The Adventures of Menace and Cheddar Bob

our new blogs

2010-09-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

http://betterwithcheddar.blogspot.com/

higher & higher

http://higherandhigherjpd.blogspot.com/

It's not goodbye ... it's a new adventure!

2010-09-27T04:23:00.001-07:00

After 10 months in Taiwan, one month traveling parts of South East Asia it was time to return to our friends and family back in Canada. But it seemed sooooo far away as we stood in an impossibly long line at the airport in Bali. We were catching a flight from Bali, Indonesia to a layover in Japan. In Japan while we were going to our connecting flight we heard our names over the speaker in broken English. SHIT! Never a good sign. At the desk we were informed that our plane to Detroit was overbooked (how do they fuck that one up) and they wanted to know if we would accept being bumped up to Business Class but it would re-route us to Hawaii and take longer to get home. Our flight was already like 26 hours of travel time. We were NOT interested in being in airports any longer then already planned. We declined and hoped someone else would take the offer. The lady gave us our tickets and we thought we were on our way. Nope. A Security Profile Officer stopped us cause our names had come over the PA we were now some kind of suspicious characters. I think they were just pissed we didn't take the other flight and they wanted to make our lives a little shittier. He asked us weird questions and looked over our passports and flight info. It was a giant waste of time and we were sent on our way once he was finished. I slept almost the entire flight from Japan to Detroit, missing both take off and landing. This plane ride sucked big time too so sleep was a blessing! We had no personal TVs in the seat ahead of us and were in the middle of a row of four. I hate waking a stranger next to me so I can climb out to pee. It is even worse when he is taking FOREVER to eat his gross meal. The guy next to Carrie had the right idea and he just pounded booze. Next stop...Detroit. Now we are so close we can almost taste it! But of course Detroit immigration had to have a mean girl working that day. Carrie is laughing with the other officer who was letting her through while I am being grilled with questions and being accused of being a liar. The girl really didn't like it when I informed her that the reason I said I was just in Bali and Japan was because she didn't ask where I was all year. (Even though she could see in my passport where I was and when.) She did not enjoy this one bit and I was sent to be searched. My luggage and I were pulled aside as a guy questioned me and searched through all of my bags. He was much nicer then the girl and he asked if I knew why I was being searched...I said NO even though I wanted to say that I was there cause McBitchy was on a power trip. He asked me if I knew what Laos was known for....I said for backpackers. He said and.... I said and for being really beautiful? WRONG. It is a huge drug smuggling country. I thought that is a dumb question to ask cause if I knew that or was trying to smuggle them did he think I would admit knowing about it? Anyways as we chatted away about life he said I am not going to find anything am I. I laughed and said no. He just smiled and closed up my bags and told me to have a safe trip home. Out I go. Thanks Detroit for the stress. One last flight and of course it is delayed. I felt awful for Carrie's parents, Jenalyn, DT, Jillian and Jenna who were waiting for us in Toronto. As we arrived in TO our hearts were pounding. Carrie really hoped the immigration officers would, say Welcome home but this thought was pushed out of our thoughts the closer we got to family and friends. Finally, the doors opened and we heard a squeal of happiness from some familiar faces. Big hugs, some tears and an overall sense of comfort was felt b everyone. It was strange to be home and feel as if we had never left.

The adventures of Menace and Cheddar Bob are far from over but the path has changed. We have both grown so much as individuals and as friends. We are stronger now for leaving and for keeping connections at home with people who matter the most.

Some people say that when you leave home you are running away so that you don't have to grow up and settle down but living abroad is not wasted time. It is time to think, change, save, travel, meet new people, have new experiences, and see new things within yourself.

Currently, Carrie is attending teacher's college in Canada. I have returned to Tawian where I am teaching for San Min Primary School, which is part of the government funded schools in Hsinchu.

We are both lucky because a teaching certificate is like a passport to teach anywhere in the world. So, in contrast to what others have thought we are not running away from growing up but we are expanding our opportunities to do just that.

Finally, I want to take an opportunity to say thank you Carrie. Thank you for being one of my best friends. Thank you for saying yes to this crazy adventure. For actually wanting to move to the other side of the world with me. Thank you for living in a tiny apartment with glass walls, in a country where neither of us could speak or read the language. Thank you for sharing a scooter and not killing me for crashing it with you on it. Thank you for your understanding and love when times were hard. Most of all thank you for the laughs and the memories I will have for the rest of my life.

And I, Carrie, would like to give a BIG hug and thank you across the pond to my bestest Denise. You are like the sister I never had and I can't imagine not having you in my life. Thanks for helping me become a better teacher while I was there. Thank you for being able to share your whole life with me, (and pretty much only me), for almost a year. Thank you for sharing in crazy new experiences with me and making them unforgettable. Thank you for your friendship...you are one of a kind. And thank you for putting up a blanket on those glass walls. :)

And to all my friends still in Taiwan. You have made my life so much richer and meaningful since having met all of you. Please know that I think of you often, miss you and can't wait till I see all you again. Because, don't worry, we will meet again soon!

MUAH xo

Also, thank you to everyone and anyone who followed our adventures.

until next time ...

Bali - Indonesia

2010-09-26T02:38:00.001-07:00

As Carrie and I planned our trip (mostly Carrie) before we left Taiwan one of our major expenses was going to be the ticket home. So, we searched the internet looking for the cheapest flight back to Canada from any countries close to us. We tried them all and for the time we wanted it turned out that Bali had a decent price. This meant we had to work our travels around our flight home and make sure that before August 2nd we were in Bali. Ohhhh tough one eh. So, we decided to stay in Bali for the last two weeks of our trip. (Later it was decided that JP would join us in Bali) Two weeks gave us time to see the island, have all the cultural experiences and lay out on the beach, which is something we had not really done much on our travels. By the end of the trip we wanted to have time to just eat, drink, unwind, and get a tan!

After a short flight to Kulua Lumpur, Malasia and a connecting flight we made it to Bali! Bali is one of the most gorgeous places we have ever been. It even smelled good. The people are sooo friendly, the beaches are amazing and the food was great! We spent our first couple of days in Kuta which is one of the most popular cities. It is a party place with a beach club vibe. Everyone surfs all day and parties (hard) all night. The town is full of Aussies and the locals all assume because we are white that we were Aussie too. A man on the beach was relentless trying to sell random crap. He kept pacing up and down the beach yelling, "Bloody good! Ohhhh Bloody good!"

Sunset in Kuta
Photo by Jean-Paul Mouton

JP arrived a couple days after we got to Bali. I was so excited to pick him up at the airport. As I waited patiently pacing back and forth at international arrivals I begin to worry because his plane landed a while ago and I still could not find him. Suddenly somone wrapped their arms around me from behind. I jump then realized in the same moment that it was JP. He was laughing as he said, "Domestic arrivals." Silly me forgot that he had flown into Jakarta, Indonesia a couple days before to get a VISA for Taiwan and was flying into Bali from there.

The night life in Kuta is alot like a first year university scene. It is wild! It is like they are all out for the first time unsupervised and everyone is right drunk in the bars. It was hard to find a place that was low key to grab a few drinks to start the night. All the popular places were filled with people who were complete messes. You also had to watch out for Kuta Cowboys (local men who like to hook up with female travelers) the dance floor was full of them. Some of the great things we did in Kuta included laying on the beach, whitewater rafting, and watching epic sunsets. JP went surfing and I totally regret not taking a lesson. Next time for sure! Also, we drank alot of Bintang (the local beer), went shopping and played cards together. We stayed in Kuta about a week and then our friend Mandy arrived from Korea. She was keen for a holiday. Carrie and Mandy decided to stay a couple more days in Kuta but JP and I had planned to move onto Ubud which was the culutral center of the island. In Ubud we visited Monkey Mountain, some stone temples, natural springs and rented scooters so we could drive through the rice patties. At night we watched beautiful cultural dances and had amazing meals.

Mandy & Carrie in Kuta
Photo by Mandy Wishak

Monkey Mountain
Photo by Jean-Paul Mouton

After Ubud we moved to a few ocean side towns on our way to the Gili Islands. The Gili Islands are a small island chain off Lombak (which is beside Bali). Carrie and Mandy did the same thing but took a different route. There were many options of how to get there. We took a slow ferry for five hours on the way there and the one hour fast boat on the way back. The fast boat was maybe one of the most awful experiences of my life. I would take the 13 hour death bus ride from Loas twice before I would go on that fast boat again. You are flying through 3-4 meter swells and I swore the hull of the boat was going to smash out. We were white knuckled the entire time holding the seat a head of us as we dropped off the huge swells and smashed into the next. People were getting sick the entire ride and we were positive the driver didn't really know what to do other then go fast. The one positive thing about the fast boat ride is that you save travel time between places.

Lombak and the Gili Islands

Photo thanks to Wiki Travel

Photo by Jean-Paul Mouton

There are three islands in the chain: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. We stayed on the largest Gili Trawangan. There are no vehicles on the islands or police. The only way to get around was to walk, ride a bike or travel by a small horse and buggie. We were only on Gili Trawangan for a couple days but we all fell in love with this place instantly. It was breathtaking. The clear blue ocean, light sand beaches, and clear skies. JP and I went snorkeling and I got to see my first sea turtle. It was AMAZING! Carrie and Mandy rented bikes and toured the island as well experienced some special local drinks (haha). As we laid on the beach, swam in the ocean, ate great food and drank cold drinks we could not help but think about quitting our jobs to live there. The only problem would be a few people in Canada (Momma Dixon, Momma Ritchie and others) who would not appreciate us disappearing. After Gili we met back up with Carrie in Kuta before our flights. JP's flight out was the night before ours so I rode with him to the airport. Another goodbye in another airport (this was getting old) but it wouldn't be long until I was picking him up at arrivals....and the right gate this time!

Finally, after all our adventures Carrie and I loaded up our backpacks one more time to head back to Canada.

Photo by Mandy Wishak

Photo by Jean-Paul Mouton

Chiang Mai - Thailand

2010-09-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

We arrived July 12 and on our first night in Chiang Mai we went to the Night Bazaar (night market) and it was unreal. This thing was huge!! It went forever with people selling everything! You could buy Mac make up, silk robes, t-shirts, "name brand" running shoes, watches, sunglasses, slippers, toys, all kinds of souvenirs and local art. My ability to haggle for a good price is poor to say the least. I was likely ripped off over and over again ... but I felt the stuff was so cheap to begin with I am not wasting my time arguing over a couple dollars.

The next morning we set out nice and early for an all day Thai cooking class. This little package included a trip to the market to learn about ingredients. For me it meant cockroach dodging. The little critters were all over the place! Our teachers for the day were named Boom and Perm. Yes you read that right. After the market we went to the kitchen where we could choose different meals to make. Carrie was more excited at this point then I was. New food scares me as we have learned from previous blogs. I made chicken coconut soup (which wasn't crap!), red curry, pad thai, and sweet and sour chicken. There were other items we learned to also cook as a class together. The cooking course was a lot of fun despite the fact that I was sick for three days after.

Side note: When Thai people say something is only a little spicy...they are lying!
After our cooking class we tried out a few local watering holes. We found a roof top bar where you sat on the floor and just relaxed. That lasted one drink as a mouse booked it across the room and we were ready to go.

Also a heads up that a whiskey sour in Chiang Mai = death in a glass and resembles nothing even close to a whiskey sour. Cheers to Carrie for getting that bad boy down.

Day two: Carrie and I set out to see some temples and cultural stuff! We get to temple number one and realize we are not dressed appropriately to enter. Our shoulders were to be covered. On the way back to the guesthouse to change we see a tattoo shop. Our plans change immediately and we spend the afternoon getting Carrie some ink. The temples will be there tomorrow.

Three hours later Carrie has 3 beautiful plum blossoms on her left foot. The plum blossom is Taiwan's national flower and it means perseverance in the face of adversity. The meaning comes from the fact that this flower only blooms in the winter months.

After the tat was wrapped up and ready to go we grabbed some dinner and headed to a Thai boxing match. A lovely "ladyboy" lead us to our ringside seats and got some beers. The first few fights were between boys. I felt awful watching these little guys duke it out. We were also treated with a special lady fight (actual women). As the fights continued they become more like WWF wrestling and less like a sport. At one point guys were tossed in the ring blindfolded and just beat on one another. Finally, we called it a night when a young boy was climbing into the ring to fight a little person. We were done. It wasn't what we were hoping for.

Day three was a lazy pool day. The only really exciting event was the HUGE gecko that was outside my room. This thing was like a squirrel just rocking out on the wall outside our room. I went into the hall and felt trapped cause I didn't want to pass it again on the way back in. So I called Carrie out so she could be scared with me. I am nice like that. She didn't find it funny. Now every time we return to the room at night I am terrified it is waiting for me. Carrie tried to remind me that they are harmless and it is good they are around to eat the bugs. I have an irrational fear that in the night it will get in our room and crawl all over me. Carrie said it was too big to fit under the door like the others. But I think if it really wanted in our room it could just open the door ...THAT IS HOW BIG IT WAS! I didn't sleep much that night.

Another Thai experience we signed ourselves up for was some Thai massages. Carrie was again the more keen individual, where I dislike the idea of strangers all up in my business. I opted for a foot massage, manicure and pedicure. Carrie goes all out with the full body hour and a half massage and mani/pedi. This was again NOT what I thought it was going to be. My foot massage was painful and awkward. The girl was unnecessarily rough and used a wooden stick to poke and grind at my feet. She rubbed it over the top of my feet and ankles, over and over as I squirmed and winced in pain. The bony parts of my feet got most of her attention. She followed this by slapping my legs and feet and pulling each toe until the knuckle cracked. I could not wait for it to be over!! When the manicure and pedicure began I was more optimistic. WRONG. She barely washed the dirt from my traveling paws. Next, she cut my nails and removed some old polish. I requested a french manicure on my nails, which of course they didn't do. I told her a clear coat was fine then. Some how she understood that to mean I wanted nothing and before I knew it she had keys in her hand and was waving good bye to me. I went into this thinking there would be soaking, scrubbing, lotions, gentle massaging, shaping of the nails and cuticles. I had visions of shiny clear coat and really pretty toes. (This was my first mani/pedi but I have seen such things on TV) My hands and feet looked the same as when I arrived. Carrie on the other hand loved her life. She had a great massage and was proudly displaying beautifully manicured fingers and toes.

I guess this is what you get for going to an establishment that employs women recently released from prison in an attempt to help them rebuild their lives. Next time I will paint my own nails and save myself the money... sorry ladies.

The next day Carrie and suit up for some ziplining in the forest outside Chiang Mai. On the bus ride I fall asleep, as per usual when in vehicles, mouth wide open and head back. A bump in the road (I mean I thought we were crashing) shook me awake and I found myself basically sleeping on the shoulder of a stranger. I smiled and said sorry while trying to secretly wipe the drool from my face. Once we arrive we are geared up in hair nets (yes hair nets), safety harnesses and a sweet helmet. On top of this we were given a short thick stick with a hook on the end. This high tech tool was our brake. Yes, a random stick from the ground is what was going to stop our bodies from launching into a tree as we whip from platform to platform in the tree tops. We were also instructed not to drop it cause we only got one. Despite the brake intro, the whole experience was great! I actually felt very safe the entire time. In the afternoon it started to rain which made breaking a little more difficult and slamming into our tiny guide more likely but other then that it was a total rush. The longest zipline was over 300m and the views were gorgeous. We also got to climb around suspended bridges and staircases. The best part though for me, was the drops. You were hooked to a pulley system and dropped from one platform to another. The drops ranged from 20 - 40 meters and you could let the guide know how fast or slow you wanted to be dropped. We had been joking with our guide most of the trip. He referred to us as TEAHCER (shouting most of the time like a student) and when I asked him to be nice to me before the drop he just laughed and I screamed the whole way to the bottom.

Zipping away and enjoying the view!

Finally, our flight was booked and we set out for Bali, Indonesia on July 19. Although our schedule only gave us time for Chiang Mai I loved it. Thailand is such and amazing place and can not wait to experience more of that country!

PS. I found the biggest piece of lemon meringue pie I have ever seen in Chiang Mai!

So yeah ... I'm twenty-five.

2010-08-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

Matching sling and toga

scooter scabs

all you can drink

friends from all over the world

birthdays in Taiwan are like no other

Bits and Pieces from our life in Taiwan

2010-08-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a little glimpse at some of the random fun we had in Taiwan.

Wizard sticks on the beach in the rain.

Swimming at a restaurant.

Professional baseball.

Who knew that we would travel to the other side of the world to find great new friends who party just like friends from home?

Red Eye Travels

2010-07-23T03:46:00.001-07:00

After our elephant experience, Denise and I had some time to kill now that we were back in Luang Prabang. Our bus to get to Thailand didn't leave until 7pm so we decided the best possible use of our time would be to lounge by the Luang Prabang pool. So we left our bags with Elephant Village office and got a tuk tuk to the pool where we tanned and swam.

A van drove us to the bus station where we loaded on a very cramped, uncomfortable bus. It was packed with too much luggage and a motorcycle! No, that is not a typo, there was an actual motorbike we had to hop over to get to our seats. I thought this was the VIP bus? We settled in what we thought were comfortable seats but as the bus drove along, Denise discovered her seat had a bounce to it. At every curve and bump and turn, her seat would shake and rattle. Not ideal for a 13 hour bus ride. Luckily, a nice girl sitting by herself switched with us and she sat in the non-rocking chair. Denise and I popped some Gravol in the hopes to doze off easily and sleep the whole way. No such luck. Stops along the way for bathroom breaks consisted of going on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, possible in the backyard of some unknowing farmers. We just stayed dehydrated the whole ride and prayed we wouldn't have to use a bathroom break. With the bus travelling along the mountain side on roads obviously not made for long distance travel, we bumped our heads multiple times on seats, windows and each other. Needless to say, this was the bus ride from hell. We got to Northern Laos at 8am where we were to take a boat into Thailand and get in a mini van to head another 5 hours to Chiang Mai. Luckily, after the 13 hour death ride everything went much smoother. The mini van is much more comfortable than the bumpy uncontrollable bus. I'm not sure if this was the better option of the 2 day boat ride, but it was too late now. One of our first stops in Chiang Mai may have to be a Thai massage to get out those kinks!

This is the scooter we had to crawl over to get in and out of the "VIP" bus.

An elephant never forgets

2010-07-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

On our third day in Luang Prabang, we had made reservations with Elephant Village for a 2 day mahout experience. During this time we were able to learn the ropes of "steering" the elephants, ride them, bathe them, and basically just stare in awe at these awesome creatures. And don't forget I still have pink eye. Doesn't matter we were both just too excited for our next couple of days. When we arrived it was everything I was hoping for! Elephants were walking around, eating and carrying visitors. We first took a boat up the river to our cabins. These rooms were gorgeous! After unloading all our gear it was elephant time! We learned how to approach an elephant (always from the right, as some are trained to attack anyone coming from the left). We also learned the commands to go, stop, turn right, left and how to get on an elephant. It is not as graceful as it seems. Your grab their ear firmly (even though you think you hurting them) then you give the command for the elephant to lift and bend her right leg. You then step on the knee and launch yourself up. Once you are up you sit on the neck, with your knees resting on the ears and you are really close to sitting one their head. If you do not sit like this your bounce around on their shoulder blades. It is a much smoother ride on the neck. Now once you are ready you can say, "Pie" which means go. You need to say it loud and more then once since you are not the elephants mahout it is less likely to listen to you the first time. We got to ride around on the elephant for a couple minutes to get the hang of it. After we each got a turn we got to go for an hour long trek in the jungle, the river and back through a small village for the elephants daily exercise. The elephants mahout rode on her neck and we were in seats on the back. About halfway he switched places with Carrie and she got to ride on the neck. After lunch we watched another group give the elephants their afternoon bath before we got to take them into the jungle away from the camp for the night.
The next morning we woke up early to get ready to get our elephants and take them for their morning bath. We walked through the jungle - uphill most of the way of course, sweating and panting for 45 minutes or so. We reached the area where we were to ride the elephants down. Again, mounting these large, ancient animals is no easy task and surprisingly we are no more graceful at it. Once on, you can't imagine a cooler feeling to be doing first thing in the morning. The mahouts are having a great time singing laughing and basically trying to get the elephants to run and pass each other.

At the shore of the river, the elephants stepped in and took long drinks of water. Then they go further in the water with you still on their backs. They like to play and completely submerge in the water, so there is no way you're not getting wet. Not all fun and games though, we had to do our jobs to scrub the elephants neck and backs. Feeling their rough, wrinkled, thick skin under you is so surreal.

As our time with the elephants came to a close, we said goodbye to our new elephant friends and took some last photos. An experience we will definitely not soon be forgetting.

Laos Love - Day 1 and 2 in Luang Prabang

2010-07-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

The next stop for us in Laos from Vang Vieng was Luang Prabang. This is such a pretty place to stay. All the buildings are very French inspired and it's so easy to move from place to place. You can pretty much walk to any place you want to be. While in Luang Prabang we vowed not to be such bums as we were in Vang Vieng. Our first night we ate a nice dinner along the main street and went to the night markets. There are great things you can buy as gifts or for yourself at the market. Scarves galore, t-shirts, jewellery, paintings, lao wine and whiskey too! The next day we had planned to wake up early to watch the monks collect food, as we were told it is a must see...but, Denise and I are really good sleepers....and pink eye needs it's rest. (Oh yes, we both got pink eye from tubing. Well I got pink eye - in both eyes! And then passed it on to Denise's eyes. Ooops!)

We booked a tour to go to the Pak Ou caves and Kuang Si waterfalls for Day 2. Before the cave we stopped at Whiskey Village where they make Lao Lao whiskey. We didn't get a tour of how it's done or anything but were kindly greeted with shots of wine and whiskey. Breakfast of champions.
The caves were full of tiny little Buddhas and to the higher cave (up many, many steep steps) were some carvings and bats! It's was lovely to see but I must say, once you've seen a Buddha sculpture, you've seen 'em all.

The Kuang Si waterfalls later in the afternoon were these beautiful and natural pools of water you can swim in. On such a hot day it's great to cooled off. There's also a spot where you can jump off a cliff or swing off a rope. Ever the daredevils, Denise and I decided the best way to enter the swimming area would be by jumping from the cliff. Once up there of course you have second thoughts...but just jump! It's so much fun. I also swung off the rope into the water. Of course not as graceful because the ropes are slippery and it was more of a fall, but still a good time. The only downside of these natural falls are the tiny fish that enjoy nibbling at your feet. The idea that people pay to have their dead skin chewed off by fish baffles me. For dinner we had some delicious Indian food and headed to the night markets again. Another quiet night in Laos. We hit the hay early in anticipation for our Elephant Village adventure. A 2 day mahout experience in the jungle. Can't wait!

Travel Duo

2010-07-06T01:40:00.000-07:00

So....we have not updated in, well, too long! A lot has happened. We are no longer working. We are no longer in Taiwan. We are travelling and currently in Vang Vieng, Laos. From here we're heading to Luang Prabang and spending 2 days at an Elephant Village. We LOVE elephants.

Here's a mini update and itinerary of our travels. We arrived July 2 in Vientiane around 6pm where we got a cab to take us to the centre of the town. We had no clue where to stay, only our trusty guidebooks in tote we stayed the first night at a place for $18 US dollars. The next night we found cheaper for $11 US. Honestly, Vientiane is more of a transition place I think. Not a whole lot to see.

Moving on from Vientiane we are now in Vang Vieng. As we got closer to Vang Vieng, the roads were curvy and the views were lush and green. Tiny villages lined the streets from what you may only see in magazines. Stepping out into the heat, we trekked into town with the hoards of other backpackers all looking for the same thing. A cheap, clean room. We found one for 50 000 kip a night (about $6US).

Yesterday we did the popular river run...and I must say, it's mayhem! Unfortunately we somehow had our tubes taken so we ended up walking to the next bar. The rest is a blur. During the day the town of Vang Vieng is not very busy and it's because people are out tubing or caving. We're here until Thursday morning when we leave for Luang Prabang. Our Elephant Village mahout tour begins on July 10.

Not sure how long we'll stay in Luang Prabang, from there we're taking a slow boat on the Mekong to get to Thailand. The slow boat takes 2 days and then we're taking a bus to Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai we're heading to Bali for some blissful beach time.

Laos is a very slow town. Coming from Taiwan where everything is a rush, and go-go-go, relaxing has never been this hard, or easy!

Until next time!

Where does the time go?

2010-05-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

6 weeks of teaching left

6 weekends left in Taiwan

10 weeks or so until Canada bound

Only in Taiwan

2010-05-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

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.

Introducing Smash and Crash - The Rough and Tumble Twins

2010-05-17T02:34:00.000-07:00

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.

Another Special Birthday!

2010-05-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

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?!)

April 30, 2010

2010-05-04T02:43:00.000-07:00

Likely up to no good.

Flour Fight

2010-05-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.chingchongcha.com/

April Adventures

2010-05-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Camping in Kenting

2010-04-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

Finally a LONG weekend!!!

We have been working for over 7 months now and this was our first long weekend!! Of course, in true Taiwan fashion it was set to rain in Hsinchu. Our plan was to get the heck out of town!! We packed up with our friends Chris and Tommy to head south for Saturday and Sunday. We did not have much of a plan or expectations other then sun and beers. We also were meeting a few other friends who were going to a large music festival called Spring Scream. We opted out of techno music and washroom line ups for the sun and daytime drinking. It felt amazing to lay in the sun, play in the sand and swim in the ocean after only a short 5 hour road trip.

WHY HAVE WE NOT BEEN COMING HERE EVERY WEEKEND! ?!

Kenting is a small little beach town right at the southern part of Taiwan. Although we went at a rather busy time of year, we managed to find a place to pitch our tent and then we hit the beach. We claimed a small corner of sand far from the crowd, built a fire, cranked some tunes and relaxed. It is amazing how sunshine can instantly make you happy. None of us could stop smiling. We enjoyed our day on the beach and were tuckered out after a long day. We didn't make it to the beach party that night like we had planned but waking bright and early the following morning feeling wobbly but not sick was a bonus. Next we packed up the tent and hit the beach. It was a little cloudy but this was welcomed as our white, white skin was feeling the burn from the previous day. We decided to try out another beach and the crowds were increasing. This beach was packed and not as nice as our previous location. We were not upset...it wasn't Hsinchu! After a little swim and nap on the beach we hit up a couple shops in town. Finally, we loaded in the car and made the drive back home.

LOVED the weekend.
Love Taiwan.

A Taste of Taiwan (or stuff from other places that is new to us!)

2010-03-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Starfruit and Wax Apples

Dumplings (YUM!)

Pig's Blood and Rice (not the exact version we tried .... but you get the idea)

Carrie and I (mostly Carrie) have been trying to be adventurous with new foods on our travels. I am realizing I am a picky eater now that I am outside of my comfort zone. If it smells, looks or sounds weird...I won't try it. If no one can translate for me what it is....no way. If it is something relatively normal but smells or looks different then it would at home... I hesitate. If the entire body is still on the outside and there are eyes on it winking at me .... ummm maybe pass. The reason I do try things is if Carrie tries it first and doesn't look like she might hurl I will give it a go. Or peer pressure....Tommy! My Chinese teacher shakes her head at me everyday at lunch as I pick through the food making faces. She is always telling me to try things and that they are good for me or that they taste good...I always assume she must by lying by the looks of this stuff. I know I should be more adventurous but is a school cafeteria really ever the place to experience a cultures food? I have tried somethings such as dumplings, tofu and new dishes at restaurants which have all been delicious. I also do try new fruits....how can you go wrong there.

Guava
Starfruit
Yellow Watermelon
Wax Apples
mini versions of peaches and apple/pears
and others that I don't know the name of

The strangest thing we have tried is the pig's blood with rice. In Taiwan many people enjoy either pig's blood or duck's blood in almost a jello like form or together with rice. Tommy basically forced us into the rice version after it had been barbecued. It is hard to describe the taste because it didn't really taste like anything not that I would know what blood is supposed to taste like. But I did it. It is one of those things I think you do just to say you did.

Pig's blood. check.

I do look forward to trying some more new and interesting foods as we travel....but as long as Carrie does it first!

Here is a video of more food adventures!

Birthday L.O.V.E.

2010-03-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

Happy 25th Birthday Cheddar Bob!

Hiking and Hot Springs

2010-03-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Carrie and I went the some friends hiking in Taipei. It was an easy climb on a gorgeous Saturday morning. The exercise and outdoor activity was more then welcomed and the amazing view from the top was totally worth it!

After the climb Carrie and I got to experience Taiwan hot springs for the first time. We went to public hot springs for 40NT or 1.25 CDN per person. We moved from warm pools to cold pools and back to hot pools. We repeated this process and slowly increased the heat each time. The hot springs were a nice experience and very relaxing after a day of hiking. But it was a little awkward sitting in the center of the pools as all the other (Asian) people quietly stared at the white kids rocking the two pieces. It was quickly noted that male bathing suits here are more revealing than woman's. Also we learned that hot springs are very different than hot tubs in Canada. The water is relaxing but it is very calm and still. There are no massaging jets or chemicals to feel clean as you bath with hundereds of strangers. It is also so hot or so cold that you must sit very still and only move slowly in and out of the pools as not to disturb other bathers. Also the cold pools were a new sensation. Slowly crawling into a freezing pool of water and curling into a ball to keep warm seems like an unpleasant experience but it was actually what Carrie and I liked the best. It must be our inner Canadian missing the cold because if you sat really still the water felt refreshing.... moving in the cold water was another thing. Brrrr!!! We did not make it into the hottest pool where the water is coming out of the Earth basically boiling. Our friends' skin was pink like they were being cooked alive when they crawled out of the hot hot pool...no thanks.

After our hike and hot springs we went to our friends place for a roof top bbq with a few drinks to close out our weekend.

A great way to welcome spring 2010!

Hot Springs (minus the crowd)

Keen to be Green

2010-03-13T20:47:00.001-08:00

St. Patrick's Day is easily one of my favorite holidays. So when the opportunity to celebrate with friends comes along there is no way I am missing out. In the past couple of years I have managed to celebrate this fine day on an average of two times per year. Usually one weekend celebration and one on the actual day. It was helpful being a full time student for the past 5 years to make this possible!

So, being in Taiwan was not going to stop me from dressing up and going out. Some fellow foreigners joined Carrie and I as we headed to Taipei for a night on the town. Before the big night, Carrie and I searched for green accessories and clothes as we did not pack such things from home. We were more then capable of finding random crap to make some wonderfully green and festive outfits. We met our friends at the train station with extra green for others and a couple tall boys. Looking even more out of place then usual we strolled into the train station to find our friends in green t shirts.... nothing on their heads...nothing on their faces. We quickly changed that by passing out stickers and extra accessories.

This was the plan: a great group of foreign English teachers traveling in a Chinese speaking country, to a Canadian owned bar, in order to celebrate an Irish holiday.

The night started with shots being handed out as we entered the bar (The Brass Monkey)...and never seemed to stop. We were entered (against our will) into an Irish dance competition where the team decided Ring-Around-the-Rosie would be our go to move. Somehow we made it to the FINALS! The finals involved more shots of Jameson and a dance off for the title. Our best dancer was going to be selected...Mike was up to the task. We covered him in everything green and gave him pom poms. He was set. His competition was a tiny Asian girl who was actually trying to dance "Irish". Our game plan GET IN HER SPACE. Mike did all he could but the judges did not vote in our favor. Still priceless to watch!

The night continued on with details blurring: dancing, drinking, new friends and a LONG cab ride home.

Proud to say we made it home at an acceptable time and were actually kind of useful the following day!

St. Patrick's Day is truly a great and international holiday!

For Jenna

2010-03-08T04:08:00.000-08:00

Your first love is always so special....

"The Gib"

2010-03-07T04:53:00.000-08:00

Bye Bye Boracay

2010-02-26T23:24:00.000-08:00

The "Pines"

2010-02-26T06:30:00.000-08:00

.... it was only eight days of vacation right?

More Bora

2010-02-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

Bora Bora Bora Boracay

2010-02-21T08:19:00.000-08:00

Just the beginning .....

Sunday, February 21, 2010

2010-02-21T07:59:00.000-08:00

6 months and still rocking

if you need us....

2010-02-10T00:10:00.001-08:00

we will be on the beach!!

Boracay vacation here we come!!!

xo
menace and cheddar bob

Best Waste of Time Ever...

2010-02-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know...I happen to be very fond of a certain little diddy called Don't Stop Believin'. It's a karaoke favorite and I never get sick of hearing it. Our friend Mike showed us this link and I thought I would share it with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxUExzMuxXA

After hearing this and singing along, Denise said "I wish Journey was a Canadian band".
Me too Denise, me too...

Little Piece of Denise - 7 Years in the Making

2010-02-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

So....as you read this you may think I am a freak....and well sometimes I am.

Seven years ago I was in a small car accident with 4 guy friends in high school. A vehicle ran a stop sign and t-boned us into a hydro pole right in front of the hospital. No one was badly hurt but my forehead was split open and I had to get four stitches. We figured out I smashed heads with my friend Brian (G) who was sitting to my right and the side of the car where we were hit. I was in the middle back seat and it didn't appear that I hit my head on any glass. The doctor did a bang up job giving me four stitches with that stitch glue crap on top of it and then some butterfly clips for good measure. A couple weeks later I had to go to the walk in clinic to get the stitch glue chipped out and the stitches removed all the while the clinic doctor in awe of the hack job treatment I had received. No big deal I thought...just my face right? My scar was a pink cross with a little Harry Potter style and I now required bangs to cover it up. As the years passed my little friend on my forehead began to hurt and I could feel something hard inside. I mentioned it to my family doctor who thought it could be scar tissue built up and it was nothing to worry about. Then 2 weeks before I was moving to Taiwan I woke up and was getting ready for work with my forehead aching and throbbing for no reason. I strolled to the washroom, pulled back my bangs to see that my pink scar from 6 years ago was now swollen up like a golf ball on my face! I had no clue what to do! I went to work where I proceeded to show as many people I could this freak of nature growing from my face. They were disgusted and made me go to the walk in clinic. The doctor immediately stuck me with a freezing needle and cut my scar, which some guy friends affectionately named Pete, wide open. As I lay back in the chair with a towel over my face I can faintly feel the doctor press on my face and a release of pressure. What was this guy doing? What was wrong with my head? The doctor said he could feel something hard inside the scar.....something I had been saying was there for a while but never really did anything about. It had been 7 years.....if something was in there it was fine in my books. The doctor informs me he can't take it now and I need to make an appointment. So in my true nature I moved to Taiwan with Pete in tow.

Pete has hurt almost everyday since I have arrived and slowly I have been able to feel what was actually inside. Not scartissue, not an undissolved stitch or a mini menace but a piece of glass. Soon the glass began to surface, I could scratch it, and then eventually grab a hold of it with tweezers. Sick I know but I wanted this thing out! Carrie said no! She thought this seemed like something a doctor should handle but I was over that process. This was something I was going to deal with cause it was driving me nuts. So tonight I just grabbed a hold of this little gem and pulled. Now I have a small hole where Pete used to be and I hope it heals right up!

No blood, no tears just a strange feeling of success!

Clearly I took pics...who else does this happen to?

Slice and drain .... look how proud I am of Pete!

This is my gem in proportion to a penny sized coin.

Winter Camp - Week One

2010-02-01T02:07:00.000-08:00

Big Wheel Whippin

2010-01-30T07:49:00.000-08:00

Hanging Around

2010-01-30T07:16:00.000-08:00

Winter Camp is no wonderland

2010-01-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

Forgive the little rant below but, I feel it deserves one.

Denise and I finished our first semester here at Korrnell on January 20th. Yay us! The next day we did not get to sleep in. We do not get a vacation between semesters. We get to organize and facilitate Winter Camp. You may be thinking...camp! Camp was always fun when I was a kid. Sure, in Canada it was. Swimming, arts and crafts, canoeing, horseback riding, tennis...great stuff. In order for kids to learn English Korrnell has organized a Winter Camp around some basic themes. Restaurant, drama, supermarket, emergency, transportation, sports, science and department store. Not bad themes...this could be fun.

People are partnered up and given a theme. Denise gets Sports. Lucky...I am stuck with Department Store. Department store! I don't even like shopping very much!

So with our partners we designed stuff for the kids to do for two weeks. The day before the camp starts we had the afternoon to decorate and transform regular classrooms into our theme....using only construction paper. Denise was stuck trying to make a monopoly themed room and I was stuck trying to create my own department store...still using only construction paper.

The night before winter camp, I find out...by the way, you'll be doing this on your own. Your partner has to teach Pre-ESL classes. Okay.....I don't have all the materials I asked for. I'm not sure about the class schedule. Luckily, one thing Korrnell does prepare you for is winging it. We are now experts at pulling stuff out of our asses...time filler extraordinaires!

The first week is over and it was a success! By that I mean there have been no casualties. Myself or the children. Teaching the same subject over and over all day for one week though can fry your brain a little. Yesterday was the wrap up field trip for week one. We went to a ceramic museum. Great idea. Let's go to a place where young children can't touch anything, have to be quiet, walk everywhere and go shopping with little to no money. Here is the gist of the trip.

"Don't touch that!"

"Shh, listen. Be quiet!"

Chinese, Chinese, Chinese, Chinese

"Teacher I'm tired. Teacher I'm hungry."
"Teacher when do we eat?"

"I have no idea."

Chinese, Chinese, Chinese, Chinese

And week two begins.....

Friends

2010-01-14T03:32:00.000-08:00

love menace

Hogsmead - Mike's Sugarglider

2010-01-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

2010-01-10T05:07:00.000-08:00

We LOVE our scooter!!!

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T00:31:00.000-08:00

Best. Monday. Ever.

2009-12-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

So this is just a little video of Carrie and I being complete children at Christmas. . .

Our care packages from home have been held in customs for 5 days now and were delivered to our work today. So like mature adults we ran home at lunch, each carrying our 30lbs boxes to rip into like savages. Our families had originally planned a skype conversation on Christmas where we could open our presents together.....a video blog will just have to do.

We love you all and thank you so much for the wonderful gifts. Carrie and I are truly grateful for such thoughtful family and friends and now see just how spoiled we really are!

xo

2009-12-27T00:49:00.000-08:00

After working all day, attending a staff dinner and skyping our family Carrie and I ventured downtown around 12pm...so technically it was Boxing Day celebrations. We left some poor stragglers at home in bed as it had been a long day but everyone knows we don't want to miss out on a little party....it's Christmas time!
Our friend Tommy was playing some tunes at a local bar and we went along to support and enjoy the all you can drink beverage specials.

A Christmas concert like no other...

2009-12-26T21:35:00.000-08:00

These kids are just the cutest!

Scooter

2009-12-26T08:20:00.000-08:00

For some reason it took Carrie and I four months to finally get a scooter. We test drove the scooter and paid for it one night then had to return the following night to pick it up. I choose to drive the scooter home as doubling for the first time was not the smartest decsion we could make. This was terrifying to say the least. I had not yet driven a scooter successfuly but now had no choice but to drive on my own, at night in rush hour traffic for 20 minutes to bring our baby home. Mike was kind enough to give me a lift and guide me safely back. He was very patient with me and the whole process. When we arrived to get the scooter it was not ready. For some reason the engine was exposed and a sketchy looking bike was torn apart next to it. He apparently wasn't done working on the bike. Once he was finished he let Mike test drive it. Something seemed a little off....I don't know much about scooters but it sounded different. He then began to fix it again. The old man at the shop was next to test it. They said now I was ready to go. I geared up and got on. As I am ready to entire traffic the light turns green, Mike leads, I grab the throtle and....nothing. Eeeee! I try again....bahh what do I do? I relaize it has stalled and I re-start but the light is now red. I sit paitently waiting for Mike to return having to continue to rev the engine to keep it running. We take the bike back to the mechanics who speak zero english and use charades to desribe the problem. Once again the bike is ripped open and we are waiting. Finally it is finished and off we go again! This time it was a success! I made it all the way home without crashing into anything or anyone! The next day Mike took Carrie and I on a tour around our town so we could be become more familiar with how to get places via scooter. This was my first experience driving with a passenger.... after a scary first right turn it was smooth sailing. After lunch it was Carrie's turn drive. I rode with Mike and Carrie was on her own. We are now both practiced up and ready to rock!!

Nothing is stopping us now!

Famous in a small town

2009-12-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

Our first school outing Denise and I went on a 10km bike ride and ended up playing drums with government officials. It was a joke that somewhere we were all over the news. It turns out, we were!One of my students gave me this book and was so excited to tell me I was on the front. This is the cover of a Hsinchu County guide of some sort. Of course it's in Chinese so we can't read it...but now I'm really regretting choosing the au natural look. Now, these are being dispersed in our apartment building. I've always wanted to be a cover girl! haha

Christmas in Taiwan

2009-12-26T04:42:00.000-08:00

Denise and I were talking earlier about how sad and depressing Christmas would be this year. No family, turkey, presents, songs...no ugly Christmas sweaters! While Denise was getting down about this I simply turned to her and said "We're not skipping Christmas! We're downsizing!"
Christmas is what you make it and although we couldn't be with our friends and family, we are thinking of you and love you very much!
This year was a slight stray from the norm. New friends to spend it with and new ways to celebrate. Happy Holidays from Taiwan! xo

Twas the season of Christmas
And all through Jhubei
Not a snowflake did fall
No Christmas songs would play.

Our fingers were crossed
Our spirits were held high
In hopes that our packages
Soon would arrive.

Christmas morning came
But our packages did not
Ebenezer Scrooge owns Fedex
In customs our packages were caught.

But Christmas does not come
In packages, boxes, or bows
It is the feeling inside
This is what everyone knows.

Santa did not lose our address
Just a slight delay
The postal service is no match
For Santa's reindeer and sleigh.

Our Christmas dinner was non-traditional
No turkey, pie, or stuffing
But celebrations with new friends
Until the wee hours of morning.

Before shutting our eyes
We turned on our skype
Sent love to our family and said,
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Monday Dec. 21, 2009

2009-12-20T09:30:00.001-08:00

Wow .... 4 months gone.

Scooterville!

2009-12-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

Last night we did it! We bought a scooter! It was exhilarating and terrifying. I was the lucky one to do the test drive to make sure it was up to par. You know, because I'm a scooter expert.
I followed Mike to make sure I didn't die and he said I did okay. Despite the rush hour crazy traffic, just about hitting a pedestrian, almost getting run over by a bus, it was a success! Sale made. We pick up the mean green machine tonight after work.

Pictures and videos I'm sure will follow. Wish us luck!

Episode 19

2009-12-13T03:28:00.000-08:00

Introducing Mike and Tommy.

Welcome boys to the adventure!

When In Taiwan...

2009-12-13T03:16:00.000-08:00

Sweet Moves

2009-12-10T03:03:00.000-08:00

Just to brighten up your day. This always makes me smile!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HOzoPrwLqk&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh+div-1r-3-HM

Movember

2009-11-30T07:49:00.000-08:00

Here is our tribute to all the mustaches around the world and the proud men who wear them.

Harlem Globetrotters in Taiwan

2009-11-30T05:17:00.000-08:00

Episode Fifteen - Jello Blobs

2009-11-22T07:54:00.000-08:00

Sunday Morning

2009-11-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Miss Madelynn

2009-11-18T05:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the best niece in the whole wild world!

Are you Superstitious?

2009-11-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Friday the 13th. Most people seem to think this day is unlucky. I think it's just an easy way to blame anything bad happening on this day, to bad luck.

For example:

At lunch I was getting settled and ready to eat some delicious "water soup", moved my bowl and spilled most of the soup on myself. Good thing I was wearing black. And it's a good thing I decided to wear Denise's dress that day! :) Normally I would just call myself and klutz and leave it at that. But, on Friday the 13th, I could blame it on something else!

Example #2:

Denise has a couple 'firsts' yesterday. She drove a scooter for the first time and she dumped a scooter for the first time. Normally we would blame Denise for being a bad driver, but on Friday the 13th, we could blame the day.

So we learned a couple things. Friday the 13th gets a bad wrap and I will be the driver.

Head Over Heels

2009-11-12T04:19:00.000-08:00

In my grade 2 phonics class, we learned about the aw and au sound. I introduced different words, told them meanings, drew on the board or acted them out to help them understand.

Straw, claw, saucer, pause, yawn....somersault.
"Teacher, what is that?" I finally got to put my years of elementary school gymnastics to good use. Luckily we have a padded area in our classroom which made the landing slightly smoother. I forgot how far away the ground is. Even if you're 5'3.

Ah, the things teachers do for kids!

Cheddar Bob Square Pants

2009-11-08T09:44:00.000-08:00

Everyone in Taiwan seems to not only know but LOVE Sponge Bob Square Pants!

What I find wildly entertaining is the fact that Sponge Bob lives in the ocean and my very own Cheddar Bob has NEVER even touched an ocean!!!

Our staff field trip this past Saturday was a tour of the North Coast where Carrie had high hopes of finally reaching the ocean and checking it off her life list.....

Episode Thirteen

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

2009-11-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

The votes are in! Denise and I are officially winners! We finally got our bank cards from Taiwan Cooperative Bank. They of course say "Winner" on the front. We have to go to the bank to change our pins. Of course the bank is only open until 3 or so. We work till 5. Convenient.

Western Wednesday

2009-11-04T14:23:00.001-08:00

The lunch on Wednesdays is the school's take on "western" food and Denise and I always load up on the familiar food choices. This Wednesday was spaghetti and salad. The choice of utensil, not so western. Spoons all day everyday. Or of course, chopsticks.
I'm not sure why the school refuses to use knives and forks though. Is it pride? Is it just pure dislike? Or maybe it's a safety thing. I'm not really sure but I'll tell you this - try eating spaghetti with a spoon. It's enough to make you wanna stab your eye with a...well....spoon.

Magically Delicious

2009-11-03T03:26:00.000-08:00

Our new addiction. Melon flavoured ice cream bars. They are creamy, delicious and flavourful. What more do you need? Thanks for introducing us Emily. Please come to Canada!

Inari. The perfect balance of sweet and salty. You wouldn't believe they are made simply out of deep fried tofu and rice. And, from that description you wouldn't believe they are at all good. But, they are delicious. These are available in Canada and pretty much everywhere since sushi has become ever so fashionable. In Taiwan though, they are found at your local 7-11, Always Open!

I think I'm turning Taiwanese...

2009-11-03T03:09:00.000-08:00

We've been teaching here in Taiwan now for about 2 1/2 months. I've noticed a few things:

As hand talkers already, Denise and I have morphed into wild, crazy arm flailing machines!

Our speaking has slowed down and we enunciate very, very CLEARLY!

We have made our sentences very simple.
"Very bad!"
"So good!"

To understand completely, please feel free to view the Ms. Swan clip. I'm pretty sure it's an accurate comparison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03cOIp5Euw

If you find yourself as a recipient of our new way of speaking, please don't be offended, old habits die hard.

Halloween @ Korrnell

2009-10-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

Devil's Night 2009 was one of the longest days of our lives! It started out like any other regular Friday teaching our morning classes. Except of course, we were in full costume. Denise and I are avid lovers of the Halloween Holiday season. We want to apologize for our shameful Halloween costumes this year. We were "one of those girls." Yes, we wore cute dresses with only wings and other accessories. We do have an excuse though...We are in Taiwan! We don't speak Chinese! We don't know where anything is! Our sincere apologies.

The afternoon classes were cancelled because kids got trick or treat to different classrooms. The chant they were taught:

Trick or Treat, Smell my feet!

Give me something good to eat!

Not too big, not too small!

Just the size of Korrnell School!

After school hours came the Halloween games. Teachers set up games in the classrooms and hundreds of kids came around to complete them from 7pm until 10pm. But, I will say, the Pizza Hut pizza at the end of the night made up for the long hours slightly.

Although Denise and I were dead tired, our spirits were high! A party at "The Batcave" awaited us. We had no idea where it was, what it was or who was going to be there. All we knew was there was cheap beer - we were there. We trekked to the party with our new buddy Mike and with Chinese directions (with the help of a Chinese teacher, thanks!). By midnight we had made it. Officially Halloween and officially ready for a good time! We made it home around 5:30am after putting a sufficient dent in the beer tub.

With no concept of time and no one to tell us when it's time to go home...I think we may be in trouble!

Teaching in Taiwan

2009-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Cowboy Coffee

2009-10-29T15:38:00.001-07:00

We were recently introduced into a new way of making coffee by our buddy Berma. It's rustic but it works.
Water, check.
Coffee grounds, check.
Boil, check.
Let the grounds settle to the bottom, and you've got yourself some cowboy coffee!
We've never been so peppy!

Define That

2009-10-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, in my reading class we were talked about immigrants. We are doing a unit called "Coming to America". (I know - they use American books, it's silly. Try to explain money to them, geesh!) I told them an immigrant is someone who comes from another country to live in a different one. "Like you teacher?" one little boy asked.
Sure, we are immigrants.

Nice Package

2009-10-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Everything here, including coffee, comes individually packaged. It's odd. You buy cookies or coffee or crackers and they come either in a bag or a box. Inside are individual sized separate packages of the item. Inside each of those is a stay fresh "do not eat" package. It's a little overboard. And the students had the nerve to ask me what "package" meant! So I drew it on the board - a donut and/or bagel inside a package. I'm no artist, but they got it.

KTV 101

2009-10-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Carrie's dream came true!! We finally went to a KTV aka karaoke where you get your own room to sing, drink and rock out in. Where have these been all our lives?!? This KTV (The Holiday Star) was about 15$cdn for 4 hours of tunes, an all you can eat buffet and a couple drinks. Let me tell you, this will not be our only KTV experience.

ps. Emily was totally the star of the night!

Taipei 101

2009-10-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

Hilarious Answers

2009-10-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Students had their midterms for reading, math and science this past week and after much grading I thought I'd share a few funny answers. The kids of course can't spell a lot of words because English is not their first language but we usually can decpiher their meaning. Also the lower grades aren't deducted marks for their spelling, it's not really fair.
The grade 2 reading midterm had a story about kids breaking a neighbours window playing baseball. The children in the story had to work at the man's house to pay off their debt and had 3 more days of it. The students were suppose to predict what would happen the next day. A good response being they had to go back to the man's house to work.
One kid wrote: "They broke someone else's window." Not a typical answer but I gave the kid part marks...it made me laugh out loud.

Another question related to a story they had read about a boy named David at school. They were asked how David helped his teacher. Correct answers were: he helped catch a lizard, gave the teacher a napkin, found the teacher's glasses and gave the teacher some chalk.
One student wrote: "He gave the teacher the cock." Now, this student received full marks because I knew that he meant chalk.
I'm not sure what's scarier, that I knew what the student meant or that he received full marks for his answer!

Sugar Hangover

2009-10-16T17:49:00.001-07:00

Hello, our names our Carrie and Denise and we are sugaraholics.

It is extremely dangerous to have a big tub of candy next to your desk meant to bribe and reward the children. You inevitably eat it.

With Halloween around the corner it doesn't look like our sugar binge is about to end any time soon. We have felt the effects of our candy munching with sugar headaches and sugar stomach aches. I think it might be time to turn to a much healthier addiction....caffeine.

Another Birthday Shout Out

2009-10-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Momma!!

Sorry to broadcast your increasing age via facebook and the blog but I just really like birthdays and YOU!

much love!
xo

Sidenote: In Taiwan it is customary for the children to bring treats for everyone in the class on their own birthday.

Someone's Another Year Older!

2009-10-12T03:19:00.001-07:00

Happy birthday daddy-o!!! Hope you have a great day and try not to work too hard!
Love you and miss you! I'm sending you a big birthday hug all the way from Taiwan!
xo

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

2009-10-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we all need a boost, a little reminder that who we are and where we are going have a purpose. For anyone who is stuck or at a crossroads. It does not matter whether you stay or leave, you gave it a shot and that is more then so many others can say.

Keep your head up Jamie!!

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
by Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

More Heavy Gravy?

2009-10-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend at home everyone is celebrating Thanksgiving. We are here missing out on the delicious meals and great company of friends and family. A Thanksgiving tradition with our family is also the endless Seinfeld references from a great episode. "More heavy gravy?" is said around the table more than once. It never gets old.
Of course the myth that turkey makes you sleepy is a popular one but it is not entirely true. The chemical tryptophan is in turkey but there is more than that which makes us crave a little after dinner nap. Eating huge meals, drinking delicious wine and other alcoholic beverages is enough to make your eyes droop.

So while we are here in Taiwan, (where at our school they do have Thanksgiving dinner, but it is of course the American version), we are thinking of you!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Darla

2009-10-08T05:51:00.001-07:00

There is a new addition to the Dixon family! I skyped mom and dad recently and saw the adorable little bundle of joy! I'm not sure if Darla is her official name...but it suits her I think.

Don't you just love her already? I asked mom if she could send her in the next care package...she said no. :( We are one impulse buy away from getting our own puppy. Denise is not good at talking me out of things. Uh oh....

Overdue Updates!

2009-10-08T03:52:00.000-07:00

We are bad bloggers. We have been neglecting our duties keeping you updated with our life and adventures. We apologize for any inconvenience or withdrawal this left you with.

The past week started with Teacher's Day! A few of our cute little students got presents and cards for us. There were of course some odd gifts (pork chips, vitamin B?). But it's the thought that counts.

Tuesday and Wednesday was the dreaded open house. Parents of the students came in to our classrooms all day long and watched us teach and interact with their children. It was stressful to say the least but of course we made it through with shining colours!

After that week we were in need of stress relief. Friday night we went out in Hsinchu and had a grand old time! Despite the warning of typhoon Parma looming...we were not going to let that stop us!
Saturday night we headed to a nearby watering hole. Denise and I had frequently passed a restaurant called Water Frog BBQ and wanted to see if it was any good. Well....we were pleasantly surprised! This place had a buffet style of all raw meats, vegetables and noodles. You went and picked out what you wanted to eat and cooked it at your table which was equipped with your very own BBQ! We're thinking of opening up our own at home! (Of course waivers and liability would have to be involved). Being the klutz I am...we had a slight fire that had to be taken care of. Oops! All of this food was only 299NT (or about $9CDN) and we ate like royalty! Another fantastic part about the Water Frog is the beer! One glass....multiple kegs....all you can drink - 100NT (or ~$3 CDN). It was like our very own keg party! We highly recommend it!

Our night ended with a little trip to the local 7-11. We purchased some more beer and watched the sights at the main intersection. Unfortunately my camera was running on it's last juice so I didn't get much of a video. But, a local "gang"? was driving crazy at the intersection. Easily amused? You betcha!

Of course, what would a typhoon warning be without a little earthquake. That's right ladies and gentlemen, we had our first taste of a little earthquake action. Saturday night as we were enjoying our 7-11 beer I all of a sudden felt a slight movement. Earthquake? I guess so....
Sunday night, right before I headed to bed I felt a little shake and the table moved. Survived earthquake #2....whew, that was a close one!

Typhoon Parma definitely didn't hit like it was expected to. It did rain and there was wind but apparently it is always that windy in this area and the rain wasn't overly impressive. We were looking forward to our first typhoon day, well maybe next time!

Please find Episode 7 below for your viewing enjoyment...

Mini Adventures

2009-09-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2009

Carrie and I finally leave the apartment to take in a few tourist experiences. Our school planned a day trip for the new Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST) aka it was free!! haha. Only a few decided to come but it was a still an exciting little day.

Highlights not in the video

Carrie tried some of the traditional Hakka food that I couldn't try because it was looking at me! Her face as she tried to de-shell the giant shirmp was priceless. Also her face after I told her the "meatloaf" tasting dish was squid and random seafood. She was unaware as they chose not to tell us what we were eating but I could see little tentacles in it, suction cups and all. Finally Carrie and two little girls were looking at fish in the pond and as Carrie pointed at one it jumped up out of the water and bit her finger! I would have paid money to see that happen. The litte girls thought it was the funniest thing ever!!

Episode Six

Just another Manic Monday

2009-09-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday....the beginning of another week at Korrnell. Luckily, Denise and I have a fairly relaxed Monday to start off our week.
A student who missed one week of class due to illness came back today. I found out he had the swinepox. Not sure if it's related at all to chicken pox but I had my first experience wearing a mask. I didn't wear it for very long though because it's hard to breathe in those! Don't they know it's hot out?

We found out on Saturday we are going on a little excursion with the NEST teachers. We're excited, it should be fun. We haven't done a lot of "touristy" things yet so this will be a nice change.

My care package came today! YAY! Thanks Mom, you're the best!

Episode 5

Shoppin

2009-09-18T23:54:00.002-07:00

Sept 17th, 2009

Our fresh food supply was running a little low so Denise and I took a little trip with our buddy Berma to A-Mart. With our bags packed tight and our arms full, we knew we wouldn’t feel like making supper when we got home. McDonald’s it was…Denise had her first taste of the fries in about 3 years. Yes, I tattled.

Just a Wednesday

2009-09-18T23:54:00.001-07:00

Sept 16th, 2009

Hump Day! Denise and I finally feel like we’ve started to get into a groove…except they keep throwing things at us. “Oh by the way…do this…by tomorrow.” Gee, thanks for the warning.

Parent's Night...

2009-09-18T23:52:00.000-07:00

Sept 10th, 2009

Parent’s PTA evening. Arrived at school around 7:00am to start our day and left around 10:30pm or so. The teachers are expected to make a Powerpoint presentation to introduce themselves to the parents of each classroom they teach in. So, in other words, our nightmare. Parents are very vocal here about their children and their issues. It’s a completely different way of looking at things…what the parents say – goes!

Saturday Mayhem

2009-09-18T23:38:00.000-07:00

Sept 5th, 2009

After our first week of teaching we have learned one very important thing…we are not the only ones who have no idea what’s going on. How refreshing…neither does anyone else at Korrnell. The things we do throughout the day are very ritualistic and in no way have anything to do with a normal school day. Korrnell is much more concerned with doing things the same way than doing them the right way or the best way. We were given some wise words of wisdom comparing ourselves to jellyfish. Just float along with the current, nod and smile and don’t ask any questions.

Wednesdays are our monthly NEST teacher meetings. We were told (not asked) that we would be going on a 10k bike ride. Umm, ok? Saturday morning, the one morning we were so looking forward to sleeping in, would be spent biking around Jhubei. It was for the Deaf Olympic Games so how could we say no? The day turned out beautiful and we wished we had showered. We’re probably on the news somewhere here in Taiwan. Pictures were taken left, right and centre. Played the drums with the Governor of Hsinchu!

Episode Three

After that week and our tiring bike ride, we were in high need of some beverages and a night out on the town. We did a little research on Hsinchu county nightlife…turns out, not a whole lot is happening! Found a little bar called “The Flying Pig” and made do with that.

Episode Four

Date Night

2009-09-18T23:37:00.001-07:00

Sept 4th, 2009

Movie night. Denise and I stay in for a romantic evening to watch some movies together. We don’t quite feel like we’re spending enough time together so we thought we should stay in. Found a bootleg copy of “The Ugly Truth” on the internet. Shut the lights off, curled up on the couch…good to go!

Day One

2009-09-18T23:34:00.000-07:00

August 31st, 2009

Our first teaching day at Korrnell Academy. It was hectic and confusing to say the least. We had no idea of our time table for the day or what we were expected to do. The whole day was in Chinese so we had no idea what was going on. Bilingual school? Really? Alive and kicking though…so we peg it a success.

Teacher Training

2009-09-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

August 28th, 2009

Teacher training day. This consisted of telling us about the textbooks, a tour of the school, getting our textbooks (no teacher editions) and hearing what classes we would be teaching. That’s about it. Thanks?

The Zoo

2009-09-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

August 27th, 2009

Now that we mastered the Hsinchu shuttle bus, we decided to take a little tourist trip and visit the Hsinchu Zoo. After walking/wandering around for about 1 hour or so…we managed to find the entrance.

Hsinchu (About 32 degrees and very humid)

2009-09-18T23:25:00.000-07:00

We were told there was a free shuttle bus that would take us to Hsinchu city. Our apartment is within walking distance from the THSR so we wandered our way in that direction. Everything is of course written in Chinese and no one speaks English. We were on our own. Taking a chance with the only bus with English writing we got on. Thankfully we were successful! We rode the bus to the end of the line, and our hungry eyes spotted a beautiful yellow glowing arch. McDonalds! And breakfast nonetheless. This day is turning out great! Denise broke her 3 year ban on the food.

After our highly nutritious and satisfying meal we roamed around searching for the elusive Dongmen market. We must have stuck out like a sore thumb because a nice stranger could tell we were lost and pointed us in the right direction. The Dongmen “Market” in reality is a dark alley behind stores and buildings. Little old ladies sat on the ground selling fruit, meat, rice and clothing. We bought fruit, as it was the only food we could eat with no utensils. After buying cherries, oranges, bananas, grapes and some other fruit our total came to 541 NWT. We continued to wander around and stumbled across what looked like a mall. Thirteen floors of clothing and shoes later, we found housewares and groceries. Not being able to read 95% of the labels makes guessing what the food is a little game, and trying to cook it quite interesting.

After our first trip we bought:
Chicken
Rice
Soya sauce
Salt and pepper
Noodles
Bread (6 slices)
Jam
Mini croissants
Juice
Eggs
Sushi
A pot
For a grand total of about 1000 NWT

To eat our meals, we stopped at a 7/11 and bought paper plates, bowls, cups, a fruit knife and chopsticks.

Living it up Taiwan style.

The Adventure Begins...

2009-09-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

August 19^th

Now two blondes along with their little brunette buddy, were on our way. Our flight was from Toronto to LA to Taipei airport. Total travel time averaging to about 22 hours. While being in the air we managed to lose a whole day, arriving in Taiwan on the 21^st.

We left Emily back at the airport to fend for herself, and we were swept away with our driver to take us to our school.

We got to Korrnell Academy around 7:30am and got an unnecessary tour of the school. Hungry, tired and sweaty we still had no place to live. Luckily, our supervisor Lee was able to help us with our living situation. Dorms? Apartment? Dorms? Apartment? The closest place to sleep and shower was the apartments. Decision made!

The first two days consisted of a lot of sleeping on our sectional couch. Jet lag is NOT a myth…it is very real, and very long. We had a place to shower and a place to sleep, 2 out of 3 of our problems were fixed. Point us to the food please!

Episode One

The Beginning...

2009-09-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, one brunette and one blonde were sitting in a bar talking about their next step and getting their next beer. The problem: with no money and no real jobs, what were we to do? The solution was so simple of course…teaching abroad!

With our guru Emily on board we knew we were set. The only question remaining now, where did we want to go?

South Korea? Nope Emily has been there, done that.

Japan? Too expensive.

Taiwan? Sounds good to me!

The hardest part of the whole process was convincing ourselves that it was actually happening. After many phone interviews late at night and people changing their minds (Emily!), the night came to book our flight. Talking via phone and msn we had to make sure we booked the flight together. Done and done. The countdown could begin.