Typhoon Tarim

Here comes a typhoon. The weather fluctuates between sunny with showers, rainy and windy, to stormy and dry. It's crazy. School's closing early, and then we should have tommorrow off. Thank goodness. If I ever needed a typhoon day it's now. I'll feel so much better about being back in Taiwan when I have all my stuff unpacked and organized, and I have my lesson plans and curriculum ready. I still have my final paper for Gender and Empowerment class to write, but I'll worry about that later.

P.S. I got my grades for my first two classes back, both A-. That's much better than I had expected for Security, and a bit of a disappointment for Human Rights. Either way, I think it's good enough to help my masters' applications.

I'll put up some pictures from Vancouver, etc. tommorrow. Well, until we lose power. (=

Arrived in Taipei

I'm in Taipei. Let's not dwell on how I feel about this. Actually, on the positive side, I saw some of my students leaving the school and it made me smile, but other than that I'm feeling sad. The jet lag isn't that bad, because I stayed over night in Vancouver, but I have a sick, melancholy feeling. I'll be fine tommorrow morning, and even better if the Typhoon comes this weekend, then we might have a typhoon day off school on Thursday or Friday. Of course, typhoons are fun except in the case of Katrina, which seems so scary.

Anyway, don't worry- I expect my mood to improve. I'll wait until it does before I tell you all about the last of my time in Halifax and my day in Vancouver.

o

One week!

This will be me, one week from today. Fun? I hope so.

The crazy thing is I have at least 27 pages of assignments to write before then.

Oh, and let me say, last night as I was trying to finish up the last few pages of my scrapbook from the last year, I realized I was missing the month of May. The entire month of May, all my pictures were gone from my computer. Yikes! That's what I don't like about digital, too easy to accidently delete a file! Thankfully, I made back ups of all my pictures, so I'm sending them to Wal-Mart to get done today!

I'm melting...

Sad news. Today I met with the Dalhousie IDS (International Development Studies) Graduate Coordinator. To make a long story short he was very nice in gently informing me that I have a 'snowball's chance in hell' to get into the Dal IDS Master's programme. They have over 150 applicants, and take about 15. Most applicants have their undergrad degree in IDS. He was very a very nice guy, and gave me some suggestions to improve my application, but he was very upfront about how competitive it was, and that it was almost like a 'lottery.'

I am not too upset though. I am glad I have a more realistic view now. I will certainly be looking at other schools to apply to as well, including St. Mary's in Halifax. He said, as I had already assumed, that my grades from these three summer classes would be "extremely" important. No pressure, eh?! We shall see, we shall see.

So, I'm off to work on my last class and maker sure it's an A! I'm pretty excited about my paper, it's on female Philippine migrant workers in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. I enjoy creating links between what I experienced every day on the streets of Taipei and the current academic research. And if I ever do get to do my Masters, I'm pretty sure my thesis will have to be focused on the Asian sphere, probably specifically China and Co.

New CD

Alright, so I sheepishly bought Theresa Sokyrka's album "These Old Charms." For those of you who don't know why I should be so embarrassed: Theresa was the Runner-up in last summer's Canadian Idol competition. Yes, I bought an 'idol' cd. Still, she is the only competitor in any of the US or Canadian shows that I've ever really liked. (the British version is another story). And frankly, it's a great cd, underproduced, earthy, relaxed, Canadian. Cheap too, because it's on a small Canadian label, Maple Music. She's coming in concert on Saturday, but I, sadly, leave Saturday morning. So, I bought her cd, in hopes that she'll stick in the Canadian market, and I'll be able to buy her next cd!

P.S. Funny story. After I bought the cd, I was sitting in a sidewalk cafe, reading the newspaper and enjoying my coffee. One of the guys from my class walked by, and happened to ask what cds I had bought. The one day I buy an 'idol' cd! I admitted it, but I think I turned red. (=

Kathy's work

This is Kathy's shot of Frangipani in the Singapore Botanical Gardens. Isn't it pretty? She didn't even do a 'glow' filter, that's an unedited shot. Lovely. She has more of her pictures up on her travel blog.

Saturday Morning

I successfully changed dorms this morning. Mount St. Vincent University is quite nice, reminds me of Huntington a bit. It's outside of Halifax, in a suburb called Bedford. The bus in is quick, so I came to 'town' to finish up my errands. Thank goodness for MEC, I got a cheap duffell that will carry everything I need, and not break like the Wal-mart junk.

My new phone number is (902) 457-0899. I'll be there until Saturday morning, the 27th, when I fly to Vancouver.

Crunch Day

Come Back to Taiwan!

Today is crunch day, when everything is due. Fortunately I'm am on schedule and feeling fine. (=

Part of that is because I got an email from Kathy saying that Pong (Taiwanese housemate whose family is always in the apartment) will be moving out, because we have two new young female English teachers moving in. So, I am SOOO much more excited about going back to Taiwan to live with 6 peers. I think the whole Pong, culture, mess, language, angry issue was a real reason I wasn't excited about moving back. I've come to realize that a sense of 'home' that is a safe and comfortable place is the key to living in any culture. That makes me much more ready to face Taiwan. When cockroaches invade my safe space, well that's something else. It will make me a stronger woman.

I wrote the names of some of my favorite students on a little piece of paper and pinned it up on my bulletin board. Whenever I think about leaving Halifax in a week, and feel sad, I think about how rewarding it is to see them every day, and how much I want to get to teach them again.

Temptation comes in all forms

So much has been happening in my mind and my life, and I have a great desire to write a nice long blog entry.

But, I also have the common sense to realize that 90% of that desire comes from the fact that I only have this small window of opportunity to finish editing my paper and print it off.

Get behind me, Procrastination!

All that to say...Talk to you later! (=

The envy of all who read...

I'm sorry to have to tell you about today, because I can pretty much guarantee that 9/10 of my readers (are there ten of you? Maybe that's a bit optimistic!) will be very envious and wish they could change places with me.

Today I started a course called "Empowerment, Gender and Development." I was really looking forward to it, and our first class today (From 1-4:30!) was everything I had hoped for and more. Without jinxing it, I think this could be one of my favorite classes of all time. It's everything I'm passionate about in so many different areas of life. Today was introduction, so the 24 women and 3 men took turns telling a little bit about themselves. Then we split up into pairs and talked about the one time we felt most empowered or disempowered. My group was disempowered, which was a bit vulnerable, but it was very helpful to hear every one's stories and really start to look at what can make women feel empowered, and what can help the poor / enfrancised be empowered. It especially seems relevant to my post a few days ago about women in leadership. I was thinking alot about what it would take to empower women in the church. I think I'll end up doing something along the lines of religion for my final research paper. I was talking with Heidi this weekend, and she had some really interesting thoughts about the Pope's view of women, as the Roman Catholic view of women. I think it would be interesting to look at the effect that has in some Southern nations that are predominantly Roman Catholic, and how Mary as the ideal female either empowers or disempowers the women who live within those societies.

But Mary will have to wait for another day - this is my crunch week. Class all afternoon, now I'm off for a quick dinner, then my Human Security class this evening! )= We have a guest speaker whose supposedly an expert in the field of blood diamonds, so that sounds interesting. I need to go eat now.
Oh, and get well soon Benoit!

Teasing

Kathy posted about her run-in with the Malaysian fish. I think it's hilarious that she's afraid of little fish. Too bad, I think snorkeling is great fun.

Last night I sat for 5 hours in front of the tv and scrapbooked. I watched While You Were Out, Rehersal Hall: Sarah Harmer, While You Were Out "Royal Renovation" Special, then Rehersal Hall: Feist. Delightful Evening. I got 10 pages done. I have 21 to go. That's 10 hours of scrapbooking to finish this week. I can do it, just two hours after class each evening, right?

So tommorrow is crunch week - an almost 4 hour afternoon class, quick dinner, then my 2 hour evening class. It's going to fly by. Good news, I have both of my first two classes' research papers finished. I'm editing them tommorrow morning, then turning them in, both a week early. See, I'm not a procrastinator when I don't have anything to distract me!

I'm off now for a hummus sandwhich and greek salad at the coffee shop. I've been working all morning, and it's now 3pm and I'm starving, and ever so shaky from two coffees and a diet coke. Whoa.

MicMac Mall

Did you know, the minute I stepped inside the mall last night, I knew I had been there before, and probably could have drawn a pretty accurate floor plan? Isn't that odd? I remember being there with Kathy and Jill, and we were shopping for Christmas presents, specifically I remember Jill getting a garden troll for Mario, and all of us getting Monkey socks at Bluenotes. It was probably 1999, the only time I've been to that mall, and I remember the entire thing (nothing else about that trip, though). Actually, I think I remember the layout of every mall I've ever been in. It just shows how spatially / visually oriented I am. It's like my super-power. Well, at least it means I'll never get lost, I can always backtrack based on visual reminders.

P.S. What's with the eggs? Well, they were 75% off at Chapters. Easter wan't that long ago, was it? They're truffle eggs from Belgian or something, and boy, are they good.

Good for another week

Shopping last night was exactly what I needed to 'center' myself. It really isn't the 'shopping' that does it, it's more the space to move quietly, think, sit, breathe. It would be the same experience in an art gallery. Although, you can't get the cutest necklace ever at an art gallery! Yes, I said I wasn't going to buy much, and I didn't. Except, for one little splurge, something that *gasp* wasn't on sale. (Almost everything I have ever bought has been on sale). It's from Smart Set, and it's just the perfect everyday necklace, with lots of colours to match, and no pretension (buttons are a little more down to earth than gems). To me, it looks like it belongs on an ecentric writer lady who lives in the century old house, eh? I can only dream.

But, after I bought the necklace, I had to put it on. Later, two different sales assistants complimented me on it - the sign that I made the correct $15 splurge purchase.

Success!

Ah-ha! I have completed my first Cryptigram. I was inspired by the fact that my grandmother does one every morning, and I had not previously been able to finish one without first screaming and ripping up the poor newspaper in frustration. But today, I sat down, and decided to try yet again, and this time it worked. To be fair, I think it was quite an easy one. Still lesson learned:

"A perfect democracy is the most shameless thing in the world." -Edmund Burke

I'm so proud of it, I cut it out of the paper. I might even try to fit it into my security/ development paper on the Chinese Communist Party's repression. (=

Current Finds

Guilty Pleasure: Lou Lou


Listening: Iron & Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days




Reading: Don DeLillo, The Body Artist

Happy as a Lark

As predicted, today has been a super-duper day! After my depressing blog entry last night, I headed to class, which ended up being a guest speaker, who was excellent. Kirk somebody or other, whose the head of counter-terrorism, counter-organized crime for the UN mission in Kosovo. It was great to hear all about the problems with the UN, from someone who has obviously chosen to work through those issues, instead of dismissing the entire system. Afterwards, the professor, speaker, and a couple students went out to talk further. I, as usual, ended up sitting and listening for most of the time, but I greatly enjoyed it. Especially the half an hour or so conversation on the Chinese threat to Taiwan. Hmm.

So, other happy news: I just finished my entire paper, 12 pages. Only took a few hours. I always get discouraged by spending so much time researching, the writing is so easy in comparision. And the best news is, I had twice as many notes and quotes as I needed, but this time, I have a whole other paper to write. So, I basically did all my research for two papers without knowing it. It's not the same paper, I'm writing two entirely different ones, but to do with the general topics of Chinese government repression. Lovely, happy, stuff.

Now, I'm off to go shopping as a little treat. I'm not planning on buying much, but I just want to sit in Chapters. And, I feel like going to Scholar's Choice for school supplies. No one likes going back to school at the end of summer, but new school supplies make it more enjoyable, I'm hoping it works the same for teachers.

Hope you're all having equally happy days!

Uugh

Not especially happy today. I spent most of the day working on a research paper, but still have so far to go. I'm running out of time! And I got my teaching schedule for the fall, which makes me want to run and hide under a bush. No changes really, well - grade 1s instead of grade 2s, but that was expected.

I got my test of definitions back and was not happy with my grade. It's this whole Canadian grading thing. I feel like I failed, when really I think I was closer to the upper end of the pack. Still, I'm disappointed.

I was thinking today how nice it would be to be a thinker rather than a feeler. Some days I would certainly rather not have my emotions dictating me. Hmm. I guess I can't change it. Tommorrow will probably be a happy day and make up for today!

A Sunny Day

Well, I have unfortuantely been holed up in my dorm room slaving over my class work. Outside, Halifax is deliciously warm, as hot as I like it. Yesterday the temperature, according to the paper, reached 30. Still, I haven't felt 'sweaty' once. Summer as it's made to be - enjoyable!

Working instead of playing means that I don't have any new pictures. This is a sunflower shot I took at the public gardens last week. It makes me feel happy. (=

Some of my current diversions...

I'm going to take that reading list off my sidebar, because I haven't changed it since I put it on. Really, I do read quicker than that. Although I'm currently overwhelmed by the 20 some books sitting above my desk waiting to be read and processed into research papers, the two books I'm really reading are:

The Lexus and The Olive Tree, by Thomas L. Friedman. Yes, it's on globalization and it probablly will make it's way into a paper, but it still counts as 'fun' reading, because I'm enjoying it. Its, let's say, less academic. In other words, readable!

Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham. I just got this from the library today. I LOVED the Hours, and the movie was really just icing on the cake. So, according to a few blogs, his new book is similiar, this time structured around Walt Whitman. I'm going to take it to the sea, sit in the grass, and read it under the sun.

For music, I'm enjoying a few new cds: Drunkard's Prayer by Over the Rhine, which I knew I would love, and I do. Michelle made me a great cd with Feist and Arcane Fire. I'm not sold on Arcane Fire yet, but I love Feist. I trust Michelle to point out the really great Canadian musicians, becuase otherwise my cd collection would be a little US heavy. And finally, I'm very impressed with David Crowder Band's Sunsets and Sushi. I was so sick of 'worship music' I thought I would never be able to buy one of those prepackaged American cds again, but thankfully, Sunsets and Sushi was excellent (and entirely different.) Okay, so I'll put the David Crowder Band onto my list of all-time favorites.

For television, I delight in a weekly episode of Monarch of the Glen. Other than that, I'm trying to limit my TLC intake, because as some of you know, once you start, TLC can suck 3 or 4 hours out of your day without you noticing. But, While You Were Out I consider to be worthy of my precious time. Finally, a new show I've just fallen in love with is Slings & Arrows. Yes, Slings and arrows, like from Shakespeare. It's a Canadian show on Showcase, about a Shakespeare festival, like Stratford. It's filmed mostly in Toronto, I think, the last episode I recognized the lobby of the Phantages Theatre (I suppose it's called the Canon now, but that's just sad). It has Paul Gross and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook) in it. It's hilarious, and just so very Canadian.

Snow Angels under the stars

I'll tell you, the closer I get to the end of the summer; the more stressed I get. I just feel like I am being dragged away from a beautiful, peaceful, intrinsically nice country to a sweatshop. Literally. And I have to drag myself away kicking and screaming: "But I want stars, and sunsets, and snow angels!"

This rant was motivated by the feeling I get every evening when I walk out of class into a still, pink world. The sunsets here in Halifax are divine, and I didn't see a single sunset my entire time in Taiwan. I find it hard to believe that you can't see a sunset anywhere in Taiwan, I assume it has more to do with the fact that Taipei is in a smog-filled valley, and I am always surrounded by tall buildings. But there's never even a hint of pink in the grey gunk that is the sky in Taipei. No clouds floating through, carrying all shades of lilac and salmon. No soft breeze that smells like the salty sea. *remorseful sigh*

The other thing I was remembering was Millenium's Eve, when Kathy, Jill and I wandered up the hill behind Grammie's house, and laid down in the crunchy thick snow, made snow-angels and stared up at the starriest sky I've ever seen. *remorseful sigh*