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For breakfast today I tried a tofu pudding dish the kids had brought me in and wow surprisingly good. The sun was shining today so I decided to walk to school and go in my casual clothes of board shorts and thongs - why not the kids need to see me for who and what I am and that's what they appreciate - truth. The first two classes with the lower primary students went really well and the kids learned about Australia and all our crazy animals, I gave out prizes and had all the kids trying their best to speak in English. After lunch I had promised to visit the other Highschool and talk to the students. The English teacher Damon came and got me (the best and most dedicated teacher I have ever had the honor of teaching alongside). Walking into the class I was met with a standing ovation and 30 plus smiling faces. Once more the kids had been at it and had family cooking and making me gifts. One kid had brought in 30 bubble teas a famous drink created in Taiwan. Oh and I had to try all the good infront of the children - first up dried snake wow delicious, next Pigs tongue wow good, fried fish even better, papaya salad was heavenly and vegetable stirfry and a number of other Jared foods. So much food and they made me take it all home. The problem was Dylan's two sisters were coming over tonight and cooking a huge feast for us and half the village. I threw a really good lesson, having the kids laughing, discussed, amazed and hopefully motivated to put in at school and do something with their life's - I am really happy today again and really don't want my Taiwan experience to ever end. When I arrived home after 6pm the cooking was almost done and holly crap how am I going to eat all this food - I had only just sampled all the class foods an hour earlier. So all Dylan's sisters, husbands and friends came around aswell as the principle and his family! On the Menu tonight Squid stirfry, tuna/onion/mint salad, pig tongue and vegetables, Chinese sausage and veg, Fried fish in buttery sauce, garden snails, bamboo salad, whit wine and chicken soup and pork stew. There was so much good food I couldn't hold myself back - we ate and ate and ate some more. Here meals are always shared with lots of separate dishes and you eat over a period of 3-4 hours - basically just picking at food until all is gone. Dylan's sisters and friends were getting into the white wine soup and it wasn't long before they were all a little drunk and had me up for photos and learning the traditional dances. The Principle of the school had made a very special gift for me - a goats leg key ring/neck piece - something symbolic of the tribe and an honor to receive. I was blown away again by the generosity and kindness of these people. It turned out to be a wonderful night I was able to show the photos of my sisters wedding and my family back hone which everyone really enjoyed. A great night full of laughs, good times and good company even though 9 of the 10 people could barely speak a word of English.
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