catching up 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.
hello 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!!!
Laughing 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
what are doraemon? 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
You Go, Girl!! 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
ghetto educ....yes! 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!
you're so hilarious 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!!
Wow 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!
Tell us what you really think 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
comments from Guangfu 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......
For Rachel 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
WOW 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
What type of English? 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." :)
I have spent the past year living and teaching in Taiwan and traveling all over Asia to see whats out there. I am coming to the end of my time in Taiwan and I am unsure what will be next, hopefully it will include lots more traveling and blogging. Stay tuned to what adventures my life brings.
"Life rarely works out in the way we expect, and our happy ending may have all sorts of unexpected twists and turns, be shaped in all sorts of unexpected ways."
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off ... full info
Jack Batterson
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Rachel, Your abode is really small - Is that the room you share with the two teachers? This travel blog is wonderful. Thanks for sharing.