Healthy Food

My dad sent me, this article. This small piece of article is helping us to see how we can eat healthly. You can follow the following suggestions.

Maokong Gondola (貓空纜車)

Right now in Taiwan, it has Maokong Gondola (貓空纜車). What is Maokong Gondolahe? Maokong Gondola is a four kilometre long cable car system in the mountains south of Taipei. It runs between the Taipei Zoo and Maokong with intermediate stops at the Taipei Zoo (inside station) and Zhinan Temple (指南宮).

You can take a short ride on the gondola to visit the Taipei Zoo or you can go further to Zhinan Temple and Maokong. There are hiking trails further up into the mountains from both these places. Maokong is famous as a tea growing area and has many tea houses where you can drink tea and enjoy the views of Taipei.

The Taipei Zoo Station is located about 300 metres from the Taipei Zoo MRT Station. Tickets cost NT$30, 40 or 50 depending on the number of stations. The system is operated by the Taipei MRT and you can use the Easy Card (悠遊卡) to pay the fare or purchase tickets in the stations.

The Taipei Times on 26 July 2007 reported that the Gondola will be closed for maintainence every Monday. This was because of numerous problems with the operations since the official opening. The hours of operation are 9:00 am to 10:00 pm from Tuesday to Friday and 8:30 am to 10:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

My Hard Work is Paid Off

This week, we started already with oral test. I have 13 classes, and each class, I have 27 students, you can imagine now how hard is for me to listen to one class, but 13 classes total is really too much. Some of the classes are not even prepared, but I gave them more time to do that. After listen to many oral test, my hard work is paid off. Some of them are very good and some of them are not even very good. Most of them prepared pictures, what I wanted it. They memorized and they act very well. I'm really happy to have students who really work really hard.

Teacher's Day

Today is a teacher's day in Taiwan, Some of the students today gave me cards already. This morning, I gave present to Alan's teacher. I am hopping Alan will give to his teacher and he will tell her happy teaher's day.

On Wednesday this week, we had a teacher's day program The PTA and the school gave us presents. I've been in Sheng-Kung for three years already and this is the most present I ever had in my life. Also, the gift certificate for Shing-Kong department store is $700 NT. This will make me very happy. If my students can do well on their tests, this will make me more happy than ever.

Also, we have creative students here. they made a nice posters for teacher's day. Each of these posters are very unique, I really like them. Besides, the meaning of it is great, too.

Zoya Second Month Checkup

Babies can grow up very fast. I remembered Alan was growing very fast since he was born. Zoya, is the daughter of my cousin Janice, and she is also growing up very fast. I cannot imagine she is already two months and Alan is already 8 years old. Time is flying.

Zoya, two month check up

How to Loose Weight?

How to loose weight? a 74 years old elder who always drink coffee in the morning and walking for 50 minutes daily, he lost many pounds. Here is the article below in Chinese.

74歲李肇基 骨密度30歲 (簡單易行)

七十四歲的李肇基，骨質密度和三十多歲年輕人一樣。老先生說，他的字典裡，沒有老人骨質疏鬆症和肥胖這些名詞。他的健康狀況，連國泰醫院都覺得不可思議。贊助台北國際國道霖園馬拉松的國泰建設文教基金會董事長李肇基，當著路跑協會榮譽理事長「飛躍的羚羊」紀政面前說，一邊跨步走，一邊喝咖啡，可燃燒脂肪，保持身材。另外，跨大步競走時，以腳跟著地，可刺激骨骼內骨芽細胞的滋長，可預防老人骨質疏鬆症，他個人就是最佳證明。李肇基在七、八年前，看到日本國營電視台NHK報導，有關跨大步競走時，如果以腳跟先著地，可以振動並刺激骨骼內骨芽細胞的滋長，抑制破骨細胞的破壞。李肇基抱著姑且一試的心理，結果幾個月跑下來，他說，到國泰醫院做檢查，赫然發現他的骨質密度和三十多歲年輕人無異，從此便告別老年人常患的骨骼疏鬆症。李肇基對NHK的健康報導越來越有信心，當他又看到NHK一則有關一邊跨大步走，一邊喝咖啡，可以加速體內脂肪燃燒，他馬上就接受嘗試去做，結果一個月跑下來，減肥的效果非常明顯。李肇基每天早上五時五十分起床，調好「減肥咖啡飲料」，約小瓶礦泉水的水量，其中三分之一是黑咖啡，三分之二是開水。他從仁愛路的住家出發，走到大安森林公園，展開為時約五十分鐘的繞公園跨大步競走，其中每隔十分鐘停下來喝特製的「減肥咖啡飲料」，走完全程後飲料也喝完了。李肇基說，減肥咖啡飲料也有利尿的效果噢！七十四歲的李肇基說，和一般人一樣，他也有冬天賴床的習慣，但是想到太太和家人的幸福，一股責任感驅使他馬上起床，展開運動，「健康是一個人最基本的責任。」李肇基目光熠熠的說。

Grandmom's House

After Lu-Kan, we went to Taichun to see grandmom. She is better then before and she can walk better, but still, she has problems with her legs. We stayed at her house for a little while and after that we went to have dinner at the Japanese restaurant. The food at that place was great. Eat person costs only around $400 NT dollars, but you can have everything. I really enjoyed the food so does Alan.

Sydney's Engagement Cake

My cousin Sydney was engaged on Sep. 8th, 2007, but today when I arrived at Grand mom's house, she finally gave me her cookies. I had to spend $100 US Dollars ($3,600 NT Dollars). It was so expensive, it almost broke my hart. I do not have more money to spend. The box of the cookies is very beautiful. Inside it has a lot of modern cookies. They do not do traditional cookies anymore.

When I was engaged, I made 500 traditional cookies and 500 modern cookies. I really love my own cookies. After engagement, we went to Canada, so for me, my own cookies was not a big deal. But now I think, I should take pictures of my own cookies and my own everything.

Now, I am too heavy to eat my cousin's cookies, but I would finish it little by little. I was so lucky when I got engaged, my grandparents were there, I think Sydney would like my grandparents to be there, too.

Wedding Ceremony

David's cousin got married. He is very happy to attend his cousin's wedding. Alan and I had to drive from Tainan to Lu-Kan(鹿港) . When we arrived there, one family were there waiting for lunch. While we were waiting, the bride and groom came down and be ready to go to the restaurant.

At the restaurant, everyone were helping them to set the place and to decorate the place. The bride was so pretty and thin. I remembered myself when I was thin and pretty but now, I am too fat.

All the guests arrived at 12:30 P.M. people started to eat at that time. Alan and I left home without eating breakfast. Alan was so happy to watch his movies in the car. I bought him a little DVD player for him to watch it in the car when we drive long distance.

Finally, the food arrived. We are all happy and starving. The first dish was kind of rice, Alan wanted to eat it. He had so many turns already. After all the food was not too bad. A lot of relatives came today and they said to them congratulations.

After lunch, we went to their house and we stayed for a little while. At 4:00 P.M. we departure to grand mom's house.

I'M Sick...

It is so hard in these days to go to work with a cold. I catch a cold and it is really terrible. I do not know how did I catch a cold. The problem is I am not the only person at the office, most of the teachers think it is really hot, so they want to turn on the air condition. The problem is they turned it very high and the cold air just come down to where I am. I think that is the reason that I catch a cold.

I really do not want to come to work, because it is really horrible. I feel sleepy and I am not in a good mood, too. My students know I am sick, but what can I do, I have to be here. I am hopping that everyday will be typhoon so I do not have to go to work, ha ha ha...

Trip to Tainan

I came to work this morning and surprisingly, I answered the phone, it was the dean of the library who wants to talk to our dean (English department), Camille. The dean of the library wants to bring us to see the famous traditional streets here in Tainan. We all accepted her invitation. Three out of five English conversation teachers went over there: Selma, James and myself.

Thew first stop, we went to the very famous noodle shop. I never been there, this was my first time over there. My husband knows the place and he said the noodle shop was already 100 years old. The story behind the noodle shop was quiet of interesting. I learned a lot by eating and looking around the streets.

The second stop we went was the fruit shop, this shop is already 40 years in business. In front of fruit shop, there's a famous temple, it called Confucius Temple. Confucius was a very famous Asian educator. He is very well known in Asia. Also, Taiwanese schools, we all have the Confucius education system. I would like to go to the temple and know more about the story of it.

The third stop was the meat ball. It is closer to the fruit shop. It is very famous meat ball in Tainan, the shop is already in business for 60 years. The meat inside of the meat ball, it is the lean meat, not very fatty. I really like the meat but I did not like the outside skin, it is a little bit strange.

The last stop, was the very famous little old traditional street in Tainan. It is closer to the Shing-Kong Department Store, the biggest one in Tainan city. The street is very old and well-known for many people. I did not know about this street before, I learned from the tour guides.

We have very young cute tour guides. One is the daughter of the dean and another one is the boyfriend of hers. These young couple came to introduce us about the Tainan city.

After eating and knowing more about the history, I really enjoyed today's trip. I wish, I could know more about traditional things that this city offers.

Sydney's Engagement

My cousin Sydney from my mom's side got engaged on Saturday, Sep. 8th, 2007. Around 4 P.M. my cousin got engaged with William. Now, they have two William in my uncle's family. The ceremony took place at my uncle's house in Chino hills. After the engagement ceremony, they had their reservation at the restaurant, total of 24 people were there. Sydney looks so beautiful at that day. Congratulations to both of them.

PS: I gave to Sydney $100 dollars for her engagement as present. It is a lot of money in terms of NT (New Taiwan Dollar).

Chipotle

Chipotle is also part in our lives. Alan likes Mexican rice at Chipotle. He always tells me that he wanted to go there and have chipotle rice and cheese. It is so delicious. I really like Chipotle because the burrito is really big and it has a lot of things inside.

We Miss St. Cloud, MN

Alan and I came back to Taiwan three years ago. We always talk about MN, St. Cloud. He always miss Dairy Queen over there. When he was three years old, he loves to go to Dairy Queen in summer. He likes to have his hot dog, hamburger or french fries. The first birthday he had, I bought him an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. When he turned three years old, he knows how to choose his birthday cake form Dairy Queen again.

The place where I lived before was very close to Dairy Queen.When I was pregnant, David and I always walk to the Dairy Queen to have ice cream and we continue walking. Also, when David returned to Taiwan, Alan and I liked to go over there to chat and see other people eating ice creams. This ice cream shop always been a wonderful part in our lives.

A New School Start!

This is the second week of the new school year. We started school here in Taiwan on Aug. 27th, 2007. We have 19 weeks to go before Chinese New Year's vacation. I like my classes so far in this year. I have very good group of students. However, I teach so many levels, I have 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th graders. It is a lot of preparation and creation for each of my classes. I am hoping that they will have a great time and learn a lot in my class.

Itis an Art!

Now, we can see a lot of new things on the streets. New designs that made us very special. Also, we could see a lot of creative people. Unfortunately, we cannot see here in Taiwan.

Spanish Book

Weeks and weeks of printing and putting all the pages together, finally, I could take a big rest. My Spanish book for my Spanish class is finished. I can give it to my students soon. It looks great with 18 topics, including songs, exercises, vocabulary and conversation. It took me weeks of preparation and creation. My hard work is paid off. Thanks David, my husband for helping me to push the holes on the pages and made a wonderful Spanish book.

My Dream Wedding

I wish I could have wedding like Thalia, the famous female pop singer. Unfortunately, my wedding was not like hers. Mine was very simple, but Thalia's wedding is my fantasy wedding.

Spanish Book is Almost Ready!

Today is Sunday, I am not planning to go anywhere. I am home and I am printing out all of my materials. My Spanish book will be total of 200 pages. I have to make 42 books for 42 students in my class. Today, I am almost come to the end of my work. I just need to print out some of the pages that I need to print. Also, I have to make the cover and the syllabus for my class.

Only 60 pages more to print out, but 60 x 42 = 2520 pages to go. I am really busy, my son and my husband are helping me. My husband is helping me to punch the holes and my son is helping me to separate each pages. But the more help he offers, the busier I become. When he done his work, I have to check what he did and some of the pages are upside down. If my husband did not see,some pages in the book will be upside down, and students will complain. I have to do a great job for students, so they do not complain.

It is almost 3 P.M. I am running out of pages, and ink. My husband is not home, he cannot help me to put more ink into the printer. If I know how to do it, I would do it and I could just finish my print out now. It is just 15 pages more to go, this means 15 x 42 = 630 pages. I want to finish it already. I will clean my house and cook while I am waiting for David. Also, I will make the cover and the syllabus for the class.

David came back at 8 P.M. After having dinner, I went upstairs again and I continued with my job. It is 12 P.M. already, my work is finished. I finished printing and putting all the pages together.

It is the time that I have to take shower and be ready to work tomorrow.

Weeks and weeks of work and design pages, exercises for my Spanish class, my work finally is over. Now, what I have to do is make these pages into a book.