absolutwillie

Tag: Taiwan

  • i can be a hero, baby

    every week, i have to write in the communication books of my students at kindergarten. it’s quite a bit of work (we’re talking 4 classes here) – and it often feels like pouring water into a hole in the ground. my comments have to be translated into Chinese so the parents can understand it (which means i can’t use difficult words or elaborate grammar – who knows what that will translate to?), and i never get any feedback.

    make that past tense – i never got any feedback.

    i was surprised by the following little note:


    Loosely, I’m told this translates to:

    “Hi Willie:
    Hunter recently told me that he would like to go back to USA with Willie when he grows up. I used the chance to encourage him to study English harder for it. Willie, you are his idol. Thanks for teaching so well!”

    color me all warm an fuzzy :0)

    *note: Hunter is barely 3 years old. taken into consideration that i’m pale, tall, hairy and that i speak English – in his world, where else would I be from than the US?

  • Sights of Kaohsiung

    Kaohsiung city is one of my favorite cities in Taiwan. by grace and good fortune, it is also not that far from DongGang, where i live and work :0)

    it is safe to say that i pretty much love this city.

    imagine my great joy and surprise when i discovered the following video on MacMing’s page! treat yourself to a sneak peak at the wonder of KHH:

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viQqvnZFvKs&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=344]

  • new adventures in teaching II

    look at the jello men
    going wobble, wobble, wobble
    they’re in the kitchen now
    going gobble, gobble, gobble…


    i recently refilled my red marker – and overfilled it *grr*
    now, when my kids have to draw in their books – i encourage them by splattering red ink all over the white-board, and then (through adding and erasing) finding an image inside the chaos.

    probably not my best work ever – but these guys loved the new approach to the song ;0)

  • photoblog: Taiwan Pride Parade 2008

    guess what i did today…























  • it's time for the Moon Festival!

    we’re celebrating “moon festival” at the kindergarten today! apparently i’ll be helping the kids make “moon cake” as well as portraying Chang Er in the “pantomime”…

    i’ll take pictures ;0)

    The Chinese Moon Festival is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month. It’s also known as the Mid-autumn Festival. Chinese culture is deeply embedded in traditional festivals. Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving in the West, the Moon Festival is one of the most important traditional events for the Chinese.

    The Moon Festival is full of legendary stories. Legend says that Chang Er flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes, and sing moon poems. With the full moon, the legend, the family and the poems, you can’t help thinking that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival.

    The Moon Festival is also a romantic one. A perfect night for the festival is if it is a quiet night without a silk of cloud and with a little mild breeze from the sea. Lovers spend such a romantic night together tasting the delicious moon cake with some wine while watching the full moon. Even for a couple who can’t be together, they can still enjoy the night by watching the moon at the same time so it seems that they are together at that hour. A great number of poetry has been devoted to this romantic festival. Hope the Moon Festival will bring you happiness.

    The moon cake is the food for the Moon Festival. The Chinese eat the moon cake at night with the full moon in the sky. Here are a few pictures of the typical moon cake.


    The picture on the moon cake box.


    The moon cakes in the box.


    One of the moon cakes in the box.

    source: http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa093097.htm


    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPjUpwLpD-o&hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=344]

  • Road Trip: Kenting


    breaking the fast at starbucks
    hiked to kissing rock
    posed near the light house ( 21°53’57.53″N , 120°51’16.23″E)
    drank some coconuts
    and swam in perfect the blue waters of Kenting

    wish you were here ;0)

  • new adventures in teaching

    when the aim of the game is to talk about following instructions – most 8th graders’ eyes glaze over and your “conversation class” turns into a Shakespearean hell of monologues and asides.

    but lo and behold! pose the question: “how do you skin a cat?” and they rush you for your white-board markers!


    PETA might not be proud – but i had the most interactive class with these kids to date!

  • Mr Mister

    The wind blows hard against this mountainside
    Across the sea into my soul
    It reaches into where I cannot hide
    Setting my feet upon the road
    My heart is old it holds my memories
    My baby burns a gemlike flame
    Somewhere between the soul and soft machine
    Is where I find myself again
    Kyrie Eleison
    Down the road that I must travel
    Kyrie Eleison
    Through the darkness of the night
    Kyrie Eleison
    Where I’m going will you follow
    Kyrie Eleison
    On a highway in the light

    When I was young I thought of growing old
    Of what my life would mean to me
    Would I have followed down my chosen road
    Or only wished what I could be

    My friend Duncan Tsai – recently lost his friend and co-worker to a heart-attack.
    She was 27.

  • Rollmodel: Jasyn

    yet another “feature” i want to add to my blogging regime, is to post interviews with people i find inspirational. i’d call them rollmodels :0)

    this is the first installment.
    ___________________

    i met Jasyn online – and after checking out his blog decided that i simply HAD to kick off my Rollmodel feature with him. i am in love with his art – especially his cool icons! he lives in PingTung City – here in Taiwan, but the peace and inspiration i get from our conversations are universal.

    Have you always lived in PingTung?
    Almost, but to live anywhere else that is all the same for me. Because I know who I am, I know my life style.
    What attracted you to creating art?
    Emotions

    I noticed that you have various styles – some of your work being more iconic (Chinese Astrological series) compared to your portrait sketches.
    Which is your favo    rite medium/style to work in?
    Well, I do many styles more than you have seen. Depending when I am interested in something.
    But I would like to say just paper with pencil is my basically favorite thing.

    Do you have a favorite subject matter?
    Anything can touch people’s heart, including myself.

    Has any of your work ever been published/sold?
    I have published a book with a friend, and some illustrations for magazine, book’s cover.
    Also some posters, GPS receiver designs, etc as I work at a small GPS company right now.

    If art is your hobby – what is it you do at your “real” job?
    Design

    How does your job influence your creativity?
    For working at my job I need to keep learning skills to complete and always to refresh my designs.

    That is a plus for my creativity, isn’t it?

    For sure!
    Are you a good cook?
    No, I am not. But cooking isn’t to hard for me. And I like to cook sometimes.
    What is your favorite food?
    Any food my mom cooks for me, cause cannot have them any more, missing that so much.

    Have you ever found your sexual orientation to be an obstacle/inspiration in daily life? And in your art?
    Of course…. But anything all has pros and cons, and in opposing.
    So when you get it. That is not a big issue to yourself.

    Where do you find the time for your art, in between work and other responsibilities? No, I don’t find the time. Time is anywhere anyhow anyspace. Art is same too. Anyone is creating art in their life anytime.

    Finally, do you have any tips, suggestions or advice for people who also want to develop their skills? To be friends with me, haha…

  • Photoblog: LiouCiou Island

    so here’s the deal: in an attempt to get a better blog-rhythm going, i’m trying to set up a kind of “daily schedule”. sticking to it isn’t all that easy – but i plan on improving ;0)

    one of my intended weekly installments is “photo blogging”.
    so here goes:

    ——————–

    this weekend (before the ninny typhoon), me and Ben – my American colleague – went to LiouCiou (LiuCiu) Island with 6 Taiwanese friends. the fun never stopped ;0)

    Enjoy!

    me, Mathilda, Ben and Stacey (Heather took the picture) having breakfast at a Mei&Mei in DongGang.
    Stacey, Ben, Heather and myself waiting for the ferry (notice the absence of people around us… i think our brand of humor might have scared our fellow passengers a bit ;0)
    Jackson… *sigh*
    me and Heather playing it up for the camera!
    Emma just looks so cool in this shot! (yes, i’m chuffed with my work)


    Simon (Mathilda’s bo) and Jackson – two very cool dudes!!

    random DILF

    we laughed more than we talked :0)
    me and Heather playing it up again (see what i meant with “brand of humor”?)
    my finest hour – before boarding the ferry back home.