The Creature of the Night
At last, with a whole lot of hoping, dreaming, and willing for it to happen, we have gotten a day off of work. For a typhoon! We are currently in the midst of it. It is like the snow days of yore--but without hot chocolate and the desire to go play outside. From inside, the park by the river has turned into a sea of white, sideways rain, and a turbulent flow of brown water slowly rising minute by minute. It has now overflowed to the point where it has covered the grassy park that lies beside it along with the bike trail and is close to lapping up to the edge of the highway bridge. On a certain weather app, you can watch the swirling mass of wind and rain head towards the island. So, it was a preemptive call off (of school), which comes as a welcome relief, but there is also the fear of those who get it the worst in the middle of the island. There are a lot of small towns there, and I don't know how they normally protect themselves against typhoons. In Akron, PA, things like this don't really happen, and definitely not often. So, it's pretty scary when the weather gets a little out of control...I've tried to not be a complete idiot about the seriousness of the situation and not simply stare smilingly out of the apartment window, amazed at the size of the river. I have filled a bucket of water to be able to flush the toilet, and I have bought extra water and food. It's pretty cool to watch a storm, though, from the safety of such a height.
But, we are currently safely stowed away in a high rise apartment building, feasting on rice flour pancakes, popcorn, and crock pot beef stew, watching movies, reading, and just enjoying doing absolutely nothing. This past week we worked 6 days because we had a parent teacher conference on Saturday. So, I feel as though we deserve a quick day off. After all, it was practically torture to haul my body into work on that Monday after barely a weekend. Don't get me wrong, My time at Kang Chiao has been a pleasant one. I fell back into teaching as if it was an old friend that had really never let me go. I entered into the work with an organized mind, an understanding of the skills and tools, and an ability to connect with a class, that I didn't realize I'd had. At this school, they are very "hands off'" and give you the necessary tools while also letting you be who you are as a teacher. That's all very well, but for a person who likes structure, I've had to adjust slightly. But, I'm used to being left alone in the teaching world, so it didn't take long. It's a little strange teaching older kids, but I didn't have as hard a time adjusting as I thought I would. They are still young people, and I've been able to use a few elementary things with them that have worked. But, now, we can have more discussions, and I don't have to chase after them to remember things and to work hard. They are responsible for themselves now. The consequences will come to them, and they can react accordingly. It's not yet the kind of warm and fuzzy environment that a third grade classroom becomes, but I'm hoping that deeper into the school year, I will be able to get that kind of a teacher student connection that makes teaching much more enjoyable. At the moment, kids are slowly starting to unfurl, relax, and be comfortable with me. Boys are showing off their usual cool selves and tend to be a bit standoffish. The girls are extremely giggly, but they are a bit chattier than the boys when talking to me. As a whole, I'm slowly trying to win them over with my super cool and age-appropriate teaching methods. I almost fell over a student once when speaking Chinese in my "bad" class, and they all laughed at me. Laughing at me is good. We're getting somewhere.
I feel that my blog writing has been sorely lacking in any kind of exciting adventures here in Taipei, but alas, I think it has to do with age and the environment. No longer can I be out to all hours of the evening, doing ridiculous things and meeting weird people. I still can meet weird people, but at normal human hours. I go to work, read books, write, watch TV, go out for drinks or dinner, exercise, and dream about saving money: what adults do. Blahhhhhh. Never thought I'd hear myself say that. But, soon enough, we'll be heading out to a tiny town near the coast for a mini holiday, sipping tea in the verdant mountains overlooking the Pacific, wandering through souvenir shops, taking a soak in natural hot springs, and hiking in the nearby hills. I'm very much looking forward to that! We don't get as much time off as in my old job, so we have to use it wisely when it happens. Anyway, despite my lack of crazy, extremely wild adventures, I do have a small tale to tell that is pretty ridiculous and something that would happen to me. And, it's one of those once in a lifetime things that is so random and weird, it must be shared. So, James and I live about a 20 minute bike ride apart. I recently purchased a bike to save money on Ubers and to get the chance to ride around the city and explore. There is a riverside bike path that goes from one end of the city to the other, and it's gorgeous, so a bike is a good investment. Anyway, one evening as the light grew dimmer, I headed over for dinner to James' house. My bike does not have a light on it, so I had to brave the shadowy trail using the lights of the roadside lamps to guide me. At one point, I rode through a bit of a poor part of town that's slightly jungley and overgrown, so that was a little creepy. But, the rest was on a bike path. I had just crested a hill and was picking up speed as I glided down the other side. I heard a crunching and scrunching on the right side of me, and I saw something dart out in front of my bike! There was not time to make a decision--I simply squealed and shut my eyes for a second (I'd be good use in an emergency, apparently). This thing got caught up in my tires, made a flapping noise against the pavement, and hit me on the leg! Ugh! I screamed, shivered, and pedaled away furiously. It felt toad-like, but I wasn't sure, so I turned around briefly to catch a glimpse. And, in the glow of the weak lamplight, I saw a large lump on the road. I did not stick around to inspect, and I hurried away in fear as the only witness of the crime. After a few hours, I returned home on the bike in the even greater darkness, and the tickle of excitement rose up in me as I turned the corner, ready to find out what my thumping, leg-hitting creature friend would turn out to be. And, to my horror, it was a RAT!! A rat, I say! I was just so confused. This bike path is out in the "country". There was grass and trees and not crusty places to live in and hide in. I had no idea why he would be out there, let alone why he would run in front of a moving vehicle at just the right time! I leaned over and took a closer look at the suicidal rat and his poor bloodied mouth and finally satisfied my curiosity. Yes, it is true; I have never seen a rat. I've heard all of these crazy tales about them, how they're everywhere, and how they tend to be up to no good. But whenever people have pointed them out to me in the past, I always turn to look just as they've disappeared, and all that's left is a bit of movement under a newspaper or in a trash heap. So, I thought to myself, "This is what everyone's been talking about." I finally turned away and worrying in my hypochondriac fashion that the rat may have given me the Black Plague, I rode home into the night, feeling rather triumphant to finally have a story to tell. Let's hope the fun continues.
Miss you all!
But, we are currently safely stowed away in a high rise apartment building, feasting on rice flour pancakes, popcorn, and crock pot beef stew, watching movies, reading, and just enjoying doing absolutely nothing. This past week we worked 6 days because we had a parent teacher conference on Saturday. So, I feel as though we deserve a quick day off. After all, it was practically torture to haul my body into work on that Monday after barely a weekend. Don't get me wrong, My time at Kang Chiao has been a pleasant one. I fell back into teaching as if it was an old friend that had really never let me go. I entered into the work with an organized mind, an understanding of the skills and tools, and an ability to connect with a class, that I didn't realize I'd had. At this school, they are very "hands off'" and give you the necessary tools while also letting you be who you are as a teacher. That's all very well, but for a person who likes structure, I've had to adjust slightly. But, I'm used to being left alone in the teaching world, so it didn't take long. It's a little strange teaching older kids, but I didn't have as hard a time adjusting as I thought I would. They are still young people, and I've been able to use a few elementary things with them that have worked. But, now, we can have more discussions, and I don't have to chase after them to remember things and to work hard. They are responsible for themselves now. The consequences will come to them, and they can react accordingly. It's not yet the kind of warm and fuzzy environment that a third grade classroom becomes, but I'm hoping that deeper into the school year, I will be able to get that kind of a teacher student connection that makes teaching much more enjoyable. At the moment, kids are slowly starting to unfurl, relax, and be comfortable with me. Boys are showing off their usual cool selves and tend to be a bit standoffish. The girls are extremely giggly, but they are a bit chattier than the boys when talking to me. As a whole, I'm slowly trying to win them over with my super cool and age-appropriate teaching methods. I almost fell over a student once when speaking Chinese in my "bad" class, and they all laughed at me. Laughing at me is good. We're getting somewhere.
I feel that my blog writing has been sorely lacking in any kind of exciting adventures here in Taipei, but alas, I think it has to do with age and the environment. No longer can I be out to all hours of the evening, doing ridiculous things and meeting weird people. I still can meet weird people, but at normal human hours. I go to work, read books, write, watch TV, go out for drinks or dinner, exercise, and dream about saving money: what adults do. Blahhhhhh. Never thought I'd hear myself say that. But, soon enough, we'll be heading out to a tiny town near the coast for a mini holiday, sipping tea in the verdant mountains overlooking the Pacific, wandering through souvenir shops, taking a soak in natural hot springs, and hiking in the nearby hills. I'm very much looking forward to that! We don't get as much time off as in my old job, so we have to use it wisely when it happens. Anyway, despite my lack of crazy, extremely wild adventures, I do have a small tale to tell that is pretty ridiculous and something that would happen to me. And, it's one of those once in a lifetime things that is so random and weird, it must be shared. So, James and I live about a 20 minute bike ride apart. I recently purchased a bike to save money on Ubers and to get the chance to ride around the city and explore. There is a riverside bike path that goes from one end of the city to the other, and it's gorgeous, so a bike is a good investment. Anyway, one evening as the light grew dimmer, I headed over for dinner to James' house. My bike does not have a light on it, so I had to brave the shadowy trail using the lights of the roadside lamps to guide me. At one point, I rode through a bit of a poor part of town that's slightly jungley and overgrown, so that was a little creepy. But, the rest was on a bike path. I had just crested a hill and was picking up speed as I glided down the other side. I heard a crunching and scrunching on the right side of me, and I saw something dart out in front of my bike! There was not time to make a decision--I simply squealed and shut my eyes for a second (I'd be good use in an emergency, apparently). This thing got caught up in my tires, made a flapping noise against the pavement, and hit me on the leg! Ugh! I screamed, shivered, and pedaled away furiously. It felt toad-like, but I wasn't sure, so I turned around briefly to catch a glimpse. And, in the glow of the weak lamplight, I saw a large lump on the road. I did not stick around to inspect, and I hurried away in fear as the only witness of the crime. After a few hours, I returned home on the bike in the even greater darkness, and the tickle of excitement rose up in me as I turned the corner, ready to find out what my thumping, leg-hitting creature friend would turn out to be. And, to my horror, it was a RAT!! A rat, I say! I was just so confused. This bike path is out in the "country". There was grass and trees and not crusty places to live in and hide in. I had no idea why he would be out there, let alone why he would run in front of a moving vehicle at just the right time! I leaned over and took a closer look at the suicidal rat and his poor bloodied mouth and finally satisfied my curiosity. Yes, it is true; I have never seen a rat. I've heard all of these crazy tales about them, how they're everywhere, and how they tend to be up to no good. But whenever people have pointed them out to me in the past, I always turn to look just as they've disappeared, and all that's left is a bit of movement under a newspaper or in a trash heap. So, I thought to myself, "This is what everyone's been talking about." I finally turned away and worrying in my hypochondriac fashion that the rat may have given me the Black Plague, I rode home into the night, feeling rather triumphant to finally have a story to tell. Let's hope the fun continues.
Miss you all!
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