Taiwan and Response to the Disease

The past three months have been quite the ordeal. The world is in turmoil and chaos. A virulent disease has virtually brought the modern world to its knees. For now, the foreseeable future, much is uncertain.

Here in Taiwan, life is not quite normal. It is, however, continuing in a manner that makes recent ways of earning and living somewhat normal.

Other than most people wearing face masks and being asked to spritz your hands with alcohol everywhere you go, it goes. One thing that is also affecting us adversely is the panic that we humans naturally fall into. Toilet paper, paper towels, face masks, hand sanitizer, and instant noodles have all but disappeared from the shelves!

Despite the relative normalcy in our lives here, people have responded to the news with panic. Hoarding is rampant and lines to get any of the above-mentioned supplies are long. You must line up to get a quota of face masks (you must present your national health Care ID). TP, and paper towels are almost impossible to find.

On a positive note, jobs are fairly consistent: school continues as normal (minus the initial two extra weeks of Lunar New Year Holiday), companies continue (some of them have opted for work from home or some version of that), private studios seem to have a normal or almost normal level of students.

Some group classes, especially with children, have been canceled indefinitely. The small children like to touch everything they see, which makes it difficult to keep hands, et al, clean and sanitized. That makes sense. Groups like choirs have also canceled gathering.

Fortunately, the number of cases continues to be relatively low compared to the rest of the world. The government in Taiwan saw the resemblance to SARS--from back in 2003--and acted decisively. I am happy they did it. It may have interrupted lives for two weeks but we can see the results and it looks fairly promising. Whereas the rest of the world ignored it and the results look grim and uncertain.

I do wish comfort and hope to all those who have been affected by this disease.

Stories and experiences: An ESL teacher

The experiences as an ESL  teacher are wholly unique for me. The initial shock of being thrown into a classroom down to the weekly battle and resultant pain thereof are being captured in a chapter by chapter account of my life as an ESL teacher in Taiwan. This job was always an "on-the-fence" type of decision for me. I love music but I was less than confident in my general abilities so never dove in all the way. These stories show how conflicted I felt about all the experiences after taking the plunge into the world of ESL.

I am writing the stories in short ebooks in PDF format.

Donations can be made using the following link.

Thanks in advance and I hope you find the stories useful for those who are considering ESL. Comment for link to download book. Make a donation if you feel it in your soul.


Get the book below. "The Alpha-What?"

Life Incomplete

When you know you have met the person that meets all the expectations of being that special one you ever dreamed of little stands in the way to bring the two together. It is funny how the heart yearns and burns for love but the head cooly plays the other side of reason and rationale. Which one is right? Is there a right side? Should they both be taken with a grain of salt? Should they both be equalled out finding the medium? Should one be slightly weightier than the other? 

Head: that thinker which stops many a foolish act or on the side helps to start the path toward success. 

Heart: that feeler which knows deep down inside what it yearns for and can only be satisfied by the company of the desired one or thing. 

It is funny that I went to TW because of a girl (heart), but have gone back and forth from there to America (currently residing) only to have the heart aching for the one who bounced into my life over four years ago. Why don't  my head and my heart agree on this thing? Or is it that heart is divided between two loves? I want to play cello and make a living in that, but I want to be with my girl, too. Are they two exclusive entities that cannot coexist? TW offers some chances of music but it also has the opportunity of low cost living. The U.S. offer more playing but higher cost of living. 

I am a frustrated guy. I left TW to find more playing time. But starting over again and again Leaves me with yearning, searching, left on the fringes, living like a vagabond without much to his name. Barely living from one moment to the next. Money is comstantly a worry. At least together we could live comfortably in TW. Well, I regret not sticking with my decision for at least a couple more years. And i miss my girl enough to bring me to tears regularly. 

I have messed up my life by the indecision and the anger. Tossing out the possibilities like they were toxic waste, scared that I might be a failure at anything I try. Funny how I can suceed at some things but arbitrarily determine that other undertakings would be impossible. 

Give me one year back and I would stick with my decision to live in TW and marry the girl of my dreams. Give me four years back and I would satch up the euphoria upon meeting and realizing what a special opportunity stood before me. I dismiss all fears and face the future with a wide stance, work clothes on, and a steady gait toward my dreams. 

Alas, returning to fix mistakes is never granted. Only this day is given in which to work and forge the tools to build a succeessful future with. I need the diligence and the positive attitude to march forward keeping the eyes on my goals. Maybe I can get both music and my love when I think this way. To anyone who has been through similar experiences, pease, give me just one word of encouragement. Sometimes I just need a little nudge to continue on. My dreams are waiting for me to get going. 

One question, America or Taiwan?