Author Archive
Educated foreign kids
My mom recently told me a story about my little cousin in Taiwan that surprised me.
My uncle recently visited Taiwan, something he does maybe once every two years. He gave my little cousin, Karen (that’s the English name she decided upon in school), 200 U.S. dollars as a gift (red envelope kind of thing. Asian people like to give money instead of presents. It’s practical!)
So Karen recieved 200 U.S. dollars, but she couldn’t use it because it was U.S. money. At the time, it was 32 NT (Taiwanese currency) to the dollar. By the time it was 34NT, she asked her aunt, my aunt, if she could sell the dollars to her. My aunt said she could. Karen waited until the exchange rate was 35NT and sold her dollars to her mom.
The next day, the exchange rate had risen to 35.something NT. She told her mom that she should give her more money since the rate had risen. Her mom said that she had already sold the money, and that if that’s the way she wanted to play, then she would have to give back more money if the exchange rate lowered below 34NT to be fair. Karen kept her mouth shut.
The first thing that surprised me is that she understood exchange rates. How many kids in the U.S. understand that kind of thing? The only time I remember hearing it in school was in senior year during Economics class. She waited for the rate to go higher.
Also, we weren’t seriously doing compound multiplication until fifth grade. Karen was already comfortable with decimals. (And a whole lot more I’m sure).
And, where was Karen getting her info on the exchange rates? It’s posted on the news every night. And she watches it.
Oh, and the class size ratio of student to teacher has always been really high in Taiwan. 40 kids in a class is nothing and it’s an argument going around that I don’t really agree on. Although it might only work in Taiwan because the kids study like crazy and don’t distrupt classtime because they’ll get their butt kicked by both their parents and the teacher.
Not that I wouldn’t like to be hired, and having less kids in a class would probably only help, but just saying. http://www.arthurhu.com/index/classize.htm Found this. Interesting.
Woo, I’m safe
It took me about 75 bucks for the Department of Justice and the FBI to confirm that I’m totally safe to work with kids. I’m glad they didn’t decide I was crazy, which I am.
Phewf!
Here kiddie kiddies!
Also, I got into Cal State Long Beach for the credential program. Yay, at least I have somewhere to go now. Half the weight on my shoulders gone.
Mayan Theatre
Today I played at the Mayan Theatre! Wyatt asked me to play the cello for a band that wanted more strings. We had a rehearsal on Saturday in Pasadena and then today we played in two services at 6PM and 8PM.
This is the outside…I didn’t get a good picture of the whole place because then I’d have to cross the street.
Inside…
Through the doors…
A bar… There were lots of cool places but I didn’t really wander…it was kind of dark.
During sound check. Sound check is kind of…it tests your patience! Going around and people say what mics they want to hear…and if it’s loud enough for them. You really can’t hear yourself or other play. I couldn’t really hear myself so I was super worried if I was out of tune and didn’t even know it.
You can sit up there on the second floor.
oOoo. This bassist was reeeally good. I met him later. He can speak fluent Japanese and reads Korean. He also plays the kodo and the zither! The zither! I’ve always wanted to learn that…so jealous. He majored in Japanese music and was like…the embassador for music in Japan for something…sent by the embassy…And composed for the Japanese embassy here or something crazy like that.
View from the back of the second floor.
The ceiling is pretty neato.
Fog and lights and keyboard.
I didn’t get a picture of what I wore, and it seemed silly to take a picture after the fact so I didn’t. But I will share this lovely accessory I made. Fun to flair when vibrato-ing. The sheer ribbon also kind of sparkles under the lighting. Inspired by Sanosuke from Rurouni Kenshin.
Two songs. I’d say the more impressive song is 4:35 but you can probably hear me better in the first song.
Last song. I didn’t get any music for this so I repeated notes a la Canon in D style. You can also actually hear me better here too.
It was really fun. I got to stay in a green room and I got to get nervous before I performed. Some people came up to me and gave me their business cards and said that cellists are a rare breed. Rare! Dripping with blood! >: E kekeke
After all that socializing though, I did yearn to return to my shell. Curl up in my sweater and bask in my monitor’s glow.
On hold WaMu, hello SchoolsFirst
Some uneasy times right now and I’ve finally opened up an account with SchoolsFirst. Actually they call it being a “member”. I should have done it like, last year, but oh well. Oh, and my family members can join too. There is a branch pretty close to me so I’m happy with that.
Anyone else sad that they can’t say WaMu anymore? WaMu! WaMu! Better get it out now.