More things to finalize

As much as I thought I finalized all the things I need to do in Taiwan before I leave, I realized I have a couple of more things to do and they might not be so easy. I first have to extend my visa at the immigration office for one month because my contract ends in July but I'm leaving in Aug. to get my tax refund. It actually should be okay but I hope they aren't strict and ask me why I want to extend it. I also hope they won't be strict and ask why or have to talk to my boss but my boss is awesome and if a problem were to occur, then she can help me out too.

Then I need to go to the tax office and explain how I'm leaving in Aug. and if I could receive my tax refund earlier and that if I get my money after Aug. 1 (taxes for this year 2011), that they can send it to my work at Kojen and then someone mail it to me. I'm going to have my Taiwanese friend go with me since I need a Taiwanese person who is over 20 years old and has a working job as a reference if they happen to be the one responsible for receiving my tax refund.

I'm going on Monday so hopefully things will get straightened out. Other than that, I just need to hear back from housing and book my ticket from LA to Sioux Falls/Omaha (depending how long I stay in LA). I'm very anxious for Monday to come!

-Chihchat

What's taking so long?

I checked out a Chinese book a couple of months ago, hoping that I would finish the book. I haven't had time and I've been renewing it the past couple of months. I checked out the book in March. It's always the same lady and today I renewed the book again and she asked me again? Why are you taking such a long time to read it? I just said oh I'm reading it bit by bit lol I mean it was weird but I mean, I guess if she saw me renew it a couple of months and it was a teenager book, she is probably wondering what's taking so long. I mean I didn't have to respond or I could have said that I don't have enough time. Oh well...again example of Taiwanese commentary lol

-Chihchat

"E-ah-teng"

There's a place in Shilin that I go to get oyster soup every Thurs. night after my kickboxing class and I did blog about this before. Anyway they are very rude to me and when I came tonight, I ordered the soup by trying to pronounce "oyster" in Taiwanese. My Taiwanese is extremely awful and they don't understand Mandarin although later we spoke in Mandarin. I ended up pointed to the oysters so they got what I meant. Then the guy that was smirking at me and being mean to me was snickering. I asked me how to say it and he tried to teach me and I was like ok and I tried to say it. Then he told me it cost $50NT and that he was going to add a teaching fee. The soup cost $50NT anyway so I joked and said why should I pay a teaching fee? He goes because I'm teaching you how to speak Taiwanese. (This conversation was in Mandarin). Then I muttered back, oh you're so nice.

I didn't mean to be so snappy but I don't think he minded so he just went back to drinking his soup. I was trying to joke around with him and I think he was teasing a little bit but they are soooo rude. I don't know why! I mean, I'm giving you business. Oh well..I'm going to try to learn it. It's pronounced "E-ah-teng" but the tones and the pauses are difficult. Let's see if next week he will be nicer lol

-Chihchat

Slowing down

I haven't been sleeping a lot and finally I have reached a breaking point where I'm pretty exhausted so I think tonight I will be able to sleep more! lol I knew I wouldn't handle Wed. since I teach all day and I've been having about 3-4 hours of sleep on the previous nights. It's so hard to teach now too since all I can think about is going home. I shouldn't think about that since I should be enjoying my time in Taipei but it's hard because I'm excited to come back home. I didn't think I would and I know I will be sadder when I actually do leave, but of course it hasn't hit me yet.

Today one of my classes was ending their level and we had our party/review day. My T/A said loudly about me leaving but luckily the students didn't hear her. I was afraid they would and then they would ask me about it since they care so much about me for some reason. They know my Chinese name so they like to say it and they like to ask me random things. I like them a lot though so I will be sad and miss them as well as my other students.

There is a new Chinese teacher and she is my sub T/A for one of my classes. I always wear a ring on my ring finger on my right hand. She saw it and asked if I was married lol I actually get that question a lot but it's a ring that my best friend gave me a couple of years ago. It's surprising I get that assumption because there is no diamond or stone on the ring lol

-Chihchat

Whirlwind

I'm still ansy and it's very hard to sleep the past couple of days. I'm slowing down though and I think hopefully tonight I can sleep well haha Today I continued with my errands and I'm really psyched since I booked my ticket back home for Aug. 2. I found a really good price for my one way ticket from Taipei to Los Angeles, $825 USD including taxes! I think that's a very good deal considering that tickets can go up to $1,000.

I just taught one class and I got observed by a new Chinese teacher. She was really nice and she asked me how long I was teaching and was shocked that I've only been teaching 9 months. I can't believe that I have only been teaching that long since I feel like I've been teaching forever lol I asked my students how long they have known me since they were learning that question structure and some of them said 2 years haha I said um, I've only been in Taipei less than a year lol

Tonight I went to my uncle's and my aunt's older brother's daughter was there to stay for a couple of days since her brother is having ear surgery. She is 5 years old and she is super cute. She immediately knew I was a foreigner because of how I looked and kept calling me a princess haha

-Chihchat

The aftershock

After I found out I got accepted, I then started to get on the ball and start to figure out everything: registration, classes, financial aid, apartments, job, airplane tickets. I was so excited that I only had 4 hours of sleep last night. I couldn't go to bed and went to bed around 4am last night. I woke up around 9am and again have been on the computer all day lol I lost my appetite and I barely ate today. I'm just way too happy lol Honestly it's been like I've been a slug the past couple of months and now the clouds have lifted and I'm so happy!!

Tonight at work I tried to contain my excitement but I couldn't. I had to tell my boss about it of course to figure out when I can go home. I had to wait forever though because my other coworker was talking to her and I was so anxious I couldn't wait. But finally I was able to talk to her and she was bummed since she wants me to stay another year. She is so sweet and told me that I can always come back. She told me she didn't want me to leave since I'm a good teacher. I thought that was very nice of her to say. I told her if I didn't get into grad school I would stay and it's not like I don't like my job, but I know what I want to do with my life and this is the time to start. My contract ends in Aug. 1 but she was nice and said I can leave in July since she knows I need to get home earlier but I won't receive my tax refund until Aug. 1 so I have to stay until then so my last day of work is July 30. I won't have summer classes though because I will be leaving in the summer. I won't get to earn extra money but I'm okay with that since I need to get ready to leave and move out of my apartment. My two roommates are moving out and so we need to clean the apartment since our rent is up at the end of July.

I was sad to tell my coworkers I was leaving since that means I'm leaving them and that I only have 3 months with them. It stinks that I can't be at two places at once. I really like teaching at Kojen though and I've been blessed to have such a great opportunity working at this branch (I owe it to my roommates). I don't know if I will sleep at all this week but we will see :)

-Chihchat

Accepted!

Today has been a roller coaster ride indeed. I've been tutoring a boy and a girl and I meet them 4 days a week. It's so ironic because after I tutored them this morning, the mother tells me today that she only wants me to meet them 1 day a week since their English is improving and it's too much stress on their performance for other activities. Although I was losing good money, I was fine with it since I was tired running around and stressing from tutoring and working at my job. I knew I would have more time on my hands but then I didn't know if that would be good since I would worry about whether or not I got into grad school.

Tonight I skyped with my sister and my mother and unfortunately my webcam wasn't working so they couldn't see me but they could hear me so we just chatted with out the video. The first thing she tells me is "Lilly, you received a letter from the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) and you got accepted." It didn't hit me right away. I just kept saying "oh my god" over and over again. I didn't get into any grad schools last year and I applied to 6 total this year and I have been rejected to 4 so far (I still have to hear from Minnesota State Univ. since the deadline is May 1st). I was in shock but of course I was also super relieved and happy. The nicest thing my sister said was she said that her and my mom are happy I got in so I can come home. She knew that if I didn't get in, then I would most likely stay another year in Taipei since my mom was okay with it and I wouldn't have mind staying here for just one more year.

I haven't accepted the offer just yet because I want to make sure to tell my sister and Mom that I'm for sure doing it. It's such a crazy thing how one thing can really change everything! I had no idea what I was going to do for next year and I've been stressing out about it the past couple of months. When I accept this school, I can say that I will be coming home in early Aug. and that I will only have about 3 full months left in Taipei. Wow! Also, I can finally say that I FINALLY got into a grad school. I'm really excited about UIS because one of the professors currently working there has written a book on Amy Tan (I wrote my senior honors thesis on Tan). Now I just need to start planning for next year which means registering for classes, finding an apartment, booking my ticket back home, and many other countless things. I mentioned in the beginning of this blog that it's ironic I'm not tutoring as much because now I will have more time to do all these things for this upcoming Fall semester!!

-Chihchat

P.S. HAPPY EASTER everyone! :)