Beautiful 梅山 and 安平

During the weekend, we went to 梅山. It's really really beautiful there, all the 梅花 is on its peak (where the flower is all blooming or starting to fall). We were told by the boss of the eatery place that we were lucky because we came at the perfect time, when the flowers are all blooming and at its prettiest ♥. We purposely went to 梅山to eat 梅子鸡, where the chicken is cooked in a plum soup. Super unique and delicious! :D The drink is made from plum too!

with Mina  :)

wiht Melody :)

 

a wondeful family ^^

the very nice we ate in Mei Shan

Oil painting time. These family are very talented :)

Mina's artpiece

Melody's artpiece

A mother-daughter bonding time XD
the cute little girl wanted to draw too

while I'm babysitting, so the moms could draw in peace

Another trip to 安平. Even though I have been to 安平 3 times, I never get bored of it because going with different people and to different parts of 安平 gives me different feeling.

Today is my home-stay father's birthday. The kids and I made a birthday card for him. Hopefully he likes it. :)

Birthday Card in the making :)

Ready to make a surprise

Birthday celebration with good friends

P1 class with their "pet" creation :)

Colourful Days^^

I finally made a trip to 成功大學 (National Cheng Kung University), a university where my sister used to study in. Thanks to 主任，方老师，and Hui-Ju for taking time off to bring me around despite their busy schedule. NCKU is really big, with a lot of nice scenery and food nearby. If I suddenly consider to continue my study in the future, NCKU will definitely be one of my choice. :) Firstly because it is a good school, secondly because there are a lot of nice food nearby :p, and lastly it is not so far from the school I'm currently teaching in, so I can visit all the kids and friends I made here anytime. XD I also went to 安平 again to eat the famous 安平豆花 and to ride a boat to enjoy a nice scenery and know more about the different plants in Taiwan. At night, we went to the 武聖夜市 (Wusheng night market) to eat more Taiwan's snack. Thank you 主任 for all the treat!! :D One thing that fascinated me was the auction session in the night market. Haha, I kept looking at the seller who was talking very fast without a pause. He's very eloquent and humorous. There are some quite cool toy that he sold for only 10元 (only SGD 0.40!!!). So cheap!

^^

girls' time ♥

breathtaking scenery

In front of the famous Banyan tree in NCKU

A place to chill inside NCKU library
(the headset is of a really good quality)

Hahahaha, RAINING ROOM!

Awesome people who made my Taiwan journey
a memorable one :)

With a random librarian in NCKU hahaha :p

主任 is the best!

strawberry + condensed milk
(mission accomplished ->  set by my sister)

I went to 甲中国小 again for the second and also last time (for my this trip to Taiwan, there will be another one in the future hohoho). I am glad that they know more about Indonesia after I have thought them the week before. How do I know? Because they kept asking me about chilli! Indonesia = chilli in their mind, hahaha :p All because of me mentioning Indonesian like to eat spicy food. This time, more students dare to talk to me in English (I guess they really have done their homework on preparing what to talk to me :p). Anyway it was my last day in 甲中, thank you 蔡校长 and Albert (李主任) for inviting me to your school and giving me the opportunity to share more about myself and country to everybody in 甲中. Thank you for your very welcoming gesture and for all the gifts. I love to drink tea with both of you! nice tea and great chat :) Thank you students and teachers for making me a very lovely farewell card. ♥

with 甲中 kids  ^^

Handmade soap + card made by the kids and
golf ball signed by the 2 golf champion girls XD

With 蔡校长

With 李主任

In one of my English class with the P2, we made a lot of various different paper animals, one animal for one student. I wanted to teach them the name of those animals in English. I think they can remember it better if they make the animal themselves, especially if it is their own one. I am glad that they love the session :). Oh, and I felt like a superstar in the P2 class lol. The kids were queuing with their diary to ask me sign on it, and take photo individually afterwards. Hahaha, the most funny thing was that they didn't understand the words that I wrote on their diary, but they wanted to compare what I wrote in each of their diary, so they compare alphabet by alphabet. :0 They are sooo cute. There's one P1 boy who ran to me, hugged me, and said "I love you". So my reply was "I love you too". And he was jumping in excitement, hahahaha, so innocent XD. These kids always made my day. How could I bear to leave them.. I have to go back next week.. :(

♥Lovely Kids♥

P2 class with their "pets"

Another very welcoming and amiable family

A surprise was waiting for me when I entered my new room. The two girls sang a welcome song to welcome me to the family. I was so touched! My new family is a very compassionate and sweet-tempered family, each and everyone of them. The two girls are the most well-mannered kids I've ever met. :) I feel very welcome to their family, even the hamster and guinea pig welcome me. lol.

Mina with her impressive artpiece!

Melody with 小pudding :p

The 2 charming girls

Celebrating ama's birthday together :)

It's my first time riding an electric bike (on the road) to school today. I was kinda nervous hahaha :p But yay!! I managed to go to school and back home safely :D

Today we have a steamboat session in class (primary 2). Each of the kids brought one type of ingredients. The kids in the class are so funny. As they were divided into 2 groups for the steamboat, each of the group kept asking me to sit with them to eat together. So I told them that I will sit with the group who cooked the nicest food. :D Each of them claimed that they cooked the nicest vege, the nicest bla bla.. Lol. One particular cute boy named Sam said, "Our group eat very little food, so you should sit with us. The other group eat so much, you won't get to eat anything." Hahahaha :p Another girl also told me that she brought 2 large bottles of soft-drinks, while the other group have none, so I have to sit with her. In the end, I was too busy helping them cooking the food that I don't really sit with any of the group as I was eating while standing. Hahaha :p They were really excited about the steamboat session that a lot of them told the teacher that they were not able to sleep they day before. XD

Washing vegetables for steamboat XD (lots of lettuce!!)

Excited and Happy kids

Our steamboat pots :)

♥ Thank you Ben & Luna ♥

Love and Warmth of a Wonderful Family

Today is my last day in Ben's house. They are a very loving family with brilliant kids. Thank you so much Ben and Luna for hosting me, for your care (esp when I was sick that time), for your super nice home-cooked food, for giving me a different perspectives on a lot of things in life. Trista and Rex are very lucky to have both of you as parents, a very motivated and encouraging father, and  a creative and dedicated mother (and also a great cook!). To the two cute kids, thank you for being a great little brother and sister :) Rex, I hope you remember the word "car", "bear", "flower", and "rabbit". Hahaha :p

A great mother, Luna ♥

Rex XD

Trista :D

Our journey together

In a place that used to be a sugarcane storage place

It's good to have a pair as they can take care of each other :)

Gathering before I move out

Fulfilling and Fruitful days :)

I am very very happy that I can see some improvement for most of the student. XD From 0 to 65 and from pass to 100 . The kids are also getting more participative in class, which may be the reason why they improve a lot. I am also glad that some of them find me during their free time to ask me about certain English words. I hope that they can keep up the good work, and continue to be an active learner.

English Singing Session with the P1 :D

Lunch together under the warm sun :D

A drawing by a P2 kid (of his grandmother)

Another drawing by a P2 kid (of his great grandfather)

Last Friday I went to another Elementary School called 甲中 to introduce Indonesian culture to them. I am scheduled to visit the school twice, once this week, and the second one next week. The principal, directors and teachers there are very friendly too. :D Even though the kids there were a little bit shy, they were willing to answer me whenever I asked them questions. They said they will prepare questions to ask me the next time I came so they can practice their English. Hahaha, good good :D

During the weekend, I went to a high school in Tainan as Trista was performing for a dance item. At night, at the very same place, there is a play done by a bunch of amazing and talented people. The Paper Windmill Theatre are doing a project called “First mile kids’ smile” in which they travel to 368 of Taiwan’s townships, cities, and municipal districts to bring smile to the children’s face. The play is totally free (so that every kids get to watch it) and their project is only depending on donation from company and individual. Respect! The play that I watched is the 64th one. It’s not just any random play, it is a well-rehearsed and professional play. I was awestruck throughout the whole play. I feel really really lucky that I have the opportunity to watch their play!

Dance performance in the afternoon

The rehearsal of the play in the afternoon

Passing of the Huge Sea Creature's Balloon

The awesome crew :D

During the rehearsal (Oh, this is the best part!
especially when it's performed at night!! XD

Group photo with the crew

Happy gathering after the play :)