Aboriginal Athlete's Foot

We had our last week of workshops - yahoo!

Monday's was different. These teachers were the youngest and most motivated to see a change in the standard Taiwanese classroom.  They understand the need to move from a sterile, lecture hall format to an engaging and cooperative classroom of learners.  It was relaxing because we had the entire day to get to know the campus.  We stopped by a handball game and I saw my first lab classroom.

Puppy love

We spent Tuesday at two different schools: Anshi Junior High and Sanxia Junior High.  Anshi compiled a list of theoretical questions for us to discuss.  This bothered me because I'm a teacher - I can share practical experiences but I'm not expert in theory.  Turns out, the teacher who wrote the questions wasn't even there and she was sharing her graduate research.  The teachers at this school said they admired our passion and ideas.  I saw them as stuck in their ways and unwilling to consider trying something that might make learning and teaching more enjoyable.  They said it sounded like too much work and that it's hard to motivate students. Hmm.

Sunxia Jr. High was the first school that presented to us and expected nothing in return.  We met a teacher who leads a class on the Sunxia neighborhood, its history and its people.  He showed us artifacts, told us stories, and shared Hinoki oil from the Hinoki tree.  He instructed me to take the bottle, that has a roll on applicator, and put it on my face.  "It wakes you up!"  I asked him how he normally uses the oil, and he said "Also to wake me up and athlete's foot."  I smiled on the outside and couldn't believe I just put that stuff all over my face on the inside.  Damn Chinese got me again. 

The school has an awesome Aboriginal Student Dance and Drum team.  They performed several songs and dances for us.  The bamboo dance was the most impressive.  We walked away with a souvenir shirt and CD with tribal music.  These students truly blew me away.

That evening I tried acupuncture to help me with my cough.  Claudia went first and loved it.  I went in open minded and wasn't bother much by the small pricks on my forehead.  But something took over, I felt woozy and my vision was getting darker.  The doctor immediately removed the needles and gave me herbal medicine instead.  The medicine tastes awful.  Three days of nasty powder medicine later, I feel the same! :)

 

On Wednesday, we had a half day at Shuling Senior High.  We did a mini 1/2 hour presentation (sweet!) and rushed over to the San Shu Gong Food Company.  We had a DIY demo on how to make our own treats.  These desserts honestly taste pretty bad - bland, gummy, and sticky.  It was cute being in a room with a ton of rugrats and I loved seeing the YWCA group.

Love my blowfish warrior face