Our first Earthquake!!

This picture was taken back in
December. A bunch of us all went
out for Jon's Birthday at the
Saskatoon Inn.

Well, we've now survived 2 months! Barely! But we are finally starting to feel a LOT better than the last 2 weeks. Michelle's back is finally feeling better, and my dizzy spells have lessened tremendously!! Thank goodness.

The school is taking up a lot more of my time lately in a good way. I got another class of 8, 5-7 year olds (they are sooo cute), plus a private student name Charley who is 10, balding???, and a little smelly, but he's so funny!!

With that, I also teach 8 other classes. Another private class, he's 12 and very bright. An adult class of 4 students which I have raved about in the past, and continue to enjoy. I also teach 7 very young teenagers who think that English is not cool..wait a mimute...nothings cool....but they love playing hangman. Then I teach another 10 students ages 10-12 a more writing and reading English class. There speaking is quite well, but they lack in writing and overall comprehension. Then I teach 2 other classes the exact same level (English Time 2), only 1 class is about 3 weeks ahead of the other class...and 3 weeks makes a big difference. These children learn so fast and so much compared to Canadian standards. (23 students in those 2 classes.) Then 10 crazy 8-10 year olds a younger basic English class. "I like the old one." "I like the new one." "I like the red one." etc....They're really cute and really loud!!! Then the class that I started 6 weeks ago with the little beginners. I have 15 of them, the class started with 7, and every single day another student kept joining. It's quite a handful, but it s a lot of fun. I really enjoy this whole teaching experience.

The only negative thing about the school is all the politics, and time restictions, and constant things that must be done daily...when they don't need to be done daily. For example, they want all 4 teachers to sign in daily, they take time to leave notes on your desk that remind you instead of just telling you or even better, scrap the idea completely. All of us have to sign our time sheet at the end of the month, and initial beside every single class. So we could just do this at one day and have it take 2 minutes of out time instead of finding the book daily...which is never where is should be anyway.

Then at the end of the day, you have to leave comments on every class. What you taught them, what their homework is, what you reviewed, anything you want to comment on. However we do not get paid for this. And our supervisor doesn't check them daily...only once in a while, but if she happens to check it on the day you didn't write anything you can be sure that there is a note waiting for you the next morning. AHHHH!!!

Today I had my supervisor and my boss attend one of my classes, for my one-month evaluation (yes...I know...we've been here 2 months). I thought the class went very well, they both sat there throughout the whole class taking notes, and when it was all over they never said a word to me. Not even good work, or well done, I know it was a good class, and I know they will probably tell me about it in the after-evaluation meeting, but come on, at least acknowledge me or say something...anything. AHHHHH!

Michelle also had her one month evaluation. Her's was yesterday, she said it went Ok. They picked her 2nd most difficult class to teach. She calls them little hellions, however she recieved a thumbs up from the supervisor on her way out.

Michelle and I have a meeting tomorrow at 2pm with our boss at the bank to open up an account. Tomorrow is also payday!! We will soon be able to start wiring money home and start paying things off finally. AH..the teaching English dream!

Tomorrow night we have invited Connie (the ex-New Foundlander) and her Taiwanese husband Alex to join Mark, Karen, Michelle and I at Style, the restaurant in the nearby town. The usual Friday night ritual which we always look forward to.

Just before I started writing this blog I said to Michelle, after looking at the date, "oh, Happy one month after your birthday" yes I know, I'm weird, then Michelle said "oh we missed out wedding anniversary...oh wait a minute that's today too." So I quickly wished her a Happy 5 months wedding anniversary before she could....it was quite funny.
But wow--neither of us can believe it that it's already been 5 months.


My adult class has asked me about when and how you can use the following words in sentences...I need your help, I offered some suggestions....but if you can think of any examples please comment on the blog or e-mail us. Here are the words: thrive, tangled, catch up, and frankly. We just ran outta class time today, so I will explain in better detail next week.

Apparently I will be compensated for a weeks worth of work from the bike/SUV accident. We will wait and see, so much here in Taiwan is lost in translation. So I will keep you posted.

Hey Mom please remember to tell Grandma about needing another pair of those slippers that she makes. Thanks.Tell her if she sends them now, they might make it by July...my birthday....I mean your parcel still hasn't arrived.
I can't believe it.

Nothing new has happened lately. But with us both feeling a lot better, I'm sure well have more pictures to post and more great stories in no time at all.
Good things are coming our way!!!

Whoa I can't believe I forgot to mention this. Well actaully I am Michelle just reminded me. When we were sitting at home earlier today before school. We were both getting ready and chatting with my Mom on-line when we sorta experinced our first EARTHQUAKE!!! YEAH! Only both Michelle and I never really noticed it. We have construction happening on both sides of our house, so we are so use to loud sounds and noises and vibrations, that we sorta looked at the window like what the hecks going on and then just assumed it was more loud construction. Then when we got to school, everyone was asking "did you feel it, did you notice anything?" I thought they were lying but apparently it happened at 12:10..wierd. It really wasn't a big deal. Lets hope they are all that small!!

Tale care all,
Jeff