Tainan in the News 台南的新聞 (North 北) 3

 There are 37 Districts in Tainan City.  These districts are divided into North Tainan and South Tainan, or those "north of the [Dzengwen] river" and those "south of the [Dzengwen] river."  The districts of North Tainan are further grouped into the Xinying Area, the Beimen Area and the Dzengwen Area.  The districts of South Tainan are further grouped into the Fucheng Area, the Xinfeng Area and the Xinhua Area. 台南市分為37個區 ， 這37個地區分成曾文溪北部的北台南跟曾文溪南部的南台南 。 北台南又分為新營地區 、北門地區跟曾文地區 ； 南台南又分為府城地區 、 新豐地區跟新化地區 。

1. 新營區 Xinying District

1a. Land in Xinying and Liouying will be resurveyed.  Some property boundaries in use date back to survey work done during the Japanese Imperial Administration, and the Tainan City Government wants to bring current technology to bear on the problem.  Representatives from the Tainan City Government met with residents on March 24 to discuss this process. 新營及柳營區地籍圖重測  3/24招開宣導會

1b. A stench was reported in Xinying, and after further investigation the source of the odor was found to be a fertilizer factory and adjacent farmland in the area.  Regulations mandate that fields covered in manure be covered to both limit the stench and prevent the spread of pests, and those responsible were not doing so.  Those responsible have since been ordered to comply with regulations. 台南大新營區入夜飄惡臭  環保局揪元凶告發 (1)

2. 鹽水區 Yanshui District

2a. A man parked his car and (most likely) shot himself in the head in Yanshui.  He was still breathing when first discovered, but was later pronounced dead at the hospital. 台南鹽水區驚傳槍擊案 !  男子停車場內自戕  緊急送醫不治身亡

2b. The Tainan City Government's Tourism Bureau hosted a seminar for those wishing to operate homestays in the area.  This seminar explained the local application process and other issues relevant to operating a homestay. 台南市政府 : 觀旅局開辦民宿申設說明會...

3. 柳營區 Liouying District

3a. A vote was held to name a dairy farming area in Liouying.  The winning name is "Baibao" (白寶 or "white baby"), which was deemed very pleasing to the ear. 柳營八翁白牛寶寶創意命名票選揭曉  白寶最高票數勝出 (2)

3b. For those wishing to view blossoming golden trumpet trees, Liouying has many areas in which to do so. 賞黃花風鈴木  柳營有15處秘境

4. 後壁區 Houbi District

4a. An urban development plan for Houbi District is under review by the Tainan City Government.  If the plan is approved some land in the area will be rezoned. 後壁都計第四次通檢第一階段主要計畫發布實施

4b. It's melon season in Houbi, and farmers convened a market in which to sell locally grown melons and melon-related products. 後壁洋香瓜好時節  活動登場 (3)

5. 白河區 Baihe District

5a. The cotton trees in Baihe were blooming up until last week, and many tourists visited a local tree-lined boulevard to view the flowers. 2023台南白河木棉花季3/11-3/26...

5b. Uh... OK.  Guandzeling Hot Spring Area in Baihe was ranked alongside Yangmingshan, Beitou and Sichongxi hot springs as one of the "big four" hot spring areas in Taiwan. 關子嶺溫泉名列台灣4大溫泉區 (4)

6. 東山區 Dongshan District

6a. The Tainan City Government invites you to travel Highway 175, a.k.a. "the Coffee Highway," through the remote eastern half of Dongshan District.  This highway offers you the chance to view local coffee plantations and geographical features. 東山175咖啡公路輕旅行  , 帶你探尋淺山之美 (5)

6b. A coffee "competition" (more of an opportunity for local farmers to gather and share their expertise) was also held in Dongshan. 東山咖啡莊園交流賽 激盪新風味

7. 佳里區 Jiali District

7a. The Jiali Police Bureau will be implementing special traffic control measures during the upcoming Ching Ming Festival weekend. 清明節連假車潮恐湧入  佳里警建議用路人這樣避免壅塞

7b. The Jiali District Office and the local fire brigade held a press conference to emphasize the necessity of fire prevention during the Ching Ming Festival holiday.  People often clear brush from graves by lighting fires, and these fires can quickly get out of control, damaging large swaths of property and endangering lives.  The lack of rain in recent months is exacerbating this problem. 佳里區公所聯合消防分隊公墓防火宣導  呼籲民眾遵守掃墓四不二記得原則 (6)

8. 學甲區 Shuejia District

8a. The local government is building a water pumping station in Shuejia to deal with flooding in that area.  It's relatively flat and heavy rains can quickly create flood conditions. 解決積淹水  學甲M幹線抽水站動土

9. 北門區 Beimen District

9a. The chief of the Beimen District Office recently visited the homes of residents to discuss disaster-prevention measures and evacuation procedures. 北門區長帶頭防災 親訪保全戶 (7)

9b. Beimen Elementary School's new central kitchen has commenced operation.  The building resembles a... whale? 北門國小央廚啟用  造型鯨艷

10. 將軍區 Jiangjun District

10a. Many residents of Jiangjun took part in a carrot picking activity.  Local cotton (kapok) trees were supposed to be flowering at the time, but that didn't happen. 紅蘿蔔木棉相逢  將軍親子同樂

10b. The Jiangjun District Office is also working to spread awareness of fire safety in advance of Ching Ming Festival. 將軍區公所  消防局攜手辦理 "公墓火災搶救演練"

11. 七股區 Qigu District

11a. Several model students from Qigu and surrounding areas were given awards as part of the "2023 Qigu Model Student Commendations" ceremony held at Qigu Elementary School.  An oil painting exhibition was held at the same time. 七股區公所表揚模範兒童  邀學童欣賞藝遊七股油畫展

11b. Improvements to roads near fish ponds and canals in both Qigu and Beimen have been completed. 改善漁業環境  北門 , 七股養殖生產區改善完工

12. 西港區 Xigang District

12a. Whoever's in charge of the Tainan City Tourism Bureau sure seems to pin their hopes on flowering trees.  For what it's worth the cassia trees in Xigang are blooming. 西港金砂花旗木怒放  浪漫粉紅春遊趣

13. 麻豆區 Madou District

13a. A line of pomelo-related products made in Madou is selling well.  Pomelo is an important crop in Madou, and the local farmer's association is processing the pomelo into everything from sauce to cleaning products. 麻豆柚子系列商品  年銷破3千萬 (9)

13b. This line of pomelo-related products was released in conjunction with pomelo season, which began this month. 春分時節飄花香  麻豆柚花季3月12日開幕

14. 官田區 Guantian District

14a. The Shrsheng Sustainable Farm in Guantian is regarded by many as a prime example of organic farming done right.  This article, complete with pictures, discusses why this farm is special. 美得很專業 !  從神農獎到農企業 , 台南官田 "時生永續農場" 讓年輕人留下來

14b. A new dormitory was opened at Longtian Elementary School. 台南官田區隆田國小校舍教室拆除重建  今天校慶落成

15. 六甲區 Lioujia District

15a. There was a fire in (a very oddly shaped) house in Lioujia.  Firefighters extinguished the blaze without any injuries. 台南六甲區民宅傳火警  消防人員全力滅火

15b. A new taxi service provided for the use of residents in remote areas has begun operation in Lioujia. 台南小黃公車首度開進六甲區  開通二路線深入山區聚落便利公共運輸

16. 大內區 Danei District

16a. A farmer's market was recently held in Danei.  Vendors there were selling a variety of goods either grown or produced in the area. 大內小農創意市集推在地產業

16b. The Danei District Office is taking a survey of district residents as a way of improving local governmental support for the elderly.  Danei has a higher than average proportion of elderly residents. 尋找第一屆大內國中畢業生

17. 下營區 Xiaying District

17a. The Xiaying District Office, in association with the Huashan Foundation, gave seedlings to residents in exchange for receipts. 南市下營區公所舉辦植樹月發票換樹苗活動  挹注華山天使站做公益 (8)

17b. A local fisherman caught a fish weighing 60 kg in Xinying's Wuchengen Park.  A tow truck had to be used to bring the fish ashore. 台南武承恩公園水池撈出60台斤大魚  出動吊車吊上岸

Related Entries 相關的文章 :

Zuojhen District, Tainan City 台南市左鎮區

Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (North 北) 8

Kaohsiung in the News 高雄的新聞 (West 西) 2

Xinhua District, Tainan City 台南市新化區

1. Foul odors can be a downside to living in the country.  This is as true in Taiwan as it is anywhere else.  One thing I DON'T miss about Fangliao is the occasional stench from mango orchards.  You'd think such orchards would smell good, and they sometimes do, but local farmers use rotting meat to attract insects which pollinate the trees, and the fruit they don't harvest ends up rotting in the fields.

2. There's a "cow" implied in the new name, so really it's "white cow baby" or "white calf."

3. Several types of melons are grown in the area.  The 洋香瓜 used in the title is a generic term encompassing several varieties of melon.

4. Is the rest of this article missing?  Yahoo! cites The Central News Agency as its source, but no explanation of these rankings are given.  I've been to all four of those hot spring areas, and I would rank them all behind several hot spring areas on the east coast.

5. I've never been, but it's probably a very pretty area.  It's not far from the Dzengwen Reservoir in Jiayi County.

6. It's a problem where I live too.  People light fires in cemeteries, think these fires are either extinguished or that they'll safely burn themselves out, and then leave.  The cemetery just south of where I live caught fire last month, and was linked to the death of a local firefighter.  Another cemetery north of me in Checheng Township also caught fire, resulting in the loss of dozens of trees.

7. I'm not that familiar with the area, but Beimen is on the coast.  I'm guessing the biggest problem in that area is flooding.

8. In case you're reading this outside Taiwan, the receipts from any (taxable) purchase can be used in the national receipt lottery, and thus offer a chance to win substantial amounts of money.  Many charities collect these receipts and use the money for those in need.

9. Time to get botanical!  According to Wikipedia, grapefruit is a citrus hybrid which was originally an accidental cross between the sweet orange and the pomelo, although in the past the grapefruit was also referred to as "the pomelo."  If you get confused (as I often do), just remember that grapefruit is red/orange and pomelo is yellow/green.

Zuojhen District, Tainan City 台南市左鎮區

Zuojhen is east of Longqi and Xinhua.  I would describe this area as being "in the mountains," though opinions may differ. 左鎮位於龍崎 、 新化的東部 。  我認為左鎮屬於山區 ， 但其他人可能有不同的意見 。

People have been living in Zuojhen for over two thousand years, from "Zuojhen Man," to the Siraya Tribe, to the Han Chinese.  There are conflicting accounts of how the area came to be called "Zuojhen." 左鎮有兩千多年的人類活動的歷史 。 從 "左鎮人" , 到西拉雅族 ， 再到漢族 。 它有多個地名故事。

According to the last census, only 4338 people live in Zuojhen.  It's a very sparsely populated area. 上次的人口統計表示 ， 左鎮的人口是4338人 。

This is the town of Zuojhen, which lies in the middle of Zuojhen District.  I took this picture from the roof of a house we rented for the night.  I'll probably stay there again sometime, maybe when I head back to explore Shanshang and Yujing districts next semester. 這是左鎮區中部的左鎮村 。  我們在這裡過夜 ， 住在當地的民宿。   我可能下學期去山上和玉井區的時候再去住一次 。

Many local farmers grow bananas and mangoes.  Sugar cane was once an important crop, but I didn't see any in the area. 當地很多的農夫種香蕉跟芒果 。  甘蔗曾是這裡重要的農特產 ， 我在左鎮的時候沒有看到甘蔗了。

Statues in a local park.  The two children are chasing a cart full of sugar cane. 公園的雕像 。  這兩位小朋友追著牛車的甘蔗。

The local church is very new, and very impressive.  It has a commanding view of the town. 村裡的教堂很漂亮， 那裏的風景也很美。

The view from the Zuojhen Elementary School campus.  You can't see it in the picture, but Highway 20 is on the other side of the houses. 左鎮國小的美景 。  在照片中看不出來 ， 台20線在那些房子後面 。

There are a lot of places selling "barrel-cooked chicken" along the highway.  The dinner we had in the Pingpu Tribe* Restaurant was very good. 台20線上有幾家餐廳賣桶子雞 。  我們在平埔族餐廳吃的晚餐不錯 。

As you travel toward the southern end of the district, toward Tsaoshan Moon World, the landscape looks more and more like this.  It's a great area for bird watching.  We saw a tree with many "five color birds" (Taiwan barbets) along the road. 開往左鎮南部 ， 草山月世界附近的地形都差不多這樣子 。  在這裡賞鳥應該不錯 ，  我們在路邊的一棵樹上看到多隻五色鳥 。

Near the Yaoyue Suspension Bridge.  More banana trees. 要月吊橋附近 ，  有很多香蕉樹 。

I've got to say, the roads in rural Tainan are on average better than the roads in rural Kaohsiung.  I was expecting this trip to be another white knuckle affair, but it was actually much better than a recent drive through Yanchao in Kaohsiung. 我覺得臺南鄉下地區的路況比高雄鄉下的路況好很多 。  上次在高雄燕巢區開車是一件很可怕的事情 ， 在左鎮區開車比較舒服。

The Tsaoshan Moon World "Big Valley".  It was very foggy that morning, and the fog gave the place an ethereal appearance. 草山月世界大峽谷 。  雲霧很厚 ， 像在夢境的感覺 。

It's one of the most quietly impressive places I've visited in a while.  There are many areas like this between Kaohsiung and Tainan. 這是其中一個我到訪過的安靜且令人驚豔的地方 。  高雄和台南之間有許多類似的地點。

We were the only people there.  It's a bit of drive to get there, but in my opinion it was worth it. 當下只有我和我的家人在那裏 。 它真的有點遠， 可是絕對值得去 。

To the south is Neimen District in Kaohsiung.  We'd have been able to see Neimen from that point if the weather had been clear. 南邊有高雄內門區 。  晴天應該可以看得到南門， 可是那一天看不見。

The landscape to the west is similar, but higher up.  This picture was taken near the Sunrise Pavilion in Erliao.  Many people visit this area to watch the sun come up on New Year's Day. 左鎮西部的地形差不多， 但是比較高。  這照片是在二寮觀日亭附近拍的 。 很多觀光客會在新年的時候來這裡看日出 。

To the north, at the other end of the district, is Zuojhen Fossil Park.  I highly recommend this place, though you might want to avoid it during big holiday weekends.  The parking situation isn't good. 左鎮區的北部有左鎮石化園區 。  我覺得這個景點很棒 ， 可是大節日或連假最好不要去 ，  因為那裏的停車不大方便 。

The building is very new, and there are exhibits introducing evolution, fossils, local history, aboriginal culture and other topics.  They put a lot of thought into this place, and they are in the midst of expanding the facility. 這個博物館很新 ， 它展示館內介紹進化、 化石 、 當地歷史 、 原住民文化和其他題目 。  這個博物館的計畫很用心 ， 以後還會有新的設施 。

If you have kids they'll love it.  In terms of natural history I think it beats both the Science Museum in Taichung and the Prehistory Museum in Taitung**.  It strikes a good balance between the visual and written aspects of its subjects, providing enough of a "wow factor" to catch kids' attention. 孩子會很喜歡這個博物館 。  以自然科學來說 ， 我覺得它贏過臺中的科學博物館跟臺東的史前博物館 。  這個博物館的展示好看又有意思 ， 會挑起小朋友的興趣 。

Related Entries 相關的文章:

Yanchao District, Kaohsiung City 高雄市燕巢區

Xinhua District, Tainan City 台南市新化區

Tainan in the News 台南的新聞 (South 南) 2

Linluo Township, Pingtung County 屏東縣麟洛鄉

*Literally, "plains-dwelling."  This is a collective term for all the tribes living at lower elevations.  Not all of these tribes are recognized by the government, and many have all but vanished due to generations of intermarriage with other ethnic groups.

**Although the last time I went by Taitung's Prehistory Museum it was being remodeled.  The natural history exhibits may have been improved since my last visit.

East Coast vs. West Coast 東部 vs. 西部

Brace yourself for some massive overgeneralizations.  I'll be discussing some HUGE areas in this entry, and generalizations are unavoidable.  If in doubt, assume that each statement below is qualified by the phrases "where most people live," and "in most cases."   我在這裡是以大範圍的地理位置來討論某些地區 , 所以其中有不被認同的意見是正常的。  我在這裡的觀點是以"最多人住的地方 "和"大多的例子"為基礎的 。

Oh, and I hope I can avoid repeating myself here.  This entry follows the "City vs. Country Living" entry I wrote a month ago, and is a continuation of it.  In the most general sense assume that comparisons between urban and rural Taiwan are also applicable to discussions of west Taiwan vs. east Taiwan. 我希望不要在這裡重複之前的內容。  這篇文章接續著上個月的大城市比鄉下生活一文 。   討論大城市跟鄉下的差別與討論西部跟東部的差別有很多的相同點 。

The East Coast 東部

Population of Hualien and Taitung 花蓮跟台東的人口: 539,633 人

Population of Yilan, Hualien and Taitung 花蓮 , 台東跟宜蘭的人口: 992,720 人

Area of Hualien and Taitung 花蓮跟台東的面積: 8,144 square kilometers 平方公里

Area of Yilan, Hualien and Taitung 花蓮 , 台東跟宜蘭的面積: 10, 288 square kilometers 平方公里

Population Density of Hualien and Taitung 花蓮跟台東的人口密度: 66 people per square kilometer 人 / 平方公里

Population Density of Yilan, Hualien and Taitung 花蓮 , 台東跟宜蘭的人口密度: 96 people per square kilometer 人 / 平方公里

Why am I listing "Hualien and Taitung" AND "Yilan, Hualien and Taitung"?  Because many people consider Yilan as belonging to North Taiwan, and thus not part of the east coast.  The primary reason for this is Yilan's proximity to Taipei, and the ease of travel between the two areas.  Yilan's weather is also more similar to Taipei's. 為什麼把 "花蓮跟台東" 和 "宜蘭 、 花蓮跟台東" 分開 ?  因為有的人認為宜蘭在臺灣北部 ， 不算是臺灣東部 。  原因是宜蘭靠近臺北 ，它們之間的交通比較便利 ，天氣也很像 。

Although if you're asking me, I'd say that Yilan belongs to the east coast.  Sure, there's a tunnel between Taipei and Yilan, but there are also mountains between the two places. 如果問我 ， 我認為宜蘭屬於東部。  當然，臺北和宜蘭中間有隧道連接 ， 可是畢竟中間還隔著多座的山 。

The East Coast: Pros 東部的優點

You'll feel a lot closer to nature on the east coast.  There are more wild areas, and the population in most places is much smaller. 在東部有靠近大自然的感覺 ， 自然環境比較多 ， 多數的村鎮人口少 。

Air quality is another bonus.  The air on the east coast is almost always better.空氣品質更是一大優勢，東部的空氣總是比較好。

You're not likely to encounter much traffic on the east coast.  Aside from maybe downtown Taitung City, downtown Hualien City and downtown Yilan City, traffic is almost nonexistent.  The bigger towns and cities on the east coast only get crowded on big holiday weekends, and that's only so when the highways and the train system are functioning as they're supposed to.東部海岸線的交通不擁擠。除了臺東市區、花蓮市區和宜蘭市區，你在路上幾乎感受不到車流。東部海岸線比較大的鄉鎮只有過年過節才有車多這個問題。

I've met people who've moved to the east coast to be closer to aboriginal culture.  I think that's a lot of nonsense.  There are plenty of aboriginal people living in the mountains on the west side of the island.我也遇過一些人是想搬到東部認識原住民文化的。我覺得那個理由很奇怪，因為臺灣西部的山裡也有原住民啊!

The East Coast: Cons 東部的缺點

If you're not an outdoorsy person you'll probably feel very bored on the east coast.  There's little to do indoors, and what little there is to do indoors is done on a much smaller scale.  People who like crowds and excitement are going to be disappointed with the east coast.如果你不喜歡戶外活動，你可能會覺得東部很無聊。東部的室內活動的場域很少，規模也小，喜歡人群和熱鬧的人可能會對東海岸感到失望。

From a vocational perspective there are fewer opportunities on the east coast.  A lot of people want to live there for the scenery, but quickly discover that steady sources of income are few and far between.  You can definitely make enough money to get by on the east coast, but you're probably not going to get rich, and you're probably not going to feel very "important" while you're doing so.從職業的角度來看，東海岸的工作機會不多。很多人因為風景優美而想住在那裡，但很快地發現那裡穩定的工作機會少。你當然可以賺到足夠的錢應付生活，但是你可能不會在金錢上很充裕，你也可能不會感受到工作帶給你的"存在感" 。

The West Coast 西部

(a.k.a. "South Taiwan," "Central Taiwan" and "North Taiwan")

Population 人口: 22,338,587 人

Area 面積: 25,601 平方公里

Population Density 人口密度: 873 people per square kilometer 人 / 平方公里

Notice the arrows pointing away from Yilan on the map.  "North" or "East?"  We're far from a consensus.  The dividing lines between "South," "Central" and "North" are also debatable.  The map above includes Jiayi in "South Taiwan," while Miaoli is the northernmost county in "Central Taiwan."  I'd put Jiayi in "Central Taiwan," though I understand reasons for labeling it "South" in the map.注意到地圖上的箭頭從宜蘭指向其他地方，"北"或"南"?我們可能不會有共識，分割"南"、"中央"和"北"的線也會有不同的意見。上面的地圖把嘉義歸到南臺灣，苗栗則是中台灣最北邊的縣市。我了解為什麼在地圖上的嘉義屬於南部，但我自己會把嘉義歸到中臺灣。

The West Coast: Pros 西部的優點

If you're living in central Taipei, Taichung, Tainan or Kaohsiung you'll probably feel like you're at the center of the the action.  This is especially true of Taipei and New Taipei City.  Watch the local news if you don't believe me: it's usually "Taipei, New Taipei, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, somewhere else, New Taipei."  Local news coverage is a reflection of where most people live and work, and the volume of this coverage can be very life-affirming for those living in big cities.如果你住在臺北市、新北市、臺中、臺南或高雄，你大概會覺得自己處於活動的中心。尤其是臺北市和新北市的人的感受會更深刻。如果你不相信，只要看新聞，每天都是臺北市、新北市、高雄和臺南的事情。新聞顯示的是大部分人居住和工作的地方，和住在大城市裡的人們關心的事。

Public transportation can be an advantage to living on the west coast.  Provided you're not tucked away in the mountains or living in some remote location near the sea, you'll be near a train station, you'll have access to freeways, and you might even have access to an MRT system.公共運輸是住在西部的一大優點。如果你不是住在深山或遙遠的海邊，那就是靠近火車站，有方便的高速公路，甚至有捷運站。

You'll also be able to buy a lot more stuff, there will be more opportunities to make money, and you'll have more choice with regard to what schools you attend and where those schools are located.  The quality of Chinese language instruction is, on average, much better on the west coast.你也可以容易的買到許多東西，也有更多賺錢的機會。你有更多的機會選擇去哪個學校。西部的華語教學的品質也比東部好 .

The West Coast: Cons 西部的缺點

For me the biggest negative with regard to most (not all) of the west coast is air pollution.  Behind air pollution I'd list traffic, crowds and distance from nature. 我覺得西部最大的缺點是空氣污然 。  除了空氣污染， 塞車 、人潮 和缺乏自然環境也是問題 。

Along with the good things listed above there also comes competition.  Want to teach English at that prestigious university next door?  Get to work on that resume, and make sure it looks good, because odds are you'll be competing against A LOT of other people for that position. 隨著上面提到的優點而來的是競爭 。  你要在隔壁有名的大學教英文嗎 ?  趕快準備一份亮眼的履歷 ， 因為想在那邊當老師的人一定很多 。

Then again, some people enjoy competition.  I can understand that.  Being an "important person" in Hualien?  Not so difficult.  Being an "important person" in Kaohsiung?  Yeah, that requires more effort and, if you're into that kind of thing, can be more rewarding. 話說回來 ，有的人享受那種競爭 。  想在花蓮當重要的人物沒有那麼難 ，  但在高雄就需要多點努力了。  有的人覺得大城市得到的成就感最好 ，這我不會說他們是錯的 。

Related Entries 相關的文章:

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A Few More Pictures 多一些照片

Thoughts on the Last Election

Playing Tour Guide 當導遊

NOTE: the numbers for population, area and population density are approximate, and only provided for the sake of comparison.  I didn't include Yilan's data in the west coast section for reasons explained above.

Taiwan 101: A Whole Day Without a Mask

Our Hero gets on his bicycle at around 7:10.  His destination?  The school where he works, about three kilometers distant.

And what will we find in Our Hero's right front pocket?  A mask of course, to be worn inside his school, lest the dread COVID claim him once again.

But wait!  It's the Year of Our Lord 2023 -- March 6 to be exact, and... the mask requirement has been lifted!  Our Hero is now free to wear or not wear his mask at his own discretion.

He approaches the intersection where he usually dons his mask before entering his school, and there he is confronted with a choice.  Don the mask, as the students passing him have already done, or boldly enter the school maskless, and thereafter endure the disapproving glares mask-wearing coworkers.

Our Hero takes a moment to reflect upon this decision, and then, rather than placing the mask upon his face as usual, he enters his school with his face bare.

Yes, he's done it, and what's more he spends an entire morning in the office maskless.  Not only that, but he also goes walking around the school, in full view of both students and administrators.  The consequences of such brazen, irresponsible behavior?  Looks of surprise and apprehension.  

Later still, in class, he teaches two entire periods without recourse to a mask.  He walks left, he walks right.  He enunciates from the front, he vocalizes from the rear, and then he walks into the very midst of the students sans mask.  He is everywhere, Our Hero, and the students are all now well aware of that part of him formerly hidden: his face.

Five o'clock comes and goes.  He mounts his bicycle and heads home.  And even then Our Hero is maskless.  Even then he sets forth, with a bare face, for all the world to see.

And what's worse, he's in a pretty good mood.  The sky hasn't fallen, the sun is out, and it's a great day to be alive.

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A Set of New Textbooks

Taiwan 101: Money and What's On It

Hengchun People 恆春人

Directions To No One's Satisfaction

Restaurants I Like 我喜歡的餐廳 : Kaohsiung 高雄 1

蒸鮮腸粉港式飲茶

Jengxian Hong Kong Style Restaurant

Type of Food 料理類別 : Cantonese/Hong Kong-style 港式飲茶

Location 地址 : 高雄市左營區裕誠路322號 Yucheng Road #322, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City

Hours of Operation 營業時間 : 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day. 周一到周日，早上十一點到晚上九點半 。

Website 網址 : http://www.jsyamcha.com.tw/ 

Getting There 交通: They have two locations, one in Zuoying and one just south of Chengqing Lake. 他們有兩間店 ，  總店在澄清湖附近 ， 裕誠店在左營 。

I've been to the Zuoying location twice.  It's within walking distance of the Kaohsiung Athletic Stadium MRT stop.  The Chengqing location is far from any train or MRT stops. 我去過裕誠店兩次 ， 從捷運巨蛋走到裕誠店沒問題 ；  澄清湖的總店離火車、捷運站很遠 。

Price 價錢 : It's expensive. 有點貴 。

Parking 停車 : You can probably forget about parking a car on the road in that area.  I recommend either paying for a space in a lot or taking the MRT. 大概找不到停車位 ， 把車停在停車場或坐捷運比較好 。

Should You Make A Reservation? 要訂位嗎 ? : On a Friday or Saturday night?  Probably. 週五晚上或周六晚上最好訂位 。

Thoughts 意見:

I believe I've eaten about half the menu items (I can't eat shrimp), and I thought all of the dishes I had were very good.  Meat eaters might avoid the vegetarian dishes, but give those a try too.  The ones I had were excellent. 我相信自己吃過菜單上一半的菜色(我不吃蝦)，我吃過的都很好吃，吃葷的客人可能不想點菜單上的素菜，但你應該試試看，因為菜單上的素菜一樣好吃。

In terms of an evening out, this would be a good place to take either a date or family members.  The service is very good and eating in feels very comfortable. 這裡適合帶親人或是情人去 。  他們的服務很好， 店內用餐的感覺也很舒服。

I've eaten at several Hong Kong-style restaurants in Kaohsiung and this one is my favorite. 我吃過高雄幾家港式餐廳，這是其中我最喜歡的。

Related Entries 相關的文章:

Restaurants I Like 我喜歡的餐廳: Pingtung 屏東 1

Restaurants I Like 我喜歡的餐廳: Taitung 台東 1

Food for Them and Food for Us 他們的料理跟我們的料理

Taiwan 101: Widely Available Beers

NOTE: I was planning on doing an entry for Tainan after this, but I think I've just changed my mind.  I'll be confining myself to Taitung, Pingtung and Kaohsiung restaurants for the foreseeable future.  I only eat in Tainan every other month or so, and attempting to introduce restaurants seems like stepping out of my depth.

A Set of New Textbooks

A new semester, a new set of books.  Let's take a look at what I have.

I. Elementary School

English textbooks in Taiwan are very thematic, with very little continuity between books in a series or even units in the same book.  Thus students never really need to build upon existing knowledge, but rather "reset" their knowledge to accommodate whichever textbook they're studying during a given semester.  Grammar concepts are introduced in the books, but tests are often written in such a way that students can guess their way through most test questions.

1. Super Fun 4

Grade 4 students are studying the "What are these/those?", "Where's the (object)?", "What time is it?" and "Do you like (food)?" sentence patterns.  

One problem with the word "these" is that it sounds a lot like "this," and many students never learn the difference between "this/that" and "these/those" anyway.  "What time is it?" is a valid inclusion, but it's really hard to have a conversation around "What time is it?," especially with fourth graders.

The words for this semester are: yo-yo(s), kite(s), doll(s), ball(s), robot(s), box, desk, chair, in, on, under, eleven, twelve, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty-five, cake, ice cream, milk, juice, water and pizza.  Good luck getting kids to master "eleven" and "twelve."  Those two words seem to evade most students.

2. eStar 6

Grade 5 students are studying the "What day is today?", "What subject do you like?", "What does he/she need?" and "How much is the (item of clothing)?" sentence patterns.  

As with "What time is it?", it's hard to have a conversation centered around "What day is today?" and "How much is the (item of clothing)?" is an even more difficult task.  Most students' knowledge of English numbers and math terms doesn't often correspond to a real-world discussion of how much items cost, sentences and vocabulary related to buying and selling, and any array of commonly-seen objects in Taiwan.

The English textbooks should really include "Taiwanese" or "Minnanese" as an academic subject.  But maybe doing so would be too political?  I don't know.

The words for this semester are: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, English, math, Chinese, social studies, PE, music, art, science, smartphone, gloves, robot, umbrella, tablet, watch, sunglasses, T-shirt, shorts, skirt, jacket, pants, shoes, socks and dress.  "Smartphone" seems to be a new inclusion.

3. eStar 8

Grade 6 students are studying the "What do you do after school?", "What do you want to be?", "Where were you yesterday?" and "Where was he/she yesterday?" sentence patterns.  

Elementary level textbook series usually introduce the past tense during the end of the sixth grade, when the school calendar is full of activities.  As a result most students go on to junior high school blissfully unaware of the past tense, the future tense, or any other tense beyond the tense in which colorful characters constantly quiz one another on likes, dislikes and personal characteristics.  To make matters worse, most textbook questions can be answered with "yes" or "no."  I think of it as the 50/50 approach to English.

The words for this semester are: play basketball, play the piano, read comic books, bake cookies, go camping, go jogging, go swimming, singer, scientist, writer, baseball player, police officer, vet, firefighter, pilot, yesterday, two hours ago, an hour ago, thirty minutes ago, airport, train station, restaurant, museum and theater.  I'm calling it right now: after this semester most students will have entirely forgotten "yesterday" and "ago."

II. Junior High School

I case you're new to Taiwan, 下 means "second semester" in the context of school textbooks.  The first semester is 上.

At the junior high level there are too many sentence patterns to list here.  I suppose the expectation is that students have mastered the grammar introduced in the elementary textbooks, and in junior high school they're be able to flexibly apply their knowledge of English grammar to a variety of new sentence structures.  In some parts of Taiwan maybe this is the case.  Where I am?  We're a long way from that.

Junior high English textbooks have six units per book where elementary English textbooks only have four.  I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to divide 20 or 21 weeks by six, and I doubt that I'm the only one having this difficulty.  I think sticking with four units per semester would have made more sense.  This would have both given more depth to the books and made them less discouraging.

4. English 1 下

Topics covered in this book include sports and hobbies, recreational activities, holidays, fruits and other food, chores and places in Taiwan.  There are 10-20 vocabulary words per unit, and given the fact that I tested both the seventh graders on unit 1 today, I know that they're not learning many of these new words.  Hopefully it'll get better.  I can only hope so.

5. English 2 下

The six units in the eighth grade textbook introduce personal characteristics (adjectives), describing things (more adjectives), sports and activities (comparative adjectives), holidays and life events, emotions and weather.  When you think about it there's a lot of overlap between the seventh and eighth grade textbooks, though I doubt that many students notice this, and I doubt even more that many benefit from it.  In 20 weeks, even with English class being three times a week, it's difficult to give these books more than a cursory examination.

In the eighth grade textbook the number of vocabulary words in each unit is closer to 20 than to 10, and these vocabulary words are less theme-specific, and more like keys to a selected text.  The second half of each unit has more worksheet pages, with lots of fill-in-the-blanks exercises provided for those willing to actually do them.  Does anyone check these books at the end of the semester?  I highly doubt it.

6. English 3 下

I don't have that much to do with the grade 9 students.  I teach the 907 "Arts Class" four times a semester, and during these four classes I only cover the first unit of their textbooks.  Grade 9 finishes the school year earlier than the other grades, and they're also on the other side of the campus from my office.

This textbook returns to a four unit format.  The English 3 上 book retained six units, so I can only assume that this four unit structure is a reflection of the fact that ninth grade students have a shorter semester in the spring. 

This textbook adopts a more social studies-centric approach to English, an approach that I heartily endorse if you've been in Taiwan long enough to know the country better.  Even if you don't know it better, introducing your own country in English to Taiwanese students can be very meaningful.

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