Birthday Weekend

On the Friday, I told all of my classes that on Monday it would be my birthday and they should all bring me a big cake to eat.
I got home and cooked myself a birthday lasagna... I know it wasn't my birthday yet, but I had a fairly busy weekend planned and this was the only slot... the ingredients in Taiwan cost about twice what they do in England, but I didn't care. It was good cheesy treat. I tested it on a TA to check it was edible. And to my surprise she loved it!


On Saturday morning, I got to school for 10:45 to get a lift in the school cars to the Theme Park near Sun Moon Lake, with the TAs. We took the big school car. Far more comfortable than a scooter ride. We had to wait for Charles, a new teacher from South Carolina, who got here the day before. He was going to get a lift with David whose house he was staying in, but David was too tired to come... so Charles had to make his way on foot to school a place he'd only been to once. So yes, he got a little lost. But, before long we were in the village before Sun Moon Lake, we stopped and grabbed some food here as the theme park was too expensive. I didn't realise how many people were coming on the trip until this point, there were 6 teachers from Changhua and about a dozen TAs including 2 male TAs. Yes male, I was a bit shocked at first, about as shocked as I was 4 years ago when I realised there were NO male TAs in Changhua Co.
Once stocked with grub, we jumped back into the cars and headed once more to the park.
It was just as I remembered it. Beautiful gardens on the approach, then a little aboriginal market on either side of the entrance way.
We had a look at the map of the park and agreed to go on the cable-car first to let our dinner digest. Apparently it had been extended to go down to Sun Moon Lake... but as the end of line drew closer, I thought maybe I had misheard. We stepped out of the car and followed the line of people up some stairs... A man stamped an invisible mark on our arms... the meaning of this soon became clear. A lady sat behind a box with a UV screen, asked me to lay my arm on the screen... there was the mark!
The cable car was just round the corner... this one was a lot steeper than the other 75 degrees up. But the view was fantastic... (see photos). We spent some time by the lake looking at the different fish. Then a tourist boat moved away and we realised that the whole waterfront was floating as the waves were making it difficult to walk.
We took the cable-car back to the theme park and got off at the top station, near the Aboriginal Culture part of the park. There was a witch doctor giving out green beads (which of course I thought were to eat, but apparently not). We were to grip them and make a wish, then she splashed us with water and our wishes were granted. Further on there was an Aboriginal hut with lots of carvings on the inside. As we came out a lot of youngsters ran past wearing traditional dress down to the arena. I was tempted to stay and watch, but we hadn't been on any rides yet and it closed at 5:30.
We headed for the water slide. It looked pretty high, fantastic. As we got closer we noticed that everyone in the queue was wearing a plastic poncho... surely this defeats the object of a water slide... getting wet! So me Andrew, and Charles were the only people on the boat Poncholess. We were also required to remove our shoes. The ride started backwards just to freak us out a bit, but then it turned and plummeted down towards the water. I got pretty wet on one half, but I was dry enough, then right at the end of the ride, 2 water cannons went off and we all got drenched. We dripped back to our shoes.
I figured that the best way to get dry again was to go on a rollercoaster. G force 4.5 Mayan Adventure. I timed it, the ride lasted just 30 seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. One young lady came off crying... I was buzzing! Cathy (TA) was just dazed. Andrew was speechless and Charles didn't seem that bothered. Vicky hadn't been on any rides yet, so we let her choose the next one.
She chose the swing boat... sadly me and Andrew didn't make it in time and we had to pass on feeling see sick. Vicky's face went more green than anyone else. Very amusing.
We then went down Jurassic River... a cruise down past vicious dinosaurs, happy cave men and Woolly mammoths. Very informative!
It was getting late and stomachs were starting to rumble so we stopped for some grub at the fast food place. Then we had one ride that was left to do: the vertical drop. I had wanted to go last time but it was being serviced. It was 17:15 so we were not sure if it was still open. As we got closer we could see a small queue. Game on! Rita, Charles and Andrew came on with me. As it went up, it spun slowly so you could take in the fabulous view... and then it stopped for an age we just hung there waiting. When it finally fell, I have never screamed so loud on a ride in genuine terror. Thankfully Cathy captured the moment on video (see facebook).
I could barely walk to the car my legs were so numb.
Vicky offered to drive back which was nice, because 5 minutes in, the rest of us had fallen asleep.
I got back, finished the lasagna and quickly fell asleep

On Sunday, I had a lie in, then went for a nice lunch, then I got the train to Changhua to watch the new Harry Potter Movie and got back just in time for a birthday meal with Charles and the TAs. I had a delicious cheesy pork on top of beansprouts with an egg mayo reformed into its egg shape, with a hot pot filled with veg, fish, ham, you name it! it was there.
At 8:30 I felt the a swaying, so i said Earthquake, but nobody else had noticed and they were still talking, so i said it a little louder. And then there was a lot a rattling and shaking and general commotion in the restaurant, then after a few minutes and as if to reassure us, a waiter ran in smiling apologetically "Earthquake" he said. No kidding! I thought.
After dinner, the waiter brought out a stunning birthday cake... I gave one of the plastic love hearts to the TA to see if it was edible and lo behold, it was! white chocolate, brilliant!
As the cake wasn't good enough, there was more, the TAs had chipped in to buy me a motorbike helmet in the shape of a watermelon. They had all signed it too. Genius idea! From now on I shall be known as Watermelonman! I just need a side-kick: strawberryboy or something... I'll think on it.

Monday: my birthday! Everyone said happy birthday at work. I decided to buy the kids some chocolates in my classes, just in case anyone had remembered to bring me a giant chocolate cake. No-one had but they enjoyed the chocs... Then in one class a girl had made my a decorated box filled with biscuits with a card to go with it. She is going to top Oscar on my the star students list. She had always been so difficult to manage in class and yet here was the nicest thing I'd received all weekend. Kids!

Halloween

To celebrate all things hallowed, the school was decorated with bats, pumpkins and a huge vampire across the window. In the weeks leading up to Halloween, all of the students were taught the catchy phrase "Trick or treat, I'm so sweat. Give me something good to eat!"

On the the 3 days before Halloween, if they could say this twice to a teacher, they would get a sweet. For the intensive classes, on Friday afternoon, they all came in fancy dress to go trick or treating around the neighbourhood. I was encouraged to wear something scary... so I went for my play-it-safe vampire costume, but when I got to work, all the TA must have spent hours on their make-up... they were terrifying. I put my false teeth in for good measure.

The week before, they had all made scary masks in class but these were nothing compared to the costumes the kids came in. Cowgirls, fairies, witches, werewolves... they were all there!

and then Oscar (cei01 student) comes in wearing exactly the same costume as me, with false teeth as well. Now, I've always thought Oscar has a great sense of humour... but when he started his evil laugh.. I thought, this kid is a legend!
Once everyone was assembled we headed out down the street, our capes blowing fiercely in the wind. Rita (manager) said that morning 'just try and have fun with them.'

I'm dressed up, we're collecting sweeties, I don't need telling twice. When we reached each store the kids all chanted the rhyme and sweets magically appeared. When we got back to the school we made a pumkin box to keep the sweets in... very cute... and then I was asked to judge whose costume was the best. I gave it to Lili, a witch. Her costume was great and I figured she'd turn me into something horrible if I didnt choose her.

The rest of the day we taught in our costumes. Sam came as a nun, Paul a pirate. I had a speaking test last lesson, I was tempted to keep the false teeth in for a laugh... but my mooth was starting to get sore.