Merry Christmas!
Sorry for not writing at all lately. Life has been crazy! I’ve been working a lot of hours and making and losing lots of friends. It’s funny how that works with the foreigner community in Taiwan. People are always coming and going and you make and break connections at a quick pace.
I was just asked if I had happy today. “Do you have happy?” by the laundry lady downstairs. Then she realized that she meant to ask me if I had a party today for Christmas. I replied in Chinese with “Meiyou” or “I don’t have”.
It’s odd because I went to Chili’s with a friend tonight as our “Christmas dinner”. We walked around the mall and looked at all the Christmas decorations but were still unable to feel the true spirit of Christmas amidst all the decorations. For example, this week in class I tried to read the Dr. Suess story “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” but only one really clever boy was able to understand what I meant.
I’ll miss everyone this Christmas just as I missed you this Thanksgiving. I’m actually glad for the holidays to be over next week so I can get back to enjoying myself abroad. It’s tough when you’re constantly reminded of what you left behind.
But not to make it seem like I’ve been totally sad. I’ve actually been overall having a good time. I’ve been meeting great people, growing as a teacher, and I’m about to start studying Chinese full-time. It’s been an amazing 2007 for me. I’ve graduated from college (Heidi Edit: Actually in 2006), moved to another country, and am working on a huge language and cultural exchange. Though it’s still the Year of the Pig (my year) in Chinese custom so we’ll see what happens from now until Chinese New Year.
Obligatory Thanksgiving Post
Although I can’t have a real Thanksgiving celebration, it doesn’t make me any less thankful for everything that I have in my life.
My Grandparents: I’m thankful for my Grandma and Grandpa who have done everything for me. I would not be who I am today without them. Your sacrifices are infinite and I love you so much that it hurts. I only hope to make you more and more proud.
My Dad: Thanks for always being a voice of reason in a world of chaos. You’ve helped me level my head many times and I won’t forget it.
My Mom: For showing me where my creativity, imagination, and lively spirit come from.
My Uncle Leo: I don’t know how to begin to thank you but I appreciate the kindness and love that you have always shown to me. It means the world.
My Aunt Martha: For encouraging me to travel and explore the world and all its wonder.
The rest of my beautiful family: I could go on individually for hours but I just want everyone to know that I appreciate the support through everything in my life. You’ve been there for me since I was a little baby, a curious young girl, and a moody adolescent. It does not go unnoticed and I love you all in very unique and special ways.
To my friends: Thanks for all the support, the laughs, and the memories. Although I don’t get to see many of you all the time, you are in my heart and mind. Thanks for always trying to keep in touch. For my new friends, thanks for being so amazing and being so kind and open during this time of great change. I hope we will always stay close and in touch.
To everyone else who may read this: Take some time to thank someone today. Not only does it feel good but it’s also good for human morale. We have to lift each other up in order to keep the earth spinning. I love you all. Happy Thankgiving from a silly California girl in Taiwan.
What’s up with the trash, Taiwan?
There is never a morning that goes by where I’m not awakened by the sound of Fur Elise coming from the streets of Taichung. Some Americans might be tempted to run outside for the ice cream man. In fact, I think it may just be a cruel joke that the Taiwan government plays on Americans living in Taiwan. If I were to run outside in anticipation of a sweet and cold delight, I would be gravely disappointed.
The sound that has become my alarm clock on many a morning is actually the garbage truck. Yes, the garbage truck plays music. Ice cream truck music even. But this isn’t even the worst part of trash in Taiwan.
There are no public trashcans . Seriously. There are virtually none except for the measly ones that you will find in front of 7-11′s (which are a WHOLE ‘nother story entirely).
This leads to people either having to hold onto their trash until they get home or throwing it on the already polluted streets. It doesn’t seem to phase anyone but I started to ask my Taiwanese friends about it.
“What’s up? Why are there no trash cans in public?”, I asked as I tried to figure out if it were some sort of cultural difference that I’m not keen to.
“I don’t know. I can’t answer that. It’s a big problem”
Hmm… It appears that I’m not alone in this sentiment. A little research shows that the public opinion is that insufficient public trash cans are a huge problem. So, what’s the deal Taiwan? How hard is it to put out some public trash cans and have them properly disposed of? I can deal with the Fur Elise and even the burning trash thing but I really need something to properly dispose of my Zen Zu Ni Cha. Work on it.
Being a Teacher
So, I love being a teacher. It’s tough, it’s trying and it can really get to you sometimes but overall it is very rewarding.
However, I’ve been feeling a lot of work related pressure lately. I have only been teaching for three months but I’m really frustrated that I’m not a better teacher yet. Yes, I know that it takes time and yadda yadda yadda but I feel like I have the natural ability and the drive to be better than I am currently.
The tough part about teaching in Taiwan is that you are constantly being scrutinized based on performance. You are subject to frequent (if not daily) observations by both Chinese teachers and your direct managers. Sometimes these observations can affect your pay raise or even your job status. What’s tough about teaching for an established school with a set curriculum is that the the material may not always make sense to the teacher. You are forced to teach lessons that are poorly put together or ill-explained in your teacher’s manual. I suppose it’s better than coming up with your curriculum but sometimes I wonder if I couldn’t do a better job if everything wasn’t quite so rigid.
Teaching ESL is also difficult in itself. You must constantly think of new games and ways of challenging students while also keeping them interested. Many times, students will have no drive to learn the second language and you have to create that drive through consistent praise and effective stimulation. None of these things are easy tasks and especially difficult for the new teacher.
Despite all the difficulties that you face as a teacher, if you are truly a TEACHER then you find that will to move past your obstacles. You find a will to grow, to change, to adapt and to progress. Just because one holds the title of teacher; does not make one a teacher and does not make one no longer a student. I hope I can remember to always be a student of life and to take this as an opportunity to grow not only as an educator but also a human being.
The Best Part of Taiwan
I’ve been meaning to take some pictures of my kids and I finally got a chance.
These are Kindy kids. I’m subbing a class for a friend.
The kid on the right is named “Computer”. Seriously. I can’t make this stuff up.
This is a Treehouse kid. Treehouse is the program for graduates of Kindy. Gina is so adorable and an amazing artist.
This is my class and my favorite one at that. These are Kid’s Club kids and they are learning about animals right now. I have them once a week and this is my whole class! Only four cute little students. They are Minnie, Max, Melody, and Andy.
I hope you’re as happy as I am to see these kids. They are truly little joys and make all the effort worth it. Even though I’m only subbing some of these classes, they make a huge impact on my experience in Taiwan.
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Random post
Some things I’ve noticed:
- People in Taiwan seem to be obsessed with age. There is a man named Mr. Lin who hangs out outside our apartment building. He brings us green tea and tries to communicate with us. Granted, his English skills are lacking but he frequently points at me and holds up 2 fingers and then 4 fingers. This means that I’m 24. And then he points back to himself with 5 fingers and 0 fingers. Mr. Lin is 50 and this is very important. I will never forget it.
- “Buh-bye” is frequently used to say “Goodbye” in Taiwan. It seems to be almost a universal way of saying goodbye. Or maybe it’s just easier than always saying “Zaijian!”
- “OK” is also universal. It is thought to be the most widely recognized word in the world. Which is strange when you think about the origins of OK.
Things are getting better and I’m starting to get out of the mode of constantly comparing things here to back home. I had been used to frequently saying to myself “Well, this isn’t how we do it in America”. Slowly, I’m getting out of that mindset and adjusting to living in Taiwan. While it’s a very differently culture in many ways, it is also very similar to home. While certain concepts of law, logic, and relationships may vary or appear to be different; humans are basically the same creatures with the same wants and needs. It’s amazing the perspective that is gained by living in another country and I wouldn’t want to lose this experience for the world.
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Arriving in Taipei
So, I know it’s a bit late but I’m finding myself with tons of time to blog so I’m going to go backwards for a minute.
The following is a video that I took after I arrived in Taipei. The girls pictured were on the same flight out of LAX with me. This is a short video of us checking out the area around our hotel in Taipei. Check it out!
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Americans are rude and arrogant
Of course, I know better. Not all Americans are rude and arrogant, right? Americans get a bad rap overseas as being arrogant, ignorant of other cultures, and frankly just plain rude.
Or do we? Is some of this stereotyping and prejudice actually more close to an accurate perception than a farce?
The other day I went to one of my favorite places to eat in Taichung. It’s near my gym and my branch and they serve healthy American style food. For example, I always order the chicken sub sandwich on wheat. However, I always point to it on the menu and make a point to say “Wo yao zhe ge” or “Ji ro”. The first being, “I want this one” and the second being “Chicken”.
The point is that I’m making an effort to learn Chinese. Although the young Taiwanese man behind the counter might very well understand me if I spoke in English, I find it someone presumptive to force my language on him. It wasn’t very difficult for me to learn a few simple phrases in Chinese so why not use them?
I sat down waited for my “ji ro” when I couldn’t help but notice a very loud and obviously American man sitting next to me.
The sight was somewhat disruptive. He was sitting with a Taiwanese girl and yelling at her in English. Although, to him, he was simply talking.
“Ugh, this song is TERRIBLE! Just horrible. Hey, KILL THE MUSIC! KILL THE MUSIC!”, he screams to the Taiwanese man behind the counter.
The man working behind the counter looks puzzled but eventually changes the station.
“Oh, god that song is awful. It’s a Chinese version of a Linda Ronstadt song from the 1970′s. She sung it with Chris Christopherson. Horrible song and even worse in Chinese”
The waiter then brings him his drink and he says, “Thanks!”… However, when greeted with a blank stare he continues to say, “Thanks!” over and over until the poor waiter finally says “Xie Xie” or thanks in Chinese.
I’m sitting there wondering if I should have gotten my “ji ro” sandwich to go. I really enjoy my quiet times in this restaurant. I watch the news in Chinese and try to pick up some words that I know. I listen to whatever they play on the radio and I make sure to say “Xie xie” when I leave.
I exit and proceed to work where I begin a conversation with a fellow teacher about how he find Americans to be very arrogant, rude, and ignorant to other cultures. I defend America and say that “Well, not everyone is like that… I mean, sure, some are but…”
I find myself thinking about my recent experience with the American at the nearby restaurant and I actually change my opinion mid-conversation.
After relaying my story to my British friend, he replies, “Well, that’s exactly what I’m talking about”.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I make a special point to try my best to use the language of the country that I’m in. I don’t know many words but I will try to utilize the ones that I do and I attempt to learn new ones all the time. It is true that many Taiwanese people can understand and speak some English but honestly, why should they be expected to? The pressure should remain on the foreigner to try to adapt to their current living environment. I hold an American passport and to that I will hold true. However, when does being proud to be an American end? When does it simply become blind arrogance? I’m not sure but I hope that I can change some Taiwanese people’s minds about foreigners and Americans. I know I can’t destroy a stereotype on my own but maybe if I try hard enough then I can change just one person’s mind.
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This might hurt a little.
The sub-title of Michael Moore’s newest film, “SiCKO”, is same as the title of this blog entry. Yes, Mr. Moore, it did hurt a little. The original reason that I waited so long to watch the film was because I knew that it would be depressing. Who wants to hear about the woes of sick, dying, and *gasp* deceased people?
Being that I’m at home with a cold, I finally pushed played on Quicktime and watched my pirated version of Michael Moore’s SiCKO.
The movie was obviously biased as all Michael Moore films are. However, is it truly possible to create an unbiased work of film? Or at least one that would be worth watching? I don’t believe so. Either way, I’m not going to offer a synopsis of the film as many are available with a simple Google search. You can find Moore lovers and haters alike. I’m sure that conservatives already have released an anti-SiCKO movie with the title of “Moore is a Sicko. A dirty commie sicko” or something similar. Seriously, just see the film.
I could sit here and argue about for profit versus non-profit in America. Hey, who likes waiting for hours at the DMV? Or who likes paying hundreds of dollars in speeding tickets to the government? Wow, did you hear how long it took for the fire department to arrive at Mr. Jones’ house last week? These are all painfully trivial concerns.
The truth is that there ARE millions of Americans without health care. The truth is that those with health care are not receiving the coverage that they should be. Often times, people are forced into debt in order to pay for relatively minor procedures. Worse, people end up dying due to improper coverage. The truth is that people that you know are not receiving anywhere near the care that is necessary. The truth is that people are taking drugs that they don’t need and can’t afford the ones that they do.
But we’re talking about America. We’re talking about a place where people will argue until they are blue in the face about the prospect of paying for another person’s health care. “Why should I pay? It’s not my fault they are sick. Why should I have to pay more taxes so some jerk that I don’t know can live a few more years?”
I don’t have the answers to these questions. I do know that I would pay whatever it took for my grandma to go a single day without coughing. I would do whatever necessary to have a few extra days with the ones I love. I know that everyone out there; conservatives, liberals, hippies, and socialists alike would like the same things for their loved ones.
So, what is it really going to take to change the minds of American people? Will we continue to be terrified of a scary socialized medical system? Will be cower in fright over the thought of non-profit health care? Will we get the willies when we consider the idea of the continuation of capitalism by means that don’t KILL us?
While we consider these grave issues, I hope everyone can take comfort in the fact that Kaiser Permanente continues to get richer, the CEOs of Blue Shield will all get their bonus this Christmas, and that I will relieve my cold with Taiwanese medicine for 80 cents.
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How to reach Heidi
I think that some people are wondering how they can best contact me while I’m in Taiwan.
The number one BEST way is to use Skype.
Skype is a multi-functional program. First, you can contact me for free by simply downloading the application and sending a call to “heidibriones”. It’s as simple as that. I’m usually online if I’m at home. This is the best way to talk to me because it’s free for both of us. Second, you can buy some Skype minutes and call my international phone number. It’s really really cheap to make these calls. I mean 3 cents a minute cheap. Third, I may eventually get a Skype-in account where you can call a U.S. number which will forward to my cell phone.
Electronically, you can e-mail me at heidibriones@gmail.com. You can comment on my blog (which I really appreciate! Keep them coming). You could even join my forum at heidibriones.com/forum.
Please check my blog for frequent updates. They will be more frequent as I’m getting used to my schedule and becoming more comfortable teaching. I love being a teacher and I love living in Taiwan!
P.S. – Will someone PLEASE help Grandma set-up her Skype account? I left her a headset and everything. Uncle Leo? Dad? Aaron? Someone?
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