First off, there are the kids. I formally met them all today at their morning assembly at 8am--(I waltzed onto the stage mere minutes after arriving at Han-Min, thanks to another unhappy morning timing mishap which, thanks to a bit of speed walking and a just-caught train, at least didn't make me late this time)--and for the remainder of the day, I was treated to a more-than-usual number of students peering through the window of our office saying "Laohsi hao" or "hello," or just staring and smiling in the hallways. The kids from yesterday's classes were especially glad to see me between classes, and though I scrambled to make mental connections to which class they were in, never mind their names for now, it was great to see them so excited to see me, and to recognize them in return.
Maggie and I taught 5th grade today, and I enjoyed class after class of giggly kids learning a little dialogue between a librarian and a student, Brad Chevaski. (Poor kids--I don't even know how to say "Chevaski" properly--is it Chev-aw-ski, as in awesome, or Chev-a-ski, as in apple? Not like it's a common name, either; just sadistic publishers, I guess.) In other news, 3 periods is a really short time to be at school, the hour and half break between my presentation and classes notwithstanding.
In that break, it's worth noting, the principal came by our office and struck up a conversation with me. And once he discovered that I liked coffee, he got on his phone and ordered me some from the cafe next door! He brought it to me himself not more than fifteen minutes later. At that point, he also took the time to invite myself, Maggie and Alison to have lunch with him at the same cafe, where his daughter works.
So after my classes, the principal took us to lunch--a full five course meal of Western food, mind you--and during the meal, offered to buy me coffee every day, buy me breakfast every day, buy me a bike, and (together with his principal friends) take me to different parts of Taiwan every weekend for the rest of the year, beginning with a trip to Meinong on the 25th. When I said I was overpowered by their generosity, I wasn't kidding! I managed to talk him down from the bike and the daily breakfasts, except for tomorrow, but I think he's still planning on getting me coffee every day, and he's urging me to tell him when I'm free to take me to a famed local lake.
He and the other two principals are keen to help me get to know the country, and show my family around too, if and when they come to visit. They even offered to pay for their housing if they do! I am beyond spoiled by them, though I will of course have to draw a few lines on gifts and such. I developed a fall-back phrase in the course of the lunch--"It's too much!" It's more guanxi in action, though, so I will need to tread lightly; until I find out what is okay to refuse and what isn't, though, this might get a little exhausting!
On the way out of the restaurant, we ran into the owner of Genius, a local cram school which some Han-Min students attend. He assured me that he has lots of foreign teachers who he will introduce me to, which will be wonderful if he follows through! At the last second, one of his non-foreign teachers, Wendy, grabbed my phone number, so maybe soon I will be hanging with another new cohort of teachers. I'm loving all these new connections I'm making--it seems to be impossible to be isolated in Taiwan!
As I walked back to the MRT from lunch, I saw two Americans walking the opposite direction--maybe two of the teachers from Genius?--and I shot out a quick "hey!" Fun to think that, if my guess is correct, I'll soon have more than their answering "hi" to know them by. I have to say, it was also nice to hear an unfamiliar voice with an American accent.
I'm currently listening to my so-far primarily source of back-home-ness, online streaming of Click 98.9, my favorite Seattle station. Who would've guessed that, despite my general lack of knowledge about the music world, one of the things I miss most here is not hearing Mumford and Sons or the Black Keys on a regular basis? Familiar music is wonderful. I'm laughing a bit at the commercials in a Taiwanese context--just sat through one warning of the health risks of uncooked meat, hilarious in a world where street food is standard and a clean dish is one which as been run under cold water with a little soap, yet no one (myself included) seems to have problems. Revere culture shock already, I guess.
Off to bed for me--the principal is bringing me breakfast (cheese sandwich and coffee, if what I gathered was correct) at 9am, so I should try to be there not too long after, ie aim for leaving the house by 8ma (which means I will probably actually leave by 8:15ish).
So as a parting gift, here are some pictures of Han-Min and the surrounding area, taken as I was leaving after lunch:
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| Han-Min, coming from the cafe... |
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| ...other side, headed for the MRT |
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| View across the street--lots of stationary stores, apropos of having a junior high, senior high, and elementary school all in a row! |
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