Taipei Factoids...

Yesterday, as I was walking back to work from my lunch break, I noticed that many people were out burning things on the main street. This happens from time to time, but it seemed like everyone was burning stuff. They use wire to make a pit and just make a bonfire on the side of the street in front of their business. This seemed very strange to me. What about fire safety laws? Most of the sidewalks are full of people and they have rooftops over them and the passageways were full of smoke. Also, tables were out full of food and drinks, which I am guessing are offerings of some sort. I have seen that a lot in Asia on certain days. It's mostly a Buddhist thing that they give offerings to Buddha and other Gods. I also noticed that they were throwing little pieces of paper into the fires. I asked my teaching assistant what it was all about and she had no idea. Victoria (She now insists that she be called Victoria, instead of Vickie...It's a turning 30 thing!) came home and told us that they are burning things to keep away the ghosts and the food is for homeless ghosts so they have food and they will not come into the house looking for food. August is 'Ghost Month' in China and Taiwan. It is very superstitious and no one will buy a house or a car or else it will be haunted. So, the streets are full of smoke and we also saw our neighbors making a pit on the roof...We are hoping for no fires in our house because of it or we'll be scaling the windows to get down!

Did you know that when I flew to Taiwan, I was also going into the future. It is the year 2094 here. I thought it was weird that the expiration dates on things said 94-08-16. I thought it expired in 1994 and it was very old. HaHa! They do know that we use a different calendar, but it's still weird when I punch in at work and my time card says 94, instead of 05!

I am also now an illegal worker in this country. I always aspired to be an illegal worker! Yes, my working visa is in the works and I will be receiving it soon, which I am not allowed to work legally until I receive it...But, shhhh! No one needs to know that! I will still be illegal when I do receive my working visa. It's illegal in this country to teach English to kindergarten-aged children. Immigration does raids in schools from time to time. In my school we practice fire drills with the kids and then the teachers practice, 'teacher run and hide drill!' When we hear three short alarms, the foreign teachers have to drop everything, grab their stuff and run up the stairs to the 9th floor and hide in one of the rooms. Immigration will come through and hopefully not find us since we will be automatically deported if they do! I haven't experienced this yet, but I have a feeling it will be exciting! How do I get a working visa if I am working at a kindergarten school you ask? Well, my school and many other schools attach their name to an elementary school, which they call 'Bushibans' here. So, my working visa is for my after-school classes, which I teach 3 days a week for 1 1/2 hours. At least I get a break on taxes since they don't know that I work all day!

I can't think of anymore weird happenings here. Well, there is all kinds of weird stuff, but nothing I can explain. When I do see something weird, I will be sure to write about it.