 Rachel Mathews - Rachteach22 | All Comments |
Comments | |
| 10th July 2007 Cindy Dunn | Welcome Back! - From: Bittersweet Goodbye Rachel, I will miss your blogs! I have hardly been able to wait until I am notified that I have a new one. You have truly made the most of your experiences! Come see us in Cbus-Love Cindy |
| 10th July 2007 Patricia | Will Miss the Blog - From: Bittersweet Goodbye I have been reading your blog all along too - and it and other blogs have inspired me to teach overseas also. Thanks Rachel! |
| 10th July 2007 Lee-Ellen | Welcome Home, Rachel - From: Bittersweet Goodbye Dear Rachel: I have really enjoyed reading your travel blogs. I've gotten to know you and Taiwan a little better with each entry. Thank goodness you really did take advantage of your free time to explore AND that you wrote about so many of your experiences. I hope that you'll keep posting for a few more months, at least, because coming back to the States will be an interesting experience -- you might feel like a foreigner for a little while and I'm curious about your impressions of America from that new place. Love, Lee-Ellen |
| 27th June 2007 Sarah | Excited - From: Sad Goodbye and Standing on top of the WORLD Rachel, I have really enjoyed reading all of your blog entries and e-mails this past year. What an amazing experience you have had. I know that it is hard to say goodbye, but I have to say, I am really looking foward to seeing you when you get back in town. I have missed you! |
| 14th June 2007 buttface | and thus is.... - From: A Dream Date in Taiwan why you are my friend! |
| 9th June 2007 Cheryl | you would of course - From: A Dream Date in Taiwan be wearing spike heel, knee high black boots trimmed with silver bows. Thanks for the laugh. |
| 8th June 2007 Cindy | - From: A Dream Date in Taiwan I totally agree! :) Time to bring this girl home! However, this has been better than any book I've read.... |
| 8th June 2007 muoy | .... - From: A Dream Date in Taiwan you've officially lost it. it's really time for us to get you out of here...STAT! |
| 6th June 2007 Aunt Linda | Moving in fast forward Part Forever - From: Moving in Fast Forward Dear Rachel, I loved your comments about not sitting around waiting for things to happen in your life. That is a wonderful life lesson. I also think that you have become someone who makes things happen in your own life, good, bad, ugly...doesn't matter...when things are moving, they are not stagnant. Life in the stagnant lane is deadly. Although most of your life, people will not be lining up to tell you that you are beautiful, you can still conjure those little voices whenever you need to hear them. Life is really not about being happy all the time either, or else you run the risk of not truly growing and maturing. But seeking joy and fulfillment is a good thing. You have had an incredible year and I can't wait to talk with the "new you". I have just a few words for you to keep in your heart. First: Remember your roots! And last: NEVER SETTLE!!! All my love, Aunt Linda |
| 24th May 2007 Karen Huling | End of school blues - From: Scrubbin' at the club Hey, Rachel! Enjoyed reading your latest news flash. Your pink eye should be cleared up by now. although, as I told your mom, why were you so bummed, pink is your favorite color?! Dr. Karen Huling would like to suggest a diagnosis to your unsettled state these days, to your increasing desire to get out of school: End of school trauma. Very normal, very overwhelming at times, but be assured that this, too, will pass along with your pink eye. May is the hardest month to teach school, to think school, to be at school, to keep at it until it's over. Hang in there! It is definitely not just the students who are excited when a school year is over! I have experienced this same "illness" every year that I have taught and I expect it will return one year from now as I wrap up my own school year (in case your mom didn't tell you, I am returning to second grade next fall). Try to enjoy the children. I am sure they will never forget you. Well, Mark is back here with us as he works the Muirfield Tournament. It is beastly hot here today and getting humid, although I am sure it is nothing compared to your heat. It's good to have my second son home. :) Tom has one more day of school, tomorrow. His party plans are in full swing. He wants to travel the world with you. So much funner than going to college, he thinks. There is always that nagging thing called studying that is so unappealing to him. :) I will just be thrilled when I see that diploma in his hands. Well, sweetie, or should I say, sweaty sweetie, I need to get some dinner started. I could be happy with a bowl of cereal, but the rest of this crew wants REAL food. So good to hear the latest, and we look forward to laying our eyes on you sometime this summer. Love you, Aunt Karen |
| 24th May 2007 Ann Mathews | $$, spelling, sweat and headphones - From: Scrubbin' at the club Okay I just have to make some comments on this one. You must have learned that headphone trick from me. When I forget to charge my IPOD and it dies at rehab I still keep my headphones on so the old folks leave me alone. I was worried about you running out of money while you were shopping so thanks for telling us you went to the ATM. When were you ever worried about spelling something wrong on your blog??? That was a first. Thanks so much for sharing about your sweat. That was something I really wanted to know. Only 7 more weeks?? Wow!! I hope you have some money left for the shopping trip you promised me for mailing out 43 applications for you. Peace out! |
| 1st May 2007 brooke | - From: Baseball- Taiwanese Style and the sexy baseball guy sis, you crack me up |
| 1st May 2007 muoy | - From: Baseball- Taiwanese Style and the sexy baseball guy stalkers |
| 1st May 2007 Doug | A joke your students back home might enjoy - From: Tainan...the best place for quesadillas?? Your mention of Mexican food reminded me. A Mexican fellow always wanted to see a New York Yankees home game, so he goes to the Big Apple for that specific purpose. He talked about his trip to his friends, most enthusiastically, on his return to Mexico. "Americans are such kind people", he said. All the seats in the stadium were sold out when I got to the game, but the staff very kindly suggested that I could get a could view from the top of the flagpole. Everyone in the stadium wanted to make sure I could watch the game and not miss anything. Just before the game started, everyone stood up and sang 'Jose can you see?' ". Don't get me started. Otherwise, I will say that Ireland is the richest country in the world because its capital is always Dublin. |
| 1st May 2007 Doug | Am I wrong? - From: Baseball- Taiwanese Style and the sexy baseball guy Do I understand that baseball players use a crotch deodorant called "Umpire"? It's for foul balls. It would be hyprocritical of me to berate you for going to a game to ogle the opposite gender. From time to time, I have been known to do the same. As a matter of fact, I met my old girlfriend at a tennis match. We broke up, because love meant nothing to her. |
| 27th April 2007 Rachteach22 | - From: The Sexy Tea Guy Douglas, that would be my own arse, couldnt you tell?? |
| 27th April 2007 Quetta | - From: A date with the Doctor You are going home because you have only found one cute guy! |
| 27th April 2007 Aunt Karen | Awesome! - From: Mardi....I mean Matzu Gras Rachel, What an experience!! You described it so well I could even smell the firecrackers! It will definitely be a tad different to live life in the good ol' US of A again for you, Asian Princess!! Be careful, and thanks for all the great blogs. |
| 27th April 2007 doug | trilingual, between the two of us. - From: 91 days to go.... You can speak Spanese, I can speak Chrench, and presumably we can both speak English. At least I hope so, since that is how we make a living. |
| 27th April 2007 Da Ge | "Sitting on the Park Bench... - From: The Sexy Tea Guy ...Eyeing all the Girls with Bad Intent." Proabably Jethro Tull was before your time. In any case, whoever that is in the picture should quit making an ass of herself. |
| 26th April 2007 Jurgen | Familiar - From: 91 days to go.... It all sounds so familiar. I couldn't agree more. So strange that you can feel homesick to a place which is not your motherland. I am now going through a phase also, that I am missing Taiwan. And we have been there 6 months ago. The strangest thing is that I miss Taiwan more than my wife!! |
| 26th April 2007 MaLi | - From: The Sexy Tea Guy I told ya that booty was gonna help you out sometime here....HELLO he gave ya a discount on the Lu Cha ;) |
| 26th April 2007 Aunt Linda | - From: Mardi....I mean Matzu Gras Rachel, I am so sorry to hear of your accident and the pain that you are having. I hope that you were not in pain when you were in the crowds of the Matzu Gras. Did you get claustrophobic in the crowds? I think I saw those platform shoes at Schottenstein's :-) love you, Aunt Linda |
| 26th April 2007 doug | sorry to hear that you got hurt. - From: A date with the Doctor You might say that if you wanted to do a can-can, you can't-can't. |
| 12th April 2007 Dad | Local foods - From: I found my Seoul at the DMZ I didn't see any comments about you trying the local foods(dog). |
| 25th March 2007 Patricia Graves | Easter time - From: Langapalooza and St. Pattys day Easter is on Sunday, April 8th this year! Enjoy! |
| 15th March 2007 Mom | Only You - From: "Was Lost, but Now is FOUND" Rachel seriously only something like this would happen to you. Since you have the black cloud back why is Mark having so much trouble? Did you buy a lock???? |
| 14th March 2007 Lee-Ellen | Wow! - From: "Was Lost, but Now is FOUND" Glad to hear that you got that scooter back. What a wacky story! |
| 14th March 2007 Mom | Another Benefit - From: My Scooter- MIA Well walking will be good for your heart health and so will not going to McDonalds for drive thru cholesterol to clog your arteries. |
| 14th March 2007 doug | sorry about your scooter. - From: My Scooter- MIA Hi Rachel. Sorry to hear about the theft. If it's a 50 cc and not very valuable someone must have just taken it for a joy ride and ditched it someplace--increasing the liklihood that you will get it back. |
| 12th March 2007 Mrs. Weidman | I'll remember those - From: Rachel's Rules for using public transportation Rachel, sounds like a good set of rules to me. I think these rules should be applied to USA travel as well. |
| 8th March 2007 Dad | touchy - From: Rachel's Rules for using public transportation My, oren't we touchy. Haven't you ever heard of "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" chill out It's still funny |
| 7th March 2007 Muoy | - From: Rachel's Rules for using public transportation hahahaha, i thought this was going to be about your purse |
| 7th March 2007 Tricia | WOW! - From: Rachel's Rules for using public transportation You must have had a really bad day! |
| 18th February 2007 Mom | - From: Long Live the King! No thanks on the moving there. I'll hold out for Seattle or Columbus.... |
| 15th February 2007 kelly weidman | oh rach - From: Long Live the King! rachel your blogs are seriously the best. i cant believe my lil girl is doing all of this fabulous stuff! i want to hear all about the orphans. and...well...okay...the shopping. love you and thinking of you. kel |
| 23rd January 2007 Pagan Dan | turtle love? - From: I'm OUTTA here!!!!! Tell me about it. My old girlfriend was cold-blooded, even when she came out of her shell. |
| 11th January 2007 Dad | Yum yum - From: Chicken Feet..... I just can't believe that you wouldn't give them a try. I'm so disappointed. Just wait until you get to Thailand and Cambodia, and check out the goodies there. |
| 8th January 2007 Aunt Karen | Total grossness! - From: Chicken Feet..... I love it!! I remember being overseas, in Brazil, having finished my sumptious stew, only to realize that my American friends were all laughing at me. I had unknowingly gobbled down my shrimp stew, shells and all. I thought it was a bit crunchy, but as it was dark where we were eating, I had no idea noone had shelled the shrimp and I downed their tails, too. That, too, was total grossness. Maybe you need to eat in the dark. :) |
| 8th January 2007 joella | - From: Chicken Feet..... ew! |
| 8th January 2007 Cindy Dunn | Oh my .... - From: Chicken Feet..... Rachel, ok, I may def have to agree with you! Who would have thought that that blonde, curly headed, PICKY eater would be sharing a plate with chicken feet! Keep these blogs coming...absolutely love them! |
| 8th January 2007 Mary | haaa - From: Chicken Feet..... Oh Rach...this one might be one of my favorites. |
| 8th January 2007 debby weidman | Happy Birthday - From: Merry Christmas from Taiwan Dear Rachel, Happy Birthday...I am sorry that you are homesick, but honestly you don't sound it at all in your blog. WOW a whole month off for winter break...that is so cool. We get Christmas off it's true, but only a week!! Have a great time visiting our orphanage in Cambodia and Thailand...take lots of pics. I am very excited that you will be able to see it first hand. Jan. goes fast at school because of MLK Day and conferences and teacher work day...February is 100th day and Valentines, and President's day, so these next few weeks should go fast. Take care...Love, the Weidmans |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | thoughts - From: Merry Christmas from Taiwan I read all 22 pages (in Word, 12 inch font) of your journal entries and enjoyed every it! Since you are close to China, it might be worth trying to ride the new Siberian train and travel over the untouched country side. Jack |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | firecrackers - From: A Ghetto Encounter and A Taiwan Haircut That must have been so funny to watch you fall to the floor when those firecrackers went off. Are you able to show American movies at school? There are some good movies that show what a ghetto is really like and that could help everyone understand what a ghetto is. |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | mail - From: Big Buddha and Many Stares It would be interesting to know how long it takes for you to get mail and packages from this country - Jack |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | food - From: Scootin Around Yes, it would be good to limit your chicken to once a week. Did you know that in this country, more than 80% of the chicken we consume has bacteria? |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | shopping - From: Shop til you drop It sounds you are enjoying your shopping. It might be wise to save some money for shipping everything back home by air since there is no way you will be able to take everything on the airplane with you when you fly home. Jack |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | Your home - From: Ghettofying Dajia Rachel, Is there no heating vent in your home? Where do you eat your breakfast? Is there a bathroom in your home? It would be interesting to see a new picture of your home since you bought the pictures and other decorations. Jack |
| 31st December 2006 Jack Batterson | McDonalds - From: All alone in new city I would be interested in knowing how many McDonalds are in Taiwan. I always think of the movie "Supersize me "when people mention McDonalds. |
| 30th December 2006 Jack Batterson | - From: Ghettofying Dajia Rachel, Your abode is really small - Is that the room you share with the two teachers? This travel blog is wonderful. Thanks for sharing. |
| 29th December 2006 doug | catching up - From: Merry Christmas from Taiwan Hi Rachel. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see. In other words, I had lost the link to your blog and I just found it again. Good Stuff. I just had the most wonderful Christmas of my life. Don't be a stranger. |
| 15th December 2006 Szandra | hello - From: Thanksgiving at the Beach I know its been a while but your blog still entertainms me like no other :) Im so happy to hear that you are having fun and discovering a totally new culture... By the way, how long are you going to stay there? Miss u lots and wish u the best... cant wait to hear about your xmas and new year's adventures!!! |
| 10th December 2006 Dawn Fear | How Lovely. - From: Thanksgiving at the Beach You still look the same as always little one. |
| 16th November 2006 your biz hoe from the dirty | - From: Lessons Learned love you like a fat kid loves cake.....and we will keep rockin this ISLAND! |
| 9th November 2006 Muoy | drop!! - From: A Ghetto Encounter and A Taiwan Haircut hahahahahaa...I still can't believe that you dropped to the floor. I would have killed to see that!! more shopping this weekend!! |
| 8th November 2006 Mary | Laughing - From: A Ghetto Encounter and A Taiwan Haircut I haven't been able to stop laughing the whole time reading your blog...tho I lived through most of it with you...it's so funny to hear you tell it, cuz I can just picture you as you are writing it....ooo Rach we do have some funny times here, even if it is by our lonesome |
| 14th October 2006 geo | happy to read ur journal - From: White Monster, Squatting Lover and Ikea i like ur story and sooni will be heading to Taipei too. Second time this year. |
| 9th October 2006 Lee-Ellen | what are doraemon? - From: I miss my bed..... Dear Rachel: Your mom emailed me with news from Columbus and told me about your blog -- it's great to read about your experiences and see pictures of you, all grown up. I was just remembering meeting you at the Philadelphia Airport before you went to Germany one summer, about 12 years ago. Even then, the idea of eating something Other than American food was ... well, foreign to you! Please post a close up of these Doraemon that you have been buying? Are they like fancy refrigerator magnets? Love, Lee-Ellen |
| 6th September 2006 Joella | - From: White Monster, Squatting Lover and Ikea hey buddy...sounds like an amazing weekend! i still have never been to IKEA! heart and miss you! |
| 1st September 2006 Aunt Karen | You Go, Girl!! - From: Ghettofying Dajia Rachel, your entries are such a hoot to read. You really have a way with words. I enjoy your pictures, too. This blog idea of yours, and keeping up to date with it all year as a journal, is a tremendous idea. Good for you!!! You are going to do an excellent job with teaching English to your Taiwan friends. I imagine the children are drawn to that blonde hair of yours. Are you tall compared to the average Taiwanese woman? I am proud of you for how you've handled the changes you have faced there. I think the hardest thing about going to Cambodia last summer was dealing with the daily filth all around us. I can understand how you expected Taiwan to be like Japan in the cleanliness area. How are you dealing with that particular difference now? Liz is off to a great start at Wittenberg this semester. She learned a lot about time management last year as a freshman and was determined when she returned this year that she would immediately take action with her classes. And she has. And, of all places for her to work 10 hours a week, she is helping out in the finance office at Wittenberg. She claimed that she would be responsible for all the monies going into and going out of Wittenberg!! Heaven help us if that WAS the case!! Gave us a good laugh and reminded me of something you would have said! Tom is taking just morning classes then leaves at lunchtime for an internship/job in construction for the afternoon, usually till about 5:00. He has only done this for 3 days and loves it and really likes the guys he works with and for. He says he needs to get a truck so he'll fit in. I guess the other guys all have trucks they drive to their job sites. Well, our answer to Tom for about everything these days is, "Get a job!" Tom and Jared are planning on driving up to spend part of the weekend with Mark. Pete and I will probably go up to your house on Saturday, and maybe go over to Lakeside for part of the day. Pete and I will come home Sat. night, for we want to go see liz on Sunday. We are looking forward to having mark in the area again. We LOVED having him with us last spring. Did your mom tell you that I am now a Mary Kay Consultant? I have used their skin care for 30 years and still love it. My business debut is on Thursday, Sept. 14. I have already been selling some products here and there but am looking forward to having fun classes for ladies so they can try out the products they have never tried. Have you ever used any of MK's stuff? If so, what? There are some wonderful teacher's stores here in Columbus. If you ever find that you need something to help out with students or want to use stickers, etc. please let me know and I'll check some things out for you. Rachel, Taiwan will never be the same now!! It's just fun reading about your adventuresome spirit and how you have a natural ability to make people feel important. Good for you. You Go, Girl!! Looking forward to the continuting saga of your life on your blog site. Love you, Aunt Karen |
| 31st August 2006 Hannah Miller | ghetto educ....yes! - From: Ghettofying Dajia everybody needs some ghetto education! lets not forget your experience in inner city philadelphia. sounds like you're giving them more of an education than they could ever have imagined! seems like i'm going to be teaching in some 'unique' situations too...i'll be substituting in orange county orlando...we'll see how that goes! |
| 31st August 2006 Hannah Miller | you're so hilarious - From: Taiwan- The Good, The Bad, The Stinky hey rachel!! i LOVE reading the little bullets of what you have learned about taiwan so far...they're hilarious!! i'm so glad it seems you're enjoying it there!! |
| 31st August 2006 Szandra | Wow - From: Ghettofying Dajia Dear Rach, I just have to say that i have been impressed the way u have changed since i met you. You were the comfort zone girl that i never thought would leave ohio... then u went to japan, then this. I am so proud of you rach!!! And i am also very happy to hear that you are having such a good immersion into this new culture and that you are having a good time after all :) I also find your blogs hilarious!!! And you are teaching me a lot about the culture as well since i have never been to that side of the world... I am really curious to see where you end up rach, cause i am sure it will be someplace great and fun! I am hoping that when i get to sevilla i will finally be able to connect to skype and i will give u a call :) And who knows, maybe on ur way back to the states you could make a quick stop to europe :) Love ya and miss ya! |
| 30th August 2006 Tom Kutlow | Tell us what you really think - From: My Escape from Dajia Hi Rachel, I enjoyed reading about your experiences in Taiwan. Its refreshing to read about both the good and the bad - makes us realize we're not the only ones feeling this way. The photos of the forest are beautiful. I can't believe you hiked 10 miles! I would have just sat down and told them to pick me up on their way back. If it makes you feel any better, I'm in a boring little town too - very few cultural sites or points of interest. I'm hoping that once school starts I'll meet some teachers as well as parents and develop more of a social life. FWI, I'm in Luchu which is between Tainan City and Kaohsung City Tom |
| 30th August 2006 Doug Stephen | comments from Guangfu - From: My Escape from Dajia Hi Rachel. I enjoy your comments and observations. I would like to send the link to Lao-puo Suzanne, if that's OK with you. I know that she will enjoy your writings. Overweight little Chinese boys, spolied rotten by indulgent parents, are just our cross to bear over here. Lao-puo and I call them FLF's. Fat Little F...... |
| 29th August 2006 Linda Huling | For Rachel - From: Reflections Rachel, I love reading your blog. You have an great sense of the comical and you have keen observational skills as well. Tell me how I can get your blog emailed to me on a regular basis. I tried "joining", but that only took me to a place where I could create my own blog. That isn't what I want to do. I just want yours sent to me via email. If you have time to tell me, great. If not, I'll get your mom to tell me how. Love, Aunt Linda |
| 26th August 2006 Debby Weidman | WOW - From: Taiwan- The Good, The Bad, The Stinky Your experiences so far are just amazing!!Glad to hear you are settled into an apartment. Your mom told us that you were not living with the family afterall...but I'm not sure why you decided to leave unless it was for the obvious reservations you had before you left USA. Look forward to reading your journal. I will keep you updated on my kids as well although the stories I'm sure will not be as exciting as yours. I have 27 kids so far but we are going to hire a new teacher to make all our classes smaller. I am very grateful for that. School starts Aug 30. Take care and I am praying for you and your safety. Love, Mrs. Weidman |
| 26th August 2006 Pete | What type of English? - From: All alone in new city What I want to know is, are you going to teach them Perrysburg English or real English? We don't want them to think that all Americans really pronounce words like "Adam" as "Yadam." :) |
