Teaching in Taiwan

After only two days with the students, I can tell that this year is going to be full of lots of things. For one thing, this year is going to be very full of stress as I try to adapt to a new style of teaching (these kids can't speak English? No one told me that!), a new style of school (private, international, and somewhat disorganized at all times yet still functional somehow), and a new style of life (living with my students? who thought this one up?)

I know that I'm going to have to change not only my teaching style, but also my general attitude towards planning. I've been told by almost every teacher here thus far that I shouldn't plan too far ahead because the students will amaze you with what they do and don't know. So it is Wednesday night, tomorrow is the first day of classes, and I am only planned out with detailed lesson plans till Tuesday of next week; a ridiculously small amount of time compared to how far out my detailed plans normally stretch. So I guess you could say I'm just rolling with the punches as of right now- a pretty new concept for me.

However stressful this year is going to be, I can also tell that it is going to be so much fun at the same time. I really like the community of teachers working at ICA and I've only known them for a week. Everyone has a great work ethic, an easy-going personality, and still knows how to have fun when we get just a little time away from the kiddos. I also am starting to feel more comfortable living with 170-some Asian students. It was a little awkward at first (it is only day 2 with them here) but I can tell I will really like working with them all year.

Will it be challenging when they don't understand anything I said to them about parallel lines for an entire class period? Absolutely. Will I be tired at the end of a long day and just want to go to a home OFF campus sometimes? Of course. At meals, would I like to sit by friends and not a randomly assigned group of students? Clearly (but that's not changing anytime soon so it looks like Jerry, Tim, Peter and Howard are my lunch buddies till the end of the year).

In the end though, I think I'll look back at my first year teaching internationally and be very happy with my choice to do so.