6 weeks of teaching left
6 weekends left in Taiwan
10 weeks or so until Canada bound
Czy plagiat równa się kradzieży?
2 years ago
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Only in Taiwan
3 beers at Beer Temple............180 NT
Game of quarters..............$0.50
Hitting an old Taiwanese man in the back of the head with a chopstick............priceless
Apologizing in broken and terrible Chinese...........worth it
Apparently, my chop stick skills are still somewhat lacking.
Game of quarters..............$0.50
Hitting an old Taiwanese man in the back of the head with a chopstick............priceless
Apologizing in broken and terrible Chinese...........worth it
Apparently, my chop stick skills are still somewhat lacking.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Introducing Smash and Crash - The Rough and Tumble Twins
Sooooo you all knew it was coming. ... I crashed the scooter.
I have once before "tipped" it over but this time was no joke. I really did'er and poor Carie was dragged behind me.
On a Sunday beach trip to Nanliou we were following our friends JP and Mike. JP was leading and while we were driving he dropped his MP3 player. The rest happened REALLY FAST. Mike looked to see what had fallen and not even a second later I looked down to see what Mike was looking at. When I looked down Mike put on the breaks because he knew what had been dropped. I didn't think it was anything so when I looked up there was Mike breaking and all I could do was smash into him. I clearly remember locking eyes and I hitting him. Before all of this happened Carrie saw the break lights but I was looking down . . . . So all she could do was hold on tight knowing I was going to hit Mike. The fault in all of this is a combination of freak accident and Me. I was driving too close and too fast which is inevitable on scooters in this country.
The thing that made this whole deal even worse was the weather. It was a gorgeous day so Carrie was wearing a sun dress and I was wearing shorts, t-shirt and sandals. This left us with almost no protection against the road when we hit. I bounced off the ground after we hit Mike and Carrie was dragged along with the scooter. Once we stopped Carrie popped right up. Partly because she was in the middle of the road, partly because her dress was up over her head. I decided to lay there and mumble profanities.
DID I REALLY JUST DO THAT?
70 km....
crash. road. fuck.
I hear the boys run over to us and drag the scooter out of the way. They peel me off the road and I just start saying sorry. We were all saying sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. MAN THAT SUCKS!
Once we are up the ambulance arrived and washed the road out of our wounds. They asked us if we wanted to go to the hospital using a pre-written sign in English because of our very obvious language barrier. We decline....damn our pride. We just want to go home. But before we get going one of the onlookers on the street decided Carrie needed some home remedies. This tiny, old Taiwanese woman began applying medicine to Carrie's skin. It was stingy and Carrie made a face and tried to slowly move away but the woman rambled something in Chinese that we concluded to be, "Stand still this will help". It was similar to what any grandmother would do in the situation...give medication without asking or explaining. They are older, they obviously know best. Carrie gave up on her escape and took the medicine...what harm could it do really? Luckily I got away without any. Next, the boys put us in a cab and we dragged our very broken bodies home. Carrying our helmets and minus a shoe our security guards watch us as we hobble in.
Once home the guys missioned our scooters back to our place. Mike's took most the damage and the gib looks like a road warrior but nothing serious. She is a champ! The boys immediatly began to play doctor. They were cleaning and bandaging our road burn, mangled toes and wounded spirits. Their supplies included gauze, tape, beers, movies and snacks. Carrie and I are so thankful to have these guys in our lives they took great care of us!
Our next step was to call our school and tell them we would need at least a day to bounce back from this one.
Carrie was covered in road burn all over the left side of her arm, leg and foot. I bounced off the ground so my road burn was in smaller spots where I hit. My shoulder, elbow and foot. Basically, my toes looked like someone took a cheese grader to them. Sick. But my biggest issue wasn't the stinging skin it was the aching in my shoulder. I thought I was just bruised and decided I would keep still for a day or so.
Our return to school was the biggest news on campus. I am pretty sure every single student knows us now. Our students were so sweet with cards and letters wishing for us to get better. My grade ones became very protective of Teacher Denise and enforced the don't touch the teacher rule very striclty. Two weeks later we still have students in our classes and from other classes check on our wounds. They want to see the scabs and ask if we are better yet. Literally one boy named Porter stops me in the hall and gets right down to my toe to make sure it isn't bleeding anymore. Then he is on his way.
After a couple days I still was having trouble moving my arm. So, I began to google symptoms...who needs a doctor right? I concluded it could be a seperated shoulder. On Tuesday my school sent me to the hospital. After xrays I discovered I had a linear fracture in my left scapula (shoulder blade) and needed to be in a sling for a month.
IDIOT.
Lesson learned when you are hesitant to get up off the road, nervous to move afterwards and google your symptoms.....you are hurt. Trust your body. Go to a doctor.
Carrie is back behind wheel and I can not wait to return. But for now I am the one armed passenger who squeezes my legs tightly around my driver every two seconds.
Bones heal.
Bruises fade.
And scars are just great stories.
I have once before "tipped" it over but this time was no joke. I really did'er and poor Carie was dragged behind me.
On a Sunday beach trip to Nanliou we were following our friends JP and Mike. JP was leading and while we were driving he dropped his MP3 player. The rest happened REALLY FAST. Mike looked to see what had fallen and not even a second later I looked down to see what Mike was looking at. When I looked down Mike put on the breaks because he knew what had been dropped. I didn't think it was anything so when I looked up there was Mike breaking and all I could do was smash into him. I clearly remember locking eyes and I hitting him. Before all of this happened Carrie saw the break lights but I was looking down . . . . So all she could do was hold on tight knowing I was going to hit Mike. The fault in all of this is a combination of freak accident and Me. I was driving too close and too fast which is inevitable on scooters in this country.
The thing that made this whole deal even worse was the weather. It was a gorgeous day so Carrie was wearing a sun dress and I was wearing shorts, t-shirt and sandals. This left us with almost no protection against the road when we hit. I bounced off the ground after we hit Mike and Carrie was dragged along with the scooter. Once we stopped Carrie popped right up. Partly because she was in the middle of the road, partly because her dress was up over her head. I decided to lay there and mumble profanities.
DID I REALLY JUST DO THAT?
70 km....
crash. road. fuck.
I hear the boys run over to us and drag the scooter out of the way. They peel me off the road and I just start saying sorry. We were all saying sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. MAN THAT SUCKS!
Once we are up the ambulance arrived and washed the road out of our wounds. They asked us if we wanted to go to the hospital using a pre-written sign in English because of our very obvious language barrier. We decline....damn our pride. We just want to go home. But before we get going one of the onlookers on the street decided Carrie needed some home remedies. This tiny, old Taiwanese woman began applying medicine to Carrie's skin. It was stingy and Carrie made a face and tried to slowly move away but the woman rambled something in Chinese that we concluded to be, "Stand still this will help". It was similar to what any grandmother would do in the situation...give medication without asking or explaining. They are older, they obviously know best. Carrie gave up on her escape and took the medicine...what harm could it do really? Luckily I got away without any. Next, the boys put us in a cab and we dragged our very broken bodies home. Carrying our helmets and minus a shoe our security guards watch us as we hobble in.
Once home the guys missioned our scooters back to our place. Mike's took most the damage and the gib looks like a road warrior but nothing serious. She is a champ! The boys immediatly began to play doctor. They were cleaning and bandaging our road burn, mangled toes and wounded spirits. Their supplies included gauze, tape, beers, movies and snacks. Carrie and I are so thankful to have these guys in our lives they took great care of us!
Our next step was to call our school and tell them we would need at least a day to bounce back from this one.
Carrie was covered in road burn all over the left side of her arm, leg and foot. I bounced off the ground so my road burn was in smaller spots where I hit. My shoulder, elbow and foot. Basically, my toes looked like someone took a cheese grader to them. Sick. But my biggest issue wasn't the stinging skin it was the aching in my shoulder. I thought I was just bruised and decided I would keep still for a day or so.
Our return to school was the biggest news on campus. I am pretty sure every single student knows us now. Our students were so sweet with cards and letters wishing for us to get better. My grade ones became very protective of Teacher Denise and enforced the don't touch the teacher rule very striclty. Two weeks later we still have students in our classes and from other classes check on our wounds. They want to see the scabs and ask if we are better yet. Literally one boy named Porter stops me in the hall and gets right down to my toe to make sure it isn't bleeding anymore. Then he is on his way.
After a couple days I still was having trouble moving my arm. So, I began to google symptoms...who needs a doctor right? I concluded it could be a seperated shoulder. On Tuesday my school sent me to the hospital. After xrays I discovered I had a linear fracture in my left scapula (shoulder blade) and needed to be in a sling for a month.
IDIOT.
Lesson learned when you are hesitant to get up off the road, nervous to move afterwards and google your symptoms.....you are hurt. Trust your body. Go to a doctor.
Carrie is back behind wheel and I can not wait to return. But for now I am the one armed passenger who squeezes my legs tightly around my driver every two seconds.
Bones heal.
Bruises fade.
And scars are just great stories.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Another Special Birthday!
For a little Menace...Happy Birthday you fabulous 25 year old!
A terrific night in togas at Tipsy to ring in turning twenty five (how do you like that alliteration?!)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
April Adventures
April has come and gone.
8 months in Taiwan.
Here are some highlights . . .
This adventure was also guest staring our new friend JP.
What a handful this kid is.
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