Everyday gets better and better out here in Taiwan. I have traveled to most of the big cities accept Taipei which will most likely be next weekend. I have seen the country side and the mountain tops. The weather once again is amazing considering I hardly ever wear a jacket or pants. I haven’t had an earthquake in 2 weeks so that’s a plus as well.

        This weekend it is the University’s 19^th Birthday and they celebrate it with a bang. They have huge balloon entrance ways, team building activities and relay races, food everywhere, and carnival games to play.

        Yesterday my sport management major team made it to the championship of “Tug of War”, yes tug of war. It is very popular out here and we play today at 10:00AM. I am also signed up for a race sometime today.

        This is the first time away from my family for Christmas and I am a little homesick, but they treat me like family out here. Their culture is so nice and good hearted. Even though I do not speak their language they love seeing and finding out more about this foreigner that stands before them.

        I have about 2 more weeks here and I plan on going out with a bang. Every night and every day gets better and better. Although they do not celebrate Christmas as a national holiday they still have a lot of Christmas Spirit.

  Quote of the Week:

“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret for the past and fear of the future” – Fulton Oursler

Taipei 101

        I have been here inTaiwan for 2 weeks now. I love it our here, the weather is lows of 60 and highs of 75 degrees, the people are so welcoming and nice, and everything is cheap.

        I was able to go on this trip through my advisor and his relationship to a professor at this school in
Taiwan. The school I am assistant teaching at is called Da Yeh University which translates to BigLeaf
University. It is on the West Coast of Taiwan and it took me about 19 hours to get here. The campus is roughly the size of North Centrals except the buildings are twice as big and there are 4 times as many students. The campus is built on a mountain so there are a lot hills which is a great leg workout everyday. Many of the students speak a little English but are to shy to say anything to a 6’4 or 1.95 meter American.        The Taiwanese culture and a lot of Asian are very passive and shy. A quote a Japanese classmate made once in Denmark was “Speech is Silver, and Silence is Golden” which can relate to “We are born with two ears and one mouth for a reason.” I am still trying to get feedback and raise questions within my class, hopefully I will get some participation before I leave.

        I have been brought here to assist in applying American Culture into sports and life here at DYU. Also I have been tutoring students in English at my “English Corner” we call it here. Unfortunately I do not speak Chinese, but I am learning slowly.

        Everyday there is something new and exciting to do. I have not gone one night bored or had nothing to do. I have been practicing with the baseball team, been playing in some pick up basketball and volleyball games, played some ping pong matches with students, been to a pool hall with the baseball team and Coach, and danced in the dance hall with some students. It has been an awesome adventure and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

        Overall I love it here and I have about 3 weeks left. I return January 2^nd and then start student teaching. I will keep you all updated on things to come out here in Taiwan.

Quote of the Week:

“Always remember where you came from and how you got there” – Unknown

Creek Water Trip          Maio Li         12-7-08

Our football team advanced to the playoffs another season. Every year that I have been here at North Central they have made it to the playoffs. This year is a little different though, they advanced with a 10-0 record, undefeated. I can honestly say this is the first and only team I have ever seen or been apart of to be undefeated. It a great accomplishment and I wish them luck. They play Thomas More College from Kentucky this Saturday @ 12PM here at North Central. I will be there once again to wish them cheer on our brave Cardinals.

Off the subject of football my intramural volleyball team won the championship late on Monday night sweeping the competition. We were undefeated in all our matches just like the football team. Unfortunately this year there was not nearly as many teams as the previous years, but we still had fun and that’s why I play.

Update on the 10^th week is not bad weirdly enough. Everyone usually stresses out about finals and work, but I’m not really going down that trail. One of my classes I have finished up with all the work and in the others all I have is one final, one binder, one take home final. So that isn’t bad. We shall see how it goes and I will keep you updated along the way.

Side Note: Through North Central I was able to see Ted Turner speak. He is one of the richest and highly regarded businessmen of his time. It would take to long to list his accomplishments, but I sat down and listened to him speak about his new book titled “Call Me Ted.” He was a very down to earth guy and shot the stuff straight. He didn’t beat around the bush and told it like it was, just my kind of guy.

Quote:

I’ve never run into a guy who could win at the top level in anything today and didn’t have the right attitude, didn’t give it everything he had, at least while he was doing it; wasn’t prepared and didn’t have the whole program worked out. – Ted Turner

2008 Intramural Volleyball Champs!