waaaay too early lately. Well, I was in an industrious mood this past weekend so I made some curtains, kinda..lol. I managed to get them up by utilizing paper clips, safety pins, and velcro...lol. They work great, but look a bit odd.

Finally, I would like to congratulate my niece Jami. She recently was awarded an internship with Greenpeace. How freaking cool is that!!!!!!! Good luck Jami. Have fun and conquer the world.

The Rain Stopped. Earthquake Alert!

It appears the rain has stopped, it's been dry for the past four days. In fact, the weather has been great. In the 70's, with just a few scattered clouds in the sky...I love it!

Yesterday, we had a doosey of an earthquake. It was about 6pm, I had just arrived home from running some errands and before I knew it, the apartment felt like a houseboat. Everything was swaying back-and-forth as if I were on the water. It lasted for about a minute. News reports said it was centered in the southern part of the island and registered 5.6 on the Richter Scale. It was intense, I never know what to do when one of those suckers hits. When you're on the 9th floor of a building, there's not much you can do.

I found an oasis on this island of strange food! Yesterday, I found a bakery that makes baked goods the western way. It's called Florida Bakery. I was like a kid in a candy store, walked out of there with about $900 worth of baked goods (that's about $25 American). I bought 2 loaves of bread (whole wheat), a dozen cinnamon & raisin bagels, 6 hot dog buns, countless cookies, some real butter, and a big bag of dinner rolls. I stuffed a bunch of it in my freezer. After this discovery, I had to go out and buy a toaster oven. I foresee scrumptious breakfasts in my near future.

Chris & Brent are going back to Canada this week. Last week was a tough one for them, pretty emotional. They are both terrific guys who were fantastic at their jobs. They will be missed. The school will probably never have a better bunch of teachers than they had this past year. As I think I wrote before, Chris is one of the primary reasons I have succeeded here, he is a remarkable person with great skills.

I am stopping by his place on Wednesday. He is giving me a bunch of stuff from his apartment including a coffee maker, a water purifier (the boiling kind), and a variety of kitchen utensils. What a great deal, I need these things.

My birthday is just a few days away. Graeme, Scott, Andrew, Henry and a few others have decided to take me out to dinner. We're gonna have a steaks at a place called Dan Ryan's on Saturday night.

Work is great. I have this Wednesday off. It's a national holiday. Something about cleaning the tombs of your ancestors, not sure. A paid day off is never a bad thing.