So, I wanted to do really good the first week we were here and post a lot for you all at home....BUT, it didn't work out that way. We have now been in Taiwan for 9 days!! That is crazy to think about. We are settling in slowly but surely. We are no longer jet lagging but still find ourselves tired emotionally and physically most of the time!
This week we spent MOST of our time at school. From the pictures that I posted previously you could see that our classrooms were in need of some dire help! We have spent long days getting things (our trying to) done in our classrooms. I don't have pictures yet of how they are coming along but maybe that will be a project for next week when they are pretty much close to being ready! We start school in 9 days!! YIKES!! So, needless to say I think we are going to devote long hours to school this next week as well. (I think we may even go in this weekend)
Our home is mostly settled BUT it does not quite feel like home yet. We haven't been able to take the time to decorate or even put up pictures yet......so once we do that I think we will feel like it is more "our" place. Who knows....maybe we can even get a little color on the walls eventually!
Cam and I were able to adjust a little more this week to the Taiwan culture. We are now owners of bicycles and we have been riding to and from school on them. We have the route down now and are quite used to weaving in and out of people, scooters, and taxi's. We are also quite used to ringing our little bells to let people know we are coming up to their left......There were some close calls the first few days we rode (Cam feared for my life as I played chicken with a scooter on our first trip alone), but we have learned to be more alert and are adjusting quite well to Taiwanese driving!
We also ventured out alone and took the bus to school one day this week. I am sure all the people on the bus thought it was quite funny as we were making sure we knew our landmarks the entire way.......
As for other "new" things....we eat REALLY well (chinese food, subway, burgers and fries, pizza, pasta) We haven't missed food yet...but there are times when I think I will know what it is going to taste like and it doesn't! We had someone make a map of restaurants near our house so we can just go and TRY to order food. We did order tea this week (in Chinese) with some help from our little language notebook.
We made a Costco and RT mart run again this week....
We completed our first trash night experience (which you will have to read the comments on our picasa web picture page. it was quite an experience!)....
We got cell phones....so we now can have help when we are lost or confused as we are out and about.......
Went to an Olympic party and watched the opening ceremonies live!
Other than that...not too much to report on this week because we have been spending so many hours at school! I did post a few more pictures....
Hope you enjoy!
Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers. If you are wanting to pray specifically for things...please pray for us and our work at school. We are both often overwhelmed with school (getting ready and new grade levels). Pray that God fills our hearts with peace, with innovative ideas, and with confidence to teach at these new levels. Also pray that he prepares the hearts of our students and their parents to be open and receptive to what God can do through us this year!
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