Taichung, Taiwan

This year I have been teaching in a rural town called Yuli. It is out in the middle of the mountains, populated with aboriginals. Some of these kids have never seen an American in their lives, which can be very interesting for me. However, because I am in the middle of the mountains, I teach IN THE MOUNTAINS. So everyday is about a thirty minute trip to school, and it is one beautiful drive. The sun is just starting to peek out from the mountains and the clouds are slowing rolling back displaying the mountains' greatness. I am always enthralled with the beauty of it all! My daily commute to school is always a scenic drive. However, I have to keep up small talk with my driver, which is always a little awkward. The weirdest conversation I had was with a nurse who was asking some impertinent questions to see if I was a good match for her son. Also other people think that it is okay to nurse their baby during the car ride to school. Despite all of this it is a nice little drive! I love...

It doesn't matter how old you get, no one gets tired of games! My students expect games every class after we played a game on the first day called bop which is a name game I learned from my cousin Brandon. All the kids sit in a circle and one person is in the middle, the teacher will call a students' name then the person in the middle must bop that person on the head before that person says another name. Anyways, games are great for teaching English! Games should include one of the following: movement, excitement, an element of surprise, a goal, winners or losers, a task or teamwork. However, in my case I try to make sure they all include English! Students love games and usually each class will have a different favorite game. This past week the kids favorite game has been Big Wind Blows which is Fruit Basket Upset. I played this game on the second day of games and since then every time a student notices that we have extra time or when teacher Gabby and I are a powwow a student...

Recently, I have just been so annoyed by people constantly being on their phones. I have never been so thankful that my father made the rule "no phones at the table."  When you are with your friends or family, you should "be with them." That doesn't mean talking to someone on snapchat or messenger, while you are with them. Just put the phone down and give them your undivided attention. How I feel when someone is on their phone at the dinner table or on a date is that I am not interesting or entertaining enough for them. If my phone is down and we are talking and you pick yours up to reply to a message or snap, what am I suppose to do while you play on your phone? We should all just put our phones down and be at the table talking to our friends or family, instead of sitting at a table just playing on our phones. Funny story: the other night at the night market there was a father and a son walking past me. The father was doing something on his phone, and his son s...

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 This past week has been so fulfilling! I was sitting in church with one of my friends from Starbucks who asked to come to church with me, when God hit me with this truth. If I had not failed a few tests which then required me to take more tests because of not passing one, I would have never visited Starbucks so much to study, then I would have never met the girl sitting next to me at church, and then she would have maybe never heard the gospel! It is amazing that God can take the failure in my life and make it into something beautiful! "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 I pray that God will continue to let His beautiful love pour throu...

It's amazing how well God knows my heart and how I feel, because every time I am having a rough day He sends one or a few first graders over with big hugs! My first graders are amazing students very attentive and eager to learn, but apparently not all teachers have that privilege with them. One of the first grade teachers was just fired! I couldn't believe it because they are so good for me every time I teach. However, my heart goes out to her because I know that teaching first grade is no easy task  "The soul is healed by being with children." - Fyodor