Wednesday Blues (But Not Mine)

All of the students looked out-of-their-minds exhausted at student pick-up today. We're in the last weeks of school and it is ridiculously hot outside, so who can blame them for being tired and done? Too bad we still have another week and a half of Eagle, during which I need them to concentrate because we have our final exam next Wednesday and Thursday, and a big review week this week.

Saying goodbye next Friday is going to be strange and bittersweet. It always is (this I know from many summers and the accompanying goodbyes, though in those cases they tend to be l'hitraots--until we meet agains). In this case there is a much smaller chance of reunion past the upcoming summer session.

In my younger classes we can finish "The Lion King" this Friday, and then I think we'll watch "Finding Nemo" next Friday, as a mini goodbye party. Our unit for the last few weeks has been on aquatic animals, reptiles/amphibians, and insects, and "clownfish" was one of our words, so "Finding Nemo" (or "A Bug's Life", ooh!) would be a perfect wrap-up movie. Now I just have to pick something for the older students, because they haven't gotten to watch anything fun this year (except for one or two episodes of "The Magic School Bus" which they pretended not to enjoy because preteens aren't allowed to like things).

Update: Apparently I'm not supposed to show them a movie on the last day, which is ridiculous and stupid because we'll fix our quizzes and go to the park regardless of whether or not I play games with them or show them a movie. Anyway, this means we'll finish "The Lion King" next week instead of this week, and not watch "Finding Nemo". Oh well. If my boss gives me trouble, I'll explain how hard my students have worked for the last ten months, and how it's not like I'm showing them a movie in Chinese--they're still practicing English! Plus it's summer so all of my students' brains have melted anyway. Seriously. Ahh.

Rant over.

Creative Writing Experiment

We're in the last two weeks of school, and my oldest students' review packet calls for them to do a bit of creative writing. I decided to tackle the prompts in an attempt to start writing again.

Warning: Flowery language ahead. Being surrounded by not-English makes me overcompensate with eloquence to an almost comical degree to make up for the simplistic language I use in and out of school.

The prompt: Describe a dolphin using these senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch)

*Note: I didn't completely fulfill the prompt, but I'm not taking an AP test so it's all good.

Nauseous from the boat tossing and turning in the rough waters of the sea, the ill feeling within my body was exacerbated by the hot and sour bile rising quickly through my esophagus. A cool spray of seawater eased my raging headache ever so slightly, until I was sickened once again by the taste and smell of salt and seaweed. Upon hearing someone cry "Dolphin!" I decided to tempt fate, and opened my eyes with the hope of catching sight of the majestic creature. Suddenly, the magnificent being leaped out of the water, its sleek grey skin still shiny with the water it had momentarily left behind. I reached out to touch it, but grasped only air. Its lithe body sliced gracefully back into the water, a kind soul slipped a trash can into my arms, and a wave of relief washed over me as my breakfast came pouring out.

The prompt: Write a detailed description. You may use one of these subjects, or you may choose your own subject. Write at least 5 sentences and at least 5 different details.

1. The zoo after closing time

The animals quietly unlock their cages. They creep stealthily into the pathways, meeting in the center of the zoo. With the clear, starry night above them, each species sends out its call. First, the mighty lions roar, followed by the howl of the moonlight-dappled elephants. Only the giraffes, regal and stalwart, remain silent.

*After writing this one I realized it was probably inspired by slipping through the cobblestone streets in Jerusalem on the way to the Kotel with friends one night in the fall of 2012.

2. Santa's toy workshop

Elves ran frantically from station to station as the bustling workshop readied itself for the Christmas season. Packages in all colors, shapes, and sizes were piled precariously in ceiling-high stacks.The room smelled of candy canes and gingerbread, with hot chocolate fumes wafting into the air. Every hour, Saint Nick would let out a hearty Ho! Ho! Ho!, signaling that it was time for the ten minute break. Mrs. Claus sailed through at that time with a plate of savory meats for each hardworking elf.

3. Filming a war movie

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Ping ping!" screamed the rifles, as thunder crashed and lightning flashed overhead. It was easy to forget that this was only fiction, and that in a matter of minutes, seconds even, all action would cease as suddenly as it began. On the shout of "Cut!", foes would become friends and brothers would reunite.
[*Weird tense change here*]
Grunting sighs of relief as they stripped off their packs and muddy outer layers, the men washed their hands and faces and readied themselves for lunch. The fully-functional mess hall had tables laden with tasty treats, and the actors began to eat, their chatter rumbling harmoniously throughout the elaborately decorated space.

Insomnia Strikes Again!

I couldn't sleep tonight, so I wrote this.

"I Don't Know How to Sleep Right"

(to the tune of "I Don't Know How to Love Him")

I don't know how to sleep right.

How to get those nine hours per night.

Going insane. Yes, really insane.

In these past few nights when I've been awake,

I think I'm going to break.

I don't know how to take this.

I don't see why I can't sleep.

Up all night.

It's not alright.

But I've spent so many nights awake,

For oh so many years. What is one more?

Oh, I twist and turn,

But my thoughts still churn.

If I fall asleep,

Will I wake up for work?

Don't think I'll ever get to sleep.

Who needs it anyway?

I don't think it is that funny.

I can't find the right position.

Optimal sleep

Escapes me now.

Some herbal tea. A fluffy bed.

Nothing helps me sleep. Why not count sheep?

Don't think I'll ever get to sleep.

Who needs it anyway?

Yet, when I get enough sleep,

I find myself disoriented.

I can't cope. I start to mope.

And then, I think--I'll get more sleep.

I slowly start to weep.

Insomnia's back.

It comes right back.

Insomnia's back...

Kaohsiung, Kenting, Dragon Boats, and Tainan (Oh My!)

 Sunday, June 1^st, 2014 (Morning)

Surprise, surprise, I haven’t slept much over the last few days (well, years, but I don’t want to talk about that). I’ve been staying up to watch movies and do laundry and clean in a futile attempt to de-mold my apartment. This weekend we have the Dragon Boat Festival on Monday, which means a three day weekend! I’m on the way to Kaohsiung right now. My itinerary for Sunday: 3 hour train from Taichung to Kaohsiung, 3 hour bus from Kaohsiung to Kenting, hang out on the beach in Kenting (the southernmost point in Taiwan) for a few hours, bus back to Kaohsiung, sleep. For Monday: Train to Tainan, watch the Dragon Boat races, see some historical sites (Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan), train to Taichung, sleep.

Before 7:30am/since last night I…

-roasted carrots and mushrooms, bought a baguette, and made barbecue chicken sandwiches for Sunday.

-booked my train ticket online, printed out the information at a 7/11, and got to the train station.

-had a Zhongwen-filled conversation with my cab driver after misreading the bus schedule.

-did a lot of laundry (towels, backpack, etc.).

-watched a few silly, yet somewhat interesting, movies.

-finished one book and started another.

-charged all of my electronics and hid my computer from scoundrels.

-washed dishes.

-packed.

-Skyped with my NYC-bound sister.

I can’t wait to sleep on the train and bus! Both have my destination as their final stops, which means anxiety-free napping. I booked my train online, which means I guaranteed myself a seat AND was able to pay in advance, thus accruing airline miles (travel rewards card—such a good idea. If everything works out, I will have a $30 nonstop flight from Istanbul to NYC next year when I finally come back to the US).

Sunday, June 1^st, 2014 (Night)

I slept for a little while on the train, but not much because I accidentally over-flirted with a baby who then decided that my sole purpose in life was to entertain her. I was happy to oblige. After that, I read a book until I fell asleep (and finished it when I woke up).

It was easier than usual to find the bus station, and I was able to board almost immediately upon arrival. Two and a half hours, a few naps, and a quarter of a book later, I arrived in Kenting!

The beach itself wasn’t the nicest I have ever been to, and wasn’t as nice as I expected it to be, but it was still wonderful. I’m sure if I were on one of the resort beaches it would have been nicer. Nevertheless, I took a few spectacular naps, read about half of a book, and dunked in the water a few times. I watched the sun set over the water, and then left as it started to get dark.

This time around it took a little while to find the bus stop (it was in a random hotel on a street with a busy night market), but everyone was really helpful. The bus took *forever* to come, and then the ride itself was an hour longer than I expected, and ended at a station further away from my hostel than I had anticipated. Near the end of the ride I talked to this girl and her friend from Cornwall, ON. The girl has been here for two weeks and is (shocker) teaching English. Her friend was visiting.

Three cabdrivers and an English-speaking man in his 30s ultimately figured out how to get me to my hostel, where I promptly ate some Thin Mints I had smartly packed in my bag, and wolfed down a surprisingly delicious bowl of ramen (one of, if not, my first).

Monday, June 2^nd, 2014 (Afternoon)

Today I went to Tainan from Kaohsiung to see the Dragon Boat races. It took a while for me to find them, but I settled in a shaded spot with a Taiwanese family who had two exchange students—one from France, and one from Poland. We watched the races, and then I left to see historical sites in Anping District (but not before stopping to watch a European crew team stretch).

Before heading to the sites, I stopped for lunch at 7/11. I kept telling myself, “Your American is showing”, because I ate pasta with carbonara sauce (yum—good going, 7/11) and drank a beer (to be fair, it was a Taiwan Beer).

I keep reading books about women who go on epic journeys to find themselves (which, by the way, is not what I’m doing—I just want to see and experience as much of the world as possible before settling for anything). Common themes which I have experienced in my own travels include otherness (duh), and women getting help. Not help in the “AHH, I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHERE I AM OR WHAT I AM DOING” sense, though obviously that is sometimes the case. In my experience, people will go out of their way to help travelers, especially if you are female, you are alone, and you look like a teenager. Oh, and smiling helps.

A lot of people like to strike up conversations, too, which means that as much as I protest this fact, my small talk skills and ability to talk naturally with strangers have improved by an incredible degree over the last few years. I have also gotten a lot better at asking for the help that people so willingly offer up. Oh, and I am well aware that things would be different if I didn’t appear to be the least threatening person in the universe, but there isn’t much I can do about that—short of a Dauntless transformation (can you tell what books I have been reading lately?).

Monday, June 2^nd, 2014 (Night)

The historical sites were kind of cool, but not incredibly noteworthy, and most had closed by the time I got there. While waiting for the bus, I had a lovely conversation with a French woman and her Taiwanese boyfriend; they were around my age, and were on their way back to cheer some of his teammates on in their next dragon boat race.

I got on the wrong bus after a failed attempt to see one of the historical sites, so the ride to the train station took an hour instead of 20-30 minutes. Ironically, it was the historical shuttle, so while breaking my heart by going who knows where, it showed me all of the sites I hadn’t gotten to see, including the one I had been trying (and failed) to see. Trains run super-late, anyway, so everything ended well.

I didn’t have a seat for the first leg of the train ride (they are assigned), but that was only for the first 45 minutes of a two hour and forty minute ride. At the end, the door was locked, so we ran to the next train car in order to exit. Yikes. That part was terrifying.

All in all, this was a great weekend, and I’m glad I got myself in gear and actually took the trip instead of choosing to stay home and sleep for the entire weekend.