I woke at 5am to get in a run before the field trip. I knew the two day trip would be more pleasant for myself and others if I did. I have not seen the sunrise since we have been in Taiwan. Well, even starting my run at 5:25 meant I missed the sunrise here though unfortunately. I remember why I used to get up early to exercise. The world is so peaceful and calm in the morning.
I was surprised as I was getting ready that James' phone kept ringing. It turned out after I had left work on Friday evening they changed the meeting time at the train station from 7:30am to 7am. Our train was not until 8:49am so I have no idea why we were meeting so early anyway! Well I did not arrive until 7:45am and guess what I missed? Absolutely nothing!
Since this is an English school trip, we have to teach the students "life English" for every thing. Such as life English for the train station, the train, eating lunch, taking a shower, etc. It was quite annoying to teach and drill the life English while on the trip. You have to think we were doing this on the train, in the park's restaurant etc. Plus, some of the students can hold a conversation in English while other students know about as much English as I know Chinese. Not to mention we had to plan and play games with them while on the train. Would we do this is the states or just ask parents to please send a book with their kid?
At certain parts during the trip the students were not supposed to speak Chinese but I let them anyway. That's just torture for them.
I really wish I could speak Chinese more so than ever after his trip. I truly felt a huge barrier to build rapport with my students. Not that I thought it wouldn't be but I am wondering why the English teachers even came on the trip. Such as I am currently sitting by a student right now on the train and I can't say anything to him. He is sitting by a teacher because he is a bit naughty but he sure is quiet now :) Why didn't the TAs just take the trip?
James hit the nail on the head about the trip. Before the trip he told me that this whooooole trip is for marketing. This English school is better than the one next door because we took the students the the Hualien Ocean Park...
Now to finish the blog. I am currently on the train back to Hsinchu. I wrote the first part of the blog on the train to Hualien. My opinion of the trip did not change too much...
Boy do I wish I spoke Chinese!!!! First on the bus ride to the Ocean Park some of my favorite girl students were attempting to teach me some Chinese. It was a bit embarrassing how terrible I am on my end but the students seemed to enjoy it nonetheless. Second, everything at the park was in Chinese. Every show. Every guide we had that gave us special tours. The TAs would give instructions to the students in Chinese and then the English teachers would have to ask what in the world is going on!!! The other English teachers felt my pain. They wondered why we were on the trip and were highly annoyed by hearing Chinese non stop!
There were a few highlights of the trip though. The dolphin and sea lion shows were pretty cool. We had guided tours of the aquarium at night. All of the lights were out and the guide would shine a blue flashlight into the tank. We could see the creatures of the night hanging out. I just don't know what she was saying about the creatures though.
I also got a break while the students were taking their shower at night. The park was closed so I decided to go exploring with my iPhone flashlight app! It reminded me of camping. I enjoyed the silence of the park and the stars were twinkling bright! The park is nowhere near anything else. I also watched the moon "rise." It was red! As it rose higher in the sky it changed to white.
I actually somewhat enjoyed the last show we watched in the "sea castle." It was mostly foreigners dancing and less speaking in Chinese. I think the foreign dancers/actors were probably all the English teachers who couldn't handle the children or their school made them go on too many overnight field trips!!!!
The last highlight of the trip was the last 45 minutes at the park the students were allowed to ride the rides. Finally!!!! A couple of the boys decided I was their teacher of choice to ride the big rides with them. We had a blast doing the big kid rides :) I personally enjoyed the adrenaline rush and bonding with the students. By the way, there are apparently never lines for more thrilling rides at amusement parks in Taiwan. The Taiwanese are scared of the big rides. Also, they were selling ponchos outside of the water ride here. Have you ever seen someone on a water ride during the hot summer with a poncho on?!
The park was definitely in the most beautiful landscape possible. It's almost a shame to stick an amusement park in the middle of natural beauty like that. Also, it's a shame we could see the ocean but we never stuck even a toe in the ocean or felt the beauty of nature as we were surrounded by ice cream stands and souvenir shops. But I have never had such gorgeous views from rides or a cable car or a restaurant in the park! By the way I do not recommend this park for adults. It's a bit cheesy and lame. Especially if you don't speak Chinese!
Here are some fun pictures of the trip. There are pictures of me with the students on facebook posted by the TAs so I have decided to include these in the blog, too. I don't really have a ton of awesome pictures though. James is always the camera man but I tried my best :)
The big kid ride!
View of the amazing coast from the cable car
Sigh...ocean morning sun on the east coast...James and I will wake up to see the sunrise on the East Coast of Taiwan when we travel here.
Breakfast with an ocean view
Sea Lions playing basketball! Ha. They can play volleyball, too!
James was so jealous of my kiss!
Sleeping with the dolphins. Somehow I pictured the glass walls being larger. I suppose the GA Aquarium spoiled me!
Making eye contact with a dolphin is a bit awkward.
A terrible picture but proof of the red moon rise.
Mountain views from the train.
One of my favorite sweetest kindergarten students with her Angry Birds fan on the train. She is so sweet and likes to hold Teacha Rachel's hand :)
What the kids wanted to do on the train. They did not want to play English games!
Wow....a manatee. Everyone was so excited.
My group enjoying the guided aquarium tour.
The biggest sting rays ever! I would never be the guy in the tank feeding these monsters.
Best views from an amusement park cable car I've ever seen.
Ferris Wheel
Dolphin Show
Group Photo
Drilling life English on the train. Don't the students look thrilled? :)
My group in the aquarium. They were so well-behaved the entire trip. Well, they could have been saying mean things about me or each other in Chinese and I would have just smiled at them!
On the cable car
James is the opposite though. Finally a second teacher starts at his school just in time for fall classes! James will no longer have his teenager class. James worked really well with them. He would come home and talk about how the whole class was laughing together about something. What?! All I hear about the teenage classes is how they won't talk much less laugh! Go Teacha James go!!!!
Well, Georgia is on my mind. We have seen two people with Georgia t-shirts. We also talked to a local on a trail about his trips to the USA. He pronounced Georgia as George-ee-a. It's funny it's not pronounced that way more often :)
Love and miss you my George-ee-a homies!
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