Update!

I apologize to one and all that I haven’t been updating this blog much since I got back from Singapore, but there has been a good reason. Upon my return from Singapore I found myself with roughly 1 week in which to find employment and a new place to live. Connie’s brother has returned home from school, and 4 of us in a 3 bedroom appartment is getting a little crowded, so I took it upon myself to find new accomodations.

Of course, Taipei is a big city, and where I worked would determine which area I lived in, so I was stuck in a chicken and egg scenario of needing a place to live but not knowing where I would be working while I had to find a place to live. I actually found a great appartment near Connie’s family home, but right after I found it….

I recieved a call from the KoJen (KeJian in PinYin) Corporation, one of the largest school chains here in Taiwan asking me to come in for an interview. I’d sent them my resume as a last resort, knowing they specialized in teaching children and teens, but as it turns out they wanted me for a special team of teachers who teach corporate and government workers. It seems that prior to Chinese New Year one of the 4 members of the team had had to return suddenly to America due to a family emergency and thus they were in dire need of an experienced teacher who could do the job when I sent in my resume.

One interview later, with a straight-shooting Australian man named Paul Dunne who heads the program, and I became the new 4th member of the team. ^__^ So, as of next week I will be starting my new job while the office workers scramble to get my work visa in order.

Basically I will be working evenings and some afternoons, Mon-Friday teaching groups of 12 or so employees the skills their bosses want them to be taught. Not much different what I did in Japan, actually, but there I was also teaching Children’s classes, whereas here I will be purely teaching adults. This job will also require me to travel all over Taipei, so I am going to get to know this city pretty well, and in fact I am looking forward to having such a chance to learn a major capitol city so well. While there is something to be said for sitting in an air-conditioned school all day, it does get a little repetitive and boring after a while, and I can see this job as being much more fast-paced and dynamic.

Wish me luck!

I am still appartment hunting, trying to find something near a major MRT/Subway/Bus route, and I will keep you posted on how that goes.

Oh, and I have a huge discussion of Singapore coming, watch for it!

Later gators!