The Talking Traveller

And it is with a great sigh of relief that I can post a blog again. I have been in Taiwan for exactly 2 weeks now and it has been a emotion activating experience. As previously stated I spend the first week living-in with South-African friends. They have helped me tremendously and I cannot express my gratitude enough, Thank you Dirk and Mathilda, you are two amazing people for whom I will always think very highly of. In this two weeks I have build my foundation in terms of a job, apartment and transportation, and have so secured and committed myself to this life for a year. I have moved in with another charming south-african fellow and we officially moved into our apartment on thursday night. The walls are still a bit on the empty side, but it is our home, but flavour and colouring will be added pretty soon.  

I am teacing at a bushiban(after school ....school) and I have a total of 15.5 teaching hours a week. I am still on probation and will receive confirmation of my post at the end of this week. Teaching envolves basically speaking very clearly (with a fake american accent), smiling alot, playing games, and basically keeping the pupils awake and interested for a certain amount of time. I have not really received any training and I'm teaching from my heart and the creative part of my brain. I am the only foreign teacher at my school, and my boss can bearly speak english. I have no real teachers guide or a chinese co-teacher, so I can do my own thing. I will not hesitate to admit that my first week had me very nervous, standing with my face towards the white board, marker in hand, the principle's eyes and those of  six eager taiwaneeses burning in the back of my neck, I was not sure how I would teach, but somehow I made it. My speech during class is very good and in control and I enjoy performing all the antics neccessary to keep mouths shut and smiling. My classes are not very big at about 3-6 pupils each.My classes are usually in the evenings until seven, even on fridays! Where in south africa would you see that...........It is evident that these people may be afraid of english sometimes, but they are definately not afraid of work or putting in all the effort neccesary.

Today's highlight is that I went to fetch my scooter, 125 cc's of pure blue power! Taiwan is the country with the biggest population of scooters in the world, and is the most prominant method of transport. It is a real thrill zooming through the busy streets past unreadable signs keeping an open eye for recognizable english street names....

Then as always, about my speech....how is my speech.....not up to my expected standard......too many fumbles and stumbles,and that's all I have to say about that. It's not a problem, never will be , ever again.But with my foundation now secured I can focus more on practicing, and that is good. I have taught myself some 36 chinese characters that I can recognize at this stage....only about 1464 to go then I can almost read a simply written newspaper, and my chopstick manouvers are improving by the day. Be on the lookout for some photo's soon and more frequent updates.  TT