View from my balcony at far too early in the morning.
Normally on Wednesdays we will have workshops at the Teacher's Center. However we were supposed to go to Turtle Island today, but the trip got canceled. So that meant a free day: both from school, and from the workshops. 5 of us went to Fo Guang University to sign up for classes. I signed up for 4 hours of Chinese class a week (in a 2 person class!) starting September 24. I only signed up for the Autumn semester, with the hopes that I'll like it and therefore register for the Spring semester as well.
While today wasn't very exciting, I think yesterday (Tuesday) clearly made up for it. Normally I only teach from 1:30-2:10 on Tuesdays, which means (technically) I don't have to come in to school until lunch. However, I was told the day before that first graders would be going to a temple in the morning, and I was invited. The school always takes the first graders to a nearby temple at the beginning of the year, since first grade is really the start of their educational career, and it is tradition to pray to the god of Education and Government.
The god of Education is in the center, the Earth god is on the left, and the god "who will bring you a boyfriend" is on the right. Guess which one I was instructed to pray to...
The students gave a gift of a ship (with all of their names written on it), with the hopes that their education and learning will be smooth sailing and always moving forward. The kids all got lit incense (what? 6 year olds with fire?) and bowed 3 times- 3 symbolizes "many". The best part was I got to do it with them- in front of a few reporters and a tv camera. Who knows? I could end up on the news/in the newspaper!
After a presentation of the ship, the kids learned about all the vegetables that were in the room, given as gifts to the gods for various things (ex: wisdom). Apparently, a lot of people come to this temple right before they have big tests so that they can do well. Which totally fits in with the rest of the day....
Veggies galore!
Personally, I think they were more excited about the ice cream they got after.
Amusing Antedote 1:
At the end of the visit, all the students were given two little packages. They are typically rice dumplings wrapped in leaves, but in this case, there was only candy inside. These dumplings are supposed to bring good luck. Anne asked if I wanted one, and when I said "yes," she gave me the remaining three. One of my students (who speaks the best English- that's what you get when your dad is a big shot doctor here and can send you to cram school) turns to me and goes:
Boy: You're greedy!
Me: They're not all for me!
Boy: Who are they for then?
Me: They're for my friends!
Boy: Wait, how many friends do you have?
Smarty pants. He got two and he wasn't even going to share! Ah, what's "fair" in the mind of a 6-year-old.
After teaching my 1:30 class, I headed over to the DMV to take the dreaded scooter test. I actually began taking this test a week ago. Here's the deal. To drive a scooter you have to take a test. No biggie, right? The test is made up of two parts: a written part and a driving part. Sounds simple enough. Just to give you a taste, here is a sample of the written part:'
If a motorcyclist wants to show national pride, enhance social safety and family happiness, he/she must: (1) drive ethically and obey the laws (2) have great driving skills (3) stop smoking and drinking
Motorcycles running with extremely low or high speed, due to: (1) good stability (2) bad stability (3) doesn´t matter the driver must use good skills to adjust for a smooth driving
While some questions are fine, some don't even appear to be questions. We took it in English, which means you listen to the English on headphones, read along, and pick the right answer. You needed an 85 or higher to pass. Despite the voice in my headphones giving me the answers in the wrong order, and the buttons on my computer not really co-operating, I got a 92.5. Phew.
Then came the driving part. Laura (my former housemate) and I went out early to practice on the course. The course is insane. There is a straight shoot, about 50 meters, which you have to drive down in 7 seconds or more. Which means you have to have extremely good balance, because the lane you drive down is about a foot and a half wide. Hit the edge and this loud buzzer goes off to indicate you've messed up. If that wasn't enough, after the straight part, there's a course, complete with stop light, faux pedestrian crossing symbols and railroad crossing. Again, you have to stay within the lane, or the rest of the crowd watching (and believe me, they're all watching) will know that you can't drive due to the buzzer.
I was watching Laura practice, standing there with the rest of the group, when I hear a screech and look over to see that Laura has fallen off the scooter and was lying on the ground. Needless to say, after seeing that, and watching her head off to the hospital to have her bloody knees mended, I was somewhat shaken and decided I need some more practice (and time) before going back on the scooter.
1 week and several afternoons of practice later, I passed! In the rain, no less (they don't cancel driving tests for anything- not even typhoons)! Anne is taking me to buy my scooter (and helmet, no worries) next week, since we'll be in Taipei all this weekend for orientation. Finally! A method of transportation!
For your viewing pleasure: What I rode in Keelung, but what I will not be purchasing in Yilan:
At the end of the visit, all the students were given two little packages. They are typically rice dumplings wrapped in leaves, but in this case, there was only candy inside. These dumplings are supposed to bring good luck. Anne asked if I wanted one, and when I said "yes," she gave me the remaining three. One of my students (who speaks the best English- that's what you get when your dad is a big shot doctor here and can send you to cram school) turns to me and goes:
Boy: You're greedy!
Me: They're not all for me!
Boy: Who are they for then?
Me: They're for my friends!
Boy: Wait, how many friends do you have?
Smarty pants. He got two and he wasn't even going to share! Ah, what's "fair" in the mind of a 6-year-old.
After teaching my 1:30 class, I headed over to the DMV to take the dreaded scooter test. I actually began taking this test a week ago. Here's the deal. To drive a scooter you have to take a test. No biggie, right? The test is made up of two parts: a written part and a driving part. Sounds simple enough. Just to give you a taste, here is a sample of the written part:'
If a motorcyclist wants to show national pride, enhance social safety and family happiness, he/she must: (1) drive ethically and obey the laws (2) have great driving skills (3) stop smoking and drinking
Motorcycles running with extremely low or high speed, due to: (1) good stability (2) bad stability (3) doesn´t matter the driver must use good skills to adjust for a smooth driving
While some questions are fine, some don't even appear to be questions. We took it in English, which means you listen to the English on headphones, read along, and pick the right answer. You needed an 85 or higher to pass. Despite the voice in my headphones giving me the answers in the wrong order, and the buttons on my computer not really co-operating, I got a 92.5. Phew.
Then came the driving part. Laura (my former housemate) and I went out early to practice on the course. The course is insane. There is a straight shoot, about 50 meters, which you have to drive down in 7 seconds or more. Which means you have to have extremely good balance, because the lane you drive down is about a foot and a half wide. Hit the edge and this loud buzzer goes off to indicate you've messed up. If that wasn't enough, after the straight part, there's a course, complete with stop light, faux pedestrian crossing symbols and railroad crossing. Again, you have to stay within the lane, or the rest of the crowd watching (and believe me, they're all watching) will know that you can't drive due to the buzzer.
I was watching Laura practice, standing there with the rest of the group, when I hear a screech and look over to see that Laura has fallen off the scooter and was lying on the ground. Needless to say, after seeing that, and watching her head off to the hospital to have her bloody knees mended, I was somewhat shaken and decided I need some more practice (and time) before going back on the scooter.
1 week and several afternoons of practice later, I passed! In the rain, no less (they don't cancel driving tests for anything- not even typhoons)! Anne is taking me to buy my scooter (and helmet, no worries) next week, since we'll be in Taipei all this weekend for orientation. Finally! A method of transportation!
For your viewing pleasure: What I rode in Keelung, but what I will not be purchasing in Yilan:
Photos courtesy of Dale
2 comments:
omg. That scooter test sounds amazing, hahahaha. But how cool, you have a scooter now!!! Is that even spelled right? I don't know. I miss you so much, Kpabs, but it seems like we are both having a fantastic time. Your students look adorable. I'll have to post pictures of mine soon... yesterday I taught geometry in Spanish! How cool (if a bit unexpected and, er, improvised). More posts! More posts! :)
the test sounds really stressful to me! I'm glad you made it through safely! scooters are pretty bad-ass, Katie. and I'm kinda jealous that you get to be so bad ass riding around on them! :-D
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