Thursday, September 8, 2011
David Guetta - Nothing But The Beat
('http://www.youtube.com/p/59C8E3D1862000A8?version=3&hl=en_US',)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wildlife Conservation Society
So I sent in the letter - if you think this is something you could take the time to support — it only takes ONE minute literally — then please go to this website! Thank you!!! (taken from the website:)
By writing your members of Congress, you're helping to ensure a future for threatened wildlife overseas. Since they can't thank you themselves we hope you'll accept our thanks on their behalf!
Will you ask your friends and family to join you, too?
Make sure your friends and family know what's at stake. Forward the letter below!
---- FORWARD THE EMAIL BELOW ----
By writing your members of Congress, you're helping to ensure a future for threatened wildlife overseas. Since they can't thank you themselves we hope you'll accept our thanks on their behalf!
Will you ask your friends and family to join you, too?
Make sure your friends and family know what's at stake. Forward the letter below!
---- FORWARD THE EMAIL BELOW ----
Hi-
Can you imagine what it would be like if tigers, elephants and other amazing species no longer roamed throughout Africa or Asia? If the animals that loomed so large in our childhood imaginations could only be found in history books?
Throughout Africa and Asia, the number of tigers, elephants, and other amazing species are dwindling due to loss of habitat, poachers and other threats. The U.S. can help save these magnificent creatures, but only if Congress continues its support for international conservation programs.
That's why I just wrote to my members of Congress, letting them know what's at stake and asking them to support reauthorization of conservation programs overseas. These programs could make the difference for the future of elephants and other threatened species – but only if Congress takes action.
Visit the page below send a letter to your members of Congress, urging them to fully fund conservation programs that save elephants.
http://e.wcs.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=379
Sending your message only takes a minute – thank you for joining me!
Can you imagine what it would be like if tigers, elephants and other amazing species no longer roamed throughout Africa or Asia? If the animals that loomed so large in our childhood imaginations could only be found in history books?
Throughout Africa and Asia, the number of tigers, elephants, and other amazing species are dwindling due to loss of habitat, poachers and other threats. The U.S. can help save these magnificent creatures, but only if Congress continues its support for international conservation programs.
That's why I just wrote to my members of Congress, letting them know what's at stake and asking them to support reauthorization of conservation programs overseas. These programs could make the difference for the future of elephants and other threatened species – but only if Congress takes action.
Visit the page below send a letter to your members of Congress, urging them to fully fund conservation programs that save elephants.
http://e.wcs.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=379
Sending your message only takes a minute – thank you for joining me!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
St. Tammany's Shelter
This is a really good cause and even though I know very few people actually read this blog, I still wanted to put it up. It's easy to do, just go to the website and vote and you can help a really wonderful shelter have the opportunity to save even more animals.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tunes for this week~ ♫☆♪
Click on the links if you dare.... dun dun dun....
No really, if you'd like to check out some great tunes — that I happen to be listening to this week — then look no further! Or actually, DO look further!
First, we have some loooooovely French/English music:
No really, if you'd like to check out some great tunes — that I happen to be listening to this week — then look no further! Or actually, DO look further!
First, we have some loooooovely French/English music:
And LOVE these songs by Zazie
Melanie Pain: Ignore Moi & Girls and Boys
La Fille De La Bande:
Pauline:
Now for some English songs:
Big Jet Plane:
I LOVE this song from Two Door Cinema Club!!!
And then we have Julian Perretta: Stitch Me Up
And Radar Detector by Darwin Deez
Adelle Set Fire to the Rain remix :)
Micheal Buble: Mack the Knife
Ok that is probably enough for now - I could go on and on! :) Hope you enjoyed this week's showcase of tunes and found a few that you enjoyed! Cheers! :D
Saturday, June 18, 2011
PARADE!
So this morning as I puttering around my apartment with my full-blown cold trying to clean I heard the not-so-unusal barrrage of fireworks somewhere nearby that sounded like a volley of machine gun fire... Or not so much but anyway, it always makes me think of that old ebaumsworld video of the end of the world with the line, "fire zee missiiiiles," when they are going off at any hour and in any weather... You hear them so much though for all sorts of things that you don't really think anything of it after a while. So on my way back from a nearby breakfast shop you can imagine my surprise when I discovered there was a full blown parade going on outside - I had run through the parade at one point just to get back to my house — traffic was a mess, there were cops on scooters everywhere, and fireworks being shot off in the street. About 20 minutes later I went out to take my laundry to the laundromat and the parade was still going on outside so I ran back up and got my camera, snapped some photos and got a few videos because the music and the different vehicles were just too interesting to miss. Enjoy!
The first one is just a short video of one of the trucks that made me think of a Fire Engine that had been attacked by the Rio Carnival...
and here are a few more videos :) i liked the children with the dragon...on roller blades <3
The first one is just a short video of one of the trucks that made me think of a Fire Engine that had been attacked by the Rio Carnival...
Now compare the music of that one to this one:
and here are a few more videos :) i liked the children with the dragon...on roller blades <3
Sunday, June 5, 2011
A wow moment....
Tomorrow is Dragon Boat Festival. Yesterday I went to Juifen with my friends and got to experience a really beautiful vintage town on the side of a mountain facing out to sea. And today my neighbors from down the hall GAVE me four free tickets to the movie theater down the block...
I always say hello to the lady and her son when I see them but I'm rarely ever able to communicate anything beyond that, but she always remembers my name... I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never learned their names — and they only know mine because a nice lady on the 7th floor who has impeccable English talks to me sometimes and has apparently told people my name....
Earlier in the week I was passing the bank on the corner of our building when my neighbor came rushing out and tried to tell me about some free ticket deal at the theater. I got about 60% percent of what she was saying but I was missing the critical bits so it was pretty hopeless. I felt really bad because I could tell she was trying to do me a favor, but I thought she wanted to take me somewhere or get me to buy some product or something. We couldn't communicate and we finally had to awkwardly give up — with both of us feeling a bit frustrated. I thought it was really sweet of her to try though.
Then today on my way back from the convenient store (with yet another meal of salad and yogurt) I ran into her and her son. He speaks some English so she really excitedly told him to start telling me about the tickets.
"We put the movie tickets in your mailbox so please feel free to use them," he said.
I was floored to say the least. I went inside, found them in my box with a nice note in English explaining what they were and I was so touched... I immediately wrote a thank you card and went down to the local dessert shop and bought an assortment of fancy cakes and took it over. I tried to leave really quickly but the mom insisted that the son give me two cans of some drink from Germany...turns out it was a dark malt of some kind... I think I drank a beer tonight.... Hell has frozen over. Ha ha. It was actually ok though, so I'm not sure if it really was beer or not... But it was very sweet of them so I gave it a try and will actually be happy to drink the second can later. A few minutes after I took over the cake I was sitting in my apartment with...very few articles of clothing on because it was hot and I was saving electricity... when I heard a knock on my door. I ran around frantically trying to get clothes on as I heard another knock and then my dying-duck-doorbell went off before I could get a shirt on. When I finally got dressed and to the door the boy and his sister — who I've never seen — were standing outside to tell me that when I wanted to use the tickets I needed to go reserve the seats first.
Today was definitely one of those days where my lack of Chinese broke my heart, but it was really a special thing to have happen. They are definitely some of the nicest neighbors I've ever had — certainly far better than the psychotic, axe-murderer, screamer kings that live right next door that call security on me for talking on the phone... in a normal voice... urk...
So here's to the neighbors that made my day and warmed my heart *cheers!*
I always say hello to the lady and her son when I see them but I'm rarely ever able to communicate anything beyond that, but she always remembers my name... I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never learned their names — and they only know mine because a nice lady on the 7th floor who has impeccable English talks to me sometimes and has apparently told people my name....
Earlier in the week I was passing the bank on the corner of our building when my neighbor came rushing out and tried to tell me about some free ticket deal at the theater. I got about 60% percent of what she was saying but I was missing the critical bits so it was pretty hopeless. I felt really bad because I could tell she was trying to do me a favor, but I thought she wanted to take me somewhere or get me to buy some product or something. We couldn't communicate and we finally had to awkwardly give up — with both of us feeling a bit frustrated. I thought it was really sweet of her to try though.
Then today on my way back from the convenient store (with yet another meal of salad and yogurt) I ran into her and her son. He speaks some English so she really excitedly told him to start telling me about the tickets.
"We put the movie tickets in your mailbox so please feel free to use them," he said.
I was floored to say the least. I went inside, found them in my box with a nice note in English explaining what they were and I was so touched... I immediately wrote a thank you card and went down to the local dessert shop and bought an assortment of fancy cakes and took it over. I tried to leave really quickly but the mom insisted that the son give me two cans of some drink from Germany...turns out it was a dark malt of some kind... I think I drank a beer tonight.... Hell has frozen over. Ha ha. It was actually ok though, so I'm not sure if it really was beer or not... But it was very sweet of them so I gave it a try and will actually be happy to drink the second can later. A few minutes after I took over the cake I was sitting in my apartment with...very few articles of clothing on because it was hot and I was saving electricity... when I heard a knock on my door. I ran around frantically trying to get clothes on as I heard another knock and then my dying-duck-doorbell went off before I could get a shirt on. When I finally got dressed and to the door the boy and his sister — who I've never seen — were standing outside to tell me that when I wanted to use the tickets I needed to go reserve the seats first.
Today was definitely one of those days where my lack of Chinese broke my heart, but it was really a special thing to have happen. They are definitely some of the nicest neighbors I've ever had — certainly far better than the psychotic, axe-murderer, screamer kings that live right next door that call security on me for talking on the phone... in a normal voice... urk...
Some negatives....
1.) The fact that every time I commute back and forth between work and home I constantly have heart-in-mouth-lungs-stuttering near death experiences...
 |
| found at: http://livingintaiwan.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/motor-scootering-in-taiwan/ |
Traffic in Taiwan looks a little like a chaotic sea of smoke and metal and shimmering plastic smudged with soot, crowded with people wearing a variety of helmets (from the "pudding bowl" helmets, and the ones reminiscent of World War II fighters, to the full-protection motor cycle helmets — or my favorite: the construction worker hardhats) blue trucks, taxi drivers, cars, fork-lifts, large trucks and buses. 
All of which drive with what appears to be, at first glance, very little rhyme nor reason. Rules don't seem to apply, people force their way across on left turns — regularly cutting off traffic with reckless abandon. Red lights are run and people simply lay on their horns as if this makes the fact that they are zipping across a large intersection on a red perfectly safe. Driving carefully and cautiously seems to only get you in trouble — a lesson that I learned after I got the lovely scar on my right arm when a taxi bowled me over and I wiped out through a large intersection in front of several oncoming vehicles. After a while you start to pick up on the method to the madness. Basically it's this: Expect any vehicle of any kind and size to come out of anywhere (whether you think there is a roadway there or not) at any moment (whether you have so-called "right of way" or not) and expect that any of the vehicles around could pull a harebrained/illegal/questionable move at any minute. Remember this and you'll fare a little better. Also: BEWARE of the blue trucks.
 |
| found at: http://blog.greenlaker.com/2009/03/taiwan-little-blue-trucks.html |
They drive like erratic bats out of hell with no care or consideration for any other vehicles on the road. The number of times those blue beasts have almost killed me or tried to kill me — I swear — is something I lost track of months ago. They are the spawn of hell. Haha.
Since moving to Taiwan I am sad to admit that my easy-going, patient, careful driving personality has been replaced by traffic-weaving, impatient, road-rage prone aggressive tendencies.... I think it has something to do with the fact that every day I drive it's like I'm in a horde of drivers that seem intent on one thing: to get me killed or seriously maimed — the faster I can get away from the crowded traffic, the better. In order to do that, one has to go faster than the masses and get to the FRONT and STAY there.
It may have something to do with the fact that I love the sound of the revving engine too, though. (^_~)v
2) The sidewalks are almost never made of concrete (and that's when they even exist in time and space!)...
Well now, why is that a problem, you ask? That's because they are usually made of some slick, polished marble-like surface...
Pretty? Certainly. Looks posh and classy? Most definitely.
So, the problem?
Taiwan's average annual precipitation is approximately 2,471 millimeters. In American, that's about 97 inches of rain on average... some areas get up to 6,000mm or 236 inches of rain. So my friends: heavy rains + slick stone surface + no grippy surface = back-wrenching, neck-twisting, dangerously-close near-wipeouts. The number of times I have almost biffed it and fallen backwards — let's just say that if I had a dollar for every time it's happened I'd have a nice wad of cash in my pockets.... It's as bad as the sheets of ice in winter, except maybe worse...because it was actually DESIGNED that way. Haha.
3)POLLUTION
I've been told that the pollution is MUCH worse in mainland China. And I believe it. That doesn't change the fact that it is still absolutely repulsive here. I wish I had a photo of one of the many vehicles coughing out thick, billowy clouds of blue smoke — I've been hear about 9 months and I still can't believe it when I see one...Which is all the time. You know that there is something wrong when you are outside for a few minutes and you scrape your skin with a nail and you get a line of black soot that rolls off. It doesn't even matter if I'm in my apartment with the windows closed and have showered. By morning when I wake up I'll be able to remove some amount of soot from my skin. To say that my complexion has suffered would be an understatement....
Not to mention my lungs and my general health.
Most days the humidity and the barometric pressure of the area keeps the pollution down in a fuzzy grey cloud of smog that coats everything and makes the rare non-cloudy days not so blue... Days where the sun is shining down out of a clear blue sky not marred by smoke are so rare that I become absolutely stir-crazy when they do occur... And I thought Iowa was cloudy and dreary at times... I guess it's all about perspective, huh?
Welcome to life in one of the so-called armpits of Taiwan — whoot whoot. A smoggy, choking, sooty armpit.
On a closing note: if I sound like a bitter, angry person that is not my intention. I like Taiwan. I really do. It's just like any place though, there are things that can drive you nuts and sometimes it's good to get it off your chest. Mostly though, I thought I'd share some of the things that make daily life different from home, har har.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The V.R.O. - Ian Somerhalder - 2011 05/31 by The VRO | Blog Talk Radio
The V.R.O. - Ian Somerhalder - 2011 05/31 by The VRO | Blog Talk Radio
Ian Somerhalder talking about ISF (the environmental foundation he's started).
Very interesting - really hope that we can get more information out there for people to see... need to start doing something — that's for sure...
Thank you to all the people that are out there making a difference and are helping us all move toward a more positive future environmentally...
Ian Somerhalder talking about ISF (the environmental foundation he's started).
Very interesting - really hope that we can get more information out there for people to see... need to start doing something — that's for sure...
Thank you to all the people that are out there making a difference and are helping us all move toward a more positive future environmentally...
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Smoochy
So for privacy reasons I'm not really supposed to post pictures of my students or probably talk about them online much... which is too bad because I've honestly had so many funny moments that I would have liked to share that are quickly forgotten because they are just far too innumerable. Haha. But I can't stand it anymore. I'm breaking down and putting something up tonight.... Just a little thing, but too cute really... If only I'd had a video camera...
One of my littlest guys, barely over 2 — but obsessed with music and dancing — was at the toilet yesterday directly next to the long mirror that stretches over the little trough sink where they all wash their hands. His little bum is exposed and I glanced over to check that he was doing ok while all the other kids rushed past to dry their hands on the paper towel. Blinking with some surprise I saw that he was pursing his lips at himself in the mirror. At first it was just a little smooch, almost like an exaggerated pout, but it quickly grew more outrageous. I couldn't help but laugh. I mean he seemed like he was flirting with himself in the mirror — all the while at the urinal with his little buck-naked butt showing — and it was like he KNEW how cute he was because instead of sparing me a glance he got even more ridiculous: pursing his lips, smooching, and then poking one cheek with a finger and tilting his head to the side....
Oh for a camera.... Haha. I have moments like that with him a lot, though — like the time he started doing the exercise time choreo to Chris Brown Yeah 3x all by himself! In front of the whole class...our little dancing machine...
Last week one of my favorite little guys was gone all week because he was sick, but yesterday he was back and the first thing he did when he saw me walking past the classroom he was waiting in was to let out a loud, "Teacher Alyce!!!!!!!" as he came flying out of the room to throw his arms around my legs in a big hug....
It's the moments like that when they catch me off guard that they manage to chip away at my reserve and germ-phobias and take little chunks of my heart, bit-by-reluctant-bit. Little charmers — puke and drool and snot and all — still manage to steal your affection somehow. I let them hug me the other day at the beginning of class, cause I thought about how I will miss them later — because there's no denying I will — and the way some of them launched themselves at me with face-splitting grins was heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time.. It'd be easier in some ways if they hadn't managed to worm their way into my heart, steal my affection, and make me swell with pride whenever they do something good. They are a great bunch of kids. I really hope whoever gets them down the road will appreciate that...I'm really glad I got to meet them, even when they make me frustrated and make me want to bang my head against the wall, it's still been so great to spend time with them... I know they'll forget me, but I don't think I'll ever forget any of them....
One of my littlest guys, barely over 2 — but obsessed with music and dancing — was at the toilet yesterday directly next to the long mirror that stretches over the little trough sink where they all wash their hands. His little bum is exposed and I glanced over to check that he was doing ok while all the other kids rushed past to dry their hands on the paper towel. Blinking with some surprise I saw that he was pursing his lips at himself in the mirror. At first it was just a little smooch, almost like an exaggerated pout, but it quickly grew more outrageous. I couldn't help but laugh. I mean he seemed like he was flirting with himself in the mirror — all the while at the urinal with his little buck-naked butt showing — and it was like he KNEW how cute he was because instead of sparing me a glance he got even more ridiculous: pursing his lips, smooching, and then poking one cheek with a finger and tilting his head to the side....
Oh for a camera.... Haha. I have moments like that with him a lot, though — like the time he started doing the exercise time choreo to Chris Brown Yeah 3x all by himself! In front of the whole class...our little dancing machine...
Last week one of my favorite little guys was gone all week because he was sick, but yesterday he was back and the first thing he did when he saw me walking past the classroom he was waiting in was to let out a loud, "Teacher Alyce!!!!!!!" as he came flying out of the room to throw his arms around my legs in a big hug....
It's the moments like that when they catch me off guard that they manage to chip away at my reserve and germ-phobias and take little chunks of my heart, bit-by-reluctant-bit. Little charmers — puke and drool and snot and all — still manage to steal your affection somehow. I let them hug me the other day at the beginning of class, cause I thought about how I will miss them later — because there's no denying I will — and the way some of them launched themselves at me with face-splitting grins was heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time.. It'd be easier in some ways if they hadn't managed to worm their way into my heart, steal my affection, and make me swell with pride whenever they do something good. They are a great bunch of kids. I really hope whoever gets them down the road will appreciate that...I'm really glad I got to meet them, even when they make me frustrated and make me want to bang my head against the wall, it's still been so great to spend time with them... I know they'll forget me, but I don't think I'll ever forget any of them....
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Rat Race.....Literally....
So... Yesterday was Friday the 13th and it definitely ended up being a bit of a Freaky Friday...
I was walking to work at about 3:15 in the afternoon — broad daylight — plugged into my ipod enjoying Digital Daggers when I started to cross a busy intersection less than a block from work. It's on a main road of downtown with a large McDonalds on one corner and a weird KTV place on the other with a silhouette style neon light sign of a woman in a martini glass. Nothing dingy, or "dark, back alley" about the area.
And I'd just like to reiterate it was broad daylight.
I'm almost halfway across the four lane intersection walking on the white pedestrian stripes of the walkway when I start to notice some high-pitched female voices and sounds of surprise behind me so I glance back. There are two women huddling close to each other kind of giggling nervously and looking at something on the ground right behind me and I realize that other people walking behind me are also looking so I glance down and my brain comes to a stuttering halt.
There, less than two feet behind me is a big, fat rat.
Bouncing like Pepe Le Pew. Right behind me. Like a dog chasing my heels, just rapidly hopping along the ped-walk with everyone else. Except everybody else was BEHIND him, where as I was IN FRONT of him and being FOLLOWED. And he wasn't skittering like they do in the movies, no he was HOPPING; full out HOPPING.
And at first, as my brain ceased to function I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then I realized that it was real; there really was a rat bounding after me across the ped-walk and it just kept COMING. The next thought that crossed my brain was: I'm wearing flip-flops — what if it got really close and something scared it and it decided to bite me? Probably not a likely thing, the rat biting me, but I couldn't help but think about it. So I decided, "Ok Alyce, don't freak out, just walk a little faster so you can put some more space between yourself and Mr. Rat."
Giggling awkwardly and making eye contact with my fellow road-crossers — who were also giggling awkwardly — I start walking more briskly.
But then, so does Mr. Rat. His hopping speeds up and then I can't help it, I start jogging across the intersection and he speeds up to keep chasing my heels. Finally when I'm thinking I am definitely going to start getting really creeped out if he keeps coming after me, he veers off and heads for the curb that we've nearly reached. Everyone giggles and points and we all share looks of "Oh, thank goodness! He's gone!"
I don't think anyone was as relieved as I was, though. But pretty quickly the hilarity of the whole situation hit me and I let out a barking laugh which quickly turned into a bubbling onslaught of laughter that I couldn't stop — it probably made me look completely mad to other passerby that had no idea what had just happened.
I never would have thought I'd be chased/followed across the street by a Pepe Le Pew wanna-be rat in the middle of the day in the downtown of a city though. I figure there are two ways to look at it: either be horrified and disgusted OR find the humor in the situation. So humor it is! But it was still freaky, and you can't convince me otherwise! Haha.
I was walking to work at about 3:15 in the afternoon — broad daylight — plugged into my ipod enjoying Digital Daggers when I started to cross a busy intersection less than a block from work. It's on a main road of downtown with a large McDonalds on one corner and a weird KTV place on the other with a silhouette style neon light sign of a woman in a martini glass. Nothing dingy, or "dark, back alley" about the area.
And I'd just like to reiterate it was broad daylight.
I'm almost halfway across the four lane intersection walking on the white pedestrian stripes of the walkway when I start to notice some high-pitched female voices and sounds of surprise behind me so I glance back. There are two women huddling close to each other kind of giggling nervously and looking at something on the ground right behind me and I realize that other people walking behind me are also looking so I glance down and my brain comes to a stuttering halt.
There, less than two feet behind me is a big, fat rat.
Bouncing like Pepe Le Pew. Right behind me. Like a dog chasing my heels, just rapidly hopping along the ped-walk with everyone else. Except everybody else was BEHIND him, where as I was IN FRONT of him and being FOLLOWED. And he wasn't skittering like they do in the movies, no he was HOPPING; full out HOPPING.
And at first, as my brain ceased to function I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then I realized that it was real; there really was a rat bounding after me across the ped-walk and it just kept COMING. The next thought that crossed my brain was: I'm wearing flip-flops — what if it got really close and something scared it and it decided to bite me? Probably not a likely thing, the rat biting me, but I couldn't help but think about it. So I decided, "Ok Alyce, don't freak out, just walk a little faster so you can put some more space between yourself and Mr. Rat."
Giggling awkwardly and making eye contact with my fellow road-crossers — who were also giggling awkwardly — I start walking more briskly.
But then, so does Mr. Rat. His hopping speeds up and then I can't help it, I start jogging across the intersection and he speeds up to keep chasing my heels. Finally when I'm thinking I am definitely going to start getting really creeped out if he keeps coming after me, he veers off and heads for the curb that we've nearly reached. Everyone giggles and points and we all share looks of "Oh, thank goodness! He's gone!"
 |
| "Join me for a dance, darling?" |
I never would have thought I'd be chased/followed across the street by a Pepe Le Pew wanna-be rat in the middle of the day in the downtown of a city though. I figure there are two ways to look at it: either be horrified and disgusted OR find the humor in the situation. So humor it is! But it was still freaky, and you can't convince me otherwise! Haha.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Your Not in Kansas Anymore Dorothy....
So I had a moment of, "Oh, right...I'm in a foreign country," yesterday in my junior high students' class (a.k.a. Tree House 6).
We were checking the spelling on the vocab quiz and since one of the words was poisonous I thought, 'Oh, ok, let's do a fun extracurricular reading exercise.' So I picked up the book of Guinness Records and flipped through to find "World's Most Poisonous Snake" (which is apparently the Black Mamba of Africa...capable of killing 200 people with the venom from one bite...yikes). So I read the description to the class and we talked about it and I thought that would be it, but nooooooooo, because once I said it was a member of the cobra family —
Student 1: What's a cobra?
So I drew it on the board and the whole class went, "Ooooooh." And I thought ok, they get it, they've probably seen shows on TV about cobras and stuff... cuz growing up cobras were about as out-there as anacondas — not exactly something I ever had to worry about bumping into. They were in the cool story Ricki Ticki Tavi and the Jungle Book and stuff — not in my part of the world. They might as well have been dragons for all the reality they held. So I'm thinking that their comprehending, "Ooooh"s are simply due to book knowledge.
And then one of them pipes up, "Teacher, Teacher, one time when I was little I was at my grandpa's house and I found a baby cobra and I pointed at it and said, 'Grandpa, look!' and then he stomped on it. So I jumped on it, too."
Me: *blinking owlishly*
Student 1: Ya, teacher, one time I found one at my friend's house...
Student 2: One time there was a little one at my elementary school and I picked it up and threw it out even though everybody else was really scared.
This students' English is superb, but I had a moment of hopeful denial and said, "You don't mean a cobra, do you? Like a real cobra?"
Cuz cobras are like dragons... haha
Student 2: Yes, a real cobra.
Me: But that's so dangerous. Of course everyone was scared!
Student 2: No, it was so easy!
Me: Ooooooook....
Honestly, I questioned his intelligence at that moment. Haha. But yes, so apparently I live in a country where you can find cobras at your elementary school and your grandpa's. No rattlesnakes or copperheads here...
So ya, apparently my kids have had real-life experience with them.... Yuuuuuuuck... hahaha and don't get me started on the spiders... It's bad when you live somewhere where you know there are a LOT of poisonous spiders but you have no knowledge about any of them so every time you see a spider you sit there wondering whether it's harmless or not. Fun times!
For the curious folks out there, here's a massive site on the snakes of Taiwan - you've been warned. Hehe. http://www.snakesoftaiwan.com/Start_Page_EN.htm
We were checking the spelling on the vocab quiz and since one of the words was poisonous I thought, 'Oh, ok, let's do a fun extracurricular reading exercise.' So I picked up the book of Guinness Records and flipped through to find "World's Most Poisonous Snake" (which is apparently the Black Mamba of Africa...capable of killing 200 people with the venom from one bite...yikes). So I read the description to the class and we talked about it and I thought that would be it, but nooooooooo, because once I said it was a member of the cobra family —
Student 1: What's a cobra?
So I drew it on the board and the whole class went, "Ooooooh." And I thought ok, they get it, they've probably seen shows on TV about cobras and stuff... cuz growing up cobras were about as out-there as anacondas — not exactly something I ever had to worry about bumping into. They were in the cool story Ricki Ticki Tavi and the Jungle Book and stuff — not in my part of the world. They might as well have been dragons for all the reality they held. So I'm thinking that their comprehending, "Ooooh"s are simply due to book knowledge.
And then one of them pipes up, "Teacher, Teacher, one time when I was little I was at my grandpa's house and I found a baby cobra and I pointed at it and said, 'Grandpa, look!' and then he stomped on it. So I jumped on it, too."
Me: *blinking owlishly*
Student 1: Ya, teacher, one time I found one at my friend's house...
Student 2: One time there was a little one at my elementary school and I picked it up and threw it out even though everybody else was really scared.
This students' English is superb, but I had a moment of hopeful denial and said, "You don't mean a cobra, do you? Like a real cobra?"
Cuz cobras are like dragons... haha
Student 2: Yes, a real cobra.
Me: But that's so dangerous. Of course everyone was scared!
Student 2: No, it was so easy!
Me: Ooooooook....
Honestly, I questioned his intelligence at that moment. Haha. But yes, so apparently I live in a country where you can find cobras at your elementary school and your grandpa's. No rattlesnakes or copperheads here...
So ya, apparently my kids have had real-life experience with them.... Yuuuuuuuck... hahaha and don't get me started on the spiders... It's bad when you live somewhere where you know there are a LOT of poisonous spiders but you have no knowledge about any of them so every time you see a spider you sit there wondering whether it's harmless or not. Fun times!
For the curious folks out there, here's a massive site on the snakes of Taiwan - you've been warned. Hehe. http://www.snakesoftaiwan.com/Start_Page_EN.htm
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Nice song: Aaranne aaranne from Malayalam film Urumi :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAsVNuWZUjk
above is the link for the song and here are the lyrics :) loooooooong words ahaha
aarppo..irro..irro..
aaranne aaranne othupidikkunnatharaanne
theeyaadan thirayaadan
maanikya kaaviluranjaadan
onaann onaann ethu pidikanath onaann..
neraanne neraanne koottinu vannathavanaanne..
mannaann mannaann ponnu vilayana mannaann
poyorum vannorum chora kudichoru mannaann
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro..
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro..
(aaranne aaranne )
thanthathe thei thei thithithe thei thei..
eehey....ey..ehei..
chempakai raanimala niranirayaale
thakiladi chendayum poomkurumkuzhalum thalamayallo
valakilukki thalakilukki kiliyattille
njangal kanaka kathir mani neettan kaval ninnille..
kumeera kumeera kudi kottina
thakida thakida thaka thithana
thara thara thara tharayilakki thalayilakki mudiyatti..
uyirin uyire pado nammalonnalle..
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro.. (2)
(aaranne aaranne )
othupidiche eilesa ethupidiche eilesa..
neeti valiche eilesa vari valiche
ponnaaryan padathum ulsavamelam
nammalu thudikotti adivach thalamittille
thattuduthu njuriyittu kuriyittore
onnu vattamittu kaikotti poopoli paadam
kumeera kumeera kudi kottina
thakida thakida thaka thithana
theluth theluth vilavilakki
para para para parakottana
uyirin uyire pado nammalonnalle..
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro.. (2)
(aaranne aaranne )
above is the link for the song and here are the lyrics :) loooooooong words ahaha
aarppo..irro..irro..
aaranne aaranne othupidikkunnatharaanne
theeyaadan thirayaadan
maanikya kaaviluranjaadan
onaann onaann ethu pidikanath onaann..
neraanne neraanne koottinu vannathavanaanne..
mannaann mannaann ponnu vilayana mannaann
poyorum vannorum chora kudichoru mannaann
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro..
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro..
(aaranne aaranne )
thanthathe thei thei thithithe thei thei..
eehey....ey..ehei..
chempakai raanimala niranirayaale
thakiladi chendayum poomkurumkuzhalum thalamayallo
valakilukki thalakilukki kiliyattille
njangal kanaka kathir mani neettan kaval ninnille..
kumeera kumeera kudi kottina
thakida thakida thaka thithana
thara thara thara tharayilakki thalayilakki mudiyatti..
uyirin uyire pado nammalonnalle..
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro.. (2)
(aaranne aaranne )
othupidiche eilesa ethupidiche eilesa..
neeti valiche eilesa vari valiche
ponnaaryan padathum ulsavamelam
nammalu thudikotti adivach thalamittille
thattuduthu njuriyittu kuriyittore
onnu vattamittu kaikotti poopoli paadam
kumeera kumeera kudi kottina
thakida thakida thaka thithana
theluth theluth vilavilakki
para para para parakottana
uyirin uyire pado nammalonnalle..
kathirellaam kettanu kettanu
pathirellaam paattanu paattanu
niraprayara nirayatte thanthira thonthaaro.. (2)
(aaranne aaranne )
Monday, April 4, 2011
video blog - cuz i'm feelin' laaaaaaazy
also a few pictures from the past couple weeks:
 |
| purple lotus that I bought at the street market in Longtan |
 |
| Annebel at the beach on Sunday April 3rd, 2011 |
 |
| Temple near Zhong Li that I love |
 |
| Bronze incense holder on the second level of the temple... |
 |
| Mossy tree in the park near my apartment |
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Do the Creep! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah~
So after months of being lazy — due to lack of energy as an excuse (albeit a fairly feeble one once i got over being chronically sick) — I stopped riding my scooter to work in Zhongli and now only use to go to Longtan in the mornings. I'm within easy walking distance of my branch in Zhongli — about 10-15 minutes depending on the rate at which you move your legs — and really, a person can only handle so many near-death experiences on their scooter a day before they realize that maybe, just maybe, they should consider walking when they can to lower the statistic likelihood that they are going to get into an accident.... even typing this now I can't help but cringe and can't keep myself from knocking on wood. I'll confess – I can be a bit suspicious. And honestly, riding a scooter in Taiwan has caused me to knock on wood with no small amount of trepidation...on innumerable occasions. After all, it only took me two weeks on the scooter — driving CAUTIOUSLY I would like to point out — to get broadsided by a taxi and sent in a careening spin-out through a large intersection where I fortunately was lucky enough to walk away with a single scar in my arm...That was amusingly enough, shaped like Taiwan for a few months.Anyway, so now I walk. Rain, shine, hot or cold: I walk. And I rather like it. I have several routes that I favor and I enjoy the time alone with music blasting my ears for the duration of the trip. By the time I get to work I feel settled and am ready (-ish) to start in on work. It's refreshing and often I spend the walk pondering or simply people watching. Yesterday I was over half-way to work — about two city blocks left — when glancing at people in a charming restaurant I regularly pass I started contemplating how it can be hard to meet people here. Outside of work or outside of parties — and let's be honest, the people you usually meet in a club, aren't exactly the kind of people that you're probably going to have important conversations with. It's usually things like, "Hey! Whoo! Yeah!" or "Wanna dance?" Sure, people here are friendly and warm and great — NO complaints there — but conversations you have usually don't go past very simple ones. For example, the people in Starbucks now know my name and always greet me cheerfully and we have nice little chats, but it never goes past that. Sure, the language gap adds an extra challenge, but honestly, it's the same back home. It's hard to make new acquaintances outside of certain circles or situations — you aren't likely to go to coffee with someone you just met on the street, right? So I was musing on that, just the general difficulty people have just walking up and starting conversations. The general reservations we have — whether from shyness or social norms, there's usually something that stops us from talking to the cute boy at the store and so we go about the day smile and stealing glances and maybe digging up the courage to say, "Hello."
Don't get me wrong, wasn't really complaining. Was merely...pondering. And thinking that it was even worse here, because of the language gap and the fact that my alien-ness might just add an extra level of intimidation that keeps people from saying what they might like to otherwise... I guess mostly I was thinking about inhibitions.
And then the universe decided to have a good laugh.Because I'd walked half a block — after having these thoughts zip through my head for a grand total of about seven seconds — when I was stopped at the red light, enjoying the upbeat tunes of Emily Osment as I stared ahead, counting the numbers. And then I heard some noise and I realized that someone was talking to me. I glanced over and saw this guy, right at my shoulder, grinning. I turned down my music and stared at him as he said — in English — "Can you speak Chinese?"
And this, my friends, is where it is BEAUTIFUL to be an alien — cuz you can "turn it off" anytime you want. So I just stared at him, doe-in-headlights, and shook my head "no."
"You don't speak Chinese?"
*blank, startled stare*
*disappointed grin*
I stared resolutely ahead, waiting as the counter ticked towards green, and then set off like a shot, taking advantage of my not-so-short legs. Really, I mean, go figure, there I'd been thinking about how people were afraid to approach others and then — like 300 feet down the non-existent sidewalk — I get smacked in the face with one that doesn't seem to have said inhibitions. And I can't help but think "CREEPER." I thought that was it, I'd gotten past him and I thought I was safe.
Again, the universe got a good laugh at my expense.
At the next intersection I got caught at the red again, the branch tantalizingly close — just across the street — and a scooter "parking lot" lining my side of the street all the way up to the intersection. The light's getting ready to turn and I was shuffling from foot to foot and since I was looking straight ahead at the branch I didn't miss the black scooter that turned right in front of me. He cut the corner pretty close — not atypical, believe me (sadly, walking in Taiwan? About as dangerous as driving? Nothing is for the faint-of-heart. I almost got creamed by a scooter crossing the street last night and ended up with my heart in my mouth. A daily occurrence — it's kind of like a caffeine jolt. Har, har). The driver was right at eye level and since he crossed my line of sight I made eye contact as he slowed down and grinned suggestively and I realized with a revolting curl in my gut that it was THAT guy.After I got over twitching and going, "Eeeeew" and the light turned green I couldn't help but laugh. And all I could think was, "Do the creep, aaaaaaaaaaah, do the creep, oooooooooooooh". Thank you Lonely Island, thank you! :P
I swear life is never lacking in the amusement department. <3
disclaimer: i found these pics on google search - they aren't mine and I don't claim them :) hehe
video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPZmPaHme0 for those brave souls out there haha
songs of the week:
Adele, Set Fire to the Rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlsBObg-1BQ&feature=BF&list=FLgogT7bAtGb0&index=21
Emily Osment: Lovesick (AWESOME video!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jauthmokKWk
Boy Who Murdered Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1wKCXbrK74&feature=my_favorites&list=FLgogT7bAtGb0
My Wicked Heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxR7ZlCs9k4&feature=relmfu
The Wolf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zsnw6yxH2o
Teenage Dream - Glee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAW38wMdKr0&feature=BF&list=FLgogT7bAtGb0&index=10
Army of Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhgvWLs2rsM&feature=BF&list=FLgogT7bAtGb0&index=5
Backin' Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjYSERaXEGI&feature=BF&list=FLgogT7bAtGb0&index=24
TIME WAAAAAAAAAAAARP! :D
Well, ahem, it's been a while... to say the least! *insert cheeky grin
It's been a whirlwind — truly. Some negative things of course, but it's been balanced out by an even greater number of wonderful things. It's the beginning of November so I've been in Zhongli for 3 full months. I am FINALLY over being chronically and severely ill and I find I have more and more energy every day — which is GOOD since I'm teaching little kids and have to have the energy to bounce around like a chicken with it's head cut off. But honestly, I'm really enjoying work these days. Not to say that there haven't been rough patches — had some cultural issues that caused some misunderstandings and discouragement, but with the encouragement of a good friend I have here I went and talked it out with the management and I feel even better at work than I have since I started. The people I work with are awesome, the friends that I have here are great and I'm feeling more and more at home every day.
***** AHAHAHAHAHA talk about a time waaarp geeminey-cripes... i drafted this in NOVEMBER planning on writing more and finishing it BEFORE i posted it but well, cest la vie — har har. I'mma just post it with the glaring hilarity that points to my SAD ability to keep a post :P and just continue on
mwahahaha
It's been a whirlwind — truly. Some negative things of course, but it's been balanced out by an even greater number of wonderful things. It's the beginning of November so I've been in Zhongli for 3 full months. I am FINALLY over being chronically and severely ill and I find I have more and more energy every day — which is GOOD since I'm teaching little kids and have to have the energy to bounce around like a chicken with it's head cut off. But honestly, I'm really enjoying work these days. Not to say that there haven't been rough patches — had some cultural issues that caused some misunderstandings and discouragement, but with the encouragement of a good friend I have here I went and talked it out with the management and I feel even better at work than I have since I started. The people I work with are awesome, the friends that I have here are great and I'm feeling more and more at home every day.
***** AHAHAHAHAHA talk about a time waaarp geeminey-cripes... i drafted this in NOVEMBER planning on writing more and finishing it BEFORE i posted it but well, cest la vie — har har. I'mma just post it with the glaring hilarity that points to my SAD ability to keep a post :P and just continue on
mwahahaha
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)