November Ends, December Begins

No more illnesses or accidents! My life is almost routine. Well, not really.
Teaching has become regular, though we had a break from English Village for two weeks. My co-teachers and I are used to each other by now and even when things don't go perfectly, we adapt and the kids are enjoying English tremendously.
I've had some wonderful and less wonderful moments with my students. Many ask when I'm leaving and if I will remember them; the beginners can now naturally respond to simple, conversational questions. Still, some kids insist on calling me Candy instead of Kelley, which is harder to say because of the "Ls." Classroom management and discipline of students is more difficult with one of my co-teachers than the other. I even have one student who loves to tell me in Chinese, "Kelley Teacher is so fat!"
That phrase has actually become a trend for me in Taiwan; one that bothered me a lot, but I'm adjusting to now. My co-teachers, friends, personal trainer, and obviously students, tell me that I'm fat. "You'd be pretty if you just lose your weight." "Well, you're not too fat, you just look strong." Haha! It is definitely a cultural difference. These people care about me, but assume that I know I am fat (by their standards), just as I know that my hair is brown and I am short.
I try to look on the bright side and appreciate that I've developed many close friendships and the language ability to understand these comments in Chinese. In fact, my Chinese comprehension has dramaically improved. I can understand almost every conversation that I hear, though I can't always satisfactorally respond. Yesterday I had my last Chinese class and our final test. I aced the listening section, but struggled to use Chinese to describe why I thought a movie I saw was funny. It turned out like this: "The boy and the girl want to go to work together. The boy is very rude. The girl does not like that boy. But as time goes by, she likes him. I think that is funny."
But I have recently discovered something very important. If I make the conscious effort to put all of my energy into the present moment, I enjoy my work, my friends, and my life here more and the people around me enjoy me! Last week I felt myself getting frustrated in class because I was thinking about the legal issues surrounding my scooter accident. This week, when I am in class, I don't think about anything except the students I am with right then. I am one hundred times sillier and more energetic and my kids feed off of my enthusiasm. They love when I hide a bell behind my back and ring it as I tap the tops of their heads or tips of their noses. It is a great way to make them laugh and to get the attention of the whole class.
People have asked me, "Are you homesick?" "Do you miss home?" During previous trips abroad, particularly to Hong Kong, I remember being ready to leave by my fourth month there. I've been in Taiwan for four months now and my only answer to those questions is, "I really, really love it here." I am definitely not ready to leave.
I have a few close American friends and more close Taiwanese friends of all ages. When I walk through my neighborhood, I wave and talk with various shopkeepers and fellow busriders. I have a regular fruit stand that I shop at and the owners always ask (in Chinese), "Why didn't you come here for ___ days?"
Even Thanksgiving was comfortable in Kaohsiung. The director of the Kaohsiung branch of the American Institute of Taiwan (the pseudo U.S. embassy) invited us to his home for dinner. A local culinary school prepared our food and it was outstanding. We drank wine, ate a ton, and mingled with friends and government officials.
I also attended the coolest show I've ever seen with my friend Charles' host family. It was called the Traditional Lion Dance Contest. Pairs of men strapped themselves into a Chinese lion costume -- one guy under the lion's head, his legs acting as the front paws of the lion, and the other guy bent to make the body and back legs -- then performed unbelievable gymnastic feats to drumming beats. The Kaohsiung City team were the champions again this year!
My major goal over the next week is to plan my winter vacation. I have a month off of school. This weekend I am buying my flight to Japan to visit my friend Mariko. My parents will meet me there and then we will go to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year. Finally, they will come and visit Taipei and Kaohsiung with me. But before Japan, I hope to travel around Taiwan with some of my local friends.
Happy December and best wishes during the holiday season!