Just a quick note... There's a huge evergreen looking tree in the middle of town square here in Puli and this time of year, they put a bunch of toys on it. I asked someone if they then donate them to charity and they said "no"... so... alright then? Checking out some lights in Taichung …
Main differences of Taiwan vs America (Part 1)
Food - The Good and the... different Of course coming to Taiwan, I knew that things would be different from what we eat to how we eat it and even a little bit when we eat it. I talk about some obvious things like utensils and different spices that are more common but also things …
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Our 3 day weekend in Kaohsiung
Thursday Night Anthony and I both had to work a regular school day on Thursday but we knew that after what felt like such a long week, we would get to vacation in a much larger area of Taiwan than we have been living in. We are city people, just having lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin …
Garbage in Taiwan
Taiwan is a very interesting place: a mix of high-tech amenities next to run-down buildings, some with all of its plumbing outdoors. Because of its past, Taiwan is stuck in a limbo of developing its smaller rural areas like Puli to architecturally stand like its larger areas like the capital of Taipei. Taiwan's past lends …
My Week of Training with MOE
Shortly after we arrived in Taiwan, we learned that we would be attending a training on the north part of the island in the biggest city of Taiwan sponsored by the Ministry of Education (or MOE). We needed to spend a week in New Taipei City at the National Academy for Educational Research and receive …
The first few days in Taiwan
Puli, Nantou County, Taiwan Puli in Nantou County, sometimes called "The Heart of Taiwan" because it is the geographical center of the island, is an urban township, surrounded by beautiful mountains. It is also a very dense, bustling tourist designation. Like I mentioned in my last post, we got picked up from our hotel and …
Moving Day(s)!
Started: Hometown Airport Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) in Mosinee, WisconsinNext: O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, Illinois Next: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California Final Destination: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan/Taipei, Taiwan This was an incredibly exciting day for me because the last time I flew in an airplane was my …
Preparing for the Move Series (Climate Change)
From swimwear to pajamas, walking/teaching shoes and water bottles, everyday essentials and work clothes, everything needed to be carefully calculated. I needed to really pick apart my closet, see what I could take and all the shopping I needed to do to make sure I was 100% prepared for this change in weather. Growing up …
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Preparing for the Move Series (Cards & Banking)
Credit Card Newbie Before planning for this great life adventure, I did not have a credit card. I got a debit card in 2012 when I started college because it seemed like a necessity but I also thought that was all I needed, not thinking about the lack of credit I was setting up for …
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An ESL Teacher Abroad 