BBQ

I forgot to mention the BBQ I went to last Tuesday for Moon Festival. It was a lot fun, mostly prepping for it. We BBQ-ed skewers of beef, peppers, mushrooms, and onions on the roof of someone's apartment buildin. It was yummy, but a slow process. It was fun to just be at a party and get to hang out with friends for a longer time than just after church or at small group. It felt fun to be doing the traditional Taiwanese thing of having a BBQ under the moon too! On the way home, I saw some local families squatting, doing their BBQ on the sidewalk in front of their house or store. It was funny. I also saw a kid with a pomelo rind on his head which is also a funny Moon Festival tradition. It's for good luck, I think.

Some pictures

Church Leaders Retreat

On Friday night after work, I left for The Pearl (my church) leaders retreat in nearby Green Bay- north of Taipei. It was weird to be included in this retreat as a leader since I still feel relatively new at the church, but since I am a small group leader, I was invited to go. And I am so glad I was. It was the most fun I've had in a really long time. We stayed at a Christian camp with a nice view of the ocean, though it was a little too far to walk to, so I never went in it. It was soooo nice to get out of the city for a couple of days and be in the midst of nature again! There were 12 of us and we had some sessions mixed with some fun times and getting to know each other. It was really interesting discussing the vision, mission, and strategy for the church. I've never been apart of such a young church and been involved in this way. It was really exciting! We stayed until Sunday afternoon. I just had so much fun getting to know the others better and just hanging out and sharing our hearts and our vision for the church. I kinda didn't want to come back...though I barely got any sleep there since we slept on the hard floor and had itty bitty pillows and I shared a room with a 1o mo. old and 3 others. There were 3 young married couples and that was also interesting...just comparing and sort of analyzing their marriages. haha. We also had fabulous food and it was all Western all weekend! The highlight was the nachos.

Then tonight at church the leaders were asked to share a little something, which was really scary getting up in front of the church. I shared about how I'd started coming to the church for mostly social reasons, but that I was challenged to get involved and invest and serve and so that's why I decided to co-lead a small group and just challenged the congregation to not worry about only being at the church a short time- but to just step up and get involved. We decided on a mission statement this weekend which states that "we are a community of disciples of Jesus that exists to provide a place to be restored, encouraged, equipped, and sent out, believing that we are all called to be workers for the harvest." We also discussed the vision for the church and used the analogy of an aircraft carrier. The Pearl is made up of many foreigners and locals and is a very transient body. So, the church is a place were people "dock" for a short time to "refuel," "get repaired," "get upgraded/trained" and then "take off" again back to our home countries or to other places. So we are constantly having people come and go and we want them to go having been restored, encouraged, and equipped so that they can be a light at their next destination. I am so excited to be apart of this...kinda happened suddenly, but I'm pumped about it. It's got me confused again though about my future... thinking that maybe I should stay here afterall? I want to really invest my time in this church and I'm having second thoughts about leaving in April. I don't know though....maybe it's just this weekend. I've had this thought before, but it has faded...so, we'll see. maybe God is trying to tell me something? I feel really confused. Then again I'm also really exhausted from the weekend and not thinking too clearly and am dreading work tomorrow. Yet, I also feel pumped and refreshed from the weekend too! It was good times.

Moon Festival

Happy Moon Festival! It's also called the Mid-Autumn Festival. This is basically a harvest festival and has many traditions and legends surrounding it. Some of my adult students tried to explain some but they all disagreed on the details and the story made no sense. Something to do with a queen, the moon, and a rabbit who makes medicine and cake? Something like that. This explains, somewhat the rabbit in 7-Eleven...sorta. :) Anyway, the biggest thing is to give moon cakes to people, so at school we collected quite a few. It's also tradition to eat pomelos and to have a BBQ under the moon. So, I've eaten the mooncakes, eaten the pomelo, and then tonight I am going to join some friends from church for the BBQ under the moon- on someone's roof. We had 2 days off for this holiday, but I always have Tuesdays off anyway. But it was so nice yesterday to sleep for 11 hours and then just totally relax the rest of the day!

clockwise from top: a Taiwan pomelo, my moon festival treats, a packaged green tea moon cake, what it looks like cut open...it didn't taste too good. Most of them don't. They are the kind of thing you eat only when you are really, really starving. :)

Simple Joys

Sometimes the simplest things can make one so happy. Today it was:

• finding red grapes at the supermarket and enjoying each bite of the delicious sweetness I haven't tasted in over a year!
  
• trying a Taiwanese specialty called luo wai? I think. You take a plastic basket and go to a buffet line and put whatever you want (veggies, tofu, meats, bamboo, pig ear, seafood) in your basket, then take it to another area and they fry it up for you with special sauces and noodles. Kind of a cross between Mongolian BBQ and hot pot, I guess, but it's all out on the street. I've wanted to try it for awhile, but wasn't sure how to do it. It's semi-tasty.
  
• having a wonderful Sunday with a great Biblestudy time, worship service, and fun times with friends after church. There's a girl in our Biblestudy who is a new believer and has so many questions and has been misled by JW's, so is a little confused. It was a great joy to help her through some questions and issues and show her clear answers in God's Word.
• this also made my day: a super jumbo giant sphere mango! Yes, that potato is normal size.

• rolling on the floor laughing which I haven't done since Christmas with my hilarious family. The cause of this uncontrollable laughter was a little website called I Can Has Cheezburger? So great.
• finally winning/finishing? solitaire on my iPod! I've been trying for months and can never win and tonight I did! hahahaha. Made my day!
• tomorrow is a holiday and though I kinda wanted to do something with friends, I also wanted a day to just totally relax and rest and since our plans fell through I can do just that. I'm so excited to sleep as late as I want to!
• and last thing- a live rabbit in 7-Eleven!! I'll explain it in my next post...about Moon Festival. Can you believe it? A rabbit just sitting on the checkout counter in a convenience store!? It's not a customer's pet- it's 7-Eleven's! So funny!
  

sorry the video is so shaky, I was trying to zoom out to show the store, but it wasn't working out.

HUGE answer to prayer!

Thank you all for your prayers about this license thing! God has answered them already! I got an email from Cedarville saying the problem is basically solved! The chairman of the Education Dept. gave special permission to have the time extended on my license application, so that I can turn it in in April when I get back to the US and get the fingerprinting and background check done. This is very unusual, so I am so thankful for this exception to the normal protocol. It saves me a lot of trouble and money! I am so relieved and just so thankful to not have to worry about this anymore or at least until April.

Thank you again for your prayers! :)

A Little Theory

I've developed this little theory about teaching English in a "cram school" such as the one I work at. As mentioned before, I am getting weary of this job and miss regular teaching sooo very much. This theory is related to why I believe I miss regular teaching so much and why I often struggle with work. I've talked to numerous other English teachers, both those certified as teachers and those who have some random college degree and are teaching English for whatever reason. So, I've done a little informal research for this theory. :)

Katie's Unofficial Theory: Teaching English at a Cram School is a Potentially Frustrating Career Move for Qualified and Certified Teachers*

• Learning English at a cram school is largely based on rote memorization and drilling which is not what regular teachers are used to or necessarily comfortable with and are taught not to do. Because of the memorization aspect, the students often cannot apply what they learn to another context or apply previous knowledge. It's so frustrating. If you change the memorized question or answer a tiny bit, they get completely thrown off and cannot answer you. Also, because of the memorization aspect, they often don't really learn the material or the language points. So, a few months later, they've already forgotten what they "knew" a few months earlier because they didn't really learn it. They just memorized it for the duration of the class (3 months) and enough to pass the exam. I get extremely excited when a student actually does apply something to another context or remembers something from before! It's so rare; it's exciting!
  
• Teaching English is incredibly formulaic. We are required to follow the same lesson format every single lesson and cannot get off schedule from the curriculum guide. We cannot slow down if the student need it or spend more time on a certain area. We simply have to keep going. There are strict guidelines to follow and very, very little freedom to do anything creative or different. It's the same thing every single day, basically, even though the words are different.
  
• Cram schools are primarily businesses, not schools. Therefore, the focus is on making money not on the education of the students. Due to this, many things are done to make sure the parents are happy, so that the school doesn't lose their business. Some of these "things" are very fishy, involve bad teaching practice, and some are downright unfair. Nearly all decisions made are about money and that's what the purpose of the school ultimately is. A business venture for the owners. This is drastically different from regular teaching where the focus is entirely on education and meeting the students' needs (ok, well there may be some regular schools that have lost this focus or are focused on test results alone.) But this is how we are trained to focus during college...on meeting the students needs...there's no talk of money!
  
• Cram schools are rather unprofessional in many ways. As just noted, the focus is not on the students, but on money. Additionally, many of the materials used are locally made by the actual school and therefore are quite low quality. Some of them are simply bizarre, disorganized, confusing, and the tests are often unfair. It's quite frustrating.
  
• Teaching second language learners itself is quite frustrating. It's very difficult to develop relationships with students because they understand so little and are often so shy to speak to the teacher casually or outside of class. I real miss that about regular teaching a lot. There is also a high turn-over rate of students, so that also makes getting to know them quite difficult. Teaching in a second language also means that discipline is incredibly difficult. They don't understand directions and if they are naughty, it's hard to explain to them why what they are doing is wrong or how they can change or why I took the action I did in helping them change their behavior. It's totally lost on them. I end up managing behavior in ways I was taught not to in college and doing things I don't want to do simply because there's no way around it when they can't understand you.
  
• It's incredibly difficult to give students the individual attention and help they need. There is simply not enough time. I only have an hour and a half with each class and then I have another class that starts right after, usually, so I have to leave. We can't go later. We have to end on time or the parents will complain. I also simply have too many students and classes to help individual students. Everything is always so rushed. It stresses me out. I feel so bad and frustrated that I cannot help the students individually and give them the help and attention they need.
  
• Many things I see and have to do or endure are simply bad teaching practice and go against what I've been taught. Students are promoted to higher levels of English when then haven't even mastered the lower level, students are in classes way beyond their ability level, discipline problems and special needs are simply ignored or tolerated and un-dealt with. Cheating is not a serious offense and students are often fed the answers. The standards are wishy-washy and students are constantly slipping through the cracks.
  

Now, I know that these criticisms of "cram schools" are not really legitimate educational concerns because afterall, they are not regular schools and don't claim to be. So, I am not complaining about my school, but rather giving reasons why it is hard to be in this kind of setting when you ARE a trained teacher who is used to much different standards and a different system and focus. In talking to other English teachers, I have found that those most satisfied with teaching at a "cram school" are those who are not actual certified teachers. Those who are teachers are the ones most bothered by these things because obviously, we've been trained otherwise and have a much different perspective on teaching. I have just had to accept that this is completely different and try as hard as I possibly can not to do too many things that go against what I've learned all the while trying not to get in trouble with my bosses either. I just hope I don't forget how to be a good regular teacher!

So, that's the end of my theory...I hope it doesn't sound too negative or too much like I'm complaining. I mean, I am thankful for my job and what I've learned and I knew somewhat what I was getting into when I signed the contract. I've delayed posting this because of 3 reasons. I feel like much of my blog is negative and didn't want another negative post. The other 2 reasons are 2 people: one of my best friends from college who is also a certified teacher and is planning on coming here to teach English next year (I didn't want to scare her off, but she asked me to post this!) and the other person is a co-worker who reads this (but, we're friends and I trust her). I know God led me here and even to this job and particular school, so I am thankful for his leading and his peace despite work frustrations.

*I do have my diploma, ACSI certificate, and application for my Ohio certification...but just not the actual certification itself, so, I am certified, but only partially, I guess. (see previous posts)

Links

• Big news in Taiwan today! Too bad I missed it because I had to work. But as hoped, "we" made international news! I just saw it mentioned on CNN for all of 5 seconds!
  
• I finally found my town on a map! (then I customized it for your convenience).
• My tiny "hometown" of Muncie, IN made the Odd News on Yahoo! I'm so proud.
  

Frustrated beyond belief

So, I was having a wonderful week...but it has slowly deteriorated into complete frustration. I am having a HUGE problem with getting my Ohio teaching license. It's quite a long story, but basically, when I left for China last Sept., I wasn't aware that I was supposed to complete an application for my license and get a criminal background check and fingerprinting done. So, in June when I still hadn't received my license (I didn't press it before that because of I assumed there may have been a mix up with my actual graduating date- Dec. vs. the expected May) and my friends who graduated in May had theirs....I knew there was a problem. So, I emailed Cedarville and found out that the problem was that I hadn't even applied for one (which I didn't know I was supposed to have done last Sept.). So, then I sent an application for CU to send to the Ohio Dept. of Education. Well, weeks went by and I didn't hear from CU despite my emails inquiring if they'd even received my application. Finally, last week I emailed one of my professors to help me figure out what was going on. Well, the person who handles this sort of stuff left the department in July, so somehow my application got "lost in the shuffle." Argh. So, then I thought I was all set until I was told that CU can't send Ohio my application because I haven't had a criminal check and fingerprinting done in 3 years. But the catch is that this can only be done in OH! And what's worse is that there is a time restriction. I have to have this done by Dec. 6th as that is when I officially graduated from CU a year ago! So, somehow I've got to get this done by then or I can't get my Ohio license and have to apply to another state sometime or I have to go back to CU and do some extra course work and re-graduate!

So, basically, I have 3 options which are all a little unclear at this point.

1. Fly back to the US just to have this criminal check and fingerprinting done.
2. Let the time lapse on applying for an Ohio license and then next year try to apply to another state, which may mean doing some other required tests or classes. :(
   
3. Let the time lapse and then next year return to CU and complete any course work that is required to met the current graduating standards and then receive my license when I complete whatever needs to be done.
   

I was hoping to teach in Ohio next year...and taking more classes or tests seems almost worse right now than shelling out $1000+ and taking up the vacation days I'm saving for Christmas to fly back to the US!
So, needless to say, I am really frustrated and discouraged. I don't know what to do. I feel really frustrated with CU as well that they let me just "slip through the cracks" and now I'm stuck in this position. I was given the OK to leave for China and even asked then and in Dec. on the phone with CU whether there was anything else I needed to do....somehow it got overlooked that I hadn't done these important steps and no one caught it until June and then ignored my emails in August and forgot about me again until I emailed again last week. I am also just really regretting graduating early and doing student teaching overseas which is what threw everything off. It has caused more problems....arghh.... And I was having such a good week too....

I'd appreciate your prayers.

Milestones

As of today, I have been overseas for one whole year (except for those 6 days in December in PA). I can't believe it's been a full year. Sometimes that seems so long; other times it seems like it's gone by so fast. It's been quite the roller coaster of a year that's for sure.

Last week my parents celebrated 30 years of being overseas as missionaries! Considering just what I've learned recently about missions from working at ABWE last summer, seeing how a missionary community works in China, and being here as sorta a single missionary in a sense... I have a new and deeper admiration for my parents and their dedication to missions and the people of South East Asia. My 1 year of experiences, challenges, lessons, and blessings...versus their 30 years of experiences, challenges, lessons, and many blessings given to them and the huge blessing that they have been to countless others. I am so proud of them! :)

Answer to prayer!

I had a wonderful day at work today which was so weird because I had a super lousy week last week packed full of frustration and bad moods. I was really praying for a more positive week and a better attitude. And I had a great weekend and then a great start to the week! Thank God for his grace!

Update

The earthquake I felt two days ago was a 6.5!

I finally tried a local Mexican restaurant here in NanKan last night. I've been meaning to try it for months and finally got around to it! It was the most bizarre, but delightful experience. I went into this hole in the wall restaurant which was packed with junk, but no other customers! I ordered an enchilada and it was served to me complete with a garnish and everything within 10 minutes. It was really, really delicious too! I asked the only employee-the owner and cook how she learned to make Mexican food and she told me that 15 years ago she lived in Texas and worked at Chi-Chi's! hahahahaha. The restaurant had some Mexican decor, but also had a lot of random stuff like clothes, bags, and knick-knacks that I wasn't sure if they were for sale or what? I kinda felt like I was in this lady's house! So, it was all very weird...but yummy food! I'll definitely be back. I asked her if she had a lot of customers and she said she did, so maybe next time I won't be the only one.

Since my attempts to find a group class to learn Chinese failed because of my unusual schedule, I bought a book with a CD to learn myself! Lol. This will be interesting for sure! I've already done one hour so far- numbers and tones! We'll see how disciplined I can be with this...

Earthquake!

Oh my! We just had an earthquake! It was so scary, I'm still shaking and I feel like I might throw up. I didn't think earthquakes scared me, but being alone and on the 13th floor of a really high apartment building makes it a little scary. I felt like I was watching a movie seeing everything swinging like that, especially my glass lighting fixture, which I was afraid was going to come crashing down any second. It was really scary. I was just heading to my closet to take cover when it stopped. It was probably only a minute long, but it was a scary minute!

I don't remember my last earthquake too well...the last one must have been in 1990 in Manila and it lead to me being saved! I just remember being in a swimming pool with my family and being tipped and spilled out with the water! And then running out into the nearby yard. I don't really remember if I was that scared. But the next day or whenever, my brother was reading the death toll in the newspaper and told me very matter-of-fact that if I had died in the earthquake, I wouldn't have gone to heaven because I wasn't a Christian. At 5 years old, I was petrified and asked my mom how I could go to heaven.

Ok, I think I've calmed down now...whew!

Yay, it's September

Well, not much new going on here...but thought I should update anyway since it's been awhile.
The new Biblestudy that I mentioned I was asked to co-lead for new believers is now going to happen! We're starting in 2 weeks. We are going to go through the book, The Fight by John White. It's supposed to be really good for new believers. I am very excited and nervous about this new opportunity to get involved and to minister to others.

This month on the Chinese calendar is "Ghost Month." I've had a couple of my adult students try to explain it to me. It's very interesting, yet really sad. Basically, the gates of hell are opened up for a month and ghosts are allowed to come up to earth and do as they wish. So, because of all the ghosts supposedly around, people take extra caution during this month and don't take risks like getting married or buying a new house. Also, to ward off the ghosts' mischief, they have to offer them food and drinks and incense on the first, middle, and last days of the month. People are always making offerings and burning "ghost money" on the first and middle of the month, but during this month it is even more important and they do more. It's very sad.

Well, sorry, I guess that's really all to report...hahaha. I'll try to think of something more exciting next time.