My February

Me and my brothers inside!
Thanks fuys!

For the whole Februry, except the new year holidays for one week, I spent most of the time in Chen-Ching Lake Training center in Kaohsiung.

It is because I need to take some training program to become a supervisor of the Tidayi (The duty/job I am doing now). That is for sure I will have higher payment when I become a supervisor, meanwhile, I need to take more responsibility to take care other Tidayi. They may have some troubles with their colleagues or even the principle in school, and we will become the bridge to communicate between both sides. When the school have some irrational and too over asks for them, we also need to fight for them. Many people saying that the extra payment will be spent out by paying the gasoline!

Ha! But I make it! I finally finished the training program. I didn't get the number 1 prize of the rogram, but I was the first one of the '3000 m running' and 'living performance of the camp.' That made me win 600 coupons of the bookstore. Anyway~ I am happy with that!

The biggest challenge in this program is that every senior member who came to Cheng-Ching Lake to prepare to become the supervisor need to be "ZhiSing(值星)" who will need to lead troops and make orders! I did a not bad job on this part~ :P But my throat was extremely painful after that!

The photo of Zhising (be serious and with a poker face XD)

It is really funny that there will be many rules in the army, and one of that is you need to make your quilt look like TOFU! So there will be many people who afraid they will not enough to make the bed in the morning, they will choose to put the quilt on the side and wear their jacket~ So funny!

Just Love

Before the camp, there was another team which set up by a group of friends from Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Most of them work as a owner of the breakfast restaurant in different cities in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
I am not really sure how they become friends or what.
But they really want to do something for the kids in the remote area in Taiwan.

Maybe it is because they are not a famous team, after my explanation and invitation, they decided to come to Dili to meet those kids directly.
Last Tuesday, there were around 15 people of this 'Just Love(就是愛)' team coming to visit those kids.
They also held some interesting games to entertain those students.
One of the activity was 'story telling' by a Hong Kong girl.
Her Kantong accent was the best selling point to the kids.
Some of the Grade 6 kids were crazy laughing at her.
Althogh the laughing was encouraging by the team, I still think it's so impolite to make fun at other people's accent....
But the pretty girl still finished the telling and won a big hand in the end.

They are amazed by the naughty and energetic of the kids here.
Ha~ It was so typical impression of the visitors I got to say.

I want to let those kids know it is quite important and critical to respect all the different people.
That's why I invited different foreigners to this camp.
Hu~ I got to say it's quite nervous in the beginning.
But those kids are doing just so well!
Mm~ I am proud of them!


It was a local news which described what I did in Dili.
Acturally it was written by me~
It is all in Chinese~ if you are intersted in it, you can just click it! And it is an idea from a Grade 6 kid who participated this camp~
Ha~ I was mentioned in it!
So happy~

Camp

It takes a long time to come back to the normal life.
I just finished holding a 5 days camp for the kids here this Monday.
After that, endless paper works of achievements was also needed to be done!
Hu~ Last night, I finially submited to my supervisor.
Ha! Now I can take a breathe for a little peace.

I got no idea how bureacracy it is in the military service.
Or I can say that I knew it already~
Just didn't figure out how annoying when I face it.
It did.
Let me give you an example, I plan to package the camp as a training program of the employee of "Dili circus."
Both of manual and decorations of the classrooms are designed to have more feeling related to the circus.
I am quite proud that what I did for the whole idea and result.
However, my supervisor didn't find it out...
When he came to the classroom, he just kept searching for some posters which are written some praise of his supervisor.
He said it will make his supervisor happy....
It was a little bit frustrated in the beginning.
Then, one teacher of my school said to me that you just focus on the issues I care.
Try to make those things to be perfect.
About the other unimportant stuffs (for myself), I just try to make it pass the lowest standard.
That is quite correct.
It was the main point to support me to accomplish this camp.

I would like to make those kids learn something!
That's right!
That is my point to accept this tough job.

There are many interesting classes in the camp.
E.g. I try to let them experience the sky lanterns.
Or asked those kids create some art pieces~
This one is a poster to cut or draw their favorite food.
After that, They can try to make their own hamburger.
There are too many thanks for everyone who devoted to the camp.
It is because your efforts, and the camp can go so smoothly.
I can say that most kids did enjoy those interesting and useful classes.
I made it.
It is all your merit. :)

Anniversary

I am teaching some celebrations of new year around the world~

also show some firework video too~

WOW! I really need to celebrate it!
It's the 100th ariticle of this blog!!!
I started to write it in the end of 2007 so the history of this blog is more than 2 years la!
But tomorrow will also be the anniversary of my school here!
There will be a sports meet holding for two days.
And I will also celebrate with other teachers here later!
It will be an special experience for me I think~
One teacher has already prepared the fireworks for the countdown!
I am planing to play the "bartender game."
That means everyone needs to slide a glass of bear from one side of the table to the other side.
And there will be a limited zone to be the winner.
If you push too hard or too light, you will lose anyway.
I think most of my friends made in Germany knows this game~
We played that in the X'mas of 2007.
I still remember every is so crazy about it!
Hope those teachers here will also get rid of their dignity~
Release the animal living in their mind!!! :)

Mm~
Still got one thing to share!
I just came across a really dangerous thing one hour ago!

Our fellow worker who just get drunk in the afternoon.
Base on what he said, he told me he presented Dili to drink with some visitors.
Well~ maybe he got his reasons, but he was so damn crazy!
You can see the photo below!
We tightened those flag on the top of the building!
But it loosed~
He insisted to make it better when he was still dizzy....
He asked few kids to help him on the top of the building!
You know what! The wall is only 30 cm.
Everyone will really fall down from the top.
I was hanging around with some teachers in the office.
Group of kids rushed into the room and screamed to tell that the fellow worker need help!
I got no choice but bring the hammer and nails to climb the top of the building.
It was still raining!
I am so worried those kids who will fall down!
I shouted them to go downstair!
The situation was worse than I think!
I want to pull the fellow worker to go inside!
Acturally we can do it tomorrow!
He sitll murmur that things need to be done TODAY!
I got no choice to keep help him!
You know how hard it is?
My palms are all getting abrasion in the end....
I didn't know where did I come those brave...
I took a hot shower later on and keep think about that!

I believe it is because I worried those kids will get hurt if I didn't replace them to help the worker.
Ha! I didn't mean to show off somethings~
But I think I really have some characteristics of teacher~
Maybe!
:)

And Happy new year~
Wish you all have a TERRIFIC 2010!

Still remember how remarkable of the fireworks in the Sydney Harbor~ XD

The current situation~

Oh~ I didn't post many articles recently~
If I said I am busy, I will be kicked by many people.
But I did have some missions to do recently!
I am assisting my school to process many activities.
The most important one is to apply the "Lasting program of the campus."
Recent years, the economic situation in Taiwan is not that good.
If one school wants to get the fund (around USD 40,000 per year), you got to have a really complete and outstanding plan.
I am doing my best to help it out!
Like the picture below, it is the front page of the plan to apply the solar power board from Nexpower.
I have got the permission of the company.
the details will be discussed in the coming future!
Besides the project writing, I am an English teacher!
Now the job will be I try to find out some interesting materials to teach those kids.
Since it is the Christmas season, I taught them some English songs depending on their ability.
Ha!
Thanks to 'Ukulele,' it is really a good instrument to play some music during the classes.
guess what, those kids also love it so much!
I hope most of the classes will be like that good and interesting for them.
I think my job for this moment is trying to make them like or "not dislike" English.
If it can work on part of the children, I think it's sort of achievement for me!
Here is another video about the 'Jingle bells' teaching~ (Grade 3).

The smart Teacher Liao, thought a good way to encourage kids to wear enough clothes to school.
So he said them that they can wear as many as clothes as possible in the next day, the winner will get a prize!
You can see how crazy the kid is!
Ha!
I love my job here!

Lucky person!

Who is the lucky person?
In Taiwan, we called a lucky person as "Hsin Yun Er (幸運兒)."
It's quite amazing to know that there is kid in my kid whose name is just exactly the same to "Hsin Yun Er (幸運兒)."
Yes! It's this kid!
His last name is Hsin which means luck.
When he was born, there was a typhoon just attacting Taiwan.
And the birthing process of him was not really smooth and optmistic.
His father prayed for the god to make his kid and wife through the danger.
Surprisingly, the kid and his wife were all safe after that!
His father thought this kid was so lucky so he named his son as "lucky person (幸運兒)."
I felt so happy to meet him in person cuz he studies in kindergarden now.
Anyway~ He is so cute~ and most of the teachers like him so much!
Ha! maybe next time when I felt depressive, I can try to visit the lucky person again.
It's possible I can share with his luck la!
Share with you guys the beautiful mountains in the great weather!

Unfair

How can I say?
Mm~ I am so damn lucky!
I grow up in a warm and middle class family.
I can make most of the things possible if I want and work hard.
However, it will be much harder, or you can say 'impossible' for someone.


Just take a look of that vedio~
How the parents will make the tremendous effects....
I heard that there is a Grade 6 girl whose mother was beaten by her father so serious.
Her mom was sent to the hospital and taken care now.
Meanwhile she was diagonosed that she has A-type flu so she can stay at home taking care her 5 brothers and sisters.
I went to visit her family with one teacher and nurse just before.
The mess living room and kids with innocent eyes staring at us... it seems that nothing happened.
Their father went to one candidate of the mayer of this township nearby.

I would like to describe the situation of the political environment in Taiwan now.
We have two major parties which are just lik the US.
Besides the two main parties, it is quite srict for other parties to survive.
However, aboriginal people was protected their authority by the constitution.
There will be fixed amounts status of concillars for them~
Thanks to the competition between the two main parties, both of them are willing to get the support of aboriginal people.
As a result, the legistatary system and our government do give them many conpensate and help for their living and even giving them benifits when they join the national exam for some job.
For some people here will think they deserved it and drank everyday for nothing.
I mean some of them~
Of course I met some parents who do care about their kids so much and ask them to learn more and more.
It will directly reflect the kid's learning.

The kid we visited is really good at writing a composition.
They always need to submit an article after reading.
Hers is quite deep and more elite as her classmates.
I wish god will give her a fair chance to bring her talent into full play!

I don't like unfair~ (maybe becoz I am Libra)

Education

Dili

What will you define the education?
Or I should ask you which part of education in your life is the most important part.
That is quite hard question.
I am working in a primary school now.
At least I know that working as a primary teacher here must be somebody!
They got to extremely patience and good mood, and they also need to have a good way to correct those kids to make them follow the social issue in a short time.

Here we always said the kids of Grade 1 and 2 are totally barbarians!
After this two years, they will start to evolve as a normal kids.
Ha! That's right!
It will be the biggest problem here, kids don't care what you said always.

I just have a talk with a teacher in our school.
She have already taught in this school for more than ten years.
She mentioned many pressure in the past ten years.
In the beginning, they were lack of experience to transform the knowledge into the reality.
Specially in the remote school, kids are much more nauthy than cities', in this situation, we can say the lessens learned from the book are totally useless.
After few years, maybe you start to catch up the teaching job.
However, it's time for them to take some responsibility of office job.
Endless evaluating projects coming from different organizations.
If they want to gain some grants or funds, they have to do their best writing a proposal or plan.
Meanwhile, it will be really hard to keep their teaching quality the same to before.
I supposed it is a common problem for most of the primary teachers in Taiwan or even the world.
To be here, I am glad to know most of the teachers still put their passion of teaching in their mind.
When I talk with them, I can see the sparkling light in their eyes.
I realize the kids are lucky at least.

Teachers in remote areas will have some other pressure comparing to the cities'.
Some of the teachers are studying their master degree now.
It's quite nice that they plan to combine the research and their background, which means they will investigate some teaching attitude or even the pressue in teachers' mind.

Ah~ I know that every jobs will have their difficulties and pressure.
I still have 11 months to be here to do my social service.
People said Tidayi is a great way for us connect the students' life and carrer.
I think it is~
I got some ideas of that now.

Ha~ I am teaching English by HUGE sketchbook (繪本)

People here grow lots of roselle~
It's the season to dry them in the sun!
It will make good tea~ :)
(Quite amazing to see that in person)

Aboriginal Kids

Crazy Grade 2 kids! I love them~ but also you know~ feel tired to calm them down always!

Everybody knows that I came to serve an aboriginal tribe in a primary school.
Everything here is quite fresh and special for me!
The most amazing thing here is that you can get together with those innocent kids.
I have to admit sometimes they are really nauthy and wild, but I still enjoy the time watching them showing the real personality.
It seems that it is quite hard to discover it in the city.

Grade 2 again~ They like to sleep on the floor of the "Studying Edge 閱讀角"
in their classroom (wooden floor)

I remember when I was a kid in the primary shcool, and we are always been asked to take a nap in the noon.
For sure, here is the same.
However, the kids here can't fall into sleep, some of them will get permission to come to library.
Ha! So it is really bothering for those teachers to ask them close their eyes!
I was ever being a substitute teacher for couples of time.
I know it's really crazy that you almost fall into sleep, but they are still lively XD
As a result, some of the classes here will try to arrange more physical activity.
Like a class here called "Humanities and Art," the teacher is also my supervisor, the administrator of general affair, teaches them the traditional dance of Bunun in this class for this semester!
I like it so much and even made a film of that yesterday!




Although I came across some frustrated things last week, I feel much better this week!
Tomorrow will be my busiest day in the whole week again!
Hope I got that energy to make it through!

Le Petit Prince

Grade 6... damn hard to arose their interest....

I assist to teach English in Dili Primary school.
And I am responsible to the Grade 1, 2 and 3.
Besides that, I also design something to do related to English in the mornings for Grade 6 and the second break (20 minutes) of Thursday.
For sure I need to do some general affairs in the office to help teachers, and I also have to arrange the library (It's only one classroom big).
When I stayed in the library, most of the time I will feel dizzy as I saw the mess on the shelf.
Ha~ In that case, I just try to pick one book up and read it.
I chose "Le Petit Prince (小王子)" this time.
Coz I read it long time ago, it's quite a perfect to re-read it.

And I am happy I did it.

Once, I was a kid who has a unlimited imagination.
Everything is possible in that moment for me.
I still remember I had a conversation with my professor's kid last year.
We are discussing what kind of house we want to have in the future!
He said to me he wanted to have one house which has a secret basement and library.
As he wanted it, he can take the house as a spaceship to the outspace.
I said to him, "Come on~ It's impossible! We don't have that technology now."
He answered me, "Well~ I am just a kid, why can't I just have that imagination."

In the 'Le Petit Prince,' the author mocks the all adults.
We are all the weird, selfish, boring, and always busy person who didn't know what we want in our true heart.
That is qutie correct.
Ha~
Most of the time, I saw the innocent and clean mind from those kids.
They taught me a lot!
They will never laugh at their handicapted (limbs or intellegence) classmates.
When the relay hold (whole students), the olders will always teach and take care the youngers.
I felt touched by that.

This morning, I taught Grade 6 kids to sing "Last Christmas." (Above picture 2)
I have taught it for 2 times before, but I have no idea that whether they hate it or feel ok.
I knew they are going to the age of puberty in the near future.
Some of their behaviours or words will really make you really angry.
But I still felt quite frusrated this morning.
I talked with their teacher jsut before, and she recommand me to be more open and active to them.
Right, I got to admitted that I am sort of childish as them.
When they gave me an ignoring attitude, I will not possible to give them a better one.
XD
Ha~ Got to change myself!
I still like my Grade 1 and 2 kids!
They are really like me I think~
I can see so many little prince in their mind still. :)

Mountain Top Cafe

I was so happy yesterday!!!
Ha!
I'm just been here for 1 more week, but I joined a teacher meeting in a mountain top Cafe called Aliman which is operated by an aboriginal couple.
The last meeting of those teacher was three years before coz the former principle was not really popular and friendly.
There were no private meeting at all during that three years!
You can imagine how lucky I am!

A photo of all of the participants

You can see the holy mountain of Bunun from this Cafe,
but the sky was not that clear yesterday.

Although we visited there after the lunch,
everybody still got a good appetite on everything cooked by the hostress.

This is the most special meal~ sambhar (水鹿)!
I think I never tried it before, but it is quite delicious.
I hope it will not be the endangered animal
coz the owner said to me it's impossible to buy this meat outside XD.

The beauful vally!
So you can imagine how rough the road to climb up the mountain~
It's worth I think!

Traditional Bunun clothes~
Balck for males, and White for females.

Oh~ A cup of coffee in the afternoon!
Like in the heaven la!

Me and some young teachers.

It's quite a remarkable experience to go out with those teachers.
Some of them are really responsible coz they still discuss about how to handle with those trouble maker kids.
I think that is a serious and important problem here.
You can start to find out some kids they are totally losing their interests in the classes.
The huge difference between those kids can be easily found out in a 15 people class.
Sometimes I felt so tired to ask everyone in the classs quiet to let the class keep going.
I heard the teacher of 6 grade said that those kids' knowledge are generally still in the grade 5.
How can they compete with others when they go to the high school?

Mm~ Maybe there is still some hope since the educational environment are getting better 'slowly.'
For example, I found one kid in the grade 6 who has a reading habit.
Surprisingly, his reading is above the high school degree I think.
It's quite cheerful!

Well~ I still love the atmosphere on the mountains.
Most of us just enjoy the chill of the mountains and sip the fantastic coffee with the legendary nature!
:)

The earthquake - part 2

Chicken ass and milk tea as the food to calm me down after the earthquake

Oh my god! Are you kidding me?! There was another earthquake again, just when I have my dinner in front of my laptop! How coincident! I was watching the comedy “everyone loves Raymond.” It was just episode 3 of season 1. In the scene, Raymond is giving a speech in a funeral. Crab!

When it was shaking, the kids outside of my window started to yell and scream. I found out they thought it was fun because most of them didn’t experience the 921 before (They still talked about 921. I guess they heard it from their parents only). Maybe I should go outside now. At least, I can try to get together with people. XD That’s right! I am in Nantou.

= = =

Ha~ I came back from the campus. There are some kids who taken the program of night angel (sort of). But those kids are superior to their classmates; they have the chance to get into this free ‘cram school.’ Based on this point, we kept talk that we have to do something for the kids who are disadvantaged. However here, only those kids who are the best in their class have the chance to learn more. The reason I supposed is that they can have higher possibility to compete with the kids in the city. In the capitalism country (not that much), Taiwan, it is really important to send the best kids to get into the best universities in Taiwan. After that, the kid can come back to serve in their village. Sigh~ It’s not fair. Luckily, there are more and more citizens around Taiwan are willing to come here to help them out, like me! Ha! No la! I am just doing my duty for my country only.

I want to share a really touched thing happening to me 10 minutes before. When I met those kids who stayed outside of the classrooms, they said to me that they are afraid the earthquake so much. I said to them: “You don’t need to worry about that! Since I am taller than you all, I can support the ceiling to let all of you to go out!” Surprisingly, one kid shouted out that “Teacher Liu, you can’t die!!” Another one said: “You should run first because there are many kids (including him), we will protect you!” Oh…… I almost tear out in that moment! Where can I find the kids who have this kind of kind spirit? It’s only a year for me, maybe I can make it to be an important year for them and me. I wish!

Me and the kids joining the cram school

The earthquake - part 1

The sunset of Wednesday

Today is a nice day actually. You can say it is the weather called autumn-tiger. Although it was quite cold in the morning, it changed to a summer noon later. Yesterday, one ‘military instructor (教官)’ contacted with the minister of general affair (總務主任) of Dili to doubt and blame on them about the election of the management staff (管理幹部). He thought my supervisor who tried to forbid me to join the election. The situation is that it’s too hurry to join the competition. Besides that, there is only one place for this election, and there are around 5 competitors. Since I have really SHORT experience being a Tidaii(替代役) which means I will get lower scores comparing to others. As a result, I decided that I will not join it this time. I have informed my senior classmate who is a management staff. But this military instructor still called to Dili. After this long and intensive phone call, I saw the minister of general affair running into principle’s office to discuss with the principle. They came to me and explained to me that they never tried to forbid me joining any election and tried to suggest me to prepare my autobiography in order to join the pre-election. I did it after all. The principle is soooo nice. He even sent my files to the military instructor in person.

Wow~ It’s quite long story. I will try to make it short. Anyway, as I thought everything was done, I got the phone call from the same military instructor who called to our school in the morning at 6 pm. He blamed at me with a really aggressive attitude. I tried to fight back, but it seemed to become more and more serious. I had no choice but accepted the mistake he concluded on me. I worried that he will contact my senior classmate to tell them how bad I am. (He thought I am playing them since I didn’t inform them whether I joined the election or not. In fact, I did it already!!!) My senior classmate was so mad and decided to contact with the supervisor of this military instructor. Yes, I am black now. (In Taiwanese military system, we call that if someone has a bad reputation meaning that he is “black”!)

When I waked up today, I thought everything will be alright. The other military instructor also came into Dili to visit me. He want to explain to my principle that they didn’t force them to let me join the election. Tidaii should be cooperate with school. The behavior of the former military instructor was totally inappropriate! Oh~ What about the earthquake? I didn’t mention it at all. After a long day, I decided to jog to another village. It is on the other side of river, and it is all the way up. Well~ I still want to do it! It’s a nice jogging actually. I met a group people, and one of them asked me whether I am a Tidaii. And I found out he was a Tidaii before. He tried to make some jokes about that! I love aboriginal people! Ha! Just in the way back to Dili. I heard a huge sound from the mountains. And the smoke are full of the sky in that part of mountains. In that moment, it was around 5:45pm, and the sky is quite dark. I was meticulous to notice anything strange (like snakes etc.). I stopped my way and support on the fence of the road.

Damn it! It was earthquake, and it’s quite huge one! I saw some locals walking to the streets. I was wondering whether the bridge is still ok or not, and whether I can cross the river since most of the smoke is in the mountains back of Dili. I knew Dili where was a safe place. The mountains behind of Dili are not steep, and the mountains are all rocks but dirt?! When I came back to Dili, most of the kids are on the street. They said to me: “Teacher Liu, earthquake!!” Some of them even said “It’s 921 (earthquake) again.” I found out some of the alcohols in the supermarket are falling down to the aisles (smell so good ah~~~~). I knew it was my choice to come here. However, I have to admit, it is a little bit scary now.

Ha! Think positively! The sunset of the Juoshuei river (濁水溪) is so beautiful. I will try to take some photos to show you guys!

The supermarket after the earthquake

Thursday morning of Dili (nothing special in this one XD)

The book named Managing classes which is given by my principle. He thought it will be helpful for me when I teach those kids! How nice he is!