Random Happiness, Taiwan 2011

Impromptu photo shoot in my writing class

Miss Katy

Thanks Yenna!

So I've been asked by a few fellow international travelers what the weird idem is on the McDonald's menu. Well here it is.

Shrimp Burger at McDonald's

Sadly by the time I went to get one they were gone . . . but the ones at MosBurger was good . . .

So . . . about a week after I got to Taiwan (the first week in July) I got two big spots by my collar bones, I didn't do anything about it because it never changed. . . . Then in March-ish it started getting hotter and I got more spots . . . . Finally I went to the dermatologist and found out that my own sweat was causing a dermal-fungus (at least that's what I got through the translation).

. . . fungal-spots . . .

Destiny's 24th birthday was on March 28 and on the Saturday before we went to a great Thai restaurant that her Chinese Lao Shi brought us to.

This was a great coconut dessert ;)

Katy, Chinese Lao Shi, Awesome Thai Elephant, Destiny

On her actual birthday we went bowling!

Destiny and her favorite pineapple-cake

Katy, Allison, Destiny, Shauntelle

HAPPY B-DAY MISS D!

On April 2nd Destiny and I went to Taipei. We went to the temple then to a dance production at the Sun Yet-sen Memorial of traditional Chinese dancing with a few Chinese operatic solos. The group also had a a strong political agenda. They were trying to get the word out about the Falun Gong (Dafa) issue in mainland China. The whole thing was very interesting.

Katy, Destiny, Sun Yat-sen as a statue

Only in Asia Ad:

Can you guess what this is an advertisement of? Look closely, what is he holding? You can see the top half of the product at the bottom of the pic.

Yep, that's Matsumoto Jun of the Japanese boy band, Arashi, and he is advertising Mascara . . .

Good-bye Greenes! The Greenes were the couple missionaries in our branch. Elder Greene was a counselor in the branch presidency. They were both so amazing, they were very missed when they left.

Elder Greene, Katy, Sister Greene

Jenny, Sister Greene, Elder Greene

On May 14 I went to Hsinchu to hang with my good friend Erin Shaw. We went to a great burger place, randomly came across a beautiful temple . . .

Erin Saw

Katy

Then we decided to get our hair cut! While we waited for our appointment we went shoe shopping!!! Two shoes later:

Katy, Erin

On the 21st I went 'camping' with some of Berhan's Chinese staff including Frances and Gerald (who's birthday was apperently that day, so they had to go get cake, which he doesn't eat . . . but we liked it!) We also were able to go see the fireflies!!! Fireflies are such a trip!

The people camping next to us must have been a dog-lovers-group. How many dogs can you see?

There are at least 8 dogs just in this picture!

Uncle, ?, ?, ?, ?, Cindy, Peggy's daughter, Peggy, ?, ?, Gerald, ?, Seth, Katy, ?, ?, Frances, ?, Andy

Thursday-Friday, May 26th-27th, 2011: My 27th Birthday!

You see, I got a second Golden Birthday! How? Well, I was born at 8:22pm MST on the 26th, but that was 10:22am CST on the 27th. So, because I was living in CST I get a second golden birthday!!!!

Betsy took me to chill-out at Starbucks (Thank you!) and then Thursday night I had my night KE class soooooo . . . photo shoot!

Hi Holly!!!

Friday night, diner with friends!

Beautiful flowers!

Thanks Kiri and Destiny!

Kiri, Lien, Allison, Katy, Shauntelle, Destiny

Hun Hao Chu Cheese Cake!!!
Thanks Destiny!!!

Karaoke!!!! ^_^

Betsy, Allison, Katy, Jenny, Charlene, Kailey, Fenny

Shauntelle took the pic!

This is a still of the stand in "music video" they use for English songs when they don't have a real one. It truly is annoyingly disturbing!

Shauntelle, Fenny, Allison, Jenny, Kailey, Betsy, Lien, Katy, Charlene

A great way to start off my good-byes!

Students 2011

For the January to June 2011 semester at Berhan I had 5 classes.

First off: Kindergarten Enrichment 1&2

I had this class last semester, but the kids in the baby class are all new.

They all played with and tried on the horse costume.

Thank you to the amazing woman in the background who got them to actually sit still for the picture.

The older kids in this class I had last semester. The two on the left, though, are new and are the twin boys of Carri, the teacher in the background, so cute!

There were only half enough costumes so we split up the class

Second . . . off: Kindergarten Enrichment 5

This was Kristi's class last semester.

They all wanted to try on the bunny costume. So one by one:

. . . none of them cared that it was too small . . .

Third up: Basic Reading 2a

Erin, their teacher last semester, sent a package with the four pencils that they're showing off to thank Erin.

"Thank You Miss Erin!"

Fourth off: Elementary 4a

This is the other class I taught last semester. (with 12 kids I had to split it up)

It's interesting how four of the most vocal students are four of the most camera shy!

Fifth and last: Writing Class 2b

Devin's old class, crazy smart, but it was 8pm . . .

All of these pictures are very typical.

Can you tell who were the most attentive ;)

They're all really great! I really enjoyed talking to 'em!

They're only 14ish, but I say they look at least 15ish . . .

Well those are the kids I taught for my last semester at Berhan!