We’re deployed like a contractor to decorate the school announcement board @ the foyer and cleaning up task. The most crappy part is the clearing up of the scout’s room in the school hall. It’s such an insignificant place/space in the school that even students don’t know the existence of scout nor the scout’s room. And the room was said to be left abandoned for about 20 over years. All the stuff such as sleeping bags, pots, wooden thingy were so messy, old and dirty that we felt so giddy after clearing the place. We’re wondering what’s the purpose of clearing up the room if it’s not meant to be used in the first place. Is the principal thinking out a plan to utilize the room?

Besides that, we’ll be realizing the ‘sharing resources principle’ between our school and the affiliated elementary school as we’re deployed to teach there for the whole of Thurs and Fri. Our experience there were rather different, elementary students particularly those in year 3 and 4 are so warm and friendly. They really idolize Charles to the extent that they were busy getting his signatures. It sounds like a mini concert (簽唱會).

In addition, I went out with Rach at night for our toilet dinner at ‘Modern Toilet’ Restaurant in Xi Men. The place does really have an exotic and unique design but the food is so-so only. It can be compared with Clark Quay’s ‘Clinic’ which emphasise on the special setting and layout. And both of us really love the photos we took in the toilet restaurant!! By the way, before reaching this place, we spent like an hour plus to ‘Shuang Lian’ for a ‘brisk walking’ exercise. We’re supposed to get 名產 like muahchi, nice cookies for friends but we only see herbs, Chinese traditional medicines…

Labels: chen ee

Guess what number 9 refers to? A title of a book? The service number of a bus (Bedok area)? A pub? A name of a restaurant/café? In fact, it is an index number of a student in my school. There was a teacher in school who said that a student with index number 9 from her class was very happy to see Racheline and I in the pottery lesson the other day. And he is anticipating us to join him on the following week. Rach was laughing about the serious look of the student during the pottery lesson. Haha… I was wondering whether Racheline has taken photos with her favourite students.. LOL!!

Labels: chen ee

Having said that winter was so exotic and cooling, extreme cold can be quite annoying as well. It resembles an out-of-control air-con that no one can adjust, so helpless.. Taipei has been experiencing several ‘寒流’ for the past few weeks. Its chilling cold feeling can really make you feel dizzy and giddy. You just don’t feel like getting out of your bed, not to say stepping out of your room or leaving your house.

When I think back, I do miss the windy 19 degree back in Taiwan, at least I miss wearing those layering clothes and boots as well as eating hot pot!!

Labels: chen ee

It’s quite cool to board the Land Rover to Danshui together with my homestay family parents. First, we alight at Baling and we tried the 花枝 there. It’s one of Rach and my favourite food in Taiwan. Then, we took a ferry to Danshui and proceed to our eating spree. Not to forget, we also got souvenirs and local specialties for our friends and family. Thank god that the weather was so good that we can get to watch the sunset. It was such a short moment for the sunset to stay in its position. I finally understand the Chinese proverbs 夕陽無限好，只是近黃昏。 After watching nice sceneries, we went to Shilin to have our hairdo. We’re just asking a student on the MRT on where to get a haircut, we’re just so random. Haha.. Luckily the result is still not bad but the price is rather expensive I think. Right after that, we head down to our last visit to Holiday KTV in Taiwan since Josh is going back home the next day. I guess when we're back in Singapore, there won't be so much time and mood to sing in KBOX anymore. Despite that, we should still organise gatherings once in a while!!

Danshui famous fishball
Fried octopus a.k.a 花枝
阿給

紅毛城

Posing with the 'wishing' cards

After our hairdo

An hour plus train+bus waiting time

It was my first time, waiting for public transport for so long. And I can still recall that I almost fell asleep on the train. I was super tired in the morning that I don’t even have strength to eat my Mcbreakfast, not to say staying awake on the train. I did not join them for the LongShan Temple visit coz I was really too exhausated. After I reached home, I had a really good rest and I was totally recharged. Felt so refresh and rejuvenated. On the other side, Josh was bz packing his luggage as he is leaving Taiwan on that day. Surprisingly, that was the first time whereby I was staying for at home for the whole day.

Labels: chen ee

Josh, me & Rach

Taipei 101 & the stage

Haha.. I just recall our love for the memorial hall (guo fu ji nian guan) as we spent our night outside the memorial hall. It was darn cold that day outside the memorial hall. We have chosen that place to rest before getting onto the coach to Taichung. It was freaking cold till Racheline and I started to jump to keep ourselves warm.

Then we went to the bus station to meet Wanching to head down to our next destination-Taichung. Sleeping in the coach was so comfortable to the extent that 4 of us felt that the distance was so short. Anyway, the coach is really comfortable as it has very spacious seat and a mini tv at every seat with the latest albums and movies. The bus fare is rather cheap, around NT380 (approx. SGD 17). We have been taking the bus for the trip from Taipei-Taichung-Kaoshiung-Taipei.

The coach

When we reached Taichung, the kind ‘王老先生’ has helped us to find accommodation. Initially, we thought of staying in his house, but we found that he was hinting us to stay in the hotel instead. Luckily the price is quite reasonable, not that ‘painful’. Haha.. And I remember one funny thing that ‘王老先生’ thought us, the ‘free’ breakfast, which is to 試吃 in one of the bakery. To cut the story short for our Taichung visit, we’ve spent our time in the Science Centre and 逢甲夜市 (one of the largest night market in Taiwan).

@ Fengjia Night Market

Next stop-> Kaoshiung, it was a place with very beautiful and colourful MRT station. I like the design of the Interchange stn (美麗島) and the weather there is just nice, neither too cold nor too hot. We went to the Dream Mall, one of the must go places in Kaoshiung. We tried the Merry-go-round and the cartoonish Ferris Wheel. The queue for the Ferris Wheel was really long, about an hour plus. And we went to walk around the mall, it is indeed an ‘ATAS’ place. After the ride, we rush to the so-called romantic place-Love River. It’s undoubtedly a nice place for couples, is just like our famous Esplanade and Clark Quay/Boat Quay. After a long walk, we went to another famous night market in Taiwan-六和夜市. I guess the places that I have visited most during my stay in Taiwan are night markets and 老街. Racheline and I love the papaya milk drink the most.

MRT interchange station at Kaoshiung

Mei Li Dao MRT station

Merry-go-round @ Dream Mall

Hello Kitty Ferris Wheel

Love River

from Liu He Night Market

Fisherman's Wharf

I guess our backpacking skill has greatly improved.. and I guess we can be part-time tour guide next time.. HAHA!!

Labels: chen ee

Me and 校长 (covered in smoke, LOL)


Me with 2 english teachers and the 主任


Me with the other 主任 and 组长


可爱的小朋友


丑陋的小朋友


未来的明星！


Me with my favourite class


And my other favourite class..


EPs and Interns unite


Sweet, Japanese girl (far right).


Me and Briar met with an Earthquake


Me and Chen Ee, the taste of freedom


Trio on MRT


On the last day

Labels: josh

doraemon! look at my round round fist!
a hut.

snowman.
my personal favourite. barbeque pork in a campfire setting
spongebob
wedding


family.

sweeping the floor? or are they burying someone. forgot what's this already

and this is the first prize..

this is an interesting one because there's a story behind it.
During the era of the Three Kingdoms (3rd Century CE) there lived a man named Meng Sung, also known as [Meng] Chien-wu (6). He had lost his father during his childhood. When his mother was old and sick she craved fresh bamboo-shoots even though it was winter. Sung had no idea how he could get them. In desperation, he went into a bamboo grove, clasped a bamboo stem and broke into tears. His filial devotion moved heaven and earth and they forced the earth to crack open. Numerous shoots of bamboo came out. Meng Sung carried them home and made them into a soup for his mother. As soon as she ate it, she felt much better.

okay that's about all for the straw exhibition along the road side.. will continue more about my trip in kaohsiung next time.

Labels: tracey