school

Apparently the kids have never seen cursive writing before... they absolutely freeeaked out when they saw my attempt at good handwriting--and then proceeded to make me write each of their names in cursive while they shrieked and howled with amusement.








The sign doesn't really help stop fighting, running, or violent games, but it's a good thought.





Some artwork from our IMAGINATIONS.






My classroom





My desk








Here's the room where I teach Creative Movement to seven toddlers and their parents! Wall-to-wall foam mats in the brightest colors available set the mood for FUN! :)

home!

View from the kitchen towards the front door

The kitchen counter and stove

Laundry balcony and washing machine

Refrigerator and oven

View from "yoga room"

Yoga room

From inside yoga room

Living room

Living room into yoga room

Kitchen

Living room

Inside yoga room

lunch

Baked sweet potato, topped with fresh organic yogurt, cumin, and honey. Romaine salad with tomatoes and apples!

people ask why.

"i have homes everywhere, many of which i have not seen yet. that is perhaps why i am restless. i haven't seen all my homes." ---john steinbeck

here i am

I haven't stopped writing on here--just takin' a little break. My computer broke the last week I was in Taiwan and is just now fixed...

more pictures and words to come...

bye-bye, 小朋友

小朋友, pronounced xiao peng you, is a word for "children" in Chinese. It literally means "small friend." I love that word. I loved my small friends. Here they are--during my last classes with them. I've listed all their names, because they're each important to me and I don't want to forget them...

Paddy. She's traveled to America and loves everything Western. But especially the Jonas Brothers!

Wednesday night class at Jung Yuan School: Winnie, Paddy, Tina, Irene, Cassie, Ariel, Judy, Teresa, Crystal, Iris, Celia

Thursday at Pu Hsin: Iris, Andy, Jerry, Jeffrey, Michael, Leo, Claire, Happy, Angel, Ruby, Jeff, Mike, Jordan, co-teacher Grace

(same class, silly version)

Thursday at Pu Hsin: Angel, Julie, Lester, Jessie, Alice, Leo, Vincent, Betty, Sam, Wayne, Sandy, Elain, Jerry, Tommy, Oscar, Kevin

Friday at Long Tan: Nancy, Lilian, Nini, Angel, Peggy (the girls)

boys: Hugo, Jay, Ray, David, Mickey, and co-teacher Penny

together (this was not the silly version, this is normal. they are monkeys.)

Wednesday at Jung Yuan--this was our Parent's Demo. I was their first foreign English teacher... I got pictures with each of them, as that was better than trying to fit all 8 of them in my carry-on.

Mavis

Jolin

Peggy

Vicky

Judy

Amy (notice mischievous glint in her eyes!)

Eric (He doesn't look that happy but he loves me. In his self-introduction that he had to memorize and say in front of the parents, he said "My best friend is Elly.")

Gina

Co-Teacher and Friend, Jessica

Monday at Long Tan: Terrry, Nina, Jessie, Aiden, Amy, Eric, random kid making up a class in the back row

Same class: Penny, Jane, random girl making up a class, Meg, Vicky, Amy2, Jason

Eric. The younger brother of one of my students. He would often sit with me in the teachers' lounge and I'd give him stickers or pieces of candy. He knew it was my last night... he brought me some green tea and sat on my lap for a while. Then he said "Give me your email address." HA! He is about 7 years old and doesn't speak much English... and his mom said she did NOT tell him to say that--she didn't even know he knew how! But I gave it to him--how could I resist?? Look at those cheeks!

Monday at Long Tan: Eve, Albert, Jeff, Peter, Sara, Jackson, Amy2, James

Same class: Anita, Bonnie, Valtina, Amy, Jolin, Vina

My last day of work!

Tuesday at Long Tan: Kelly, Kevin, Herby, Claire, Ethan, Tina, co-teacher Amanda, Lisa, Vivian, Lily, Angel, Julia

Tuesday at Long Tan: (they were too busy eating their Mister Donuts to pose for a picture) Joe, Jay, Lewis, Kevin, Rita

Same class: Yuki, Dylan, Frank, David, Katy