The Mating Rituals of Geeks:
Alright here we go a month of experience in one little letter. I can't really remember what I put into the last one so if I repeat myself oh well, deal with it.
This past month has offered an array of visual, audio, physical, and mental sights and experiences that it seems to be one of the craziest months I have had since I came here.
Let's start with a trip to a pub called The Pig & Whistle. It's in a city called Hsin-Chu. Hsin-Chu is Taiwan's silicone valley. It's where all the computer programers and engineers go to work. And The Pig & whistle seems to be the bar where some of the foreigner engineers go to cut the rug and cut loose. I went with Louise and her coworkers. The pub itself was fairly nice. The prices were wonky. A regular bottle of snapple will run you aboot $7.50, but a nice big pint of Carlsberg will only be around $6.00. The pub seems to be a bit confused about it's true identity. On the awning as we pulled up to the valet parking promised us an authentic british pub. Upon enetering the live band was covering (fairly well) "By The Way" by the Chili Peppers. Then it was Ass-ian pop for a while. Then Linkin Park and such. We went to the second floor and people-watched the dance floor.
As the music changed and changed again, the crowd on the dancefloor changed as well. It was a liquid crowd moving to the non-fluid transition of styles. Most people seemed to stay on the floor for only one or two songs. But three stalwarts remaind no matter what style tempo genre or volume of the music. And the best part was that their dancing was the same no matter what style tempo genre or volume of the music. Yes ladies and gentlemen they were white males between the age of 25 and 35. They were of the dominant species of male born in years where genetic disposition didn't lend itself to rhythym, or stealth in white men. Now I fully admit that I myself am no Barishnikov, but I do know that it is nearly impossible to dance to Linkin Park's "Crawling" whilst wearing a back pack, khaki chinos and a Lacoste long sleeved shirt, without looking slightly foolish. The fact that there were three of them either makes it better or worse depending on your stand point. Yes they had no clue, but at least they were not alone in their rigid revolt against rhythym and grace on a pub's dancefloor.
Since I have been back I have been trying to find some new foods and tastes that maybe I was too shy to try in my first round of adventures. This adventure wasn't without it's ups and downs. Mainly it was the toilet doing most of the movement. I have learned a few valuable lessons in my time and one is: Do not buy food from a street vendor whose child has there hand anywhere near what you are eating. I don't know what that kid did, but it certainly wasn't helping mi estomago adjust to the food in Taiwan again. Another thing I have learned is that you can't go straight back to eating the food. Oh no, it's like getting into a pool. First it's the toe, then you slowly walk in. Things go good, but then you get to that area that always seems to find the water just a little colder than the rest of your body. Like going into the water, it is best to go slow and let the body parts adjust to the assault you are putting them through. That way everyone involved will be much happier.
My teaching hours are about the same this year, but my classes are one hundred times better. I no longer have my one on one classes that I would dread week to week. The adults are about the same as always, but my High School kids are fantastic. The English proficiancy this year is night and day compared to last year. This year I can talk with them and joke and they actually understand me. YAY!!!!
Alright here we go a month of experience in one little letter. I can't really remember what I put into the last one so if I repeat myself oh well, deal with it.
This past month has offered an array of visual, audio, physical, and mental sights and experiences that it seems to be one of the craziest months I have had since I came here.
Let's start with a trip to a pub called The Pig & Whistle. It's in a city called Hsin-Chu. Hsin-Chu is Taiwan's silicone valley. It's where all the computer programers and engineers go to work. And The Pig & whistle seems to be the bar where some of the foreigner engineers go to cut the rug and cut loose. I went with Louise and her coworkers. The pub itself was fairly nice. The prices were wonky. A regular bottle of snapple will run you aboot $7.50, but a nice big pint of Carlsberg will only be around $6.00. The pub seems to be a bit confused about it's true identity. On the awning as we pulled up to the valet parking promised us an authentic british pub. Upon enetering the live band was covering (fairly well) "By The Way" by the Chili Peppers. Then it was Ass-ian pop for a while. Then Linkin Park and such. We went to the second floor and people-watched the dance floor.
As the music changed and changed again, the crowd on the dancefloor changed as well. It was a liquid crowd moving to the non-fluid transition of styles. Most people seemed to stay on the floor for only one or two songs. But three stalwarts remaind no matter what style tempo genre or volume of the music. And the best part was that their dancing was the same no matter what style tempo genre or volume of the music. Yes ladies and gentlemen they were white males between the age of 25 and 35. They were of the dominant species of male born in years where genetic disposition didn't lend itself to rhythym, or stealth in white men. Now I fully admit that I myself am no Barishnikov, but I do know that it is nearly impossible to dance to Linkin Park's "Crawling" whilst wearing a back pack, khaki chinos and a Lacoste long sleeved shirt, without looking slightly foolish. The fact that there were three of them either makes it better or worse depending on your stand point. Yes they had no clue, but at least they were not alone in their rigid revolt against rhythym and grace on a pub's dancefloor.
Since I have been back I have been trying to find some new foods and tastes that maybe I was too shy to try in my first round of adventures. This adventure wasn't without it's ups and downs. Mainly it was the toilet doing most of the movement. I have learned a few valuable lessons in my time and one is: Do not buy food from a street vendor whose child has there hand anywhere near what you are eating. I don't know what that kid did, but it certainly wasn't helping mi estomago adjust to the food in Taiwan again. Another thing I have learned is that you can't go straight back to eating the food. Oh no, it's like getting into a pool. First it's the toe, then you slowly walk in. Things go good, but then you get to that area that always seems to find the water just a little colder than the rest of your body. Like going into the water, it is best to go slow and let the body parts adjust to the assault you are putting them through. That way everyone involved will be much happier.
My teaching hours are about the same this year, but my classes are one hundred times better. I no longer have my one on one classes that I would dread week to week. The adults are about the same as always, but my High School kids are fantastic. The English proficiancy this year is night and day compared to last year. This year I can talk with them and joke and they actually understand me. YAY!!!!
