Class Field Trip

 

We worked really hard all week teaching all our classes about Halloween.  We tried to find a pumpkin patch or something close to what we did for Halloween field trips at home.  The closest thing we found was the traditional Taiwanese village right outside Puzih.  It was a place most of them haven't seen but where some of the kids live.  It was a really interesting experience.  So...here are some of the first pictures I have taken of my students.

We bought a bunch of temporary tattoos that we put on the kids before we left to the village.  They went crazy putting them everywhere!  It was pretty entertaining.  This is Peter, who has recently decided that I should call him Pete because I told him that my dad's name was Peter but people call my dad Pete, so he now insists that I call him Pete.  He is one of my best students.  8 years old and smart as a whip.  He likes to help me with my Chinese.

Getting ready to go.  That is Amy hiding her face.  She had a ton of tattoos on her face and got embarrassed.  In the background is the rest of them putting on tattoos.

The houses in the village are in a horseshoe shape.  The extended family lives throughout the U shape and then have a common area in the middle where they can  BBQ together.  Each of the U-shapes has a temple in the center part of the U.

These are pictures of the village and the farms that feed all the people of the village.  You also see these people at all the markets selling the produce.

Walking around.

Walking some more.

Exploring.

Derek.  Almost all the Taiwanese people hold up the peace sign when a camera comes out.  Here it means victory, but you will find it in nearly all posed pictures.

(Left to Right)  Amy, Kelly, Sherry (Sherry's my favorite)

 

My boss, Emily's Grandmother and uncle live in this village.  After we walked around and did our English lesson, we went to visit her.  It was really cool to go into her house.  It reminded me of the houses we build in Mexico, but there are a lot more luxuries in these houses.

The kids all got some soda and talked with A-ma.

The large basket on the table was what they used to use to keep there food cool before they got a refrigerator.  They would put all their food in there and cover it with damp towels.  But now they have 2 refrigerators so it is used more like a cupboard now.

We tried to think of games that would be easy to do if we weren't at school and E.V. Cain Halloween activities came flowing back to me so.....we had a donut eating contest.  It was a blast!  The kids had a great time and we enjoyed laughing with them!

The one crouched down on the ground is my crazy girl, Teresa.  She is actually American and ironically the worst at speaking English.

That is Kelly looking at you, Sherry going for her donut, and Tina watching the boys.

Peter and Sam

Good laughs.......Peter.

That is Emily, one of the owners of the school.  My boss.

Playing on the playground.  It turned out to be a really great day!

Merina's birthday was the 30th, and here is her cake.  The cakes here are gorgeous and REALLY tasty!

The lady in red in the background is the Aye-E, which means auntie.  She is the school secretary.