October Part I
October 2nd: Bought this for myself last weekend at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum
October 3rd: Care package from Hokkaido filled with things Ainu, Nippon Ham Fighters/陽岱鋼, gold fish, and sour plum 紀州梅味. My parents… 娘を喜ばせようと、 こんなことしてくれる親がいてあたしはホント幸せ者です。 ありがとママパパ。(translation: trying to make their daughter happy, I’m so fortunate to have such parents. Thank you Mom and Dad.)
-最近体の調子があまりよくなく、先週から今週にかけて二日も学校を休んでしまいました。一日中微熱気味で授業を５つ教えた火曜日。朝の９年生／中３の授業の前に中国語で、今日はちょっと具合が悪いから、あまり叫んだりしないでね、と生徒達に頼んだら日本語で一人の男の子が「先生大丈夫？」って聞いてくれたんです。その後も心配そうに顔色伺ってる子達が数人いてちょっと申し訳なかったです。昨日は学校内で一番問題を抱えてる学級を教えてて、体の調子の悪さと男子生徒団の態度の悪さに体力激減。授業を終えてみんなが部屋を出たあと、一人の女の子が頭下げて日本語で「先生ごめんなさい！」って、中国語でクラスメイトの態度が悪くて先生に迷惑かけて本当にすみません、って。彼女凄く責任を感じて、謝りながら泣き出しちゃったんです。こういう素直な子達に囲まれて先生できるって、幸せだと思う。フルブライト台湾がくれたこの機会に本当に感謝してます。ちなみに、英語を教えてる立場にいるのに、日本語を通してでの生徒達との繋がりが多い気が…早く元気な顔を見せる事ができるように、今週末はゆっくり休みます。
English equivalent: Recently, I haven’t been doing so well health-wise, so I’ve had to take two days off from teaching in the past week and a half. On Tuesday, I taught five classes with a low grade fever all day. Before my morning 9th grade class, I asked them to not shout too much because I wasn’t feeling to well, then one of the boys asked in Japanese “teacher, are you okay?” Even during class, I could see in a few students’ faces that they were worried, and I felt bad that I made them feel that way. Yesterday I taught THE problem-homeroom of the entire school, and due to my state and the attitudes of a few boys, I had very little energy by the time class ended. After the students left, one girl stayed and apologized to me in Japanese, told me how badly she felt that her classmates were causing so much trouble in Chinese, and began crying as she kept apologizing. She must have felt responsible for her classmates’ behavior. I must say that I am extremely fortunate to be working with students who are “sunao” (I don’t think there’s a direct translation from Japanese to English, but I guess it’s like being in touch with your emotions and aren’t afraid to directly express it). I am so thankful of the opportunity Fulbright Taiwan has given me to teach in this setting. By the way, it seems to me that I’ve been forming bonds with students through Japanese language and culture, even though I’m officially here as an English Teaching Assistant…I’ll make sure I rest this weekend so that I can recover and get back to school.
October 4th: We’ve got two big tadpoles nomming on a dead goldfish and a super tiny frog chilling. Some major national geographic stuff going at this little pond by the Expo Park in Yuanshan
-Expo Park, Yuanshan, Taipei
-Taipei Fine Arts Museum biennial The Great Acceleration, Patrick Van Caeckenbergh
October 5th: Wow, some intense descriptions of Japanese people versus Mainlanders (支那人) written by 柯徳三 (1922-2010) in his memoir 母国は日本、祖国は台湾. I wouldn’t be surprised if my Taiwanese host-great-grandfather wrote something similar. Makes me want to get back to Yilan ASAP to talk to 陳さん!
-Heheee early Xmas gifts from me to meeee
これから台灣に来る予定の人、台灣に来たことがある人、台灣、アジアと日本の関わりに興味がある人にぜひ読んで欲しい。(translation: for people who’ll be traveling to Taiwan, who’ve been to Taiwan, anyone interested in Taiwan, Asia and its relations to Japan, I’d like for you to read these)
-I wasn’t going to leave the museum without this (Taipei Fine Arts Museum)
-I saw someone with a rainbow flag this morning, and apparently there’s a marriage equality parade going on today! Would have loved to join, but I’m there in spirit! Here‘s a list of articles in regards to marriage equality in Taiwan.
(screenshot of photo in article)
-Some more info for the demand for marriage equality in Taiwan. Be on the right side of history. Article here.
(screenshot of online article)
October 6th: You gotta understand culture to get to people, that’s why I meshed anthro with art and business ; ) I can’t help it, I’m from a liberal arts college! Article form Business Insider here.
October 7th: I think a heads up about the existence of mice would have been nice. One less banana to eat for breakfast…
-It/they even got to my mango cream cookies given to me by my LET. This is when I happily picture my kitty munching on mice bones.
Each orange light, called 光明燈, has names of families or family members who are born this year (year of the horse), since they are most susceptable to bad luck. People can pay a couple hundred NTD to have their names on a light to ask for godly protection for an entire year.
Lao Yue (老月) is the deity in charge of tying a piece of red string on your pinky with the person you’re destined to be. I wonder what yes or no questions these girls are asking him ; )
More people chanting and praying on the west side of the temple.
What temple doesn’t have a merchandise stand?
The Scooter Chronicles 