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| Can't believe we posted this almost 2 weeks ago...time flies! |
Wow, so today's the final day of "teaching" since tomorrow's basically going to be a free day where we'll blow the socks off our students by speaking their native language, Chinese...even though a lot of them already suspected me of being capable of speaking since I let it slip a couple times. :x IT'S HARD TO HOLD BACK WHEN YOU'RE IN AN ASIAN COUNTRY...>_> And then the day after is the post-test and closing ceremony...so yeah basically today's our last day...even though it has been a hectic ride that burns me out by the end of the day, I'm going to miss it.
Today was the BIG day where the reporter that's going to feature us on international television came...I felt like it was NOT that much of a biggie...like a 3 minute clip or something but once we started teaching, it was like ALL OR NOTHING...just in case my assumptions are wrong, it could very possibly be a big deal if people back home see it. So after planning and preparing until 2 AM last night, the finalized topic was sports. We did our usual routine of stretching exercises in the morning. I'm so glad we've been doing it on a regular basis because now the students treat it as a norm and even begin and lead it themselves. I'm so proud of them...they can all count up to at least 20 (that's sounds funky) since they count while stretching. It was quite uncanny how they were so obedient today...Elle probably scared them with the whole "international" news feature...bahahha. I'd be scared too. It was a little difficult at first feeling natural and teaching the students like we usually do, but after awhile, I came to the conclusion that so what if I make a fool of myself on camera...my purpose is still the same and I just want to teach the students and be taught by them. Everything went so smoothly with them learning sport vocabulary and associating image with word. Bingo was really fun as well even though it was confusing at first.
And truly, silence is golden. We finished the last period before our field trip with a word search. I love giving out word searches...the students are so wonderfully quiet as they diligently work on their assignment. :) Peace...tranquility...with my classical music playing in the background. I'm always playing my classical music in the background hoping it'll work like Mozart babies. Kekeke.
So finally the awaited field trip to the Hualien Sugar Factory arrived. The reporter was coming along too and so it was a pretty big deal for Elle. Before we boarded the school bus, we had to do this chant...I honestly have no idea what they were shouting in Chinese...but I all I knew was that I had to say "GO GO GO YEAH!" and *jump. Lol, it was quite corny but enjoyable nonetheless. NO SHAME.
When we got to our destination, we had to do this other chant...which completely lost me as well...but luckily there was English at the end "OH YEAH!" so I didn't have to stand there like an idiot smiling at the camera. ^^"
The scavenger hunt I created came out a lot better than I expected...the students were really into it and into getting stamps for each station we prepared. They really used all the English they've been practicing the last two weeks so they could flaunt it to the camera. I was like a proud Mama. They were also really comfortable with me and Ashley now as they talked to freely in English and a bit of Chinese...it's so funny because the group of girls dragged me over to one of the tables in the ice cream parlor area and whispered between giggles "We [are] looking for 帅哥, 帅哥!"...which translates to "HOT GUY, HOT GUY." Sigh, I see so much of my younger days in them...lawlz or perhaps present days. And then they would drag me into the market to stalk him...oh my lord...it was ridiculous, but I loved every moment of it. And when they all finally got a good look of him, they changed their minds...haha why does that always happen?
After we ate our fill of ice cream, we frolicked around the other food stands and FINALLY I FULFILLED ONE of my Taiwan goals...CLAW GAMES!!! AND I GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY...BAHAHAHHA. Thanks Ashley for your lucky NT$10 coin. ^^
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| "This Obama!" - Ken |
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| Tying their "English name was here!" cards...I think some of them added the leaf decorations. |
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| Ice cream parlor area. |
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| My awesome possum group. |
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| My loot. |
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| Ashley's dream was fulfilled today as well. |
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| 甜不辣 which literally translates to "sweet but not spicy" |
I was also interviewed about my experience here...and I seriously couldn't do it in Chinese...it's so nerve-racking! And to imagine that I have to give a speech in Chinese on Friday in front of the governor...oh boy. So I gave my interview in English...but when you're on the spot, it's difficult to impromptu in my native language...sigh...I hope they don't air that. But after the moment's past, I suddenly realize what I really want to say. -_-x "Life's hard." - John Baek
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| Pooped. |
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| My students in a nutshell. |
The bus ride back was the usual loud ruckus in the back with the students belting out the latest pop song with Jack's stereo blasting. One of the students, Lia, is really in to the whole K-pop scene and honestly, if you ask me for one thing I've learned throughout this experience (thanks Doyle for asking me to reflect on that)...it would definitely be that having a background knowledge in K-pop is very, very, very, beneficial and definitely to my advantage when getting to know the students. They're all very outgoing when it comes to dancing and singing...and it was such a joy and honor to be witness to their natural God-given talents. Although, much of it is abused with "sexy" dancing...they really know how to transcend language barriers with their music and dance. Anyways, back to Lia, she was telling me about SHINee and she's getting really excited because she knows that I adore Jonghyun like her...(but not to her degree...don't tell her that! :p) and she was telling me how "他很帅, 他很帅 (He's so good-looking)" when he sings high notes and the veins in his neck appear...like she got so flustered when she told me. I wished I recorded it...but that seriously made my day.
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